19 replies to this topic

[Solor]

In PNBs program "Russian Nights", they peform a pas de deux from "Esmeralda" and credit choreagraphy to Petipa and music to Pugni....is it the Diane and Acteon pas, the lost pas, or the Pas de six?

[Alexandra]

I think it's the pas de six, the one with the tambourine   That's on several tapes.

[rg]

i suppose we'll only know for certain if a seattle reader/post-er chimes in here.
to be sure the russian's consider the pas de six (for la esmeralda, gringoire and four tambourine playing women) to be 'pure petipa' and 'diana and acteon' by vaganova's hand.
the problem w/ attributing the music to current soviet/russian stagings is that the version that lived into the 20th century from the 19th c. 'original' had choreographic reworkings by gorski and musical reworkings by asafiev, etc.
until all those russian/soviet records are opened and made available to western scholars, even if only to those who read russian, we may remain in the dark making assumptions all over the place,
sigh.
there is a sense of the ways in which ESMERALDA got restaged in soviet times in elizabeth souritz's invaluable 'soviet choreographers of the 1920s.'

[Leigh Witchel]

There's also a bit more about it, though more as part of the narrative than in scholarly detail, in Vera Krasovskaya's biography of Vaganova (to be published in an English translation imminently).  She describes Vaganova creating the Diana and Acteon pas de deux in her revival of Esmeralda.

[BalletNut]

This is a bit off topic, I suppose, but isn't there also a La Esmeralda pdd choreographed by Perrot?

[rg]

according to Lynn Garafola's annotated chronology in THE DIARIES OF MARIUS PETIPA (SDHS Vol. iii, no. 1) petipa's 'definitive' revison of perrot's ballet, which was originially given in london in1844, and then in st. petersburg in 1848, dates from 1886, when he restaged it at the maryinsky for v. zucchi, and included for her a new 'pas de six' (to drigo).
so while there may be 'ESMERALDA' Pas de Deux around attributed to Perrot, these at best would seem to come down to us via the revised petipa production.
in any case it seems no longer on the international circuit, the way the pas de six and the 'diana and acteon' dances are.
w/the exception of ben stevenson's pastiche of this pas de deux, most recently given in the states by ABT, there haven't been any presentations of the pas de deux performed lately.
if mem. serves in the 70s ABT (and others) were doing this pas more frequently, and those stagings may well have had 'after perrot' credits.
p.s. here are the credits for a version by john gilpin and included in the video called 'the romantic era'

Esmeralda.Pas de deux (Choreographic work : Gilpin after Perrot)
Chor: John Gilpin after Jules Perrot; mus: Cesare Pugni. Perf: Mexico, Guanajuato, Teatro Juarez, Cervantes International Festival, May 16-18, 1980; Eva Evdokimova & Peter Schaufuss.

[Olivier]

It is the Petipa choreographed version of the original Perrot from 1844.

[Alexandra]

Has anyone seen this program?  Comments would be welcome

There was an interesting review in the Seattle press -- Ari posted it on Links yesterday -- that seeing Paquita and Theme and Variations together on the same program made one aware of the differences between them.  I would agree with that -- while at first glance, one might think "Oh, a night of all THAT kind of ballet!" often when you place things that seem similar right next to each other, the differences leap out at you.

Anyone care to comment?

[Francis Timlin]

Happy to oblige!  This is a marvelous program -- so much so that I will be returning to see two other casts later this week.  I think that the juxtaposition of "Paquita" and "Theme" was a brilliant programming choice.  Mr. Campbell is correct in describing it as "didactic without appearing so."  

The Saturday, February 1 performance featured one young principal (Carrie Imler) paired with a young soloist (Casey Herd) in "Paquita."  Ms. Imler, CPYB and PNB trained,  is a turner and has rock-solid balance.  I counted (yes -- I count!) 34 fouettes (including doubles as ending flourishes) with no hint of traveling.  Mr. Herd is a jumper and executed his solos well.  I am sure that he will grow as a partner.  There were some cast shifts among the soloists due to an injury that occurred on opening night, with some resulting unevenness in quality which should also smooth out during the second week of the run.  

Louise Nadeau and Jeffrey Stanton  were well matched in the "Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux."  Ms. Nadeau has grown is stature as an artist as she has matured.  Her performance appeared to be weightless, effortless and  possessed of a very French effervescence -- perhaps as a nod to Violette Verdy.  Mr. Stanton is known as one of PNB's most attentive and intuitive partners and did not disappoint.

The novelty of the evening was the opportunity to see the "Esmeralda Pas de Deux," set by Kaori Nakamura and Olivier Wevers.  Alas, although scheduled, they did not perform last Saturday.  (I hope to be able to see them on at least one of the performances this week.)  Noelani Pantastico and Astrit Zejnati  gave a pleasant and competent performance.

The glory of the evening, however, was Patricia Barker, partnered by Stanko Milov, in "Theme and Variations."  As often as she has performed this role, it is altogether to her credit that Ms. Barker finds new avenues of exploration and continues to refine additional nuances.  On this occasion, it was the new freedom in her control of port de bras and epaulement which impressed me the most.  I speculate that these qualities are at least partially the result of increased exposure to roles in "Paquita," and, especially, "Sleeping Beauty," the latter of which she has described as the most difficult work she has ever done, and which she will perform later this spring.

The ensemble was in its element -- everyone radiated an aura of "this is what we live to do" confidence and assuredness.

[Alexandra]

Thank you, Francis.  This is a program I would liked to have seen.

Am I in a time warp, though?  I thought Patricia Barker had retired at the end of last season -- is this her last season?

[Francis Timlin]

You might have had that impression because there was a gala presented to celebrate her 20th anniversary with the company (1981-2001).  However, she is performing at the height of her powers -- retirement would be altogether premature.  Next season's programming has been planned to honor Mr. Balanchine and is balanced heavily in favor of Ms. Barker's best repertoire.  It is also the opening of our new performance hall, with galas and special programming -- I am reasonably sure that she plans to be there.  She has always been and continues to be one of the hardest working, most committed members of the company.

[Alexandra]

Thank you, Francis -- yes.  I was remembering the anniversary gala.

[Francis Timlin]

Incidentally, there will be a *25th* anniversary "roast" for Kent and Francia in April (1977-78 through 2002-03).  (Patty's gala was for her *20th*)    Cheers!

[Alexandra]

Thank you, Helice!  It's wonderful to see posts about this program.  PNB is one of our most important companies and there isn't enough about them on this board.  We've found in the past that all you need are 2 or 3 people posting, and then another 3 come out of hiding and join in   So I very much hope we'll be reading more of you in the future.

It does sound like an intriguing program, and a very good chance to see lots of dancers.  I'm also surprised that it didn't sell -- has this been a problem in Seattle generally the past two years?  Are there theories -- recession, or lack of interest in the arts, etc? PNB is a stable company -- not a lot of dancer turnover, no high profile problems.  It should be smooth sailing!