Les Historiettes françaises: La Bayadère 5

Cast -- Dorothée Gilbert, Mathias Heymann, Ludmila Pagliero, Richard Wilk

The performance was one of the best Bayadères I've seen. It really came together, and the main roles were all equally well danced and acted. There was a relationship-triangle, if you will, rather than three separate people who just happened to run into each other.

Gilbert and Heymann

Of everyone I've seen so far in Paris, Gilbert and Heymann were the most "human," with visible emotions -- really in love, rather than the typical somewhat detached "ballet-relationship" (which is just as respectable).

Girls and boys

Eric Monin (?) as the Rajah

The exchange went something like this:

Rajah: "You will marry my daughter."

Solor: "Me? Marry?"

Rajah: "Why, yes, you, who do you think I'm talking about?"

Solor: "Uh..."

Pagliero, Monin, Gilbert, Saïz as the Slave

Saïz spectacularly played the role of the High Brahmin in two other performances, and I was happy to see him dancing. The role of the Slave often gets overlooked, but he had a palpable presence. He is also one of the few French dancers who has expressive hands.

The encounter between Gamzatti and Nikiya was emotionally charged and not merely the requisite angry Gamzatti and scared Nikiya. Two women both madly in love, Gamzatti rivaling Nikiya, Nikiya who stood up for herself.

Florimond Lorieux as the Golden Idol

The variation was a bit uneven, but he had huge jumps and the poses were well-defined and crisp.

Indian Dance with Sabrina Mallem and Yann Saïz

Pagliero and Heymann

Heymann's jumps are incredible -- I truly enjoyed his entrance with Pagliero, as well as his variation, more than I have in a long time. They both maintained a really nice line, and Heymann especially during his jumps -- they were not only very high and with a long air-time, but his form was impeccable (without that body launching/lurching).

Gilbert

I think Gilbert's Nikiya was one of the most logical interpretations of the role that I've seen. Often it seems rather disconnected: she's happy to see Solor, then she dances before Gamzatti and Solor, then there is the dance at the betrothal, then Shades... But Gilbert brought so much personality to the role it seemed very natural: we could easily imagine that there was a life that went on off-stage, so the "mood changes" made sense.