Tonight was the first performance of Gallotta' Nosferatu. This command for 40 dancers, is not based on the true story of Nosferatu. Here it's not the vampire with blood transmission but dance transmission. It appears very difficult to make a critical comment of this spectacle. Let us start with the set, which consist of an tall scene curved in its medium and raised, with the result that all the first ranks of orchestra are neutralized. A timber structure and an immense cone of light to the top. And intrigues it, difficult to summarize Nosferatu, it should be said that the argument is not very readable, if it is not the fact that Nosferatu make that people to dance on his passage, of the duets, trios and sets follow one another, are done, are demolished.<P>The first table is primarily female with the corps de ballet vêtu either of little skirts, or of trousers, opened shirt maker, or life jacket, or tee-shirt. The second table on the contrary is based only on the male. The third table consists of a whole of pdd for the five principal characters a pdd for Isoart and Martinez, splendid, just as the pdd Osta Baey, follows a more conventional pdd between Juliette Gernez (new coryphée)and Phavorin. All the corps de ballet and the soloists meet at the end in an overall dance, at the end all seem to fall like " dead " except Nosferatu and a young woman danced by Juliette Gernez who succeeds Clairemarie Osta the last to succumb to Nosferatu. <P>The contemporary technique is very traditional in its invoice, choreography makes think of moments of West Side Story, undoubtedly the side trousers and tennis shoes and also with a given ballet it is a long time by the GRCOP, Massacre on MacDougal Street. Nothing really good in this choreography, but the spectacle let see it without true trouble if it's not the repetitive side of the music of Dusapin in the same way choreographiccaly speaking. One can notice in the corps de ballet Francesco Vantaggio, Nicolas Paul, Vincent Cordier at the men or Mirentchu Battut, Myriam Kamionka, Nathalie Vandard in the girls.<P>José Martinez is a superb Nosferatu with the undulating gestures to him, when he dance throught the crowd, or looking from the side on the stage. He moves as a "snake" He has an amazing contemporary movement just as Gil Isoart and Stéphane Phavorin. Gil Isoart is splendid in the danced duets or pdd. Their sides, Clairemarie Osta, Delphine Baey and Juliette Gernez camp the three héroines female. The links between the various characters are difficult to understand. At one time Clairemarie Osta close to suicide and she is saved by Nosferatu. Baey seems like charmed by Osta, just as Isoart by Martinez. Besides Baey has a look close to that of Nosferatu (Martinez, having a wig with long hair). Is the female follower of this one. <P>Finally in short, a very complex ballet with mitigated success, undoubtedly of more with ununderstanding of the intrigue that to the talent of the dancers which is immense. How many troups are able to dance Paquita and a month after such a contemporary creation ? Some traditional whistles resounded when Gallotta greeted, but sporadic whistles. The room seemed attentive with what occurred on scene. The Ballet of the Opera of Paris still proves the vastness of its talents and its capacity with all to dance.<P><p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited May 02, 2001).]

Wow. Thanks for the description, Cathy. I wish I could see this performance.

Many thanks from me too Cathy. Writing reviews is never easy, but writing one in another language certainly multiplies the effort required.<P>Thanks to you we have a clear view of this new work from an outstanding Company.<BR>

I forget two things :<BR>At first, it's the homosexual aspect of some pdd, I mean at this first in third table between Nosferatu/Martinez and Isoart, which is take again by Osta/Baey with the same choreography, same movements, and finished by an heterosexual pdd danced between Gernez and Phavorin.<BR>At the end, it's perhaps normal that just Gernez was again "alive" because she was the first in 1st table to be contaminate by Nosferatu.<BR>Other thing, it't the opposite between the two gallotta' pieces at POB repertory. One side, this Nosferatu in Darkness, set up very dark, as the underway area in West Side Story, dark costums too and the lightening Variations d'Ulysse, set blue, white costums as mediterranean mood evocated by Ulysse's name.<p>[This message has been edited by Cathy (edited May 03, 2001).]

<P>Jean-Claude Gallotta<P><BR><B>A l'Opéra-Bastille, José Martinez mène en maître le bizarre 'Nosferatu' de Jean-Claude Gallotta</B><P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Saluons en priorité la performance de José Martinez. On adore son Nosferatu, claudicant, éperdu et doux. Il cherche ses proies comme un jeune chat une souris, croquerait volontiers aussi du jeune garçon, le sang frais n'a pas de sexe après tout. Tandis qu'une partie du Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris danse Le Parc d'Angelin Preljocaj et La Bayadère, dans la version de Noureev, à San Francisco et à Los Angeles, le chorégraphe Jean-Claude Gallotta dispose de l'immense plateau de l'Opéra-Bastille pour sa création Nosferatu et des trente-six danseurs qu'il a choisis. Pour la deuxième fois, Brigitte Lefèvre, directrice de la danse, fait confiance à l'artiste : en 1995, elle lui avait demandé de remonter sa pièce culte Ulysse (datant de 1984), prototype d'une danse lumineuse et abstraite. Il revient aujourd'hui avec un Nosferatu qui se veut le "négatif d'Ulysse" : à savoir une pièce dramatique et expressionniste. Le ballet blanc et le ballet noir. Mais une seule et même griffe : le style Gallotta.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><A HREF="http://www.lemonde.fr/article/0,5987,3246--180017-,00.html" TARGET=_blank><B>More...</B></A><P>[Edited by Azlan to fix image]<p>[This message has been edited by Azlan (edited May 05, 2001).]

Cathy, I am intrigued by this ballet. Do you know who did the lighting design and the costumes?

ligthing are by Dominique Bruguiere who works especially for lyrics. Costumes are by Olivier Bierrot who work for french movies. <BR>Dramaturgy is by Claude Henri Buffard a french writer I don't know really. Scenography is by Daniel Jeanneteau and Laure Delatte.

<font size =2><B><I>Nosferatu de Jean-Claude Gallotta à l'Opéra de Paris </B></I><BR>René Sirvin - Imagidanse</font><P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><BR>Pas plus que Les Variations d’Ulysse créées à l’Opéra-Bastille en 1995 ne faisaient référence à l’Odyssée, pas plus la nouvelle création de Jean-Claude Gallotta pour le Ballet de l ‘Opéra de Paris n’évoque le célèbre film de Murnau d’après le roman de Bram Stoker, Dracula. Le chorégraphe avait prévenu le public : en aucun cas il ne voulait créer un ballet anecdotique. Quand Brigitte Lefèvre lui avait demandé une nouvelle pièce pour l’Opéra-Bastille, Jean-Claude Gallotta avait décidé d’opposer au clair, lumineux et transparent Ulysse, un spectacle sombre, agité et opaque. Rien cependant d’effrayant, de fantastique ou de sanglant dans ce Nosferatu, mais un climat de mystère dans une pénombre troublante.<BR><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><a href="http://www.imagidanse.com/francais/presse/05-Mai-01/Nosferatu.html"target=_blank"><B>Pour en lire plus</B></a><BR><p>[This message has been edited by Cathy (edited June 19, 2001).]

We want to know more about Jose Martinez please write us about him.<BR>S.V.P

José Martinez is born in Spain, he made his dance studies at Rosella Hightower Cannes center and after won 1st prize in Lausanne, he joined POB School of dance in first division. In the School performance, he danced First cadet in Graduation Ball, and make first soloist role in Soir de fête in New York (Julliard School) Tour.<BR>He joined the company in september 1988 as stagiaire at 19 years.<BR>He becomes coryphée at his first internal competition and in the young dancer performance is cast in Grand pas classique besides of Agnès Letestu. <BR>In 1990, he becomes sujet and dances Lysandre role in Midsummer night dream as well as Manuel Legris or Olivier Patey (Etoile, premier danseur). He is also cast in Divertimento 15 as soloist beside of Claude de Vulpian (performance danced in Favart), he interpreted leading role in Le Tricorne from Massine where his spanish origin are well used in rhe famous jota.<BR>In 1991 he received Arop prize, which is a prize gift by the audience of this Organisation for the Bright of POB.<BR>In 1992, he won 1st Senior Men Prize in Varna competition (Same year than Aurelie Dupont in Junior), he has also Carpeaux prize which is gift by press professionnal<BR>He becomes Premier danseur in 1993 and is cast in the POB creation of Mats Ek' Giselle (Hilarion), he dances also classical one as well as Espada in Don Quixote or leading man role in Theme and Variation besides of her partner (on stage and in live) Agnès Letestu.<BR>After he dance all the classical role Siegfried in Nureyev Swan Lake, Till Eulenspiegel, Etudes, In the Middle, Paris and Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, Solor in Bayadère.<BR>He created Coppelius in Bart version of Coppelia where he is absolutely wonderful as well as in Rapsody from Ashton where he alternate with Legris (and personally I find José better in this role). He dance also Desire from Sleeping Beauty, Drosselmeyer from Nutcracker<BR>After the performance James in Lacotte' Sylphide, the 31 mai 1997 he is nominated Etoile. <BR>He continue to add role to his repertory as Soir de fête (this time in etoile and not just as School dance pupil), he dances also Variations d'Ulysse by Gallotta, he loves character roles as Lescaut or Cinderella Mother in Nureyev version. He dances also Paquita (Lacotte version)<BR>For POB he created Attentat poetique from Larrieu, Passacaille (Roland Petit), Pas/Parts (Forsythe), Appartement (Mats Ek), Le Concours (Magician role -Béjart), Jewels (Diamonds leading role), Stepping stones (Kylian) and naturly Nosferatu by Gallotta.<P>His dance is make from virtuosity, elegance, mùsicality, high technical level, one of her most beautiful dance was the Prince meditation in Sleeping Beauty (Nureyev variation), he is a pirouette man even it's also a jumper but he know how alternate slowly and quick pirouette.<BR>Actually he is in Berlin to dance Bart' Swan Lake version instead of injuried Oliver Matz<BR>For the end of the season he must dance Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet. We could think the next season, he will dance again Hilarion or Coppelius, as well as Solor, Basilio.<BR>It's one of the best dancer of POB with Legris and Bart, he is a french style dancer with a great sense of play.<BR>

<BR>Merci beaucoup<BR>Thank you very much<BR>Muchas Gracias

<B>Nosferatu at the Palais Garnier</B><BR>By Patricia Boccadoro, Culturekiosque<P><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><P>PARIS, 4 June 2001 - Since seeing Jean-Claude Gallotta's 1987 work, Mammame, which triumphed at the International Festival of New Dance in Montreal, each of his subsequent pieces has been something of a let-down. Although easy on the eye, his ballets have been vague, wishy-washy and choreographically speaking, lightweight if not empty, only saved recently by Dominique Bruguière, his gifted lighting technician. <P><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><a href ="http://www.culturekiosque.com/dance/reviews/nosferatu.html?mailhit"target=_blank"<B>More informations</B></a><p>[This message has been edited by Cathy (edited June 07, 2001).]

Ouch.<P>But I am sure lighting designers worldwide loved the opening paragraph!