158 replies to this topic

[puppytreats]

Kathleen O, on 04 January 2013 - 09:10 AM, said:

I'm going to have to dredge up that essay!

Link please.

Kathleen O, on 04 January 2013 - 09:10 AM, said:

But whereas SL is fundamentally "tragic" -- evil can only be undone through death

Undone?

Death would seem to be the final result of evil. I do not understand how redemption follows.

[puppytreats]

Kathleen O, on 03 January 2013 - 08:19 PM, said:

puppytreats, on 03 January 2013 - 05:14 PM, said:

This is a bad habit.

Puppytreats --

If you're counterfeiting benjamins in the basement to feed that ballet monkey on your back, you might want to run off a few more .

I keep waiting for a certain tall, dark, handsome, rich danseur to appear.  Then I think about Prince Siegfried.

[California]

puppytreats, on 04 January 2013 - 09:35 AM, said:

Undone?

Death would seem to be the final result of evil. I do not understand how redemption follows.

The traditional ending of Swan Lake relies on the romantic 19th-century belief that true happiness would be found in an afterlife - the reason the Soviets had to have their happy ending in this life, now, as they rejected the idea of a religiously-based afterlife.

[Kathleen O'Connell]

puppytreats, on 04 January 2013 - 09:35 AM, said:

Kathleen O, on 04 January 2013 - 09:10 AM, said:

I'm going to have to dredge up that essay!

Link please.

Kathleen O, on 04 January 2013 - 09:10 AM, said:

But whereas SL is fundamentally "tragic" -- evil can only be undone through death

Undone?

Death would seem to be the final result of evil. I do not understand how redemption follows.

Well, in its simplest terms, Odette chooses death and takes Von Rothbart with her, freeing her companions from his curse and ridding the world of his evil.  There are any number of traditions in which someone good has to die in order to expiate the world of sin. (Christianity for one, no?) Sometimes it's a hero (perhaps of the "tragic" variety), sometimes it's a beautiful maiden. And, there are also traditions in which death is not the worst thing that can happen to a person: think of those with powerful codes of honor.

[puppytreats]

California, on 04 January 2013 - 09:57 AM, said:

puppytreats, on 04 January 2013 - 09:35 AM, said:

Undone?

Death would seem to be the final result of evil. I do not understand how redemption follows.

The traditional ending of Swan Lake relies on the romantic 19th-century belief that true happiness would be found in an afterlife - the reason the Soviets had to have their happy ending in this life, now, as they rejected the idea of a religiously-based afterlife.

Christian theology has been explained to me to emphasize a lack of focus on the present world and the availability of reward in an afterlife, but that does produce a pro-death stance (to the contrary, mant are "pro-life"), or justify or "undo" evil, even if sins are claimed to be forgiven.

[puppytreats]

Drew, on 03 January 2013 - 04:05 PM, said:

For myself, I would certainly trade in a lot of what's on offer at the Joyce to catch at least two of the programs.

What about the Graham program?

Is seeing the Trocks worth the time and money, or if one has watched the DVD/Youtube program, does that suffice?

[Drew]

puppytreats, on 04 January 2013 - 10:55 AM, said:

Drew, on 03 January 2013 - 04:05 PM, said:

For myself, I would certainly trade in a lot of what's on offer at the Joyce to catch at least two of the programs.

What about the Graham program?

Is seeing the Trocks worth the time and money, or if one has watched the DVD/Youtube program, does that suffice?

I have never seen the Trocks. Many ballet fans swear by them or have in the past at any rate, but for me personally drag -- even witty, insightful, or artistic drag which the Trocks are said to be -- holds no appeal. You may feel differently. Even so: if you have not seen much Balanchine or NYCB and really have to make a choice, then I would say that it makes little sense to opt for ballet-satire before you have a fuller picture of the art form.

However, I will concede that In dance, if it's genuinely great, then DVD/Youtube does not suffice, so having never seen the Trocks I can't really say.

Graham is a different question in my mind:  if the company is in good shape--something I don't know--and you are interested in educating yourself on modern dance, then Graham is a must.  When I was younger I was a dance fan almost as much as a ballet fan. For "life" reasons, I now usually have to choose and, without at first having given the matter much thought, I long ago found myself choosing ballet every time.

I still like modern dance and attend now and then when I have the opportunity (most recently Paul Taylor in Atlanta), and Graham, like Balanchine, is a major figure in 20th-century art, so...

However, there is another factor which several people have already mentioned. This is an unusually good season repertory-wise at NYCB and the company has a cluster of remarkable dancers right now. Not every principal is great; not every ballet is Serenade--but on the whole you have an excellent chance of seeing first rate performances and first-rate ballets.  I would say, take advantage.

[Kathleen O'Connell]

puppytreats, on 04 January 2013 - 10:55 AM, said:

Drew, on 03 January 2013 - 04:05 PM, said:

For myself, I would certainly trade in a lot of what's on offer at the Joyce to catch at least two of the programs.

What about the Graham program?

Is seeing the Trocks worth the time and money, or if one has watched the DVD/Youtube program, does that suffice?

Ummm, getting OT here, but, have you seen any Paul Taylor yet? If not, I'd skip Graham (and the Trocks, and the NYCB Beauty, and probably the program with Bal de Couture on it) and catch some Paul Taylor during his company's three week run at Koch theater in March. Here's why:

1) He's one of the last living, still vibrant links to a storied era in American modern dance. I'm not saying he's got one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel, but he's in his 80's and isn't going to be around forever. Now's your chance to see his works performed while he's still in charge. And who knows what will happen to the bulk of his oeuvre when he's gone: it could simply evaporate like the work of other great choreographers has.

2) His current company is excellent. He can choose the best, and he's done so. You owe it to yourself to see some his senior dancers while they are at their peak.

3) Lots of ballet companies have included his works in their repertoire, but no one dances them like his own dancers.

4) YouTube just won't do.

[Helene]

If I were able to be in NYC, I would choose the "Serenade"/"Mozartiana"/"Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2" cast for 16 Jan/19 Jan evening and then see the "Swan Lake"/"Allegro Brillante"/"Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3" on Sunday afternoon 20 Jan.

[pasdequatre]

If anyone is reading this far, do not miss the January 19, 5 pm free onstage demonstration "Ballet is Woman", which a poster mentioned earlier. It will include company dancers in Western Symphony, Serenade, and more. Best of all, there are still free tickets available at the Koch box office. I wish I could go.

[California]

pasdequatre, on 05 January 2013 - 09:15 AM, said:

If anyone is reading this far, do not miss the January 19, 5 pm free onstage demonstration "Ballet is Woman", which a poster mentioned earlier. It will include company dancers in Western Symphony, Serenade, and more. Best of all, there are still free tickets available at the Koch box office. I wish I could go.

You can also order one on-line if you're worried they'll run out before you get to the box office:
http://www.nycballet...ITH-GEORGE.aspx

It's open seating and they don't indicate whether they'll open anything other than the orchestra.

[pasdequatre]

I tried this online link and it did not work - the 0 would not move to 1 or 2. It's better to go to the box office.

[California]

pasdequatre, on 05 January 2013 - 01:08 PM, said:

I tried this online link and it did not work - the 0 would not move to 1 or 2. It's better to go to the box office.

Very strange - it worked for me just now - at least, it would put the ticket into my basket.

[AlbanyGirl]

I'm going to the matinee on January 19 and the free demo on Balanchine's Ballerinas at 5 pm and I'm thrilled that Tiler Peck is dancing Allegro Brillante because I've heard nothing but great things about her dancing that ballet.  When I set up my 3-performance subscription, I struggled to decide which performances to see, but I'm happy with the matinee, that I'll be there for Balanchine's birthday celebration and the events attending it, and I just may stay on and go to the 8 pm performance as well, taking in some dinner near Lincoln Center between shows.  I'm thrilled I'm seeing so much great Balanchine!   And yes it will be a long day for me, puppytreats, also, because I am traveling to and from from Albany!  As for NYCB's SB, I saw it many, many years ago at SPAC, so seeing it in February will be a treat.

[Helene]

If you can, see the evening performance.  The casting looks stellar.