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Angel Corella Makes Staff Changes


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off%20topic.gif Jerome Robbins did a ballet to the Beethoven Bagatelles for Kirkland and, I think, Bonnefoux at New York City Ballet (Four Bagatelles). Wikipedia tells me it was revived for the Robbins celebration a few years ago. Perhaps, too, some of the songs would work for a nice chamber-style ballet.

I tend to agree that most Beethoven is not ideal ballet/dance music--however much choreographers may want to give it a try. Béjart also did a 9th Symphony, and Tharp rather unexpectedly (to me) did a 7th. Wagner called the latter "the apotheosis of the dance," a phrase I think should have been taken as a warning not an invitation. (Even Tudor took on 'symphonic' Beethoven, though not one of the symphonies...) Still, I can certainly see the marketing appeal of well-known Beethoven works for a ballet company. I'm not advocating for it, but If you are trying to draw in culturally curious-but-conservative audiences, maybe lure new viewers from the symphony crowd, etc. then...

Still off%20topic.gif

I agree that adding choreography to Beethoven's larger-scaled works is usually overkill. (Choreographing the Ninth in particular is like over-egging the pudding, gilding the lily, and putting a fifth wheel on the cart all at the same time.) Some choreographers have been more successful with Beethoven, however -- but they've chosen carefully.

Paul Taylor's magnificent "Orbs" is set to music selected from the late quartets. Mark Morris has used Beethoven a lot: "Maelstrom," which was commissioned by the San Francisco Ballet, is set to one of Beethoven's piano trios; "The Muir" is set to some of Beethoven's settings of Irish and Scottish folk songs; "Visitation" is set to one of the Cello Sonatas. Christopher Wheeldon's "Klavier" is set to the third movement of the "Hammerklavier" sonata. DD Dorvillier's "Danza Permanente" is more or less a literal transcription of Beethoven's String Quartet No. 15 (the glorious "Heiliger Dankgesang) for four dancers, which is performed -- all 45 minutes of it -- in silence except for the dancer's footfalls and a few brief soundscapes. It was, um, interesting ... You can watch a clip here.

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Edited to add: Peter Martins choreographed "Beethoven Romance" to a violin/piano work for Kyra Nichols and Adam Luders. It was telecast on the program dedicated to works he made for most of the reigning ballerinas at the time, with "Ecstatic Orange," (Watts), "Barber Violin Concerto" (Ashley/Johnson of Paul Taylor Dance), "Valse Triste" (McBride), and "Sophisticated Lady" (Farrell).

E.g., we know that Kaiser has the title Emeritus (which is not automatic anywhere) and that he left six months after the Kennedy Center report.

Yes, but no to the latter: it isn't clear when the Michael Kaiser report was issued to the company and how long it took to review, create/accept the plan, but the article cited above that states that the company had a five-year-plan is dated the end of July 2013. Roy Kaiser resigned at the end of April 2014. He was there for nine months after the plan was launched.

In a non-profit arts organization, the Board writes the checks -- unlike in public corporations, where being on the board is a cushy way to earn thousands and shake hands with the business person running the company and where many appointments are reciprocal -- and they get to call the shots, which includes the choice of "allowing" the professionals to do their jobs. They also get to to ill-advised things like have a major shake-up without being in front of the story with their ducks in a row, a move that my grandparents would have described as "ferkochte," accompanied with hand gestures.

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Yes, as Vivacegal said, thanks to all of these comments/examples. (I'm sure other people can think of others...) If I had the chance, then I would especially like to see Orbs and Maelstrom. I had no idea Morris had used a lot of Beethoven -- Unfortunately, Morris's career/work is something I have almost entirely missed except for two works he created for ABT. I guess I still remain skeptical about any substantive Beethoven--even chamber music--for dance. Uh...I know he wrote a score for Vigano...

I haven't seen PA Ballet since I was a child, and until reading this thread didn't know about Kaiser's report. Honestly, though I've never forgotten Philadelphia has a strong ballet company (I discussed it with someone a few years ago when discussing job prospects in different cities) I'm someone whose attention was drawn back to the company by the hiring of Corella. Obviously, his high profile was one of the reasons he got the job. Transitions are always bumpy not to say painful, though it's a shame this couldn't have been less so...or, rather, a shame this has been made bumpier than it need have been. Corella's offhand remark about those leaving was particularly tactless, but absolutely, as commented above by others, the whole organization should have been better prepared and prepared him as soon as the decision was made.

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I don't think anybody's mentioned this yet (apologies if they have...), but Isadora Duncan choreographed the entire 7th Symphony. Although not "ballet," she was a strong influence on such classical choreographers as Fokine.

Thanks so much for the link -- between that and the other videos that came up at the end, I had a little Duncan-fest!

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