Royal Ballet: La Fille mal gardée, Spring 2015

[alison]

Speculation is that it was left over from BAFTA awards! It twizzled down from on high at a wonderful moment. And yet another one dropped on Friday, during the storm section, to be very professionally whisked away by a chicken! Seeing her run offstage with a silver streamer in hand is not something I'll forget soon!

I missed that bit - saw the streamer fall, though, and wondered what opera it was from.

 

Talking about the storm scene, surely we haven't always had the lightning bolts, have we? I'd have been really worried for those people, being that close to the maypole and all those trees, if I'd thought lightning was striking that nearby! 

 

PS: Welcome to the forum, Simon!

[Sunrise]

Choe and Campbell were just lovely in spite of a few ribbon problems. I'd happily see Campbell in the lead in other ballets. I enjoyed Jonathan Howells as the Widow Simone too, though his smaller stature makes the character less, uh...matronly? I think the height of the other widows usually adds to the physical comedy. But he managed to end the clog dance with a skid that brought him flat on his back - choreographed or not if was very impressive! Tristan Dyer was a good Alain as well, not overplayed, very funny and sympathetic. It was my partner's first Fille and he enjoyed it very much, though for all the talk in the other thread about Fille being a perfect ballet, he managed to class a lot of it as 'filler' (ie anything that wasn't funny) and I suspect he rated the rooster and chicken dances more highly than the romantic pdds.

Edited April 26, 2015 by Sunrise

[Jan McNulty]

I thoroughly enjoyed the matinee this afternoon.  

 

I thought Yuhui Choe was absolutely delightful as Lise, her acting was spot on and some of her facial expressions could only be described as exquisite.  She is a very gentle Lise and I think her interpretation works very well.  For me, Alex Campbell was the very epitome of Colas - a cheeky chap but loving and his dancing was sublime.  I loved their interactions and I found the final duet very moving for some reason.

 

I'm so glad I braved travelling on the train on a Sunday.  I think this performance highlighted for me just why Fille is one of the perfect ballets!

[hfbrew]

I missed that bit - saw the streamer fall, though, and wondered what opera it was from.Talking about the storm scene, surely we haven't always had the lightning bolts, have we? I'd have been really worried for those people, being that close to the maypole and all those trees, if I'd thought lightning was

striking that nearby! PS: Welcome to the forum, Simon!

I just spent a blissful evening watching my old video of Lesley Collier and Michael Coleman in a recording of Fille made in 1980.

 

Definately flashes of thunder in it!

[alison]

Yes, but zigzag bolts?

[hfbrew]

Yes! I noticed it because when the storm scene came on I was wondering whether they achieved the rain effect back then. But there were definately zig zag bolts!

[aileen]

Did other people find the Alain character really touching? He almost brought a tear to my eye (particularly Kay's portrayal). He just didn't 'get it' (those sighs of bewilderment and tilts of the head reminded me of Petrushka, perhaps strangely) and I wished that Ashton had found him a nice girl to marry at the end of the ballet.

 

The pdds for Lise and Colas were very affecting too, so romantic and tender.

[hfbrew]

Did other people find the Alain character really touching? He almost brought a tear to my eye (particularly Kay's portrayal). He just didn't 'get it' (those sighs of bewilderment and tilts of the head reminded me of Petrushka, perhaps strangely) and I wished that Ashton had found him a nice girl to marry at the end of the ballet.

 

The pdds for Lise and Colas were very affecting too, so romantic and tender.

I have seen one or two Alains that were very annoying because of the way they were portrayed. Only saw Paul Kay this time and adored him. Dh overheard someone describe his body as articulated which I thought an apt way to descibe his dancing. He let the choreography do the talking in terms of the comedy aspect whilst portraying Alain sympathetically. Bravo Mr Kay!

[Fonty]

I do remember seeing one performance of Fille years ago, where Alain was portrayed as being a bit simple, as my mother would have said.  I felt quite uncomfortable watching it, actually, even though it raised a few laughs from others in the audience. 

 

It is one thing to have Lise turn him down because he is simply too young for her, and quite another if he appears to be mentally retarded.  

[Jan McNulty]

I don't feel comfortable seeing Alain played as a simpleton, I prefer it when he is portrayed as a gauche young man with no social skills.  On its last outing with BRB (last summer) Kit Holder moved me to tears.

[Sunrise]

I do start to feel very sorry for Alain when he starts to get pushed around a bit by the others - my partner commented that it was starting to get a bit mean, even though he cheers up soon after. 

[SPD444]

My first Fille last night and what a treat. Putting the dancing to one side for a moment, it was lovely to see Carlos' little girl come on stage during the curtain calls, his face was an absolute picture, and so was Nela's, she looked really pleased for him. Huge flower throw accompanied the cheers for all the cast, but Carlos was the main receptor, in a very emotional night. As for the dancing, Nela was superb and her and Carlos' pdd's were very beautiful. James Hay was an excellent Alain and did not overplay the simpleton card, Alastair as Simone was a joy with just the right amount of grand dame. Plus of course the hens and rooster not forgetting the pony who tapped his hoof as appropriate. The clog dance was really well done although Olivia did tweet she had put her clogs on the wrong feet. Very special night,

[nickwellings]

To my mind, Osipova was a delightful Lise tonight. For the first time in this run too, I found her rapport with Simone genuinely touching. I felt that they truly loved each other. I thought McRae didn't quite do the best job he's ever done as Colas, but it was still good.

 

As with all good ballet nights, favourite moments call themselves to mind: Lise's joy at the end of the 'ribbon carousel', the brief 'door' pdd (if it can be called so, with barely any steps!) and Osipova's last solo variation sparkled.

 

Perhaps Nunez has the edge in the 'when I get married' mime, but Osipova convinced me that she was a farm girl 100%, whereas watching Nunez, as wonderful as she was I thought 'wow, Marianela is having so much fun!'. I was reluctant to go to the broadcast but on strength of this I probably shall.

[Sim]

My first Fille last night and what a treat. Putting the dancing to one side for a moment, it was lovely to see Carlos' little girl come on stage during the curtain calls, his face was an absolute picture, and so was Nela's, she looked really pleased for him. Huge flower throw accompanied the cheers for all the cast, but Carlos was the main receptor, in a very emotional night. As for the dancing, Nela was superb and her and Carlos' pdd's were very beautiful. James Hay was an excellent Alain and did not overplay the simpleton card, Alastair as Simone was a joy with just the right amount of grand dame. Plus of course the hens and rooster not forgetting the pony who tapped his hoof as appropriate. The clog dance was really well done although Olivia did tweet she had put her clogs on the wrong feet. Very special night,

What a great one to be your first!  It was a very special night, with many heartwarming moments, both during the performance and during the curtain calls.  That little girl looked exhausted, but we all did a collective 'ahhhh' when she was in Carlos's arms and he pointed to the audience and she waved at us!  What an amazing experience for a three year-old girl!  When she is old enough she will be very proud of her papa!  I have been watching Carlos for 15 years and I will really miss his wonderful dancing, his wit, his charm and his delightful cheekiness when required.  I know he isn't quite retired, but we won't be seeing him again in 'the classics'.  Gracias por todo, Carlos.

[Geoff]

I would agree with comments re the clog dance. Although I enjoyed Moseley's interpretation of Widow Simone, the clog dance seemed slightly out of time with the orchestra.

Yes. Absolutely. Before one gets to questions of interpretation I've seen a couple of different Simones this run and it seems to me as if the company has maybe forgotten the first and (I would think) obvious point about the clog dance: the sound of the clogs is meant to join the orchestra as if the clogs are part of the score. The intention is to hear the clogs as a solo percussion part, certainly in time with the music (just as any instrument plays in time).

 

In case it's not clear what I mean here's how to do it (my memory of Simones years ago is that this is how it went whoever danced it so it surely can't be a question of technique, but one of understanding):-

 

[Bruce Wall]

Yes. Absolutely. Before one gets to questions of interpretation I've seen a couple of different Simones this run and it seems to me as if the company has maybe forgotten the first and (I would think) obvious point about the clog dance: the sound of the clogs is meant to join the orchestra as if the clogs are part of the score. The intention is to hear the clogs as a solo percussion part, certainly in time with the music (just as any instrument plays in time).

 

In case it's not clear what I mean here's how to do it (my memory of Simones years ago is that this is how it went whoever danced it so it surely can't be a question of technique, but one of understanding):-

 

 

How interesting, Geoff, that you chose your example from the Bolshoi Theatre production of the Ashton master work which sadly is no longer in the Bolshoi rep.  I'm sure Mr. Yanin would be much honoured at your compliment.  

Edited April 30, 2015 by Bruce Wall

[Fonty]

Interesting.

 

I just watched a clip of the RB doing it, and wasn't as good. 

[Sim]

Thanks Geoff....who is playing the Widow in the clip?  He has perfect musicality and how nice to see it done in time to, and complementary with, the music. How lovely to see a filmed version of the Bolshoi doing it;  thank you for posting it up...makes a very interesting basis of comparison with the RB's.   

[Mummykool]

It was Gennady Yanin, Sim

[AYSHEL]

 What a FANTASTIC performance on 29 April with Osipova and McRae. The performance on 23rd was good - but the 29 completely swept it away. They both seemed on better form and the chemistry between them really worked and was extremely touching. The delicacy of the romance almost brought tears to the eyes. 

 

The 23rd had them both slightly distant from each other, and whilst it was exceptionally well danced by both of them it failed to ignite fully. The were both superb individually.

 

However the performance on the 29th was a completely different story. It was an amazing evening.

 

She is the best performer of this role I have seen and I do not expect to see anything better than this. Her performance is packed full of the most wonderful touches. McRae was in very good form on 29th - he has a real panache. His inner thigh muscles have a slightly untethered flexibility which gives him that great elevation and extension. He and Osipova they seem to work so well together and compliment each other perfectly. I really do not think there is any question of styles being at odds which has been hinted at in relation to Osipova's performance. 

 

Ashton liked great dancers - and he would have loved her 'style' and I doubt would have seen it to be at odds with anything here already. She has been excellent in everything so far and I am sure will continue to 'develop'. Ashton, just like Balanchine is a great fit for a quicksilver dancer like Osipova. She has also picked up the rather quirky staccato movements, particularly in the upper body quite brilliantly, and this of course has been one of the learning curves which she has surmounted brilliantly.

 

Marina Leonova at the Bolshoi Academy is very aware of the needs of a training programme to enable dancers to fulfil all the stylistic needs required by a modern day dancer and she has amended the curriculum accordingly. I think Osipova is a real example of how to address this change. She has a phenomenal work ethic. This understanding was also very clear in the clip of Gennady Yanin's widow in the posted clip from the Bolshoi performance of Fille.

 

I remember in 1992 when Ananiashvili danced it with Stuart Cassidy the same criticism of an alien Russian style was voiced. It's just a more expansive way of approaching the choreography than many of those we are used to seeing. The steps are the same just more broadly expressed and we had even back then started to see more expanse in dance with the Royal Ballet too with the broader approach of Darcey Bussell's style, and also some very well turned out performances by Fiona Chadwick and Ravenna Tucker who had started to use a bit more panache and flair than we were then accustomed to.

 

For the record I liked Philip Mosley's Widow overall, although on 23rd he was way off the music in his clog dance and would have done well to have observed the brilliantly crafted musicality of Yanin from the Bolshoi clip. I am glad to say he had a better relationship with the music on 29th! One has to mention the brilliant Paul Kay as Alain - truly remarkable. It was a very heartwarming evening - I hope that the upcoming Cinema broadcast should appear on DVD which will preserve a remarkable revival with the company on good form as it seems to be at the moment. 

[MAB]

I too have fond memories of Ananishvili in the role, and yes, there was a faction that was hostile towards her.  However that performance will stay in my memory for it's warmth and freshness.  Both Ananiashvili and Osipova  are dancers at home in the air and the ballet was created for a dancer with a remarkable jump, Nadia Nerina.  For me Osipova fulfils all the role's demands and like Ananiashvili she lights up the stage with her unique personality.

 

When Alexander Grant first staged the ballet in Paris he chose Svetlana Lunkina, another Bolshoi dancer. as one of the Lises, an eyebrow raising choice as I don't think such willowy dancer had danced the role before, but she will always be the funniest Lise of them all as far as I'm concerned, so yes, the versatility of he Bolshoi dancers really is remarkable.

 

A wonderful debut post Geoff W.  I do hope we will hear from you again.

[alison]

Yes, welcome to the forum, Geoff W (not to be confused with the other one, obviously ).

 

Taking a slightly different tack, and going on from the comments about the Clog Dance, something else which seems to my mind to have gone missing rather is the appreciation of the comedic value of "waiting a beat" for a reaction or something to register properly with the audience before you go on to do whatever it is that comes next. Take, for example, Widow Simone early on in Act I, when she's throwing things at Colas: first the cabbages, then her bonnet, then she picks up the potted plant ready to throw - and stops, looks at it, realises it might actually do some damage like that, and stops to take the plant out of the pot before throwing it. With that wait in there, it used to get a laugh: without it, it's just her throwing one thing after another after another. And it's not just Simone: it's a principle that several other of the lead characters could usefully apply at times, too. After all, the choreography frequently requires them to stop for a beat mid-dance - and the stage business could do with the same.

[FLOSS]

It would be nice if all the Simones concentrated on getting the clog dance right rather than adding little bits of stage business.It is almost as if the company has forgotten that Simone is a dance role and that it is essential that the clog dance makes an impact through the skill of the performer.That section tends to sag at present and few of the current crop of Simones are really justified in returning to the stage for a second bow as the applause has often ended before their return to the stage.

 

As far as the first act is concerned the section in which Simone throws things at Colas would be improved if all the Simones threw the vegetables at Colas as if they wanted to hit him and left it to Colas to get out of the way. Marriott is either a very bad shot or thinks that he should not hit Colas which completely reduces the effect of the scene. I find it very odd that the double take with the flower pot is ignored completely by some Simones and that others fail to give it time to make effect. When Ronald Emblem danced Simone it was always clear that he wanted to hit Colas with all the vegetables and that his hesitation over the flower pot and contents had nothing to do with not hurting Colas and everything to do with not doing anything that would cost money.You could see Emblem's Simone thinking "If the flowerpot is broken it will have to be replaced and that will cost me money.No I will just throw the contents" The time was taken in looking at the flower pot. This small piece of apparently inessential business is the first point at which Simone reveals her character to the audience.Its importance lies in helping to establish her as a thrifty peasant whose main concern is money.The section in which she haggles over the wages she will pay the harvesters should add to our understanding of Simone's character.This also fails to register as it should, mainly I think, because the Simones no longer look reproachfully at Lise who has intervened to raise the wages the widow will have to pay. Today's Simones tend to smile happily when the bargain is made or show no reaction to an arrangement that is going to cost them money.They should show some response to the situation that has been created by Lise's action.

 

These two small sections are the build up to her short exchange with Thomas and her response to Thomas' promise of the money she will receive.I recall that Emblem made more of the section in which Simone receives the money by smiling broadly before she struggled away with it to hide it in the rainwater butt. You need all of that detail building Simone's character to prepare the audience for their first sight of the proposed bridegroom.

 

Alxander Grant said in interview that it was the details in Ashton's works that created the characters and that because they seemed unimportant to dancers they were easily lost. These small details in Simone's actions during her first few minutes on the stage establish her character with a few deft strokes.If given their full weight then Simone emerges as a rounded character rather than a pantomime dame whose performance is enhanced by engaging in slapstick.

 

I wonder whether this erosion of detail arises from a general belief that Ashton is in some way inferior to MacMillan as a choreographer and creator of stage characters and that the stage business that I have described is fussy and unnecessarily prescriptive. MacMillan after all gave some leeway to dancers in small roles to create their characters but even in his works there is a noticeable loss of detail in the way in which some of his major characters are performed.Thus few Mercutios now do the markedly off centre turns, similar to those in the Brian Shaw role in Symphonic variations,in their solo during the ball.But it is the off centre nature of the turn that reveals his character as a joker and sets him apart from his friends.

 

It would be interesting to establish whether this erosion of detail is the result of the prescriptive nature of some of the current training systems or whether it is the current emphasis on technique that is the root of the problem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[AYSHEL]

Alison - thank you for the welcome. I agree with both you and FLOSS on the loss of character in this ballet, which particularly affects the Widow. It's so easy to make her into a pantomime Dame, but any good performer will agree that making comedy work on stage is far more difficult than tragedy. Timing is totally of the essence. I did enjoy the timing of both Osipova and McRae who worked out a brilliant relationship on stage in the 29th performance. I hope they dance together more as I think they have the makings of a good partnership. The ability to 'read' each other on stage is often the key - as it was with Sibley and Dowell, and Maximova and Vasiliev. 

The business with the flower pot is an good point to choose - the difference is a split second. But what a crucial one. A short and important dramatic moment which is often overlooked by dancers who of course are keen on their technical delivery. Rather like the first meeting of Romeo and Juliet when that short gaze into each others eyes registers with the audience as something special and galvanises their characters inter-relationship.  It's often these little moments that make the difference between a good performer/performance and a great one.

[alison]

Floss, thank you very much for those clarifications. You've reminded me of several things which have indeed "gone missing" since I first started watching a few decades back, and/or clarifications I wasn't aware of. (And I had meant to mention Simone's lousy aim). I think in retrospect I shouldn't have referred to "waiting a beat" for some of the other main characters, but their comic timing could certainly do with improving, as certain moments have rather fallen flat in this run - and in others prior to this too, I think.

[Geoff]

Reverting to the clip I posted, everyone seems to agree it's Yanin as the Widow. However scrolling down the YouTube comments under the clip one finds a comment posted by Becca Hague: "Its Stanley Holden! (my great great uncle)" No view on this - or indeed further information - just wanted to point this out in case someone knows eg the Holden family and can clarify either way.

[Jan McNulty]

BRB fans over the past years to see two particularly wonderful Simones in (now retired) David Morse and Michael O'Hare. Rory Mackay and James Barton were also excellent. None of them ever shied away from hitting the dancers with the veg and we also got the point about the plant pot!

[FLOSS]

I recall that when I first saw Fille Simone was danced by Ronald Emblem who performed the role with both the Covent Garden company and the Touring company. Perhaps Ashton preferred a single dancer who got a role absolutely right to several who each got it wrong in their own individual way. It was a great pity that it was Brian Shaw rather than Emblem who appeared in the Collier Coleman recording of Fille. In fact it is a pity that the whole thing was not recorded five years earlier then we would have had Coleman at the height of his powers and we might have had Emblem who played a convincing French peasant rather than Shaw, and Alexander Grant, rather than Gary Grant who was a pale shadow of his brother as Alain.

 

I recall some time ago someone asked whether the ballet was really danced at the speed you see in the Coleman recording. It certainly was and the result was that the entire ballet seemed physically lighter and more exciting. Looking at the recording of the ballet with the original cast it would seem that the ballet had slowed down quite s bit between 1962 when the BBC recorded the original cast and 1980? when the Coleman recording was made. What lay between the two recordings were the years of the MacMillan directorship and the impact that his taste had on the company and its style. Fascinating when you think that Ashton was alive and active when both recordings were made.

[Fonty]

Floss, I really enjoy your posts, they are so informative

 

I am always amazed when I look at recordings of RB performances from years ago and see the speed of the dancers.  I watched a clip of Nadia Nerina dancing Lise, and was stunned by the pace of her footwork.  

 

I remember doing my own little bit of research.  I had a copy of the Fonteyn/Nureyev R & J, and compared it with a recording I took of Rojo when they showed R & J a couple of years ago (?) on tv.  I timed the balcony pas de deux, and the Rojo one was nearly a minute longer than the earlier one, because the music was slower.   

[MAB]

The first Widow Simone I saw was David Gordon, with Shirley Graham and Paul Clarke, later I saw Stanley Holden.  Back then they didn't have cast sheets and I didn't always buy a programme, but I know I saw the original cast on one occasion but minus Nerina.  Agree about the slowing down, it bothers me a lot, a ballet going pal who is much younger than me always says I'm imagining it when I complain that everything seems slower so thank you FLOSS and Fonty for your reassurance that my memory isn't playing tricks..

[Odyssey]

BRB fans over the past years to see two particularly wonderful Simones in (now retired) David Morse and Michael O'Hare. Rory Mackay and James Barton were also excellent. None of them ever shied away from hitting the dancers with the veg and we also got the point about the plant pot!

Did David Bintley only dance the role at Covent Garden? I can't recall whether I saw him dance it in Birmingham , but I imagine he would have been a fine Widow.

[Jan McNulty]

I saw him at Covent Garden but not sure if he did it with BRB. Two Pigeons may know

[alison]

I have a feeling I saw him at the old Sadler's Wells - unless it's Petrushka I'm thinking of.