Roslyn Sulcas reviews POB's December 1. 2008 performance of "Raymonda" in the New York Times:

NY Times

An article with photos on "classiquenews":

http://www.classiquenews.com/applaudir/ ... U4N0KSD3UK

The New York Times is not exaggerating. Nor is Le Figaro, nor Altamusica, nor LePost.fr ...

The production is in parlous state.

Whether the ballet should have been revived at all, is moot.

Four hours of unmitigated boredom, at public expense.

Gives Ballet a Bad Name. At the best of times, this is an off-beat art form, burdened with curious, indeed RECONDITE conventions.

So LET US NOT PUSH OUR LUCK.

Back to Raymonda.

The argument is thin. Fair Game. So, what else is new in the ballet?

The score is sickly-sweet. So, what else is new?

The décor and costumes are over the top, and make the men, in particular, look somewhat ridiculous. So, what else is new?

Nureyev has tampered with whatever was left of Petipa's choreography, and has made a thorough-going mess of it. So, what else is new?

The POB, in sharp decline over the past decade for reasons that it would be otiose to discuss here, but that are not precisely unknown, can no longer field a full cast of leaders able to dance with fire and conviction. So, what else is new?

Taken singly, each of these factors could, possibly, be dealt with. Now that I think about it, we DEAL WITH THIS EVERYDAY in the ballet. Goes with the terrain! People have been known to make this sort of twaddle not only look, but BE, great art!

But when such adverse factors bear down upon us, glowering, all at once and in droves, like a herd of Tyranosaurus Rex, this spells TROUBLE.

BIG TIME.

No, the ballet should NOT have been revived. The troupe can no longer deal with it.

This being a Governmental Body, made up of high-ranking civil servants, would it be too much to expect that Someone be answerable to Someone, in that Room at the Top?

While not doubting a word Kanter has written, it is worth pointing out that for all its faults the ballet-starved Parisians are flocking to Raymonda in droves as it is well nigh impossible to get hold of tickets for what is a very lengthy run.

Later this month the Bolshoi's Maria Alexandrova will perform the title role as a guest and I imagine her performance will have Paris reaching for superlatives. Ironically the best version of Raymonda around is Grigorovich's Moscow production which makes sense of the odd story line, retains much of the original choreography and gives fine dramatic opportunities to the cast.

Nureyev went back to Raymonda time and time again and occasionally got bits right (I recommend his Raymonda Act III at the RB), I also remember his strange version for the Australians which appeared almost abstract in concept, but a was a gift of a role for Fonteyn and to this day I've never seen anyone better in the role.

I have the version with Ludmila Semenyaka in the title role with the Bolshoi Ballet on DVD and it is actually quite good--I believe it was filmed in the late 1980's.

Maria Alexandrova

performed "Raymonda" yesterday evening.


She was Magnificent----Just Magnificent !!!!

Maria Alexandrova once said in an interview something like--' you should expect good performances from us because we are after all--"Professionals" '.

After seeing her last Tuesday I would say--"Professional Angels" !