sandik

I think you've really put your finger on it here!

My son goes to school in this neighborhood, and they all got an impromptu day off because of the outage...

Thanks so much for the heads-up -- it's a fascinating topic. My mother was an "instant diabetic" after her cancerous pancreas was removed when she was in her early 50s, and I remember the incredible balancing act between what she ate, what she did, and how much insulin she needed. I can only imagine that for a dancer, those challenges would be increased exponentially.

Debra Levine talks about the film here in an article on documentaries with Doug Cummings.

There's a note in the current (Director's Choice) program about Kershaw's retirement -- the administration was distressed that they weren't able to give him some kind of formal send-off, since he announced his departure quite abruptly, so Peter Boal has convinced him to appear at the end of the season in their "Encore" program, where they can acknowledge his contributions to the company.

So who is going when? I'm there tonight (Thursday) and Saturday matinee.

This is one of Wiseman's gifts, or perhaps more accurately, a product of his skills as a filmmaker -- he captures some very naked moments in the environments he studies. It's fascinating to see when it's a world I'm familiar with -- when it's a place I don't know well, it's even more stunning. His work is perhaps the closest to actual cinema verite that we have.

Alongside the tendency of performers to perform is Wiseman's practice of taking hours and hours and hours of footage -- after a time, the subjects of the project almost forget the cameras are there.

I like Caniparoli's work very much, in part because he's got a varied repertory, so I'm looking forward to Seasons in part just to see what he's up to with a traditional score like this.

Did anyone here go to the memorial service?

There's an interview with Wiseman on the arts.meme site here. (you may have to click around in the site -- I can't find a specific url for the interview)

This made me giggle!

Here. Both weeks are up, though I imagine there will be changes at some point. I have to copy everything down by hand to compare performances (new layout for website is still awkward here) but on first glance it looks like two full casts for the Kylian, partial cast changes during the run for Seasons and West Side. Moore has opening night for Mopey, with Poretta and Griffiths later in the week. Sar gets a chance at it during the second week. And Postelwaite gets a chance at Riff in West Side then as well. Hmmm....

As someone living in Seattle, WA, where we have an excellent local company but don't see much ballet beyond them, I would be thrilled if Wheeldon's company took the Joffrey as their model because the Joffrey toured extensively. Most people talk about how Robert Joffrey took the Ballet Russe as his artistic model as far as casting and repertory was concerned, but consciously or not, they also emulated their presentation model -- they performed regularly in NYC, but also across the US. (I know, I know -- all the arguments about how hard it is to tour a ballet company in the 21st c -- but I miss it all the same!)

An experience more universal than we would like! Ouch!

Canadian Bravo, or the network we can see in the US?

Oh ouch! I understand that Kershaw had arranged to have these performances covered before he left.

That is indeed excellent news. Although I love to see things like this in a theater, on a big screen with a better sound system than I have at home (and I love the exposure that dance gets when there's a film like this in circulation) Wiseman's style, like Robert Altman's, includes so many offside comments and sotto voce details that it really repays watching over several times.

My understanding is that Canfield could not come to an agreement with the organization, but that efforts were made on all sides. Tell us more about what you saw!

OBT does still perform the Balanchine version of the ballet. I don't know if the trust has a veto over the conductor, but I wouldn't be surprised. They take their responsibilities very seriously.

Photographer Chris Bennion, who took many images of the company early on, has the first Gregory Falls Sustained Achievement award from Theater Puget Sound. He's shot almost every artist in Seattle, and has worked for almost every theater company -- when I ran a small dance newsletter in the 80s, his byline was in almost every issue. Angela Sterling has come along to take over much of that work for PNB, but every so often I see his work in a press release or other publication. here

Gavin Borchert (a colleague) brings up an interesting question in his blog post at the Seattle Weekly here The company is going to have to hustle to fill all the conductor spots for the upcoming Nutcrackers. I don't know how quickly these kind of things are arranged, but perhaps they could be used as part of an audition/interview process...

Press release -- just out today Pacific Northwest Ballet Music Director and Conductor Stewart Kershaw Announces Departure Seattle, WA – In an announcement to the Pacific Northwest Ballet company and orchestra, Music Director/Conductor Stewart Kershaw today tendered his resignation, effective immediately. Mr. Kershaw has been with the company since 1983. In his announcement, Mr. Kershaw explained that “Please understand that I am now 68, have been a professional ballet conductor for the last 43 years, and recently completed 25 seasons as PNB's Music Director. It is also exactly 20 years since my efforts to create the PNB Orchestra were rewarded in October 1989.” Mr. Kershaw continued by stating “In planning my departure from the ballet world I wanted to make my own personal farewell on a high note with music that has always been so very dear to my heart - what better then than Prokoviev's Romeo & Juliet as my swan song?” In a personal note to members of the orchestra, Mr. Kershaw added “Your brilliant and incredibly passionate playing of this masterpiece will remain a constant and indelible memory in my mind as I move on to the next chapter in my life. The recent comment in The New York Times that you are ‘perhaps best of all’ ballet orchestras in the USA, not only made me very proud but amply confirmed my own thoughts on the subject. Bravo!” Born in Oxford, England, Mr. Kershaw was a chorister at Chichester Cathedral and studied at London’s Royal Academy of Music (of which he is a Fellow) and the Conservatoire Nationale in Paris. He was Music Director of Stuttgart Ballet and Paris Opera Ballet, and has held permanent contracts with the Royal Ballet in London as well as at the Opera Houses in Munich and Lyon. He was Principal Conductor for the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra in Japan, and Music Director of the Evansville Philharmonic for nine years. In 1997 Mr. Kershaw was invited to create the Auburn Symphony Orchestra in South King County. He plans to remain as Auburn Symphony’s Music Director. “I was deeply saddened by the news of Stewart Kershaw’s choice to resign as our principal conductor and music director,” said PNB Artistic Director Peter Boal. “Stewart’s contribution to PNB over the past 25 years has been tremendous. It is with great pride that we recognize the consistent brilliance of the PNB Orchestra, knowing that we owe its accomplishment to Stewart’s guidance and inspiration. Though he will be missed in the pit, we know that his standard of excellence will continue to benefit PNB far into the future.” PNB will begin conducting a search for Mr. Kershaw’s replacement.

I'm old enough that I remember when some FM stations broadcast whole albums, and would play tones at the beginning of the session so that people who were recording the program could set their stereos... I don't know if KING does anything in particular to discourage recording -- if they do, it's probably in coordination with the performing organizations, and might have something to do with their union contracts. But that's just speculation.

So did anyone see Rachel Foster as the Nurse, or Carrie Imler as Lady C? Enquiring minds want to know!