thewinelake Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Just watching this on catchup... Must say that the quality of the image is tremendous - often I find HD to be little better than upscaled SD, but the detail here is lovely. I quite like SB in general, as it offers the chance for lots of individuals to shine - some of those fairies are lovely. BUT! That Rose Adagio always spoils it for me - it's just too damn difficult! Poor old Cuthbertson looks out of her depth in the balancey bits (forget the proper term) as does virtually every recording I've seen of other ballerinas. Luckily she redeems herself in the following dances, but why do they persist? Perhaps it just me who gets so squeamish and bothered by it!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nina G. Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Just watching this on catchup... Must say that the quality of the image is tremendous - often I find HD to be little better than upscaled SD, but the detail here is lovely. I quite like SB in general, as it offers the chance for lots of individuals to shine - some of those fairies are lovely. BUT! That Rose Adagio always spoils it for me - it's just too damn difficult! Poor old Cuthbertson looks out of her depth in the balancey bits (forget the proper term) as does virtually every recording I've seen of other ballerinas. Luckily she redeems herself in the following dances, but why do they persist? Perhaps it just me who gets so squeamish and bothered by it!! I was totally baffled as well when I watched SB on TV with "poor old Cuthbertson looking out of her depth in those balancey bits...". It did not reflect well on the Company at all. Why do they persist on putting on certain dancers in roles they are clearly not capable of dancing to perfection? SB is but one example. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewinelake Posted January 1, 2015 Author Share Posted January 1, 2015 Did you not think she was excellent in the rest of the ballet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nina G. Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 (edited) To me that's beside the point. A Principal is a Principal for a reason. Sustained perfection throughout, even when executing the extreme technically demanding bits, is one of the reasons why a dancer attains that rank. Cuthbertson's SB performance was below what I expect of a RB Principal, and certainly when it is filmed/televised. Edited January 2, 2015 by Nina G. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Unfortunately, Cuthbertson was having an off night when that live broadcast was made (the RB didn't issue it on DVD, did they?). I guess such things do happen occasionally: it's just unfortunate that it was so public. I was rather surprised when I saw that Sky were being allowed to show it, though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Pigeons Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 No doubt Sky paid pretty heavily for the privilege and no doubt that counts for a lot these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Usually, they film two performances, don't they, so that mishaps can be 'covered' if necessary, especially for subsequent release if the performance is first relayed live. This particular version of the Sleeping Beauty has been on Sky Arts many times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 We discussed this performance after one of its previous airings. I am afraid I don't think Cuthbertson should have been cast in this role as she does not have the strength or technique. She is a lovely dancer in roles that suit her better. However, I think RB was desperate for a British female Principal so she was promoted. Not every Principal is suitable for every role and more thought should have gone into the casting. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTL Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I watched Ms Cuthbertson struggle through Lilac Fairy in one of her early performances and had big doubts about her technique, Italian fouettés being one of my benchmarks as a non-expert viewer - but I was pleasantly surprised when I saw her a few years later in Balanchine's "Ballo della Regina", reputed to be fiendishly difficult. Only she and Ms Nuñez performed as the lead woman that season and were coached by Merrill Ashley, so I guess it passed muster with the Balanchine Trust! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 I guess anyone can have an off day. Personally, I'd be happy to watch Lauren dance any role, off-day or not. I must say, the more times I watch Sleeping Beauty the more I am astonished at the fiendish difficulty of the choreography, not just in the Rose Adagio but in other variations too, and particularly in the grand PDD. I'm always relieved when the dancers reach the end unscathed! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 But that is the point, if you are anxious about a dancer reaching the end, he or she is not up to the role. They should be so on top of the technique that they make it appear easy and natural. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 I've never watched that grand PDD - in person, on dvd or even on Youtube - without being relieved that nobody was dropped during those fish dives. So many wonderful dancers yet the only thing they have in common is the choreography. I feel the same about some of the lifts in Manon; is it fair to blame the dancers, or is some choreography just overly difficult and dangerous? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 It's perhaps a shallow question, but I've often wondered which variations and pdds are regarded as the most difficult. Of course, there are factors other than the technical demands which may make a particular variation or pdd more challenging eg timing in the ballet or position after a particularly demanding piece of dancing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 In SB the balances are much harder than the fish dives. Compare to riding a bicycle - faster is easier. In fact many of the "showy" moves in ballet are not the most difficult! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPD444 Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Unfortunately, Cuthbertson was having an off night when that live broadcast was made (the RB didn't issue it on DVD, did they?). I guess such things do happen occasionally: it's just unfortunate that it was so public. I was rather surprised when I saw that Sky were being allowed to show it, though. I have a DVD of Lauren dancing SB with Frederico I think, is that the same as the Sky version? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 No, this was with Sergei. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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