Swan Lake for AP & Sasha

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Lucy25

Final Flight

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Joined

Jul 31, 2003

• Sep 25, 2003

• #21

Re: Swan Lake twice

realistic51 said:

And now I understand that MK is going to skate to opera which has probably been done by a man, a woman, and pairs. But hey, who knows?:\

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Michelle is skating to an opera? Says who? I have always wanted her to skate to Madame Butterfly, but it is too overused now.

I agree with those who feel disappointed that Swan Lake is being used again. I don't care who it is or how good the program will be.

 

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euterpe

Medalist

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Joined

Sep 4, 2003

• Sep 25, 2003

• #22

There are other operas out there not written by Puccini or Bizet. We've heard Turandot and Tosca and Carmen far too many times.

How about some Borodin (not the Polovtsian dances), Wagner or even Gilbert and Sullivan? Or Mascagni (Cavalleria Rusticana ) or Mozart?

And for those who are too timid to stray beyond the obvious, even the most overused operas and ballets have lots of great music beyond the arias everyone has heard. As a child, I went to see "Nutcracker" many times, and the musical parts I liked the best weren't from the Suite, but from the first act.

 

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Rgirl

Joined

Aug 3, 2003

• Sep 25, 2003

• #23

rtureck said:

Do you like this costume?

http://www.annpatrice.com/william2.jpg

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Rtureck, At least on my computer the image is about the size of a large postage stamp. Very hard to make an assessment. But I didn't see any glittering sequins and for me, that's a good sign. Would love to see a larger photo of it, but maybe it's just my 'puter.
Rgirl

 

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rtureck

Final Flight

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Joined

Jul 26, 2003

• Sep 25, 2003

• #24

Cheers to the glitter

http://www.annpatrice.com/McDonough1S-Dreamy-public-1.jpg

 

Mathman

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Jun 21, 2003

• Sep 25, 2003

• #25

She is a classic beauty. Perfection.

(Now if she could just extend her leg straight back on her spiral and nail that double Axel...)

Mathman

 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~

Record Breaker

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Jul 28, 2003

• Sep 25, 2003

• #26

To all the Swan Lake "Nasayers":

We are not the ones doing the skating. It's up to the skater and his/her coach to choose the music. Since Sasha's coach is Russian, and most likely very familiar with this music she has made the perfect choice for Sasha to showcase her balletic talents. One hopes the choreography will stand up to the music. I am sure in Sasha's case it will; I don't know who Ann Patrices' coach or choreographer is. The choreography and interpretation will make the difference. The music stands up by itself.

 

Last edited: Sep 25, 2003

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toutestgrace

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Jul 27, 2003

• Sep 25, 2003

• #27

glitter

AP is by far the glitter godess. It looks great on her - I think because she's meticulous about the total look: hair & makeup. As opposed to those who throw a few clips in a ragged doo and then show up in satin and lace.

 

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rtureck

Final Flight

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Jul 26, 2003

• Sep 25, 2003

• #28

AP's coach is Tom Zazrysak

http://usfsa.org/news/news.htm?siteid=983

and her choreographer is Morosov

Oh NM is Russian too, so I guess he too understands Swan Lake?

 

Joesitz (RIP)

Joined

Jul 11, 2003

• Sep 26, 2003

• #29

What's all this fuss over Swan Lake? It's been around a long time. Created originally NOT by a Russian but by a Frenchman, Marius Petipa, who also choreographed Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty. Petipa was hired by the Russians who wanted to develop their ballet companies. Petitpa also worked with L.Minkus on La Bayadere and Don Q before the three Tschaikowsky ballets.

Taking the 3 hour score down to 4 minutes will take some skill. Rudy Galindo did it. Most other skaters use the familiar music of the pas de deuxs, and the ballerina's variations. there are musical pieces in the score that are probably unfamiliar to the skating fans who've never see SL or heard the whole score.

What these two ladies do, we will see in the near future. Both have russian coaches and choreographers, although, I don't see that as a necessity. Rudy did it with the help of his sister, and he won gold at the US Nats and bronze at the Worlds.

I, for one, will be open to see the two bladed Swan Queens, and hope they both skate beautifully to the music.

Joe

 

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registered

On the Ice

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Aug 17, 2003

• Sep 26, 2003

• #30

What's most important, is that music was written by Tchaikovsky, who was a Russian composer. Skaters would not use Petipa's choreography (and there are variations of "Swan Lake" -- the ballet, choreographed by other people, even though Petipa's version is an original, and better known one).

Marius Petipa have lived and worked in Russia for many years, and while it is true, that he was born a Frenchman, his contribution to the Russian ballet, and collaboration with Russian luminaries is so significant and indivisible, that he could rightly be considered one of the Russia's own choreographers.

 

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hockeyfan228

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• Sep 26, 2003

• #31

We also have to throw in Ivanov, who is credited with Act II (and maybe Act IV). But Joe is right -- hiring Petipa was like the US gymnastics team hiring Bela Karolyi. And Petipa/Ivanov saved Swan Lake from oblivion, because the original production -- at the Bolshoi -- was so bad.

I just got home from Opening Night of Pacific Northwest Ballet's new production of Swan Lake. I hope that Cohen uses the music from the Act IV pas de deux. It's quite gorgeous, and it's not nearly as well known as the Act II pas de deux music.

 

Joesitz (RIP)

Joined

Jul 11, 2003

• Sep 26, 2003

• #32

Hockey Fan is right! Ivanov redid the second act of SL and made the whole ballet a hit in Moscow way back in 1870(?). It was not Petipa's best attempt originally, and Ivanov's reworking of the 2nd Act made sense. However, it was Petipa who did get the Russian people interested in Ballet with all his ballets and the rest is history. When we speak of 'classic' ballet, we are speaking Petipa. Before Petitpa, we had what is called the 'romantic' ballets: Giselle, eg as well as La Sylphide, both of which preceded the classic ballets.

There are much musical pieces in SL. A skater does not have to use the familiar themes. That last scene has sumptuous music.

Registered - Unfortunately, skaters will mimic Petitpa's version of SL. Baiul did and Fumie did her take on Petipa, too. I agree it's not necessary but fans and judges get worked up on a skater displaying a character in the routine, and so we get bourres on toe picks a la Petipa and the inevitable arms flapping like wings. The fans love it. I don't.

Joe

 

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gezando

Final Flight

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Jul 30, 2003

• Sep 26, 2003

• #33

Tchaikovsky was Russian and that is supposed to be important?????

Some of us do not know ballet, so this discussion is interesting. It is still a sport, that means technical and presentation elements are important.

 

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gracefulswan

On the Ice

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Aug 16, 2003

• Sep 26, 2003

• #34

i'm am interested in comparing the 2 Swan Lakes this season... which one will be the more artistic...the more difficult? the more interesting?.... can swan lake wow us anymore?

 

BravesSkateFan

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Aug 7, 2003

• Sep 26, 2003

• #35

I love Swan Lake! IMO it can't be overused but that's just me.
I like the sparkles on AP too. I think her costumes are beautiful. Not everyone could pull them off, but she can.

 

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thisthingcalledlove

Final Flight

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Sep 24, 2003

• Sep 26, 2003

• #36

schwannensee

I think it's strange that Petipa never spoke Russian...he spoke French only!

 

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hockeyfan228

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• Sep 26, 2003

• #37

Re: schwannensee

thisthingcalledlove said:

I think it's strange that Petipa never spoke Russian...he spoke French only!

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He lived and worked in St. Petersburg, and I've read that everyone with whom he'd be in contact in the theater and the aristocracy spoke French, not Russian.

 

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hockeyfan228

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• Sep 26, 2003

• #38

Joesitz said:

so we get bourres on toe picks a la Petipa and the inevitable arms flapping like wings. The fans love it. I don't. Joe

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Oh, I so agree!!! I hate those bourees on toe-picks more than flutzes, and, I hate to say this, even more than cha-chaing a la Fontana.

I thought one of the great things about Patricia Barker's performance in Swan Lake last night is that she kept the flapping to a minimum. (But if she had flapped, she would have looked like Big Bird.)

 

Ptichka

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• Sep 26, 2003

• #39

Petipa's contribution to the Russian ballet was akin to Balanchine's contribution to the American one. Sure, ballet in those countries existed well before those choreographers, but the whole "national ballet" was largely defined by those foreigners.

 

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registered

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• Sep 26, 2003

• #40

Joesitz, I think it's great, when skaters have enough skill to "mimic" Petipa's choreography. I don't share your disappointment here.

It's true, that Russian aristocracy spoke mostly French, and considered Russian language culturally acceptable only for the lower casts of the society.

Another interesting fact is, that Russian Royalty's ethnicity was almost purely German (starting with Catherine the Great), since marriage partners were imported from abroad.

 

Last edited: Sep 26, 2003