I don't think Kurt or any older male Single skate has performed R&J. As I said before, I have no problem with a couple of mature skaters taking on the roles, but a solo male skater has the original 14 year old as the default love object.Originally Posted by Tonichelle
Then let's see how he will be costumed, as Romeo or the Godfather.
You are welcomed. They all look good there, don't they?
Last edited by dorispulaski; 06-23-2012 at 03:29 PM.
If I may add to the list of grand music for Romeo and Juliet, both Berlioz and Gounod have composed full-length works on this subject. Berlioz has a meltingly lovely "dramatic symphony" with choral sections, including this piece:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8CFxjjG92g
And here's a bit of Gounod's opera, Romeo et Juliette:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VoC0OjBkmA
I know that competitive solo skating doesn't allow vocal sections, but there's always ice dancing....
Last edited by Olympia; 06-23-2012 at 04:56 PM.
Here's Kurt as a happy-go-lucky 32-year-old Romeo (Prokofiev) at the 1998 World Pro.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlDjWmSMtSw
He folled around and finished last for this effort. Which was a shame, because he swept the competition in the LP with his clown program. He would have beat Yagudin at his prime if he hadn't been so careless in the short.
Here's Victor Petrenko age 28, with a little more traditional treatment (Rota) at the 1997 World Pro.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlDjWmSMtSw
According to Skate Music List, R&J have been offered by Fumio Igarashi, 1981 Worlds; Petr Barma (age 24), 1991 worlds; and Ilia Kulik, 1997 Worlds.
Sasha Cohen was 21 in 2006. No one felt icky about this cougar robbing the cradle by tilting her hat at a supposed imaginary 16-year-old Romeo.
^^^^ I quite enjoyed Kurt's program. From the music cut and his costume, he was more playing a scene than the role and the romance, which is a route to take. I don't know what Plushenko's approach will be but am voicing a reaction if he plays it straight as a young man, possibly a teenager, in love with and marrying a 14 year girl, sort of the same reaction many have about siblings portraying sexual passion. Many Ladies have skated as Juliet but Romeo has never been asumed to be 14 year old. His age was never given but generally assumed to be quite young but older than Juliet. He started in the story with a failed romance already.
I would love to see Petrenko's take on it but you have linked back to Kurt's performance, Mathman.
SF, you do realise Romeo is such a classic archetype story / character (practically the male version of Carmen minus the medal winning program), that Patrick may very well do later in his career, probably in his late 20s or even 30s. I wonder if your reaction will still be the same then?
What about an older Juliet in her 20s or even 30s like Akiko would be perfectly able to do or is that a big nono too? While we are at it, I don't recall any 'sexual passion' with 14 years olds in the play. You must be viewing some other movie which I wouldn't like to get into ...and even if there was, so what?! In love and romance, age should have no limit, whether you are 15 or 60 year old, whatever the gender or mix.
Centuries ago, people used to get married in their teens, nowadays in their late 20s, 30s or even 40s/50s, so the idea romance certainly still works for me even if we get an 80years old geriatric Romeo doing half speed. If he can romance the audience, he deserve to be a Romeo!!
os, I certainly don't want to see Patrick play Romeo in his late 20s or older, not straight as a romantic young lad in a solo anyways.
I already stated I have no issue with retelling and remake of the story such as many variations already presented in movies or by on ice couples. And if you read my earlier posts, I also have no issue with coupling of consenting adults of any age difference.
Centuries ago people used to get married in their teens, especially girls. OTOH, 30 was considerably older than today's 30. Even then, parents might marry their 14 year old daughter off to a 30 year old man in some circumstances, but a 30 year old marrying a 14 year old girl in secret against her parents' wish was still not acceptable.
Anyway, I'd like to see how Plushenko actually handles this role if he indeed plays Romeo before further comments. So far, Ive been dragged into reacting to posts rather than the actual performance.
Thanks, Math! I hadn't remembered Kurt's number. Even with its faults, one can see the rapid shifts of balance, and the attention to the rhythm of the rather hectic piece. I'm almost tempted to say that he's portraying Mercutio rather than Romeo, though of course he may just be skating to the music itself, not enacting a character. Either way, it's a fabulous look at his abilities, though he doesn't completely carry it off this time around.
Sorry. Here's Petrenko in an appropriately angst-filled rendition. Great ending.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MnSGPdgrms
Evidently he killed himself because of all the flubbed jumps.
Plushy could play the 30 (?) year old Paris, whom the Capulets were trying to force Juliet to marry against her will.Even then, parents might marry their 14 year old daughter off to a 30 year old man in some circumstances, but a 30 year old marrying a 14 year old girl in secret against her parents' wish was still not acceptable.
Or...he could make an announcement at the beginning of the performance: "Every would-be Romeo has his secret Juliet. Mine happens to be 30 years old. I dedicate this performance to her."
Amen.Anyway, I'd like to see how Plushenko actually handles this role if he indeed plays Romeo before further comments.Let the boy skate. There will be plenty of time to criticize his performance when we actually see it.
Oh, how about Prospero? Or Coriolanus?
Or King Lear? I'm sure in that case, SF would have no problem with Plushenko skating as an old, crazy king and probably thinks that is better than an old, perverted Romeo who is forcing himself on a young Juliet.
OMG. This is the worst performance I've ever seen from Victor. All the bad acting and intensity had me really annoyed until the ending that made meSorry. Here's Petrenko in an appropriately angst-filled rendition. Great ending.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MnSGPdgrms
Evidently he killed himself because of all the flubbed jumps.as well.
He deserved to kill himself for taking on the role seriously. Let others take this lesson to heart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWkHxtVxVVc
Pang and Tong!
I am now picturing Plushenko as Juliet, playing dead to take a good rest and then waking up to do a quad/quad combo for that end of program bonus.
Last edited by SkateFiguring; 06-23-2012 at 08:39 PM.
Here is Sasha's most innovative Juliet. She fell out of her closing spin and tried to play it off by laying out on the ice and stabbing herself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tyfbMt80C0
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