Performances in the U.S.A.

[FLOSS]

MacMillan may be universally  popular with dancers and much loved by audiences in this country but that does not make his ballets masterpieces and it does not make him a master of the narrative form. I rate Song of the Earth very highly and I should like to see some of his neglected classical one act ballets such as The Four Seasons revived, but overall I rate the works which Tudor created for Ballet Rambert and some that he created in his early years in the US far more highly than MacMillan's output. Tudor's output after that seems to be uneven at best but I think that a ballet which he made for the Swedish Royal Ballet which was at one time in ENB's repertory called Echoing of Trumpets is a major work that London needs to see again.

[Sim]

I am quite surprised that the LA Times critic thinks that Matthew Bourne conveys obsession more successfully than MacMillan does.  Bourne has never conveyed anything deep to me, with the possible exception of Swan Lake.  MacMillan, on the other hand, certainly has.  Of course his ballets aren't perfect, but I think that he still has much to say.

 

I have often bemoaned on this forum over the years the lack of Tudor ballets in this country; his country, and I still don't understand why.  Sir Fred's ballets also need more airing.  This was brought home to me in the Fonteyn gala recently....how much work there is of Ashton's that we just never get to see.  A cultural crime both.

 

It has been said many times that Americans simply don't 'get' MacMillan and narrative ballets.  I don't know whether this is true or not, but I will be interested to read other thoughts from across the pond.

[Lizbie1]

19 minutes ago, Sim said:

It has been said many times that Americans simply don't 'get' MacMillan and narrative ballets.  I don't know whether this is true or not, but I will be interested to read other thoughts from across the pond.

 

Well - I think I “get” a wide range of narrative ballets but I frequently don’t get MacMillan! The two aren’t synonymous.

 

I agree about Bourne though.

[theorist]

FWIW Segal's views about Mayerling seem spot on to me. In particular, all that business in front of the curtain while they're changing the set has always seemed inept and tedious to me.

[Candleque]

I get MacMillan, just not why the abuse of women is such a theme in his work. I don't think this is because I am American so much as because I am a feminist / human who just isn't entertained by rape, whether it's onstage, in cinemas, or in real life. And am sure many here disagree, but Lewis Segal's description of Mayerling as a "hodgepodge of pantomime clichés, Soviet-style gymnastics and aggressive classicism" expressed why I personally am not mad for this ballet (independent of the plot). Give me Romeo & Juliet every season, even with the invented harlots 💃

[JennyTaylor]

I'd be curious to know if there are any other reviews of the different casts for the other 2 performances, who could arguably be said to be stronger, dramatically. One of my favourite ballets, but I can see the merit in some of the points made in the review and above.     

[Sim]

I agree Jenny;  I was rather surprised that Ryoichi Hirano was the press night Rudolf.  I would have had Soares, and if not him, Ball.   

[Sim]

It’s worth looking at the comments on Ballet Alert, our American cousin.  When I looked earlier today the comments were generally positive.  

[Sim]

5 hours ago, theorist said:

FWIW Segal's views about Mayerling seem spot on to me. In particular, all that business in front of the curtain while they're changing the set has always seemed inept and tedious to me.

I suppose it’s because a) something has to happen whilst scenery is being changed; b) it’s a chance to emphasise the pressure that a vulnerable Rudolf is under from the Hungarian separatists. I always think the bit when the emperor looks up at the portraits of his ancestors is very effective, wondering what on Earth is becoming of a once-noble dynasty.   

[Coated]

Mayerling is definitely an acquired taste, it took me a couple of viewings and Pennefather/Hamilton both cranked up to 11 to get why people watch it voluntarily. I'm afraid Hirano in the most recent run at the ROH made me realise that Mayerling really needs a lead who becomes Rudolph to make the ballet work, or even bearable, so I share some of the LA critic's pain - though not his apparent love for Bourne and Eifman.

Edited July 8, 2019 by Coated

[Ivy Lin]

Odd, I'm generally not a MacMillan fan but I love Mayerling. with that being said I've never seen it live -- only video. Is this one of those ballets that plays better on video? I've seen three of them and I find it riveting, almost cinematic. However in the theater I can see how it could translate to a very long evening if there isn;t a Rudolf and Mary that are extremely charismatic.

[Coated]

Mayerling doesn't work amazingly from high up, but anything reasonably close to the stage can be breathtaking - with the right cast. The DVD casts are not to be sneezed at, even the one I'd favour least has an awesome Mary and acceptable though not divine Rudolf.

[Ivy Lin]

52 minutes ago, Coated said:

Mayerling doesn't work amazingly from high up, but anything reasonably close to the stage can be breathtaking - with the right cast. The DVD casts are not to be sneezed at, even the one I'd favour least has an awesome Mary and acceptable though not divine Rudolf.

 

My favorite video is the one with Mukhamedov and Durante, also love the one with Edward Watson. I didn’t think McRae channeled enough darkness for Rudolf. Lamb was amazing.

[yvonnep]

There is a huge difference between loving the theme of abuse and treating abuse as a reality that needs to be reflected in ballet.

 

I see most of his ballets (especially the ones that I love most, like Romeo and Juliet, Manon, Mayerling, Requiem, Song of the Earth) not as works that “entertain” me, but works that profoundly expand the horizon of human compassion in the world of ballet.

[bridiem]

6 hours ago, Coated said:

Mayerling doesn't work amazingly from high up, but anything reasonably close to the stage can be breathtaking - with the right cast. The DVD casts are not to be sneezed at, even the one I'd favour least has an awesome Mary and acceptable though not divine Rudolf.

 

It works amazingly for me, and I always sit high up. But I do remember my first viewings of it (soon after the world première) and being confused about who was who, especially because the costumes for the women are so similar (and Rudolf's mother generally looks so young and glamorous). It took a lot of perusing of the programme and reviews and fierce concentration over a number of performances until I was comfortable with their identities. So on a single viewing, I can understand it could be quite baffling.

[bridiem]

24 minutes ago, yvonnep said:

There is a huge difference between loving the theme of abuse and treating abuse as a reality that needs to be reflected in ballet.

 

I see most of his ballets (especially the ones that I love most, like Romeo and Juliet, Manon, Mayerling, Requiem, Song of the Earth) not as works that “entertain” me, but works that profoundly expand the horizon of human compassion in the world of ballet.

 

I'm not sure that anything 'needs' to be reflected in ballet, though almost everything can be; all that can be asked is that choreographers create the works they are moved to create. And I agree very much about MacMillan in respect of the works you mention, and some others. But he does also have a dark, obsessive side that I simply find disturbing.

 

 

[jmhopton]

7 hours ago, Coated said:

Mayerling doesn't work amazingly from high up, but anything reasonably close to the stage can be breathtaking - with the right cast. The DVD casts are not to be sneezed at, even the one I'd favour least has an awesome Mary and acceptable though not divine Rudolf.

I have always found Mayerling a bit of an acquired taste, loved the music, sets and costumes and some brilliant pas de deux but lots of irritating stuff as well. The three officers pop up too much, hate the brothel scene apart from Bratfish, really dislike the opera singer, the fireworks scene is too long and I never understand what that odd picnic scene means, where Rudolph shoots someone. Every time you hear the audience muttering at the end of it as if collectively saying 'what was that all about?' Then I saw it from the front row of the stalls circle very close to the stage with Morera and Bonelli and I thought wow, what a masterpiece! Well, perhaps that's a slight exaggeration but it's certainly the most enjoyable Mayerling I've ever seen and criminal that cast wasn't filmed recently and aren't performing in the States. I know Bonelli is on sabbatical but he might have returned for that. It seems bizarre Kevin O' Hare prefers the Ryio cast to this one. I think he's in a definite minority here. 

[yvonnep]

8 hours ago, bridiem said:

 

I'm not sure that anything 'needs' to be reflected in ballet, though almost everything can be; all that can be asked is that choreographers create the works they are moved to create.

Yes. I should have rephrased it as "that he felt an urge to reflect in ballet".  Thanks.

[capybara]

There would seem to be a number of reasons for the choice of first cast in Mayerling in LA:

- (with the exception of Hirano) the line-up was the first pick to open the RB season last autumn;

- that cast is packed with Principals;

- Osipova (Mary Vetsera in that cast) is a BIG NAME in the US (and everywhere), so good for publicity; and

- Kevin O’Hare seems to read Hirano as a more impressive dance actor than many of us on here do. 

Were it not a ballet where fiendish pas de deux necessitate keeping the female characters with ‘their’ Rudolf, it would have been a nice farewell gesture to open with Soares (although Ball’s searing performances in London made the strongest claim to that spotlight).

[Mandy Kent]

17 hours ago, Sim said:

It’s worth looking at the comments on Ballet Alert, our American cousin.  When I looked earlier today the comments were generally positive.  

Thanks Sim,  for directing our attention to Ballet Alert. I really enjoyed reading some positive reviews of the performances of Mayerling. 

[jmhopton]

Going slightly off topic here but looked at the first page of the Royal Ballet 2019/20 season on Ballet Alert and was truly heartened to see how many Americans commented about how disappointed they were with the lack of Ashton. One even said Kevin O'hare had done a splendid job nurturing wonderful dancers but didn't give them wonderful rep. to dance. Others said Ashton should be the core of the RB rep. and doing just one piece on the main stage was not sufficient for dancers to really get into the Ashton style. Also by staging Ashton at the Linbury it gives the impression Ashton isn't really important to the Company or capable of attracting a wide audience. Another encapsulated my thought by saying she hoped there would be more Ashton for this season as an additional Fonteyn tribute.

[capybara]

8 hours ago, jmhopton said:

Going slightly off topic here but looked at the first page of the Royal Ballet 2019/20 season on Ballet Alert and was truly heartened to see how many Americans commented about how disappointed they were with the lack of Ashton. One even said Kevin O'hare had done a splendid job nurturing wonderful dancers but didn't give them wonderful rep. to dance. Others said Ashton should be the core of the RB rep. and doing just one piece on the main stage was not sufficient for dancers to really get into the Ashton style. Also by staging Ashton at the Linbury it gives the impression Ashton isn't really important to the Company or capable of attracting a wide audience. Another encapsulated my thought by saying she hoped there would be more Ashton for this season as an additional Fonteyn tribute.

 

I have a feeling that some of the people who post on balletalert are, in fact, based in the UK and are known to members of balletcoforum by other aliases 😉

[Odyssey]

Yes, I had worked this out too  - not least because of the length and quality of comment from at least one of the members

Edited July 10, 2019 by Odyssey

[Ivy Lin]

I saw the Royal Danish Ballet last night:

https://bachtrack.com/review-bournonville-legacy-sylphide-napoli-royal-danish-ballet-joyce-new-yourk-july-2019

[alison]

On ‎09‎/‎07‎/‎2019 at 00:08, Coated said:

Mayerling is definitely an acquired taste, it took me a couple of viewings and Pennefather/Hamilton both cranked up to 11 to get why people watch it voluntarily.

 

It took me about a decade to acquire it  

[Odyssey]

Is there any news about the last two performances in Los Angeles, and in particular, Inferno, the first part of the new McGregor?Surprisingly, nothing on Ballet Alert either.

[Bluebird]

2 hours ago, Odyssey said:

Is there any news about the last two performances in Los Angeles, and in particular, Inferno, the first part of the new McGregor?Surprisingly, nothing on Ballet Alert either.

 

There is, currently, a brief review on Ballet Alert:

https://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/28334-wayne-mcgregor/page/2/?tab=comments#comment-417165

 

Edited July 14, 2019 by Bluebird

[Buddy]

2 hours ago, Odyssey said:

Is there any news about the last two performances in Los Angeles, and in particular, Inferno, the first part of the new McGregor?Surprisingly, nothing on Ballet Alert either.

 

A few of my brief thoughts here.

https://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/28334-wayne-mcgregor/page/2/?tab=comments#comment-417165

 

Added: Bluebird's post appeared just as I posted mine.

Edited July 14, 2019 by Buddy

[Bluebird]

1 minute ago, Buddy said:

 

A few of my brief thoughts here.

https://balletalert.invisionzone.com/topic/28334-wayne-mcgregor/page/2/?tab=comments#comment-417165

Thanks, Buddy.  We were posting at the same time and I referred to your review.  Maybe a moderator could remove my post as it's now redundant.

[Buddy]

4 minutes ago, Bluebird said:

Thanks, Buddy.  We were posting at the same time and I referred to your review.  Maybe a moderator could remove my post as it's now redundant.

 

Thanks, Bluebird. If there's anything in particular that you'd like to ask me, I'll do my best to respond.

[Buddy]

One more summary thought is that for me there is a statement of feeling and reality in Wayne McGregor's works that I find compelling, perhaps in contrast to his 'intellectual forays' into science, cybernetics, etc.

Edited July 14, 2019 by Buddy

[Buddy]

I posted this at Ballet Alert, but would like to do the same here.

 

Somewhat propelled by a series of intelligent and interesting reviews of Wayne McGregor’s works in LA last weekend I’d like to add a few more thoughts about the Mariinsky approach. (The reviews can be found at Balletco.’s Dance reviews)

 

We just had a discussion on the extreme physical demands on the women of the McGregor style. First, I would want to recall comments by Wayne McGregor that when he was invited by the Mariinsky to add and coach his Infra he wanted the dancers to interpret it as they chose. I saw a performance of it and felt that it was exciting but also an excellent case for pilates and physical therapy. Having viewed some videos and seen these most recent works I’m still inclined to temper this opinion. Once again I feel that it was the Mariinsky dancers’ own surprising(!) choice to push this work to its breakneck limits. Yes, Wayne McGregor does go to physical extremes, but not this extreme from my limited viewing.

 

In any case one very interesting thing does emerge. The works that I saw last weekend did seem very male oriented. The sexes were blended together with a distinct emphasis on the male, especially in prominence, imagery and physicality. In the recent Mariinsky performance of Infra, Oxana Skorik turns the final duet into something very feminine, sensitive, poetic and appealing. It’s her take. It seems to faithfully conserve Wayne McGregor’s structure and intelligence, yet offer a significant and legitimate alternative. I like it very much.

[Buddy]

Could I please add one more thought to my previous post ?

 

In fairness because of the drift of my comments, I would like to say that in normal, classical-style ballet the men often perform feats that seem highly demanding, if not imposilble, as if it's assumed that they are men and can do anything greatly physical.

Edited July 17, 2019 by Buddy