Royal Ballet's Giselle - Autumn 2021

[Dawnstar]

1 hour ago, maryrosesatonapin said:

Thanks Anna!  Still looks white to me.  Maybe I need a trip to the optician!

 

If you look back at the curtain call photos that have been posted on this thread some of the more close-up ones show the creamier tones on the bodices. In the photo I posted on p.19 of Gina Storm-Jensen, taken under ordinary lights rather than stage lights, her dress looks to me definitely cream rather than white.

[Lizbie1]

In the ENB (Skeaping version) Giselle, the skirts are tinged with green I think?

[alison]

Yes, I think so, too.  Moss, etc. from being too long in damp forests?

[Rob S]

I'm just watching the three minute ROH video of Yasmine Naghdi discussing Giselle and I can't believe how she had her hair for act 1, Berthe removing the hair pins barely changes her look at all!😮

[Emeralds]

On 08/12/2021 at 12:50, art_enthusiast said:

I suppose there might be a DVD/recording of Alina Cojocaru's version somewhere?

The BBC 2008 DVD recording with Alina and Johan and the Royal Ballet. Our queen, Marianela Nunez, was their Myrtha and she was magnificent! Martin Harvey was Hilarion, and Laura Morera and Ricardo Cervera danced the central couple in the pas de six. Sandra Conley played Giselle’s mother, and Deirdre Chapman and Isabel McMeekan were Moyna and Zulme. 

 

Interestingly, at that time (for about ?15 years) there was a different female variation- Laura danced one with different music that had been presented at the premiere in 1987 and danced for quite some time, then afterwards it was changed to a solo (or duet!) danced in unison by the other two women in the pas de six, leaving the central woman with just the coda to dance. I can’t quite remember if the 1987 solo was actually Peter Wright’s own choreography; I believe it was. But the duet/solo danced by the two women is a pretty traditional one going back to Enrico Cechetti’s time, possibly older. 

 

Definitely well worth buying- available from the Royal Opera House shop, WH Smith and other good DVD retailers. 

[Emeralds]

On 08/12/2021 at 15:22, joe blitz said:

I believe it's Giselle who throws away the flower, Albrecht picks it up and plucks out one of the petals to make it come out: He loves me.

 

I saw Erik Bruhn catch the flowers mid-air that Giselle throws up to him in Second Act. I don't think anyone else has ever managed.

Igor Youskevitch always caught the lilies thrown by Alicia Alonso when they danced it with ABT. I have visions of them rehearsing it rather like the group routines in rhythmic gymnastics, where it’s very carefully  timed and practised by both so that Albrecht doesn’t look like he’s lunging or scrambling to catch them! I think it works equally well to catch or not catch them, as long as it doesn’t look like you’re a well rehearsed sporting duo, which might ruin the story. 😃

[Bluebird]

18 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

 

 

Interestingly, at that time (for about ?15 years) there was a different female variation- Laura danced one with different music that had been presented at the premiere in 1987 and danced for quite some time, then afterwards it was changed to a solo (or duet!) danced in unison by the other two women in the pas de six, leaving the central woman with just the coda to dance. I can’t quite remember if the 1987 solo was actually Peter Wright’s own choreography;

 

Wasn't that original female variation choreographed by Ashton?

 

Edited to paste in information on the Peter Wright production (found on the ROH performance database):

 

Choreographer:	Frederick Ashton Act I: The peasant girl's solo from the 1960 production performed as part of the pas de six   https://www.rohcollections.org.uk/production.aspx?production=1517&row=4

 

Edited December 9, 2021 by Bluebird

[Beryl H]

I really like the exquisite girl's solo that Laura Morera dances on the DVD, shame it has been discontinued, I prefer a peasant pas de deux over a pas de six anyway.

[alison]

I've said it before, but in many productions which have a peasant pas de deux I find it really intrusive: on comes this couple who have nothing to do with the plot, dance a pas de deux, have everyone wondering "who are they that they dance a pas de deux?  Must be important characters" and then are never seen again.  A pas de six seems more appropriate for the setting, somehow, without dancers detracting from the principals.

[serenade]

26 minutes ago, alison said:

I've said it before, but in many productions which have a peasant pas de deux I find it really intrusive: on comes this couple who have nothing to do with the plot, dance a pas de deux, have everyone wondering "who are they that they dance a pas de deux?  Must be important characters" and then are never seen again.  A pas de six seems more appropriate for the setting, somehow, without dancers detracting from the principals.

I totally agree. The first time I watched Giselle it was the Bolshoi version and I was so confused as to who the couple were as they seemed to be so important to the first act 😂 I don’t mind a pd4 actually, I think the Dutch national ballet has it with 4 dancers but my favourite is the 6 

[Bravissima35]

I grew up watching the Kirov 80's Giselle and much prefer the pas de deux than the pas de six in the RB version and I believe, it is they who are given the flower crowns and stand up on the cart, not Giselle and Albrect, which makes sense.  I always thought it was to do with a celebrating the picking of the grapes/Bacchus? 

 

I really enjoyed Naghdi and Ball in the Live Stream and think Naghdi finds so much space in the music, especially in the second act. Beautiful dancing! 

 

It was lovely to see Olivia Grace Cowley and Melissa Hamilton as M and Z, they came across really well as Nunez's very elegant, icy henchwomen!  

 

Nunez as Myrtha was imperious as ever. Her characterisation is second to none! 

 

Another hark back to the Kirov 80's version in that I still prefer Albrect doing the Brise's across the stage. I find the entrant six very jarring as if they are just 'dropped' in there. 

 

The Corp were really good and had such a sense of unity and they got the hunting pack mentality in the small groups doing the Jetes across the stage before they bring Albrect back. One of my fav bits of choreography of the Willis. 

 

Really enjoyed watching the doc made by Anton Dolin about Giselle and talking to all the famous Giselle's. Such an insight into it. 

[Emeralds]

3 hours ago, Bluebird said:

 

Wasn't that original female variation choreographed by Ashton?

 

Edited to paste in information on the Peter Wright production (found on the ROH performance database):

 

Choreographer:	Frederick Ashton Act I: The peasant girl's solo from the 1960 production performed as part of the pas de six   https://www.rohcollections.org.uk/production.aspx?production=1517&row=4

 

Good find, Bluebird! It does look quite like Ashton, now that you mention it. Unfortunately I wasn’t born when it premiered in 1960! 😆

[Lizbie1]

For those (like me!) who are rather fond of Adam:

 

 

[Emeralds]

I have a ballet friend who reminds us all every year that Adolphe Adam wrote O Holy Night as well as Giselle and Le Corsaire (apart from a few chunks here and there by three other composers in modern versions)! 

 

Beautiful singing by April and Thando, and lovely playing by Michael (all Jette Parker Artists)! 

[JohnS]

Just a footnote to the final Giselle and Laura Morera’s silver medal but thankfully not her farewell performance. I did let Kevin O’Hare know what had transpired and how pleased I was to hear his ‘Laura’s not leaving’ message when I’d been advised that this was her farewell. I’ve been assured that the Royal Ballet will make sure that front of house staff are clearly briefed before any future commemorative performances. I think that’s a helpful, positive step which should go a long way to preventing misunderstandings.

[Fonty]

20 hours ago, JohnS said:

Just a footnote to the final Giselle and Laura Morera’s silver medal but thankfully not her farewell performance. I did let Kevin O’Hare know what had transpired and how pleased I was to hear his ‘Laura’s not leaving’ message when I’d been advised that this was her farewell. 

 

Did you ask him to give her a chance to dance Juliet as well? 

Obviously I am joking, and of course you can't ask him that.  But the fact she has never been cast in this is one of the great mysteries for me!

Edited December 18, 2021 by Fonty

[LinMM]

Well the way things are going performance/Covid wise etc she may well get her chance yet!! 

[JohnS]

Sorry Fonty - I didn’t mention Juliet. The best I could do was to say that I was sure Laura’s farewell performance would be a very special occasion at some point but hopefully not for a good while yet.

[Emeralds]

A vote from me too, for Laura Morera to be cast as Juliet- she would be incredible.

 

Marion Tait, Natalia Makarova and Galina Ulanova all danced Juliet in the later part of their careers (in Tait’s case it was because BRB/SWRB didn’t have a production in their repertoire until she was in her 40s) and all three were acclaimed and very popular in the role. 

 

Since Juliet and Manon bear similarities in terms of technical demands, dance style and partnering demands, it seems puzzling that she has done Manon quite a lot but not Juliet. I’d like to see her Manon again too. Preferably both with Federico Bonelli, if that’s not asking too much. 😄

[Lizbie1]

3 hours ago, Emeralds said:

Marion Tait, Natalia Makarova and Galina Ulanova all danced Juliet in the later part of their careers (in Tait’s case it was because BRB/SWRB didn’t have a production in their repertoire until she was in her 40s) and all three were acclaimed and very popular in the role. 

 

And Fonteyn was 45 for the premiere.

[Dawnstar]

4 hours ago, Emeralds said:

Since Juliet and Manon bear similarities in terms of technical demands, dance style and partnering demands, it seems puzzling that she has done Manon quite a lot but not Juliet. I’d like to see her Manon again too. Preferably both with Federico Bonelli, if that’s not asking too much. 😄

 

I'd like to see them in Manon again too but what I'm really hoping is that the RB does another Mayerling run before Morera & Bonelli retire as I really want to see them in that (preferably together). Unfortunately I just missed them last time, as in the last Mayerling revival was the first time I saw the RB live so I only saw one cast & it wasn't theirs.

[Fonty]

Very slightly off topic, I suppose, but carrying on from the previous posts, I just checked to see how old Morera actually was, and I was quite surprised to see that Sarah Lamb is also in her early 40s, and that Nunez will reach the big 40 in  March. .  These dancers are still marvellous, and my first choice for so many different things.  

Thank goodness the RB doesn't have have an obligatory retirement age like the Paris Opera ballet. 

 

[Ian Macmillan]

"The big 40?"  Having attained the simply immense 80 this year, allow me to say that Sarah Lamb is ageless.  

[art_enthusiast]

19 hours ago, Fonty said:

Very slightly off topic, I suppose, but carrying on from the previous posts, I just checked to see how old Morera actually was, and I was quite surprised to see that Sarah Lamb is also in her early 40s, and that Nunez will reach the big 40 in  March. .  These dancers are still marvellous, and my first choice for so many different things.  

Thank goodness the RB doesn't have have an obligatory retirement age like the Paris Opera ballet. 

 

Indeed - and Natalia Osipova is 35, definitely still an amazing dancer.
I know they've all had injuries during their career, as every dancer experiences - maybe not that many though?

 

I believe Steven McRae has said that minimising injury is the best way to prolong a dancing career, and it seems that these dancers have been able to do this well, given their demanding schedules etc. I suppose the pandemic period of physical rest has also helped them in this respect.

[serenade]

I finally had time to watch the Giselle stream that I bought a while ago.  I absolutely LOVED it- I actually went into it thinking I wasn't the biggest fan of either Ball or Naghdi and finished it with a dilemma as now I have another couple that I will really have to try and book for whenever they're paired together 😃

 

I thought they had a great connection and it all felt very believable, of course the dancing was great but it was acted so beautifully.  I also loved Luca Acri's Hilarion- I think maybe it's my favourite portrayal of Hilarion I've ever seen- which sounds quite dramatic but I just loved everything about it 😃.  I love Nunez as Myrtha, she's one of my favourite Myrtha's.  I wish you could buy the stream to keep permanently...I wouldn't mind paying more...unless they're planning on a DVD but I'm thinking it doesn't seem likely as not long since we had a Giselle DVD.

 

I've just bought the stream of the Dante Project so I'm off to watch that now...haven't watched anything I like by McGregor yet but I'm trying to keep an open mind 😃

[maryrosesatonapin]

22 minutes ago, serenade said:

I finally had time to watch the Giselle stream that I bought a while ago.  I absolutely LOVED it- I actually went into it thinking I wasn't the biggest fan of either Ball or Naghdi and finished it with a dilemma as now I have another couple that I will really have to try and book for whenever they're paired together 😃

 

I thought they had a great connection and it all felt very believable, of course the dancing was great but it was acted so beautifully.  I also loved Luca Acri's Hilarion- I think maybe it's my favourite portrayal of Hilarion I've ever seen- which sounds quite dramatic but I just loved everything about it 😃.  I love Nunez as Myrtha, she's one of my favourite Myrtha's.  I wish you could buy the stream to keep permanently...I wouldn't mind paying more...unless they're planning on a DVD but I'm thinking it doesn't seem likely as not long since we had a Giselle DVD.

 

I've just bought the stream of the Dante Project so I'm off to watch that now...haven't watched anything I like by McGregor yet but I'm trying to keep an open mind 😃

I agree Acri was a brilliant Hilarion!  Ball/Naghdi good too but I preferred several other couples from the run.  Did you see it live at all?

 

[serenade]

21 minutes ago, maryrosesatonapin said:

I agree Acri was a brilliant Hilarion!  Ball/Naghdi good too but I preferred several other couples from the run.  Did you see it live at all?

 

Yes I saw the Osipova/Clarke cast and then Hayward/Campbell 😊

 

Osipova remains my absolutely favourite Giselle by far, I truly love her in this role but the Nagdhi/Ball connection was so strong and was the most believable romance of this run anyway (in my opinion of course). I would have loved to have seen more casts, I just love this ballet 😊

[maryrosesatonapin]

I also saw and loved Osipova/Clarke and Hayward/Campbell.  But I think I was most moved by Morera/Bonelli - it was a performance I will never forget.

Edited December 26, 2021 by maryrosesatonapin
typo

[FionaM]

My favourite couple for believeable romance this run was Cuthbertson/Bonelli, despite her form and technique still returning to pre-baby peak.  They were so in tune with each other.  
 

I also saw Hayward/Campbell this run and it wasn’t as compelling for me as their Manon (which was sublime, maybe my own expectations were too high).  I had high hopes for Takada/Corrales but was let down by his poor partnering and wavering focus in Act 2.  Now wishing it had been Takada/Campbell pairing.

 

I must watch livestream pair Naghdi/Ball again.  Pouring with rain outside … now seems like a good time!

[LinMM]

Aaah come on Fiona it’s Christmas!! 
Could you not have just extolled the virtues of those dancers who gave you joy this time around and left out those who did not! 

[Amelia]

On 19/12/2021 at 09:27, Emeralds said:

Marion Tait, Natalia Makarova and Galina Ulanova all danced Juliet in the later part of their careers...

Lizzbie1 wrote: "And Fonteyn was 45 for the premiere."

 

It is true that Ulanova, the first ever Juliet in ballet, continued dancing this role until she was 49 but, unlike Fonteyn, she made her debut as Juliet in 1940, at the age of 30.

[emmarose]

I finally got around to watching the stream of this and boy did I love it!

 

Nothing compares to being there live, but it's lovely to see camera close ups at certain times that no matter how great your seat is, you just can't get.

 

I thought Ball did a great job with this role, honestly, his technique is always excellent, but he acted it so well and gave himself over to it. I liked how he seemed more of a cad in the first half, and he was just amazing in the second act. He really seemed to contrast well with Giselle's mad scene in the end, he had been sent almost mad with exhaustion, I liked that he wasn't afraid to take something out of his technique to show how exhausted he was, similar to Giselle at the end of act one. He just looked so desperate and crazed with his tiredness, he really pushed his limits. I was really impressed by him.

 

Yasmine, I always like a lot, but she's just not my favourite Giselle. Obviously she dances beautifully, but I feel a little removed from her, as if she's acting the role and the expressions she's projecting are not happening organically (as I feel with so many other performers, like Natalia is not 'doing a face' that is the face that is produced from Giselle's feelings). It just didn't feel that that aspect came as naturally to her (just my opinion). A couple of her turns seemed a little off too.

 

Nothing can dissuade me from my firm opinion of there being nothing on stage as stunning as the second act. It's just one of the most beautiful things for me. Marianela is a sublime Myrtha, she's so cold and evil, but it seems to sit so easily on her, so naturally. She's so expressive, there's a moment where she kind of has an inner smile/smirk/excitement at the fact Albrecht is about to beg for mercy again and she's going to deny him and it's what she lives for. A tiny look, but so much in it.

The corps as always a showstopper on their own, just flawless. 

 

Luca for me is perfectly cast in this role, he really came into his own here. Great dancing and acting and he just looks perfect in the role too, a perfect fit for him. 

 

A great watch over the holiday season.

[Guest oncnp]

Reminder - stream ends tomorrow 2 Jan 2022 at 11:59 PM GMT