10 replies to this topic

[silvy]

Hi

I am interested to know if some of you have seen Tulsa Ballet recently, or more or less recently.  A friend from Uruguay is dancing there, so I would be very interested to read how he is getting along, what they are dancing, etc.

Thanks so much

Silvy

[silvy]

Hey Ballet-taxi and thanks for replying my enquiry about Tulsa Ballet

My friend's name is Wilson Lema.  We used to take class together here in Uruguay, before he went to live in the USA.  He was a very dedicated and disciplined boy at that time (he was about 19)

I am glad that Nutcracker went well.

I shall wait to hear your news!!!!

Silvy

[silvy]

Hi Ballet taxi and thanks so much for your news about Wilson.

I last saw him about 12 years ago.  I knew from Tulsa Ballet website about his marriage and his son. I would very much like to get in touch with him again.

Should you have the chance to see him, could you please tell him that Silvana Marotta from Uruguay tried to contact him? And please give him my email:  silvanamar@adinet.com.uy

Thanks so much

Silvy

[Premabalrina]

I saw Tulsa Ballet this past October performing some more interesting contemporary works.  The first piece choreographed by Nacho Duato was quite impressive.  Although I did find it to be strange that a few of the dancers in the company who are in the "corps de ballet" executed the choreography better than the much older soloist and principle dancers. Other than that, the company has expanded this season, adding about 6 more "non-american" dancers (making a total of about 3 american trained dancers!)  I will probably catch another one of their programs this season, something more classical.

[silvy]

Premabalrina:

Thank you for the information.

Silvy

[Premabalrina]

You are very welcome, Silvy.  If you have any more questions, let me know.  I danced there at one time.

[STorevna]

Yes I have seen the company!

I saw their Swan Lake last month, as well as Legends in Motion, and of course Nutcracker in December.

I was most disappointed with their Nutcracker, which is set in 1930s Paris. The first act takes place at the Palais Garnier during a ballet class. I noticed that many of their best dancers were actually in the corps! They had some very good male dancers as well.

Swan Lake was very nice. The Ballerina, who was Rene Olivier I believe, was excellent, particularly as the Black Swan, and astounded the audience with her quintuple pirouette during her solo, which was right on the music.  Alfonso Martin performed as the Prince, and he was a wonderful partner, and had brilliant entrechat sixes and double tours. The Pas de Trois, was certainly the best part of the performance - the ballerinas were very athletic, almost like rhythmic gymnists. Unfortunately I seemed to have misplaced the program, and I cant remember the names of the dancers.

The orchestra's conductor was very good, but their was a violinist who was much louder and had much more vibrato than his/her fellow musicians. I also remember hearing this violinist when I saw Nutcracker in December. During the performance I remembered the scene from the beginning of the movie "Red Dragon" with Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector - where he serves the "out of tune" flautist to the chairpersons of the orchestra!

The orchestra was quite small for both Nutcracker and Swan Lake. Both scores were written for very large orchestras, but nonetheless the music did not suffer.

During the Snowflake waltz in Nutcracker I was very suprised that they actually allowed a spotlight to be shown on the boys choir, which was standing on a dais erected at the the left side of the auditorium. It was very distracting from the stage.

Unfortunately I have to wait to see anther performance until November, when they will perform Oklahoma! Suite.

--Sasha Torevna

[carbro]

I'm impressed that Tulsa Ballet has an orchestra, when so many medium-sized and smaller companies rely on recorded music.  Even a chamber-sized orchestra is preferable to a recording, IMO.  A shame, though, that the pas de trois overshadowed the Swan.

Oklahoma! Suite, I presume, is set to music from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.  Do you know who choreographed?  I look forward to reading your comments.