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If you were throwing the party....


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Hi, I'm a longtime lurker, first time poster so here it goes. Replying to your question Sonora about what Balanchine dancers to invite back and coach thier original roles here is my list,

Maria Tallchief-Firebird, Sylvia Pas De deux and Eurydice in Orpheus

Allegra Kent-Bukagu, La Sonambula and staging a revival of The Seven Deadly Sins

Melissa Hayden- Stars and Stripes

Violette Verdy-La Source and Emeralds

Patricia McBride-Who Cares, Divertimento from Baiser De La Fee, and Voices of Spring from Vienna Waltzes

Edward Villella-Oberan, Rubies and Harlequinade

Suzanne Farrell- Diamonds, Chaconne, and Mozartiana

And they should bring back Don Quixote too, if not the full length ballet then maybe an abridged version. You know sort of like Highlights of Don Quixote with Marcela's solo from Act 1, a couple of the Act 2 devirtisments and all of Dulcinea's dances from Act 3. It of course would have to be staged by the Divine Miss Farrell herself. That would be a perfect world!

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Well, er, I, uh, couldn't help but notice that, gee -- neither Ballerina 1023 nor Perky has suggested that Mr. Martins coach some of his roles. :)

I would not particularly want Ashley to coach Ballade. Whelan makes much more of it than Ashley ever did. I think Balanchine made it in order to let Ashley discover her inner lyrical dancer. She never did.

Edited by carbro
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Thanks for pointing that out, carbro. I had considered adding his name, and then I thought "wait, he's right there to come back and teach." I don't know why, but for some reason I just thought of those who aren't immediately accessible. Besides, I guess he is teaching some of the roles he is famous for already. It's an interesting point, though.

Also, perky, thank you for adding your list of those you'd bring back. You make some excellent suggestions (I can't believe I didn't think of Tallchief or Kent!).

I also just thought of Gelsey Kirkland. If Tallchief wouldn't be available, she'd be great to teach Firebird.

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Kirkland danced a very different version of Firebird than Tallchief...With Balanchine, one of the complications with bringing back the creators of roles to coach them is, I should think, the fact that the ballets were often revised for different casts. Presumably, when (and if) a coach is brought in, her or his work needs to be integrated with the work of whoever is staging the ballet, and clear decisions made about which 'version' -- or which moment in the ballet's history -- to honor. Personally, I would very much enjoy seeing the version of Firebird done by Tallchief.

Edited by Drew
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Kirkland danced a very different version of Firebird than Tallchief...With Balanchine, one of the complications with bringing back the creators of roles to coach them is, I should think, the fact that the ballets were often revised for different casts.  .....  Personally, I would very much enjoy seeing the version of Firebird done by Tallchief.

Now, there's an idea: A "Firebird" program with three "Firebirds" on it: The Tallchief one, the Kirkland one, and the VonAroldingen one. Not the kind of thing most people would be interested in in an ordinary season, but something for a centennial.

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:mondieu: I don't think I could endure three Firebirds on one bill. Now, side-by-side would be interesting. (Actually Suki Shorer has done this in lecture-demonstrations, with one dancer/couple dancing the Petipa and and another the Balanchine version of Harp variation from Raymonda and the Nutcracker pdd. Fascinating.)

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I have just thought of it.

I would invite: Maria Tallchief

Melissa Hayden

Suzanne Farrell

Edward Villella

Allegra Kent

Merrill Ashley

(and anyone else suitable I may have left out) each to produce a single evening of ballets of their choice during the season, each evening to be performed for five times during a discete week of the winter and spring seasons. Each would have freedom of casting within the company roster and even freedom to import a dancer on occasion (i.e., Hayden could bring in Gillian Murphy to perform along with the NYCB dancer if she wished) and each would have their own adequate budget (within limits) for new or revised production design, i.e., they could create or revive their own productions if they wished. (Let Farrell revive Don Q with casting of her choice, who knows).

I should love to see such a season.

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Very interesting idea!

How about also giving a few nights to the new generation of stagers -- there are some younger dancers just winding down their careers or branching out into staging, some with the company, some former members. I'd love to see what the under-40-somethings would do with Balanchine.

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