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Ivan Putrov Makes His Debut Performance In Le Jeune Homme Et La Mort With English National Ballet


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12 April 2013

 

IVAN PUTROV MAKES HIS DEBUT PERFORMANCE IN LE JEUNE HOMME ET LA MORT WITH ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET

 

Ecstasy and Death

London Coliseum

18-21 April 2013

Petite Mort by Jiří Kylián

Le Jeune Homme et la Mort by Roland Petit

Etudes by Harald Lander

 

English National Ballet is pleased to announce that Ivan Putrov is to appear as a guest artist with the Company making his debut in Roland Petit’s Le Jeune Homme et la Mort.  He will alternate in the title role with Nicolas Le Riche of the Paris Opera Ballet, and Company soloist Fabian Reimar, also making his debut in the role.

 

English National Ballet Artistic Director Tamara Rojo said: “I am delighted to welcome Ivan to join us to dance in Petit’s masterpiece of love and despair.”

 

Ivan Putrov, said: “I am privileged to have been asked to work on this ballet and given the chance to touch the genius of Roland Petit.”

 

Roland Petit's Le Jeune Homme et la Mort (The Young Man and Death), with music by Bach and libretto by Cocteau, follows a young man compelled by love for a cruel mistress. He desperately waits for her in his Parisian garret; but when she finally arrives, it is to torment him, pushing him to commit suicide.

 

The Ecstasy and Death programme, which opens at the London Coliseum on Thursday 18 April, showcases three twentieth-century ballets demonstrating the company's versatility and technical virtuosity.  Jiří Kylián's Petite Mort features six male dancers, six female dancers and six foils exploring energy, silence and sexuality is set to two Mozart piano concertos.  Harald Lander's Etudes, is an homage to classical ballet which moves from the simple exercises of the ballet class to a full blown bravura performance.

 

Le Jeune Homme et la Mort
18 April Rojo – Le Riche
19 April Zhang – Putrov (Matinee)
19 April Rojo – Le Riche
20 April Rojo – Le Riche (Matinee)
20 April Zhang – Putrov
21 April Zhang – Reimar

Ivan Putrov replaces Yonah Acosta in Le Jeune Homme et la Mort. .

 

Petite Mort

18 April Klimentova, Osbaldeston, Oliveira, Ovsyanick, Summerscales, Fumero, Streeter, Bosch, Reimair, Forbat, Berlanga, Muntagirov
19 April  (Matinee)  McWhinney, Glurdjidze, Takahashi, Zehr, Ramirez, Stott, Streeter, Forbat, Bosch, Young, Atymtayev, Westwell (Matinee)
19 April Klimentova, Osbaldeston, Oliveira, Ovsyanick, Summerscales, Fumero, Streeter, Bosch, Reimair, Forbat, Berlanga, Muntagirov
20 April  (Matinee)  McWhinney, Glurdjidze, Takahashi, Zehr, Ramirez, Stott, Streeter, Forbat, Bosch, Young, Atymtayev, Westwell (Matinee)
20 April Klimentova, Osbaldeston, Oliveira, Ovsyanick, Summerscales, Fumero, Streeter, Bosch, Reimair, Forbat, Berlanga, Muntagirov
21 April McWhinney, Glurdjidze, Takahashi, Zehr, Ramirez, Stott, Streeter, Forbat, Bosch, Young, Atymtayev, Westwell (Matinee)

 

Etudes
18 April Takahashi, Muntagirov, Forbat and Berlanga
19  April (Matinee) Kase, Saruhashi, Menezes and Vargas (Matinee)
19 April Takahashi, Muntagirov, Forbat and Berlanga
20 April (Matinee) Kase, Saruhashi, Menezes and Vargas (Matinee)
20 April Rojo, Muntagirov, Forbat and Atymtayev
21 April Rojo, Muntagirov, Forbat and Atymtayev (Matinee

 

Ends

For further information about English National Ballet 2013 Performance Schedule visit www.ballet.org.uk You can find English National Ballet on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EnglishNationalBallet and follow us on Twitter at  www.twitter.com/enballet

 

Notes to Editors

Ivan Putrov, born 8 March 1980, is a Ukrainian-born ballet dancer. An independent dance artist, he was a principal dancer with The Royal Ballet from 2002 until July 2010. Awards include Premier Prix at the Prix de Lausanne; Gold medal at the Serge Lifar International Ballet Competition; Gold Medal at the Nijinsky Festival; Critics’ Circle National Dance Award; Medal for Work and Achievement from the President of Ukraine and made an Honorary Artist of Ukraine. Pet Shop Boys have written The Most Incredible Thing for Ivan and this ballet was first performed at Sadler’s Wells in 2011 and has been filmed by the BBC. In 2012 Ivan conceived and produced Men in Motion at Saddler’s Wells Theatre, London. Men in Motion was last seen in Moscow in February 2013

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Yes, I'm looking forward to seeing him. I wonder whether he has danced it before. If not, I hope that he is a fast learner (although I heard (saw?) a rumour on Twitter last week that he was being brought in to replace Yonah.

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Thanks GrandTierLeft, I didn't know about that. Interesting. I agree with the poster 'restor' in the thread you linked to. If the ENB and the RB are to have any future as publicly subsidised companies they need to spend less time worrying about visas for foreign dancers and more time worrying about the lack of British dancers in their top ranks, but that's an argument that has been covered elsewhere.

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Chrischris I partially agree with what you write above.  If the ENB was set out as a 'trying ground' for British and Commonwealth dancers then a quota system for British nationals/subjects would be wholly appropriate.  That, however, was not I think its specific doctrine from LFB's very beginning.  Since it broke its own barrier for hiring British and Commonwealth dancers the RB has seen itself as being competitive as a NATIONAL company on an INTERNATIONAL scale and, therefore, can no longer hold such remits as you have suggested.  It's simply a matter of a different scale of objective.  I believe, in part, this is why English Theatre Ballet was recently established; (e.g., to answer your specific call, Chrischris).  I am sure you will be if you are not already a very strong supporter.  (This, too, was part of the remit of the late London City Ballet.)  It seems to me that ETB is well patronised (a very encouraging sign) and, like, say, Ballet Society which, of course, became New York City Ballet, will now have to prove its worth to ensure qualitative NATIONAL sustainability.  Sadly I will not live long enough to see this absolutely ensured.  However, I am relieved that at least the target recourse for British nationals is now at hand (if that makes any sense).  

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Indeed they are!

That's not at all what I imagined.  I have only seen one pdd from this piece and it involved the protagonists rolling around in some rather dodgy-looking underwear.  If sharp weapons are involved, I hope they get more protective clothing.   Still, if fencing's involved then it's right up Graham's street.  Looking forward to reading his review!

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That's not at all what I imagined.  I have only seen one pdd from this piece and it involved the protagonists rolling around in some rather dodgy-looking underwear.  If sharp weapons are involved, I hope they get more protective clothing.   Still, if fencing's involved then it's right up Graham's street.  Looking forward to reading his review!

 

I love Petite Mort.  Rambert used to do it wonderfully and I have also seen NDT and RDB.  I'm excited to be seeing it again this coming week. And no, they don't have more protective clothing unless H&S have enforced something!!

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Chrischris I partially agree with what you write above.  If the ENB was set out as a 'trying ground' for British and Commonwealth dancers then a quota system for British nationals/subjects would be wholly appropriate.  That, however, was not I think its specific doctrine from LFB's very beginning.  Since it broke its own barrier for hiring British and Commonwealth dancers the RB has seen itself as being competitive as a NATIONAL company on an INTERNATIONAL scale and, therefore, can no longer hold such remits as you have suggested.  It's simply a matter of a different scale of objective.  I believe, in part, this is why English Theatre Ballet was recently established; (e.g., to answer your specific call, Chrischris).  I am sure you will be if you are not already a very strong supporter.  (This, too, was part of the remit of the late London City Ballet.)  It seems to me that ETB is well patronised (a very encouraging sign) and, like, say, Ballet Society which, of course, became New York City Ballet, will now have to prove its worth to ensure qualitative NATIONAL sustainability.  Sadly I will not live long enough to see this absolutely ensured.  However, I am relieved that at least the target recourse for British nationals is now at hand (if that makes any sense).  

 

I don't know all the details. It's just there's been so much debate about arts funding recently and specifically whether funding on ballet can be justified, given less than 8% of the population visit the ballet, and I think that, if ENB and RB and the other ballet companies can continue to justify British taxpayers' money subsiding them at a time when more important, essential services are being cut, they simply have to employ British dancers. If they don't want to be a national company, and want to market themselves as an an international company employing international dancers, they should lose their subsidy and try and find their way on the free market. I know it is an issue people shy away from discussing, but at a time of economic stagnation, how can it be sustainable that public money is subsidising an art form that doesn't have many British nationals among its top ranks? I don't see how that can be viable in the long term. I'm thinking mostly about the RB, as that is my nearest company. I have a bit of knowledge of the ENB, but not the other companies.

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My understanding is that the subsidy from the government is there to make sure as many as possible enjoy ballet or other art forms, it doesn't (and in my opinion shouldn't) have anything to do with the nationality of the dancers. And the Royal Ballet is doing its part, partnership with the Sun, cinema relays, and I am sure plenty more I am not aware of.

 

Another misconception attached is that the subsidies benefit people who could afford it anyway, once again, they are here to make sure anyone can afford seats, if one wants to know how things would be without public money, they only have to take a look at the Hochhauser seating plan and price charts at Covent Garden, although there has been an improvement in the past couple of years. But if you remember or can dig up one from four years ago or older you will see that cheap tickets are non-existent, I very much enjoyed the Maarinsky when I saw them in 2009 (I think), but I remember being rather annoyed at having to pay £50 to sit on row S of the amphi. I definitely wouldn't attend as often (and I guess I am not alone), nor would I spend as much time as I do trying to bring in newcomers, if these were the regular prices the RB charged.

 

The RB is very much an international company, one of the best in the world (and probably the best where dancers don't all come from the same school and background), and as such should be supported by the government. It is great for the image of the country and there has to be some tourism involved with all the economic benefits attached.

I am certainly not going to complain that it attracts some of the best dancers from all over the world, this autumn's Don Quixote casting would look pretty sad if we only had UK (or from the EU to remain within the law) dancers. I also think that if there were British dancers who were just as good, we would know about them, and the RB would welcome them with open arms (one just has to look at the publicity push behind Claire Calvert, although it seems to have died down a little).

 

And without getting too political, trying to judge what should be financed based on what people want is a slippery slope. I am also pretty sure that the tax bill of about half of the ballet and opera going public more than covers the Art Council budget and any Art subsidied (and then a lot more), I'm guessing they are fine with their money being used like this.

 

Sorry for the rambling post, but that companies should care what nationalities their dancers are, that the subsidy is questionable, and that these two questions should be linked are things I strongly disagree with (enough to push me to register, I'll try to stay around to give reviews and impressions and generally participate).

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My understanding is that the subsidy from the government is there to make sure as many as possible enjoy ballet or other art forms, it doesn't (and in my opinion shouldn't) have anything to do with the nationality of the dancers. And the Royal Ballet is doing its part, partnership with the Sun, cinema relays, and I am sure plenty more I am not aware of.

 

Another misconception attached is that the subsidies benefit people who could afford it anyway, once again, they are here to make sure anyone can afford seats, if one wants to know how things would be without public money, they only have to take a look at the Hochhauser seating plan and price charts at Covent Garden, although there has been an improvement in the past couple of years. But if you remember or can dig up one from four years ago or older you will see that cheap tickets are non-existent, I very much enjoyed the Maarinsky when I saw them in 2009 (I think), but I remember being rather annoyed at having to pay £50 to sit on row S of the amphi. I definitely wouldn't attend as often (and I guess I am not alone), nor would I spend as much time as I do trying to bring in newcomers, if these were the regular prices the RB charged.

 

The RB is very much an international company, one of the best in the world (and probably the best where dancers don't all come from the same school and background), and as such should be supported by the government. It is great for the image of the country and there has to be some tourism involved with all the economic benefits attached.

I am certainly not going to complain that it attracts some of the best dancers from all over the world, this autumn's Don Quixote casting would look pretty sad if we only had UK (or from the EU to remain within the law) dancers. I also think that if there were British dancers who were just as good, we would know about them, and the RB would welcome them with open arms (one just has to look at the publicity push behind Claire Calvert, although it seems to have died down a little).

 

And without getting too political, trying to judge what should be financed based on what people want is a slippery slope. I am also pretty sure that the tax bill of about half of the ballet and opera going public more than covers the Art Council budget and any Art subsidied (and then a lot more), I'm guessing they are fine with their money being used like this.

 

Sorry for the rambling post, but that companies should care what nationalities their dancers are, that the subsidy is questionable, and that these two questions should be linked are things I strongly disagree with (enough to push me to register, I'll try to stay around to give reviews and impressions and generally participate).

 

Of course in an ideal world of unlimited money nationalities shouldn't be important, but in an era of limited money and cuts to public services, when the threat of further cuts hangs over every company, who would prioritise giving money to a company that doesn't employ that many people from the country that provides the subsidy (I'm referring to dancers, not the behind the scenes staff)? If the BBC began employing non-British performers in all their new programmes, and started picking overseas stars for all its new dramas, sitcoms etc, it would very quickly become a political issue and the long term viability of a subsidy by british taxpayers would be discussed. Don't see why subsidised ballet companies should be different.

 

And to be honest, i'm not sure if schemes trying to bring new people in are working. Still comparatively few people go to the ballet (do people that see them in the cinema actually go to the opera house to see the live ballet, or do they just wait for the next cinema showing?), and whether or not it is great for the image of the country is debatable; i'm not sure if it registers internationally at all, outside of the very small ballet world.

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This is a prize example of what can happen on balletcoforum. A particular topic begets a comment which, in turn, gives rise to an extended debate on another subject entirely. I mention this not to be critical of the contributors above but because it seems a pity that the later interchange is being carried on under an inappropriate heading and might thus be missed by some readers.

 

Perhaps there is some magic which a moderator/administrator can bring to bear to subdivide the discussion from the news about Ivan Putrov?

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This is a prize example of what can happen on balletcoforum. A particular topic begets a comment which, in turn, gives rise to an extended debate on another subject entirely. I mention this not to be critical of the contributors above but because it seems a pity that the later interchange is being carried on under an inappropriate heading and might thus be missed by some readers.

 

Perhaps there is some magic which a moderator/administrator can bring to bear to subdivide the discussion from the news about Ivan Putrov?

 

That's my fault. It should probably be in a new thread, though the issue of government subsidies and lack of British dancers has been discussed before i'm sure.

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I wholeheartedly agree with A frog.The government subsidy has nothing to do with the nationality of dancers and neither should it.

 

I'm trying to leave what I feel and think out of it, and just look at it as whether a particular business model is sustainable long term, and I don't believe a publicly subsidised company that employs predominantly foreign dancers is, not in today's economic climate, which I fear is going to get worse before it gets better.

 

Well, should probably get this topic back on to Ivan Putrov.

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Sorry for the rambling post, but that companies should care what nationalities their dancers are, that the subsidy is questionable, and that these two questions should be linked are things I strongly disagree with (enough to push me to register, I'll try to stay around to give reviews and impressions and generally participate).

 

Thank you, A frog.  Welcome, and please do - the more, the merrier!

 

This is a prize example of what can happen on balletcoforum. A particular topic begets a comment which, in turn, gives rise to an extended debate on another subject entirely. I mention this not to be critical of the contributors above but because it seems a pity that the later interchange is being carried on under an inappropriate heading and might thus be missed by some readers.

 

Yes, it is a shame.  On the old site, we had software which would allow you to branch a thread off into different directions (a 'tree' structure), so you could have a digression within the thread which was pretty clearly marked.  Unfortunately, most (possibly all, now?) forum softwares don't allow you to do that, but force you to post linearly, which I find a real headache - you can end up scrolling through a dozen entries before you find one which is back on track with the original subject.

 

Of course, there's nothing to stop any poster from starting a new thread to deal with the matter.  It's just that rearranging threads and posts is quite tricky.

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I have never see Ivan Putrov perform before so I'm looking forward to seeing his interpretation of the role in Le Jeune Homme et La Mort next Saturday! James Streeter who will be dancing in Petit Mort will be teaching the male repetoire at the LAB summer intensive this year.

 

Off topic - I was google searching ballet news and this article came up

 

 

Immigrants can get fast track entry to the UK - if they are ballet dancers

 

Immigrants can hot-foot it into Britain if they are ballet dancers – because there is an official shortage, the Sunday People reports .

They have joined nuclear scientists, geologists and chemical engineers on a list of most wanted workers whose entry is fast-tracked.

Dancers get work visas easily and UK troupes are exempt from the red tape involved in hiring foreigners.

A Home Office insider said: “It’s a skill we are short of which can sensibly be filled through immigration. There just aren’t enough Billy Elliots.”

Dancers and choreographers are on the latest UK Shortage Occupation List.

They can settle here on around £21,700 a year if they have danced as visitors with top UK ballet companies or have Arts Council approval.

Labour MP Stephen Pound said: “I could understand a shortage of belly dancers. But surely the Royal Ballet can meet Britain’s needs.”

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/immigrants-can-fast-track-entry-uk-1830589

 

I attended a workshop with ENB this week and they do appear to be recruiting more young British dancers - at least to the youth company - through such workshops. http://www.ballet.org.uk/learning/enbyouthco-taster/

 

I don't quite understand why the arts are being targeted in a bonfire of the vanities and sciences promoted in current policy or why ballet should have to justify its existence we would live in a very poor society indeed with such a lopsided approach to national culture.

 

Some of my favourite dancers are from other countries and as more are relocating to the UK - Osipova! :) hopefully Vasiliev and I am especially keeping my fingers crossed for Polunin to move to ENB, even as a guest artist... - I find this advantageous however I can understand concern that UK trained dancers are not developing the same opportunities. In a population of some 60 million people in the UK there should by the law of averages be those of an outstanding calibre with the talent that lights up a stage in amongst the cohort. The question is if people with outstanding talent and assiduous application to the study of ballet are out there why aren't they choosing ballet as a career, entering training etc? There are certainly some dancers who are one in a million who are the whole package but it can't be the case that only other countries have the advantage in developing and promoting these artists.

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As Alison said, it's to move out posts.  When I've just been looking at which posts to move it would start to make nonsense of this thread.

 

However the discussion about subsidy and nationality did happen on this thread:

 

http://www.balletcoforum.com/index.php?/topic/2737-uk-arts-council-review-of-opera-and-ballet-looking-at-new-models/#entry32089

 

I'd be grateful if you could all continue the subsidy/nationality discusssion on that thread.

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ENB cannot be the only company with dancers who need visas.  In fact, I know they are not the only company with dancers who need visas!

 

I know the visa rules are very complex but do other companies have similar issues that are just not highlighted in the same way?

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PS - in a total ramble, the first time I knowingly saw Ivan Putrov it was in the ROH summer season where the initial casting for Don Q had been radically changed (2001?).  He was, for me, a total unknown as Basilio and I thought he was fantastic.  I'm really looking forward to seeing his performance in Jeune Homme on Friday afternoon.

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If what is said in the link provided by John above is correct - i.e. that ballet dancers' visas can be fast-tracked - it is difficult to understand the problems ENB seems to experience (last year with Vadim; this year with Jonah).

 

Rumour has it that Ivan has had a very short lead in in terms of rehearsal time for what is a very difficult piece. He will no doubt acquit himself really well but it is a tough call when his performance is being set alongside that of Nicholas le Riche who has danced the role for years and is, in Tamara's words, its best exponent.

 

[Re my earlier post about mixed threads......thank you Alison and Janet for explaining why this one cannot be disentangled.]

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Is it definitely the case that the reason that Yonah is not dancing is that his work permit has expired? I've not seen this written anywhere. There may be another personal or professional reason which ENB has not disclosed (reasonably enough) in which case it may be convenient for them to allow everyone to believe that there is a problem with Yonah's work permit. It does make the company look inefficient though after Vadim's enforced return to Russia last summer. As for other companies, I believe that an Australian dancer who joined BRB last year had to return home for some months, which meant that he missed the beginning of the season, whilst he was waiting for his work permit to be issued.

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Steven McRae at the Royal Ballet also had problems once, I believe, on attempting to return from Australia.  I think that was before he was made a principal - don't know whether one's level in the hierarchy makes any difference.

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PS - in a total ramble, the first time I knowingly saw Ivan Putrov it was in the ROH summer season where the initial casting for Don Q had been radically changed (2001?).  He was, for me, a total unknown as Basilio and I thought he was fantastic.  I'm really looking forward to seeing his performance in Jeune Homme on Friday afternoon.

To continue in rambling vein, I saw him do Basilio with Alina Cojocaru in 2001, then saw her again a few weeks later with another Basilio whom I much preferred:   I held forth at length to my neighbour during the interval, only to realise that the reddening ears in the seat in front of me belonged to one Ivan Putrov.   The irony is that I can't remember who it was I admired at that performance: I'm guessing Johan Kobborg but it's Putrov I remember.

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To continue in rambling vein, I saw him do Basilio with Alina Cojocaru in 2001, then saw her again a few weeks later with another Basilio whom I much preferred:   I held forth at length to my neighbour during the interval, only to realise that the reddening ears in the seat in front of me belonged to one Ivan Putrov.   The irony is that I can't remember who it was I admired at that performance: I'm guessing Johan Kobborg but it's Putrov I remember.

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The irony is that I can't remember who it was I admired at that performance: I'm guessing Johan Kobborg but it's Putrov I remember.

 

As far as I recall, Kobborg was only dancing with Tamara Rojo in that run.  Would it have been Angel Corella?

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