sandik

A number of years ago Placido Domingo was "Mr. January" in the Opera News calendar, in a lovely, shirtless photo from Samson and Delilah. It was January for several months at my sister's house.

"Music for Athletic Exercises (1939): Prokofiev was commissioned to write music to accompany one episode in a grand pageant staged in Red Square in Moscow, involving 30,000 athletes from all over the Soviet Union. The episode was supposed to be staged by the great director Vsevolod Meherhold, but he was arrested shortly before the performance and then executed on Stalin's orders. A facsimile of Prokofiev's piano score was published in 2004, and musicologist Simon Morrison's performing edition of the work will be heard for the first time in New York at this concert in Zankel Hall." Meyerhold? Wow. Now I want to hear the score.

I know it best from the Joffrey revival as well, and remember it as an astonishing example of a period. It's hard to see much from the trailer (I think it's interesting that the shots in the opening 'getting to know them' scenes are much longer than any of the shots from the actual dance) but I'm very curious to know how it appears in this more contemporary version.

Thanks for the heads-up -- you might want to edit your post to change the upper case "H" to a lower case in "http" -- the net can be fussy that way.

I know it seems silly to reply to my own posting, but I want to remind people. I was at the dress rehearsal last night, while the Joel/John show was at the Arena -- traffic and parking were awful, and that was just a Wednesday...

Week two casting is up now, look here All five women get one Aurora each, Bold does two turns as the Prince, Jordan Pacitti does Carabosse on Saturday afternoon.

Oh thank you for the link -- this was great! I was sorry to have missed her talk, and especially to have missed this...

Gary Tucker (press rep) reminded me today that this coming Saturday evening the ballet is performing at the same time as the Billy Joel/Elton John show at Key Arena. Since the Sonics left, I've kind of forgotten what it's like when two big events collide in lower Queen Anne -- plan your transportation accordingly...

Well put, miliosr. I heard Smith speak and drew the same conclusion--she was, actually, oddly conservative about RM's art, while wonderfully vivid and candid about their time in NYC together, and their friendship. She was here in Seattle last week and my partner and son saw her -- a very sweet anecdote about how she and Mapplethorp were walking down the street when her cover of Springsteen's Because the Night was sounding out of every doorway and window. Mapplethorp turns to her and says "you got famous before me!" And I just finished Laura Shapiro's biography of Julia Child -- a very nice pocket-sized read. (and Shapiro used to be a dance critic here...)

I was surprised to see the company announce next year's season so early in the year, but not complaining about it. I'll be curious to see the Stravinsky program, and Stowell's new Sleeping Beauty -- any other thoughts on the choices?

Oh dear -- my eyes are crossing! I watched her 60 Minutes interview last night, before the broadcast, and thought she came off as pretty articulate. I'm not a big fan of the music, but I can see how it translates from her preferences.

I saw this when it was broadcast -- it's worth seeking out. He speaks very engagingly about the company, and about his filmmaking practices.

The newly struck print of The Red Shoes is making the rounds -- it will be at Northwest Film Forum in Seattle February 12-18. If you know of any other screenings, post them here... Northwest Film Forum

You are most certainly not the only one who cares. I understand from a friend who used to dance for Murray Louis that there's the possibility of some Nikolais centenary stuff coming up, but nothing firm so far.

That would be great! (As would an All Robbins program that didn't include WSSS.) I would even agree to WSSS again if it was on the same program with Dances at a Gathering.

I'd ask for Dances at a Gathering again. Or something with Chopin -- it's his birth anniversary next year. At the Sleeping Beauty seminar last week, Larae Haskell said that the Jardi costumes have been lent out to a company in the Midwest for a few months -- it looks like they'll have to come hom.

Thanks for the links. Time Magazine called Salinger the Hermit Crab of American Letters, which felt pretty true to me.

I took my sister to this for her birthday (she loves Rosenkavalier, as well as being a Domingo fan, so she was on a roll) and I was very impressed, both with the opera, and the crowds that it brought out on a Saturday morning. I've seen Ochs played a couple of different ways, and felt that here we really got a clear view of his sense of entitlement. He is a boor, yes, with that fatal combination of power and ignorance, and there were moments here where the venal quality really came forward. I think this was underlined by the use of subtitles, so that for those of us who don't really follow along in the language, we can link thought and action more directly here.

Just heard on the radio that both men have died.

Oh Helene, you really did all the hard work on this. I was going to post something yesterday, but got stuck in revisions, and now here it is! I'm looking forward to all kinds of things with these casts, but am very curious to see what Porretta does with Carabosse. He's certainly an actor, but I haven't really thought of him in any of the traditional character roles...

I know there are several PNB fans who are also following Seattle Dance Project. Their new program is opening at ACT this Friday, and I would encourage people to go. I saw a rehearsal of the new piece by Edward Liaang last week, and it looks beautiful. Also saw a solo by Mark Haim, performed by Betsy Cooper this last weekend at 12 Minutes Max that will be in the SDP show, and it's very lovely work as well.

I went to Doug Fullington's seminar on SB yesterday, and it was stellar. Some great footage from the Maryinsky/Kirov's revival of the original sets/costumes/choreography (very stately) and an excellent rundown on the history of the ballet in the West. I don't know how much of this will be repeated in his Seattle Public Library talk on the 2nd, or in his pre-show lectures, but they will all certainly be worth the trouble to see them. Larae Haskell came in to talk about costuming -- there are apparently around 900 separate pieces for this work, which they bought lock, stock and as many fabric scraps as they could find from the English National Ballet. If I remember correctly, they haven't had to replace anything yet, but they did make new costumes for the children in the Garland Waltz, who were added for the PNB production. (and since there is no post-show discussion for the run, you don't have to factor in staying afterwards...) Official casting isn't up yet, but unofficially there are five pairs for Aurora/Prince (Nakamura/Postelwaite, Vinson/Orza, Imler/Bold, Korbes/Cruz, Rausch/Orza) They all get two shows, except for Rausch, who gets one and a half (education matinee, I think) Lots of younger dancers have been rehearsing the Bluebird, including Eric Hippolito and Amanda Clark, though not clear who will be performing yet. And Stanko Milov is out for this rep, with an injury. My favorite piece of SB trivia, though, is that if you rehearse all of the Aurora/Prince scenes back to back, it's about an hour of material. Needs big stamina!

You and me both, and many others too...

I agree -- the last time we saw it here in Seattle, Pacific Northwest Ballet cast Stanko Milov. Tall and noble, yes, but certainly not statue-like. Strumming his lyre he looked like Elvis, and kept that wildness for a big chunk of the ballet, a very effective performance.

I want to add my enthusiasm to this -- the "Mondays" series is very special, and I imagine that Mark Morris was a vivid interview! (Hi to Nanatchka!)