Gabriele Haslinger - Soloist Vienna State Opera: An Interview (Part 2)

Jan 30

Jan 30 Gabriele Haslinger - Soloist Vienna State Opera: An Interview (Part 2)

The first part of this interview was published on January 16th. You can scroll down to its content for we had just been talking about how Miss Haslinger’s first experiences dancing solo roles with Rudolph Nureyev while she still was a member of the Corps de Ballet.

„Yes... and the direction quickly „transformed" me into a half-Soloist" and as she says this I can well imagine why: to sort of „save" the faces of many dancers – To be quite honest: How must it have looked like? Among all established Soloists, Nureyev chooses a girl from the Corps to dance with.

And here, at this point, I must add some thoughts about him. I, personally, belong to the „Baryshnikov generation" and could never identify with Nureyev as a Dancer – also his „choreographer" side is still a burden for me today. To my kind of thinking he was too self-centered. I believe that he thought „Sleeping Beauty" was called „Awakening Desiré" and „Swan Lake" „Siegfried's Lake" but one thing we cannot deny: he could „sniff" talent where people thought there was none. He had this incredible „Nose", this unbelievably spontaneous feeling. Just think of the talents he found in the company of the Paris Opera and turned into „Étoiles". Even Dancers who did not have the usual „looks" (We must be very honest and admit that the Paris Opera is very „suspect" and has some priorities when it comes to „looks". Dance talent is not enough. One must be „beautiful" too – just think of Michaël Denard, Patrick Dupond, Matthieu Ganio, Isabelle Guérin, Isabelle Ciaravola, Noëlla Pontois, and the list goes on... all „beautiful people"). Here in Vienna, as we have just read, it was not about the Beauty issue but about a rupture in the well-established (and somehow dusty) hierarchy of the company. I am glad that he made his point!

„But back to the company and their reaction about this issue... „

„To be quite honest with you, Ricardo, I do not know. I was never the type who hangs around in the corridors talking to colleagues. I arrived earlier than necessary. Started warming up in the Studio by myself and worked and worked... But there came a time when all this became too much for me. You see, „Sleeping Beauty", „D.Q.", and many others. On top of it, all performances also in Operas, etc. I did not hear the alert signals that my body was sending to me. One must hear them. All of a sudden my body was overstrained and I got serious problems that led me even to operations. Rudi was the kindest and most helpful, helping me to find the right doctors – abroad! (I was operated in Russia, by the way!). In those days not only the crutches (made of wood!) looked different but the whole medical technique with which dancers' bodies are concerned was different. It was, just as an example, not unusual when careers were destroyed and finished because of the absence of success either with the operations or with the treatments after it. I was three years in treatment and on license. That is a long time for a dancer to be without classes, rehearsals, and the Stage! This would be unheard of today!"

„But you have managed it and this just proves your strength and willpower!"

„Yes, it was hard work – hard work also with I, myself, and me - both physically and psychologically. Just to keep going and not give up"

„And How did the chapter „Neumeier/Dowell"begin in your life?" I ask, once more not wanting to wait any longer.

„After nearly three years „away", I got once more accustomed to arriving earlier than I should and was taking even more care of my body than I had done before. So, one day, I arrived at the Studio to warm up and work. There was a rehearsal going on, and I, recovering from my three years absence, was working in the background. Neumeier was present, observing the company to cast two Ballets. Somehow I must have catched his eye... „

Lynne Charles, Gabriele Haslinger & Anthony Dowell

„What do you mean?“, I asked not being able to hide my curiosity!

„The next day, Dr. Brunner (Note: Ballet Director from the Vienna State Opera from 1976 until 1990) and casually asked: „Can you fly tomorrow to Hamburg?". And then I found out that John Neumeier, having followed my warming up and observing me closely, wanted me for his „Firebird", which was supposed to be presented in a double bill with his „Daphnis and Chloë" in Vienna"

„Like Nureyev, Neumeier always had this „6th Sense" when it comes to Talent, didn't, doesn't he?" I must add.

„And there I went to Hamburg, with John Neumeier, Anthony Dowell, Kevin Hagen, Lynne Charles – quite a group of Ballet names and great professionals!" she adds.

„Distinguished company", I thought. to begin rehearsals.

„Quite a new, fascinating world for me for Neumeier did not only use us as tools in a choreographer's hands but we were part of the creative process. All the way up to the Première – on which I danced the girl in „The Firebird“ at the State Opera in Vienna although later I also went on dancing Chloë– which brought me to the stage of the Vienna State Opera in the company of Anthony Dowell"

I cannot help but think of „Emma Jackson's" words (Anne Bancroft's character in „The turning point") when she mentions the „moments in which everything comes together" (The choreography, the lights, the music, the costumes „ – from the fabulous Jürgen Rose, by the way!

Lynne Charles, Anthony Dowell & Gabriele Haslinger.

„This was not only a beautiful time in Vienna. We have also danced both Neumeier pieces further during the Salzburg Festival in 1983"

I still remember both pieces and how in awe I was not only with Neumeier's work but with the dancer's presence on both Ballets. Surely something to remember,

„But then one day, somebody was injured, and I had to jump in as one of the four little Swans in „Lake". I could not help but feel just spatially clamped, after having worked with Neumeier and Anthony Dowell – such a great partner. It took me still many years till I decided to turn to teach. It was not quite an easy step to commit myself solely to the pedagogical level in what dancing is concerned."

„I think, Gabi, that this sincerity is absolutely fascinating", I say.

„Yes, but one day it happens to all of us. A dancer's life is a short one. But the love for Dance, eternal"

And with this, I was reminded of videos I had sometimes seen on the internet. Miss Haslinger and her pupils, watching films together, commenting, and discussing them. How lucky for those children to have had such an „instructor", with all this Finesse, Knowledge, and, most of all, passion for Dance.

I had just realized that another chapter for this interview should be opened someday. A teaching chapter – and also about how this has changed in our actual „Ballet world". But that is another Story.

„Thank you, Gabi, for such interesting moments – It was more than an honour to be able to share such memories. It is so important to keep these thoughts, this remembrance for the future generation. Thank you!"