Royal Ballet - 2018/19 new season wish list

[alison]

Thank you, FLOSS.  I wasn't even aware of the fact that there was a Marius Petipa website.

 

Do you mean this one, FLOSS?

https://petipasociety.com/about/

[alison]

Just now, Fiz said:

::peeps out from behind the barricades::: is it safe here now?

 

We hope so, Fiz  

[Richard LH]

Floss thanks your thoughtful response, I will try to find the earlier performances to which you refer.

But are you suggesting that no later alterations should be made to the original choreography or tempi of Petipa, or other Greats, because they could never be improved? 

[Jan McNulty]

For me, the faster tempo is more aesthetically pleasing than the slower tempo now adopted.

 

I only realised this when people like Floss (and yourself) started linking to older videos.

 

As a comparative newbie of just over 30 years of ballet-watching, most of what I have seen live of the classics tends to be of the slower rather than faster variety.  Before the advent of Youtube I thought this was how it had to be.

 

I'm not opposed to "updating" as long as it improves rather than reduces the original (eg Ashton's Neapolitan and pdq are enthralling, especially when danced at an appropriate tempo).

 

[FLOSS]

Alison,

Yes that is the site. There is some very interesting material in the video section which includes lectures and excerpts from Ratmansky reconstructions which for many is the closest we will get to the work he is doing. As I understand it he is reluctant to issue recordings as he feels that his work is very much work in progress rather than the finished article. It is better than nothing and if more people knew about it there might be greater interest in it and what it says about how far removed so much of what we see is from the Petipa originals.

 

Richard. At one time I would have said that I have nothing against reworkings of nineteenth century ballets as long as they , in Ashton's words "retain the poetry of the original" and they are honest by which I mean we are told what has been altered. I now find myself saying that I think that a company with a history like that of the Royal Ballet should have at least two versions  of works like Beauty and Swan Lake which it could revive at regular intervals. You see I assumed when I first started my ballet going that both the original Swan Lake and Beauty must have been lacking in something or they would not have been reworked so frequently. But having seen Ratmansky's reconstructions of both ballets in the theatre danced in period appropriate style they reveal the original versions. or at least as close as we can get to them, to be works of enormous charm, musicality, lightness and speed and so far removed from the slow motion monuments to classicism that we have become used to as to be totally different works which everyone who is remotely interested in ballet should be able to see. Having seen them I now appreciate far more fully than I once did the style and quality of some of the early performances by the RB across a range of repertory which have been preserved. 

 

However I  found the final incarnation of the Helpmann Swan Lake which both MacMillan and Morrice had adjusted very appealing and I am sure I still would still do so if Kevin had the courage to test the current technical standards of the company by staging it . Shorn of its unnecessary Prologue with the pas de trois restored to act one and the pas de quatre opening act three it was and I think would still prove to be an exceptionally theatrically effective staging of the ballet. It was a staging of grandeur undertaken by two men of vast theatrical experience and true sympathy for the mood of magic and mystery essential to a successful staging of the work. The overall structure of the original and the contrasting choreographic styles and textures between acts and within the world of the first and second acts were retained while the white acts were splendidly romantic whether you saw Ashton's fourth act or the Ivanov original. I also find that the company's current production of Beauty when danced at the correct speed is a rather fine and sympathetic staging of the work and unless you are able to find someone who could do at least as good a job as de Valois did with her 1946 production which is essentially what we have at present or her 1977 staging my recommendation would be to change nothing and concentrate on dancing it regularly, every year if necessary, so that it is in the company's bones; dancing it well and dancing it at the tempi indicated in he score. I would start with getting the Fairy Variations right. They are  not bravura knock' em dead solos but they certainly should be danced with greater  musicality ,charm, individuality, character and expansiveness than they are at present and that could simply be a question of coaching rather than anything else. In my mind its more a question of theatrical effectiveness than anything else. I certainly would not contemplate letting either Liam Scarlett or Christopher Wheeldon loose on  a new production.

 

 Performances of these ballets from the 1980's onwards became increasingly ponderous, slow and boring as leading dancers indulged themselves in displays of technique which had little to do with the choreography as originally set and its relationship with the music to which it is set. The problem for me is that I think that Tchaikovsky was a great composer. rather than a mere ballet composer whose works are to be treated with contempt, and that his tempi should be respected in performance. The 1981 recording had its controversial aspects as Markarova cut the mime and danced the second act at a speed which at the time was regarded as painfully slow and self indulgent. The ultra slow versions of these ballets distort the flow of the choreographed movement often making the female  leads look as if they are wading through treacle. Eventually the "Go Slow" Swan Lake turned the second act into a two speed experience. One in which the corps danced at a speed close to one that both Ivanov and the composer might recognise with Odette apparently appearing in a totally different. much slower, ballet. Dancing Odette at Markarova's speed came to be thought of as taking  the choreography at a lick while the performance norm came to be to dance the role as slowly as you possibly could. This approach treated the  chorography intended to establish Odette's character through her soft,  musical,romantic style choreography .as a mere  opportunity for the ballerina to dispaly her technique and rather than setting her interpretation of Odette in opposition to her characterisation of Odile as expressed in the  technical display of the third act it ignored the ballet's structure and all but eliminated its poetry. Revealing the  "artist's " obsession with display and her indifference and lack of understanding of the ballet's carefully crafted structure as a whole and that of the second act in particular. Thus transforming the ballet which Legnani said had made her an artist by using her technique for purposes other than bravura technical display into one which dancers of the late twentieth century pressed into the service of displaying their raw technique. 

 

 

Edited July 21, 2018 by FLOSS

[ninamargaret]

Seems to me we,are getting to the stage where we will be talking about 'original performances' of ballet as we do in music. While it could be of interest, ballet, like music,is a living art and I personally would not like to see performances remaining unchanged just because they were done in that style 50, or whatever, years ago. My ballet watching goes back some 60 odd years and without the blessing of various film clips and You Tube I am sure I am not in minority when I say I would find it hard to recall the finer points of performances given during the earlier part of my ballet going. For me, a great part of my enjoyment is seeing how dancers tackle the technical and artistic challenges of roles just as I love hearing younger musicians tackling music that I have grown up with. 

[jmb]

FLOSS, firstly, I'd just like to thank you for setting out the issues as you see them clearly and calmly and without patronising those of us less knowledgeable. For myself, I am reminded of a great Japanese teacher who, when confronted by arguments about which he knew nothing, would say 'Ah so', while maintaining presence and engagement. So , 'Ah so'. 

But a comment and a question. Dancers today need to be able to perform the classics and McGregor and whatever is asked of them by new  choreographers. And audiences demand that they do. But they can't do every thing. Do you see the Ratmansky approach, involving a focus at a specific time and place on recreating the 'original' ( or as close to the original as possible) as a way out of the dilema you so eloquently describe?

 

 

Edited July 22, 2018 by jmb

[alison]

On ‎18‎/‎07‎/‎2018 at 15:51, FLOSS said:

CherwellMaker

The answer  to the question of  why I want the Nureyev staging is quite simple. It is the staging in which Fonteyn herself actually danced. It is a self contained staging  which ends in a sunburst with Solor and Nikiya at its centre. I recall it being exceptionally beautiful and far grander with its thirty two shades than the twenty four shades version of the Markarova staging.

 

This review https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/BWW-Review-ABT-Bewitches-with-La-Bayadere-at-Dorothy-Chandler-Pavilion-20180720 claims that the ABT production has 32 shades.  Is it right?

[MRR]

No, even at the MET they only perform it with 24.

[stucha]

The final scene of Nureyev's La Bayadere as described by Floss above. This is Paris Opera ballet production. 32 shades.

 

 

 

[Pas de Quatre]

The number of dancers in the female corps for the "white acts" of the classics has always varied according to the resources of the company. However, in La Bayadere the entrance down the ramps is set for 32 dancers, but can be adapted for a smaller corps.

[LinMM]

I think they must still do this with 32 dancers in the Bolshoi version as last year a friend of mine saw this in Moscow and said it was one of the most spectacular ( and moving) occasions she had been at the ballet.....though was her first time at the Bolshoi Theatre which made quite an impression!! 

I can see why smaller Companies may have to adapt if attempting to stage part of Bayadere at least but I don't see why larger Companies like the Royal Ballet and ABT should cut to 24. 

Could be a nice opportunity to use senior students if need be. 

I think the music deserves 32 dancers.

 

[Jane S]

It was said at the time that Makarova cut the number of the Shades because the stage/scenery didn't have enough space for 32 - don't know if that was actually true, though.

[annamicro]

On 18/07/2018 at 17:23, Livia said:

 

Hello Anna

 

Cojocaru became principal first on Monday April 23rd 2001 after her astonishing matinee debut on Saturday 21st April. Up until that point she'd danced Fonteyn's role in Symphonic and Juliet. Both substituting for injured dancers. Nunez became a principal under Stretton, but yes indeed under Dowell she'd danced Lilac and Myrtha.

 

To be accurate, Alina Cojocaru become principal on April 17th 2001, after her second Giselle. The first was on April 14th, as you can see in the Royal Opera House performance database

http://www.rohcollections.org.uk/SearchResults.aspx?searchtype=workprodperf&title=Giselle&person=Alina cojocaru&keyword=Giselle

[MRR]

The MET stage is massive and can easily fit 32 shades, but perhaps the smaller touring venues ABT frequents couldn't? But Mariinsky was able to use 32 shades when they toured to the Kennedy Center, which is a very cramped stage. So I think Makarova, in trying to get the notoriously ragged ABT corps together, decided 24 shades was the best way of accomplishing that. 

 

Obviously not a wish for 2018/2019 since the season is set, but in the future I would love for RB to stage a full-length Raymonda.

[Jan McNulty]

2 hours ago, MRR said:

Obviously not a wish for 2018/2019 since the season is set, but in the future I would love for RB to stage a full-length Raymonda.

 

As long as it's not the Nureyev production which bored me rigid some years ago in Paris!

[Lizbie1]

2 hours ago, MRR said:

 

Obviously not a wish for 2018/2019 since the season is set, but in the future I would love for RB to stage a full-length Raymonda.

 

This is probably a minority view, but I'd gladly sacrifice Don Q and the full length Bayadere - both of which turn up pretty frequently during the Russian seasons, and which IMO are better suited to the Bolshoi and the Mariinsky respectively - for this and more of the Diaghilev repertoire.

 

But what do I know?

 

[Douglas Allen]

de Valois always used to argue that the Royal Ballet shouldn't attempt to put on performances of the full-length Don Q., Bayadere or Raymonda because "We already have the three great 19th century classics and we should concentrate on new works and the Diaghilev repertory".

 

This is a position I always opposed. No-one would suggest that the RSC, for example, as it "has" Hamlet and Twelfth Night should ignore performances of Troilus and Cressida or A Winter's Tale.

 

However, I do wish that The Royal , if it's going to do Don Q or Bayadere, didn't have such terrible and mediocre productions. The amount of dross that is contained in the present repertory is alarming, particularly as the Royal, for the first time in about thirty years has a really strong roster of dancers covering just about all areas and I see so much talent being wasted.

[Guest]

On 03/01/2018 at 15:33, Timmie said:

My dream ballet is the same as it was three years ago! La Bayadere with Osipova/Muntagirov/Nunez as Nikiya/Solor/Gamzatti and then again with a role switch between Nunez and Osipova. Heaven!

Timmie - your dream ballet and casting came true, almost! 

[Lynette H]

It’s been far too hot to sleep. I tried creating a complete Royal Ballet season as an alternative to counting sheep.  It follows the standard pattern prevailing over the last few years of approximately seven full lengths and six mixed bills. Includes both revivals and new work.  it came out like this (not in chronological order).  

 

Full lengths

Cinderella (Ashton)

Giselle (Peter Wright’s version)

Manon (MacMillan)

Ondine (Ashton)

Woolf Works (McGregor)

Winter’s Tale (Wheeldon)

Nutcracker (inevitable I suppose but a Christmas without it would be fine by me)

 

Mixed bills

Les Biches (Nijinska) / Checkmate (de Valois) / A new work from Cathy Marston

Apollo (Balanchine) / Les Noces (Nikjinska) / Firebird

DGV (Wheeldon) / Prodigal Son (Balanchine) / Requiem (MacMillan)

Chroma (McGregor) (Or a new piece from him) / New work from Liam Scarlett / Flight Pattern (Pite)

Scenes de Ballet (Ashton) / various Ashton divertissements including Thais pdd, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, A walk to the Paradise Garden, Dance of the Blessed Sprits/  A month in the country (Ashton)

Tombeaux (Bintley) / Invitus Invitam (Brandstrup)  After the Rain pdd (Wheeldon) or a new short piece from him / Lilac Garden (Tudor)

 

I would like Kristen MCNally to create an alternative Christmas piece for the Linbury possibly based around the dysfunctional home life of Mrs and Mrs Claus.

 

[John Mallinson]

I suggest that the company creates a post for you as Programme Design Assistant to the Director (with Ultimate Authority).

 

[Vanartus]

...actually I’d be happy if that season were repeated each year for ever!

[Jane S]

I like the way you've put all the things I don't like into the same triple bill!

[capybara]

1 hour ago, John Mallinson said:

I suggest that the company creates a post for you as Programme Design Assistant to the Director (with Ultimate Authority).

 

 

Sorry. The post is already filled 

 

44 minutes ago, Vanartus said:

...actually I’d be happy if that season were repeated each year for ever!

 

I wouldn't.

 

40 minutes ago, Jane S said:

I like the way you've put all the things I don't like into the same triple bill!

 

So do I. 

[J_New]

But what about Onegin ........?????  And yes, several triples I'd be able to save money on ...

[alison]

Most of that programme sounds pretty good to me, although you've left out Dances at a Gathering.  It contains a lot of ballets I've been campaigning to see again for years - although not sure whether I was intending them to be shown on current dancers!

[Bruce Wall]

1 hour ago, J_New said:

But what about Onegin ........

 

Someone had suggested that the Royal Ballet had lost the rights to Oneign stating that the licence agreement requires that it be done every three years and - should that specified guideline be accurate - then the rights would have been forfeited.  Again, I don't know if this is accurate.  It will be interesting to see if it is in the 2019/20 RB season.  That said, should it not be, J_New there are a great number of European companies who do have it in their rep and who perform it not infrequently.  

[Pas de Quatre]

It would be nice to have Rake's Progress (de Valois) too - perhaps in the middle of the Ashton triple bill instead of, or with fewer, of his divertissements.

[J_New]

2 hours ago, Bruce Wall said:

 

Someone had suggested that the Royal Ballet had lost the rights to Oneign stating that the licence agreement requires that it be done every three years and - should that specified guideline be accurate - then the rights would have been forfeited.  Again, I don't know if this is accurate.  It will be interesting to see if it is in the 2019/20 RB season.  That said, should it not be, J_New there are a great number of European companies who do have it in their rep and who perform it not infrequently.  

 

Oh no - I hadn't heard that - thanks for the info, Bruce.  Oh well - it'll have to be Berlin, Stuttgart, Amsterdam then if this turns out to be the case. But it was always such a pleasure to see it in London - i still remember the electric evening when Reilly guested with Alina - and of course, later on the Naghdi/ Ball stunning Olga/Lensky pairing.

[Jan McNulty]

23 minutes ago, J_New said:

 

Oh no - I hadn't heard that - thanks for the info, Bruce.  Oh well - it'll have to be Berlin, Stuttgart, Amsterdam then if this turns out to be the case. But it was always such a pleasure to see it in London - i still remember the electric evening when Reilly guested with Alina - and of course, later on the Naghdi/ Ball stunning Olga/Lensky pairing.

 

I loved Onegin when LFB (now ENB) used to perform it.  It was a performance on 26th May 1984 of Onegin that turned me on to watching ballet.  Years later I realised why ... I had seen Marcia Haydee and Richard Cragun!!!

 

They do Onegin in Paris and Copenhagen too as well as NBoC.

[Lizbie1]

I'm not expecting everyone to think this way, but if I were custodian of a top tier ballet company like the RB I'd try to prioritise the "in-house" repertoire (e.g. Ondine, Checkmate) over an imported production like Onegin, however great or well loved. This is both to keep the ballets viable, and because I'd want to keep my company's flavour as distinctive as possible.

 

For clarity I'm exempting the classics because there is a lot of variety between productions and because the RB found its way to them by a distinct route, which is integral to its history. I also think of the Nijinska ballets as effectively RB's own these days (correct me if I'm wrong). And I see no harm in a bit of e.g. Balanchine in a mixed bill, but I wouldn't fight to keep, say, Jewels.

 

And in case you're thinking, "That's easy for her to say, she must be able to travel abroad to see those other ballets," I've never left the country to see a ballet - the furthest I've gone is Leeds for NB! (Neither time nor money permit.)

 

So while there are pieces in Lynette's season I'd skip, I love the overall principle and shape of it.

[capybara]

3 hours ago, Bruce Wall said:

 

Someone had suggested that the Royal Ballet had lost the rights to Oneign stating that the licence agreement requires that it be done every three years and - should that specified guideline be accurate - then the rights would have been forfeited.  Again, I don't know if this is accurate.  It will be interesting to see if it is in the 2019/20 RB season.   

 

You often know these things, Bruce, but, in this instance, I hope that your informant is mistaken. I think that the RB performed Onegin in:

 

Nov/Jan 2001/02 and brought it back in July 2002

2004

2007

2010 October

after which there was a gap of over 4 years until 2015 January

 

So, on this evidence I, for one, am very hopeful that it will return in the 2019/20 season.

[jmhopton]

Fingers crossed you're right, Capybara. Now that Bayadere has been performed again Onegin is Number one on my wish list and I was hoping to see it in the 2019/20 season with some splendid new debuts.