- Title: LATVIA: BROTHEL SETTING FOR CINDERELLA BALLET FAILS TO IMPRESS PROKOFIEV'S HEIRS.
- Date: 28th August 2005
- Summary: (L!1) RIGA, LATVIA (RECENT - AUGUST 12, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. GV/CU: EXTERIORS OF LATVIAN NATIONAL OPERA (2 SHOTS) 0.09 (L!1) RIGA, LATVIA (RECENT - AUGUST 19, 2005) (REUTERS) 2. VARIOUS OF LETTERS FROM HEIRS OF RUSSIAN COMPOSER SERGEI PROKOFIEV (L!1) RIGA, LATVIA (RECENT - AUGUST 22, 2005) (REUTERS) 3. (SOUNDBITE) (Latvian) PROKOFIEV HEIRS' REPRESENTATIVE, UGIS GRUBE, SAYING: "The heirs and their lawyer's opinion is that the work has been distorted in a way - with the different approach and view on the place of action and the characters." (L!1) RIGA, LATVIA (FILE - MAY27, 2005) (REUTERS) 4. VARIOUS OF SCENES FROM BALLET CINDERELLA (L!1) RIGA, LATVIA (RECENT - AUGUST 11, 2005) (REUTERS) 5. (SOUNDBITE) (Latvian) HEAD CHOREOGRAPHER OF LATVIAN NATIONAL OPERA, AIVARS LEIMANIS, SAYING: "We are not the first theatre to do something like this. Look around the world - different music is mixed, compilations, inversions are made. In fact, Prokofiev's music stays pure with us." (L!1) RIGA, LATVIA (FILE - MAY27, 2005) (REUTERS) 6. SCENE FROM BALLET CINDERELLA (L!1) RIGA, LATVIA (RECENT - AUGUST 11, 2005) (REUTERS) 7. (SOUNDBITE) (Latvian) HEAD CHOREOGRAPHER OF LATVIAN NATIONAL OPERA, AIVARS LEIMANIS, SAYING: "It is absolutely not an end in itself meant by the choreographer. It is just a background. The story is about love. And it is a very beautiful and sincere story." (L!1) RIGA, LATVIA (FILE - MAY 27, 2005) (REUTERS) 8. VARIOUS OF SCENES FROM BALLET CINDERELLA (L!1) RIGA, LATVIA (RECENT - AUGUST 11, 2005) (REUTERS) 9. (SOUNDBITE) (Latvian) INGRIDA ZEMZARE, MUSICOLOGIST SAYING: "The aesthetics (costumes and set) are very much of a brothel. It seems to me that there is a discrepancy between the brothel and the fact that the action takes place in a hippie environment." 10. VARIOUS OF OPERA'S POSTER 2.49 (L!1) RIGA, LATVIA (RECENT - AUGUST 12, 2005) (REUTERS) 11. CU/GV: EXTERIOR OF NATIONAL OPERA (3 SHOTS) 2.59 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 12th September 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: RIGA, LATVIA
- Country: Latvia
- Reuters ID: LVAAX50QZL6JVP1K95KZ32C02A4C
- Story Text: Brothel setting for ballet 'Cinderella' doesn't
impress Prokofiev's heirs.
The Latvian National Opera's performance of the
ballet Cinderella is on hold, after objections from the
composer's heirs, because the action takes place in a
brothel.
The ballet should now be showing to the public, but the
Opera had to cancel after two performances because the
heirs of Russian composer, Sergei Prokofiev objected.
"The heirs and their lawyer's opinion is that the work
has been distorted in a way - with the different approach
and view on the place of action and the characters," said
Ugis Grube, the heirs' representative in Latvia.
The objections centre on both the music, which the
heirs say does not correspond with the original ballet, and
the brothel setting.
The head choreographer at the National Opera, Aivars
Leimanis said the heirs should not be concerned. He said it
was a misunderstanding as they had not even seen the ballet.
"We are not the first theatre to do something like
this. Look around the world - different music is mixed,
compilations, inversions are made. In fact, Prokofiev's
music stays pure with us," he said. He explained that the
music is not altered in the performance, but the second and
third acts are joined and the performance includes an
overture taken from Antonio Rossini's opera Cinderella.
The action of the performance takes place in a brothel,
where Cinderella is working as a maid, her stepsisters are
call girls and her stepmother, the owner of the brothel.
This too has upset the heirs.
"It is absolutely not an end in itself meant by the
choreographer. It is just a background. The story is about
love. And it is a very beautiful and sincere story," said
Leimanis.
Musicologist Ingrida Zemzare, who has seen the ballet
said the Latvian Opera's interpretation of the work is not
a crime in itself, but the question is whether or not it is
successful.
"The aesthetics (costumes and set) are very much of a
brothel. It seems to me that there is a discrepancy between
the brothel and the fact that the action takes place in a
hippie environment," she said.
The production was choreographed by a Russian of
Moldovan origin, Radu Pokletaru, who is considered one of
the most original young choreographers in the region.
The ballet remains on hold in Latvia, but the Opera
hopes the issue will soon be resolved.
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