I finally found out the story of Paquita from reading this review of POB from January, 2001:

POB Paquita 2001

Cathy, do you know of any online photos of the POB production?

<small>[ 09-25-2002, 02:53: Message edited by: djb ]</small>

Does anyone know whether the Paquita divertissements that were on the ABT at the Met video included everything that Makarova staged, or was it abridged? I'm asking because the Paquita divertissements on the 1991 Kirov Classics include a pas de trois that isn't on the ABT video.

A preview from OC:

<a href=http://www2.ocregister.com/ocrweb/ocr/editionArticle.do?id=3812&section=SHOW target=_blank>More</a>

I believe the Pas de Trois is in.

Thanks!

Thanks for sniffing out that Paquita summary, djb. Wow... um....wow. That's quite a story. I must admit I never would have guessed from the Paquita excerpts we're so used to seeing!

ME:)

DJB, thanks for sussing out the low down on “Paquita.” That’s quite a professionally written article by Jeannie Szoradi. Can we get her to post on CD if she doesn’t already?

BTW, as ME Hunt commented, knowing the story of “Paquita” won’t spoil the effect of seeing the Makarova “Paquita.” I can attest to this personally, having just got back from seeing San Francisco Ballet’s staging this evening.

Full report to follow but just a few quick 1st night impressions:

As a showcase for Imperial Russian court balletic panache and Petipa style ‘jus-foolin’-‘round,” “Paquita” develops the potential of the Minkus score to its fullest. I’m not sure that’s a good thing. But, anything that brings such great dancers before us is a good thing. I loved the pas de trois (Katita Waldo, Gonzalo Garcia, Vanessa Zahorian). And, Yuan Yuan Tan remains in a class of her own…

Yuri Possokhov’s “The Damned.” I’m not sure I even like it that much, but it offers so “damned” much for thought. For those who like drama and passion, there’s Medea’s role. Lorena Feijoo was amazing tonite (and you must remember that I saw Joanna Berman in the role created on her). For those who like catharsis and anagnoresis what else can you call the infanticide sequence?

For those who like the critical perspective, I think I see an implied critique of the balletic medium as an “ISA” (Ideological State Apparatus) (sorry … no doubt I’ve been reading too much film theory lately). Muriel Maffre is cast for tomorrow’s Medea … can’t wait …

“Sand Paper Ballet.” I hate to admit it, but almost my favorite part of the ballet has nothing to do w/ ballet. It's listening to the audience’s consternation then delight as they recognize “Sleigh Ride” at the ballet’s beginning. It’s like they’re saying to each other, “what the heck is that song doing here at this time of the year.”

On the other hand, “Sand Paper” seems less tight than earlier this year when it then didn’t seem as tight as when it premiered. True, the poofter wrist action and the men’s prancing around Peter Brandenhof in “The Syncopated Clock” was, indeed, much better.

But, really, do they expect us not to notice the slurred batterie beats of “Trumpeter’s Lullaby”; and, that in “Song of the Bells” we couldn’t actually hear any bells? Note to SFB Musical Director: if “Song of the Bells” doesn’t have bells that we can hear, it really will bug us …

Mehunt, can you tell from the last act divertissements what any of the classic ballets are about?

Katita Waldo and Vanessa Zahorian together - I can't wait to see that. They both have very pretty port de bras and a lovely, light quality to their dancing.

Jeff, I was going to fake a response, but it would have made me feel like "The Whore of Mensa." (Have you read that short story?)

"Sleigh Ride" is my favorite part of Sandpaper Ballet. I like hearing everyone laugh at the neighing trumpet.

Ever since I made a few trips to Russia, I haven't been able to get out of the habit of wondering how Russians would react to things I go to see. When I go to movies, I find myself wondering whether certain jokes would be translatable, or whether a funny moment that depends on a knowledge of American pop culture has a Russian equivalent, etc. So of course the first time I saw Sandpaper Ballet, I began to wonder whether a Russian audience (or any other audience, for that matter) would get quite the same kick out of it that Americans balletgoers, most of whom have probably heard at least a few of the pieces used, get out it.

You find nothing about Paquita on POB website who is just a commercial website .

If you want read something about the ballet, I indicate you the French review by René Sirvin

La critique de Paquita, cliquez ici

I know that the ballet will be record this year and passed on TV, certainly Mezzo (they pass this month Belarbi's Hurlevent inspirated by Wuthering Heights and next month Don Quixote with Aurélie Dupont, Manuel Legris, Marie-Agnès Gillot, Jean-Guillaume Bart, Delphine Moussin and Clairemarie Osta).

I adore Sandpaper ballet which is for me a little cute masterwork, I love the Jazz pizzicato and the Jazz Legato for girls and boys. I love also the syncopated clock and the girl in satin, when I saw it it was Muriel Maffre, Lorena Feijoo and Julia Adam who danced it.

Do you know if Lorena Feijoo and Lorna Feijoo have some parenty ?

<small>[ 09-26-2002, 07:24: Message edited by: Cathy ]</small>

Lorena and Lorna Feijoo are sisters, both trained by Alonso and the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. Lorna stayed and Lorena came to SF. By the similar names I once thought they were twin sisters, but apparently not, I believe Lorena is the older.

And Lorna has just recently joined Cincinnati Ballet,with her husband Nelson Madrigal

djb, it's quite true. It made me laugh to think of watching the last act of Sleeping Beauty or Nutcracker or the white act of Bayadere and trying to figure out the story from the divertissements!

i have a friend who just started with SF ballet. he is an apprentice, Brett Vansickle.
he trained starting in hamilton and was accepted to the national ballet school at the age of 14.
he was with ABT studio company last year.
he is definitly one to watch for. he is such an amazing dancer, and an awesome guy. he is good looking and strong... he will make it big!

hopefully i will be able to make my way down there to see them perform at some point.

2nd night impressions … full(er) report to follow, honest its just that unlike when I see the company at the War Memorial Opera House I have the entire commute back home to try and think up quasi-meaningful stuff to say … I know excuses excuses … southern California CD’ers, help me out here …

“Paquita” – wow! Does the Minkus grow on you? No. But, the dancers were awesome. Yesterday, YY Tan and Vadim Solomakha were just warming up the production. Lorena Feijoo was blazing tonite. The entire company seemed more on, as if today was payday. Especially fine were the 4 soloist variations. Kristin Long and Maya Sugano especially full of ballon. And, who is this new face, the girl with such a beautiful andante line (Sarah van Patten)?

“Damned”: Muriel Maffre continues to evolve. Pierre-Franςois Vilanoba, however, needs to evolve. Its been my observation that in the past the company has tended to alternate cast Tan and Maffre for plum roles like the Siren, the Goddess in “Taiko,” etc. Anybody care to speculate what it might mean having Tan cast as the Princess opposite Maffre’s Medea in the same ballet?

“Sandpaper Ballet.” Face it, Cathy, you don’t just love “Jazz Pizzicato,” “Jazz Legato,” etc you love this entire work – which is OK by me because so do I.

Vanessa Zahorian is looking especially zinky in Tina Leblanc’s part in “Jazz Pizzicato.” Lorena Feijoo looks unexpectedly right in Leslie Young’s solo in “The Girl in Satin” but I wasn’t sorry to see Young and Catherine Winfield alongside. On the other hand, seeing Julie Diana in “Balladette” (is it "Balladette"?) tonite reminds me that nobody else looks quite right there.

DJB, check me on this: Isn’t Marxist critical theory on the RAD syllabus? ISA's right between frappés and jétes?

Listen, everyday Jeff is at a 400 or 500 level seminar/colloquium class is a Whore-of-Mensa day. If I gave you a bob for every time something perfectly frightful came out of my mouth, you’d be able to float your own ballet company (with enough left over to make even the Board of Directors happy). Over summer I was the only non-history major in a 400 level history, “Senior Colloquium World War I,” and the results were not pretty.

Dance Chicka, I didn’t see Brett Vansickle cast either evening but I’ll be sure to look for him.

Cathy, thanks for the link to the POB review. The costumes are beautiful. I used reverso.com for the translation, and it worked quite well. But I had to chuckle at the translation of "un Grand Pas" as "a Big Not."

Jeff, I think Marxist critical theory is more likely in the Vaganova syllabus (or was).

<small>[ 09-27-2002, 03:58: Message edited by: djb ]</small>

Oops. DJB, I think I owe you a bob.