A booklet edited by Lynn Garafola on a 2015 symposium called "Russian Movement Culture of the 1920s and 1930s" lists the ballet footage from this film (from 1929, called "Monte Cristo") as featuring Olga Spessivtseva with the ballet of the Opera Comique (on p.99): harriman.columbia.edu/files/harriman/newsletter/Russian%20Movement%20Culture%20Corrected%20July%202017pdf.pdf The booklet link can be found on a Vimeo post that has more footage from this scene in the film: vimeo.com/378381399 - as the Vimeo post notes, if this is Spessivtseva dancing, then this is the only other known footage of her dancing on film outside of the few bits of silent footage of her in Giselle.
Got it my memories of working on this movie a few years ago - that most of the sets were located in huge studios "silentfilmcalendar.org/reviews/monte-cristo-1929/ While the first half made stunning use of location shooting, with the arrival of the sailing ship in Marseilles and actual filming on the Château d’If island prison being particular highlights, the largely Paris-focused second half was mainly studio based, with a series of increasingly grand set pieces, each sumptuously designed and decorated. While Dantes’s Arab-themed palace on Monte Cristo island (above left) may have looked just a tad over the top, it was certainly visually stunning. Equally impressive was the set of his Parisian residence (above right) where Mondego is humiliated. Built on an enormous scale, the matt-ing between actual set and painted backdrop was just seamless. Then there was the evening at the opera (left), where Monte Cristo makes his grand entrance. I was caught in two minds as to whether this was an actual opera house or a studio set, deciding eventually on the latter, but it was again built on a vast scale. Particularly striking were the chandeliers as they were raised into the ceiling as the performance began. But even the more intimate scenes were often shot on an impressive scale, for example the shooting gallery (right) where Dantes practised for his forthcoming duel, although once again the transition from set to painted backdrop was seamless. Not to be outdone by the sheer scale of these sets, Fescourt populates them with a cast if not perhaps of thousands then certainly of many hundreds, beautifully costumed and skilfully choreographed. " And the whole scene is far better on Vimeo, crispy digitalisation after the restaured movie. vimeo.com/378381399
@@navarrebrixen2213 The corps de ballet of Opera-Comique, I'm not sure about the auditorium. I'm sure that she is OS - only look at her body' arms, legs and pointe shoes. (all the data is from Internet)
I shall look at it in nex days.Forme I guess it could be not an actual theatre, but we must look closely at the set the rpops, and compare with actual theatres.The general shape is pretty good, and the stage is tiny. Costumes and props look more or less accurate. Dominique, Scholar in historic theatres topics
Navarre, Navarre, if this is Monte Cristo and they had to film the scenes by sea anyway, have a look at the opera houses along the coast. Nice, Cannes, etc. The chandeliers are very ornate. Some of the women's dresses don't look quite period, perhaps they filmed in a fashionable coast resort and used supernumeraries from the upper crust holidaying on the spot. Told the women "bring your own dress with a bodice looking Belle Epoque, the skirt won't be on display" ::grin:: Just a flash of inspiration. I'd look myself but I don't have time today.
![Rare Documentary on the Bolshoi Ballet Academy [1967]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/mrNFCTRLw90/mqdefault.jpg)
![Rare Documentary on the Bolshoi Ballet Academy [1967]](/img/tr.png)
A booklet edited by Lynn Garafola on a 2015 symposium called "Russian Movement Culture of the 1920s and 1930s" lists the ballet footage from this film (from 1929, called "Monte Cristo") as featuring Olga Spessivtseva with the ballet of the Opera Comique (on p.99): harriman.columbia.edu/files/harriman/newsletter/Russian%20Movement%20Culture%20Corrected%20July%202017pdf.pdf
The booklet link can be found on a Vimeo post that has more footage from this scene in the film: vimeo.com/378381399 - as the Vimeo post notes, if this is Spessivtseva dancing, then this is the only other known footage of her dancing on film outside of the few bits of silent footage of her in Giselle.
Got it my memories of working on this movie a few years ago - that most of the sets were located in huge studios "silentfilmcalendar.org/reviews/monte-cristo-1929/ While the first half made stunning use of location shooting, with the arrival of the sailing ship in Marseilles and actual filming on the Château d’If island prison being particular highlights, the largely Paris-focused second half was mainly studio based, with a series of increasingly grand set pieces, each sumptuously designed and decorated. While Dantes’s Arab-themed palace on Monte Cristo island (above left) may have looked just a tad over the top, it was certainly visually stunning. Equally impressive was the set of his Parisian residence (above right) where Mondego is humiliated. Built on an enormous scale, the matt-ing between actual set and painted backdrop was just seamless. Then there was the evening at the opera (left), where Monte Cristo makes his grand entrance. I was caught in two minds as to whether this was an actual opera house or a studio set, deciding eventually on the latter, but it was again built on a vast scale. Particularly striking were the chandeliers as they were raised into the ceiling as the performance began. But even the more intimate scenes were often shot on an impressive scale, for example the shooting gallery (right) where Dantes practised for his forthcoming duel, although once again the transition from set to painted backdrop was seamless. Not to be outdone by the sheer scale of these sets, Fescourt populates them with a cast if not perhaps of thousands then certainly of many hundreds, beautifully costumed and skilfully choreographed. " And the whole scene is far better on Vimeo, crispy digitalisation after the restaured movie. vimeo.com/378381399
They say it is Opéra-Comique. The dancer is Olga Spessivtseva dancing Valse 3 of Chopin.
@@navarrebrixen2213 The corps de ballet of Opera-Comique, I'm not sure about the auditorium. I'm sure that she is OS - only look at her body' arms, legs and pointe shoes. (all the data is from Internet)
@@navarrebrixen2213 Agree she resembles Spessivtseva. But Chopin waltz #3 in A minor? Doesn't sound like it.
@@Marta44339 not Chopin!
I shall look at it in nex days.Forme I guess it could be not an actual theatre, but we must look closely at the set the rpops, and compare with actual theatres.The general shape is pretty good, and the stage is tiny. Costumes and props look more or less accurate. Dominique, Scholar in historic theatres topics
it's Olga Spesivtseva❤
Navarre, Navarre, if this is Monte Cristo and they had to film the scenes by sea anyway, have a look at the opera houses along the coast. Nice, Cannes, etc. The chandeliers are very ornate. Some of the women's dresses don't look quite period, perhaps they filmed in a fashionable coast resort and used supernumeraries from the upper crust holidaying on the spot. Told the women "bring your own dress with a bodice looking Belle Epoque, the skirt won't be on display" ::grin:: Just a flash of inspiration. I'd look myself but I don't have time today.
@@navarrebrixen2213 Why this orangey hue? Did you color it?
@@arepo silent movies were colorized according to the mood of the scene. BLue, orange, red, green.
@@dominiquelauvernier1532 Thank you.