Suzanne Farrell/Afshin Mofid dancing "Afternoon of a Faun

[GeorgeB fan]

Surfing the web...not much to do...a little bore. And then I came across this!

A 1984 live videotape performance of Jerome Robbins' masterwork with Suzanne Farrell and Afshin Mofid. I was totally startled. I don't know why but I never envisioned Farrell dancing the girl. I guess I always viewed Farrell not only as Balanchine's muse but also because when I think of her I see noble, regal...woman. But I must say she's glorious in this role and Mofid was just as remarkable. I never heard of him but he's very good.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=10...ncing&hl=en#

Take a look before the video is taken down. For some reason whenever I posted a link to a video on the web eventually it disappears.

[bart]

Thank you so much, GeorgeB fan, for this link. Farrell danced this with Peter Martins a few years earlier. I don't see of this as a natural Farrell role, though Martins was a more plausible partner than Mofid..

The evident age difference in clip gives adds a dramatic element I don't recall ever seeing before. 1984: isn't that after the serious onset of hip problems?

It's always moving to see video of Farrell, even in less than ideal conditions. I'm looking forward to reading what others think of it.

[carbro]

I don't see of this as a natural Farrell role, though Martins was a more plausible partner than Mofid..

As a partner, technically, yes. But in this ballet I never got from Martins either the sensuousness or the wonder that are so intrinsic to the role. Mofid had the wonder, and as for the sensuousness -- in buckets! He was, for me, THE best in this role of his era, perhaps even to the present.

The evident age difference in clip gives adds a dramatic element I don't recall ever seeing before.

The resolution of this video is so poor that I can't see it (although I know it's there). Still, I think Farrell, at any age, had a virginal quality that works here, overriding her real-life maturity.

[glebb]

Saw him many times live. He was wonderful in the role.

[Ray]

Saw him many times live. He was wonderful in the role.

LOVE this clip, thank you so much for finding it and sharing it. To take nothing away from Mofid, Martins did have an icy narcissism that seemed to come naturally to him (I'm just sayin'...).

[papeetepatrick]

Saw him many times live. He was wonderful in the role.

LOVE this clip, thank you so much for finding it and sharing it. To take nothing away from Mofid, Martins did have an icy narcissism that seemed to come naturally to him (I'm just sayin'...).

But could he do the Kiss like that? I was knocked out by his movement toward her face, because there was plenty of narcissism where that came from, so could Martins really come out of it briefly the way Mofid does? Enquiring minds want to know from those who saw both. I really don't see Martins as physically 'the faun', although I'm sure he was fine. Not hidden enough, nothing 'woodlands' about him. Martins is dazzling, extroverted and rather prosaic-ordinary--in no way a secret, poetic, rarefied creature.

[Farrell Fan]

I like this clip very much. I saw Farrell and Mofid in a live, mesmerizing performance, but oddly enough, if I saw her and Martins, I have no recollection of it. Farrell did dance considerable Robbins, however. Most improbable was The Cage, and most beautiful, In G Major, with Martins. Also Dances at a Gathering, In The Night, and Goldberg Variations.

The wonders of internet research reveal that Afshin Mofid is now in Boise, Idaho, where he is a doctor of chiropractic.

[Ray]

Saw him many times live. He was wonderful in the role.

LOVE this clip, thank you so much for finding it and sharing it. To take nothing away from Mofid, Martins did have an icy narcissism that seemed to come naturally to him (I'm just sayin'...).

But could he do the Kiss like that? I was knocked out by his movement toward her face, because there was plenty of narcissism where that came from, so could Martins really come out of it briefly the way Mofid does? Enquiring minds want to know from those who saw both. I really don't see Martins as physically 'the faun', although I'm sure he was fine. Not hidden enough, nothing 'woodlands' about him. Martins is dazzling, extroverted and rather prosaic-ordinary--in no way a secret, poetic, rarefied creature.

My comment was facetious; very little serious content in it. In other words, my Facebook voice.

[papeetepatrick]

My comment was facetious; very little serious content in it. In other words, my Facebook voice.

I'm a bit slow on some of those lexicons, but I'm glad you said it; because narcissism has to be exuded, but the term 'icy narcissism' is very apt for Martins, and may well apply to him at his best--it makes you so you don't see the obvious bourgeois which he usually embodies if the energy isn't enough. It's why I like some of his dancing, but not nearly to the degree I love Villella's, and others. And the faun, of course, has to be anything but icy.

[bart]

I remember Farrell and Martins in Faun. I believe they also took this out on tour.

I agree with Patrick that this was not a natural role for Martins, as I still believe it was not for Farrell, at least at this later stage of her career. But Martins did have the size, as well as the visual weight, to balance Farrell on stage. I do not find this in the Mofid-Farrell partnership as revealed this video.

[PeggyR]

As much as I love this clip (and appreciate the rare opportunity to see Farrell), in some ways I prefer the d'Amboise/LeClercq video that has been discussed here before. That one makes me laugh out loud at the comical self-involvement of these two exotic, impossibly beautiful creatures who are constantly drawn back to their images in the mirror, a palpable third character.

In the Farrell/Mofid - both of them impossibly beautiful too - it feels like they're inhabiting each other's dream; there's an enchanted quality about it, more as if they are turning away from something that really isn't there than toward their own images. Not sure if that makes sense.

Thanks to GeorgeB fan for posting this. It's wonderful to be able to compare different performances/interpretations so many years after the fact.

[Paul Parish]

Thanks, Carbro -- It's good to hear that from someone who was there and saw it and isn't just speculating. Yes, Mofid is glorious, and she has that virginal quality -- but alas, the resolution's so weak it's hard to tell.

Tanny is still the best I've seen on film, with Jacques -- they're both so simple, and yet the effects are so stunning.

I don't see of this as a natural Farrell role, though Martins was a more plausible partner than Mofid..

As a partner, technically, yes. But in this ballet I never got from Martins either the sensuousness or the wonder that are so intrinsic to the role. Mofid had the wonder, and as for the sensuousness -- in buckets! He was, for me, THE best in this role of his era, perhaps even to the present.

The evident age difference in clip gives adds a dramatic element I don't recall ever seeing before.

The resolution of this video is so poor that I can't see it (although I know it's there). Still, I think Farrell, at any age, had a virginal quality that works here, overriding her real-life maturity.

[Helene]

[Mofid had the wonder, and as for the sensuousness -- in buckets! He was, for me, THE best in this role of his era, perhaps even to the present.

He was unselfconscious in the role. He was what he was, and if that bordered on narcissism, he didn't try to check it or stylize it.

To take nothing away from Mofid, Martins did have an icy narcissism that seemed to come naturally to him (I'm just sayin'...).

I never saw Martins be unselfconscious in any role, although he came close in some of the variations in the "Chaconne" video.

[glebb]

Farrell was so chic in IN G MAJOR - great ballet!

I also remember Farrell in OTHER DANCES.

[Mel Johnson]

And I can recall her in "Faun" back at City Center, with Robert Maiorano, of all people. This casting had the fingerprints of Robbins himself all over it.

[MakarovaFan]

Wow, what a find!

As with every other bit of film I've seen of Farrell, I can't take my eyes off her. Every step, facial expression and gesture is masterful and exquisite.

[bart]

I agree with Paul about that LeClercq/ d'Amboise, which I've seen only in video. My first live performances were with Kent / d'Amboise, rather similar in mood, style, etc., to the LeClercq video. Kent/d'Amboise have been my personal standard ever since. Over the years, however, I've loved the ballet despite a number of different approaches.

I know I'm going out on a lonely limb here, but this particular Farrell/Mofid performance seems to me to be extremely strange as to mood and -- in some parts at least -- technically awkward. An interesting test is to watch it in silence: without the long flowing line and the feelings provided by the music.

[papeetepatrick]

I know I'm going out on a lonely limb here, but this particular Farrell/Mofid performance seems to me to be extremely strange as to mood and -- in some parts at least -- technically awkward. An interesting test is to watch it in silence: without the long flowing line and the feelings provided by the music.

I need to watch it a second time, but there is one moment when Farrell does falter a bit, isn't there? I tend to agree with you that it is not a role I think of her in, and don't even find her temperamentally all that suited for it, although she's lovely--perhaps not quite sylph-like enough by then, by 1982 there was already some putting on weight sometimes; someone pointed that out in 'Mozartiana' when she was doing it then, but I thought it looked good and maybe even slightly Germanic, in the best sense, in that role. But here she is supportive, and I like her better as The Star, because she knows how to do that better. But I think Mofid, of whom I never even heard until this clip, is what this is all about. Also, you mentioned Martins's height, but that wasn't so important in this ballet, is it? At least in some parts it definitely is not. But I do agree Farrell is not shown to best advantage in this clip, however she may have danced it in previous years (even decades, if it goes all the way back to CCNY). I do think she proves her integrity in a very explicity way here by knowing that her role is not the defining one.

[clara56]

Mofid certainly had uncommon allure. It's too bad he left City Ballet. He is an interesting guy with an interesting story. Check it out here:

http://www.iranian.com/main/2008/lost-legend

[Helene]

Many thanks for the link, clara56, and welcome to Ballet Talk!

I know that Jodie Thomas, who was a soloist at Pacific Northwest Ballet until this season, when she joined Royal Danish Ballet, was from Moscow, Idaho. I wonder if she ever studied with Mofid.

Sadly, he didn't accept PNB's offer. That would have been wonderful for us.

It sounds like he found something he loves to do in a place he loves to be.

[dirac]

I remember Farrell and Martins in Faun. I believe they also took this out on tour.

I agree with Patrick that this was not a natural role for Martins, as I still believe it was not for Farrell, at least at this later stage of her career. But Martins did have the size, as well as the visual weight, to balance Farrell on stage. I do not find this in the Mofid-Farrell partnership as revealed this video.

The evident age difference in clip gives adds a dramatic element I don't recall ever seeing before. 1984: isn't that after the serious onset of hip problems?

I agree, bart. The age difference is evident, although perhaps Farrell was able to project a freshness and youthfulness onstage we don't see here, although she looks as lissom as you please and there is a difference between video and theater. She does look wobbly in spots, too, and the performance in general leaves a bit to be desired. Still, one is grateful for any Farrell on film. I've not seen Mofid before, but he looks good, although not a dream partner for Farrell.

This casting had the fingerprints of Robbins himself all over it.

There's footage of Robbins coaching Farrell and Martins in this ballet in the video Peter Martins: A Dancer.

I add my thanks to GeorgeBfan for posting this little treasure.