Insect ballets -- which are the best?, (Shearer's Dragonfly and others) Options

[Farrell Fan]

There was a ballet by John Taras, Piege de Lumiere, which was performed regularly in the early years of the NYCB residency at the New York State Theater. It was set in a forest in which a band of convicts builds a big bonfire that lures scores of butterflies to their extinction. Before it entered the NYCB rep, it was performed in Paris, by the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas. The original cast was headed by Maria Tallchief and Arthur Mitchell. Those roles were subsequently taken by Patricia MacBride and Paul Mejia. (IMG:http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

[carbro]

it's true that the children's roles for the retinue of Oberon, King of the Fairies, in Balanchine's MIDUSMMER NIGHT'S DREAM have been known around NYCB as 'bugs,' however, in the program credit's Oberon's kingdom is described as being made up of Butterflies (as noted above) and Fairies. (not insects/bugs.).

Why would the insects be among Oberon's subjects? Aren't they part of the same world as the Lovers and Rustics? Don't you hear (-->here) the bzzzz-bzzzzz-bzzzz of insects?

[Mashinka]

There was a ballet by John Taras, Piege de Lumiere, which was performed regularly in the early years of the NYCB residency at the New York State Theater. It was set in a forest in which a band of convicts builds a big bonfire that lures scores of butterflies to their extinction.

I remember it well, it used to be danced by Festival Ballet (now ENB) too. It is getting a revival by Paris Opera Ballet at the end of the year.

[Mel Johnson]

Why would the insects be among Oberon's subjects? Aren't they part of the same world as the Lovers and Rustics? Don't you hear (-->here) the bzzzz-bzzzzz-bzzzz of insects?

They're nature. The Lovers and the Rustics are human. And Shakespeare indirectly declares nature figures in the "faerie" realm by naming three of them Cobweb, Mustardseed and Moth.

[bart]

There was a ballet by John Taras, Piege de Lumiere, which was performed regularly in the early years of the NYCB residency at the New York State Theater. It was set in a forest in which a band of convicts builds a big bonfire that lures scores of butterflies to their extinction.

I remember it well, it used to be danced by Festival Ballet (now ENB) too. It is getting a revival by Paris Opera Ballet at the end of the year.

I didn't remember this ... until I turned to Repertory in Review and saw the photo. I can now recall the entrance, with the "Queen of the Morphides," long cape flowing behind her, borne in on the shoulders of her subject insects. I must have seen McBridge.

According to R in R;

Piege was performed for several seasons. Possibly it was dropped because it jarred with the rest of the reperetory.

My memory is that it certainly seemed odd and melodramatic to me, at the time. Mashinka, it's wonderful that Paris will be reviving it. I wonder if this is part of a general Taras reevaluation. He was a talented choreographer who had the disadvantage of being, for many of us young people at the time, "NOT Balanchine" and "NOT Robbins" -- in other words, somehow old fashioned. (I note the ballet was originally created for the Marques de Cuevas Ballet in 1952.

Taras deserves a second -- and fairer -- look.

[leonid]

Taras deserves a second -- and fairer -- look.

I second that.
In London, when older balletomanes I know get together the one ballet they all say they want to see revived is Piege de Lumiere. As Mashinka recalls the Festival Ballet ballet staged this ballet and Galina Samsova and Andre Prokovsky were extraordinary in their performances.
Another Taras ballet I have always wanted to see was his Designs with Strings with music by Tchaikovsky, and design by George Krista. Premiered 6 Feb. 1948 by the Metropolitan Ballet in Edinburgh with Beriosova, Arova, Franca, Delysia Blake, Bruhn, and David Adams. It was set to thee second movement of the composer's. Ballet Theatre staged it in 1950, the Royal Danes in 1952, Berlin Opera Ballet in 1964. It has been revived for several companies including Ballet Theatre (1950), Royal Danish Ballet (1952), Berlin Opera Ballet (1964), and Dance Theatre of Harlem (1974).