Alina Cojocaru & Ivan Putrov’s Dance for Ukraine Gala, London Coliseum, 19 March 2022

[SheilaC]

The pyrotechnics were, indeed, absolutely exhilarating, but given the theme of the show it was the sadder and more reflective pieces which moved me most. Several were, in different ways, about death. The opening pas de deux showed Ukrainian Katja Khaniukova and Aitor Arrieta in Liam Scarlett's No Man's Land. As there was no information about pieces, other than title, choreographer and composer, not everyone in the audience may have realised it was about grief in the First World War. I found the interpretation dancing and music incredibly poignant. That was followed by The Dying Swan, Javier Torres in one of his final performances in a powerful and harrowing solo that started with natural sounds like wind followed by the famous Saint-Saens score. Later Luca Acri performed Lacrimosa to Mozart and the ENO chorus, Natalia Osipova in Ashes, to music played by Nigel Kennedy, culminating in MacMillan's Requiem, the wonderful Ukrainian Aud Jebsen dancer, Marianna Tsembenhoi.

Altogether a wonderful programme, varied and well balanced, with fabulous dancers. It's amazing that Ivan and Alina put it together in so little time. Their comments at the start were moving. The ambassador was sat in the royal box, so close to the stage that he couldn't see much of the action, but he kept leaning forward to catch as much as he could, and applauded very enthusiastically.

Inside the printed programme (again, very professionally presented, with some lovely photos of each dancer) there was a slip with a message from Alina encouraging us to donate to the charity of which she is a patron, Hospices of Hope, which has a Ukraine appeal, to extend its support to refugees, to provide medical, palliative, counselling support and medical supplies and food. https://www.hospicesofhope.co.uk/Appeal/help-for-ukraine

[Tango Dancer]

24 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

I I don't think I've ever seen La Sylphide before (is it out of fashion nowadays?) & I hope ENB do another revival some time soonish as I enjoyed McWhinney &  Carratalá Coloma's pdd. I'm also surprised to see he's still only an Artist. There were only 3 pieces that I didn't like choreographically & at least they all had nice music (apart from the couple of minutes of what sounded like wind whistling at the start of the Dying Swan) so my ears had something to enjoy even if my eyes didn't!

 

I wasn't keen on the wind at the start of Dying Swan either, I thought there must be a problem with the music and something had gone wrong with the sound.  Javier Torres' considerable talent notwithstanding, that was probably one of my less favourite parts. Not that he did anything wrong, I just wasn't mad keen on the way they used the wind noise and the choreography.  

 

I don't think they do La Sylphide much any more, perhaps due to the fact it's usually done in kilts which can be perceived as a bit unromantic and make the male lead look a bit less appealing.  I saw it several years ago but I can't quite remember where.   Matthew Bourne did a take on it called "Highland Fling" which is one of his updatings.  I'm not a huge fan of his work but I'd say it's one of his less bad pieces.  

Edited March 20, 2022 by Tango Dancer

[ctas]

ENB did La Sylphide about four years ago as a double bill with Song of the Earth. It was a lovely production. 

[Jan McNulty]

16 minutes ago, Tango Dancer said:

 

 

I don't think they do La Sylphide much any more, perhaps due to the fact it's usually done in kilts which can be perceived as a bit unromantic and make the male lead look a bit less appealing.  I saw it several years ago but I can't quite remember where.   Matthew Bourne did a take on it called "Highland Fling" which is one of his updatings.  I'm not a huge fan of his work but I'd say it's one of his less bad pieces.  

 

I absolutely love the kilts in La Syphide and, indeed, in Sir David Bintley's Flowers of the Forest!

[AnneL]

La Sylphide is always worth catching, and I am sure it will be back - by some company or another - at some stage. 

[Sim]

For me, male ballet dancers are among the very few men on Earth who can get away with looking fab in kilts, especially the dancers with lovely long legs.  Agree that they don't look so good on the shorter dancers.

 

I think with the RB that La Sylphide is no longer danced because their version, presented a few years ago, was Johan Kobborg's, and as he left under a cloud they may well not have the rights to it, but I am just guessing.  It's a wonderful production and I too would love to see them revive it.

 

@Dawnstaryou are right; No Man's Land was a ballet that was part of a mixed bill commissioned by Tamara Rojo in 2014 to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War.  The bill was beautiful, timely and wholly appropriate (with the possible exception of George Williamson's The Firebird, which I think was dropped when they revived the bill in 2017/18...but I can't be sure of this; it might just be wishful thinking).  Aside from Scarlett's No Man's Land, the bill also included Akram Khan's Dust, and Russell Maliphant's Second Breath (my least favourite of the three).

 

Maybe now would be an apt time to revive this bill, all about love, loss, and the tragedy of a completely unnecessary and savage conflict. 

[Dawnstar]

14 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

I absolutely love the kilts in La Syphide and, indeed, in Sir David Bintley's Flowers of the Forest!

 

I thought I'd seen something else in kilts in the last few years that wasn't La Sylphide!

 

4 minutes ago, Sim said:

@Dawnstaryou are right; No Man's Land was a ballet that was part of a mixed bill commissioned by Tamara Rojo in 2014 to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War.

 

Thanks. I felt as though the pdd would have had more emotional impact for me if I'd seen it in context, or at least known the context. I assumed it was set in WWI but wasn't sure if it was supposed to be that they were saying goodbye before he went back to war or that he was already dead.

[Lizbie1]

11 minutes ago, Sim said:

The bill was beautiful, timely and wholly appropriate (with the possible exception of George Williamson's The Firebird, which I think was dropped when they revived the bill in 2017/18...but I can't be sure of this; it might just be wishful thinking)

 

I only saw the bill's revival and it definitely didn't contain it.

[Sim]

Just now, Lizbie1 said:

 

I only saw the bill's revival and it definitely didn't contain it.

Thanks for confirming, Lizbie.  I saw the revival as well and couldn't remember it being there...and being grateful for that at the time!

[Tango Dancer]

10 minutes ago, Sim said:

For me, male ballet dancers are among the very few men on Earth who can get away with looking fab in kilts, especially the dancers with lovely long legs.  Agree that they don't look so good on the shorter dancers.

 

I think with the RB that La Sylphide is no longer danced because their version, presented a few years ago, was Johan Kobborg's, and as he left under a cloud they may well not have the rights to it, but I am just guessing.  It's a wonderful production and I too would love to see them revive it.

 

 

I think it was the Kobborg version I saw. timing feels about right.  I thought it was a really good ballet and superbly done I just think unless they've got very long legs, the kilts they use tend to make the men look shorter and more clumpy than they would in tights which accentuate the legs.  It's not a criticism of the dancing, I just don't think it looks as nice. 

[Candleque]

16 hours ago, Scheherezade said:

Francesco Gabriele Frola - Wow!!!

Fyi, for Frola fans (myself included 🤩) he's doing a zoom talk alongside Emma Hawes for the London Ballet Circle on 14 April 

[emmarose]

39 minutes ago, ctas said:

ENB did La Sylphide about four years ago as a double bill with Song of the Earth. It was a lovely production. 

 

I think they streamed a very nice production during lockdown. I always used to love it as a ballet, it's a shame it doesn't seem as popular as others.

[emmarose]

1 hour ago, Dawnstar said:

I don't think anyone has so far mentioned the amusing moment at the start of the second half when conductor Alex Ingram came into the pit, bowed to the audience, turned to his rostrum.... & then said "Talk among yourselves. I've forgetten my music." before dashing off to get it!

 

The highlight for me was definitely Magri & Frola. Wonderful to get to see one of my favourite RB dancers & one of my favourite ENB dancers together. I also really liked Hawes & Souza's elegant & clever pas de deux - or should that be pas de trois with the barre as the third participant. Kaneko & Bracewell were lovely together & it's a great pity that there's no opportunity for the general public to see them in a full performance together. Mizutani & Dingman's Don Q pdd may have settled my decision on which cast to try to see when BRB come to Sadler's Wells in July (he was already on my shortlist but I'd not seen her dance before). Are those the costumes BRB uses for Act III? I was expecting white like the RB's. Is the Scarlett "No Man's Land" pdd from a longer piece? It kind of felt like it should be. It was very interesting seeing Cojocaru doing Neumeier's La Dame aux Camellias after seeing her do Ashton's equivalent 2 years ago. Nunez & Clarke were unsurprisingly impeccable. Somewhere on the Coliseum stage there is now a jewelled hairpin, as I saw one of Nunez's fly off in one of her fast turning sequences! Reading Clarke's biography afterwards, it does seem a bit ridiculous that he's not already a Prinicpal when you look at the list of roles he's danced. I don't think I've ever seen La Sylphide before (is it out of fashion nowadays?) & I hope ENB do another revival some time soonish as I enjoyed McWhinney &  Carratalá Coloma's pdd. I'm also surprised to see he's still only an Artist. There were only 3 pieces that I didn't like choreographically & at least they all had nice music (apart from the couple of minutes of what sounded like wind whistling at the start of the Dying Swan) so my ears had something to enjoy even if my eyes didn't!

 

He really has done so many principal roles and it'll be a matter of when not if, the same with William Bracewell, both have really put in the principal role work in the past few years.

There is one spot that has become open since Fede left and I imagine one of those two will fill it. They've very much earned it.

[DanJL]

1 hour ago, emmarose said:

 

I think they streamed a very nice production during lockdown. I always used to love it as a ballet, it's a shame it doesn't seem as popular as others.

ENB's La Sylphide is still available to stream (for a small fee) https://ondemand.ballet.org.uk/

[Guest oncnp]

Dance for Ukraine review — a fundraising gala of incredible skill and spirit | Culture | The Times

[Shade]

Thanks for all these reports and bravi to all involved in this worthy performance 

[li tai po]

Dawnstar - you wrote on another thread on Thursday that you have not been to many ballet galas.  I was looking out to see what you thought of yesterday's gala and I am delighted to read how much you enjoyed it.

 

Not every gala is like this one; sometimes they can be a little repetitious.  The artistic programming of this wonderful gala was exceptional.

Edited March 20, 2022 by li tai po

[alison]

2 hours ago, emmarose said:

There is one spot that has become open since Fede left and I imagine one of those two will fill it. They've very much earned it.

 

Although I think it's become clear in recent years that RB promotions don't depend on there being a "vacancy".

 

I thought this was an extremely well-balanced gala.  Because of the cause behind it, I'd had my reservations beforehand, but I thought there were sufficient downbeat items to balance out the showier ones.

[Dawnstar]

11 minutes ago, li tai po said:

Dawnstar - you wrote on another thread on Thursday that you have not been to many ballet galas.  I was looking out to see what you thought of yesterday's gala and I am delighted to read how much you enjoyed it.

 

Not every gala is like this one; sometimes they can be a little repetitious.  The artistic programming of this wonderful gala was exceptional.

 

This was only my second ballet gala, after seeing the RB's Fonteyn Gala in 2019. I had a ticket for the Spring Gala they were going to do in 2020 but sadly that obviously didn't happen & I was unable to attend the mixed programmes they did last summer. The only regular galas in London in the last few years seem to be the Ballet Icons galas & they are too pricey for me.

 

I wasn't expecting to enjoy everything, as I don't generally like contemporary choreography, so I felt to like all but 3 pieces was a good strike rate!

[Scheherezade]

14 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

This was only my second ballet gala, after seeing the RB's Fonteyn Gala in 2019.

Great choices, Dawnstar. You’ve managed to avoid the many so-so galas and settled on two of the best. 

[Dawnstar]

2 hours ago, Scheherezade said:

Great choices, Dawnstar. You’ve managed to avoid the many so-so galas and settled on two of the best. 

 

Pure luck, as I didn't know what either programme would contain when I booked!

 

Can anyone with a better memory than me recall if the Le Corsaire pdd that Naghdi & Muntagirov danced at the Fonteyn gala had the same choreography as what Magri & Frola danced the other night? I gather that there's more than one version of it.

[Emeralds]

A poignant, beautiful, sad, powerful yet uplifting evening. Everyone brought their A game to this gala- there were no mediocre or half hearted performances. My favourites (purely for sentimental reasons) were Lacrimosa, Three Preludes, Swan Lake Act 2 pas de deux, No Man’s Land, and La Dame aux Camellias, and my relative liked the informal ease of the McGregor, but we were thoroughly enjoyed all of it, especially the virtuosity from Frola (the lift on one leg! The 540/revoltade leaps!), Nunez and Clarke. Impressive work from English National Opera’s orchestra learning unfamiliar ballet repertoire and playing it so beautifully too. If Ivan managed to record it all successfully, I would certainly buy a livestream or DVD to relive it again! Unforgettable. ❤️🇺🇦👏

[Emeralds]

13 hours ago, Emeralds said:

A poignant, beautiful, sad, powerful yet uplifting evening. Everyone brought their A game to this gala- there were no mediocre or half hearted performances. My favourites (purely for sentimental reasons) were Lacrimosa, Three Preludes, Swan Lake Act 2 pas de deux, No Man’s Land, and La Dame aux Camellias, and my relative liked the informal ease of the McGregor, but we were thoroughly enjoyed all of it, especially the virtuosity from Frola (the lift on one leg! The 540/revoltade leaps!), Nunez and Clarke. Impressive work from English National Opera’s orchestra learning unfamiliar ballet repertoire and playing it so beautifully too. If Ivan managed to record it all successfully, I would certainly buy a livestream or DVD to relive it again! Unforgettable. ❤️🇺🇦👏

Typo: my device also inadvertently omitted La Sylphide from my favourites, which is pretty naughty of it, as La Sylphide (and Les Sylphides, even though a different ballet altogether and different choreographer and era) is one of my all time faves. I like anything with the sylphs! 😊

 

Just wanted to add that for those who missed it or those who want to see a few repeats, there’s a six minute video on YouTube with Ivan being interviewed and a few clips of the performance included (Frola’s turns are in it, but not his 540s, unfortunately!)... it’s called “international ballet stars perform for Dance For Ukraine Gala” or words to that effect, posted by Newzee. The channel 5 and Ch4 interview clips are also on YouTube Hope they consider releasing a commercial recording to stream or on DVD or both, to raise more funds. It was heartwarming to hear from front of house staff (who were also working for free that night) that the blue and yellow ribbons being sold for fundraising had, like the gala tickets, completely sold out. 

[Emeralds]

22 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

 

Pure luck, as I didn't know what either programme would contain when I booked!

 

Can anyone with a better memory than me recall if the Le Corsaire pdd that Naghdi & Muntagirov danced at the Fonteyn gala had the same choreography as what Magri & Frola danced the other night? I gather that there's more than one version of it.

Sorry I can’t help you with Yasmine and Vadim’s version, as I couldn’t make it for the Fonteyn Gala, Dawnstar! (Now if the gala had been on Dame Margot’s actual birthday that year, my schedule would have been clear to attend!)

 

If you remember the livestream one that Marianela Nuñez and Vadim danced last year, MM & FGF’s pas de deux is essentially the same as that one, other than FGF & Vadim choose slightly different jump combinations to suit their preferences (a common practice for men in the showpiece classics - it’s a bit like the cadenzas in violin and piano concertos, where some performers’ choice is allowed).

 

Like Nuñez’s solo, Magri’s solo is actually the one for Gamzatti in La Bayadere Act 1 in the engagement party scene. The standard Corsaire solo is now accepted as the one that ENB perform in their production (available on DVD).

 

Fonteyn used to dance a  more difficult solo which is actually the Queen of the Dryads’ variation  in Don Quixote Act 2. If Yasmine recreated what Fonteyn danced, that might well have been the solo she performed. The coda and the rest of the pas de deux is pretty much the same. Nureyev actually danced a fairly conservative and traditional version of the man’s solo and coda in Le Corsaire, although when he made his own productions of the classics, he was famous (or infamous!) for adding additional steps to the choreography, making his productions more difficult to dance (he was very fond of fast ronds de jambes- a step where the foot makes circles and jumps with lots of beats).

 

If you have a chance to look for Fonteyn and Nureyev’s famous version of the pas de deux on Youtube, that might help you recall if that was the version at the Fonteyn gala? I also noticed from photos that Yasmine wore the Turkish-inspired tutu with long sleeves that was similar to what Fonteyn wore. 

Edited March 22, 2022 by Emeralds

[Pas de Quatre]

22 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

there’s a six minute video on YouTube with Ivan being interviewed and a few clips of the performance included (Frola’s turns are in it, but not his 540s, unfortunately!)... it’s called “international ballet stars perform for Dance For Ukraine Gala” or words to that effect,

I think this is possibly the same one I posted on Sunday, on page 1 of this thread.

[Emeralds]

17 minutes ago, Pas de Quatre said:

I think this is possibly the same one I posted on Sunday, on page 1 of this thread.

You are right, Pas de Quatre! I didn’t realise you'd posted one as I didn’t see a thumbnail while scrolling quickly  - well spotted! I’ve clicked on yours now- yes, it’s the one.  😊👍

[Dawnstar]

1 hour ago, Emeralds said:

Sorry I can’t help you with Yasmine and Vadim’s version, as I couldn’t make it for the Fonteyn Gala, Dawnstar! (Now if the gala had been on Dame Margot’s actual birthday that year, my schedule would have been clear to attend!)

 

If you remember the livestream one that Marianela Nuñez and Vadim danced last year, MM & FGF’s pas de deux is essentially the same as that one, other than FGF & Vadim choose slightly different jump combinations to suit their preferences (a common practice for men in the showpiece classics - it’s a bit like the cadenzas in violin and piano concertos, where some performers’ choice is allowed).

 

Like Nuñez’s solo, Magri’s solo is actually the one for Gamzatti in La Bayadere Act 1 in the engagement party scene. The standard Corsaire solo is now accepted as the one that ENB perform in their production (available on DVD).

 

Fonteyn used to dance a  more difficult solo which is actually the Queen of the Dryads’ variation  in Don Quixote Act 2. If Yasmine recreated what Fonteyn danced, that might well have been the solo she performed. The coda and the rest of the pas de deux is pretty much the same. Nureyev actually danced a fairly conservative and traditional version of the man’s solo and coda in Le Corsaire, although when he made his own productions of the classics, he was famous (or infamous!) for adding additional steps to the choreography, making his productions more difficult to dance (he was very fond of fast ronds de jambes- a step where the foot makes circles and jumps with lots of beats).

 

If you have a chance to look for Fonteyn and Nureyev’s famous version of the pas de deux on Youtube, that might help you recall if that was the version at the Fonteyn gala? I also noticed from photos that Yasmine wore the Turkish-inspired tutu with long sleeves that was similar to what Fonteyn wore. 

 

I didn't watch last summer's livestream so don't have knowledge of that to compare it with, although I suppose it's likely Muntagirov would have done the same solo that he did in 2019. I know Naghdi did Italian fouettes in her solo, because I remember people on here saying so at the time, but how they differ from standard fouettes & which sort Magri did the other night I have no idea!

 

[Emeralds]

1 hour ago, Dawnstar said:

 

I didn't watch last summer's livestream so don't have knowledge of that to compare it with, although I suppose it's likely Muntagirov would have done the same solo that he did in 2019. I know Naghdi did Italian fouettes in her solo, because I remember people on here saying so at the time, but how they differ from standard fouettes & which sort Magri did the other night I have no idea!

 

Yep, that’s definitely Fonteyn’s solo. It’s actually the Queen of the Dryads solo in Don Quixote. The Italian fouettes are at the end, and it’s a hallmark of the solo. (In some productions, eg the Bolshoi Ballet’s newish version, the solo is simplified and the Italian fouettés substituted with an easier step....which seems a pity and a bit timid!) There’s a video posted by the Royal Opera House of Melissa Hamilton performing it (look up Don Quixote, Queen of the Dryads Act 2) and they’re the turns at the end. They don’t look like fouettes to most people because the turns are done inwards instead of outwards, so they have to be  slower than fouettés. The dancer also stops in mid position twice in each turn. 

 

PS my mistake- Fonteyn and Nureyev’s Le Corsaire pas de deux is on dailymotion but doesn’t seem to be on YouTube. (My copy was recorded off the tv many decades ago! 🤣)

[Sophoife]

2 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

I know Naghdi did Italian fouettes in her solo, because I remember people on here saying so at the time, but how they differ from standard fouettes & which sort Magri did the other night I have no idea!

 Regular fouettés

https://youtu.be/qz0qeI1VpEI

Italian fouettés

[Emeralds]

Ironically, it was an Italian ballerina - Pierina Legnani - who popularised the fouetté and developed multiple fouettés into a “must have” (she was the one who inserted them into the Black Swan pas de deux as we know it today), so in actual fact, all fouettés should really be called Italian fouettés. Maybe outward and inward fouettés might be a more accurate term! 

[Emeralds]

19 minutes ago, Sophoife said:

 Regular fouettés

https://youtu.be/qz0qeI1VpEI

Italian fouettés

Good find, Sophoife! I was going to comment that the dancer demonstrating them had a really nice technique- very neat, with the basics beautifully done, then I realised she was Merrill Ashley, star of New York City Ballet and now a respected Balanchine Trust coach and repetiteur!  😄

[Dawnstar]

35 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

Yep, that’s definitely Fonteyn’s solo. It’s actually the Queen of the Dryads solo in Don Quixote. The Italian fouettes are at the end, and it’s a hallmark of the solo. (In some productions, eg the Bolshoi Ballet’s newish version, the solo is simplified and the Italian fouettés substituted with an easier step....which seems a pity and a bit timid!) There’s a video posted by the Royal Opera House of Melissa Hamilton performing it (look up Don Quixote, Queen of the Dryads Act 2) and they’re the turns at the end. They don’t look like fouettes to most people because the turns are done inwards instead of outwards, so they have to be  slower than fouettés. The dancer also stops in mid position twice in each turn.

 

Thanks. It sounds like Naghdi & Magri did do different versions then, as if Italian fouettes don't look like fouettes then Magri must have done normal fouettes because they looked like what she did in Swan Lake a week earlier.

[LBC]

The London Ballet Circle is delighted to announce that we have an extra Zoom 'in conversation' event with Ivan Putrov on Wednesday 6 April 2022 at 7pm, UK time.   Graham Watts will be interviewing.

 

I'm sure there will be lots we all want to know about the gala!

 

As usual Zoom events are free to LBC members. 

Non-members are very welcome to join the Zoom for £5, please book here 

https://www.tlbc.org.uk/events/new-in-conversation-with-ivan-putrov-

The Zoom link will be sent out a few days in advance