Ballet Music-Classical

[Benny190891]

Hey everyone, I was wondering who likes ballets/ballet here, since i love the music, and the dance. If so what's your favourite ballet? And which one do you hate? E.g i hate the music to Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet-so many clashing chords and i really hate the orchestration..... blurgh...
But I absolutely love Don Quixote, and Paquita, and Swan Lake-they just seem to bring out so much character from the dancers, like Don Quixote is just so fun to listen to-and Swan Lake is just amazing especially Act 4, i just love it.
I'd be interested in what everyone else thinks!
Regards, Benny

[reith]

Nice to hear from you.



Well...Fonteyn is one of my favourite people! But I'm more into modern ballet and dance. Yes, I like (a good production of) Swan Lake... I accept Prokofiev's R & J (because I have a Fonteyn/Nureyev DVD of that production such as it is). Also very fond of the Royal Danish doing Firebird (the music alone usually sends me to sleep but in that Company's hands??? Like a charge of electricity through me)!

My favourite choreographer and Dance School is Merce Cunningham. A DVD of his "Pond Way" and "Biped" was recently issues, I am SO pleased to say. But I like most of his works.

Most dance gets under my skin, though...I'm a great fan of Caribbean music because it awakens a natural desire to dance, to move.

cheers,
reith

[Benny190891]

haha, i can see you really like contemporary works from your avatar
I agree the Firebird generally sends me to sleep (in a good relaxing way), I've seen a video of it with Fonteyn and another man who i cant remember the name of..... but it didn't really interest me. Maybe if I saw it live it would make a difference.
Have you seen Graeme Murphy's version of Swan Lake (or Nutcracker?)??? It's really contemporary and I think you could get it on DVD over the internet or from the Australian Ballet if you wanted to-I definitely recommend it!
I haven't listened to Caribbean music, but I can imagine that it's very lively and would make you want to move!

Regards, Benny

[Silverfin]

Originally Posted by Benny190891

Hey everyone, I was wondering who likes ballets/ballet here, since i love the music, and the dance. ... i hate the music to Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet-so many clashing chords and i really hate the orchestration..... blurgh...

That's funny - I'm not really into ballet, but Prokofiev R&J is one of the few that I do really like!

Swan Lake of course, but I have to confess I find it hard not to cringe when the big theme suddenly goes into to the major at the end. (Yeah, I know, that bit is supposed to be sublime...) I love the Matthew Bourne version with the male swans.

Onegin ballet I like nearly as much as the opera.

Hm, can't think of any more right now.

Going to see Mayerling next month, as it looked interesting.

[Benny190891]

Haha, oh well, actually I've found that most people I talk to really like R&J-but I guess being the odd one out is fun once in a while

I don't mind the change of key at the end of Swan Lake, but I can understand how you might not like it....
I haven't seen Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake but I've definetely heard of it and seen pictures etc. I think it's on here in Melboune sometime, but I might have to give it a miss-there's always video! hehe

I've only heard snippets of Onegin (the ballet) but I like what I've heard so far!

Well I'm off for now...

Regards, Benny

[reith]

I noticed two DVD reissues appearing shortly - Cage/Cunningham and Points In Space (Merce Cunningham) for those interested in this dance school.