Ballet Icons Gala March 2024

[LinMM]

Yes I was at one of those benefit performances for her at ROH and she came out on to the stage at the end when I was shocked by her frail appearance. It must have been just a little embarrassing for her and for me very sad to see her as somebody who had brought joy to so many thousands of people over the years. 

Edited March 22 by LinMM

[Missfrankiecat]

I think it was well known that she was not wealthy - I believe I read that Nureyev paid for her medical care at the end.  

[Missfrankiecat]

19 minutes ago, LinMM said:

It can be disappointing to see the technique of a once much admired dancer start to become less….I experienced this with Nureyev and felt sorry that some people were seeing some of his very late performances for the first time. I loved him too much for all his past performances to ever say anything denigrating about him but certainly wished he had stopped performing a little earlier than he did. 
I’ve never seen Osipova under perform

as yet…. but wasn’t at the gala…though she can sometimes be a little untidy in her technique she always seems to make up for it in other ways as in her recent Manon. 
Fonteyn stopped performing the really big classics like Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty near the end of her career but then I  wouldn’t have wanted to miss her in Marguerite and Armand!! 

It must be a difficult decision for any dancer who has had a fairly long and illustrious career to know exactly when and how to stop. 
Osipova in my opinion still has much to offer so wouldn’t want to see her go just yet and was generously giving time to this gala so perhaps a little harsh on her but as there is so little time for rehearsal and warm up for many of these galas perhaps what you decide to dance has to be carefully chosen. 


 

My impression is that a lot of dancers, especially female, are hyper-critical of their performance levels, rather than complaisant.  I was just thinking of Daria Klimentova talking on the series the ENB filmed about their season - she was about 40 at the time and being reluctantly drafted in to partner a very young Vadim in Swan Lake until his intended guest artist partner arrived.  I remember her bemoaning how she was 'old ballerina' whose arabesque now hurt and she couldn't do the same things she had done earlier.  Poignantly she talks about her reluctance to do this big performance because she isn't going to become a star at this stage; of course, there may have been an element of staging for the cameras because we all know now that the partnership with Muntagirov did extend her career and elevate her profile considerably.  But the truth is she was still a wonderful dancer who downplayed her ability because she was aging.  Maybe this is less true of the men!

 

[TSR101]

44 minutes ago, LinMM said:

It can be disappointing to see the technique of a once much admired dancer start to become less….I experienced this with Nureyev and felt sorry that some people were seeing some of his very late performances for the first time. I loved him too much for all his past performances to ever say anything denigrating about him but certainly wished he had stopped performing a little earlier than he did. 
I’ve never seen Osipova under perform

as yet…. but wasn’t at the gala…though she can sometimes be a little untidy in her technique she always seems to make up for it in other ways as in her recent Manon. 
Fonteyn stopped performing the really big classics like Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty near the end of her career but then I  wouldn’t have wanted to miss her in Marguerite and Armand!! 

It must be a difficult decision for any dancer who has had a fairly long and illustrious career to know exactly when and how to stop. 
Osipova in my opinion still has much to offer so wouldn’t want to see her go just yet and was generously giving time to this gala so perhaps a little harsh on her but as there is so little time for rehearsal and warm up for many of these galas perhaps what you decide to dance has to be carefully chosen. 

 

Not to restart the argument I found both Fiona and Geoff's words a bit too strong. I think Fiona's words were a bit over the top based on the evidence available and a little agressive in tone, and Geoffs defensive/aggressive in return. 

In terms of her performance, I think Osipova was as I described wild during her performance. I had a real feeling of her not being in control, but pushing to keep the energy high and to keep going. However, to be honest, I don't think really you can make the judgments on her as a dancer based on a gala (this is my fundamental disagreement with Fiona's points). I think it's fine to critique this performance but it is what it is, a thrown together mix of bits of ballets, underprepared between other proper ballet performances. All in all, it was perfectly enjoyable wild energetic fun. 

I have though had more concerns about Osipova as a dancer in recent years. Whilst she still is a good emotional dance actress, her physical abilities seem to me to have declined more rapidly than some of her peers (Nunez being a slightly older ballerina who has managed to maintain her physical ability remarkably well). This has led me to ponder how long she would go on doing the big classical works and whether she would transition to a full time touring ballet 'star' doing her shows.  I would say that I missed her Manon and she withdrew from the Don Q performance I had most recently so it's possible she has demonstrated her physical abilities in these that I have missed. 

[DVDfan]

Well, is it not the case that dancers are at their best technically in their early twenties, but at that age, they lack experience and maturity of interpretation? As they progress in their careers they gain both, and so are at their best in their early thirties. But as they progress through that decade, the injuries build up, the body begins to rebel and the technique begins to falter.

Knowing when to stop, or to withdraw from some roles, must be difficult for a star whose name sells seats, often to a less than discerning audience. There's probably always a presenter who wants you in his show, and is prepared to pay handsomely. I imagine it's a lot easier for principals and others who are never stars in that sense, and who can probably rely on kindly (hopefully kindly!) ADs to tell them when to stop.

I'm not saying that Osipova has reached that stage, by the way, or ever will. I'm just commenting generally.

[Sabine0308]

19 hours ago, MAX said:

I heard Antonio Casalinho is extremely small ?

Yes, it's good that his partner in life and dance Margarita is even smaller. Makes them a cute couple. I’ve rarely seen him partnering other female dancers in Munich, this is difficult.

[FionaM]

1 hour ago, Roberta said:

 

To be fair I once could! Long long ago. 

yes I could too … 32 singles … only! 
 

In the last century.  

Edited March 22 by FionaM

[Roberta]

3 minutes ago, FionaM said:

In the last century

We can live on past glories while bent double over our medicinal gin.

 

Urgh I never liked them. 

 

 

[Emeralds]

I think a dancer can be both better in a role a long time ago than they are now, as well as still being good enough to give audiences an enjoyable performance to watch. (And of course they can also be much better now than they were in the past.) 

 

There are many dancers  who had the flexibility, elevation and speed in their youth that many members saw and enjoyed, but won't watch them now because the jumps are not as high, or the footwork not as fast, or certain pyrotechnics show more effort- differences that are not noticeable to many ticket buyers who just want a good show without a lot of people falling splat or looking like they don't know the steps.

 

A significant  number of ticket buyers (either very young or very new to the art form like some of our members here, or visitors from abroad or a long way away) will also have never seen danseur R or danseuse N or danseur S etc in their lives and are thrilled just to be able to see them once, even if not at the white blaze of peak physical condition they were before one serious injury, cumulative injuries or the march of time  occurred.

 

I do know a few members here have very strong views that certain dancers once past their physical best must never be hired or never be cast but that would leave a lot of unemployed stars out there and lots of nervous newbies thrown in at the deep end! 

 

But that's why we have advance casting - if you feel strongly that you must never see certain dancers whom you feel are past it, don't go, if you do buy a ticket, either choose them in a role you think they are capable of or accept that in "mystery programming" scenarios like Ballet Icons Gala, it may be programming that you do not find ideal. 

 

For me, I used to enjoy Ballet Icons a lot when they had a theme and dancers tried to stick to it where they could - some solos and pas de deux were rare and extremely beautiful. Nowadays a gala with Don Q pdd, Corsaire pdd, Esmeralda pdd, Two for Het pdd (I have it on DVD), Black Swan pdd is just a bit too repetitive of things I've already watched many times so I sat it out even after the programme was eventually (more or less) revealed and some returns (of varying prices) came up. Even though a number of my favourites were appearing! But I'm more than happy for others who have never seen these pas de deux (or those who have whose idea of sheer heaven is to see them frequently,  also) to have their turn at enjoying such a programme. 

 

Whatever one feels about standards the dancers may have lost or are still maintaining, they have put in 100% of themselves in that performance and put a great deal of time, commitment and energy just to get up on that stage, and I especially applaud those who have had to travel far  to dance for us. 

 

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer as to what repertoire the dancers must or mustn't pick for themselves. We can choose to pay and see who or what we want. And where casting or programming or both aren't available we also have a choice whether to gamble or not. 

 

(BTW I do include homegrown RB stars in this group as well as guest artists from abroad or stars who join RB already as established stars.) 

[Emeralds]

3 hours ago, Missfrankiecat said:

  But the truth is she was still a wonderful dancer who downplayed her ability 

 

I agree- I saw Klimentova one, two and three seasons after she made those comments to the cameras, and what can I say.....she's far from being "old ballerina". if I hadn't known who she was, I would have said this was a star ballerina in her twenties. Daria outshone a lot of high profile stars who were younger than her, in terms of her technical skills, artistry and harnessing her energy to suit the role. Still utterly thrilled and grateful that I saw Daria's Medora in London (as she was cast only once) - that was one of the best Medora performances s of all time (including Bolshoi, Mariinsky...lots of Mariinsky and ABT in that comparison).

 

When she danced Juliet, she really did pass for a 14 to 16 year old (and I had a seat in the 6th row of the stalls!) in the way she moved and the way she could act. She did not look like "older lady pretending to be young'. It was extraordinary, she really WAS Juliet.  Klimentova really did retire from ENB (though not from dancing) still at the top of her game. I saw her the following year at Ballet Icons Gala (dancing the Moszkowski Waltz with Vadim- thankfully not yet another Don Q or Black Swan! - what glorious programming) and she was still on top form. 👏 

Edited March 22 by Emeralds

[Tango Dancer]

1 minute ago, Emeralds said:

I agree- I saw Klimentova one, two and three seasons after she made those comments to the cameras, and what can I say.....she's far from being "old ballerina". if I hadn't known who she was, I would have said this was a star ballerina in her twenties, who outshone a lot of high profile stars who were younger than her, in terms of her technical skills, artistry and harnessing her energy to suit the role. When she danced Juliet, she really did pass for a 14 to 16 year old (and I had a seat in the 6th row of the stalls!) in the way she moved and the way she could act. She did not look like "older lady pretending to be young'. It was extraordinary, she really WAS Juliet.  Klimentova really did retire from ENB (though not from dancing) still at the top of her game. I saw her the following year at Ballet Icons Gala (dancing the Moszkowski Waltz with Vadim- thankfully not yet another Don Q or Black Swan! - what glorious programming) and she was still on top form. 👏 

 

I did a masterclass with Klimentova at Danceworks online last year and one this year and she looks a lot younger than her age.  She's 52 and I'd pegged her as mid 40s. She still moves beautifully.   

[capybara]

20 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

Whatever one feels about standards the dancers may have lost or are still maintaining, they have put in 100% of themselves in that performance and put a great deal of time, commitment and energy just to get up on that stage, and I especially applaud those who have had to travel far  to dance for us. 

And, in the case of the latest gala, there are hints on IG regarding the pressures that some participants were under: last minute substitutions; illness; competing Company demands etc.
 

[Emeralds]

Just now, Tango Dancer said:

 

I did a masterclass with Klimentova at Danceworks online last year and one this year and she looks a lot younger than her age.  She's 52 and I'd pegged her as mid 40s. She still moves beautifully.   

Aww, what a glorious memory, @Tango Dancer- thank you for sharing. Apologies to the dancers of this year's Gala that we're now talking about performers from other years now as well as (concurrently but separately) Swan Lake history! 

[Emeralds]

7 minutes ago, capybara said:

And, in the case of the latest gala, there are hints on IG regarding the pressures that some participants were under: last minute substitutions; illness; competing Company demands etc.
 

I agree- so many challenges that it was really best to attend in the spirit of "let's just enjoy it whatever happens on stage" [and hopefully nobody has a fall or injury!] 

 

But I just also want to add that I appreciated everyone's feedback whether positive, negative or a mixture. And considering I know full well what ticket prices were, each member has paid at least a sum that wasn't cheap just to be able to attend and give us their reviews.

 

It's fine not to agree as well.  😉 I think we'd be suspicious if members came back and everyone said. "It was great!" "It was perfect". "Loved everything- so perfect". "Me too". "It was flawless". "I completely agree".  😄 

[capybara]

How is it that a discussion about Swan Lake is running on this particular thread? All very confusing!!!

[Roberta]

Just now, capybara said:

How is it that a discussion about Swan Lake is running on this particular thread? All very confusing!!!

 

It began with fouettés!  An excess of them, badly done ones, at the gala etc. 

 

It's fascinating though... 

[Melz]

On 21/03/2024 at 17:23, MAX said:

I heard Antonio Casalinho is extremely small ?

Yeah he looks about 165-170 cm tall maybe, in addition to having narrow shoulders, which is quite small for a male ballet dancer, even for the average modern jumper/turner. Luckily his partner is even shorter, she looks about 155-158 cm tall. But even so it’s pretty impressive that he can partner her so well considering he doesn‘t have the optimal build for partnering. 

[TSR101]

2 hours ago, Melz said:

Yeah he looks about 165-170 cm tall maybe, in addition to having narrow shoulders, which is quite small for a male ballet dancer, even for the average modern jumper/turner. Luckily his partner is even shorter, she looks about 155-158 cm tall. But even so it’s pretty impressive that he can partner her so well considering he doesn‘t have the optimal build for partnering. 

 

Is he really that much smaller than Sambe?

[Missfrankiecat]

11 hours ago, Emeralds said:

I agree- I saw Klimentova one, two and three seasons after she made those comments to the cameras, and what can I say.....she's far from being "old ballerina". if I hadn't known who she was, I would have said this was a star ballerina in her twenties. Daria outshone a lot of high profile stars who were younger than her, in terms of her technical skills, artistry and harnessing her energy to suit the role. Still utterly thrilled and grateful that I saw Daria's Medora in London (as she was cast only once) - that was one of the best Medora performances s of all time (including Bolshoi, Mariinsky...lots of Mariinsky and ABT in that comparison).

 

When she danced Juliet, she really did pass for a 14 to 16 year old (and I had a seat in the 6th row of the stalls!) in the way she moved and the way she could act. She did not look like "older lady pretending to be young'. It was extraordinary, she really WAS Juliet.  Klimentova really did retire from ENB (though not from dancing) still at the top of her game. I saw her the following year at Ballet Icons Gala (dancing the Moszkowski Waltz with Vadim- thankfully not yet another Don Q or Black Swan! - what glorious programming) and she was still on top form. 👏 

Thankyou for sharing those thoughts.  I so regret only seeing her once live (but her retirement performance of Juliet).  To my eyes she looked amazing.  So, so musical and, as you say, a consummate actress.  I read in Vadim's book he still practices with her from time to time.

[Fonty]

20 hours ago, Roberta said:

 

I saw Fonteyn very late in her career when she toured a 'mixed' bill including other performers (I think she danced two pieces) and oh dear.  She by then relied on her name, her eyes, her charm, that smile, her stage presence. She wasn't what she was. 

 

 

 

Ah, but those qualities alone were still enough to show the audience what a truly magnificent performer she was, and why she was so revered.  I envy people who saw her in her later years, even if she no longer had the classical technique she once had.  In the recent Magic of the Dance series, I was delighted to see the Salut d'amour choreographed by Ashton.  Her grace and radiance were still there, and the moment when Ashton steps out and takes her arm and escorts her off stage for the very last time makes me stifle a sniffle every time I see it.  That clip is on Youtube if you didn't see the programme.  

 

I've always thought Osipova could be a little untidy(?)  in her dancing some times, for want of a better word.  But I enjoy the dramatic approach she brings the  roles.  It is as if she gets so caught up in the character she is portraying, that pin sharp technical precision goes out of the window.  You certainly get something different every time she performs. 

 

I've always enjoyed galas for the fact that it gives me the opportunity to see dancers I would otherwise never get a chance to watch, doing pieces I don't see very often.  They may had to come a fair distance, not have had too much time to rehearse, are dancing on a stage they are not familiar with, and could have had to cope with a last minute change of partner.  I am happy to sit back and appreciate the fact that they are actually there, and under those circumstances I don't expect perfection from them. 

Edited March 23 by Fonty

[Roberta]

33 minutes ago, Fonty said:

Ah, but those qualities alone were still enough to show the audience what a truly magnificent performer she was, and why she was so revered.  I envy people who saw her in her later years, even if she no longer had the classical technique she once had.  In the recent Magic of the Dance series, I was delighted to see the Salut d'amour choreographed by Ashton.  Her grace and radiance were still there, and the moment when Ashton steps out and takes her arm and escorts her off stage for the very last time makes me stifle a sniffle every time I see it.  That clip is on Youtube if you didn't see the programme.  

 

 

Actually that tour of theatres she made was rather sad and I and others with me wished she hadn't had to do it. can't recall what she danced now (I'm sure I can find out). The programme was mainly danced by others. 

 

The Salut d'Amour with Ashton at the ROH I know well, not in pointe shoes and mainly mime, glimpses of her greatest roles recalled.  Fred step with Fred.  We had that played at my mother's funeral. 

Edited March 23 by Roberta

[Fonty]

6 minutes ago, Roberta said:

 

 

Actually that tour of theatres she made was rather sad and I and others with me wished she hadn't had to do it. can't recall what she danced now (I'm sure I can find out). The programme was mainly danced by others. 

 

The Salut d'Amour with Ashton at the ROH I know well, not in pointe shoes and mainly mime, glimpses of her greatest roles recalled.  Fred step with Fred.  We had that played that at my mother's funeral. 

 

@Roberta  I meant  the comment about Salut d'Amour to be a general one, as I don't think I am allowed to put the link on here.   I am sure that moment at your mother's funeral must have been intensely moving.  

[Roberta]

Just now, Fonty said:

I am sure that moment at your mother's funeral must have been intensely moving.  

 

 I have her piano music for it still.  Older than me! It's a lovely piece. Actually we mentioned at her funeral how she had seen Fonteyn dance in the 'old days'.  

 

[AYSHEL]

 

 In replying to the responses to my post from FionaM and Sim.

On 22/03/2024 at 14:42, FionaM said:

@Geoff regarding my primitive writing, what words would you prefer me to use to express my displeasure and disappointment?  
 

and my comments did not only apply to her fouettés.  

 

 

On 22/03/2024 at 14:58, Sim said:

How can you say that @FionaM's words are 'quite offensive' when the words you use are equally, if not more, offensive?  You accuse her of being 'primitive, crude, disgraceful and offensive', all in one paragraph.  She did not insult Miss Osipova personally, she was merely commenting on her opinion and perception of her performance.  Fiona has written in praise of Miss O many times in the past, so this is not a personal attack.  She is allowed her opinion without expecting to be torn apart for it.  You wrote a good analysis of why you enjoyed Miss O's performance, and it should have been left at that, without insulting Fiona.  You disagreed, you stated why in a very erudite manner;  that would have been enough.

 

I think they are both missing my point - it’s not the role of anyone to suppress an opinion, but the measure in which an opinion is voiced.The words used were very powerful. On this forum everyone is entitled to an opinion. Fiona M’s choice of words was extremely direct in her dislike and her comment on this forum was exclusively about Osipova’s fouettes which were well delivered and certainly tested the boundaries, but to write such descriptions as ‘ugliest I have ever seen’ ‘crash on’ and ‘no ballet technique’ are strong superlative epithets. It would totally impossible to deliver even a set of single fouettes without ‘technique’.  It is this level of discourse which does neither the forum nor the writers any favours. As Fiona did not like these fouettes, which had their bumpy moments, pushing technique to the limits, they were exciting in the spirit of the piece, and she saved any catastrophe, which was sadly not the case for the dancer in the Swan Lake Odile pas de deux earlier in the evening. Fiona M has since I see edited this post and has changed the wording although I still have an issue with the use of ‘vulgar parody’ which still seems a little harsh. The audience obviously did not share that view.

 

I accept totally that my response to her was equally strong, but this very direct style of reviewing does not enhance one’s knowledge. As for Sim’s response it was equally sharp. As Missfrankiecat points out that Fiona M (her neighbour at the Gala) does offer erudite posts overall and keeping the tone professional would endear to her more to others as she clearly has a deeply held conviction worth sharing.

[Jan McNulty]

On 23/03/2024 at 00:44, Melz said:

Yeah he looks about 165-170 cm tall maybe, in addition to having narrow shoulders, which is quite small for a male ballet dancer, even for the average modern jumper/turner. Luckily his partner is even shorter, she looks about 155-158 cm tall. But even so it’s pretty impressive that he can partner her so well considering he doesn‘t have the optimal build for partnering. 

 

Hello @Melz and welcome to the Forum!

[Silver Capricorn]

12 hours ago, Geoff W said:

 

 In replying to the responses to my post from FionaM and Sim.

 

 

 

I think they are both missing my point - it’s not the role of anyone to suppress an opinion, but the measure in which an opinion is voiced.The words used were very powerful. On this forum everyone is entitled to an opinion. Fiona M’s choice of words was extremely direct in her dislike and her comment on this forum was exclusively about Osipova’s fouettes which were well delivered and certainly tested the boundaries, but to write such descriptions as ‘ugliest I have ever seen’ ‘crash on’ and ‘no ballet technique’ are strong superlative epithets. It would totally impossible to deliver even a set of single fouettes without ‘technique’.  It is this level of discourse which does neither the forum nor the writers any favours. As Fiona did not like these fouettes, which had their bumpy moments, pushing technique to the limits, they were exciting in the spirit of the piece, and she saved any catastrophe, which was sadly not the case for the dancer in the Swan Lake Odile pas de deux earlier in the evening. Fiona M has since I see edited this post and has changed the wording although I still have an issue with the use of ‘vulgar parody’ which still seems a little harsh. The audience obviously did not share that view.

 

I accept totally that my response to her was equally strong, but this very direct style of reviewing does not enhance one’s knowledge. As for Sim’s response it was equally sharp. As Missfrankiecat points out that Fiona M (her neighbour at the Gala) does offer erudite posts overall and keeping the tone professional would endear to her more to others as she clearly has a deeply held conviction worth sharing.

For an interesting from a review in a magazine  Dance Europe about Don Q pdd: This shared joy was present inspades in the final item, the oldfavourite, Don Quixote. It wasgiven an electric performancefrom Natalia Osipova and GiorgiaPotskhishvili, Dutch NationalBallet's newest principal. Sheis an established favourite withThe Royal Ballet, and many inthe audience would have seenher dance the role of Kitri, butathis was a new interpretationthat saw her in buoyant mood,

playing with the choreographylike a delighted child with a newatoy. Her solo saw her skimmingthe stage on pointe and whizzingthrough relevés at breakneckspeed. Her fouettés kept up thepace, with unorthodox armsand a wide smile. Potskhishvili,with a turbo-charged jump andthe ecstasy of a champion, tookto the air in truly spectacularajumps. They were obviouslyloving it and generously sharedtheir pleasure. The showcouldn't have had a betterclimax.

[FionaM]

On 23/03/2024 at 22:13, Geoff W said:

As Fiona did not like these fouettes, which had their bumpy moments, pushing technique to the limits, they were exciting in the spirit of the piece, and she saved any catastrophe, which was sadly not the case for the dancer in the Swan Lake Odile pas de deux earlier in the evening

I actually preferred Skylar Brandt’s back up plan of pique turns and a grand jete en tournant, when her fouettés went off.  (I am guessing she was intimidated by the legendary status of the Icons gala, as she can perform phenomenal pirouettes as we saw earlier in her solo.)  I admire her for having a back up plan for the fouettés (every dancer should), and choosing in the moment (how difficult is that) to do something else to maintain form and purity of ballet style.  Bravo.
 

My issue with Osipova is not only the fouettés.  Throughout the whole pdd, she was turned in, had bent knees, stepped onto bent knees, had raised shoulders, and chicken wing arms.  These are all examples of bad technique that have been seen in her performances for some years now.  I didn’t take to her over exuberant expression either. 
 

So this performance was not classical ballet to me, … not like she used to perform it.  It made me feel sad and ashamed.  I shrunk in my seat in a futile attempt not to see it. 
 

It is possible to give an exciting performance of this pdd whilst maintaining purity of positions and movements.  See Nunez/Muntagirov.   Cojocaru/Kobborg, Makhateli/Simkin… too many to mention on YouTube. 

[Emeralds]

1 hour ago, FionaM said:

I actually preferred Skylar Brandt’s back up plan of pique turns and a grand jete en tournant, when her fouettés went off.  (I am guessing she was intimidated by the legendary status of the Icons gala, as she can perform phenomenal pirouettes as we saw earlier in her solo.)  I admire her for having a back up plan for the fouettés (every dancer should), and choosing in the moment (how difficult is that) to do something else to maintain form and purity of ballet style.  Bravo.
 

I'd love to see Skylar and Herman in the full ballet! It's also nice to see something creative and different in the fouettes as well (whether by accident or deliberate). Momoko Hirata's change of direction fouettés were good fun when she performed them in BRB's Don Quixote.

 

I must say I have always found Osipova's fouette technique.....(how shall we say it tactfully)....unorthodox.  😊 But she is certainly a charismatic dancer and we enjoyed her performances because of that. Haven't seen her Don Q recently. 

 

Wonder if any company presenting Swan Lake this summer or next season with as yet unannounced casting might like to invite Brandt and Cornejo for a guest stint (eg State Ballet of Georgia seems to have a lot of guests and haven't announced casting yet). 

 

Edited March 27 by Emeralds

[Dawnstar]

I'm contemplating trying to see Osipova in SL in June but the comments on her technique are a rather offputting. I've previously only seen her do Act IV, at the Ukraine Gala performance, where I found I liked her more in the role than I was expecting to, but then Act IV isn't as technical as Acts II & III. It doesn't help that SL is so expensive so do I want to fork out if she's currently not at her best technically? But then if her technique is deteriorating due to age then maybe I should see her this season because it might be worse come the next SL run....?

[bridiem]

15 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

I'm contemplating trying to see Osipova in SL in June but the comments on her technique are a rather offputting. I've previously only seen her do Act IV, at the Ukraine Gala performance, where I found I liked her more in the role than I was expecting to, but then Act IV isn't as technical as Acts II & III. It doesn't help that SL is so expensive so do I want to fork out if she's currently not at her best technically? But then if her technique is deteriorating due to age then maybe I should see her this season because it might be worse come the next SL run....?

 

To be honest, I think that it would be well worth seeing Osipova in SL even if her fouettés (if she does them) are not at their best. She's still an amazing dancer in so many ways. 

[Emeralds]

18 minutes ago, Dawnstar said:

I'm contemplating trying to see Osipova in SL in June but the comments on her technique are a rather offputting. I've previously only seen her do Act IV, at the Ukraine Gala performance, where I found I liked her more in the role than I was expecting to, but then Act IV isn't as technical as Acts II & III. It doesn't help that SL is so expensive so do I want to fork out if she's currently not at her best technically? But then if her technique is deteriorating due to age then maybe I should see her this season because it might be worse come the next SL run....?

Have a look on YouTube, Dawnstar- her performance with Matthew Golding was recorded for DVD and cinema relay some years ago and there are snippets (including fouettes!) on YouTube. I think from what you've mentioned before you wouldn't be bothered by the details we've zoomed in on and you'll enjoy her acting and artistry. I do think she was at a great disadvantage at the gala, having to dance a difficult pas de deux with a new partner she'd never danced with, and it doesn't look like they had much time to rehearse, so those were challenging (perhaps a little unfair) conditions. 

 

I must say I've never been disappointed by her Swan Lakes even though I think her fouettés are .....unusual. They aren't bad, just done differently. (Actually in the performance with Golding she seemed to be doing them in a more orthodox fashion and is probably the most textbook version I've seen her do!)

 

Her technique may not be the same as it was 10 years ago, but that was starting from a very, very high bar, so Osipova's technique on an off day is actually still better than some principal dancers' technique on a good day. (No, I'm not saying who 😉 ). I am one of those who would be perfectly happy for a ballerina to substitute fouettes with other turns if she wanted to and wouldn't miss the fouettes (as it was Pierina Legnani who put the 32 fouettes in Swan Lake and not Petipa). 

Edited March 27 by Emeralds

[Tango Dancer]

3 hours ago, Dawnstar said:

I'm contemplating trying to see Osipova in SL in June but the comments on her technique are a rather offputting. I've previously only seen her do Act IV, at the Ukraine Gala performance, where I found I liked her more in the role than I was expecting to, but then Act IV isn't as technical as Acts II & III. It doesn't help that SL is so expensive so do I want to fork out if she's currently not at her best technically? But then if her technique is deteriorating due to age then maybe I should see her this season because it might be worse come the next SL run....?

 

I think it depends if you want to see her or not.  

 

I wouldn't book for her myself specifically but that's because I've never connected with her performances on an emotional level.  Nela or Fumi work better for me but that's just because we all connect to different things in a performance.  She is incredibly talented I recognise and better at some roles than others.  

 

That said I would agree the gala probably wasn't her at her technical best as it was a little untidy in some areas and it may well have been because she was under prepared and with a new partner.  If she's dancing Odette which she knows really well and as it is with Reece who she knows and trusts then it's likely to be a better performance overall.  

 

So I think if you really want to see her in this role then it's probably worth doing so now, as you don't know whether RB will do the ballet again in the next year or so.  

[Dawnstar]

3 hours ago, Emeralds said:

I think from what you've mentioned before you wouldn't be bothered by the details we've zoomed in on and you'll enjoy her acting and artistry. 

 

I am one of those who would be perfectly happy for a ballerina to substitute fouettes with other turns if she wanted to and wouldn't miss the fouettes. 

 

The only problem with that is I don't always enjoy her acting! It depends on the role.

 

I'm not hellbent on seeing exactly 32 fouettes (I can never manage to count them anyway) but I would want to see a good substitute for them if they're not done correctly rather than the dancer visibly struggling & giving up early.

 

35 minutes ago, Tango Dancer said:

So I think if you really want to see her in this role then it's probably worth doing so now, as you don't know whether RB will do the ballet again in the next year or so.  

 

I wouldn't say I really want to see her, it's more a case of using this run to try to catch up on dancers who I haven't seen do the role in full live & who I know I'm running out of time to see, which is Nunez, Lamb & Osipova. In the last run I ended up seeing a lot of debutants, and in 2020 I didn't see any performances as those I had booked never happened, & I don't really want to be saying in the future that I only saw such-and-such dancer in a quarter of Swan Lake!