Neumeier's Illusions – like Swan Lake (Hamburg Ballet)

[WoodlandGladeFairy]

Finally got to watch John Neumeier's Illusions – like Swan Lake danced by Hamburg Ballet (thank you Video on Demand) and its really good, normally I am a bit wary of changing stuff in classics but I think Neumeier made it work , it had its own internal logic and did not go against the music score. I've only seen video clips and photos of it so it was nice to see it in full.

 

I liked how it weaved the actual ballet in with the life of King Ludwig II of Bavaria and his retreat into fairy tales, Jirí Bubenícek was great as the lead character, danced very sensitively.

 

I am not familiar with the choreography of Neumeier, he seems much more big in Europe but his choreography is very dramatic and intense. 

 

Just had to articulate my thoughts about it. 

[stucha]

@WoodlandGladeFairy Yes I agree. This ballet is one of my all time favourites for all the reasons you mention above. Glad you found it and enjoyed.

[alison]

Drat, I meant to watch that one.  Have I missed it now?

[ninamargaret]

7 minutes ago, alison said:

Drat, I meant to watch that one.  Have I missed it now?

You're quite safe! It's on until 9 May at 1630 and then again from 16 May at 1630 until 18 May at 163 0. Think it's my  today afternoon entertainment.

[Jeannette]

14 hours ago, WoodlandGladeFairy said:

Finally got to watch John Neumeier's Illusions – like Swan Lake danced by Hamburg Ballet (thank you Video on Demand) and its really good, normally I am a bit wary of changing stuff in classics but I think Neumeier made it work , it had its own internal logic and did not go against the music score. I've only seen video clips and photos of it so it was nice to see it in full.

 

I liked how it weaved the actual ballet in with the life of King Ludwig II of Bavaria and his retreat into fairy tales, Jirí Bubenícek was great as the lead character, danced very sensitively.

 

I am not familiar with the choreography of Neumeier, he seems much more big in Europe but his choreography is very dramatic and intense. 

 

Just had to articulate my thoughts about it. 

 

I bought the DVD a while back. It’s a lovely ballet on the whole but, to me, the real gem  is the first lakeside scene, as it replicates the 1895 original of Lev Ivanov, with Benno within the “pdd” and the other hunters interacting with the swan corps. Until Ratmansky’s recon for Zurich in 2016, the Neumeier lakeside scene was perhaps the closest that we could see to the 1895. (Balanchine also incorporated some rarely-seen 1895 elements...swans resting their heads on the hunters’ shoulders.)

[stucha]

20 minutes ago, Jeannette said:

 

I bought the DVD a while back. It’s a lovely ballet on the whole but, to me, the real gem  is the first lakeside scene, as it replicates the 1895 original of Lev Ivanov, with Benno within the “pdd” and the other hunters interacting with the swan corps. Until Ratmansky’s recon for Zurich in 2016, the Neumeier lakeside scene was perhaps the closest that we could see to the 1895. (Balanchine also incorporated some rarely-seen 1895 elements...swans resting their heads on the hunters’ shoulders.)

 

As I'm sure you are aware, Alexandra Danilova worked with Neumeier on the lakeside scene. She must have known that version first hand, like Balanchine. What a wonderful connection and fountain of knowledge for Neumeier to tap into.

[Don Q Fan]

I was extremely fortunate to see the ballet for real last year in Hamburg and I absolutely love it!  I will watch again over the weekend.  I was treated to Alina Cojacaru as the Princess/Odette  - fabulous!  I thought the way Neumeier wove the story around King Ludwig's incarceration was very clever.

[ninamargaret]

24 minutes ago, Don Q Fan said:

I was extremely fortunate to see the ballet for real last year in Hamburg and I absolutely love it!  I will watch again over the weekend.  I was treated to Alina Cojacaru as the Princess/Odette  - fabulous!  I thought the way Neumeier wove the story around King Ludwig's incarceration was very clever.

Very envious! I'm planning to watch it again this weekend. I would love to have watched the Neumeier documentary this evening and did see some of it but found it a bit tough without any knowledge of German.