121 replies to this topic

[Birdsall]

There have been instances also (in contrast to that Red Shoes scene) in real life where a soprano goes along smiling during rehearsals when the conductor refuses to change his tempo and the soprano goes along with it up until Opening NIght and during performance she puts on the brakes and literally forces him to follow her tempo or ruin the show. This, of course, is very risky and can potentially cause a train wreck with the orchestra, so it is not very professional and not conducive to a great night in the theatre, but it happens. It could backfire on her and ruin her performance or it could make the conductor look bad or make both look bad.

All kinds of things happen. There have been famous singers who failed to fully learn the words and score and have words written on table cloths of the set to get through the performance. You would be very surprised what goes on! LOL

[cubanmiamiboy]

Alonso said that Balanchine purposely speeded up the tempo in the T&V premiere-(which was, for what I've read, his debut as a conductor).  She said they were dancing madly fast and ended up breathless, but the outcome was an exciting, wonderful performance.  It takes a great conductor and great performers to challenge each others in order to deliver a good product.