Bolshoi Cinema Broadcasts discussion, 2019-20

[Janite]

Sheep! That explains the unusual head wear and dancing of the snowflakes! 

[CeliB]

On 15/12/2019 at 22:07, Julie 2 Milner said:

I found the use of the sheep ( not real) distracting. The lady next to me was in fits of laughter. 

 

when my DS was rehearsing this for the first time the sheep was unaccountably absent (on its holidays?) so his partner's mother rigged them up a large toy truck to act as a substitute. I found this an even funnier concept than the sheep itself (which, lets face it, looks totally ridiculous).

 

He says its one of the most pointlessly difficult PDDs hes ever had to learn - it's really hard to move the sheep around and not accidentally knock or pull it over ...!

[LinMM]

Well as said cannot fault the dancing in Sunday’s cinema showing wonderful displays from both Shrainer and Chudin...and he seems to be even better than when I saw him a few years back when the Bolshoi were in London. He reminds me a little of a very young Wayne Eagling! 
However....not to the point of spoiling it all...but I didn’t like some aspects of this production. 
Firstly the children are all adult dancers and somehow grown women waving dolls around doesn’t work for me as much as the real deal! Having children in these roles is a lovely way of using Schools’ students adds to the general Christmas magic and makes the whole Ballet a more Family experience. 
Even the Nutcracker Doll wasn’t a doll but danced ...brilliantly in fact ...by an older student not named in the Programme unfortunately but although this had some nice touches it did not make up for the lovely dance Clara does with the doll as a doll in most UK productions for me.

I don’t know whether this is because the Bolshoi  is such a large Company so needs to deploy its corps dancers more ...even the male ‘boys’ were danced by female dancers. 
Any way that gripe over a smaller annoyance was in the Snowflakes dance the dancers seemed to be carrying these pom-pom like things ... representing snowballs...snowflakes? Not sure but this cut out the lovely ending you see in UK productions ...especially ENB snowflakes ... where the dancers all flutter their hands ...for snow falling...as the choir comes to its conclusion ...a beautiful moment ..but I think not as effective here. 
My main problem with the Kingdom of Sweets is it is rather dark and gloomy! Now I know on occasions some productions can almost go the other way but definitely think you need some brightness and colour in this Act. 
Also suddenly the dancers ( Spanish ones first) are there ready to launch into dance before have acknowledged any sort of setting. Dancing faultless but didn’t like costumes. In fact I didn’t like the costumes for any of these dances😢 

And what is that dance with the lamb thingy......I’m sorry to say the person I was with and myself were giggling most of the way through this and the costumes didn’t help either. It was a sort of Fille ribbon dance with two dancers attached to a lamb on wheels...not a good use of the music for me 😬 

Perhaps children enjoy seeing this bit though. 

The final thing that seemed strange was for the Dance of the Flowers the costumes although pretty were white again ...though may have been the very palest of pinks...and Sugar Plum’s costume was extremely pale as well or was also white? A touch more colour here would have sweetened the whole thing up. 
However I do have to say on the dancing front all was very sweet ...Shrainer did this amazing run of VERY FAST turns with tiny little turning petit jetés ( I know there’s a proper name for these currently alluding me) but how she didn’t trip over her own feet at this speed was amazing in itself! 
So this does seem a lot of criticism ( and I don’t do a lot of it) but the dancing was superlative which is the main thing ...just wasn’t my favourite version of the Nutcracker in the end but still enough magic there ...overall Theatre stage looked great at points ....snow kingdom etc, to want to see it and of course this was in the cinema ....and my first one....so in reality in theatre things may seem brighter. 

Slightly more personal note CeliB this was 23rd Dec last year so don’t know whether Oscar danced on this particular day but with wigs and all rather difficult to spot🤔 I thought he was the Spanish dancer at one point but probably clutching at straws!! 
I saw this at the Komedia cinema in Brighton and am ashamed to say that in 19 years it’s the first time I’ve been there ...what a shame ...great little place large comfy seats LOADS of legroom friendly atmosphere well behaved audience ( apart from our giggling) can thoroughly recommend if ever in Brighton. 

 

 

[Josette]

I saw this in a local cinema in California on Sunday afternoon mainly to see Semyon Chudin, whom I find exceptional in all ways, and he was more impeccable than how I had hoped he would be.  He is not Bolshoi-trained and danced elsewhere before joining the Bolshoi. He moves with creamy control and expressiveness.  I love the way he fills out the music and is never static, which is something I fault some Bolshoi dancer for (static movements from one position to another position instead of fluidity). He also has the gallantry and subtlety of a true danseur noble.   I first saw him live twice in  Swan Lake the year that he joined the Bolshoi and had the opportunity to talk with him and his wife at a reception after the performance and I have been an ardent fan of his ever since.  

 

As for the lovely Shrainer, I found her a bit tense in her Act II variation (understandably some of this is due to seeing her on magnified on a huge screen); some of the steps were simplified from what I recall from films of Maximova and Nadezhda Pavlova. For me, though she was both childlike and elegant, she had that posey movement that I note in some Russian dancers where they hit positions instead of moving with a fluid dance quality.  My eye went to Chudin whenever they were together on stage precisely because of his exceptional quality of movement with no tension anywhere in his neck, shoulders,  arms,  hands, and face.  

 

 

[Mary]

Josette, thank you for putting my thoughts about Chudin into words so expertly. I have watched him in several Bolshoi screenings with such delight- he is indeed special.

[alison]

Can't find the Bolshoi broadcast thread at the moment, but thought I'd point out that this afternoon's cinema broadcast of the Ratmansky Giselle may well be available on their website for the next few hours.

 

(EDIT: edited accordingly once I'd found the right thread)

[alison]

4 hours ago, alison said:

Can't find the Bolshoi broadcast thread at the moment, but thought I'd point out that this afternoon's cinema broadcast of the Ratmansky Giselle may well be available on their website for the next few hours.

 

Apparently it is, although I can't find it.  Could someone post a link, please?

[Dawnstar]

http://media.bolshoi.ru/play/#/vod/play/473

I did have to sign in first, as usual.

[alison]

I don't get it.  I tried signing in, got told wrong password or username.  Signed up with a new email address and password, entered password immediately before I forgot it: wrong password or username!  No idea how to get past this.

[Pas de Quatre]

Some sites don't let you create a new user name and password for an email address they already have. Most frustrating and I have this problem with our local theatre. When mine wouldn't work anymore I used my husband's email. Then after a while that did the same, so currently I use my dd's old home email!

[alison]

I deliberately tried two different addresses  

[Jan McNulty]

I've moved the discussions on the Ratmansky Giselle to the thread specifically about that production:

 

 

[alison]

Well, if that broadcast comes out on DVD it'll be going on my Christmas list!  (I'd like the Skeaping Giselle, too, but don't imagine that will be out on DVD)

 

19 hours ago, alison said:

Can't find the Bolshoi broadcast thread at the moment, but thought I'd point out that this afternoon's cinema broadcast of the Ratmansky Giselle may well be available on their website for the next few hours.

 

(EDIT: edited accordingly once I'd found the right thread)

 

Out of interest, has anyone worked out how long the Bolshoi leave the broadcasts available on the website?  I know it's not long.  Midnight next day their time?  24 hours after the showing has started/completed? 

[stucha]

Generally 24 hours after the original broadcast has started.

[Janite]

On 26/01/2020 at 23:51, Dawnstar said:

http://media.bolshoi.ru/play/#/vod/play/473

I did have to sign in first, as usual.

 

After I sign in this link only leads me to rehersals, not the full ballet. Do you have another link that I could try, thanks.

[Pas de Quatre]

I just had a look and it has gone now.

[alison]

It had gone by 10 pm our time when I tried last night.  Presumably 3 pm, if stucha is right.

[Janite]

Thank you Pas de Quatre and Alison. I thought it wasn't streamed for 24 hours, not that it would disappear. Disappointed but hopeful that I will be able to see it some time in the future. 

[Amelia]

Tonight's "Swan Lake" can be watched here:  https://yadi.sk/i/4w4iYdKqlmsCBg

[maryrosesatonapin]

21 hours ago, Amelia said:

Tonight's "Swan Lake" can be watched here:  https://yadi.sk/i/4w4iYdKqlmsCBg

Thanks for the reminder, @Amelia.  I just spent a luxurious afternoon soaking in the performances of Tissi and Smirnova.  Having seen the BRB version of Swan Lake just two days ago, I couldn't help but mentally compare them.

 

The Bolshoi corps were far superior (with the exception of the four little swans).  In my opinion Hirata was the better Odette whilst Smirnova excelled as Odile.  The Morales/Hirata magical 'flying' lifts were unrivalled, but Smirnova managed to be wonderfully evil and of course her technique is incredible (no travelling at all during the famous 32).  Tissi, who I believe is not yet a Principal, is one of the apparently endless line of supernaturally handsome male dancers that the Bolshoi seem to produce ad infinitum.  His acting was moving and his dancing graceful and sublime. 

 

The 'aaah' factor of the mist-filled opening of the BRB final act was lacking in the Bolshoi version, and I preferred the BRB ending.  The Bolshoi finale of Siegfried left kneeling in despair, alone, after the destruction of his beloved, seems somehow incomplete.  But the Bolshoi 'national dances' gains points in my eyes for including the wonderful Russian bride's dance, which is my favourite part of that scene, and I like the way the Evil Genius and the Jester have been given such spectacular solos.  I think the Jester role in particular is a great vehicle for a male dancer whose physique might not fit the 'danseur noble' ideal, yet who is technically brilliant and strong in character acting.

 

Although some consider Simon Versaladze's designs to be outdated now, I love them - but I also loved BRB's costumes and setting (of similar vintage I believe).  So that was a draw

I don't know why, but in spite of my admiration for the Bolshoi version which is visually stunning and dramatically tight, I felt more moved at the BRB performance.  It isn't fair to compare a film with a live performance, but I did see the Bolshoi Swan Lake live last year and felt the same way - enthralled yet not as moved as I would normally be.

The greatest star of all is Tchaikovsky, whose score sounds as sparkling and fresh now as it did the day it was written.  I never tire of hearing it.

[Shade]

Thanks Maryrose for the review. The Bolshoi production has some good points but I preferred BRBs. However, the precision of the Bolshoi swans I remember from last Summer was fantastic.