AC Workroom's La Strada, Sadler's Wells

[Angela]

5 hours ago, FionaM said:

regarding music.  
 

In the programme it says “Horecna selected music from Nino Rita’s film compositions so they had an emotional coherence that fitted her ideas for the production”

 

The programme has a complete listing of the circa 40 pieces of music used including from Il Casanova, Il Gattopardo, La Dolce Vita,  and others.  Only a handful are from the movie score for La Strada.  

 

Fiona, I guess an important reason to chose different music may be the fact that there is no recording of the one hour long ballet suite. They did not have an orchestra for the production, they had to rely on recorded music.  Else it might be a bit ambitious to drop a score that was made for that story, to know better than the original composer about "emotional coherence" and to find it in obviously not so much coherent snippets.

 

[FionaM]

@Angela

 

I’m not understanding what you are saying.  
 

The music for Alina’s production did not have a problem with coherence.  
 

In a few places (and it really was only between 2 or 3 pieces of the 40 or so used), the pause between felt somewhat abrupt.  Maybe it needed better fading in and out.  That is all.  It’s a very minor point to pick on.  

[Jake]

Difficult to know what to say about La Strada. But will try.

Firstly, so pleased to see the magnificent Alina and Johan once again, having enjoyed - and at times been quite terrified by - so many of their extraordinary performances during their RB years.

Just wish that there had been more opportunities this time for both to play to their strengths. Alina’s duets/trios with one or both of the ‘angels’ were lovely to watch (though I had to agree with the thought that at times her gorgeous lines were obscured by her partner) but just wish there had been more pieces of comparable beauty for her with either of the two leading men.

The subject matter could surely have lent itself for more of the exuberant ‘street’ type dancing we saw relatively little of - not least at the end of the first act which suddenly finished on the most anti-climactic of notes.

If it proves that my final memory of Johan is as a posthumous unicyclist plus wings, then so be it (and he did it superbly) - though his solo a few minutes afterwards was very touching - but can anyone explain its significance? It seemed to me like a sort of farewell - was that the idea?

Can’t say the changes of style within the score worried me - hardly the only ballet where this happens - but it did seem that a few pieces of eminently ‘danceable’ music were rather wasted, especially one where Gelsomina moped around in a distinctly unflattering brown coat to music which might potentially have accompanied a wonderful solo.

And it certainly made one appreciate a ‘real’ orchestra, though one understands the economics involved.

So, lovely to see once again two of my ballet heroes, and their excellent supporting cast, after so long but I hope the chance comes one day to revisit them in a less ‘bitty’ affair.

Sorry if this sounds overly negative - possibly it wasn’t a good idea to have booked for a ballet just a couple of hours after seeing that devastating film All About Us Strangers which left me something of an emotional wreck!

On a slightly different aspect, I’d be interested to hear from those who saw Fonteyn who is the closest to her among modern dancers in terms of elegance and refinement. Might it be Alina?

 

 

 

Edited January 29 by alison
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[Angela]

On 26/01/2024 at 10:33, zxDaveM said:

The score was snippets of music (recorded) from a variety of film score sources (a list - and long list it was - in the programme) which did give the piece a rather 'bitty' feel, as most of those snippets were only 2-3 minutes, with blank pauses between.

 

On 26/01/2024 at 11:30, FionaM said:

I too thought the music transitions were a little clumsy in a few places.  

 

On 26/01/2024 at 23:18, zxDaveM said:

Still a bit phased by the gaps in the music,

 

Fiona, you and zxDaveM mentioned snippets and "gaps" in the music. I guess that's why I had the idea that one could use the beautiful, coherent score that was written by the film composer himself especially for the occasion that someone would make a ballet from "La strada". But having seen a Nutcracker recently that mainly used Sleeping Beauty music, I may be wrong. Everything is possible, I'm sure Alina danced to a wonderful score. 

 

[Scheherezade]

Just one viewing for me and like many others I was, and remain, in two minds. 
I am glad to have seen La Strada. I didn’t hate it but didn’t love it either. I did enjoy the music and I felt that the sets and costumes worked well. Overall, I was impressed by the dancers generally, and the two angels in particular and I also felt that Zampano’s brutality could have been highlighted a little more. 
It was wonderful to see Alina and Johan on stage again, especially Alina, whose magic remains undiminished and whose childlike vulnerability sat perfectly upon Gelsomina and gave the whole production its heart. I did wonder whether it might have fallen a little flat with anyone else.

well done, all the same, to everyone involved. 

[Emeralds]

La Strada by Natalia Horečná and the ACWorkroom company (Sunday 28 Jan 2024 performance)

 

Gelsomina- Alina Cojocaru 

Il Matto- Johan Kobborg 

Zampano- Mick Zeni 

[Gelsomina's] Angels- David Rodriguez, Marc Jubete 

Other roles- Yaiza Coll, Winnie Dias, Giulio Galimberti, Lukas Hunt, Maria Tolstunova, Robert Weithas (covers: Casey Nokomis, Nicholas Vavrečka)

 

Set and costume design: Otto Bubeniček

Music: Nino Rota (compilations from Il Casanova, Rocco e I suoi Fratelli, La Strada,  Il Gattopardo, Concerto per Archi, etc) 

 

I went actually hoping that this ballet wouldn't be an exact retelling of the famous Fellini film in dance steps as the film is quite bleak and very sad (even if moving) and I was hoping not to have a two hour ballet brimming with misery. To Natalia Horecna's credit, it worked, for me anyway. The sadness of Gelsomina's plight and the brutality of Zampano is hinted at frequently but not drummed into us. 

 

I knew that the ballet would highlight Cojocaru's expressive facial expressions and her waif-like qualities in her dancing, which it does especially in her dances with the Angels. In the usage of two male angels and their flowing costumes it reminded me of Wheeldon's Cinderella and the Fates which I thought came off very nicely in the ballet. Her dance technique remains  masterful at the age of 42, and while the choreography doesn't demand triple pirouettes. gargouillades or series of fouettes in the way a Petipa ballet might, Cojocaru's beautiful line, elevation and precision remain as sublime as ever.

 

Although I'm a big fan of Nino Rota's music score for the film, in a way I think it's a good thing that Horecna didn't just lift the film score or use the ballet suite note for note in this ballet (although she does use some of it) as the familiarity can be distracting or feel like a letdown when a very familiar tune isn't matched by equally spectacular steps which can then lessen or ruin the impact of the ballet (I've seen this happen with some ballet adaptations in the past). In fact, I found the most powerful and enjoyable scenes to be the ones not using the familiar La Strada melodies. 

 

I watched the ballet from the second circle as I had a feeling that a recorded soundtrack would be used (they do have sounds like crowd noises which musicians can't "play" so that's fair enough) and I'm not keen on the way the sound system feedback sounds in the Stalls seats. I didn't get my view blocked at all as a result (although I didn't realise the large clown figures were supposed to be scary!) and the lifts performed by the Angels look beautiful seen from upstairs.

 

My main hope was to see Cojocaru and Kobborg dance- and for Kobborg, some dancing on his own as opposed to only partnering and mime/acting. In this regard, Horecna granted my wishes-not just one classical solo for Kobborg  but two! One in each act, not just a few jumps and turns, but also the fast footwork reminiscent of the Bournonville style Kobborg was famous for when he was a Royal Danish Ballet principal and then a Royal Ballet star, as well as pyrotechnics of all kinds, plus juggling and riding a unicycle! In the scene where he declines Gelsomina's proposal and leaves on his unicycle, I can almost imagine writers of romcoms busy scribbling down "great new idea not tried before- rejection by a guy riding away on unicycle". 

 

For me the scene with the wow factor is the arrival of the circus and Gelsomina's introduction to the other performers, complete with Kobborg making his entry on unicycle, which enables Horecna to add in a happy passage of dancing for Cojocaru's Gelsomina too. It's the equivalent of their divertissement (and what a divertissement it is when Kobbirg and Cojocaru are dancing, although I would have liked longer classical solos for her, as a contrast to the tragedy and sadness that will come later).

 

Like others who have noted, Kobborg is 51 and performing steps with the energy and panache of a twentysomething virtuoso, bettering many dancers half his age. That alone is worth the price of a ticket (I would happily have come everyday to just to watch Kobborg's solos had my Thursday to Saturday schedule not been solidly packed.)

 

Besides the stunning dancing from Cojocaru and Kobborg, Zeni is a compelling character artist with great stage presence. Credit must also be given to Rodriguez and Jubete as the Angels, who were brilliant partners and accomplished soloists in their own right and their impressive ensemble (like Rodriguez and Jubete, many of them are former Hamburg Ballet dancers- perhaps that's why one reason John Neumeier was interested in flying over from Germany to see the production) of expressive and strong dancers. 

 

The sets and costumes by Otto Bubeniček, himself a former principal dancer (like his brother Jiri) at Hamburg Ballet, are colourful, evocative and striking- there is effective lowering and raising of a string of lights above the stage to add drama to proceedings when required. I particularly liked his design for Zampano's wagon-like vehicle, which doubled up as a changing room for Gelsomina at one point. (Have a look on the photos from Photography by ASH in some of the Dance Links articles- the pictures show it better than I can explain.)

 

While the first act follows a fairly straightforward throwback narrative arc preceded by a Prologue in the present where Zampano learns that Gelsomina, whom he abandoned some years earlier, has died (she visits him as a spirit accompanied by two Angels), the second act mixes narrative with what appear to be scenes where the ghosts of Il Matto and Gelsomina visit the location of deaths after their departure. I didn't mind this mixing and dream or illusion-like form of storytelling although I know some critics and audience members didn't like it. As some members have observed, maybe a Dramaturg (or an experienced choreographer taking on that role) would probably have helped make the story easier for many to follow. Then again, it also reminds me of a lot of experimental pieces of theatre often presented in continental Europe and North America where ideas, illusions or parallel realities are danced alongside narrative, and I found Horecna's work less baffling than some other modern creations I've seen.

 

I did sense that many critics this week were comparing this ballet to Manon at ROH, Edward Scissorhands by Matthew Bourne and Giselle by ENB and sniffily coming away with  "Harrumph! It's not MacMillan, Bourne or Perrot/Petipa/Skeaping! Two stars!" (Or three) But these critics forget that those ballets are old (Manon dates back to 1974) and were made when their creators had substantial financial backing and have had the luxury of having many years to be tweaked and revised to be the sleek productions they are now.

 

I think this ballet has great promise and with some editing and revisions (even small ones) could become a great ballet with longevity. For example one bit I'd like to see revised would be the choreography for Gelsomina's mother, which is very youthful (she looks more like a young villager) and energetic which you wouldn't associate with an older woman who is so poor that she has to sell off her daughter to put food on the table. 

 

Wouldn't it be lovely to see it toured around Britain and internationally one day - in particularly I hope with time it can be performed with live music accompaniment. This isn't the first time La Strada has been made into a ballet: there was a notable 1966 version by Mario Pistoni for the legendary Carla Fracci (wish I could have seen her in that) and a more recent one by Marco Goerke in 2021. I'm also very glad and relieved that Horecna didn't put Cojocaru in clown makeup like the film and publicity posters showed! I note from one interview (see the Links) that Cojocaru hopes to take this on tour and also has ideas for two more ballets up her sleeve- can't wait! 

 

So a definite thumbs up from me- I'd certainly love to see it again - several times- with the same cast! Really lovely that in this day and age of cuts, closures and rising costs that Cojocaru and her colleagues have successfully managed to stage a brand new work of classical ballet in London (with astonishingly little sponsorship and little to no taxpayer subsidy) at very affordable prices (the lowest price was £12 with concession prices offered on top of that, with many seats with good sightlines available below £50). Bravi Alina, Johan and colleagues.

💐 💐 💐 

Edited January 29 by Emeralds

[FionaM]

@Emeralds thank you for your impressions and thoughts on this first commission by Alina.   Helpful to my understanding.  
 

also … there were at least 2 gargouillades! (One on each side) 😉

[Emeralds]

6 minutes ago, FionaM said:

@Emeralds thank you for your impressions and thoughts on this first commission by Alina.   Helpful to my understanding.  
 

also … there were at least 2 gargouillades! (One on each side) 😉

Oh no! I missed them! (Trying too hard to look at everything.) Now I really have to see it several more times! (I'm kidding; I would see it again anyway even if I hadn't missed any steps, but it's inevitable with any new ballet.)  I hope they can do it again at Sadler's Wells.....perhaps in autumn or summer? I'm very envious you got to see it more than once, @FionaM. Thank you for all the useful information you posted too. 

Edited January 29 by Emeralds

[Emeralds]

On 28/01/2024 at 18:46, capybara said:

The comments from others have really helped me to appreciate this piece more. I should have gone for a second viewing today!

A Dramaturg could, at minimum, have provided a valuable ‘second pair of eyes’, especially in Act 2 where some pruning might have been helpful (I lost my way at this point and that has never happened before when the riveting Alina is dancing).

 

Congratulations to Alina for this bold and innovative venture and for giving us the joy of having her on stage in London again.

 

Just one other thought although it’s too late to say it really …. I wonder whether acworkroom was the wisest choice of name for Alina’s production company in terms of ‘public’ perception generally or, indeed, the story which was being told this time.

I agree with @capybara's observations. 

 

I understand from one of the interviews Alina gave that "ACWorkroom Ltd" was just a word that she coined to register as a company to make organising productions (such as her 2020 show at Sadler's Wells- the one with Marguerite and Armand and Kim Brandstrup's film of her dance academy in Kyiv) easier- rather like picking out an email address perhaps. I suppose she never imagined it would end up on the show billing. Perhaps it could be changed or she could register a new company name. 

 

A fellow audience member at the show and I agreed that if La Strada had berm billed as "The Alina Cojocaru Company presents La Strada", "Alina Cojocaru and Friends" or "Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg in La Strada" the whole auditorium would have been sold out [and we would have a bit less elbow space and leg room]!  We also both noted that it was Facebook algorithms that first brought the show to our attention (followed soon after by this forum!) because it was deeply hidden in the Sadler's Wells website- so maybe AI has some uses! 

[DelphiumBlue]

Once again thanks to this forum for alerting me to La Strada and the chance to see both Alina Cojocaru & Johann Kobborg dance - what a memorable afternoon. 

I enjoyed Sunday’s performance very much - the reviews on here meant that I didn’t try to follow the plot in Act 2 but just concentrated  on the beautiful quality of movement and the colours.  
The music gave me space to connect to the emotion in the ballet too.

 

I do agree about the Sadlers Wells website as encountered on my phone . It’s often quite tricky to find the performances you want as opposed to ones they wish to promote. 

[TSR101]

On 28/01/2024 at 18:46, capybara said:

Just one other thought although it’s too late to say it really …. I wonder whether acworkroom was the wisest choice of name for Alina’s production company in terms of ‘public’ perception generally or, indeed, the story which was being told this time.

I have also thought this - it isn't very catchy or attractive in marketing terms, it also doesn't properly utilise Alina's own brand (unless you know its AC for Alina Cojocaru then you could look past its connotations) and 'workroom' isn't very positive (it sounds like somewhere you prepare things that aren't complete). I don't know what she intends to do with it in the future but she would be best to rename I think. 

[alison]

Am I the only one, looking at the photos, to think "John Curry" when looking at the pictures of Johan Kobborg ?

[Emeralds]

11 hours ago, alison said:

Am I the only one, looking at the photos, to think "John Curry" when looking at the pictures of Johan Kobborg ?

You're right- the costume for Kobborg's character Il Matto has similar styling and colour scheme to John Curry's costume in his Olympic gold medal-winning skate in the 1976 Winter Olympics, to the music of the Don Quixote grand pas de deux!