ROH INSIGHT EVENINGS

[LinMM]

I was looking for a thread for this but couldn't find one so have started one. Have made it general so any insight evening can be commented on rather than have a separate thread for each one.

 

Anyway the one I felt I had to comment on was the talk the other evening with Allessandra Ferri.

What an inspiration she is! For me after Fonteyn is the dancer I would most like to have been!!

 

I could have listened to her all night was completely mesmerised and she did answer the question I would not have dared to ask .....why did she leave the RB!!

It seems Baryshnikov was the pull and who can blame her... who wouldn't want to dance with him and apparently at the time she felt it was a way of moving forward for her....nevertheless I was very sad when she went!!

She has certainly been brave throughout her career and never more so than now with her recent return to ballet. I didn't realise she had been retired for nearly seven years before she came back and said the first year of retirement was extremely painful for her so much so that she didn't even like to hear classical music on the radio because of that connection.

She spoke about how inspirational working with Robbins had been and he had taught her a lot about musicality and found his choreography ultra demanding in this way. As well as the role she seems to be famous for Juliet she talked about liking Giselle a lot....she definitely preferred more dramatic roles than "ballerina" roles as she put it as she likes to explore character more.

She was highly complementary about Wayne Macgregor and would love to do more work with him even though he works in an entirely different way to what she is used to .....where the movement comes first and eventually you can find the emotion in the movement which then becomes part of the character!!

 

Of course the age thing came up and I found this part of her talk quite moving and inspirational. She returned to dance because of her passion for it and she stopped being afraid of what she might or might not be able to do ....your passion can overcome many things and she said people should follow this follow their soul ....wear what they want ....and enjoy whatever they want to do and feel comfortable with whatever their age is.

She explained how she does have to adapt ....she has to take more rests etc but looks after herself saying she sees her body just like a Ferrarri car ( very appropriate) so does things that help to keep it as pain free as poss ....Pilates yoga massage and so on.

Anyway I know I've missed some things but cannot wait now to see her in February in Wolf Works which I missed last time around.

Fascinating to be at last in the Clore Theatre as well ....much bigger than I was expecting ....just hidden away there ...up in the gods... but an appropriate place then to hear Allessandra Ferri talk about her life in Dance she definitely has the feel good factor!!

 

I

[LinMM]

 

Here is a link to Ferri dancing with Baryshnikov in Giselle just so beautiful

[bridiem]

 

Here is a link to Ferri dancing with Baryshnikov in Giselle just so beautiful

 

Fantastic! Thank you so much LinMM. Very moving seeming two such brilliant dancers at the height of their powers. (Though of course Ferri is still brilliant now.)

[Bruce Wall]

Fantastic! Thank you so much LinMM. Very moving seeming two such brilliant dancers at the height of their powers. (Though of course Ferri is still brilliant now.)

 

Actually, I think, bridiem, this Herbert Ross film ('Dancers') was made very much towards the diminishing end of Baryishnikov's balletic career.  You can certainly see the strain.  In terms of his glory days in Giselle I think you see much more of the 'height' in this 1977 ABT performance (a full decade before) which was filmed live at NY State Theatre aside Makarova.  Happily I was able to be there and see it in the flesh myself.  Here is a clip of that same segment so you can compare:

 

 

Earlier I well remember seeing him give some performances as Albrecht in Giselle aside Gelsey KIrkland which were entirely - one might almost say historically - magical.  Even here you can pull through to 2.01 on this clip below and watch the lightening speed and precision of those forward brises.  I well remember they were goose bump educing.  In fact watching this faded take somehow they still are.  I've only ever seen V. Vasiliev, Bujones, Woetzel ... and now wonderfully Gabe Stone Shayer match them.

 

  Edited December 3, 2016 by Bruce Wall

[Don Q Fan]

Thanks for the report LinMM it sounds fascinating. 

[Sim]

I must be missing something...I can't see any strain at all in MB's dancing in Linn's clip.  On the contrary, his solo is still better than most we see today, and his partnering firm, fluid and considerate, allowing Ferri to float like a feather on a gentle breeze. Beautiful.

[bridiem]

I must be missing something...I can't see any strain at all in MB's dancing in Linn's clip! On the contrary, his solo is still better than most we see today, and his partnering firm, fluid and considerate, allowing Ferri to float like a feather on a gentle breeze. Beautiful.

 

I can't either, Sim, and I actually prefer the maturity and authority of his later performance. But the earlier is pretty special too!

Edited December 3, 2016 by bridiem

[Bruce Wall]

I must be missing something...I can't see any strain at all in MB's dancing in Linn's clip! On the contrary, his solo is still better than most we see today, and his partnering firm, fluid and considerate, allowing Ferri to float like a feather on a gentle breeze. Beautiful.

 

It may just be me, Sim. You can take that as 'read' ... I had the great good fortune to work on a project with ABT at that time and was around Baryishnikov sufficiently to certainly see the enormous daily physical and emotional strain he was under.  He was certainly not dancing a huge amount then  ... and it was always a guessing game as to whether or not he would ever actually appear.  That had not been the case earlier on.  

 

I do vividly remember his LAST Giselle.  He had, in fact, retired the role of Albrecht ... but - with the so called dance boom being over - and his being Director of a financially strained ABT - there was always a desperate need to fill seats.  I recall that afternoon working from home with the radio on ... and hearing in a corner of my ear over WQXR (the radio station of the NY Times) that Baryishnikov would take over from a suddenly indisposed Bujones.  It was late in the afternoon.  It was about 5 pm.  I rushed to the Met's box office and grabbed a standing place.  I remember the audience's vocal disappointment when the announcement was made about Bujones and then their excitement on the news of Baryishnikov.  (Obviously the majority had not heard.  It was, of course, long before the internet.)  

 

Baryishnikov really pulled it out of the bag that evening opposite the quiet radiance that always was Marianna Tcherkassky.  (You may have seen that same performance, Sim.)  As the ballet progressed It was as if the years had been stripped away. He seemed to go for broke ... or was it, I wonder, the drugs that had kept him and Makarova going at their respective ends.   If that was the case Cortisone had a lot to answer for.  In each of their last Giselles - (Makarova's was with Dowell) - happily so.  

 

At the performance's end - and heaven knows Baryishnikov never was one to be effusive at curtain calls - he simply stood looking out as if in shock.  He just stood there.  Then he stepped forward, fell to his knees - brought his hands out on the sides and fell flat forward.  There was a slight pause before he pulled his hands around and, lifting his head, kissed the Met's stage floor.  THAT WAS SO UNLIKE HIM.  The audience went wild.  He then wearily stood up - and with the audience - which was certainly not at capacity - belting out their adoration he did naught but stand there nodding his head, shrugging his shoulders and pursing his lips like a young lad might do.  Certainly he didn't smile - but then that was not unusual for Baryishnikov.  The he - the Director - took Marianna Tcherkassy by the hand and propelled her forward.  I found the whole thing very moving because it was - in so many respects - as I said - unlike him.  You could tell it had been a personal milestone.  

Edited December 3, 2016 by Bruce Wall

[LinMM]

In fact Allessandra said that Barysnikov could just stand on the stage and do nothing and his presence would be felt ...down to his artistry as she put it.

She did not say it was easy for her when she went to America ....far from it.

She had been at the Royal Ballet School and then in the Company and did feel very nurtured and looked after by them so going to ABT was a big step into,the unknown for her .....which was why it was a brave decision ...but it was at Baryshnikov's request.

 

She found it very difficult there at first as Baryshnikov was very demanding and was both her stage partner and Director .....so not easy at all. But in the end enjoyed the challenge and there were so many interesting choreographers working there at that time so gave her opportunities of whom Robbins seems to,have influenced her the most.

[LinMM]

Just to say also Bruce at the time Ferri went to ABT Baryshnikov would have been a little older as she was only about 22 at the time!!

 

I saw Baryshnikov at ROH in his absolute prime and he was absolutely wonderful for sure.

 

However I posted the clip more from Ferri's point of view as she had expressed loving the role of Giselle so obviously had some affinity with it and showed her with Barysnikov in this instance because he had been an important figure in her life as a dancer.

He is still pretty good in the clip.

 

Was Ferri for example better in the role of Juliet when she was 19 or when much older in her 40's?

She said herself that there are many different aspects to that role and on different days she might be more into some aspects than others as of course she was also herself as well and feelings can differ from one day/ hour/ moment to the next.

I think in interpretative roles like this artists can dance for longer say than more purely technical "ballerina" roles. I think that was her implication and I agree with it as a general rule.

[simonbfisher]

Of the four ballet Insight evenings in the Spring Season 2017 there was not a single ticket for any of them when I clocked in at 9.00 this morning to try and book as a Friend +.

 

This happens every time.....

[annamk]

They are all gone before Supporting Friends booking too  

[capybara]

Of the four ballet Insight evenings in the Spring Season 2017 there was not a single ticket for any of them when I clocked in at 9.00 this morning to try and book as a Friend +.

 

This happens every time.....

 

I think that the consolation now, Simon, is that most the Insights are shown on live relay. However, it seems that interviews with individual artists are not yet included in this initiative.

[bangorballetboy]

Of the four ballet Insight evenings in the Spring Season 2017 there was not a single ticket for any of them when I clocked in at 9.00 this morning to try and book as a Friend +.

 

This happens every time.....

 

The problem is that the Clore Studio Upstairs has only 170 seats, and a number of these are held back for artistic staff, education purposes and for supporters such as the Fonteyn Circle or production syndicates and a further number for public booking (and a few more seats are lost when there's filming).  That doesn't leave a lot for Friends to get at any level!  Having said that, some of these tickets are released closer to the event and so can be obtained using ticket-ninja skills!

 

Hopefully the refurbished Linbury will be available for such events...

[zxDaveM]

Of the four ballet Insight evenings in the Spring Season 2017 there was not a single ticket for any of them when I clocked in at 9.00 this morning to try and book as a Friend +.

 

This happens every time.....

 

I was lucky last booking period - in Public Booking got 2 out of 3...

[alison]

I think that the consolation now, Simon, is that most the Insights are shown on live relay. However, it seems that interviews with individual artists are not yet included in this initiative.

 

I must admit that if I were an individual artist I might not necessarily be keen on having my every word recorded for posterity, especially these days, when the slightest word out of place risks causing such havoc.  But at least, as capybara says, most of the insights are shown online.  You just miss any juicy bits at the end

[LinMM]

I was extremely lucky with my Ferri Insight ticket!!

 

In all the years I was a Friend ( am no longer) I never got to the Clore Theatre!!

But I was actually booking for Sleeping Beauty and just had a quick delve into the Insights and saw a BUY sign for the Ferri event!! Thought must be a birthday present from the Gods!!( that I don't believe in)

 

I rushed around trying to find my purse and then went through the process in a mild panic in case this ticket suddenly disappeared!!

That would have really wound me up but no all.went smoothly....so I think the lesson is that if there's an event you really would love to go to in the Clore just keep having a peek....you never know your luck!!

[RuthE]

Of the four ballet Insight evenings in the Spring Season 2017 there was not a single ticket for any of them when I clocked in at 9.00 this morning to try and book as a Friend +.

 

This happens every time.....

 

I'm a Supporting Friend and they are very rarely available then either, though for opera they are more likely to be.  You may be encouraged to know that of all the ballet Insights I've wanted so far this season, I haven't managed to get a single one at the opening of booking, but have ended up with all of them in the end via regular checking of the website nearer the time.

[Blossom]

Of the four ballet Insight evenings in the Spring Season 2017 there was not a single ticket for any of them when I clocked in at 9.00 this morning to try and book as a Friend +.

 

This happens every time.....

 

I find the same. It's really frustrating. At the same time, the alternative programme I go to (Ivy House Music and Dance) is about to seemingly shut down. Are there any other options around (other than TLBC as their events are always on a Monday and clash with other commitments I have).

[LinMM]

Yes that's a point Blossom it would be nice if some events were not ALWAYS on the same night. But maybe they would be difficult to organise otherwise.