69 replies to this topic

[vipa]

miliosr, on 14 July 2011 - 03:32 PM, said:

vipa, on 13 July 2011 - 07:06 PM, said:

I'm really wishing (a hopeless cause) for more rep.

I'm right there with you on the hopelessness bandwagon.

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I loved the idea of a Shakespeare night - Kevin M has already said that the Tudor R&J would be super expensive to mount.

This drives me crazy when you consider how much they blew on The Pied Piper and their garish Sleeping Beauty.  And there are people around who could help restage the Tudor Romeo and Juliet!  Among others, Carla Fracci, Natalia Makharova, Ivan Nagy and John Prinz all performed in it during the 70s, and they're all still around and presumably willing to help.  Frankly, I think McKenzie pleading poverty is an excuse.  Today's ABT only performs just enough Tudor to keep the critics off their collective backs -- they're not committed to Tudor in any serious and systematic way.

I so agree that a lot of money has been wasted/  At the same time maybe it's easier to get rich folks to write a check to fund Sleeping Beauty but not some one act Romeo and Juliet.  That's just a guess.

[vipa]

miliosr, on 14 July 2011 - 03:36 PM, said:

mimsyb, on 14 July 2011 - 09:54 AM, said:

As for Balanchine, as you said, anything they can get hold of.  But one that ABT has done in the past is "Symphoney in C".  It's best done on a large stage as it uses so many dancers.  And it offers so many opportunities for the dancers to really do something!!  Someone also mentioned "Jewels", which I'd certainly pay to see ABT dance.

I say this with all politeness but . . . I have to disagree.  In my opinion, New York doesn't need a second home for Balanchine.  Instead, ABT should revisit its pre-Baryshnikov past for inspiration and renewal -- there's a lot there.

I agree miliosr to some extent.  I don't want to see ABT do a lot of Balanchine, and they have an extensive history of rep to draw upon.  At the same time it's nice to see the ABT dancers do a Balanchine work or two (nothing to dominate the rep).  Theme & Variations (correct me if I'm wrong) was done on ABT, so that is part of the history.  

Also, Balanchine works can offer challenges and growth opportunities for individual dancers.

In other words I don't want ABT to mimic NYCB but a Balanchine work or 2 now and then would be nice.

[Helene]

vipa, on 14 July 2011 - 04:06 PM, said:

  At the same time it's nice to see the ABT dancers do a Balanchine work or two (nothing to dominate the rep).  Theme & Variations (correct me if I'm wrong) was done on ABT, so that is part of the history.  

Also, Balanchine works can offer challenges and growth opportunities for individual dancers.

Yes, it was -- T&V was originally choreographed for Alicia Alonso and Igor Youskevitch in 1947.  According to the Balanchine Catalogue, the demi-soloists were Anna Cheselka, Melissa Hayden, Paula Lloyd, Cynthia Riseley, Fernando Alonso, Eric Braun, Fernand Nault, and Zachary Solov.

The first NYCB production was in 1960, and "In 1970, incorporated (with minor revisions) as the fourth movement of the full Suite No 3...(Later called Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3).  It was also shown in 1978 on PBS with American Ballet Theatre.  With NYCB only the Pas de Deux through finale was performed at the Balanchine Celebration in 1983 and broadcast on PBS (and sold commercially).

Details from the New York Public Library catalog:
[url=http://catalog.nypl.org/iii/encore/record/C|Rb12158672|Stheme+and+variations+balanchine+pbs|Orightresult|X1?lang=eng&suite=pearl]


ABT has also done a few ballets that Balanchine dropped from NYCB's rep:  "Bourree Fantasque" and "Symphonie Concertante".

It was the Kirkland/Baryshnikov performance.

NYPL also has the videotape (for internal use) of the Balanchine Foundation coaching session by Alicia Alonso of Herrera and Corella from 1998.
http://catalog.nypl....eng&suite=pearl

[Amy Reusch]

I would too like to see ABT do theater ballet ( dramatic work)...it seems close to its soul and one reason why Ratmansky is a good fit... Would it not be possible to do one act theatrical sketches again?  Is it so much easier to raise money for big full evening works?  Is there no way to frame an evening of one acts that would appeal to the large donors?

[mimsyb]

miliosr, on 14 July 2011 - 03:36 PM, said:

mimsyb, on 14 July 2011 - 09:54 AM, said:

As for Balanchine, as you said, anything they can get hold of.  But one that ABT has done in the past is "Symphoney in C".  It's best done on a large stage as it uses so many dancers.  And it offers so many opportunities for the dancers to really do something!!  Someone also mentioned "Jewels", which I'd certainly pay to see ABT dance.

I say this with all politeness but . . . I have to disagree.  In my opinion, New York doesn't need a second home for Balanchine.  Instead, ABT should revisit its pre-Baryshnikov past for inspiration and renewal -- there's a lot there.

I, in no way meant or implied that ABT should become a second home for Balanchine.  But he is considered by many to be the finest choreographer of the 20th Century, and most classical companies, both domestic and foreign dance his works on a regular basis. And in New York City whenever companies come to visit. (MIami City Ballet, SF Ballet, the Mariinsky, etc. etc.)  His extensive canon of works allows for many opportunities for companies to show their dancers in his  particular genius.  His ballets offer technical and musical challenges not always seen in other choreographers' works.  Many companies offer productions of Ashton's works. Or Robbins. Or MacMillan. Or Forsythe. Or Petipa!  Balanchine should be included on a regular basis.  As should Tudor. Perhaps even Fokine.  How else can a classical company be truly measured and considered?  Seeing either/ or of the NY companies dance  Mr. B's work doesn't detract from either.  But enriches both.  And surely we, the audience, would reap the benefits.

[miliosr]

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I, in no way meant or implied that ABT should become a second home for Balanchine.  But he is considered by many to be the finest choreographer of the 20th Century, and most classical companies, both domestic and foreign dance his works on a regular basis. And in New York City whenever companies come to visit. (MIami City Ballet, SF Ballet, the Mariinsky, etc. etc.)

And this is precisely why ABT should not take on more Balanchine.  When everyone and their brother is performing the same Balanchine works over and over again, why follow the herd?

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Balanchine should be included on a regular basis.  As should Tudor.

I believe reinvigorating its Tudor repertory should take top priority for ABT.

[puppytreats]

ksk04, on 14 July 2011 - 01:28 PM, said:

puppytreats, on 14 July 2011 - 11:07 AM, said:

How is "Armand and Marguerite" different from "Lady of the Camillas?"

Marguerite and Armand is a one-act ballet by Frederick Ashton for Fonteyn and Nureyev (until a few years ago they were the only ones to ever perform it--now the Royal is back to dancing it as well as Nina Ananiashvili's company). Music is a piano sonata by Liszt. I believe the whole thing is on youtube with both Fonteyn/Nureyev and Sylvie Guillem/Nicholas Le Riche or Massimo Murru, if you wanted to take a look.  

Lady of the Camillias is the full length ballet of the story by John Neumeier, that is now performed by ABT to piano music by Chopin. The stories of Manon and Des Grieux are included in this ballet.

Same-ish story, very different presentations!

Helen and ksk04 - Thank you for the explanation.  I thought, from the titles, that "The Dream" and "M and A" might be snippets of the originals, such as when a gala program shows the black pdd from "Swan Lake" or "Lady of the Camellias".  From your explanations, I understand that the entire stories are told, but in abbreviated forms, to different music (at times), and with different interpretations.

ksk04- I wish I had the time to watch everything on youtube.com!

[puppytreats]

Amy Reusch, on 14 July 2011 - 06:44 PM, said:

I would too like to see ABT do theater ballet ( dramatic work)...it seems close to its soul and one reason why Ratmansky is a good fit... Would it not be possible to do one act theatrical sketches again?  Is it so much easier to raise money for big full evening works?  Is there no way to frame an evening of one acts that would appeal to the large donors?

annamicro - Did Italian tv or theater recently have a version of R&J with dialogue?

[annamicro]

puppytreats, on 15 July 2011 - 08:22 AM, said:

annamicro - Did Italian tv or theater recently have a version of R&J with dialogue?

Do you mean Amedeo Amodio's Romeo e Giulietta with Berlioz music? The most recent performances were at end of March in San Carlo Theatre in Naples. Lacarra was guesting...I'm sorry I missed the opportunity to see her: I was there for business in those days, but couldn't arrange it!

I don't think it has ever been televised.

[Anthony_NYC]

miliosr, on 15 July 2011 - 03:44 AM, said:

I believe reinvigorating its Tudor repertory should take top priority for ABT.

I'm totally with you on that one!

[vipa]

Anthony_NYC, on 15 July 2011 - 01:44 PM, said:

miliosr, on 15 July 2011 - 03:44 AM, said:

I believe reinvigorating its Tudor repertory should take top priority for ABT.

I'm totally with you on that one!

I don't disagree, but I don't see it happening.  This season, a decision was made to present  a lesser Tudor work (Shadowplay) with 3 new works.  The new works were not successful, and ranged IMO from really bad to maybe worth sitting though again if other good things are on the program.  

Tudor had a major place in ABT, and some pieces are masterworks.  Ballet Theater should never let Lilac Garden, Dark Elegies or Pillar of Fire out of the rep. I would love to see Cojocaru in Leaves are Fading.  What other works would be in the mix?  Kevin M has said R&J would be too expensive.  Judgement is Paris (not really a rep piece), Gala Performance (could be fun).

Tudor was a genius, but not prolific so while a staple of Ballet Theater never had enough works to fill in a lot of gaps.

By the way, NY Theater Ballet does a pretty good job of presenting Tudor.  Of course it doesn't have the audience of ABT but at least the works get preserved and performed.

I would also love to see some of those early Eliot Feld works again.  A forgotten choreographer who did some nice things for ABT (better than he did for his own co. later on).  I'm thinking of Intermezzo, Harbinger and At Midnight.  I remember those works fondly, although I was pretty young when I saw them, and don't know what I'd think now.

[miliosr]

vipa, on 15 July 2011 - 04:54 PM, said:

Anthony_NYC, on 15 July 2011 - 01:44 PM, said:

miliosr, on 15 July 2011 - 03:44 AM, said:

I believe reinvigorating its Tudor repertory should take top priority for ABT.

I'm totally with you on that one!

I don't disagree, but I don't see it happening.  This season, a decision was made to present  a lesser Tudor work (Shadowplay) with 3 new works.  The new works were not successful, and ranged IMO from really bad to maybe worth sitting though again if other good things are on the program.  

Tudor had a major place in ABT, and some pieces are masterworks.  Ballet Theater should never let Lilac Garden, Dark Elegies or Pillar of Fire out of the rep. I would love to see Cojocaru in Leaves are Fading.  What other works would be in the mix?  Kevin M has said R&J would be too expensive.  Judgement is Paris (not really a rep piece), Gala Performance (could be fun).

Tudor was a genius, but not prolific so while a staple of Ballet Theater never had enough works to fill in a lot of gaps.

I agree with you that Tudor was never a monster of creativity like Balanchine or even Ashton.  There are only so many top drawer Tudor pieces ready to be revived.  But what doesn't help is scheduling one Tudor piece per year (Shadowplay in the Spring) and expect both the dancers and the audience to "buy into" Tudor.  Lilac Garden should be done every year -- no exceptions.  It's as central to ABT's identity as Revelations is to Ailey's and The Moor's Pavane is to Limon's.  It should be a piece that the ranking ballerinas want to dance.  From there, ABT should cycle the remaining pieces in and out over the course of several seasons so that people get in the habit of seeing and understanding Tudor.

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By the way, NY Theater Ballet does a pretty good job of presenting Tudor.  Of course it doesn't have the audience of ABT but at least the works get preserved and performed.

I actually think NYTB is the true spiritual home of Tudor right now.

[GeorgeB fan]

Speaking of Antony Tudor...


Can someone explain to me why ABT hasn't performed Echoing of Trumpets since the mid 90's? Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that ballet generally regarded as one of Tudor's greatest masterpieces? I've never seen the ballet live, but I've seen clips of it and base on that, I would pay top dollar to see it perform live on stage. It seems to be a great work of dance theater. But I'm not an expert. So I asking: Is this ballet worth reviving, and if it is, who could you see dancing it?

[GeorgeB fan]

Speaking of Balanchine...


I completely understand the idea of NOT wanting to see ABT become the second version of NYCB, but I think there's enough ballets in Balanchine's canon in which ABT can borrow from it without the chance of ABT transforming themselves in a second version of Balanchine's company. Select correctly, Balanchine's ballets could be extremely beneficial as well as challenging for the dancers as well as the audience who get to see Balanchine perform in a different house, with a different sensibility at approaching his work. I would love to see ABT take on the huge challenge at performing Balanchine's Liebeslieder Walzer.

The first time I saw that ballet I wasn't impress. In fact I was bored. But on second veiwing, I totally fell in love with it and have been every since. And from that moment on I couldn't help but wonder how the dancers of ABT would perform this exquisite ballet? ABT could invite Karin von Aroldington to stage it and work with the dancers and just thinking on who the eight dancers could possibly be is actually endless.

David Hallberg, Maxim Beloserkovsky, Marcelo Gomes, Jared Matthews would be wonderful - I think - as the gentlemen. Julie Kent, Irina Dvorovenko, Diana Vishneva {guest}, Alina Cojocaru {guest} would be enchanting as the ladies. Not to mention all the wonderful female soloists: Stella Abrera, Isabella Boylston, Maria Riccetto, Yuriko Kajiya who could possibility dance the roles. As I said just thinking on the casting itself is endless.

[cubanmiamiboy]

miliosr, on 15 July 2011 - 05:00 PM, said:

  But what doesn't help is scheduling one Tudor piece per year (Shadowplay in the Spring) and expect both the dancers and the audience to "buy into" Tudor.  Lilac Garden should be done every year -- no exceptions.  It's as central to ABT's identity as Revelations is to Ailey's and The Moor's Pavane is to Limon's.  It should be a piece that the ranking ballerinas want to dance.

I'm glad I found an echoing posting regarding the effectiveness of presenting some ballets in  a continuous , non stopping cycle, so the final result after many years is a knowledgeable audience that's able to challenge the dancers into tuning their performance to perfection.  Sometimes when I see those expensive "revivals" done here and there I can't really see the sense of it when then the work doesn't get to be repeated.  Also-(and to support the loud cries for the disappearance of Tudor's works)-I think it is really a crime that whole generations of dancers and audience members are getting more and more aliens to the very basis of the art...namely "Giselle", "La Sylphide", "Coppelia", "La Fille Mal Gardee", "Sleeping Beauty", "Swan Lake" or "La Bayadere".  For instance...from the given list...in which ballets will I ever be able to see Jeannette Delgado dance, or which of this ballets will she be able to offer to her newly list of fans...? No more that one or two, and probably with many years in between...IF she gets to dance in them ever again.  Going back to the Tudor issue...I'm glad that all the rules and regulations of the Powers that Be and Trusts and Licensing Comittees and the like are not being followed by Alonso's company, for which this way she's been able to maintain an AGGRESSIVE educational system for her audience AND dancers in works like Dollar's "Le Combat", Tudor's "Lilac Garden", Balanchine's "T&V" or his older version of "Apollo", Robbins' "Fancy Free" and even more important...the classics.  Just as an example...there hasn't been ONE YEAR since the creation of the company in 1948 in which Giselle hasn't been presented.  The ultimate result...? The dancers know that there's no way to trick the audience, who by now know the choreography like the palms of their hands, so they better work their rear ends off up until perfection.  Eventually this  bilateral feeding process has amazing, beautiful results for both sides.