Winter Week 3

[Alexandra]

Opening a thread for your comments on this week's performances.

[oberon]

Wednesday 1/21 - CHOPINIANA seems a little sterile after you've seen SYLPHIDES. SYLPHIDES creates its own world while CHOPINIANA looks like so many other ballets. The students danced well enough, notably Sara Means who made a very nice effect with her sustained balances. Tyler Angle was a lithe and attractive cavalier. It was nice to see Cynthia Gregory, who staged the work, being presented with roses by Peter Martins. Did Gregory & Martins ever dance together?

HARLEQUINADE with the second cast was less impressive than the opening last week. I am not averse to Yvonne Borree as lots of other folks seem to be. I see things in her dancing that I like. But Columbine may not be her part; the choreography is demanding and while Borree danced many passages perfectly well, there was a lack of flair or brilliance. Hubbe was OK but missed the lightness and romantic longing Millepied brought to the part. Reichlin was not steady in her balances and pencees as Bonne Fee, and she did not seem to understand this exotic, mysterious character. The two dazzling highlights of the evening were Ashley Bouder's brilliant Alouette (I am not a big Bouder fan but she was super in this) and the enchanting Pierette of Amanda Edge. Edge brought more fluidity to her dancing in this part than Fairchild (though Fairchild was excellent, too)...and Edge has a shining quality that can't be taught: it comes from within. I find her a most enjoyable and under-valued dancer.

[carbro]

Did Gregory & Martins ever dance together?

They came this close (as I just miss touching my thumb and forefinger).

There was a gala for the upcoming Statue of Liberty Centennial in 1984 (1983?), for which Martins and Gregory were billed for the Corsaire (pretty sure) pas de deux. There was much fanfare around the fact that this would be the one-time only pairing of these tall stars from "opposite" companies. This was in the fall, and scheduled soon on its heels was NYCB's 1000th Nut, which was to be Peter's farewell performance, also a gala. The Corsaire was recast (I forget who partnered Gregory -- Bujones, most likely). The [ahem] speculation :secret: at the time was that it was too risky to take on a brand new partner in a not-so-familiar piece.

So, Oberon, the answer to your question is, no.

[Dale]

There were also efforts to woo Martins over to ABT in the early 70s (officials were on the lookout for tall male dancers to partner Gregory), which is outlined in Martins' autobiography and several articles. He had been unhappy at NYCB, not being used by Balanchine, but the Stravinsky Fest. changed all that.

[Helene]

Did Gregory & Martins ever dance together?

There was a gala for the upcoming Statue of Liberty Centennial in 1984 (1983?), for which Martins and Gregory were billed for the Corsaire (pretty sure) pas de deux. There was much fanfare around the fact that this would be the one-time only pairing of these tall stars from "opposite" companies. This was in the fall, and scheduled soon on its heels was NYCB's 1000th Nut, which was to be Peter's farewell performance, also a gala. The Corsaire was recast (I forget who partnered Gregory -- Bujones, most likely).

According to my performance log Marianna Tcherkassky and Danilo Radojevic danced Le Corsaire pas de deux at the Statue of Liberty Centennial on 7 November 83.

I don't have the program, and my log is set up by ballet. I can only find three ballet listings for the event, with two listings for Martins, both with Farrell: Stars and Stripes finale, with Elyse Bourne, Linda Homek, and Gen Horiuchi leading the batalions, and Duo Concertant. I don't know if I was negligent and didn't log all performances, or if that was it.

I don't have a listing for Who Cares?, which would have been a likely suspect. (I think someone sang a song or two of Gershwin's.) No Fancy Free listing, either. It was a mixed program.

[carbro]

Ah, HF, yes! I remember the disappointment over the fact that Farrell and Martins did not dance the Liberty Bell-El Capitan pdd. I also remember the very hostile response Bob Hope got when he started a pro-administration riff. He'd misgauged his audience.

Confined as I am by the cruel realities of New York real estate, I just chucked my whole archives about six years ago. I'm glad to have BA and its vast network of veterans like you who have kept -- in some form -- fairly complete records. Thanks!

[bobbi]

Going down memory lane, I remember that Cynthia Gregory and Peter Martins danced a Tschaikovsky Pas at the Library Gala in 1978. This is the same event that saw the premiere of Other Dances. The reason I remember is that at the time I thought about why I always had reservations about Gregory's dancing. Matched against Peter's bred-in-the-bone musicality, Gregory just didn't have the same innate phrasing as Peter, and it really showed in a Balanchine ballet (and not in Gregory's usual rep).

[Farrell Fan]

Balanchine's birthday, January 22.

For me the highlight of the evening was the post-performance appearance in front of the curtain of Barbara Horgan, Mr. B's longtime assistant and for the last 20 years administrator of the Balanchine Trust. She didn't make a speech, in fact she didn't say a word, although she did punctuate some remarks by Peter Martins with her own gestures. I found the Martins-Horgan appearance somewhat reminiscent of the appearances of Balanchine and Kirstein, although in this case nobody carried a vodka bottle. There were many hundreds of small vodka bottles however, distributed to the audience at the second intermission for use in the post-performance toast.

Martins pointed out that some of the evening's dancers had not yet been born when Mr. B died, but that three of them -- Kyra Nichols, Peter Boal, and Darci Kistler had worked with him. When the curtain went up, it appeared that all the company's dancers were onstage. There was a huge cake, suitable for a Trump wedding. (On the way out, the audience was given little pastries. I suppose it would have been impossible to have pieces of the actual cake.) The blowup of the Cartier-Bresson photo of Balanchine that was used on opening night was again lowered and mylar confetti swirled. The orchestra played "Happy Birthday," and there was a balloon drop which was only partially successful. At least half the balloons never dropped.

I'm leaving it to others to review the performance, but I feel compelled to complain about Darci's ineffective Siren. She didn't even succeed in covering herself with her cape in the prologue to the pas de deux, thus depriving Boal's excellent Prodigal of the opportunity to uncover her.

[oberon]

Balanchine's Birthday...yes, Farrell Fan, seeing Barbara Horgan was a true delight,

and along with having Fiorato on the podium and Kyra, Darci & Peter Boal onstage, provided a link to the rich history of NYCB. And from my vantage point I was able to see Karin von Aroldingen in the wings during PRODIGAL SON.

I thought APOLLO was good and I have enjoyed this ballet this year, it seemed fresh. In SERENADE, I most enjoyed seeing my many favorite corps beauties close up...the principals were fine but there were minor partnering glitches from both Neal and Fayette; Kyra brings a poetic beauty to this ballet that cannot be taught...others to come will dance it, beautifully, but for me she will remain the ideal. Jennie Somogyi and Kowroski were very satisfying. Peter Boal's triumph as the Prodigal was the highlight of the evening. Darci danced the Siren well enough but I do not find her the seductive type. James Fayette was a moving Father, his luminous eyes catching the light with an eerie radiance. The "fighting duet" as danced by Suozzi and Hendrickson was a highlight of the evening. Golbin & Abergel were very attractive sisters.

It was nice seeing the company onstage at the end. The tiny cakes that everyone received were very generously laced with liquor...between that and the vodka, one could brave the winter night. Heading out, we saw Maria Kowroski clutching her enormous bouquet and trying to get a cab.

More than a tribute to a departed genius, I felt the evening was a snapshot of a moment in the ongoing flow of Dance...watching the girls in the SERENADE corps, I was thinking that in ten years some of them will be principals. And some will stop dancing, for whatever reason. But tonight they were all there, recreating Balanchine's masterpiece. The couple next to us were seeing SERENADE for the first time and seemed thoroughly awed by it. And I, who have probably seen it three dozen times, felt the same way.

Happy Birthday, Mr. B...and many more!

[perky]

Farrell Fan, very nice to hear about Barbara Horgan being on stage last night. In her section of the I Remember Balanchine book, she recalls amusedly how every morning he used to ring her to discuss the day's schedule and sometimes he would do funny little things as she picked up the phone like say, "Hello, this is George Balanchine" as if that distinctive voice could belong to anyone else.

Did you happen to see any former NYCB dancer's last night? Either in the audience or invited up on stage to participate in the birthday celebration?

[oberon]

Perky,

Aside from Karin von A, I saw Robert LaFosse in the audience. The crush on the Promenade during intermissions was so bad you could not really see who was there and who wasn't. The stage full of dancers at the end seemed mostly to be the current roster though I am sure there were other former dancers there.

Oberon

[Farrell Fan]

I really couldn't tell if there were any former dancers onstage. But I'm not good at spotting people in such situations. During the Balanchine Celebration of a few years back, I was anxiously looking for Suzanne among all the former dancers and never did see her, even though she was front and center.

[Swanilda]

I got to see the winter rep program on Wednesday night and had an amazing time-- it was the first time I've seen the company at the State Theatre (instead of Saratoga) and I have to say it really added something to the experience. First up was Chopiniana-- which was lovely! I had not expected to enjoy it as I am something of a traditionalist, but it was pared down to perfection which allowed you to really see the dancing and made it so much more enjoyable. The INCREDIBLE Likolani Brown did Prelude-- it's been a long time since I've been that blown away by a dancer. Sara Mearns and Lauren King were the other soloists. They all had several calls, and Cynthia Gregory came out at the end, which was nice! Next was Harlquinade, which I had never seen and found very enjoyable. Great choreography and a very "fun" ballet. The children in it were impeccably rehearsed and Yvonne Bourree was adorable as Columbine. Very nice evening at the ballet!

[Hal]

I saw the Birthday celebration but even from our close in seats, my eye sight seems to be going and I couldn't make out any of the former dancers on stage. The peformance itself, overall, was electric. Something special in the air. I am not usually a fan of Apollo, but Thursday it was just wonderful. Well danced by everyone. Seranade is, well Serenade. What could be better. Kyra was just the best. The old girl really is somethng. As for Prodigal, I think that Darci isn't up to this role any more. Too bad. There was a time when she was terrific in it.

I am glad to see that Karin Von Aroldingen was there. I didn't see her, but she was always a favorite of mine. She defined certain roles as far as I am concerned. The second lead in rubies, the opening mystery woman in Vienna Waltzes, the Siren in Prodigal, the role she originated in Union Jack to name a few.

She conveyed a certain power and mystery that was perfrect in those roles.