If you enjoyed yesterday's cinemacast of the Bolshoi Ballet's production of John Neumeier's masterpiece, The Lady of the Camillias, be sure to try to see the next Bolshoi cinema presentation on December 20 of Yuri Grigorovich's Nutcracker. It is the most magical Nutcracker that Haglund has ever seen – charming as can be. And very big. Big big big.
Neumeier's production hasn't been seen in New York for several seasons; so this Bolshoi cinemacast was an eagerly anticipated event.
Yesterday, Svetlana Zakharova gave a very worthwhile, uncharacteristically emotional performance of Marguerite, excelling foremost in Act II, the white dress act. Opening night nerves and concentration may have affected Act I which seemed more acted than lived. Act III found Marguerite more robust than sickly, but still convincing in many ways. While Svetlana quickly wiped off Marguerite's makeup at her dressing table prior to dying, she was far too made-up for Act III. What is it about these Russian and Ukrainian ladies that they cannot let go of their red lipstick (Zakharova, Vishneva, Dvorovenko) for a role of a lifetime?
Of course, Svetlana couldn't resist throwing her legs to the ceiling a lot more than was appreciated, but she also showed us a dramatic side of her artistry that we haven't seen before. In her moments of stillness, we knew precisely what Marguerite was feeling.
Edvin Revazov, a Ukranian from Neumeier's Hamburg Ballet, was a compelling Armand. Any time a dancer playing this role can stand at the edge of the stage and shed real tears, he gets an "A" in appeal, acting, and authenticity. A tall man of haunting good looks, Revazov's dancing was so secure that one did not consider that he was dancing – just living.
Seymon Chudin and Anna Tikhomirova contributed fine performances of the inner story of the theatrical production of Des Grieux and Manon. Andrei Merkuriev gave what may be the most perfectly dramatically weighted performance of Monsieur Duval that Haglund has ever seen, but he simply looked too youthful to be believed.
Neumeier's lighting design did not, at times, translate well in the cinemacast, particularly when Revazov was dancing in his black costume. His legs and feet disappeared in much of his grand allegro because the cameras could not pick up the image on the dark stage. As in past cinemacast's, the insistence of the camera operators in closely following soloist dancers at the expense of the overall stage was annoying.
Neumeier's telling of this story is masterful. His choreography is as inventive and story-filled as his contemporary, Kenneth MacMillan's was in many of his narrative masterpieces. This probably accounts for why the Macaulay regime at the New York Times has sought to bash it over and over again even though it was admired originally by Anna Kisselgoff, the last NYT critic with any serious ballet training.
While it probably would have been more satisfying to have seen a different Bolshoi cast, such as Obraztsova and Lantratov, we know from the experience of the Bolshoi's Onegin just the kind of fuss that Zakharova will make if she doesn't get opening night cast of an important new production.
So onward to the Bolshoi's Nutcracker cinemacast encore presentation with Denis Rodkin and Anna Nikulina as Marie. December 20th. Check for local cinema presentations here.
John Neumeier was not in Moscow for last night's premiere because he was in Hamburg supervising the premiere of Alessandra Ferri in his latest creation Duse, inspired by the great Italian actress Eleonora Duse. The music of Benjamin Britten and Arvo Pärt propelling the genius and artistry of Neumeier and Ferri is almost overwhelming to imagine. Here is a clip:
10 responses to “A welcomed relapse of Camelliaphilia”
Haglund,
I decided against seeing this yesterday, but if an encore presentation comes up I will reconsider. The reason I didn’t go? The annoying camera work on the recent Giselle; I didn’t want to chance experiencing that again.
I did see the original Nutcracker broadcast and loved it. I thought it contained the best characterization of Drosselmeier I have ever seen.
Thanks to your alert I am going to see Gelsey Kirkland’s company do their Nutcracker. I am very much looking forward to that. Alas, I couldn’t fit the Yorkville Nutcracker into my schedule.
Thanks very much for all your good alerts.
Ellen M.
Haglund,
I decided against seeing this yesterday, but if an encore presentation comes up I will reconsider. The reason I didn’t go? The annoying camera work on the recent Giselle; I didn’t want to chance experiencing that again.
I did see the original Nutcracker broadcast and loved it. I thought it contained the best characterization of Drosselmeier I have ever seen.
Thanks to your alert I am going to see Gelsey Kirkland’s company do their Nutcracker. I am very much looking forward to that. Alas, I couldn’t fit the Yorkville Nutcracker into my schedule.
Thanks very much for all your good alerts.
Ellen M.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about Lady of the Camellias (and for alerted readers to the opportunity to see this work in the cinema in the first place!) I had not seen this ballet before and appreciated Neumeier’s use of the stage in particular. As you noted, it was sometimes difficult to keep track of the action because of the camera choices. Still, having Armand on the far side of the stage almost in the first box in some scenes was effective. The various ways the choreographer managed to convey “flash backs” really worked for me also. I was less impressed with the beauty of the actual dance steps. With all that beautiful Chopin music, I kept thinking a Cranko or MacMillan would have done more.
Like you, I loved the Hamburg dancer who played Armand.
Thanks for your recommendation about the upcoming Nutcracker. I will try to make it. Isn’t there a Royal Ballet Nutcracker coming up in the next week or so as well?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about Lady of the Camellias (and for alerted readers to the opportunity to see this work in the cinema in the first place!) I had not seen this ballet before and appreciated Neumeier’s use of the stage in particular. As you noted, it was sometimes difficult to keep track of the action because of the camera choices. Still, having Armand on the far side of the stage almost in the first box in some scenes was effective. The various ways the choreographer managed to convey “flash backs” really worked for me also. I was less impressed with the beauty of the actual dance steps. With all that beautiful Chopin music, I kept thinking a Cranko or MacMillan would have done more.
Like you, I loved the Hamburg dancer who played Armand.
Thanks for your recommendation about the upcoming Nutcracker. I will try to make it. Isn’t there a Royal Ballet Nutcracker coming up in the next week or so as well?
Ellen & Jennifer, there is so much to see at this time of year that it’s nearly overwhelming.
Regarding the RB’s upcoming Nutcracker – it is very confusing. Yes, there is a live transmission of the Dec 13 performance starring Lauren Cuthbertson and Matthew Golding. However,at the Sunshine Cinema on the LES on December 13, it appears that they may be showing the 2009 DVD version. Symphony Space on the UWS is showing a RB Nutcracker on December 27 in collaboration with WQXR and the ROH but the website doesn’t specify cast or year. This is one of those buyer beware situations although I imagine both performances would be worth seeing.
Ellen & Jennifer, there is so much to see at this time of year that it’s nearly overwhelming.
Regarding the RB’s upcoming Nutcracker – it is very confusing. Yes, there is a live transmission of the Dec 13 performance starring Lauren Cuthbertson and Matthew Golding. However,at the Sunshine Cinema on the LES on December 13, it appears that they may be showing the 2009 DVD version. Symphony Space on the UWS is showing a RB Nutcracker on December 27 in collaboration with WQXR and the ROH but the website doesn’t specify cast or year. This is one of those buyer beware situations although I imagine both performances would be worth seeing.
“Lady of the Camellia’s” was a wonderful ballet. I really felt the emotions through the dancers, and especially enjoyed Edvin Revazov’s dancing and acting. I must agree that the filming was annoying, and that it distracted from the whole design of the ballet. Even the dancers feet were not fully in the camera range in the beginning. Remember that Fred Astaire insisted he be filmed entirely rather than with close ups of the feet or head?
Happily there was better attendance at my theater than when I attended “Jewels”. Still, there were only about a dozen people. The Bolshoi’s “Nutcracker” isn’t scheduled to play in my area, but the other Bolshoi ballets are. Thanks for the review, Haglund.
“Lady of the Camellia’s” was a wonderful ballet. I really felt the emotions through the dancers, and especially enjoyed Edvin Revazov’s dancing and acting. I must agree that the filming was annoying, and that it distracted from the whole design of the ballet. Even the dancers feet were not fully in the camera range in the beginning. Remember that Fred Astaire insisted he be filmed entirely rather than with close ups of the feet or head?
Happily there was better attendance at my theater than when I attended “Jewels”. Still, there were only about a dozen people. The Bolshoi’s “Nutcracker” isn’t scheduled to play in my area, but the other Bolshoi ballets are. Thanks for the review, Haglund.
Glad you enjoyed it, Georgiann, and that there were a few more people in the theater with you.
That’s a good point about Fred Astaire’s insistence. Much was lost due to the Bolshoi/Pathé camerawork. I haven’t tried to do a camera comparison with the original filmed version with Marcia Haydee and Ivan Liska (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeBNkV5aw1s ) or the Paris Opera Ballet’s fine version ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paLMB3BPnlA ). I recognized similar frames but neither of those performances seem as clumsily filmed as what we saw on Sunday. None of these filmed versions, however, make the viewer feel as though he is living in the time of the event quite like the stage presentation does.
Glad you enjoyed it, Georgiann, and that there were a few more people in the theater with you.
That’s a good point about Fred Astaire’s insistence. Much was lost due to the Bolshoi/Pathé camerawork. I haven’t tried to do a camera comparison with the original filmed version with Marcia Haydee and Ivan Liska (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeBNkV5aw1s ) or the Paris Opera Ballet’s fine version ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paLMB3BPnlA ). I recognized similar frames but neither of those performances seem as clumsily filmed as what we saw on Sunday. None of these filmed versions, however, make the viewer feel as though he is living in the time of the event quite like the stage presentation does.