Sim Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 It was Aitor Arrieta in the peasant pas de deux. As far as I am aware, Saruhashi makes his debut in the peasant pas de deux this Saturday (matinee). Thanks Irmgard. So it was a mistake on the cast list rather than a last-minute change? A shame no-one noticed, but these things happen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 I can assure you that in the Skeaping production Giselle dies because of the shock to her weak heart. However, the sword is grabbed by Hilarion just as she is about to stab herself. Yes, tonight it was clear that Hilarion grabs the sword just before she stabs herself...which does beg the answer to Alison's question! I guess we have to put it down to poetic licence, otherwise there wouldn't be a ballet! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 The version where she is taken to the municipal crematorium is much shorter.. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Ooh, I have tickets for Cojocaru on Tuesday. Can't wait. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 I will also be there on Tuesday and can't wait to see Alina again in the role in which she always made me cry. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPD444 Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 I will also be there on Tuesday and can't wait to see Alina again in the role in which she always made me cry. If it's anything like Wednesday you will need a box full. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blossom Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Thanks for comments on death scene - no idea why it is so important for my daughter to know, because at 9 it isn't an issue as to what is authentic, but we had discussed it while I have been explaining the story, the music etc! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 SPD44 assume you mean a box full of tissues??!! Yes, I always go prepared when Alina dances Giselle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPD444 Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 SPD44 assume you mean a box full of tissues??!! Yes, I always go prepared when Alina dances Giselle! Yes, sorry Sim, I knew what I meant. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 So in that case (here we go again), why is she buried in the forest? Well, the practical reason is so that we can have Act II in a glade unencumbered by a lot of other tombstones! However, if you think that poor people in the middle ages could not always afford to be buried in churchyards (and we will overlook the expensive cross she has!) and were buried on little plots elsewhere, perhaps that glade is a favourite spot of hers, maybe where she and Albrecht first met? Although Mary tried to make the action as dramatically plausible as possible, sometime we just have to accept that there is a bit of poetic licence going on. I did write an article for the programme about Mary's various thought processes in creating her production but sadly there was not room for it. It will be in the Estonian National Ballet programme if anyone reads Estonian! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 13 reviews of that First Night in today's Links, plus Dave Morgan's photo gallery - with just the FT still to come, that's possibly a record for the number we've listed for the same show on a single day. And the critics all liked it - a lot! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 … I did write an article for the programme about Mary's various thought processes in creating her production but sadly there was not room for it. It will be in the Estonian National Ballet programme if anyone reads Estonian! It would be fascinating to read that (in English!) if copyright and other considerations allow. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 13 reviews of that First Night in today's Links, plus Dave Morgan's photo gallery - with just the FT still to come, that's possibly a record for the number we've listed for the same show on a single day. And the critics all liked it - a lot! So did I!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 I'd be grateful if someone would advise the running time (including interval). Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 2 hours and 15 minutes all inclusive. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 It would be fascinating to read that (in English!) if copyright and other considerations allow. If you can let me know how to post it on here, I would be happy to do so (the unabridged version is 2 1/2 pages). It is my copyright and is just a flavour of the booklet I hope to publish as soon as I have gathered together all the photographs I want to include. Some bits from the original article I wrote in 1984 are included in the article about the music in the latest programme. Won't have time to post it today as I am off soon to watch the gorgeous Laurretta Summerscales and Xander Parish in their debut tonight! 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 13, 2017 Author Share Posted January 13, 2017 2 hours and 15 minutes all inclusive. And it was - even on first night I'd actually expected it to be longer, given the various interpolations (3, I think) which aren't in the RB version. Possibly there are some cuts I didn't notice as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mallinson Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Irmgard, I've sent you a message. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthE Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) And it was - even on first night I'd actually expected it to be longer, given the various interpolations (3, I think) which aren't in the RB version. Possibly there are some cuts I didn't notice as well. The main thing I noticed NOT being there, musically, was the number towards the end of Act 1 ... I have no idea what it's called... when, in the Royal Ballet version, the Pas de Six dancers re-enter from the right-hand side with a flourish and lead the corps in a number that's then interrupted by Hilarion confronting Albrecht. (And naturally, that's the tune that's been stuck in my head ever since... because that's just how my mind works...) Edited January 13, 2017 by RuthE 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 (And naturally, that's the tune that's been stuck in my head ever since... because that's just how my mind works...) Also in mine, replacing Just One Cornetto (which was Fonty's fault... ) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavycapers Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Oh my, Michaela de Prince, unbelievable, soaring jumps and such a kick ass Myrthe, totally commanding. Both she and Lauretta Summerscales said afterwards that they had been very nervous, but if they were, it didn't show. Watching Lauretta's debut, I was also struck by how lovely it was to see a real Giselle, instead of a 'star' dancing Giselle, as has been my experience the last couple of times. I am in no way surprised by the reviews, an amazing production overall, like some lovely old master painting. Well done Tamara. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 What a tremendous performance tonight, and what a tremendous production. Laurretta Summerscales was the most beautiful and moving Giselle – gentle, ecstatic and loving in Act I until she loses her mind, and a pale, determined wraith in Act II, focussed only on saving Albrecht. It sounds ridiculous, but I realise that I’ve never before really thought of Giselle as actually being dead in Act II – usually it’s almost as if she’s come to life again. Here, she was clearly dead and that added to both the pathos and the power. And Xander Parish was a superb Albrecht – a charming, charismatic cad in Act I, and a shocked, humbled and ultimately transformed figure in Act II. When he entered the glade he looked around him not only seeing a different natural world but experiencing a different inner world too for the first time. And as the Act progressed he became the noble man he had only appeared to be in Act I. So much to treasure: the Wilis – in this production, they walk on almost as if they’re limping, and there’s something slightly off kilter about them throughout. They’re beautiful, but warped. Michaela DePrince a commanding Myrthe with the lightest, highest jump. The music/orchestra: it sounded louder, richer, and often faster than at the ROH – I don’t know if that was my imagination or not but it really brought out the light and shade, the drama, the urgency of what was happening. The terrible moment when Giselle accepts Albrecht’s betrayal and knows that her world has come to an end. Terrific performances all round. The only negative was the dearth of curtain calls (again). What is it with ENB and curtain calls?! They’re an essential part of the (I hope) mutual catharsis of a great performance, and it’s really not right to cut them short in this way. But apart from that – wow, wow and thrice wow! 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavycapers Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) I know what you mean, bridiem, about not thinking of Giselle as 'dead' before. I think this was very much helped by the lighting and costumes in this production. I couldn't decide if the wilis' and Giselle's dresses were pale grey or pale green, but combined with the lighting, they remained as insubstantial as a watercolour painting, part of the woodland, instead of the white dress and the strong lighting that normally picks out Giselle, and gives her substance, so that it feels as if she has come back to life. Edited January 13, 2017 by cavycapers 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 I know what you mean about Giselle "being dead" too....I think. One of the Giselles who gave off this "deadness" .....a true spirit ..and still one of my all time favourites in this role was Makarova.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aileen Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 There are some lovely curtain call and 'after show' photographs of tonight's cast on Instagram; use the hashtag englishnationalballet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 The main thing I noticed NOT being there, musically, was the number towards the end of Act 1 ... I have no idea what it's called... when, in the Royal Ballet version, the Pas de Six dancers re-enter from the right-hand side with a flourish and lead the corps in a number that's then interrupted by Hilarion confronting Albrecht. (And naturally, that's the tune that's been stuck in my head ever since... because that's just how my mind works...) It is called the Galop. I think Mary left it out because there is already much more dancing in her Act I for the corps de ballet than other productions and because it is very dramatic for Hilarion to interrupt the end of what has been a danced expression of love between Giselle and Albrecht (if the Albrecht plays it as if he really is in love with Giselle, which is the interpretation Mary preferred). 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 I know what you mean, bridiem, about not thinking of Giselle as 'dead' before. I think this was very much helped by the lighting and costumes in this production. I couldn't decide if the wilis' and Giselle's dresses were pale grey or pale green, but combined with the lighting, they remained as insubstantial as a watercolour painting, part of the woodland, instead of the white dress and the strong lighting that normally picks out Giselle, and gives her substance, so that it feels as if she has come back to life. The Wilis' dresses are a beautiful combination of white and green, darkening towards the hems to give them a 'damp' feel which indicates that they have risen out of the damp earth and are therefore Wilis/vampires rather than sprites or sylphs. You will notice that Giselle's dress is slightly whiter than the others to indicate that this is the first time (and last!) that she has risen from her grave. A beautifully thought out concept by David Walker in collaboration with Mary Skeaping and based on the original description by Heinrich Heine. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 14, 2017 Author Share Posted January 14, 2017 Is that the bit I always refer to as "La Cucaracha"? Edit: Oops, posting at the same time! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 Natalia Osipova also always gives me the clear impression that Giselle is dead in Act 2. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavycapers Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 I know, it's the way Osipova holds her head, as if her neck were broken! Although the white make up is a bit OTT for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmgard Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 If you can let me know how to post it on here, I would be happy to do so (the unabridged version is 2 1/2 pages). It is my copyright and is just a flavour of the booklet I hope to publish as soon as I have gathered together all the photographs I want to include. Some bits from the original article I wrote in 1984 are included in the article about the music in the latest programme. Won't have time to post it today as I am off soon to watch the gorgeous Laurretta Summerscales and Xander Parish in their debut tonight! I have now posted this as a new topic. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Q Fan Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 On the hoof but thoroughly enjoyed Giselle last night with Laurretta Summerscales, Xander Parish and Michaela DePrince. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted January 14, 2017 Share Posted January 14, 2017 There are some lovely curtain call and 'after show' photographs of tonight's cast on Instagram; use the hashtag englishnationalballet. Please could you provide the link? The page I've found only has Alina and Isaac - likewise on flickr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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