rg

'divertimento brillante' also names the glinka music tho' i don't see any more info, such as an opus no. etc., listed anywhere. it seems the CBC telecast i've already noted is dated '69 in 'choreography by george balanchine: a catalogue of works' [which incidentally i gather is being updated, to include new stagings and recently discovered information about some of the older and short-lived works] the same book also notes that in '68 'divertimento brillante' was also telecast by NBC on the bell telephone hour. (perhaps that's the footage included in 'a man who dances' - i haven't looked at my copy of that tape lately.)

the Glinka 'divertimento' mentioned here was filmed w/ EVillella and PMcBride in Canada on a telecast that included "Concerto Barocco" and "Apollo." the film date is, if mem. serves, '68, just before Farrell left NYCB in '69. (Farrell leads Barocco and dances Terpsichore in this telecast.) perhaps i'm misremembering here, but i think Villella restaged this duet at some point for his Miami City dancers, tho' if he did i don't think it was kept around very long. perhaps the several CBC kinescopes of NYCB made during this era will one day be released commerically.

Having serendipitously found a film called “Spring Night” tacked onto a DVD offering two ballet films (BLACK TIGHTS and BOLSHOI ‘67, marketed by TRITON and which I picked up in NYC for 9.99), I wonder if anyone hereabouts knows anything of this little film. It stars David Lichine, who also did the choreography, and Nana Gollner. Lichine performs the role of Pan and Gollner that of young woman swept into a dream/fantasy by Pan as a garden statue come to life for a smooth little acrobatic adagio. The film is barely noted on the packaging and not at all on the little, minimal (to say the most), credits’ card included w/the DVD. One really only learns of its being on the disk by playing the main titles’ feature where you learn that 1. Is BLACK TIGHTS 2. Is BOLSHOI ‘67 and 3. Is, quote: ‘SPRING NIGHT (Short). The film is dated 1935, w/ music by Joseph Acron. The NYPLibrary for the Perf. Arts dance collection has only one reference that I can find to the film, mentioned somewhere in DANCE MAGAZINE, Apr. ‘76. Anyone know more? All information gladly accepted. tia, rg

Mme. Hermine is correct, the farrell/villella 'midsummer' IS a film and was only so released. the way tapes were gotten is from the times when VCRs were rolling when the FILM was televised. this version has NOT, to the best of my knowledge, been re-released on commercial video tape or on DVD. the film is it; the tapes are off-the-air copies of the televised film.

the casting as given in this thread is according to a list revised as of 14 june, when it seems to have arrived at the linc. cent. offices. it could still change again, past experience w/ such things has proven how 'fluid' kirov casting can be. to be sure, this current list is different in many ways from the one that preceded it. i assume that management is living under the 'casting subject to change' caveat. all one can say for now is that the list given here jibes with the most recent information provided by lincoln center.

here is the current casting for JEWELS 18 Jul: Emeralds - Ayupova, Part, Baranov, Yakovlev (Pas de Trois: Selina, Ostreikovskaya, Korsakov) Rubies - Vishenva, Saodurov, Gumerov Diamonds - Zakharova, Korsuntsev 19 Jul: Emeralds - same as 18 Jul except PdT - Scherbakov for Korsakov Rubies - Nioradze, Fadeyev, Gumerova Diamonds - Pavlenko, Kolb 20 Jul (eve). Emeralds - same as 19 Jul Rubies - Golub, Samadurov, Pavlenko Diamonds - Gumerova, Korsuntsev

AT is correct to say that this film has not been commercially released. the film has, however, been shown on television during the VCR era. i rem. the area in and around saratoga springs got the telecast some time ago, therefore some tapes are around of the film 'off the air'. the NYPL for the Perf. Arts at Linc.Cent./Dance Coll. does, to be sure have a copy, as follows: A midsummer night's dream [videorecording] / directed by Dan Eriksen ; produced by Richard Davis ; choreography by George Balanchine ; music by Felix Mendelssohn.c1967. Description:2 videocassettes (93 min.) : sd., col. NTSC ; 3/4 in. (U-matic) Notes:Full-length motion picture. Performed by members of the New York City Ballet and students of The School of American Ballet. Suzanne Farrell (Titania), Edward Villella (Oberon), Arthur Mitchell (Puck), Mimi Paul (Helena), Nicholas Magallanes (Lysander), Patricia McBride (Hermia), Roland Vazquez (Demetrius), Francisco Moncion (Theseus), Gloria Govrin (Hippolyta), Richard Rapp (Bottom), Jacques d'Amboise (Court danseur), and Allegra Kent (Court danseuse). Released by Michael Taines ; director of photography, Arthur J. Ornitz ; production design, Howard Bay ; art direction, Albert Brenner ; costumes, Karinska. also in the library: A midsummer night's dream [unedited footage] [videorecording] / directed by Dan Eriksen ; produced by Richard Davis ; choreography by George Balanchine. Imprint:1967. Description:1 videocassette (24 min.) : si., col. NTSC ; 1/2 in. (VHS) Notes:Letterbox format. Unedited footage, without audio. For the completed version of the film, which was released through Oberon Productions, Ltd., in 1967, see *MGZIC 9-1405. Production design, Howard Bay ; art direction, Albert Brenner ; costumes, Karinska. Suzanne Farrell (Titania), Conrad Ludlow (Titania's cavalier), Arthur Mitchell (Puck), Edward Villella (Oberon), Mimi Paul (Helena), Patricia McBride (Hermia), Roland Vazquez (Demetrius), Nicholas Magallanes (Lysander), Gloria Govrin (Hippolyta), Richard Rapp (Bottom), Francisco Moncion (Theseus), members of the New York City Ballet, children from the School of American Ballet. Unedited footage from the film version of George Balanchine's ballet adaptation of William Shakespeare's play. The scenes, most of which are from Act I of the ballet, include Titania's pas de deux with her cavalier; Oberon's dance with the ensemble of butterflies and fairies; a mime scene in which Oberon directs Puck to find the magic flower, and Puck's ensuing journey; the four lovers wandering through a mist-shrouded forest as Hippolyta and her hounds pursue their hunt; Titania's awakening, and the removal of Bottom's enchantment. Scenes from Act II include the final pose of Theseus, Hippolyta, and the four lovers, and the reconciliation of Titania and Oberon, with the butterflies and fairies in attendance.

as AT might well confirm, gracheva has now been 'scratched' from the season's casting; antonicheva will dance both her already scheduled performances as well as those of gracheva. as of now the partners remain as already planned.

i think i saw a copy at nycb's gift/book bar. maybe the wedsite for nycballet could get you to the gift bar, which sells any number of second hand books, the selection is, of course, varied but i seem to rem. a copy of farrell's book the last time i looked at that part of the gift bar.

interesting to interpret what I. Guest says A.Vestris called "the Perrot style" with reference to Jules Perrot's physique rather than his visage. All one knows from Guest, according to his own observations, is that Perrot was an "ugly boy" in comparison to the dancers he'd be up against at the Opéra - the author names Antoine Paul and (F. Decombe) Albert as models of the kind of "beauty" Perrot didn't possess. A. Bournonville, as i'm sure AT can elaborate better than i can, wrote that Perrot "belonged to the realm of gnomes" and that "Vestris capitalised his ugliness by forbidding him to take up picturesque attitudes" quoting the famed teacher on his eventually famous pupil thus: "Keep jumping from one spot to another, turn and sway, never give the public time to observe you closely." ["JULES PERROT, Master of the Romantic Ballet" Dance Horizons: New York 1984, p. 12] (perhaps then, the unsightliness by early 19th c. terms was a combined lack of both facial and physical comliness.)

david vaughan's book, naturelment, gives a full accounting of the changes to 'les rendezvous' over the years. i too think this must be a staging by the sadler's wells royal ballet, as today's birmingham royal ballet was once called. (thre is even a video around of this company's performance of the work, led by marion tate and david ashmole.) the only decor i know of the sundry varieties mentioned in vaughan is the chappell, w/ it's gated park fence. it was never white pickets to the best of my knowledge, tho' when abt staged its version w/ chappell's designs. there were memorable, fleecy, chalk-white clouds against the bright blue sky that might get one thinking/recalling white pickets. this design scheme, given some variance to scaling the fence and gate for the various stages, is the only one i've known, until the most recent anthony ward designs. the costumes are pretty much the way they've been, once the originals, in deeper colors, were changed for this look. before seeing the picture estelle posted, just from the initial post by estelle, i thought of ashton's 'valse noble et sentimentale,' but quickly checked some pictures of that work and realized it didn't jibe w/estelle's overall description. both ashton's and balanchine's versions of 'la valse' have long white gloves as part of the women's costuming. but there are any number of other examples of 'long white glove' ballets, which could be easily noted by a quick flip through any decent picture book of royal or new york city ballet repertory. and as estelle indicates, out any number of paris opera ballets also probably used such gloves as part of the women's attire.

a source at NYCB notes that the diamond project telecast is now scheduled to be aired in the los angeles area on sunday, june 2, at a time to be announced, obviously not live. (i have no information about the san francisco region.)

this is the company's announcement of the farewell performance for HA: HELÉNE ALEXOPOULOS TO DANCE FAREWELL PERFORMANCE WITH NEW YORK CITY BALLET ON SATURDAY, MAY 18, 2002 New York City Ballet announced today that Principal Dancer Heléne Alexopoulos will retire from the Company this spring, and will give her farewell performance on Saturday, May 18 at 8 p.m. For this performance, which will celebrate her 24-year career with the Company, Ms. Alexopoulos will dance George Balanchine’s Prodigal Son and Vienna Waltzes. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Ms. Alexopoulos began her dance training at the age of six with local teachers. She continued her studies with former NYCB Principal Dancer Maria Tallchief, then the director of the Chicago Lyric Opera Ballet, and while still a student she appeared professionally with the Chicago Lyric Opera Ballet. In 1977, Ms. Alexopoulos came to New York on a scholarship to study at the School of America Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet, and later that year became an apprentice with the Company. She was invited by George Balanchine to join New York City Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 1978, was promoted to the rank of Soloist in 1984, and was named a Principal Dancer in 1989. During her career with New York City Ballet, Ms. Alexopoulos has performed a wide range of roles in the Company’s extensive repertory, including principal roles in George Balanchine’s Agon, Apollo (Calliope), Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet, Concerto Barocco, Cortège Hongrois, Divertimento No. 15, Episodes, The Four Temperaments, Ivesiana, “Emeralds” from Jewels, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Helena), Monumentum Pro Gesualdo/Movements for Piano and Orchestra, The Nutcracker, Orpheus, Robert Schumann’s “Davidsbündlertänze,” Scherzo a la Russe, Serenade (the Dark Angel), Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Symphony in C, Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3, Union Jack, Variations Pour une Porte et un Soupir, Western Symphony, and Who Cares? Ms. Alexopoulos has originated roles in Jerome Robbins' Glass Pieces and Antique Epigraphs, and among her many featured roles in the Robbins’ repertory, are Afternoon of a Faun, Dances at a Gathering, The Four Seasons (Summer and Fall), The Goldberg Variations, I’m Old Fashioned, In The Night, Ives Songs, Moves, Piano Pieces, and West Side Story Suite. She has originated roles in Peter Martins' Ecstatic Orange, Suite from Histoire du Soldat, and The Waltz Project, and has performed featured roles in Mr. Martins’ The Chairman Dances, Fearful Symmetries, Jazz (Six Syncopated Movements), Rejouissance, A Schubertiad, The Sleeping Beauty (Lilac Fairy and Carabosse) and Swan Lake. Ms. Alexopoulos originated principal roles in William Forsythe's behind the china dogs, Ib Andersen's Baroque Variations, Ulysses Dove’s Twilight, Lynn Taylor-Corbett’s Mercury, Alexander Proia’s Refractions, and Robert La Fosse’s “Rockin’ in Rhythm” section of 1999’s Duke! She also appeared in Ulysses Dove’s Red Angels, the Jerome Robbins/Twyla Tharp collaboration Brahms/Handel, Lar Lubovitch's Rhapsody in Blue, and John Taras' Souvenir de Florence. Ms. Alexopoulos danced for Suzanne Farrell for the Kennedy Center’s 25th Anniversary, and appeared in the film Suzanne Farrell: Elusive Muse. She has also worked with Chet Walker and Richard Move on The Seven Deadly Sins for Jacob’s Pillow. Ms. Alexopoulos has been seen on television on Dance in America and Live from Studio 8-H. In addition she was featured in the film version of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, in John Avildson’s motion picture Slow Dancing in the Big City, and was one of four NYCB dancers featured in the New York City Ballet Workout video and dvd, which was released in the spring of 2001. Ms. Alexopoulos has also been featured in the Interpreters Archive videotapes produced by the George Balanchine Foundation. In addition to her appearances in New York, Ms. Alexopoulos has traveled extensively with New York City Ballet, appearing in Athens, Tokyo, Osaka, Edinburgh, Copenhagen, Berlin, London, Paris and many American cities. She has also appeared as a Guest Artist throughout the U.S. and Europe New York City Ballet’s 2002 spring repertory season will run April 30 through June 30 at the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center. For information on any NYCB performance call 212-870-5570, or visit the NYCB web site at www.nycballet.com.

the Live From Lincoln Center NYCB/Diamond Project telecast is scheduled for May 30, at 8 pm EST, and is billed to include performances of JEU DE CARTES (Martins), CHIAROSCURO (Taylor-Corbett), RED ANGELS (Dove), MERCURIAL MANOEUVERS (Wheeldon), as well as excerpts for VIOLA ALONE (O'Day), ANCIENT AIRS AND DANCES (Tanner), THEM TWOS (Martins), and LA STRAVAGANZA (Preljocaj).

to the best of knowledge this "ballerina" series, hosted by makarova, has not be issued commercially on home cassette or dvd. it has been re-shown variously, not that long ago, if mem. serves, again on A&E in the States. (i cannot speak for what re-airing, if any, the shows have been given in europe.) along w/ the margot fonteyn-narrated "magic of the dance" and the peter schaufuss narrated "dancer" none of this made-for-television/ballet-series programming has been made available for commercial sale/distribution. if i'm mistaken about any of these, i'd be happy to learn it. for the present, one's off-the-air copies are all there is, besides those sets that reside in library catalogues, etc.

CHOPINIANA, Fokine's earliest version of the ballet now known as LES SYLPHIDES, was first given in 1907, orchestrated by Glazunov, with the Maryinsky Theater ballet in St. Petersburg, for a benefit performance. A subsequent version, also performed by the Marysinksy Theater ballet also in St. Petersburg, for a charity benefit, and called REVERIED ROMANTIQUE - BALLET SUR LA MUSIQUE DE CHOPIN (and now known as CHOPINIANA, SECOND VERSION)was given in 1908 (set by the Vsevolozhky's forest panorama drop from "The Sleeping Beauty"), in this instance the orchestrations were by Maurice Keller and Glazunov. In 1909, with Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, LES SYLPHIDES (re-christened thus by Diaghilev and more or less in the shape known widely since then) was given in Paris, with orchestrations by Igor Stravinsky, Alexander Taneyev, and Galzunov. w/ regard to the "Polonaise Militaire," to this day, or at least when it was last given hereabouts, the Kirov/Marysinksy Ballet has used this composition, orchestrated as in THE CONCERT, as an overture to its staging of CHOPINIANA. i'm not sure if this rousing polonaise was part of the 1909 Paris premiere. [my source for this information is appendix A in Lynn Garafola's DIAGHILEV'S BALELTS RUSSES (Oxford University Press, 1998)]

fyi: undating and/or reprinting 'repertory in review'- the prospects are not good. the book is rich with excerpted reviews from other published sources of the productions discussed in the entries, and, according to those close to the book's first printing, the rights for the numerous reprints were granted for the one printing only, and obtaining them again for further printings etc. is an almost unrepeatable task. so for now it looks as if the copies out there are the only copies we're likely to have.

actually if i read the comment here about assuming the legal battle ended, it should be noted that the court case is still active. part one of a decision, if i understand it all correctly, said that the center could also use graham's name and that the trust, headed by ron protas, could not hold exclusive rights to the name. (this is now, i THINK, being appealed by the trust.) part two, which goes back to court in the next few weeks, is to make a determination regarding ownership of the works created by graham. to the best of my knowledge, this single perf. is being done w/out any sort of legal protest by the trust, but that side still feels it is the sole holder of the rights to graham's work, so if the copyright case is won on appeal or if the next phase goes against the center, there could be some recompense demanded by the trust for this perf. organized by the center. according, btw, to a flyer now at city center, i gather the planned presentation of a revival of 'chorale' is no longer in the mix, as it is not mentioned on the programming printed on the hand-out. fyi the leaflet lists the prog as follows: SERAPHIC DIALOGUE 'CONVERSATION OF LOVERS'/ACTS OF LIGHT EMBATTLED GARDEN NIGHT JOURNEY 'STEPS IN THE STREET'/CHRONICLE

is Jerome Robbins off this ballot for some particular reason?

of these three i know there is CD of 'Le Corsaire' it's catalogued under A. Adam and includes some of the Delibes interpolations but not those by Pugni, etc. i stupidly didn't buy when i saw it not long ago so i don't recall the label, but it's a 2 CD set.

balanchine's 'ballo dello della regina' uses the ballet music from "don carlos" robbins' 'four seasons' includes interpolations from 'trovatore' and "jerusalem" macmillan's "four seasons" was around some time back (a tape of a canadian dance comp. includes errol pickford dancing a solo from that ballet's fall section). THE VERDI BALLETS by Knud Arne Jurgensen includes substative chapters on all the ballet music, from 'jerusalem' thru 'othello' including a finely detailed entry on the original hansen choreography for 'aida'. (incidentally i was amused to read a review in a recent TLS of a new book on verdi that complained almost bitterly about the amount space given over in the book to the ballet music, which the reviewer called 'marginal' in a most dismissive way.)

are you saying paul, that you're unaware or 'le grand pas de quatre' being on commercial vid? when i put my videography togeth. for my book there were 4 different versions (two incomplete) round (p. 563) and i didn't mention the one that was on the 'era of romantic ballet' as that tape had at that point been discontinued, tho' it's still around in any number of collections. i don't know if the trocks are putting that version on the vid. they've either just released or are about to release. but it's probably worth exploring this avenue too.

w/out sounding self-absorbed, on pp. 551-52 of my book, ballet101, there is a list of 3 tapes of 'ivan the t': 2 complete (though one of these is somewhat abridged) and one offering only act 1. these date from 1990, 1988 (the tape's release date; the ballet was filmed in '77) and 1991 (the single-act tape). bessmertnova is in the '77 and '90 perfs. the former opposite yuri vladimirov, the title role's originator, the latter opposite irek mukhamedov. the one-act offering is led by alexander vetrov and maria bylova. (i think the mukhamedov & bessmertnova tape was released by spectacor, as part of the 'bolshoi at the bolshoi' series, if mem. serves. and i don't think that label is still in business. [ March 08, 2002, 01:56 PM: Message edited by: rg ]

a lot of us grumbled a good deal as 'don q' came into rep rotation, but likewise we couldn't necessarily stay away. i remember the day e.gorey noted how one should have been keeping a careful log of ALL the changes balanchine kept making to his ballet, no two runs were ever of the choreographic/staging text as before: dances in, dances out, changes to this and the other section, decor alterations, etc. etc.. my first views of the ballet were after 1969, once farrell left the co. and s. leland and k. mazzo shared dancing dulcinea, but the finally w/ farrell again when she returned to nycb. and to be sure the solos you mention paul, from the last act's great pas d'action stand out among the most blindingly brilliant choreography and dancing ever put on a stage, up to that point and since! all the complaints about the score were stated year after year but some of us still couldn't/wouldn't stay away. like a previous post-er here, i too saw the final, final performance, and due to the auspices of the late david daniel got to visit farrell's dressing room and get her to sign the prog. needless to remark it now remains quite an archival treasure. (alas i never saw mr. b perform the don but i saw splendid renderings of this role by r. rapp, j. d'amboise, and perhaps, most especially from adam luders.)

this won't help w/ the 'tchaik. pdd' query but JVC brought out the 1895 swanlake music a few years ago, w/ some very good notes in chartform delineating the variations of 1895, which is the version most often staged, and the '77 score in toto. the JVC production includes all the drigo interpolations, etc. it put an end to the irony that most popular of ballets, i.e. this petipa/ivanov re-do of swanlake, was nowhere on record, while the '77 complete score, which was hardly ever staged as composed, was fully and widely available.