34 replies to this topic

[Mel Johnson]

I'm the guy who voted for "Serenade".  If there's a ballet out there that's in danger of dilution by proliferation, that's it.  When I've seen companies other than NYCB do it, it seems to be all soft-focus, and even some small simplified choreographic options seem to be exercised.  The most recent performance of it that I saw at NYCB was all blurry.  It's lost incisiveness and clarity "in the country", and the disorder seems to be creeping back to the home source.

[Alexandra]

I agree.  This season, I've seen an excellent Serenade (Washington Ballet) and a soggy Serenade (San Francisco Ballet).  Both were a surprise, because I've generally found SFB's Balanchine to be excellent, and Washington Ballet did a hideous Serenade last time out (under different direction).

I'd give all of them a rest, actually -- rest in the good sense. Don't bury them, just put them aside for a year or two or three until people start chomping at the bit.  Where's Serenade?  Where's Romeo and Juliet?  Then bring them out, all spanking clean with the dancers hungry to dance them.

I haven't seen enough "Firebirds" to be bored with it -- with the exception of the Dance Theatre of Harlem's "Firebird," which they danced every season, whether or not they happened to have a "Firebird" in the house at the moment.  But then, I don't think I've ever seen a really good "Firebird".

[cygneblanc]

I voted for others : it is not related to a specific piece, but rather to the programmation of the POB related to the french choregraphers; each year we have a Roland Petit or a Maurice Béjard program and I'm tired of that. I want a Lifar program

[Nanatchka]

Can't I just ban bad performances of these ballets?  That would be excellent. Barring that, I vote for R and J because I think if I hear that dumpty tum ti tum ti tum ti tum de tum ti dum dum one more time I'll run screaming from the theater.

[BalletNut]

Without Words has GOT to go...far, far away...

So does Remanso.

What is it about Nacho Duato and the National Ballet of Anywhere?

[Alexandra]

I like your choices, too, Ballet Nut.  As for your last question -- he's easy.  Easy to dance, easy on the eye and mind.

[jbtlse]

Giselle--I can't get away from it--it follows me around. Guaranteed wherever I am the local company is doing Giselle. It used to be Swan Lake--but then I saw an amazing one so it put me in my place.  Dracula IS awful--but I'm not running into it as much.

[GWTW]

I'm just not qualified to vote. There is so little ballet in Israel that I'd be glad to see almost anything. (Although I must admit that I often prefer to see modern dance than the Israel Ballet, whose repertory leaves so much to be desired.)

[Cliff]

Swan Lake.   Some time ago I discovered an out of the way library that had three different perfomances of Swan Lake on tape.  The idea of watching all three and studying them seemed worthwhile. And it was informative.   I enjoyed the dancing; however,  the music disagreed with me.

Cliff

[grace]

Coppelia (5 years isn't enough)

[su-lian]

Yes, I voted for Nutcracker too, Solballets Mom! I have seen so many productions of it because you always think it could be a good one, that I know feel a bit sick just at the idea of it. It even started to make me hate the music, which was my favourite when I was small. There are so many weird and modern productions also! Everyone tries to be original, but most of them aren't, and shouldn't The Nutcracker stay The Nutcracker? I remember watching a programm on the Nutcracker, and someone said (especially about the ones who twist around the story) "If they want to do a new ballet, they should do a new ballet, but they call it the Nutcracker because it attracts the audience" and someone else said that in his native town, they had a production of it every year and he couldn't see any more Nutcrackers.

[beckster]

Nutcracker.  If Coppelia were there, that would be my choice.  I loathe Coppelia.  The storyline is stupid, the doll choreography annoys me ... and I have a thing about ballets which are meant to be a story but they fill up an entire act with dances which seem to exist purely so that everyone gets a chance to have a go.  It's all very well in a ballet school performance, but in a professional company, totally unnecessary.  Sadly my favourite ever ballet music is in Coppelia.

[Alexandra]

I had at first been a bit curious why Ari chose "The Firebird" as a contender, since I didn't remember having seen that many productions lately.  Then the DTH season was announced, and I remembered    (Nothing against the ballet, it's just that I've seen it approximately 89 times.)  There are several new productions of this ballet coming up, too.  Not sure whether that's good news or bad news.