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Misty Copeland of American Ballet Theater to Join ‘On the Town’


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All of the above mentioned are so worthy additions to the list. But Hanna in Billy Elliot might be the most recent. All of the other shows mentioned were quite a few years ago now and were choreographed by ballet choreographers. Well, not Fosse, perhaps. I'm just hopeful some of the current big name ballet choreographers make the leap to the musical. Hopefully, with Wheeldon's success that can happen. I think Justin Peck has the wit and style certainly. And there are others for sure. I think crossover of dancers will happen more often if the choreographers get on board. And that also will bring new audiences to Broadway and to ballet.

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I'm not so sure that will happen. Wheeldon and Josh Bergasse (On The Town) were choreographing to classical music, so there was a more natural fit with ballet. (Frankly, a lot of Bergasse's choreography is derivative of Jerome Robbins in On The Town.)

But so many new musicals are "juke box" type musicals where ballet choreography would not work.

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Megan Fairchild talked about how sore she was using different muscles when she was getting ready for the role. For a ballet dancer to take on a new movement style is a big stress on the body. Ballet dancers talk about being vulnerable to injury when they have to switch styles and techniques in the rep that their companies perform.

There's a Q&A with Megan Fairchild in this week's Playbill in which she also talks about the challenges of 8 shows a week:

But eight shows a week can be hard. Certain weeks it is a new mental struggle getting through all those shows. Hopefully I have developed more stamina for working through exhaustion.

She also comments a bit on her brother:

He could do musical theatre, but I think he is a little terrified after watching me go through the schedule this year. It would need to be something really worthwhile!

The Q&A is a good read: http://playbill.com/news/article/cue-a-on-the-towns-megan-fairchild-on-her-dance-idols-first-onstage-mishap-and-a-memorable-will-swenson-moment-352680

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I'm not so sure that will happen. Wheeldon and Josh Bergasse (On The Town) were choreographing to classical music, so there was a more natural fit with ballet. (Frankly, a lot of Bergasse's choreography is derivative of Jerome Robbins in On The Town.)

But so many new musicals are "juke box" type musicals where ballet choreography would not work.

Well, Robbins did the original choreography for "On The Town", so it's perhaps a bit natural for Josh Bergasse's choreography to resemble it. Perhaps more 'tribute' than 'derivative'. And I'm not entirely sure I would label either "AIP" or "OTT" as "classical music". Both Gershwin and Bernstein were classical composers who also wrote for theater, etc. And not all musicals are of the 'juke box' variety. Good choreographers, directors, actors, singers, and dancers also do shows with perhaps a bit more substance to them. My wish would be for these talented choreographers to find material suitable to their talents and gifts. And bring the ballet world along with them, if appropriate and possible.

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Well, Robbins did the original choreography for "On The Town", so it's perhaps a bit natural for Josh Bergasse's choreography to resemble it. Perhaps more 'tribute' than 'derivative'. And I'm not entirely sure I would label either "AIP" or "OTT" as "classical music". Both Gershwin and Bernstein were classical composers who also wrote for theater, etc. And not all musicals are of the 'juke box' variety. Good choreographers, directors, actors, singers, and dancers also do shows with perhaps a bit more substance to them. My wish would be for these talented choreographers to find material suitable to their talents and gifts. And bring the ballet world along with them, if appropriate and possible.

Yes, Bernstein was a classical composer who also wrote for musical theater, but Gershwin was a theater and pop composer first (in his day, of course, theater music was pop music) and then later began working in classical forms, which he was still in the process of mastering at the time of his death. I wouldn't call On the Town or AAiP classical for the most part, but the latter does have the symphonic poem at its center. Also, much of the Great American Songbook has assumed a sort of light classical status over time.

>She also comments a bit on her brother:

"He could do musical theatre, but I think he is a little terrified after watching me go through the schedule this year. It would need to be something really worthwhile!"

Thank you for the link, sidwich, it is a good read. Fairchild's comment is actually in regard to her husband, Andrew Veyette, it looks like. Her brother, of course, has had plenty of musical theater on his schedule recently. :)

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Yes, Bernstein was a classical composer who also wrote for musical theater, but Gershwin was a theater and pop composer first (in his day, of course, theater music was pop music) and then later began working in classical forms, which he was still in the process of mastering at the time of his death. I wouldn't call On the Town or AAiP classical for the most part, but the latter does have the symphonic poem at its center. Also, much of the Great American Songbook has assumed a sort of light classical status over time.

Thank you for the link, sidwich, it is a good read. Fairchild's comment is actually in regard to her husband, Andrew Veyette, it looks like. Her brother, of course, has had plenty of musical theater on his schedule recently. smile.png

Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" was first presented at the concert at Aeolian Hall in 1924. Was it pop, jazz, classical? I think today it would be considered classical, although at the time it was most likely considered to be a jazz score. It's probably both, actually. Whatever, both Gershwin and Bernstein wrote music that was highly danceable. What choreographer wouldn't be drawn to either composer?

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Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" was first presented at the concert at Aeolian Hall in 1924. Was it pop, jazz, classical?

I would say primarily jazz and classical, mimsyb, although there was overlap between all 3 categories in Gershwin's era.

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I'd have a hard time characterizing Rhapsody in Blue as Jazz proper, since the work is fully-scored and there's no improvisation. Jazz-influenced, yes, in terms of its instrumentation, use of the blues scale in its thematic materials, etc.

Although Paul Whiteman, who commissioned Rhapsody in Blue, was called "The King of Jazz" and his ensemble embraced Jazz effects and often included (white) Jazz artists like Beiderbecke, he was firmly committed to formal, written arrangements and eschewed improvisation.

ETA: Compare Whiteman's ensemble with his contemporary Louis Armstrong's first Hot Five for an example of the difference between a big band working strictly from fully-scored arrangements and a fully improvisatory jazz combo. Armstrong's second Hot Five did make use of some pre-arranged section parts.

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ETA: Compare Whiteman's ensemble with his contemporary Louis Armstrong's first Hot Five for an example of the difference between a big band working strictly from fully-scored arrangements and a fully improvisatory jazz combo. Armstrong's second Hot Five did make use of some pre-arranged section parts.

Yes, improvisation is at the heart of any full-fledged jazz performance. I would only add that very few jazz groups improvise throughout an entire "tune." Written arrangements and so-called head arrangements are the standard jumping off points for the improv.

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Yes, improvisation is at the heart of any full-fledged jazz performance. I would only add that very few jazz groups improvise throughout an entire "tune." Written arrangements and so-called head arrangements are the standard jumping off points for the improv.

Absolutely. I'd say improvisation at some level - even if it's limited to the headline soloists, as was the case in many swing bands - is a necessary, though not sufficient, condition for something to be called "jazz."

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I'd have a hard time characterizing Rhapsody in Blue as Jazz proper, since the work is fully-scored and there's no improvisation. Jazz-influenced, yes, in terms of its instrumentation, use of the blues scale in its thematic materials, etc.

Yes - as mentioned, it's jazz and classical. Gershwin said specifically that his goal with Rhapsody was to show that jazz had a wider range and more facets than it was credited for having at that time. In the end, he came up with something different. I certainly agree it's fair to say that it's a classical piece with a powerful jazz influence as opposed to being a jazz piece with a classical influence -- although as a classical piece it's still very much the work of a newbie -- a newbie of genius, but still. It also has pop elements. "Sui generis" sums it up, I think.

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