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Bavarian State Ballet 16-17 season


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Thank you for the heads up!

 

To me, Spartacus, and a classical repertoire is very welcome in Europe. For my taste, too much 'innovation' in terms of modern ballet has taken up too much of the repertoire in Europe. I will happily be visiting the 'Russian' style Munich, and I am excited to see Spartacus.

 

Here is the link.

Edited by SwissBalletFan
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I wonder if this repertoire suggests that Zelensky is bringing Polunin with him. Alice: role of Knave created on him.... Spartacus: spectacular male role, etc.

Munich is a shorter flight to London and La Belle Natalia than Moscow is...

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I wonder if this repertoire suggests that Zelensky is bringing Polunin with him. Alice: role of Knave created on him.... Spartacus: spectacular male role, etc.

Munich is a shorter flight to London and La Belle Natalia than Moscow is...

 

 

It raises a good point. I was wondering if the Stanislavsky and Munich will be 'pooling' their talents and giving dancers opportunities to dance in both places as the need7wishes arise. Which could be great to introduce Europe to some Russian dancers, and european dancers to try Moscow, and the challenges that would bring technique-wise.

 

It looks like they are auditioning for male dancers for next season, I am not sure about the quality of dancers already at Munich, and whether they could dance to level a very 'challenging character' like Zelensky would be happy with. 

 

As far as I read in the online copy of UK vogue, Natalia and Polunin want to be based in London. I would assume if Polunin dances that would mean only with Natalia?

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The announcement of the 2016-2017 Munich ballet season included a new work by Wayne MacGregor as well as Alice and Spartacus.It will be interesting to see how much use Zelensky makes of the dancers from his Russian company in all of this. He seemed to be indicating that the arrangements that have been put in place would give dancers more opportunity to perform than they have at present. The question will be which dancers will get those opportunities?

 

As far as the choice of repertory is concerned I imagine that Zelensky wants his first season to be a popular success with the Munich audience. It does not seem to be a good idea when you are the new director of a company,and an outsider, to make repertory choices which suggest that you have little or no respect for a company's traditions. It stokes up resentment and can lead to a rapid departure from post as both Ross Stretton and Benjamin Millepied discovered to their cost. Two nineteenth century works, a good selection of major twentieth century ballets with a proven track record with audiences plus two twenty first century ballets one of which is a new creation for Munich looks like the sort of season which will enable the new director to ingratiate himself with his new public and gain their trust.It looks like the sort of season which ensures that there will be a second and third season in which to be more adventurous.

 

As big name choreographers are not available at the drop of a hat it looks like the new MacGregor work was already on the cards for one of Zelensky's companies and he was just in the fortunate position of being able to announce it in Munich.It will be interesting to see whether Munich maintains its interest in the Diaghilev repertory and period sensitive reconstructions of nineteenth century works. I can think of a couple of Soviet period ballets which would be interesting to see staged in the West such as The Fountains of Bakhchisarai and Jacobson's Spartacus which Plesetskaya said was the best version in which she had danced.

 

ballets that

Edited by FLOSS
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it seems they will have a creation by McGregor in 17/18, and also a Madama Butterfly ballet by photographer and film director David LaChapelle, at least that's what's the Munich Abendzeitung says today. The Spartacus is the Grigorovich version. The names of the new dancers will only be published at the beginning of the season online on the website of the Bavarian State Ballet.

 

direct link to the (German) brochure here: https://issuu.com/bayerischestaatsoper/docs/bso_16_17_jv_innen_digital_issuu/1

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Can't please all the people all the time:- I much prefer established classical ballets to modern works like McGregor's, so this rep suits me to a T if I was inclined to go to Munich.

 

Their opera season has some wonderful goodies to offer on the non-ballet nights.  DiDonato in Semiramide with Barcelona and Brownlee to boot, for example, Kaufmann in Forza or Stemme in either Turnandot or Elektra.  

Edited by Bruce Wall
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I personally find the program very interesting, Grigorovich's Spartacus is in Europe for the first time I think and the prospect that Polunin interpreters both this that Mayerling, makes the German scene even more interesting!

And talking about someting totally new, I'm also curious about David LaChapelle's project inspired by Madame Butterfly...

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If Zelensky will bring "the prince" in Monaco, to interpret Spartacus and Mayerling, he will have all my gratitude!I would go to Russia to see Polunin dance in this ballets and probably I will do it anyway, but go to Germany is a bit easier and I find very interesting the Bayerische ballet

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If Zelensky will bring "the prince" in Monaco, to interpret Spartacus and Mayerling, he will have all my gratitude!I would go to Russia to see Polunin dance in this ballets and probably I will do it anyway, but go to Germany is a bit easier and I find very interesting the Bayerische ballet

I agree! For me now go to Russia is almost impossible, and also I already appreciate the Bayerische Staatsballett, but if there was also Polunin and in roles such as those, it would be a real joy! So waiting for the prince ????
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One Polunin is not enough to fill a Spartacus performance, you need a Crassus and lots of fine male dancers for the corps de ballet, and Zelensky hasn't even published one single dancer's name for his first season - right now the information on the website says to check again at the beginning of the season. And let's remember, he was appointed two years ago, so he had really enough time to fire and hire dancers. Furthermore, I'm not sure if Spartacus is the first work you should do if half of your company is new. Right now it sounds as if Munich might take the same turn as Berlin under Duato and Vienna, when Legris was new: famous guest dancers in the leads instead of home-grown principals. To be fair, Vienna works with its own principal dancers now, but Berlin just had a series of four Giselles with several guests from all over the world. Is that really what you want at Munich?

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One Polunin is not enough to fill a Spartacus performance, you need a Crassus and lots of fine male dancers for the corps de ballet, and Zelensky hasn't even published one single dancer's name for his first season - right now the information on the website says to check again at the beginning of the season. And let's remember, he was appointed two years ago, so he had really enough time to fire and hire dancers. Furthermore, I'm not sure if Spartacus is the first work you should do if half of your company is new. Right now it sounds as if Munich might take the same turn as Berlin under Duato and Vienna, when Legris was new: famous guest dancers in the leads instead of home-grown principals. To be fair, Vienna works with its own principal dancers now, but Berlin just had a series of four Giselles with several guests from all over the world. Is that really what you want at Munich?

 

 

To be honest, I would want to see the best dancers, dancing the best ballets, in a place that is close to me, so I can go to watch it. Personally, in Europe at the moment we have modern choreographers in the top positions at most ballet companies. I, (luckily) am in the position to be able travel to ballet in Europe wherever I feel something interests me.

 

I think Munich is lucky to have Zelensky as AD, and I thought that as he is also the AD of Stanislavsky it would be clear that he would 'tap into' this resource if needed.

 

I think Berlin was lucky to really get an insight into how different top dancers dance Giselle, and to get an idea about how different dancers perform.

 

I don't think there is anything about 'home-grown' dancers for a new AD, and I think Munich will be a much stronger company in the long term under Zelensky. I think he could have been a great fit for the La Scala job.

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As much as I like to see the jet-setting stars of the ballet world, I still believe in a ballet company in the traditional sense, where you have the invaluable joy of watching dancers grow from the young beginner in the corps de ballet to principal or primaballerina, where you know they learn the style of this specific company from the very beginning, where you know that the corps de ballet is not only the dull, never-to-promoted backdrop for some Russian stars. This is how the national styles in the ballet world got lost, isn't it? Not that the company at Munich had any special style under Ivan Liska, but they were proud of their principals and their repertoire. It's not fair to judge Zelensky before he even started, I know.

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I understand your point Angela, but I agree with SwissBalletFan; moreover, though this are only speculations, given the excellent relationship between Zelensky and Polunin, he could immediately announce his presence, but he didn't and I think this demonstrates his seriousness; in my opinion it's also a good impulse for reflection on Polunin's choice to work as a freelance: this system not only guarantees the artistic freedom of the dancer but it also allows for some variety, cultural exchange, without " threatening" the official corps de ballet because it would only be a few dates; a bit like in the Opera...

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 I think this demonstrates his seriousness

 

Or his uncertainty that Polunin might decide otherwise in the meantime? Concerning his artistic choices and opinions in the last few years, I can't take Polunin for a serious artist, as good as he may be as a dancer. But I see that the prospect of having him dance at Munich seems to beat all my objections. So we'll see in December!

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Or his uncertainty that Polunin might decide otherwise in the meantime? Concerning his artistic choices and opinions in the last few years, I can't take Polunin for a serious artist, as good as he may be as a dancer. But I see that the prospect of having him dance at Munich seems to beat all my objections. So we'll see in December!

Well, especially considering the affection that his pupil has for him, Zelensky could easily exploit his name, a trend that lately have many theaters, leaving to the artists the problem of giving explanations. Personally I am convinced of Polunin's artistic seriousness; for me nothing of what he done or said can compromise this, not only because I admire those who say what they think (not counting the manipulations of the journalists, who with the history of the "bad boy", can write such beautiful headlines) but simply because when he is on the stage always offers his audience high-level performance; also I find it very important his commitment to greater recognition of the dancers artistic freedom and their opinions; after all some of the greatest artists in history, also in ballet, were nonconformist, rebels, considered troublesome characters if not to say troublemaker, then I dare say that he is in good company from this point of view! :) We'll see how it goes, certainly I will come very gladly to Münich in any case! :)
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I agree with you, Lilian: most of the time are loose cannons to make art history!

And I always think of my first love, Rudolph Nureyev: he actually was a troublemaker! But when I met Polunin after a peformance...well I was really surprised: a boy so polite, shy, always kind and even gallant! (Without malice, I'm an old lady, so I can say it! ) In my day bad boys were definitely different! In any case, it's important what he does on stage, so I think, as Angela well said, that the possibility of seeing him dance beats every objection!

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I agree with you, Lilian: most of the time are loose cannons to make art history!

And I always think of my first love, Rudolph Nureyev: he actually was a troublemaker! But when I met Polunin after a peformance...well I was really surprised: a boy so polite, shy, always kind and even gallant! (Without malice, I'm an old lady, so I can say it! ) In my day bad boys were definitely different! In any case, it's important what he does on stage, so I think, as Angela well said, that the possibility of seeing him dance beats every objection!

 

 

I think in the case of why Pounin chose Zelensky as his role model was that Polunin never had a father figure. I would say therefore (without personally knowing him) he is probably more misguided than bad in anyway,

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I agree with you, Lilian: most of the time are loose cannons to make art history!

 

And I always think of my first love, Rudolph Nureyev: he actually was a troublemaker! But when I met Polunin after a peformance...well I was really surprised: a boy so polite, shy, always kind and even gallant! (Without malice, I'm an old lady, so I can say it! ) In my day bad boys were definitely different! In any case, it's important what he does on stage, so I think, as Angela well said, that the possibility of seeing him dance beats every objection!

I think in the case of why Pounin chose Zelensky as his role model was that Polunin never had a father figure. I would say therefore (without personally knowing him) he is probably more misguided than bad in anyway,

  

 

Absolutely yes; he was just very young and journalists have massacred him, exaggerating every trifle he tweeted...If I think of the nonsense that I wrote when I was nineteen on facebook and myspace, I shudder! Imagine if someone slammed those in the newspaper...he simply reacted to this and to the pressure as best he believed; moreover is true that often ballet dancers are almost propriety of theaters and outside of them, they have few protections: managers and agents are not typical figures for this category, as they are for actors, singers and athletes for example; he has experienced this firsthand and is now attempting to change the system, and I find this remarkable, the attempt, especially because this doesn't makes his life easier ...

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I don't think Nureyev ever cancelled a performance - or missed a class - however much he may have been 'living it up' all night....

I love Nureyev, but he was well known for his bad and arrogant temper and another dancer reported him for beating; there are dancers who have deleted entire seasons with no other explanation that a vague mention of "injuries", Polunin has cancelled some performances in a bad time of his life, he has openly admitted it, and apologized for this; then if there is someone who has never made missteps in his life or had bad times, well cast the first stone. I'm much more inclined to consider his good qualities as a person and his incredible artistic talent, which until now have never failed.

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journalists have massacred him, exaggerating every trifle he tweeted...

 

"massacred" is a bit harsh, don't you think? Making the journalists responsible? I don't know. Most dance journalists have a very wide understanding for dancers and their tempers or caprices, because they know enough divas (female and male) and their demeanor from dance history. I guess in Polunin's case it was just way over the top.

 

I wonder how so many other great, fine, serious dancers have bloomed and grown within that terrible system that Polunin is about to change... All slaves of artistic directors and managers? Zelensky the saviour? What about Sylvie Guillem, don't you think she made the best choices for herself some decades before Polunin?

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"massacred" is a bit harsh, don't you think? Making the journalists responsible? I don't know. Most dance journalists have a very wide understanding for dancers and their tempers or caprices, because they know enough divas (female and male) and their demeanor from dance history. I guess in Polunin's case it was just way over the top.

 

I wonder how so many other great, fine, serious dancers have bloomed and grown within that terrible system that Polunin is about to change... All slaves of artistic directors and managers? Zelensky the saviour? What about Sylvie Guillem, don't you think she made the best choices for herself some decades before Polunin?

 

 

Sergei Polunin is a human being, audiences do not have a god given right that he dances or performs for them, nor do people really have a right to comment on how he lives his life.

 

Sergei Polunin is an amazing dancer, he has a gift, and he has worked like crazy as a child/young man to ensure he meets his goals.

 

The issue audiences are allowed (IMHO) to have is when he is unreliable and does not attend a scheduled performance, and for this I agree with the public, it is very disappointing, and not very professional at all, and this is damaging his reputation as dancer. This has cost Polunin a lot, in that many of the big houses are not very keen to book him as a guest for their performances. 

 

That he is still an amazing dancer and he is still very young, means there is time for him to change, to mature, and to learn. Igor Zelensky is his father figure (and even the subject of a tattoo on Polunin's body), and could help facilitate this,

 

If he was announced to dance, I would buy a ticket depending on who the replacements would be, and how good the choreography is....then if he actually turns up I would be extremely happy that he does. The same goes now for Osipova performances now.

 

I very much hope in a few years all of this settles down, and we get to see Osipova/Polunin becoming the Nureyev/Fontane of the stage....dance will be all the better for it, as will Munich.

 

What is the idiom..? Plan for the worst...hope for the best.

Edited by SwissBalletFan
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