Mathieu Ganio: Étoile, Opéra de Paris (An interview, Part 1)

Once more facing a new challenge, I began making preparations for this Interview.
During the last few years, I had the opportunity to interview many „Names" from the world of Dance but very seldom, like this time, one whose work I admire so and is at the top of his career, continuing incessantly to give us very unique moments of joy, reflection and Art, written with a capital A.
Mathieu Ganio needs no introduction to you.
Neither his very charismatic and special quality, that we could simply „just" call the „Ganio Touch.

To set this straight: I am not only referring to his technique, lines, interpretation skills, Musicality, Versatility, or intelligence as a Man and a dancer. I am speaking of those „nearly forgotten" moments, that seem to belong to a long gone past, when a Dancer enters the stage and you suddenly feel as if you are being “held hostage” by his Artistry. As if you would have no other choice than to follow every single nuance of his performance, observing every detail that he carefully adds to the roles.

Mathieu Ganio/ Giselle. Copyright: Opéra National de Paris - with kind permission.

And, to top it all, he gives us all this in a very complex „story-telling" which is at the same time „so easy to translate". This sounds nearly as a contradiction. Why? Because it flows naturally and uncomplicatedly, not showing all the work and exhausting preparation that it requires. Physically and intellectually.

You just „stick to it" and cannot take his eyes off him. It is as if a magnet was on stage.

It takes not only years of concentration and study to achieve that. No. It takes also „tons" of talent.

To witness talent like this, in such dimensions is not an everyday thing. It is always, as I like to say, „a notch above" - especially with the lack, the absence of surprises we have been experiencing in a „world" in which Ballet is being slowly (but intentionally) turned into a basic physical, gymnastic activity.

All of us (I mean, we, the “elderly generation”) who still had the chance (and luck) to see so much – a fact that enables us to make comparisons - consider it extremely important to be able to „immerse in this Ocean of Artistry", as he leads us to. And how we enjoy that.

But I went ahead of my story and have to return to the first sentence I wrote today: „Once more facing a new challenge". I will explain this closely:

Of course, one admires and is fascinated by talents. By some less, by some more. That is a fact of life.

Unfortunately, there is also no bigger deception than when one (sometimes) realizes that the person one is talking to or interviewing, is not as special as one had thought he/she was (yes, sometimes this also happens).

To make a long story short, there's always a certain act of bravery in overwhelming one's „fear" of being disappointed. I compare this to that moment, just before a Première, when you (I am talking as if I still was a dancer, am I not?) are supposed to go on stage but preferably would not even change or remove your make-up but, instead, take your things, the bus and drive home. Stage fright. Fear.

I felt similar to this as I interviewed many people before. One thing is sure: „You never know". There's no guarantee that sympathy, empathy, fun, laughter, or exchange of ideas will take place during the „chat".

Once I was confronted with a quite difficult decision. I was, in a cozy restaurant in Gstaad/ Switzerland. Suddenly one of my biggest idols. A Broadway and Hollywood legend (As Dancers before the present time, we also have interests in other areas) entered the room. Because of fear, insecurity, unsureness, and hesitation, I could not make up my mind for a long time if I would try to talk to her or not. Simply because I was afraid of being dismayed and disappointed by her reaction. What if she would be neither gentle nor funny, and perhaps not so dynamic and natural as in so many different roles? What if she was an impolite, unpleasant person? But miss this chance of a lifetime? Well, once more to make a long story short, I just remembered a sentence my Mom used to say and that still shapes my mind:

„One can never regret what one has done, just what one hasn't". She was right.

To this day I never regretted having disturbed her (and her Husband, a famous Hollywood director) for 5 or 10 long minutes, talking incessantly and breathlessly like a mad parrot and, and, and... After a while, she asked for my address and a few weeks later I received the most beautiful picture with a loving dedication, that still hangs in my flat.

Well, after this long „preface", which was a „must", I can only say that the experience of interviewing and talking to, and chatting and laughing with, as well as analyzing and „philosophizing" with Mr. Ganio has been one of the most rewarding and interesting experiences of the last years. I don't mean this concerning time, as if we had talked for a whole evening but the depth of everything... it was immense. He is not a person who „talks, talks, talks and just says nothing" (as the song goes). Much on the contrary. He is quiet, a bit reticent but everything that comes out of his mouth reflects in a kind of glittering in his eyes and is deep-felt, honest, true, and respectful. It, most important of all, makes sense – and this says so much to his display of emotions on stage.

Mathieu Ganio/La Dame aux Camelias. Copyright: Opéra National de Paris/ Michel Lidvac - with kind permission.

Conclusion: I cannot help but repeat something I have already written today, but adding two substantives to it: „How I love to immerse in this ocean of Knowledge and Humbleness". Voilá, here we go!

Suddenly I listen a very friendly „Hello! How are you!" And there he is.

After the warmest greeting and „Hellos" and „How are yous" and „Well, thank yous", I say

„Dear Mathieu, first of all, many thanks for taking your time. I know how busy you are and probably also tired and jet-legged having just arrived from Tokyo... „ I say, opening our long-awaited conversation and adding a sincere note: „Listen, it is a big pleasure to, at last, get to know you personally!"

„My pleasure, Ricardo, my pleasure. Yes, I have just arrived back from Japan where I danced in a Gala together with Svetlana Zakharova, Eleonora Abbagnato, Natalia Osipova, Vadim Muntagirov, Manuel Legris among others... „ and with a broad smile he adds „Yes, I am a bit tired!"

Immediately I felt „home and welcome" - which is an expression I use to express my feelings when I feel relaxed which is conditio sine qua non to feel at ease to chat and go „beyond" facts that are known to everybody while making an Interview.

„We will try something different today, Mathieu. If anyone wants to know more about your biography, they can surely read in a series of Homepages, internet platforms, and magazines about everything in the most logical and chronological detail... This is not what I want..."

„I see. People can find this everywhere if they are looking for this kind of information", he says and I realize that I have his whole attention. I like when somebody can listen, especially looking into your eyes. This always shows so much about people's good nature and respect for others.

„It is not that I want to ask anything personal about your life, no. I just want to penetrate more into the mind and heart of the man to get to understand the Dancer and Artist better! Here and there we will naturally mention some „facts" but that is not our main target. Do you know what I mean?"

„Oh yes", he nods „ And I agree!"

„Let's start at the beginning: My relationship with you started very early... like millions of people I got to know you on TV when you were two years old... Did you know that?"

Before I could continue, he starts laughing with an even broader smile than before. Memories. You can see that plainly on his facial expression.„The Roland Petit thing? „Ma Pavlova"?"

„Yes... you with your Mom, turning your first pirouettes" and I mimic the pirouettes of the two-year-old while he laughs even more „And I remember that we were some friends together in front of the TV – this was a happening on those days and people got together to watch a show like that - and we all started to discuss „Will he be a dancer or not?", trying to save you from such a „destiny" (Note: Vienna, in the middle of the 80s felt like being in the middle of the East Block and we were quite “down” at the time). And what happens then? Here you are! Was this 1986?

„Yes, yes, this was 1986" he laughs „All dancers say this when concerned about the new generations in the family „Hopefully they won't dance", but they do!!!!"

„Well, in fact, I know everything that I need to know: I know your age, your parents, that you were at school in Marseille, the date when you entered the Corps de Ballet and when you became a „Coryphée", and then a „Sujet" and then your „jump", which I still think is quite unusual: to „Étoile", without having been at the „level" of a „Premier Danseur", and you were only 20 years old. This is very, very young... right?"

„Yes, but this has also happened in the past. I think with Manuel (Note. Legris), Laurent Hilaire, and also with my Mother (Note. The beautiful Dominique Khalfouni)"

„They were all so young?"

„No, Ricardo, not so young. What I mean is that they were Sujets and were promoted to „Étoile". Sylvie Guillem was 19 when she had her Avancement to Étoile. This promotion in such young years happened a few times more. But now it has turned to be quite unusual."

Mathieu Ganio/Manon. Copyright: Opéra National de Paris/ Julien Benhan - with kind permisssion.

„You mentioned your mother. I have to tell you about a very interesting story related to your parents"

He moves forward to listen more closely. „It was 1984 and I was walking through Venice. I noticed that a stage was being built in front of St. Mark's Basilika. I asked around what that was all about – to find out that Petit's „The four Seasons" was going to be performed that evening. I am not a patient person, I hate to wait but on those days I wasn't so extreme and I stood there from 3 pm on, to enjoy such a beautiful performance with your Mom, your Father Denys Ganio, Florence Flaure, Luigi Bonino, and a dancer I simply adored, Jean-Charles Gil! What an evening! And I, in the first row!"

His eyes had grown big while I was telling this story „Wow, Ricardo, you have seen that? Live? How incredible! Jean Charles Gil finished his career with Roland Petit then he choreographed for a while and I even danced something from him as I was in the Marseille school"

„I remember when he was in New York and Baryshnikov gave him some of his own Albrecht performances because he liked and regarded him so much! But let us get back to you. As I was mentioning before, I also know that you danced abroad „everywhere", even Giselle & D.Q. at the Mariinsky but, to be very honest, I had to stop and make more „homework" as I began to analyze your huge repertoire. And this took me quite a long time. To analyze it chronologically...so I could understand your “career path”. One thing amazes me, this is my personal opinion, but sometimes I have the feeling that the Paris Opera sort of typecasts its dancers. You know, the „if you're the prince you will always be the prince" kind of attitude. But not you... „

„Yes, but you have to fight for it. I fought against that. And I am very happy about it. Very happy indeed. To try to change my repertory, and characters and to achieve changing it. But I must say that in Paris we have the luck to have such a wide repertory. So you can „try" as much as you can. It is true, especially when I was young, that everybody wanted to see me in the prince role and of course, I was very happy. I was something like in my 20s. I was just happy to have the chance to dance this kind of role I have always dreamt about, Very challenging roles which of course lead you, not to fame but to enter a certain small „circle" of „Étoiles". Prestige. But then, a little while later, I was disappointed with myself for only doing that, not as well as I wanted to. I knew I had something different to say, maybe even more personal than „a prince", you see?"

„And you had the liberty to talk to directors about that? To say I must do this and that?"

„Yes, yes... and the courage. My point was that people had this preconceived idea of me as a prince. The reality was quite different. Sometimes I felt that they were thinking of me (about my “princes”) „It was good but perhaps not as good as it should have been". But the most important thing is that I realized that I was better in other kinds of roles, more theatrical roles, in roles in which people would not have expected of me because they did not think that those were the roles „I am"... „

„I have also read in your biography that you danced „Caligula" by Nicolas Le Riche, and this is a hard tough part, isn't it? Not the “prince role” at all!"

„Yes I had been just promoted to Étoile and Nicolas le Riche chose me to be second cast – the first cast was Jérémie Bélingard, a dancer whose way of moving I adore but we are such different dancers: We couldn't be more different. And I kept asking myself „How could I be the same as him – because the part was created on him, for him – with our completely different physique and way of moving? Not only that occupied me but also the character, who, I thought, was not „my type of character". It was definitely a big challenge for me and Nicolas was really smart in letting me do „the same steps" but with my soul.

„This brings me to a point that I have written down... Some people are using Dance to promote themselves, you are serving Dance... „

He smiles and just says „I try"

„No honestly, I like and cherish this attitude very much. This is beautiful „

„Thank you, Ricardo, I like to hear that. And I am happy that you feel that because I don't want to use my career to promote myself. I just to bring my art to the people... „

„Excuse me for interrupting you, Mathieu, but this requires something that is turning out to be so rare nowadays. This requires humbleness.", I say.

He thinks for one or two seconds and says „ I don't know if this is humbleness. I am just not very much interested in „fame", I am interested in doing my job. Well. I want to be successful in it, in what I do. The rest, yes, if it happens is nice, OK, but this is not my real character, this “to be famous and the center of attractions". I don't know if it is humbleness or humility or whatever. It is just the way I am.", he finishes with another broad smile

„Let us talk about something NOT spectacular", I venture, „Of course, we could talk about D.Q. And similar apotheotic ballets but let us talk about a recent work of yours which I loved, and I am sure that I am not alone in that... It made quite an impact and there was much talk about it... „Clair de Lune"! I love it!"

„Ahhhh", he screams and seems to be surprised at my mentioning exactly that. „Thank you, I love it too. And it was a „series of circumstances" which brought me to it. I was in London and I was so happy because for us French it is not very common to dance there – I don't know why, we don't exchange much – I was happy to dance at the „Coliseum" and I asked to come with a partner but at the last moment she canceled. I still wanted to go. Ivan Putrov told me that perhaps I could do a Swan Lake variation and suggested another „solo"which I should see first. „OK", I said, let's watch it. And it was this Solo created for Edward Watson by Alastair Marriott. It was created for a fashion event, not really for the stage. And I loved it. First of all, I love the music and then I loved its „atmosphere", the mood in which it is set. We only had a few days to rehearse. But we did it. It is not that I didn't want to do other variations but I was so moved by this piece, by the feeling that is involved in it"

Mathieu Ganio/ Clair de Lune. Copyright: Opéra National de Paris/ Svetlana Loboff - with kind permission.

„Yes, its „vulnerability", its „china-like texture" as if it was, in reality, a piece of breakable porcelain. It left such a huge impression. Another side of you. Fragile", I add.

„Thank you. I love hearing you say that. We also brought the piece to Paris and people liked it very much... „

„I can well imagine... I was now quite near to my next question and, suddenly, we have „by chance" got this beautiful „bridge". From such an endearing piece as “Clair de Lune” to „abilities" – quite a jump – to something that people mistake nowadays for „technique". To my way of thinking these are two „different pairs of shoes"... the „circus-like" part of Dance... „

He ponders for a few seconds and just says „I think that audiences like it... „, in which he is completely right, „It has nothing to do with being knowledgeable or not, they want „Entertainment"also... For me, particularly, if I were on this way as a dancer, I'd know that I'd be terribly disappointed with myself, I'd have to find another way to exist... „

We talked for a while about the book „Danser sa vie" by Roger Garaudy, (which was only once translated to another language. Luckily for me, it was translated to Portuguese) and the „essence" of what is dancing – far away from these displays of bravura from our present times – and about dancers who were technically (in the circus-like sense) not the very best but, on the other hand, were simply marvelous...

To be continued on April 17th.