I couldn't take my eyes off Rudy. There's just something about Rudy... he connects with the audience. He loves us and we can't help loving him back. I loved the way he cared for Merle in their dancing. She danced beautifully but my heart belongs to Rudy. 💖
From the onset, Rudi was determined to reign as a dancer. His charisma is studied, but his considerable magnetism is innate. His ambition as a performer is as legendary as his creativity. He contemplates, discovers and enters into the characters that he presents on stage - to our delight! With Dame Merle, you can see that he worked very diligently to make their pairing in this Pas de Deux as distinctive and memorable as possible. Were she not a show stopper herself, Rudi could not have looked as good (even given his remarkable bone structure and animated eyes). At the beginning of his career, he specifically sought out those artists at a higher level of achievement/ renown than his own: because he learned very quickly and absorbed constantly from the many greats that he artistically paired with.
Thank you to sharing. The choregraphy of Nureyev is so compicated - most of the dancers in his time is could't to make it in whole brilliance. But the year is not 1963! This is BBC broadcast from 1968! It's impostant.
This is ballet at a high level. Nureyev matches Park line for line. Their connection to the emotional albeit grandiose score is amazing. They fill the phrase out completely, they take their time and are on the music, they feel it the same way. They breathe at the same time. It's completely lovely. Thanks for posting this. It's nice to see Nureyev's handsome face again.
I sincerely wonder, from all the glowing comments, am I blind? I love Merlel Park but here, not at all. However, the costumes were truly gorgeous and extravagant. When I first saw her standing there with that exquisite crown on her head, it was a magnificent sight to behold!
I find the costumes rather garish... but that's kind of where Rudi was by 1968. There are some lovely moments in his Nutcracker, and he brought aspects of the Vasili Vainonen version of the Kirov's Nutcracker to the west but, as usual with Rudi's choreography, the man never saw a rond de jambe he didn't like and some of the lifts are hard to watch.
Compare what they achieved....with what others have on UA-cam... Your eyes will open quickly. I just found this on UA-cam in Jan 2022 - and it is the best on film - without question.....UNLESS your personal preferences happen to be outside the appreciation of the Romantic movement that created this work.
This is the only version I've found so far where the choreoghraphy hits just right at 4:07. I'm not a music person, so this might sound clunky, but every time the music goes does it's dramatic "dun", the dancers hit a different position, and I feel that just works so so much better than other choreography I've seen where they hold positions longer, and so the dramatic "dun"'s are often without movement. It's hard to articulate when you can't remember the correct words, but essentially this choreography matches the music very very well!
Incredible! By the way, this pas de deux is not from 1963. Nureyev's first revised look at the 1892 Tchaikovsky-Ivanov classic was first seen in 1967 in Stockholm. In 1968, he mounted a similar and completely original version of the Nutcracker for the Royal Ballet. It was that production, with Nureyev and Merle Park in the leading roles, that was performed the same year at the Met in New York when the Royal Ballet toured for six weeks. It is a most unorthodox piece, highly stylized and almost rococo in its ornate presentation, at times almost mocking the formal, glittering showmanship of the Mariinsky as it developed at the end of the 19th Century. At any rate, it is so technically demanding that the Paris Opera was unable to do it gracefully in 1988--the video clip that exists proves that even those who tried hard were unable to manage it gracefully. It requires such close team work, incredible timing and strength and combines both Nureyev's unique introduction of parallel movement into the 20th century pas de deux as well as the showmanship and stunts characteristic of the late 19th century Marinksy. He obscures his emotions to show off the ballerina, not something he usually does, in the name of reviving the art of the traditional Russian danseur noble. I believe the Berlin Ballet did a revival recently; there was a DVD of it on sale of it in the Met Gift Shop a few years ago. Parks flawless solo is not something many ballerinas are capable of today, in spite of the fact that her extensions are low and her feet are not quite as sharply pointed as we might like she moves on air, twirling, spinning and stopping right on the beat when the music demands it of her. Not your every day pas de deux but breathtaking.
Yes, a completely original Nutcracker, highly stylized, combining both both the showmanship and formality of the late 19th century Marinsky ballet and the use of parallel body movement that Nureyev introduced into the pas de deux in general in the 20th century. Here, he restrains the force and charisma of his personality by playing the traditional Russian danseur noble and showing off the ballerina. Clara goes through the transformation from child to woman and instead of watching the Sugar Plum Fairy dance this pas de deux, dances it herself. She conveys the glittering, hard edged beauty of the ballerinas of the Marinsky in the late 19th century. It is a truly unique piece and not what we're used to looking at from him--takes some knowledge of ballet history to appreciate it beyond the incredible technical demand of the piece. Few dancers today are capable of performing this--it takes close team work and incredible timing.
Beautiful dancing! Makes me swoon from so much beauty! I must say though, I did not care for the opening with Rudi mirroring her moves. I did not mind so much later in the dance that he was with her exactly, move for move, but I did feel that Nureyev performed too many arabesques, plain and simple. As I watched I thought, "Oh, there he goes yet again with another needless arabesque." In classical pas de deux, the man is charged with the task of presenting his partner so that she always looks most beautiful. He is, after all, in love with her. Or should be. In Balanchine's work, marvelous as it is, this characteristic of the man presenting the woman is exaggerated to the point that the man amounts to little more than a porter schlepping the ballerina around the stage. So I do get it that Nureyev wanted to dance more without being merely the stooge behind the ballerina. Here, by the way, Merle looks glorious, as attended by Rudi. However, I was also a bit put off by the final move with her balanced on his hip and him on one foot. The last pose ought to give us a sense of stability, solidity -- after all the dangerous balances and turns. Thanks for reading my thoughts on the subject.
I like this choregraph. It is truly " the dance of the two" ! Technically very demanding but delivered gracefully. Master piece to watch. Thank for the posting and the informative reply.
Координация высочайшего уровня,,не говоря о музыкальности,артистизму.Мерле Парк и РудольфНуреев,!!!Об этой редакции РНуреева говорила известная искусствовед британская.
Wow!, what a wonderful artist!, absolutely fascinating, unique, incomparable, Rudolf Nureyev forever and ever!!, Merle Park is amazing!, many thanks Nane for sharing this jewel!
Thanks SO much for posting this. this is, in my view, is just spectacular. Lyrical, fabulous choreogaphy and so elegant and effortless. It's such a treat to see this. I watch it again and again.
This is so interesting to watch as a young ballet dancer who's technically a part of Gen Z. Once past the simple disposition that comes from of course viewing in a day and age where the legs are beyond high in the air, it's quite enjoyable to watch. There are things with today's knowledge im sure would be executed differently (preparation and transitional steps) if this were to have been created in the modern day. I appreciated how undoubtedly good some of the dynamics and foundations were of the dancing itself. I couldn't stop watching Merle's back foot as she took her bow. Something about that shoe and her feet just felt so whole. Yet I could still appreciate both separately working as one entity. Coordination was paramount in this choreography and the musicality of dancers today would be such an interesting pairing if this was reimagined/reworked.
Completely breathtaking! Ils sont si dynamiques et au diapason. But technically he dances much better than her. He takes risks which makes him fascinating and sublime.!!
To be fair: as a healthy young man he would be stronger, swifter, & capable of exerting more dramatic impact. But her delicatesse, silken graciousness & ability to be so confidently in sync without being overpowered by him...to me, is breathtaking too
I absolutely love the ballet style the arm movements are sooo elegant. As a kid I wanted to be a ballerina he brought me to ballets in the city and I had a music box with this beautiful ballerina that would move around the mirror it was a swan lake theme.
I found this pas de deux fun to watch as I have been used to seeing the original choreography. I believe the reason none of these moves are now being made is that there isn't a danseur noble capable of doing it! I just loved this performance.
It indeed could have dangerous for Dame Merle if Rudi's attention and commitment were not so perfect...or if his strength were waning.... This is an amazing, timeless, artistic miracle - to appreciate and to savor in the realm of legendary ballet performances❤
Those lifts! Incredible. The choreography here is fantastic though I prefer the version where the male lead spins the ballerina repeatedly at the very end - somehow I feel it fits the music better.
This was not 1963.This production was staged in 1968 With Merle Park and Rudolph Nureyev. I also saw her dance the role with Donald Macleary,Wayne Sleep as the Nutcracker,and Monica Mason as one of the Snowflakes.It was one of the most ravishing proctions of this ballet.With scenery and costumes by Nicholas Georgiadis.I paid £2.2.0 shillings for my stalls seat.!!!
I adore this, it now looks very old fashioned and formal, and their technique does not measure up to modern standards, but I think the formality and grandiosity fits this music, some of the grandest and most beautiful music in all of ballet.
came back again: still very intriguing , highly contextualized in history of ballet and thus very esoteric, even unrecognizable to the lay/contemporary eye. but doesn't it make you WONDER when watching closely, just what is going on ?? why their physical phrasing/timing is consistent in a given solo, and yet so unobviously aligned with the score ? how difficult that is in its own right ? how difficult some of her pointe work is, perhaps even by today's considerably high working-professional standards ?
Rudolph partnering is perfection! Merle Park (who I saw when the Royal Ballet came to the Met and I know that you did too )was clumsy (see 4.09 approx. ) when he twirls her and she comes down like a dead weight. 'm sure I grimaced. She was a step behind him on every beat! . It was so disconcerting . ...The costumes were so exquisitely lavish and for me, they hid her lack of musicality in this performance. I wondered "was she tired? (of course every ballet dancer has "a right" to be tired) Once when she "landed" (I think it was a fish dive I don't know the exact name) I could actually see poor Rudoph needed to take a breath. It took 5 or 6 times watching before I noticed this. You have to watch carefully and I know you will Janet! Thank you for the history you shared! I learned a lot! It took watching this four or five times before I noticed all this I love the way one can never see his hands. A great partner, for sure! Happy New Year!
I want to so badly study the workings of his menage here to find better or more transitions for the coupe jete section. 😂 It would be so lovely to see a jump x2 of some sort into the menage or maybe even possibly a reworking of Revlotade. Pardon my terrible American text-style commenting * 😂
Ambos espectaculares muy bien trabajado Nureyev siempre el mejor nadie podra superarlo hoy en dia es gimnacia olimpica se ve bien pero falta mucha tecnica.
I think it is old fashioned, technically brilliant dancing. But still so wrong for the piece. At times it looks like they are doing a class exercise and they are so self important in the delivery it makes me cringe. The music is filled with wonder and sweetness and a touch of sad longing- but I get none of that from this staging.
It's not you. In my opinion this choreography is wrong for this music and classical style. The choreographer tried to do a different and even more 'modern' pas de deux but he just failed. The movement doesn't flow at all.
After reading such glowing (and historically contextualized) comments on this popular pas de deux, I was surprised to see such shakiness in execution. Trembling, quaking, infiltrated with adjustments... Compared to the many seamless renditions offered by other dancers, this may be credited for its ambition but must be admitted to be sloppy.
What you’re seeing is some of the most challenging choreography for this Pas De Deux ever created. This is more difficult to complete than most versions and they do it darned well.
While I love the fact that evidence of this exists on a historical level, what in blazes is this??? This is by far the WORST choreography I have EVER seen for this pas de deux. It starts out looking like a boring class exercise performed by a precision corpse duo, and then, the toe hop section?!?, the jarringly awkward series of lifts a la Dance Fever? I was AGOG staring at this...the final pose in the adagio? With her hoisted on his hip with him in arabesque? O....M...G...toooooo much. I haven't even made it to the rest of it yet....MIND BOGGLING.
This original version of The Nutcracker pas de deux by Nureyev may not appeal to every viewer, but it is worth examining because it is exceptional in two ways. In it Nureyev abandons doing the thing that made him famous both in Russia and the west, surrendering his ability to bring intensely emotional and personal interpretations to male roles in classical ballets. Here, he chooses to fulfill the traditional concept of a Russian male partner in a ballet: a man who supports the ballerina and obscures his emotions. Why would he choose to do this? This is not your ordinary project. It may feel strange to the eye, but there is a reason. As a choreographer, Nureyev chooses to stage the pas de deux in a manner characteristic of the 19th Century Russian pas de deux--a spectacle in which the ballerina was presented as a hard-edged, ornate, glittering queen. Regal, confident and in command of her world, her male counterpart carried her in the air, spun her like a top and hurled her about in his arms, never so much as displacing a curl on her forehead. Is it formal? Yes. Is it ornate? Yes. Is it ugly? Absolutely not--if you know your ballet history. This was how they did it up in 19th Century at the Mariinsky. Wearing an extravagant costume adorned by jewels and a tiara the size of a crown, the ballerina represents the power and wealth of Imperial Russia. In service of his overarching design of the ballet, Nureyev faithfully plays his part as an old fashioned danseur noble. Still, he is fully present and never erases himself. His withholding of emotions may feel uncomfortable for some viewers for it's not what we're used to seeing. Further, Nureyev improves on the extremism of the 19th Century pas de deux by adding components of his unique contribution to the 20th Century pas de deux, something he began to introduce after he began his partnership with Fonteyn. In this pas de deux, we can see his use of parallel movement. It unifies the man and woman and brings them into a more intimate relationship. This was but one component of his innovative concept of the pas de deux as a dialogue between two equals (rather than a conversation in which one person is mute). The parallel movement mirrors Tchaikovsky's use of multi-layered strings, underscoring the intensity of emotions implicit in the struggle of personal transformation, the primary theme of the ballet. Clara is a child in Act I, but by the time she dances this pas de deux, she has undergone the rite of passage from girlhood to womanhood. With the help of the Nutcracker Prince, essentially a construction, not a three dimensional character, she makes the transition flawlessly. (Because he is a construction Nureyev's choice to play him in the traditional manner of the Russian danseur noble works especially well.) By the end of Clara's odyssey, she is a 19th Century Russian goddess--sparkling but remote in her hard-edged glory. Nureyev' choice to idolize her this way is an ironic one, but is consistent with his repeated use of extremes throughout the ballet. In the course of a transformation, one extreme is pulling against its opposite. At the peak of their struggle, something new emerges. Nureyev's psychological interpretation of the story suggests he was steeped in Freud and familiar with his theory of the Oedipus Complex. Clara resolves her anger over her helplness as a child and a girl (the boys break her Nutcracker!) by latching onto the doll given her by Heir Drosselmeyer. Eccentric, elderly and wise, he is keenly aware that Clara is standing on a precipice. He has the time and wherewithal to take an interest in her happiness. (Parents are too busy keeping their social world afloat and getting the children tucked in at the end of the night.) Clara senses his benevolence and in her dream, Heir Drosselmeyer transforms into a handsome prince. He rescues her from the rats in her parents 19th century home and she goes on a wonderful adventure. Rather than watching a projection of herself as the Sugar Plum Fairy, she transforms into a woman--a glittering queen in full command of herself. The Nutcracker Prince helps Clara elevate her image of herself. With a man at her side, she can magnify her power ten times. This is symbolized by the first step in the pas de deux, when each dancer raises up in arabesque and Nureyev holds Parks hand, enabling her to balance endlessly. Here, he echoes the psychological dynamic of the Rose Adagio. Aurora's test is one of trust; Clara must allow the Nutcracker to help her overcome her fears. Nureyev had great compassion for the character of Clara. Perhaps her fears reflected his fears own fears of the world as a child in Ufa--fear that he would never escape the poverty and limitations of his life, fear that he might never fulfill his dream of becoming the greatest dancer in the world. His vision of Clara's journey is filled with extremes, as was his life.
+Janet Shannon Respect for your very long comment! But I don't think that most people understand what you mean. They and I see a mechanical, emotionless choreography. That's the problem of ballet anyway: you must think not feel. That's why ordinary people don't like it. But for this performance here there's a lot of thinking necessary...I don't know how many years someone must have watched ballets and how many of them, but what you say about the story and the choreography makes me just shake my head. And also: I never believed that it's possible to express what somebody wants to say with dancing. With pantomime and universal moving - yes. But not with dancing. Without costumes, music and set nobody would understand a dancer. Put a dancer into a shopping mall, let him/her wear a leotard and let him try to express what he means only by dancing. Let him or her tell a story. I bet: nobody will understand what that man is trying to say.
+janet shannon sorry to disagree, but there's very little originality about this production. nureyev lifted from vainonen what he could remember, and sprinkled liberaly with grigorovich and yakobson bits for the sensationalistic touch. it's packed with difficult steps and devoid of any sense of phrasing. the only original bits are the nasty ones, mice ripping off clara's dress, relatives as bats (or vampires?), the NOT benevolent drosselmeyer as prince, and other assorted post-freudian bits. not a shred of family love or youthful dreams of perfection. why the paris opera schedules the production in the christmas season is a mystery to me.
flotteluft Sorry to say I disagree with you.. Indian Classical dance is all about storytelling and expressing of emotions (like music in Opera) and it is a much about acting and theatre as it is dancing.. there are different dances, different poses, different expressions for different moods.. It is about dancing with every inch of your body including your hands, eyes and eyebrows and people do understand what the dancer is expressing without sets, stage or costume.
+Janet Shannon....thank you for this wonderfully written and spot-on description of what we are watching here. Many, many, many people will not be able to understand this, and will not want to watch it. I was mesmerized and thought it was quite extraordinary BECAUSE it is not your typical Nutcracker pas de deux, and because I love the idea of Clara growing into a woman so that she can dance with the prince herself...or being "shown the way" by the prince. I believe Nureyev utilized this idea of giving more strength to female characters in traditional ballets in other works he mounted. I agree with you that this is extraordinary in many aspects; it is an extremely demanding piece technically and their timing and partnership are magnificent. I always feel that the more time passes, the less Nureyev is appreciated for all of the contributions he made to the ballet world, and beyond, and it saddens me.
There are fashions that come and go with ballet just as there are in anything; but I don't know how people are missing how he struggled to hold Merle, so much so he was very obviously staggering, they were dreadfully out of time with each other, and the choreography was just awful (what's with all that silly looking leg/foot kicking out all over the place, it just looked ridiculous). Sometimes a person's reputation can make one blind to their faults.
the leg kicking , yes I did not like that, but you know ballet style and technique has evovled, arms are held different, arms up high are to open like a flower when bringing them down, but yall it was still gorgoeous
There is an amazing line in a pop song that repeats: "One man's ceiling is another man's floor.....one man's ceiling is another man's floor...". Best wishes at finding your own glimmerings of Paradise in this passing world filled with much sorrow, illness and pain.🌹
Swan dive with a twist in the air, OH MY GOSH stunning. This is serious ballet tecnique.
Executed so amazingly😳.....Rudi was with her every split second - and, at the peak of his physical powers🌟
The bits where he lifts, flips and holds her suspended just above the floor twice in a row are spectacular!!!!
Spectacular. Merle blew this out of the Park. One of the best female dancers in the world. Perfect timing and in sync with Rudolf!
Surely they were in sync one with the other?
she did not miss a beat
Yes , Merle was a,wonderful Rhodesian...good people.
So, wie es Jahundertsänger gibt, gibt es offensichtlich auch Jahrhunderttänzer. Er war einer!
Must be about as close to perfection that ballet can come. I saw Nureyev many times in London. I doubt that I will see the like again
Qué grado de dificultad, que maravilla, extraordinario
Нуриев Рудольф танцор гений, всего мира.!Неповторимый , красивый, талантливый . Завоевал любовь всего мира.!!!Светлая Память ! ❤❤❤❤
I couldn't take my eyes off Rudy. There's just something about Rudy... he connects with the audience. He loves us and we can't help loving him back. I loved the way he cared for Merle in their dancing. She danced beautifully but my heart belongs to Rudy. 💖
He was gorgeous!!!! Gorgeous
From the onset, Rudi was determined to reign as a dancer. His charisma is studied, but his considerable magnetism is innate.
His ambition as a performer is as legendary as his creativity. He contemplates, discovers and enters into the characters that he presents on stage - to our delight!
With Dame Merle, you can see that he worked very diligently to make their pairing in this Pas de Deux as distinctive and memorable as possible. Were she not a show stopper herself, Rudi could not have looked as good (even given his remarkable bone structure and animated eyes).
At the beginning of his career, he specifically sought out those artists at a higher level of achievement/ renown than his own: because he learned very quickly and absorbed constantly from the many greats that he artistically paired with.
Precision, daring,very technical, difficult, and beautiful! So much more satisfying than watching dancers lift their legs to their ears over and over!
wonderful to see Merle Park again, she gave us so many wonderful nights at The Royal Ballet in the 1960's she was superb!
Yes bravo the Rhodesians. They produced wonderful people.
The best version ever.
🌹
increible la delucadeza de Rudolf Nureyev Su danza apasionada. su accion que artista y que arte que se perdio el mundo. con su partida
Magnifici artisti. Una gioia per il cuore e per la mente. Spettacolo pieno di magia che supera gli stretti confini del tempo umano.
The best of the best Rudy and Margot.
Wonderful. Watch this over and over. It is breathtaking.
✨🌹🌹✨
Rudy.. Hai superato te stesso!!! Questa performance è stata stata bellissima, tecnica eleganza... Straordinari insieme
SUPER CHOREOGRAPHY ! HIGH LEVEL PERFORMANCE.
Thank you to sharing. The choregraphy of Nureyev is so compicated - most of the dancers in his time is could't to make it in whole brilliance. But the year is not 1963! This is BBC broadcast from 1968! It's impostant.
Even outstanding legends in an era much closer to 2022 could not achieve the miraculous effect of this combined effort - and - its joyous outcome.
This is ballet at a high level. Nureyev matches Park line for line. Their connection to the emotional albeit grandiose score is amazing. They fill the phrase out completely, they take their time and are on the music, they feel it the same way. They breathe at the same time. It's completely lovely. Thanks for posting this. It's nice to see Nureyev's handsome face again.
Now that you mention it, what has happened with Nureyev 's face previous to that performance, particularly his mouth? it looks swollen.
た
Imortais e incomparáveis !
Immortal and incomparable!
Es lo mejor que vi en mi vida 👏👏👏👏❤⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
Beautiful ❤
I sincerely wonder, from all the glowing comments, am I blind? I love Merlel Park but here, not at all. However, the costumes were truly gorgeous and extravagant. When I first saw her standing there with that exquisite crown on her head, it was a magnificent sight to behold!
I find the costumes rather garish... but that's kind of where Rudi was by 1968. There are some lovely moments in his Nutcracker, and he brought aspects of the Vasili Vainonen version of the Kirov's Nutcracker to the west but, as usual with Rudi's choreography, the man never saw a rond de jambe he didn't like and some of the lifts are hard to watch.
Compare what they achieved....with what others have on UA-cam... Your eyes will open quickly. I just found this on UA-cam in Jan 2022 - and it is the best on film - without question.....UNLESS your personal preferences happen to be outside the appreciation of the Romantic movement that created this work.
Por momentos, los dos se funden en una sola obra de arte en movimiento... Increíblemente bello.
La más grande perfección por partes de los dos únicos ❤❤
the Legend and charisma of Rudolf!!
Tatar malay from bashkortostan ufa city
Niesamowity talent Brak słów Excellent magnifique ❤❤❤❤❤❤🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
This is the only version I've found so far where the choreoghraphy hits just right at 4:07. I'm not a music person, so this might sound clunky, but every time the music goes does it's dramatic "dun", the dancers hit a different position, and I feel that just works so so much better than other choreography I've seen where they hold positions longer, and so the dramatic "dun"'s are often without movement. It's hard to articulate when you can't remember the correct words, but essentially this choreography matches the music very very well!
Incredible! By the way, this pas de deux is not from 1963. Nureyev's first revised look at the 1892 Tchaikovsky-Ivanov classic was first seen in 1967 in Stockholm. In 1968, he mounted a similar and completely original version of the Nutcracker for the Royal Ballet. It was that production, with Nureyev and Merle Park in the leading roles, that was performed the same year at the Met in New York when the Royal Ballet toured for six weeks. It is a most unorthodox piece, highly stylized and almost rococo in its ornate presentation, at times almost mocking the formal, glittering showmanship of the Mariinsky as it developed at the end of the 19th Century. At any rate, it is so technically demanding that the Paris Opera was unable to do it gracefully in 1988--the video clip that exists proves that even those who tried hard were unable to manage it gracefully. It requires such close team work, incredible timing and strength and combines both Nureyev's unique introduction of parallel movement into the 20th century pas de deux as well as the showmanship and stunts characteristic of the late 19th century Marinksy. He obscures his emotions to show off the ballerina, not something he usually does, in the name of reviving the art of the traditional Russian danseur noble. I believe the Berlin Ballet did a revival recently; there was a DVD of it on sale of it in the Met Gift Shop a few years ago. Parks flawless solo is not something many ballerinas are capable of today, in spite of the fact that her extensions are low and her feet are not quite as sharply pointed as we might like she moves on air, twirling, spinning and stopping right on the beat when the music demands it of her. Not your every day pas de deux but breathtaking.
So, is this pas de deux Nureyev's choreography?
Yes, a completely original Nutcracker, highly stylized, combining both both the showmanship and formality of the late 19th century Marinsky ballet and the use of parallel body movement that Nureyev introduced into the pas de deux in general in the 20th century. Here, he restrains the force and charisma of his personality by playing the traditional Russian danseur noble and showing off the ballerina. Clara goes through the transformation from child to woman and instead of watching the Sugar Plum Fairy dance this pas de deux, dances it herself. She conveys the glittering, hard edged beauty of the ballerinas of the Marinsky in the late 19th century. It is a truly unique piece and not what we're used to looking at from him--takes some knowledge of ballet history to appreciate it beyond the incredible technical demand of the piece. Few dancers today are capable of performing this--it takes close team work and incredible timing.
Beautiful dancing! Makes me swoon from so much beauty! I must say though, I did not care for the opening with Rudi mirroring her moves. I did not mind so much later in the dance that he was with her exactly, move for move, but I did feel that Nureyev performed too many arabesques, plain and simple. As I watched I thought, "Oh, there he goes yet again with another needless arabesque." In classical pas de deux, the man is charged with the task of presenting his partner so that she always looks most beautiful. He is, after all, in love with her. Or should be. In Balanchine's work, marvelous as it is, this characteristic of the man presenting the woman is exaggerated to the point that the man amounts to little more than a porter schlepping the ballerina around the stage. So I do get it that Nureyev wanted to dance more without being merely the stooge behind the ballerina. Here, by the way, Merle looks glorious, as attended by Rudi. However, I was also a bit put off by the final move with her balanced on his hip and him on one foot. The last pose ought to give us a sense of stability, solidity -- after all the dangerous balances and turns.
Thanks for reading my thoughts on the subject.
Think it was 1968. Nevertheless this was spectacular! :)
I like this choregraph. It is truly " the dance of the two" ! Technically very demanding but delivered gracefully. Master piece to watch. Thank for the posting and the informative reply.
Координация высочайшего уровня,,не говоря о музыкальности,артистизму.Мерле Парк и РудольфНуреев,!!!Об этой редакции РНуреева говорила известная искусствовед британская.
Wow!, what a wonderful artist!, absolutely fascinating, unique, incomparable, Rudolf Nureyev forever and ever!!, Merle Park is amazing!, many thanks Nane for sharing this jewel!
This remains one of my favourite videos on youtube.
Merle Park was such a tidy, precise dancer.
But Rudy was SO much better.. like a Sun King of ballet with such charisma and beauty. And he took all the risks to be sublime!
Maravilloso Pas de Deux..¡¡¡
Grande Rudy, insuperabile, indimenticabile. Sempre il migliore!!! Sei la Bellezza in persona, quella più alta e più pura.
🏆
C est d une rare beaute merci pour ce grand moment
Thanks SO much for posting this. this is, in my view, is just spectacular. Lyrical, fabulous choreogaphy and so elegant and effortless. It's such a treat to see this. I watch it again and again.
This is so interesting to watch as a young ballet dancer who's technically a part of Gen Z. Once past the simple disposition that comes from of course viewing in a day and age where the legs are beyond high in the air, it's quite enjoyable to watch. There are things with today's knowledge im sure would be executed differently (preparation and transitional steps) if this were to have been created in the modern day. I appreciated how undoubtedly good some of the dynamics and foundations were of the dancing itself. I couldn't stop watching Merle's back foot as she took her bow. Something about that shoe and her feet just felt so whole. Yet I could still appreciate both separately working as one entity. Coordination was paramount in this choreography and the musicality of dancers today would be such an interesting pairing if this was reimagined/reworked.
Completely breathtaking! Ils sont si dynamiques et au diapason.
But technically he dances much better than her. He takes risks which makes him fascinating and sublime.!!
well he does have to catch her , and those lifts, and she is just so confident
To be fair: as a healthy young man he would be stronger, swifter, & capable of exerting more dramatic impact. But her delicatesse, silken graciousness & ability to be so confidently in sync without being overpowered by him...to me, is breathtaking too
Simplemente maravilloso.!!!
This song makes me cry
Excelente!!! Me emociona hasta las lágrimas.
my goodness, thank goodness for UA-cam. thank you for sharing this
that coda!!!!!
I absolutely love the ballet style the arm movements are sooo elegant. As a kid I wanted to be a ballerina he brought me to ballets in the city and I had a music box with this beautiful ballerina that would move around the mirror it was a swan lake theme.
El mejor de todos los tiempos.no ha sido superado.inmortal
Super!
El ballet es hermoso,la música clásica me transporta.
They were somewhere else too - somewhere wonderful - and took us there!🎆
This is truly a work of art 🤯💖 amazing!!
Beautiful
I found this pas de deux fun to watch as I have been used to seeing the original choreography. I believe the reason none of these moves are now being made is that there isn't a danseur noble capable of doing it! I just loved this performance.
So beautiful!
C est de la magie
Шикарно! Спасибо за видео!
She was so spot on and perfect !!!
Absolutely stunning and dangerous!
It indeed could have dangerous for Dame Merle if Rudi's attention and commitment were not so perfect...or if his strength were waning....
This is an amazing, timeless, artistic miracle - to appreciate and to savor in the realm of legendary ballet performances❤
@@rmp7400 I couldn't agree more
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Those lifts! Incredible. The choreography here is fantastic though I prefer the version where the male lead spins the ballerina repeatedly at the very end - somehow I feel it fits the music better.
Extraordinario
NUREYEV ES EL MEJOR
Splendidi
Maravilloso..
Magnifique
This was not 1963.This production was staged in 1968 With Merle Park and Rudolph Nureyev.
I also saw her dance the role with Donald Macleary,Wayne Sleep as the Nutcracker,and Monica Mason as one of the Snowflakes.It was one of the most ravishing proctions of this ballet.With scenery and costumes by Nicholas Georgiadis.I paid £2.2.0 shillings for my stalls seat.!!!
I adore this, it now looks very old fashioned and formal, and their technique does not measure up to modern standards, but I think the formality and grandiosity fits this music, some of the grandest and most beautiful music in all of ballet.
I think the technique's better.
At least neither are obsessed with split arabesques.
And the choreography is incredibly tricky.
This is VERY intriguing.
came back again:
still very intriguing ,
highly contextualized in history of ballet and thus very esoteric, even unrecognizable to the lay/contemporary eye. but doesn't it make you WONDER when watching closely, just what is going on ?? why their physical phrasing/timing is consistent in a given solo, and yet so unobviously aligned with the score ? how difficult that is in its own right ? how difficult some of her pointe work is, perhaps even by today's considerably high working-professional standards ?
also their pas de chats were sharp as blades, that is VERY cool to me!
and that double manège of chaînés was SO WEIRD but SO COOL -- for real how difficult that could be for many, and how fun to dance and succeed in it !
This is the greatest interpretation of the pairing
Nureyev e Vassiliev i piu' grandi...🌹🌷🌺
Lindos!!!
Maravilhoso 👏👏👏👏
Rudolph partnering is perfection! Merle Park (who I saw when the Royal Ballet came to the Met and I know that you did too )was clumsy (see 4.09 approx. ) when he twirls her and she comes down like a dead weight. 'm sure I grimaced. She was a step behind him on every beat! . It was so disconcerting . ...The costumes were so exquisitely lavish and for me, they hid her lack of musicality in this performance. I wondered "was she tired? (of course every ballet dancer has "a right" to be tired) Once when she "landed" (I think it was a fish dive I don't know the exact name) I could actually see poor Rudoph needed to take a breath. It took 5 or 6 times watching before I noticed this. You have to watch carefully and I know you will Janet! Thank you for the history you shared! I learned a lot! It took watching this four or five times before I noticed all this I love the way one can never see his hands. A great partner, for sure! Happy New Year!
Is this an attempt to elevate Nureyev by means of bashing on Merle Park? BOTH lack musicality, and for a good reason: The choreo is unmusical.
Merle Park was possibly the most musical of all the ballerinas. She could have been a concert pianist but opted for ballet instead.
@@sheilaflowerdew2501 wow! Thank you so much for the insight!
THANKS FOR VIDEO...jzpatelut..
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Watching this again after a long time and it still didn't improve my opinion about his choreography.
fuori misura , troppo forti.
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This is my favourite pas de deus of all time. Sorry for the misspell but autocorrect is being a d*^k to me
I want to so badly study the workings of his menage here to find better or more transitions for the coupe jete section. 😂 It would be so lovely to see a jump x2 of some sort into the menage or maybe even possibly a reworking of Revlotade. Pardon my terrible American text-style commenting * 😂
Ambos espectaculares muy bien trabajado Nureyev siempre el mejor nadie podra superarlo hoy en dia es gimnacia olimpica se ve bien pero falta mucha tecnica.
There are parts of this choreography that are almost exactly the same as the swamp scene from Manon.
Sublime
I love these two performers, but the whole thing seemed strange. not at all what I think of when I envision this grand pas.
I feel the same way... Is it just me or do all of their arabesques look off??
I think it is old fashioned, technically brilliant dancing. But still so wrong for the piece. At times it looks like they are doing a class exercise and they are so self important in the delivery it makes me cringe. The music is filled with wonder and sweetness and a touch of sad longing- but I get none of that from this staging.
lauren smith yeah i was wondering if it is just how technique was in the 1960's
It's not you. In my opinion this choreography is wrong for this music and classical style. The choreographer tried to do a different and even more 'modern' pas de deux but he just failed. The movement doesn't flow at all.
So sorry you were disappointed...
I am completely captivated, and most appreciative of the person who was able to post this amazing video.
I love his choreography for the Sugar Plum Fairy
Великая красота!!!
Grandes!
Do you ever think "if I was a dancer back then I'd be a ballet prodigy"....
Everyday
I was a dancer back then. They were fabulous, and are still better to watch than the contortionists we have today.
@@nane4915 Thank you so very much for posting this video. You open a door to the Enchanted Garden.
Seemed different from what I've seen, but it seems to work.
Красавчик твтарин из уфы
Tatar malay from UFA city
nunca encontraré uno que supere al de Barishnikov & Kirkland.
10:10
After reading such glowing (and historically contextualized) comments on this popular pas de deux, I was surprised to see such shakiness in execution. Trembling, quaking, infiltrated with adjustments... Compared to the many seamless renditions offered by other dancers, this may be credited for its ambition but must be admitted to be sloppy.
Oh dear.
What you’re seeing is some of the most challenging choreography for this Pas De Deux ever created. This is more difficult to complete than most versions and they do it darned well.
......
♓.
Beautiful but they did Merle dirty with that sugar plum choreography
Is it just me that thinks her variation was a bit robotic?
Freya Parker No. I think it was technically superb. A joy to watch.
@@margondine that was serious high level technique
@@pedinurse1 and so graciously shared🌹
This is an interesting comparison: Ould-Braham and Tsiskaridze at the Paris Opera. ua-cam.com/video/HEO4a_0sYPo/v-deo.html
While I love the fact that evidence of this exists on a historical level, what in blazes is this??? This is by far the WORST choreography I have EVER seen for this pas de deux. It starts out looking like a boring class exercise performed by a precision corpse duo, and then, the toe hop section?!?, the jarringly awkward series of lifts a la Dance Fever? I was AGOG staring at this...the final pose in the adagio? With her hoisted on his hip with him in arabesque? O....M...G...toooooo much. I haven't even made it to the rest of it yet....MIND BOGGLING.
This original version of The Nutcracker pas de deux by Nureyev may not appeal to every viewer, but it is worth examining because it is exceptional in two ways. In it Nureyev abandons doing the thing that made him famous both in Russia and the west, surrendering his ability to bring intensely emotional and personal interpretations to male roles in classical ballets. Here, he chooses to fulfill the traditional concept of a Russian male partner in a ballet: a man who supports the ballerina and obscures his emotions. Why would he choose to do this? This is not your ordinary project. It may feel strange to the eye, but there is a reason.
As a choreographer, Nureyev chooses to stage the pas de deux in a manner characteristic of the 19th Century Russian pas de deux--a spectacle in which the ballerina was presented as a hard-edged, ornate, glittering queen. Regal, confident and in command of her world, her male counterpart carried her in the air, spun her like a top and hurled her about in his arms, never so much as displacing a curl on her forehead. Is it formal? Yes. Is it ornate? Yes. Is it ugly? Absolutely not--if you know your ballet history. This was how they did it up in 19th Century at the Mariinsky. Wearing an extravagant costume adorned by jewels and a tiara the size of a crown, the ballerina represents the power and wealth of Imperial Russia. In service of his overarching design of the ballet, Nureyev faithfully plays his part as an old fashioned danseur noble. Still, he is fully present and never erases himself. His withholding of emotions may feel uncomfortable for some viewers for it's not what we're used to seeing.
Further, Nureyev improves on the extremism of the 19th Century pas de deux by adding components of his unique contribution to the 20th Century pas de deux, something he began to introduce after he began his partnership with Fonteyn. In this pas de deux, we can see his use of parallel movement. It unifies the man and woman and brings them into a more intimate relationship. This was but one component of his innovative concept of the pas de deux as a dialogue between two equals (rather than a conversation in which one person is mute). The parallel movement mirrors Tchaikovsky's use of multi-layered strings, underscoring the intensity of emotions implicit in the struggle of personal transformation, the primary theme of the ballet. Clara is a child in Act I, but by the time she dances this pas de deux, she has undergone the rite of passage from girlhood to womanhood. With the help of the Nutcracker Prince, essentially a construction, not a three dimensional character, she makes the transition flawlessly. (Because he is a construction Nureyev's choice to play him in the traditional manner of the Russian danseur noble works especially well.) By the end of Clara's odyssey, she is a 19th Century Russian goddess--sparkling but remote in her hard-edged glory. Nureyev' choice to idolize her this way is an ironic one, but is consistent with his repeated use of extremes throughout the ballet. In the course of a transformation, one extreme is pulling against its opposite. At the peak of their struggle, something new emerges.
Nureyev's psychological interpretation of the story suggests he was steeped in Freud and familiar with his theory of the Oedipus Complex. Clara resolves her anger over her helplness as a child and a girl (the boys break her Nutcracker!) by latching onto the doll given her by Heir Drosselmeyer. Eccentric, elderly and wise, he is keenly aware that Clara is standing on a precipice. He has the time and wherewithal to take an interest in her happiness. (Parents are too busy keeping their social world afloat and getting the children tucked in at the end of the night.) Clara senses his benevolence and in her dream, Heir Drosselmeyer transforms into a handsome prince. He rescues her from the rats in her parents 19th century home and she goes on a wonderful adventure. Rather than watching a projection of herself as the Sugar Plum Fairy, she transforms into a woman--a glittering queen in full command of herself. The Nutcracker Prince helps Clara elevate her image of herself. With a man at her side, she can magnify her power ten times. This is symbolized by the first step in the pas de deux, when each dancer raises up in arabesque and Nureyev holds Parks hand, enabling her to balance endlessly. Here, he echoes the psychological dynamic of the Rose Adagio. Aurora's test is one of trust; Clara must allow the Nutcracker to help her overcome her fears. Nureyev had great compassion for the character of Clara. Perhaps her fears reflected his fears own fears of the world as a child in Ufa--fear that he would never escape the poverty and limitations of his life, fear that he might never fulfill his dream of becoming the greatest dancer in the world. His vision of Clara's journey is filled with extremes, as was his life.
+Janet Shannon Respect for your very long comment! But I don't think that most people understand what you mean. They and I see a mechanical, emotionless choreography. That's the problem of ballet anyway: you must think not feel. That's why ordinary people don't like it. But for this performance here there's a lot of thinking necessary...I don't know how many years someone must have watched ballets and how many of them, but what you say about the story and the choreography makes me just shake my head. And also: I never believed that it's possible to express what somebody wants to say with dancing. With pantomime and universal moving - yes. But not with dancing. Without costumes, music and set nobody would understand a dancer. Put a dancer into a shopping mall, let him/her wear a leotard and let him try to express what he means only by dancing. Let him or her tell a story. I bet: nobody will understand what that man is trying to say.
+janet shannon
sorry to disagree, but there's very little originality about this production. nureyev lifted from vainonen what he could remember, and sprinkled liberaly with grigorovich and yakobson bits for the sensationalistic touch. it's packed with difficult steps and devoid of any sense of phrasing. the only original bits are the nasty ones, mice ripping off clara's dress, relatives as bats (or vampires?), the NOT benevolent drosselmeyer as prince, and other assorted post-freudian bits. not a shred of family love or youthful dreams of perfection. why the paris opera schedules the production in the christmas season is a mystery to me.
flotteluft Sorry to say I disagree with you.. Indian Classical dance is all about storytelling and expressing of emotions (like music in Opera) and it is a much about acting and theatre as it is dancing.. there are different dances, different poses, different expressions for different moods.. It is about dancing with every inch of your body including your hands, eyes and eyebrows and people do understand what the dancer is expressing without sets, stage or costume.
+Janet Shannon....thank you for this wonderfully written and spot-on description of what we are watching here. Many, many, many people will not be able to understand this, and will not want to watch it. I was mesmerized and thought it was quite extraordinary BECAUSE it is not your typical Nutcracker pas de deux, and because I love the idea of Clara growing into a woman so that she can dance with the prince herself...or being "shown the way" by the prince. I believe Nureyev utilized this idea of giving more strength to female characters in traditional ballets in other works he mounted. I agree with you that this is extraordinary in many aspects; it is an extremely demanding piece technically and their timing and partnership are magnificent. I always feel that the more time passes, the less Nureyev is appreciated for all of the contributions he made to the ballet world, and beyond, and it saddens me.
There are fashions that come and go with ballet just as there are in anything; but I don't know how people are missing how he struggled to hold Merle, so much so he was very obviously staggering, they were dreadfully out of time with each other, and the choreography was just awful (what's with all that silly looking leg/foot kicking out all over the place, it just looked ridiculous). Sometimes a person's reputation can make one blind to their faults.
the leg kicking , yes I did not like that, but you know ballet style and technique has evovled, arms are held different, arms up high are to open like a flower when bringing them down, but yall it was still gorgoeous
this is horrible. i wish i had not watched it.
You have no taste Madame.
Poverina non capisci NIENTE di ballo
Oh stop
There is an amazing line in a pop song that repeats:
"One man's ceiling is another man's floor.....one man's ceiling is another man's floor...".
Best wishes at finding your own glimmerings of Paradise in this passing world filled with much sorrow, illness and pain.🌹
Merle Park fcln nailed this
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