Mary Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 I went to this this afternoon. Not a live screening but a film of a performance, I had forgotten that. However, although I rather missed some shots of the theatre/audience, backstage, I did not much miss presenters or lots of talking. There was no interval, just a brief pause. This made it all so much more intense, with nothing to interrupt the atmosphere created, which I liked. All in all it was a very good experience: Olga Smirnova was lovely and very moving indeed (partly because I reflected I had not see her since the Bolshoi screenings which I used to attend regularly, and thinking over the tragic circumstances which had led to her coming to DNB). The production is not as beautiful as ENB's but, I did find it a lot more emotional, and now need to ponder why that was. 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blossom Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 31 minutes ago, Mary said: The production is not as beautiful as ENB's but, I did find it a lot more emotional, and now need to ponder why that was. I wonder if this was due to the close ups? I enjoyed the performance but not as much as ENB live, which indeed was more beautiful, but I felt that Frola and Reimar were a more beliavable dramatic pair and ultimately Frola was just so human in the role. McWhinney’s Myrtha for ENB was strong but more elegant than DNB today. I think it’s unfair to compare Khaniukova and Smirnova but glad I have been able to see both live! What Smirnova adds is the beauty of the Vaganova style. The ultimate problem with this event was that without the behind the scenes preamble and interval, to me it was just a dvd release on a big screen. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted January 21 Author Share Posted January 21 I agree about Myrtha, Blossom. McWhinney was truly elegant and imperious at the same time. I was very pleased to have the chance to see DNB anyway and impressed by the dancing overall. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blossom Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 17 minutes ago, Mary said: I agree about Myrtha, Blossom. McWhinney was truly elegant and imperious at the same time. I was very pleased to have the chance to see DNB anyway and impressed by the dancing overall. They are a brilliant company to watch - can’t wait to see them in person again. Hoping they might be worthy of an invite for a summer season in order to catch more than one production. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peanut68 Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 Gutted I missed this opportunity to see this company in the end (family commitments win our sadly…) I hope more overseas ballet companies make it to cinemas near me again soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonbfisher Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 Does anyone have the complete cast list for this? The DNB website is unforthcoming, and the young lady at the Vue in Staines (upon Thames - sorry) didn’t understand what I meant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted January 21 Author Share Posted January 21 No cast lists were available and though the full list was scrolled through at the end of the film, it was in very small faint type and went quite quickly - rather a shame. I particularly wanted to know the second of the men in the peasant pas de quatre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 @Mary Names of pas de quatre couples: Edo Wijnen and Yuanyuan Zheng Sho Yamada and Naira Agnavean (I wasn’t there, I am going to the 2nd showing on 1 February. Names via a Dutch friend who is a close follower / benefactor of the DNB) 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 I enjoyed it this afternoon, and didn't mind that there weren't the interviews & so on that are done for the live cinecasts. I thought the production overall was very good apart from a couple of things I found disappointing (as far as I could interpret Bertha's mime it just seemed to be general forboding about Giselle dying rather than any attempt to tell the legend of the Wilis. The gravestone going see-through was unfortunately rather risible.) or puzzling (why was it set in 1792 rather than the usual Medieval setting? Though admittedly the late 18th century setting was only apparent with the aristocrats' costumes as the rest were standard stage peasant.). Having previously seen the RB's peasant pas de six & the UUB & ENB's peasant pas de deux I was surprised to get a peasant pas de quatre in this production. I'm now wondering how many other variations of numbers of peasants there are out there! It looked to my inexperienced eyes that it was the second male & female solos that corresponded to those used when it's a pdd. As far as I could judge the stage looked pretty big, especially in terms of width, so the corps had plenty of room in Act II. I thought Smirnova & Tissi danced excellently & acted very well yet unfortunately I wasn't really moved by them: I was sitting there thinking "good acting" rather than feeling it. Maybe I've just run out of emotion after 2 ENB Giselles last week & Manon last night. I also find Smirnova rather too naturally aristocratic looking to make a believable peasant girl (the suggestions somewhere in the ENB Giselle thread about Giselle possibly being the illegitimate daughter of the Duke would certainly make sense for her Giselle, though as far as I could tell it didn't seem to be indicated in this production) so I prefered her in Act II. I expected her to do the hops & she did. Likewise he did entrechats. I was very impressed by Potskhishvili's Hilarion & was not at all surprised to find when I looked him up afterwards that he also dances Albrecht & has just been promoted to Principal. He got a bit more dancing to do before Hilarion's demise than in some productions, which I was very pleased by both because it makes more dramatic sense & because he did it very well. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 Would love to see Potskhishvili live. From the clips I have seen he is a very exciting dancer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amelia Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 (edited) 12 minutes ago, Shade said: Would love to see Potskhishvili live. From the clips I have seen he is a very exciting dancer. The young Georgian dancer Giorgi Potskhishvili impressed me very much as Hilarion with his amazing energy, passion and spectacular jumps in Act 2. A captivating dancer to watch. In the meantime, I'll learn to pronounce properly his last name. Found just now on net: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_W5eABzrNw Edited January 21 by Amelia a typo 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted January 22 Author Share Posted January 22 His was the best Hilarion I can remember seeing! marvellous jumps, genuine anguish conveyed. I also liked his green costume very much. This production told the story very clearly, I felt, especially the 'huts and swords' business which often confuses anyone who doesn't know it well. That was partly due to Potskhishvii's excellently clear communication through gesture and expression. I did find Act 2 more moving than ENB, partly because there was more dancing for the men and I really felt they were hounded beyond endurance. I wasn't made to feel that by the Mary Skeaping version, lovely- exquisite- as it was in so many ways. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 Details of "repeat" showings of this - mainly on 1st February, I believe - can be found in this thread: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted January 22 Share Posted January 22 UK showtimes according to official website, but worth checking your local cinemas directly too. https://www.giselleballetcinema.com/tickets/ 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tattin Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 I agree with most of the comments above. I liked the production enormously - it shows the narrative very clearly for those who are not familiar with it. My only minute quibble was that Bathilde should be wearing hunting dress. I also found the way the moon moved up and down distracting in Act II but I realise that was a question of camera angles & distances. As others have noted Potskhishvili was a superb Hilarion whose acting was clear and convincing -and so handsome he was certainly a valid suitor for Giselle! All the extra choreography for him in Act II is a great point in favour of this production. It's not the first time I've seen a pas de quatre in Act I but I can't remember the company or production. What I did notice was that some of the music for this, I think the first girl's solo, was very unfamiliar. Can any of you elucidate this point? Was it Adam music? FionaM, can your Dutch friend tell us who danced Moyna and Zulma? And nobody has mentioned Floor Eimeer's excellent Myrtha -very much in command of her band of wilis. Oh, and I love the very long, very full but wafting Romantic tutus in Act II. But, sadly, despite their exquisite dancing, neither of the principals convinced me. Like Dawnstar above I felt, "good acting but they didn't move me". I drove nearly 50 kms to see this and shall have the chance to watch a repeat screening in March. I may change my opinion as I often do with repeats. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 (edited) @Tattin The deputy wilis were Nina Tonoli and Naira Agnavean (the latter was also in Act 1 pd4) Edited January 23 by FionaM 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdy Posted January 23 Share Posted January 23 The production was filmed on two different nights, so that may also account for the movement of the moon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stucha Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 12 hours ago, Tattin said: It's not the first time I've seen a pas de quatre in Act I but I can't remember the company or production. What I did notice was that some of the music for this, I think the first girl's solo, was very unfamiliar. Can any of you elucidate this point? Was it Adam music? I have not seen this yet, but can tell you that the music for the peasant pd2+ is by Burgmuller not Adam. Whether other music has been added as well I don't know. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pulcinella Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 20 hours ago, Tattin said: It's not the first time I've seen a pas de quatre in Act I but I can't remember the company or production. I seem to remember that Sir Peter Wright's production for Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet/BRB had a pas de quatre in Act 1 but without checking my cast lists I can't be certain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tattin Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Many thanks to you all for replying to questions/points I made: to FionaM for the names of the dancers doing the leading wilis; to Birdy for the information about the moon and the recording,and to Stucha for the composer of the music for the Act I pas de deux (in this case pas de quatre). I always felt the music was slightly different from the rest but, after seeing countless productions of Giselle over the years I have never seen Burgmuller's name added to that pf Adam, as it obviously should be. Was he Adam's assistant? Did he compose for any other ballets? I'll look him up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 On 24/01/2024 at 08:15, Pulcinella said: I seem to remember that Sir Peter Wright's production for Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet/BRB had a pas de quatre in Act 1 but without checking my cast lists I can't be certain. In the version he did for the National Ballet of Canada, it was definitely a pas de quatre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 55 minutes ago, Tattin said: Many thanks to you all for replying to questions/points I made: to FionaM for the names of the dancers doing the leading wilis; to Birdy for the information about the moon and the recording,and to Stucha for the composer of the music for the Act I pas de deux (in this case pas de quatre). I always felt the music was slightly different from the rest but, after seeing countless productions of Giselle over the years I have never seen Burgmuller's name added to that pf Adam, as it obviously should be. Was he Adam's assistant? Did he compose for any other ballets? I'll look him up. Burgmueller was not Adam's assistant. He was a contemporary of his. When "Giselle" was created in 1841, his music was used to create a suite of dances (now known as the Peasant Pas de Deux) for etoile Nathalie Fitzjames and her partner, interpolated into the ballet just before the mad scene to upstage the new star, Carlotta Grisi - a purely political move. Adam objected strongly to this interpolation and later sued Burgmueller when he published one of the pieces as the 'famous waltz from Giselle'. The suite consisted of an entree and adage, two solos for the female and two solos for the male, plus the coda. Most productions from the 20th and 21st centuries also include Giselle's now-famous Act 1 solo to music long attributed to Minkus and the Act 2 waltz solo attributed to Pugni, both added in Russia in the 1880s. 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FionaM Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 A smorgasbord of composers! Thank you @Irmgard for all this information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 Thank you, Irmgard, for using the word "upstage". It's precisely why I rarely like peasant pas de deux in Giselle, and prefer, say, the pas de six of the Royal Ballet's production - it doesn't feel as though those dancers are detracting from the leads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 20 hours ago, Tattin said: I have never seen Burgmuller's name added to that pf Adam, as it obviously should be. Was he Adam's assistant? Did he compose for any other ballets? I'll look him up. I remember playing his piano studies when I was a child - probably all he's really known for now. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tattin Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 Many thanks Irmgard for the explanation of the first performance of Giselle (I was unaware of the politics of the situation) and all the composers involved at various times. I did, of course, know about the additions to Giselle made in Russia, perhaps dating from Petipa's 1884 production. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amelia Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 On 25/01/2024 at 21:12, Irmgard said: Most productions from the 20th and 21st centuries also include Giselle's now-famous Act 1 solo to music long attributed to Minkus and the Act 2 waltz solo attributed to Pugni, both added in Russia in the 1880s. Thank you for your research. May I ask for some clarity regarding the music long attributed to Minkus. Is it still attributed to him or is it Burgmüller's music? Same question about Puni. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 3 hours ago, Amelia said: Thank you for your research. May I ask for some clarity regarding the music long attributed to Minkus. Is it still attributed to him or is it Burgmüller's music? Same question about Puni. I believe it may now be thought to be by Pugni. As far as I am aware, the Act 2 waltz is definitely by Pugni. The only music in "Giselle" by Burgmueller is the suite of dances used for the Peasant pas de deux (or quatre or six, depending on the production!). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 On 26/01/2024 at 15:20, alison said: Thank you, Irmgard, for using the word "upstage". It's precisely why I rarely like peasant pas de deux in Giselle, and prefer, say, the pas de six of the Royal Ballet's production - it doesn't feel as though those dancers are detracting from the leads. This is where I think Mary Skeaping was so clever at stagecraft. Although she kept it as a pas de deux, she placed it much earlier in the action so that it could not possibly upstage Giselle's mad scene (its original intention) and, of course, in her production, Giselle's famous Act 1 solo comes immediately after the pas de deux, and it is far enough in advance of the complete Pas des Vendanges for Giselle and Albrecht, which contains solos for both of them, not to detract from either this or the mad scene which follows. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 Yes, it fits in very nicely in her version Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 Just a reminder that there may be some repeat showings over the next few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnstar Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 Given the discussions on the ENB thread about Giselle flying, I thought it interesting that in this production neither Giselle nor any of the Wilis even had any visible wings let alone did any flying. I understand Giselle sometimes does not wear wings because of the pdd work but I was rather surprised that the corps were wingless given that's not a consideration for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annamk Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 I went to an encore showing - only 4 of us in a small screen in North London. I saw it live in Amsterdam and it was fabulous to see again with all the close ups allowing me to appreciate more detail. DNB's world class dancers were on display: the superb Olga Smirnova, beautifully partnered by Jacopo Tissi's understated and divinely elegant Albrecht and their foil, Hilarion, the eye catching, simply jaw dropping, Giorgi Potskhishvili. There is impressive talent at other levels too: Floor Eimeer's Myrtha was terrific with incredibly beautiful bourees; the pd4 dancers impressed as did all the willis. The production is gorgeous and really suits the company. I agree with @Blossom further up this thread, DNB are a brilliant company and worthy of a summer invite. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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