Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (Matthew Bourne) (1998) Review

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Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (Matthew Bourne) (1998) ReviewFinally, Matthew Bourne's innovative production of Tchaikovsky's SWAN LAKE is available on DVD. This is not a camp send-up of the balletic war horse, but a modern, freshly imagined telling of a tale of enchantment, betrayal, disenchantment, and release. What most people already know about this production is that the swans and cygnets are performed by male dancers, that the choreography emphasizes the aggressive rather than the graceful movements in swans' repertoire, and that the story is heavily freighted with Freudian implications as it shows a young prince's efforts to break free of his mother's hold (she's part Merry Widow and part Cruella deVil). The viewer who tries to analyze plot points too carefully is heading toward frustration and confusion. (For those who just can't let it alone, there's a helpful on-screen synopsis you can jump to whenever you need it.) The best way to enjoy this production is by focusing on the choreography and the dancing itself. Adam Cooper's nameless Swan is powerful, persistent, and unapologetic. He could be the prince's alter ego, his embodied desires, the id, or just about anything else you'd want to ascribe to him. He woos son and mother with equal conviction. Besides the moments when Cooper is on stage/screen, the choreographic hightlight of this production for me was the dance of the cygnets (pas de quatre). This is a moment of levity in every production of SWAN LAKE, but more so here where the mischievous antics and curiosity of the cygnets are played for all they're worth.
The other thing worth commenting on is the quality of the filming of this live performance. I have usually been disappointed by ballets on film--presentation is often static, or feet and hands get cut out of the picture, or the camera goes in for a close-up at a point when something significant is happening in the choreography. Given the trade-offs, Adventures in Motion Pictures has done an excellent job of capturing all the key choreography while creatively managing close-ups, transitions, and montages. The colors are rich and expressive (the dance of the swans by the lake is bathed in a haunting nocturnal blue). And best of all, the film is completely free of the annoying halos and bizarre shimmerings that always seem to make their way into filmed stage productions.Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (Matthew Bourne) (1998) OverviewMatthew Bourne, director and choreographer of Adventures in Motion Pictures--a maverick new modern dance company based in London--brings a new twist to an old classic with this production of "Swan Lake." Taking advantage of the public's preoccupation with the ups and downs of the royal family, Bourne has set his story in the modern era and has cast all the swans--including the Odette/Odile role--as males. Boutne's creation brings great ballet to an audience it has never before reached, and for cognoscenti offers a new view of the breadth of possibilty in Tchaikovsky's well-loved score. "Swan Lake" enjoyed a sold-out run in London and a subsequent critically acclaimed and public-adored Broadway stint.

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Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (1967) Review

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Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (1967) ReviewRudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn. No other ballet partnership is as legendary -- the fiery Russian defector and the graceful, aging English ballerina formed a bond on and off the stage that for several years practically defined romantic ballet. Thus, for this very reason, hardcore balletomanes should get this dvd. Many of us (including me) were too young to have seen Nureyev and Fonteyn live, so these videos are the only example to dissect the legendary partnership. However, caveat emptor: this is NOT a "typical" Swan Lake by any means. You can argue that there is no "typical" Swan Lake -- the original production in 1877 was a failure. Some of the music went missing. After Tchaikovksy's death, the choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov restaged Swan Lake, and that version more or less is the Swan Lake audiences know today. There's lots of music, so most versions of Swan Lake
use the "traditional" pieces.
Nevertheless, there are some different traditions of Swan Lake. In the Russian productions, the outcome is usually "happy" -- Rothbart is killed, and Siegfried and Odette are alive. In the productions used "everywhere else," Odette and Siegfried leap into the lake, and are reunited in the otherworld. I prefer the second ending personally, because I think it better matches both the story (the happy ending was enforced by the Tsar, and seems tacked on), and the music as well.
Rudolf Nureyev's 1966 film, however, is unlike any other Swan Lake I've ever seen. First of all, from the opening closeup (of Siegfried in blue eyeshadow and red lipstick) you realize this film is not going to follow Balanchine (and classical ballet's) creed of "ballet is woman." The first act is redesigned to incorporate a lot of solos and dance opportunities for Siegfried (Nureyev). The first act usually ends with Siegfried picking up his bow and arrow and going hunting with Benno. In this film, there is a long elegiac solo for Siegfried (using music that's usually used in act 2). Since this solo has since become rather common in Swan Lake productions, it doesn't bother me that much. Actually, in this version of Swan Lake, there is no Benno, so one of the things missing from this Swan Lake is the first act Pas de Trois.
More bothersome is Act 2. Nureyev dares to tinker with the famous Act II choreography by Lev Ivanov. In the famous Odette/Siegfried Adagio, the melody is repeated with the cello, but this repeat is rather abruptly interrupted by a solo for Siegfried. Most of the famous "Love Duet" is there but I don't like the sudden switch to a solo for Siegfried. I prefer the "traditional" ending to the pas de deux.
And one also notices that Fonteyn, as graceful and lovely as she is, is at times unable to cope with the famously demanding Odette/Odile role. For instance, Odette's solo in Act II usually ends with a series of turns and then Odette stands on pointe and holds a balance before going into the wings. Fonteyn doesn't attempt the feat, but ends the series of turns in first position -- flat on her feet. Another example is Odette's entrance -- it usually is accompanied by a large grande jete. Fonteyn's jump is much smaller. Her balances are somewhat shaky. She is in general somewhat careful and slow throughout the ballet. Fonteyn also refused to have any closeups, a choice which might have hidden her wrinkles but has a distancing effect on the viewer. Fonteyn's Odette/Odile was legendary, but I don't think this video caught Fonteyn in her finest hour.
Act III's music choreography is pretty standard, but the musical arrangements (and choreography) for the Black Swan Pas de deux are different. Nureyev uses music that Tchaikovsky later composed for the Black Swan pdd, and ballet lovers will recognize it immediately as the music to Balanchine's crowdpleasing "Tchaikovsky pas de deux." Bourmeister's version of Swan Lake also uses this music. Fonteyn actually churns out the fouettes very well, confirming something I've long suspected: that everyone looks at the fouettes, but Odette/Odile's real challenges are the balances, footwork, and leaps, and this is where you can see Fonteyn suffer.
Strangely, Act IV (the act that is usually cut to shreds) is the most intact. And it's the best-danced act: it;s the reconciliation scene between Odette and Siegfried that one can catch glimmers of the genuine bond that existed between these dancers. Elsewhere, the technical limitations of Fonteyn by this time and Nureyev's reworking of Swan Lake as a solo showpiece for Siegfried distracted me from simply enjoying their partnership. I particularly loved when Siegfried runs all over the stage, turning up the head of each swan, to find his Odette, and when he finally finds Margot's head, it's a truly beautiful moment. The ending of Nureyev's version is also unorthodox, and not the "usual" endings of the Swan Boat to heaven. It is, however, in many ways very similar to the Bourmeister ending. One wonders if Nureyev got the inspiration for his ending from the Bourmeister version (which can be seen in a new video with Svetlana Zakharova and Roberto Bolle).
On a technical level, there are problems. The ballet was filmed on a soundstage, and seems way too small to fit a whole cpmpany corps. As a result, the dancers often look haplessly cramped and as if they'll bump into each other. The close bunching also detracted from the natural geometric shapes that are so much a
part of classical ballet. The Vienna State Ballet also looks woefully underreheased. Either that or they're just bad. Their legs are terribly uneven in arabesques, their arms are a mess, and they simply look like a corps that hasnt danced Swan Lake enough. The sets are also deliberately artificial and the costuming, espeically for Nureyev and in the "color" acts, is garish. The lighting is inadequate, especially in the "White Swan" acts. Rothbart (Redbeard here) is a non-dancing role, unlike in most productions when he's a smooth pimp-type in Act III.
For a traditional Swan Lake with a more modern Odette/Odile, I'd suggest the Makarova/Dowell dvd with the Royal Ballet. Makarova was 41 at the time of filming, but her long extensions, boneless arms, exquisite balances, and still impressive technique make her Odette/Odile treasurable. This Swan Lake is of great historical value, and Fonteyn is undeniably lovely, but overall I admit I wanted a more traditional Swan Lake, and I certainly wouldnt recommend this dvd as anyone's first Swan Lake. Its just too unorthodox.Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (1967) Overview

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The Royal Ballet: Tchaikovsky- The Sleeping Beauty (2007) Review

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The Royal Ballet: Tchaikovsky- The Sleeping Beauty (2007) ReviewThis release of "Sleeping Beauty," a filmed performance by the Royal Ballet, was eagerly anticipated by myself after I watched the telecast. I think, all things considered, that this is the best Sleeping Beauty DVD on the market. Other videos might have finer individual performances (Margot Fonteyn, Yuri Soloviev, Alla Sizova) but those videos are all severely abridged versions of the ballet, and the video quality is not high. This "Sleeping Beauty" has a fine cast, great video quality, and an excellent production.
I'll go over several aspects of this video:
1. The production - The Royal Ballet has always prided itself on its production of Sleeping Beauty. The famous 1946 Oliver Messel production made Margot Fonteyn an international star. Over the years, replacements for the Messel production were never very successful. In the early 1990s a production by Anthony Dowell was released on video. Viviana Durante was an excellent Aurora, but the sets and costumes were terrible and much criticized. This video is a replica of sorts of the Messel production, although the costumes have not been replicated, and the Garland Dance was choreographed by the up and coming Christopher Wheeldon. I don't like the overly pastelish, glittery costumes of the fairies, but these criticisms are mainly for the Prologue, and the sets have a grand simplicity.
2. The choreography of the Royal Ballet's production has always been its strong point. I remember an interview with the formidable Ninette di Valois when she took care to explain the difference between "production," which she says is wont to change a lot, with "choreography," which is much more constant. The Royal Ballet's choreography is was heavily based on Diaghilev's 1921 production for the Ballet Russes and Petipa assistant Sergeyev's original notations, and it preserves much of the crucial mime of the Lilac Fairy and Carabosse. Unlike Nureyev's production for the Paris Opera Ballet, the Royal Ballet's choreography has no gratuitous interpolated solos for the Prince. The famous fishdives in the Grand pas de deux that Diaghilev added to the 1921 Ballet Russes production are here as well.
3. The dancers - Alina Cojocaru in the title role gives a performance for the ages. Cojocaru is not a stereotypical ballerina. Her face makes her look eternally girlish rather than conventionally beautiful. She lacks the large eyes and high cheekbones of most ballerinas. She is extremely thin, but has short, extremely wide feet without much of an arch. Her strength is in her technique and her personality. Her feet look weak, but she is incredibly strong as a dancer. In Act 1 it's hard to expect anything more from an Aurora. Her jump is airy and light, her turns fast and secure, and she zips through the Rose Adagio with long-held balances and barely a wobble. In the Vision Scene she transforms herself effortlessly into a wispy, otherworldy creature. She has a bubbly, sweet stage presence that's apparent even in the Regal Act 3 wedding scene. Cojocaru was born in Romania and trained in the Russian style at the Kiev Ballet before she joined the Royal Ballet. Her dancing style combines the best of both worlds, having the crisp solidity usually associated with the British style along with the soft Romantic port te bras, expansiveness, and delicacy of the Russian school.
Her partner was supposed to be her offstage boyfriend Johan Kobborg, but Kobborg was injured, and Frederico Bonelli danced in his place. But the last-minute substitution is not reflected in the performance. Bonelli is princely and handsome, and he partners Cojocaru very well, especially in the Wedding grand pas de deux. They are much better matched than the tiny Viviana Durante and the extremely tall Zoltan Solymosi in the 1993 video.
Marianela Nunez is herself an acclaimed Aurora, but she gives the Lilac Fairy a sweetness and graciousness that is most welcome. This fairy is never remote, always benevolent. I agree that at times she seems a little too human, but I can't complain. Her variation in the Prologue is much superior to Benazir Hussein, in the Dowell production video.
It's a sign of the top-down quality of the video's cast that the Florine (Sarah Lamb) is also a principal dancer and acclaimed Aurora. The divertissements in Act 3 are very well-danced.
4. The video quality - very high. The sound is well balanced, the close-ups are well placed so as not to distract from the overall dancing.
Overall, Opus Arte has released yet another treasurable video from the Royal Ballet. (Fille Mal Gardee and Sylvia are also highly recommended.)The Royal Ballet: Tchaikovsky- The Sleeping Beauty (2007) OverviewThe Sleeping Beauty has been performed at many key moments in the Royal Ballet's history.To coincide with the Company's 75th Anniversary, Monica Mason and Christopher Newton created a new production based on theSergeyev/De Valois/Messel production that was first performed by the company in 1946.Peter Farmer recreated and augmented Oliver Messel's designs adn Christopher Wheeldon choreographed a new Garland Dance for this production.

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Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake / American Ballet Theatre, Murphy, Corella (2005) Review

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Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake / American Ballet Theatre, Murphy, Corella (2005) ReviewAmerican Ballet Theatre's Swan Lake, as presented on PBS' Dance in America series, is a must-have for any serious ballet lover. The settings & costumes are fresh and new. The age-old story of love, betrayal, and redemption is set to Tchaikovsky's lush score with some new music and a new scene. Of course the cornerstone of any ballet is the dancing. Gillian Murphy is absolutely remarkable as Odette/Odile, soft and vulnerable as the Swan Queen in acts 2 & 4 and hard, brilliant, dazzling as Odile in act 3. Angel Corella's Prince Siegfried is a perfect match for her. He is a brilliant dancer and a good actor, although I would have liked to have seen what Ethan Stiefel could have done with the part. The chemistry between Murphy & Corella is palpable. However, I have an old VHS of Swan Lake with Natalia Markova & Ivan Nagy, and I must say there has never in my opinion been a danseur noble to compare with Nagy. He was Siegfried incarnate.
Herman Cornejo also shines in the small role of Benno, Siegfried's friend, and he and the two female dancers (whose names I confess I don't know) make the first act trio a joy to watch. Georgina Parkinson is just right as the queen mother, stern yet loving. Victor Barbee is wasted in the small role of the master of ceremonies. In his younger days, he was an outstanding Rothbart.
One very unexpected pleasure in this ballet was Marcelo Gomes, who did such a fine job in Le Corsair as the villainous pirate, as the human Rothbart. He was wisely given a dance with the four princesses in which he is so handsome and seductive that they are putty in his hands--and he has an effect on the queen as well! I give him a standing ovation. Brilliant!
Rothbart's dance and a prologue in which we see him seduce the human Odette are two welcome additions, although I wish the prologue had been a little longer.
I have two minor complaints. First of all, the princesses were generically costumed. None of them had an of the flavor of their native countries in their dress. This is, however, not really important, just something I noticed.
Secondly, however, I saw no need to have another dancer as the demon Rothbart complete with green skin and huge, curving horns. One Rothbarth would have been perfect; two is a joke.
I strongly recommend this DVD to any lover of Swan Lake. It's one you'll treasure.Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake / American Ballet Theatre, Murphy, Corella (2005) Overview

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