Bolshoi Ballet - Paquita Grand pas - w/ Zakharova -1/6

1/6 of Yuri Burlaka's staging of the Mazurka des enfants, Grand Pas classique & Pas de trois from "Paquita" for the Bolshoi Ballet. November 17, 2008. Moscow, Russia. Set design by Alyona Pikalova, costumes by Yelena Zaitseva.


**Cast -

--Paquita - Svetlana Zakharova
--Lucien d'Hervilly - Adrei Uvarov
--Classical variations - Yekaterina Shipulina, Yelena Andrienko, Yekaterina Krysanova, Marianna Ryzhkina, Anna Leonova, Anna Antonicheva, Natalia Osipova, Nadezhda Gracheva, Maria Alexandrova, Svetlana Zakharova & Andrei Uvarov


**Résumé of dances -

1. Prélude (Drigo & Minkus - this number consists of a small part of the polacca variation Drigo wrote for Anna Pavlova's performance in "The Pharaoh's Daughter", 1903)
2. Mazurka des enfants (Minkus)
3. Entrée (Minkus)


**Notes on the reconstruction -

For this staging, Yuri Burlaka has revived the Grand pas classique from "Paquita" closer to the way it was danced at the turn of the 20th century under Petipa's supervision. Choreographic notation from the Sergeyev Collection (created circa 1904-05) was used to help stage this version, but I don't think that Burlaka has followed it 100% ... it has merely served as a "base", if you will. Other sources from the Bakhrushin State Central Theatre Museum in Moscow were also utilized. The notation also assisted in staging the many variations that are typically included. The famous Pas de trois has also been restored to its original form, at least musically.

In my opinion this is the world's definitive staging of the Grand pas classique, pas de trois, & Children's Mazurka. My only complaint is that the Minkus penned numbers have been given an unnecessary re-orchestration à la Lanchbery. It is the usual round of decorative orchestral effects that most theatre's musical directors can't seem to resist when attempting to transform Minkus's original, simple arrangements. But, fortunately, this re-orchestration of Minkus as heard here is not nearly as nauseating as the absolutely appalling job that the Bolshoi recently did to Pugni's score for "The Pharaoh's Daughter".


**History of the Grand pas classique, pas de trois, & Mazurka des enfants:

"Paquita" was originally staged in 1846 at the Paris Opéra by the Ballet Master Joseph Mazilier & the composer Eduard Deldevez. The ballet was staged especially for the great Carlotta Grisi.

In 1847 Marius Petipa & Pierre-Frédéric Malevergne staged "Paquita" for the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg, with the ballerina Yelena Andreyonova in the title role.

In 1881 Petipa staged his definitive revival of the ballet for the benefit performance of the Prima ballerina Ekaterina Vazem (noted as the first Nikiya "La Bayadère" & teacher of generations of the Mariinsky's greatest ballerinas). For his 1881 revival, Petipa added the famous Grand pas classique to new music by Ludwig Minkus, as well as a classical Pas de trois & a Mazurka for children of the theatre school.

Petipa's original 1881 staging of the Grand pas classique consisted of only one variation for the lead ballerina that was performed by Ekaterina Vazem (Zakharova performs this solo in clip 6/6). There is no evidence that the lead male - originally danced by the Imperial Ballet's Premier danseur Pavel Gerdt - performed a variation at all.

The tradition of having a myriad of classical variations featured in the Grand pas classique began in 1896 at a gala performance held at Peterhof in honor of Empress Catherine II, with Mathilde Kschessinskaya in the lead. But it was for Enrico Cecchetti's farewell benefit of 1902 at the Mariinsky Theatre that the tradition really took off. Cechetti was not only a celebrated dancer but a beloved teacher, & every one of the Mariinsky's leading danseuses wanted to participate in the gala - it was decided that they should all choose their favorite variations from various works to perform as a sort of "variations marathon" to honor Maestro Cecchetti. From then on, it was tradition to include an entire suite of solos in the Grand pas classique when it was performed as a gala piece.

Anna Pavlova was the first to bring the Grand pas classique outside of Russia. Her Ballet Master Ivan Clustine staged a version of it for her company's repertory that was performed during the 1910s & 20s (the famous conductor Richard Bonynge recorded the complete arrangement that Pavlova used, which can be found on the 2-CD "Ballet Gala"). Rudolf Nureyev's & Natalia Makarova's respective versions of the Grand pas classique are the first to really find a permanent place in the ballet repertory outside of Russia, & ever since the Grand pas classique has been staged all over the world in various versions that differ based on whichever combination of the extra solos they contain.


Well, enough of my long & detailed notes...at least for now!

--ENJOY!!

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Bolshoi
• Ballet
• Paquita
• grand
• Pas
• Classique
• Svetlana
• Zakharova
• Andrei
• Uvarov
• Petipa
• Minkus

[SaxonBiggy]

The orchestrations are not Minkus?

[mrlopez2681]

oh goodness no! Im not sure who did this re-orchestration but I've noticed that it was mostly done to the Minkus-penned numbers.....I really think that the aim of this orchestration was to get a result that would be as if Drigo orchestrated it himself. It is very much in his style with regards to orchestration.

[palubob]

I never get enough of your long and detailed notes. Please keep them coming. We all derive great benefit from your research.

[retusina]

The Kirov Ballet does it waaaaay better.

[mrlopez2681]

@DehManesBllt - The Kirov/Mariinsky is certainly not "shit" - as far as classicism goes they have NO equal on earth. However, when it comes to their repertory (or rather, their treatment of it), there's alot to be desired.

[DehManesBllt]

@retusina of course not... Kirov Ballet is shit! They can't even make good versions of some ballets... sorry, they are the worst company ever! like ABT and others

[EvanescenceROCKSS]

i actually quite liked Zakharova's two main variations in the pharao's daughter. (the underwater scene variation and the other one. don't know what it is called but it is straight after the pas de deux of her and englishman.) I thought the music was lovely, but it wouldn't be a ballet i would like to see in full. A little boring, to be honest.

[FyreBalletDancer]

@chibiguy93 lol of course she is it's Svetlana Zakharova !! :))

[missdancerism]

OMG! That is like egsaxtly the same as what my studio did, but we just didn't do it on pointe! Thats pretty cool!!

[missdancerism]

why do you need an introduction of music that long?

[katieballerina001]

I danced in this ballet when the Bolshoi came to the Royal Opera House in 2010!! I was the 4th boy on! Although I am a girl.. but I played a boy!

[chibiguy93]

The girl who comes in at 7:27 is freakin amazing.

[mrlopez2681]

@Deh280494 - NO WAY?! Of course the Mariinsky does it way better, but the Bolshoi has the better staging.

[Deh280494]

@retusina Stupid....No WAY