Giselle - 5 Spessivtseva variations 1930-1960s - Spessivtseva, Markova, Alonso, Nerina, Fracci

Some early and mid 20th century Giselles. All dancers do the diagonal instead of the manège. (In the 70s the diagonal was replaced by the manège in most Western productions; BNC still do the diagonal.)
Also a reminder that dancers from more than half a century ago didn't have such poor technique as some YTbers like to believe... All Giselles here are in their 30s or 40s.
The Spessivtseva footage was originally silent footage (the voice over is Anton Dolin's). Nerina dances the RB production and Fracci the ABT (Blair) production derived from RB.

[@photographedemode]

Love what Balanchine said about her, " Spessivtzeva was a wonderful dancer. She was like a beautiful diamond, cool, distant, and perfect"

[@5670gemini]

Lovely quote - which book/where is that from please?

[@photographedemode]

Allegra Kent's bio

[@elizabethj8510]

However her interpretation was the most organic and effortless. In the other ones, especially Markova, you could see the wheels turning in their heads. Although Fracci does it well and smiles!

[@user-fd1vq3rz4g]

!!!!!!!!!!+++ Большое спасибо за представленное видео !!!!

[@Mrturytury1]

What a great video of memories.....! Love them all....... Thanks!

[@dekkacat8517]

Nerina was so strong, I wish there was more footage of her around.

[@kabardinka1]

One of the most underrated ballerinas of the 20th Century. It's a shame the Rudi-Margot show gathered all the attention and publicity and artists like Nerina were rather ignored.

[@pediatrapaola]

all these ballerinas were iconic dancers and giselles so any kind of comparation is not necessery ,personally being me italian a place in my heart has mrs fracci l am so greateful to her for what she did and gave us here in italy .a dancer that sincearly surprised me when l saw her first (and was since exists yt before never saw her) for her brillance and great style was dame markova ,among the british dames she is for sure the my favourite .

[@simaraft7373]

How absolutely delightful. Thank you.

[@paulwien65]

Alle diese Ballerinen haben die Figur und Seele der Giselle verinnerlicht und zeigen das . Ballerinen von heute kommt mir vor zeigen nur Tanzschritte .. gut einstudiert und perfekt aber ohne Seele

[@felinefriends7797]

Thank you. This was sheer pleasure to watch.

[@user-zl3df2qw3g]

Как красиво!!!!!! Спасибо)))) ❤️ Маркова прекрасна!

[@georgiegirl0621]

Thanks for posting this! I have read of Spessivtseva but have never seen footage of her dancing. What a beauty! Any footage of Nerina and Spessivtseva from act 2? Alonso is enchanting. Also, your "YTbers " comment is spot on, lol! ** Okay, I found more footage of Spessivtseva (and Dolin) on YT, hotdog!

[@luisfedericosala1354]

I used to have Giselle ‘s score by Adolphe Adam for piano and in the two solos: first and second act, there was a clarification that it was written by Minkus. In spite of that some musicians thinks that is belonged to Drigo.

[@mrlopez-pz7pu]

In the world of published ballet music there are many incorrect credits. But we now know for sure, and there is no doubt - this variation is by Riccardo Drigo, for the Italian ballerina Elena Cornalba's performance in "Fiametta" in November of 1887.

[@AnnabellaEdeL]

Wonderful technique from these great ballerinas. I loved to watch them and love the diagonal. There's no reason that a XXI Century ballerina shouldn't do it instead of the manege. Now I wonder ,why is Spessivtseva wearing this short tutu?

[@gransalieri5334]

Dear Miss Escobar; I agree with your like about the diagonal. By the way , the Cuban Choreography has always demanded the diagonal, and every single XX and XXI Century ballerina at the Cuban National Ballet directed by Alicia Alonso has always done that.Never the manege.

[@Dancetilldeathdousapart]

Spessitseva wearing a short tutu because of lack of cloth at the near of world war 2 and it is a trend for shorts tutu at that time too

[@hortensiaperamo954]

Excelente documento histórico. Alicia Alonso es mi preferida, pero todas fueron importantes Giselle

[@arepo]

Lovely. Alicia Alonso and Olga Spessivtseva look so alike body-wise... Nerina's legs technique is rock solid. I can readily believe that story about her Swan Lake, entrechats, and a envious Nureyev. But legs aren't everything and I can't picture her as Odette or as sylph...

[@IceAintNice]

ballet janie Well de Valois and Ashton could and did. She also created the role of Lise in one of Ashton's most iconic ballets.

[@arepo]

Lise is a soubrette role while Giselle is a Romantic role. Being good in one doesn't guarantee being good in the other, though some ballerinas can do both. Nadia Nerina is recorded in both, and while I like her Lise very much I'm not bowled over by her performance in the second act of Giselle. She wasn't a Romantic soul IMO. She was sunny and lively and strong, and liked to show off her technique. As to being cast in unsuitable roles, Ninette de Valois' company was medium-sized, they couldn't afford casting dancers only in suitable roles. And Nerina was very vocal about her frustrations with the management so this may have been an attempt to enlarge her repertory at her request.

[@yandynestorperez7501]

Alonso 😍

[@ordepnas1]

The segment from Alicia Alonso is from 1965. She filmed Giselle that year.

[@gransalieri5334]

Adorable ...!!!

[@ellest1485]

It is a miracle that Spessivtzeva's performance survived, but it is not easy to judge about the quality of her dance. The best Giselle performances of the second part of the 20th century were Ulanova's and Fracci's. Alicia Alonso was the best Carmen.

[@mrlopez-pz7pu]

This is really Elena Cornalba's solo from Petipa's 1887 revival of "Fiametta". The music is by Riccardo Drigo, NOT Minkus.

[@user-nv7kl4ko1n]

Спесивцева и Долин кажется, самая гармоничная пара в балете ... Дягилев считал Спесивцеву выше Павловой

[@nnnnnnnnnnn7292]

I would say Alonso is the most believable in this role.

[@andrewvincenti2664]

❤❤❤

[@user-ld8el4ez5g]

Музыка в конце спит

[@nonenoneonenonenone]

Why does Fracci look so happy?

[@nathanielcraig3588]

zzindorf She's supposed to be happy here. Giselle doesn't spend the entire ballet heartbroken and dying/dead, she's quite cheery at the start.

[@Petitsaule]

Make a research about this Ballet, read the story.

[@alesssndromanzoni2920]

Because She Is a young girl in love for the First Time and She is dancing for her beau.❤️🥂🇮🇹

[@stefanosangiovanni5612]

Non c è nulla da fare Carla Fracci le batte tutte

[@ritanicosia]

I agree