Indigo Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 Before the start of this run of Giselle, I thought along similar lines to some of the posts above about what would & would not work for me in Giselle. But seeing Marianela & Vadim's slightly different interpretation completely won me over. Personally, I'm finding that I enjoy seeing the dancers who play Giselle, Albrecht etc portray the interpretation that works for them, tying it in with other key cast. I feel the leeway permitted brings an extra dimension to the performances & have wondered if it may help to keep developing the dancers as actors too. The possibility of slightly different interpretations - whether it's Albrecht as a thoroughly selfish cad or as a man who becomes more in love etc - is one of the main reasons that will keep bringing me back to the RB to see different casts in Giselle in the future. It also makes for interesting discussion on threads like this. As inevitably, not everyone will agree with or like a particular interpretation. It's similar to the theatre, when actors portray classic roles in plays such as Hamlet, King Lear, Othello & bring their own "take" on the character. So I can appreciate why others prefer Giselle performed / interpreted in a particular way. I may well find I feel the same about other ballets in the future! 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 "Tying in with other key cast". Yes, I've been intrigued to see how the same Berthe reacts differently to two different Hilarions, for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPD444 Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 Regarding the release of a DVD with Nela/Vadim, up to 20 comments now. I give below part of the last contributors comment. "This superlative cast and Peter Wright's definitive production make this the best Giselle ever. I believe that you will be failing in your task as custodians of the Royal Ballet's heritage if you fail to preserve it." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 Of course they'll preserve it. Releasing it is another matter. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPD444 Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 Of course they'll preserve it. Releasing it is another matter. Why preserve it if it is going to be kept out of the public domain. Just to gather dust on a shelf or sit on a hard drive somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 I have no inside knowledge but I think the RB has a large library of recordings of performances for internal use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLOSS Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 (edited) The powers that be have relented over the Acosta Carmen. Perhaps they will do so again over this cast. I understand that Muntagirov has a following in Japan as he guests there. Perhaps commercial factors will make them relent on this occasion as well. Edited April 4, 2016 by FLOSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 Why preserve it if it is going to be kept out of the public domain. Just to gather dust on a shelf or sit on a hard drive somewhere. It called archiving. Public release has rights issues (royalty payments etc.) that don't apply for internal archive footage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTL Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 (edited) Regarding the release of a DVD with Nela/Vadim, up to 20 comments now. I give below part of the last contributors comment. "This superlative cast and Peter Wright's definitive production make this the best Giselle ever. I believe that you will be failing in your task as custodians of the Royal Ballet's heritage if you fail to preserve it."[/size] Unfortunately the preceding poster on the ROH site, after citing their satisfied attendance at three of last week's "Giselle"s, deems a new DVD surplus to their requirements and therefore everyone's.I quoted an excerpt here originally but on reflection I think it's better you read it for yourself on the ROH site, hence my edit. Words do not fail me, but they are not printable. Edited April 4, 2016 by Grand Tier Left 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPD444 Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 I must admit I did chuckle when I read that last bit about the "wonderful Carmen". Nineteen out of twenty is still a large "Yes" vote. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balletfanp Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 And the said poster does state that he would still buy it if released. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fonty Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 I am looking forward to seeing this at the cinema on Wednesday, but I am a bit concerned about the way in which some of the leading roles seem to have been played. For me, Albrecht has to be a very privileged, almost arrogant young man, used to getting what he wants, and Giselle has to be a rather innocent wisp of a girl, otherwise the second act doesn't really have the same impact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPD444 Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 So am I, I love Giselle. I have both Alina's and Natalia's DVD's and am sooo looking forward to watching Nela dance it. I like Vadim too, so looking forward to that as well. Roll on Wednesday. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilacfairy Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 I have bought cinema tickets for wed evening live screening, does anyone know which principals will be dancing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPD444 Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 (edited) Nela and Vadim, with Itziar as Myrtha and hopefully, with Frankie and Yasmine. Edited April 4, 2016 by SPD444 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilacfairy Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 You will find a link to the full cast sheet on this page: http://www.roh.org.uk/showings/giselle-live-2016 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 I have just added my two cents' worth on the site. The more, the better chance there may be of changing their minds. I should have added that the money I save by not buying Carmen would be spent on another copy of Giselle for a gift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 Best ever? Really? My, my. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coated Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 There is a nice interview with Nunez in the Dancing Times where she talks about Myrtha being a ballerina role. I couldn't agree more and feel that the casting for this role seemed somewhat underpowered in this run, having Nunez dance a Myrtha really drove that home for me. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 (edited) There is a nice interview with Nunez in the Dancing Times where she talks about Myrtha being a ballerina role. I couldn't agree more and feel that the casting for this role seemed somewhat underpowered in this run, having Nunez dance a Myrtha really drove that home for me. I agree, Coated. For me Nunez's Myrtha is prime. It now sits up there on that superior shelf aside my memories of van Hamel and Terekhova. The arc of each of those artists' vivid characterisation pulsated through the precision of their detailed spontaneity and individual focus. Can't say better than that. Edited April 5, 2016 by Bruce Wall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 There is a nice interview with Nunez in the Dancing Times where she talks about Myrtha being a ballerina role. I couldn't agree more and feel that the casting for this role seemed somewhat underpowered in this run, having Nunez dance a Myrtha really drove that home for me. Although less so than in the last run, IIRC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 The Myrthas in the last run were also rather underpowered (IMO). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 The greatest Myrtha ever was the Royal Ballet's Deanne Bergsma with Monica Mason coming a close second. Only Maria Alexandrova gets anywhere near their standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesrhblack Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 Although less so than in the last run, IIRC. Last time I saw Heap who was hugely promising, and seems to have built on that promise this time round, and Kobayashi, who didn't do it for me. I'm not seeing a live performance this year but am looking forward very much to Mendizabal who I imagine will be ideally suited - was astonished that Ismene Brown was so dismissive of her. Can't imagine Crawford in the role (I've only seen her three times in featured roles, twice as Lescaut's Mistress and once as Lilac and she stumbled each time, and she's also not good in the Concerto DVD) but would imagine Calvert might grow in to it well. I'd agree with Nunez that it is a ballerina role and am sure she was wonderful last week. My mind's eye remains haunted by Mason (with input from the Nureyev film, late in her dancing career but still hugely compelling) and would very much like to have seen Yamowsky. DId anybody see Bull in this? She was one of my favourite dancers and I'm sure her strength and attack would have been well suited although I wonder if her jump was big enough to make the fullest impact. I also have generalised but positive memories of Manola Asensio with LFB dancing an even longer version of the role (that was a lovely performance with Patricia Ruanne and Jay Jolley at the Coliseum). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 Fiona Chadwick was a chillingly cold Myrtha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 Can't imagine Crawford in the role (I've only seen her three times in featured roles, twice as Lescaut's Mistress and once as Lilac and she stumbled each time, and she's also not good in the Concerto DVD) In her defence, I think she was a rather last-minute replacement for an injured Lauren Cuthbertson, at a time when pretty much all other viable candidates were involved in other parts of the triple bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewinelake Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 (edited) The greatest Myrtha ever was the Royal Ballet's Deanne Bergsma with Monica Mason coming a close second. Only Maria Alexandrova gets anywhere near their standard. Are you sure Adèle Dumilâtre wasn't a bit better? ;-) Edited April 5, 2016 by thewinelake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 Are you sure Adèle Dumilâtre wasn't a bit better? ;-) Did you see both of them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 what - Adele AND Dumilatre? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alymer Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 I would guess that Plisetskaya was a pretty impressive Myrtha if we're talking about best ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacqueline Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 As it seems a dvd of Marianela and Vadim's Giselle is not on the horizon, for anyone considering making a purchase and who doesn't know, Marianela is Myrtha in the Kobborg/Cojocaru dvd. Thoroughly recommended! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewinelake Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 (edited) dupe Edited April 5, 2016 by thewinelake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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