It can be applied to so many aspects, but let's stick to repertory first.
Would you rather see more new ballets, hoping for that diamond in the rough (sorry for the pun)
or would you rather see fewer ballets and have those be well rehearsed, performed, dancers not "thrown in" ....
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Quantity vs. Quality
Started by
Calliope
, Jan 23 2003 07:21 AM
5 replies to this topic
#2
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Posted 23 January 2003 - 08:21 AM
Great question! (You're good at this, Calliope! You should go to work for Dance Gallup 
)
As I write this, Quality is beating Quantity -- it may well change -- but this surprised me, as when I've posed this question to friends, I've often gotten a response along the lines of, "I don't care how good it is. I wouldn't want to see the same thing every season." And I remember acquaintances back in the 1980s dropping their subscription because ABT opened every season with Kingdom of the Shades. They only would go to opening night, and they were sick of seeing Kingdom of the Shades. (And when it was danced by Makarova, Kirkland, Van Hamel, Gregory, Baryshnikov, Bujones, Bissell -- nice line up.)
But then I remember reading comments by London Ballets Russes fans about how they loved those ballets and hated to see cast changes. "We were like children with a favorite fairy story," I remember reading once. "We wanted to see them every night, and got cross when there was the slightest change." They wanted new works, too -- you can't have season after season without new works or the art form will die -- but the pleasure of seeing perfectly cast, lovingly rehearsed first-rate ballets night after night is one I would like to experience!
)As I write this, Quality is beating Quantity -- it may well change -- but this surprised me, as when I've posed this question to friends, I've often gotten a response along the lines of, "I don't care how good it is. I wouldn't want to see the same thing every season." And I remember acquaintances back in the 1980s dropping their subscription because ABT opened every season with Kingdom of the Shades. They only would go to opening night, and they were sick of seeing Kingdom of the Shades. (And when it was danced by Makarova, Kirkland, Van Hamel, Gregory, Baryshnikov, Bujones, Bissell -- nice line up.)
But then I remember reading comments by London Ballets Russes fans about how they loved those ballets and hated to see cast changes. "We were like children with a favorite fairy story," I remember reading once. "We wanted to see them every night, and got cross when there was the slightest change." They wanted new works, too -- you can't have season after season without new works or the art form will die -- but the pleasure of seeing perfectly cast, lovingly rehearsed first-rate ballets night after night is one I would like to experience!
#3
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Gold Circle
Posted 23 January 2003 - 09:10 AM
How about a third choice, like, "A carefully tended repertory with several new ballets a season?" That's what I'd vote for.
#4
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Posted 23 January 2003 - 09:13 AM
I didn't think Calliope meant a No New Ballets! season.
Since we're imaging the Grand Ballet Sublime, perhaps the new works could also be well cast and rehearsed!
Quote
or would you rather see fewer ballets and have those be well rehearsed, performed, dancers not "thrown in" ....
Since we're imaging the Grand Ballet Sublime, perhaps the new works could also be well cast and rehearsed!
#5
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Gold Circle
Posted 23 January 2003 - 09:18 AM
sorry, I did intend for new ballets, just not 15 that you'll never see again!
A "carefully tended repertory", are there any of those left :rolleyes:
A "carefully tended repertory", are there any of those left :rolleyes:
#6
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Posted 23 January 2003 - 09:19 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Calliope
A "carefully tended repertory", are there any of those left :rolleyes:
A "carefully tended repertory", are there any of those left :rolleyes:
Oh, yes. Indeed. But they're in a galaxy far, far away
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