sybarite2015@ Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Hi everyone! I'm still relatively new to ballet and would like here to list my fave ballet (or particular act or dance from a ballet). This will also help to discover new pieces to see and discover.... My favourite ballet: Fokine's The Dying Swan (I think Lopatkina is better than Zakharova here although Plisetskaya is the best!) Swan Lake (esp. add) and Giselle (esp. Act 1 Variations). Balanchine's Jewels (Mariinsky) and I love Kitr's dancei from Don Quixote (though I've not see that one live yet). I also loved the Bolshoi's Le Corsaire. I've seen some more modern ballet too but not such a big fan of it compared to classical although one of my all-time favourite's is Patrick de Bana's Digital Love (with Zakharova) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmhopton Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 My favourite ballets are La Fille mal Gardee (Ashton Royal Ballet) Onegin (Cranko Royal Ballet) Don Quixote (Bolshoi) Le Corsaire (Mariinsky) Manon (Macmillan, Royal Ballet) or Giselle (Wright, Royal Ballet) or Merry Widow (Ronald Hynd version) I also really enjoyed Hobson's Choice (Bintley, Birmingham Royal Ballet) and Northern Ballet's Romeo and Juliet and A Christmas Carol. these are all full length ballets. My favourite short ballets are Two Pigeons (Ashton, Royal Ballet) Rhapsody (Ashton, Royal ballet) Les Patineurs (Ashton, Royal ballet) The Dream (Ashton, Royal ballet) Month in the Country (Ashton, Royal Ballet) or Winter Dreams (Macmillan, Royal Ballet) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 My top 3 Don Quixote is my absolute number ONE! Swan Lake Jewels 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 My favourite ballets include: Symphonic Variations The Dream La Fille Mal Gardée That's the Ashton done. The rest will take more thinking about ... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trog Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Favourite ballet - anything by Balanchine, but especially Agon, Apollo and The Four Temperaments. I also very much like Swan Lake, but since it can be very good, or very bad, depending on which company is doing it, so I don't include it in my top five. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTL Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 That is so true, Trog (post 5), seeing a "challenging" production of a favourite ballet can be disappointing. My "mustn't miss" list includes "La Sylphide", "La Fille mal gardée", "Les Biches", "Symphony in C", English National Ballet's "Le Corsaire", the Bolshoi's "Bright Stream" and "Don Quixote". 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 My favourite ballet is Onegin, especially as danced by LFB (ENB) in the mid-80s. Other favourites are: Ashton's Romeo and Juliet as danced by LFB in the mid-80s. Gable/Morricone's Romeo and Juliet Ashton's The Dream Ashton's La Fille Mal Gardee Ashton's Two Pigeons Ashton's Symphonic Variations Ashton's Scenes de Ballet David Nixon's Madame Butterfly David Nixon's Swan Lake David Nixon's A Midsummer Night's Dream David Bintley's Hobson's Choice David Bintley's Far From the Madding Crowd David Bintley's Galantries Balanchine's Symphony in Three Movements Balanchine's Apollo Balanchine's Concerto Barocco Bournonville's La Sylphide Bournonville's Napoli 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Pigeons Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Very impressive Janet but I am surprised you left Bintley's Sylvia off the list! For me Anything by Ashton, particularly if done in the correct style Onegin (and I agree about it being the LFB/ENB years) La Sylphide Giselle Raymonda Mayerling Le Bayadere Le Corsair Theme and Variations Symphony in 3 movements Symphony in C Serenade Hobson's Choice Tombeaux Galantaries I think that will do me for the time being too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa O`Brien Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 (edited) I also really loved the old LFB production of Onegin. Swan Lake,provided it has the non Russian ending,and providing the swan costumes are not the hideous Royal ones. RB`s Isadora was outstanding and wish they would revive it.[Although as I saw the original production with Merle Park and actress Mary Miller in the title role I was spoiled] McMillan`s Romeo and Juliet,and Balanchines Jewels. Also the dream scene from Don Q. Oh and Glen Tetley`s Pierrot Lunaire starring Christopher Bruce of Rambert which I saw on TV decades ago,but absolutely blew me away and I never forgot. Nureyev a few years later was great in the role too,but for me Bruce was just genius. Edited March 24, 2016 by Lisa O`Brien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Giselle Also like Symphony in C, Act 2 of Swan Lake, Requiem, Symphonic Variations, La Fille mal gardee, RB's Nutcracker, Jewels, Serenade 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Can't believe I forgot to include Manon! Oh, and Themes and Variations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duck Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Béjart Bolero Béjart Firebird Béjart Songs of a Wayfarer Bel Tombe Bintley Still Life at the Penguin Café Cranko Initials R.B.M.E. Cranko Brouillards McGregor Infra McGregor Woolf Works MacMillan Song of the Earth MacMillan Requiem MacMillan Concerto MacMillan Gloria Tetley Voluntaries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beryl H Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 I've always wanted to ask if people have a favourite dance that they would like to do themselves, mine are Odette's second act solo, Myrthe's dances in Giselle, Nikiya's very first solo, and the Papillon solo from Fokine's Le Carnaval. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Pigeons Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 (edited) I agree about Myrthe's solos but would add all those of Raymonda, especially the two variations in the last act. I expect most of us would love to be able to dance the Rose Adagio. I think that in my dreams I would be Ashton's Cinderella, Lise and the principal roles in Scenes de Ballets and Symphonic Variations. Oh yes, and Lady Elgar. Edited March 24, 2016 by Two Pigeons 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duck Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Just about any role in Béjart's Bolero or in Balanchine's The Four Temperaments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indigo Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 As my dancing skills are very limited, I've never progressed to thinking about a favourite dance I'd like to be able to do myself. The only time I've ever wanted to join the RB on stage was during Hofesh Shechter's Untouchable, because it just looked like everybody on stage was having such a fabulous time & I'd love to have been part of that - hidden away at the back! There's lots of ballets I haven't seen yet. So far, my favourites at the RB have been: Giselle Manon The Two Pigeons (many thanks for recommending it, FLOSS) La Fille Mal Gardee Onegin Swan Lake Rhapsody Plus the Bolshoi's Lost Illusions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 So many to choose from! Lucky us. Swan Lake - still, the ultimate ballet for me Giselle The Sleeping Beauty The Nutcracker (both the RB and BRB versions) MacMillan: Requiem, Song of the Earth, Gloria, Mayerling, Romeo and Juliet, Concerto, The Rite of Spring Ashton: La fille mal gardée, The Dream, Symphonic Variations, Scènes de Ballet, Cinderella, Rhapsody, Birthday Offering, La Valse Balanchine: Symphony in C, Serenade, Agon, Theme and Variations, Jewels, Concerto Barocco, Apollo, Mozartiana Bintley: Galanteries, Sons of Horus, Still Life at the Penguin Café, Tombeaux, Consort Lessons Robbins: Dances at a Gathering, In the Night Morris: L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato (don't suppose that counts as ballet, but is as sublimely beautiful as the most beautiful ballet) Shechter: Political Mother (definitely not ballet, but thrilling) Khan: DESH (ditto), Dust Nijinska: Les Noces Fokine: The Firebird Tetley: Pierrot Lunaire, Dances of Albion Pina Bausch: Masurca Fogo (not ballet, but so unexpectedly full of joy) And many others nudging to get in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melody Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Just about anything by Ashton, but especially Symphonic Variations, Les Patineurs, and A Month in the Country. Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker, and (slightly lower down the list) Swan Lake. Les Sylphides, The Firebird, Giselle. Michael Smuin's Carmina Burana. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachelm Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 BRB Nutcracker RB Nutcracker RB Mayerling Mariinsky Swan Lake POB Cinderella (Nureyev) POB Le Dame Aux Camelias Northern Ballet Romeo & Juliet (Morricone) Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty I also love Ashton's Thais Pas De Deux, and Five Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachelm Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 I've always wanted to ask if people have a favourite dance that they would like to do themselves, mine are Odette's second act solo, Myrthe's dances in Giselle, Nikiya's very first solo, and the Papillon solo from Fokine's Le Carnaval. I'd love to do Kitri's first solo in Don Quixote, Gamzatti's solo in the last act of Bayadere (RB version), Amour in DQ, and the Neopolitan in Swan Lake. There's also a beautiful solo in MacMillan's Requiem. I have memories of it in a documentary about Darcey Bussell and Viviana Durante many years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 There's also a beautiful solo in MacMillan's Requiem. I have memories of it in a documentary about Darcey Bussell and Viviana Durante many years ago. Yes, that's the most wonderful solo! The Pie Jesu. I especially remember it danced by Lesley Collier and Leanne Benjamin. The whole ballet is like a prayer, with that solo at its heart. If I had ever been a dancer that would have been my ideal. Closely followed by Song of the Earth, Aurora and Odette. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scheherezade Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 Don Quixote is my absolute number ONE! Don Q Fan, I am so surprised! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 Beryl....we were just talking about that only the other night .....which roles would we have coveted if had only been good enough!! So for drama I fancied the Nikiya role in Bayadere including the dance with the basket which goes completely frenetic For fun Lise in "Fille" For soul Giselle For pure technique Kitri in Don Q There are loads of other wonderful ballets of course but these came to the fore at the time and have never fancied dancing the Swan Lake role even though it's supposed to be what every dancer wants to perform. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 Oh and for melodrama any of the roles in Month in the Country. So I guess the above are also some of my favourite ballets....too difficult to pick just one really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terpsichore Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 So many. Dowell's production of Swan Lake comes pretty high. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sybarite2015@ Posted March 25, 2016 Author Share Posted March 25, 2016 Thanks everyone! That's a lot of ballet for me to watch! Still nothing so far moves me as much as The Dying Swan. It is short so must be only shown in galas or part of a themed evening? I've not yet ever seen it advertised let alone performed live (except on YT). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavycapers Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 Kenneth Macmillan's Romeo and Juliet doesn't seem to be appearing much. The morning pas de deux in Juliet's bedroom, the last time they will see each other alive, is my favourite all time moment. The mixture of despair and hope. And Romeo trying to recreate that dance with Juliet's inert body when he finds her in the tomb. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terpsichore Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 (edited) Beryl....we were just talking about that only the other night .....which roles would we have coveted if had only been good enough!! So for drama I fancied the Nikiya role in Bayadere including the dance with the basket which goes completely frenetic For fun Lise in "Fille" For soul Giselle For pure technique Kitri in Don Q ...................... That's not a bad list and I'd go along with it except perhaps for substituting Odile in the black act for Kitri in Don Q in the pure technique department. Having recenty seen "Month in the Country" I know what you mean but I'd also fancy Tatiana in Cranko's Onegin and perhaps Marguerite in Neumeier's La Dame aux Cameias or indeed the title role in Brandsen's Mata Hari in the melodrama stakes. PS. I'm not sure whether it counts as ballet but I have always loved Martha Graham' Appalachian Spring. Edited March 26, 2016 by terpsichore 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 One word. Mayerling. This ballet has it all and leaves me emotionally wrung out at the end which is exactly what I want. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joy Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Winter's Tale- never saw more powerful story-telling in ballet!!! Marguerite and Armand Mayerling Spartacus Infra The Judas Tree Death in Venice Coppelia The Rite of spring, almost all versions but specially the one of Bejart everything of Pina Bausch 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Who did Death in Venice, joy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joy Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 This one http://www.hamburgballett.de/e/_tod.htm Unfortunately I never saw it live, but even on video it gives me goosebumps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jillykins Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 So looking forward to seeing Anastasia next season! Great to see Chroma again, didn't think I would like it but I loved it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now