Economics of Ballet

http://ballettothepeople.com/2012/07/14/is-the-future-of-ballet-permanently-in-the-red/#comment-311


The economics of ballet?  Ugh!!  I have just entered into the back and forth on Eddie Villella's departure from Miami and the inherent tensions between artists and their benefactors.  Please, can we just enjoy the artistic vision and let the deep pockets exit stage left when they feel they have had enough.  There is no way around this one.   Didn't you recognize Rome's "It Girl" on Michelangelo's ceiling with all those other heavenly creatures?   Money talks and great artist do what they need to do to get their vision out there, even if that means putting your patron in the picture (once in awhile).   At the end of the day, er uh century, we remember Michelangelo and we remember Villella and his contributions to dance in New York and Miami.   That is the power of great art and I say it trumps great money.

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Enchante Mesdames and Messieurs,

Do you feel good?  Life is beautiful at the Paris Opera Ballet's Giselle which Degas thoroughly enjoyed last Friday, Friday the 13th no less.  It was a journey into Grimm fairy land with the beautiful Aurelie Dupont and the handsome Mathieu Ganio in the lead roles.  The Paris Opera is of course different from our companies because the dancers live and breath Paris Opera from their first tendu to their final reverance.  The wealth of shared experiences creates a uniform style which perfectly suited Giselle.

Oh my, what comportment these dancers hold and how we are carried away by their magic to enter the haunting world of the Wilis in an exquisite Act II.  We all know that Giselle has lost her two timing lover and died with a broken heart.  Giselle has entered the realm of Wilis betrayed by their betrothed and they taunt her to engage in their deadly revenge on bad dudes.  Aurelie gives us a spirit that is not of this earth (that comportment again) and beautifully protects her prince from the Wilis with only glimpses of the young girl she once was.  Who cannot visualize a deceased loved one answering our earthly plea.  We know our love is not really present.

Shame on Alastair Macauley in his New York Times review commenting the dancers are not inhabiting their role and demonstrate "Brechtian alienation."   Otherworldliness is precisely the point of this company's interpretation and removes us from the familiar so we can enter a world of our dreams, which often are disturbing quite frankly. The technical proficiency of the Paris Opera Ballet frees them to convey such artistic mastery and they keep their efforts beautifully hidden.

 Life is disappointing?...Forget it!  Here life is beautiful...The girls are beautiful...Even the orchestra is beautiful.  So Alastair, just go to the Cabaret.  Now that's Brecht.