Farrell Fan

Estelle -- both Puccini and the librettest, Ferdinando Fontana, were familiar with the ballet. The opera, which premiered in 1884, was originally in one act, but was revised and expanded into two later that same year. It apparently had a modest success, and the composer was regarded as "promising." The Harper Dictionary of Opera & Operetta calls the plot "inspired by a folk-legend and, possibly, by Adam's ballet Giselle to which the story bears more than a passing resemblance." The setting is the Black Forest.

I wish someone would revive Puccini's first opera, "Le Villi," (The Wilis), some day, even if only in concert form. I'd love to hear what singing Wilis sound like. I gather that the plot owes a lot to Giselle, except that unlike Giselle, Anna, abandoned by Roberto, makes no effort to save him from the dance of death.

THAT'S where I read it. Thanks, Mme. Hermine!

Thanks for the report, rkoretzky. You made the gala come alive for me. I got an email yesterday from my friend Iris from Washington who'd just come from the program you'd put together at the Saratoga Springs library. She thought the Balanchine film was superb. When you get a chance, can you report on that?

Thanks, Giannina. I have a feeling we agree about this book .

Last night, on C-SPAN's "Book TV." Robert MacNeil was talking about becoming a naturalized American citizen. The step was made easier for him because he was allowed to retain his Canadian citizenship. In contrast, he mentioned "my friend Peter Martins," who, though in the U.S. for many years, hasn't become a citizen because he'd have to renounce his allegiance to Denmark and vice versa. This is in no way another invidious comparison of Martins to Balanchine, but it's always been my impression that Mr. B was a naturalized American citizen. Am I correct in this? I can't find any reference to it in Taper, Buckle, or anywhere else, although I'm fairly sure I read it somewhere. Of course in Balanchine's case, there was the matter of the Russian revolution which made moot the question of loyalty to his native land. What about Erik Bruhn? Makarova? Baryshnikov?

Wow, this is exciting news. After waiting all these years, though, I'd feel a little better if the publication date were not April 1.

One year, around February 14, I bought my wife a button which read, "Be my Balanchine." And how about Jacques d'Amboise? Most everybody called him Zhok Dambwoz, but occasionally one heard Zhok Dambwah.

Thanks for the fix, Alexandra. Now my prose is perfect.

Sorry about that odd spacing. I don't know what happened.

rkoretzky has already opened the Saratoga second week discussion, so I apologize for this belated report. Ordinarily I'd be in Saratoga myself during the second week, which culminates, if that's the word, in the gala. But I can't stand Martins's Swan Lake which dominates this week. So my choice was between Midsummer last week and Coppelia next. I love them both, but the Coppelia week coincides with the start of the horseracing season, which means soaring hotel rates and too-crowded restaurants. There's nothing to add to Manhattnik's brilliant report on Dream. But since the apparent object of these three full-evening ballets dominating the programming was to increase SPAC attendance, I was surprised that the audience wasn't bigger than it was. Although the next night's audience, at Concerto Barocco, Guide to Strange Places, and Western Symphony seemed even smaller. But it was great to aee Hugo Fiorato, the venerable Hugo Fiorato, conducting Barocco. I don't think he'd conducted at all in the spring season. He's a great favorite in Saratoga and got ovations on his taking his place in the pit Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Abi Stafford and Wendy Whelen were the two violins and James Fayette the man on Wednesday night; Maria Kowroski and Rachel Rutherford danced it on Saturday night, with Fayette again doing the heavy lifting. Barocco always seems like perfection to me even when more critical eyes detect imperfections. I disliked Guide to Strange Places at the New York State Theater, but Saratoga has a mellowing effect. It's also a fact that I tend to like Martins's stuff better the second or third time I see it. Western Symphony had Pascale von Kipnes, James Fayette, Alexandra Ansanelli, Albert Evans, Maria Kowroski and Damian Woetzel on Wednesday night, but I preferred Friday night's cast: Jennie Somogyi, Nilas Martins, Janie Taylor, Albert Evans, Maria Kowroski, and Charles Askegard. As rkoretzy posted, Nilas gave a truly inspired performance in the first movement allegro. I never thought I'd say that either. I missed the two other Midsummer casts, but I had seen one them at a rehearsal, so I got to appreciate Dan Ulbricht's Puck even more perhaps. The kid dances full out all the time. Incidentally the SPAC rehearsal audience was applauding the dancers even when they were marking the steps. They're so appreciative. Glass Pieces came in between Donizetti Variations and Western on Friday. Miranda and Damian were amusing in the Donizetti, but the audience favorite was Glass Pieces. Remembering the mesmerizing, breathtaking pas de deux of Bart Cook and Maria Calegari in the second section, Facades, Wendy and Robert Tewsley just seemed workmanlike and kind of boring to me. Piano Pieces on Saturday night (between Barocco and Strange Places) was a fine performance by all concerned -- Millepied, Somogyi, Ansanelli, Marcovici, Kowroski, Seth Orza, and Stephen Hanna. I had expected fierce mosquitos this year, but very few showed up. It was great to see rkoretzky again and her entire Saratoga contingent.

I'd hate for the standards of Broadway theater audiences, who give standing ovations to virtually anything at the drop of a curtain, applied to ballet. It's ridiculous and annoying, except when truly merited, which is rarely. Last week in Saratoga a few audience members attempted a standing O at the end of Martins's "Guide to Strange Places." Thankfully, nobody joined them. The City Ballet audience, at least in New York City, has always been, as noted, restrained. In my opinion, it's too restrained. Not even Suzanne Farrell was applauded, as a rule, when she came onstage. I can understand why Miranda Weese was startled. To the best of my recollection, the only dancer whom NYCB audiences applauded regularly at his entrance was Edward Villella. I don't really miss the whooping and hollering of ABT audiences at the curtain calls of Eleanor D'Antuono and Ted Kivett. Not that I didn't enjoy their dancing. I think the real problem is inappropriate applause during a ballet -- in Giselle, for instance, and Davidsbundlertanze. And the author of the article might be interested to know that during the NYCB spring season, I saw a critic, whose identity I will protect, not only applaud Kyra Nichols, but shout "Brava."

I second Ivesiana's recommendation and request. For years, the NYCB Guild sponsored a weekend trip to Saratoga, a highlight of which was a visit to Shaun O'Brien's house. My late wife and I became friends with Shaun and Cris Alexander and I still exchange Christmas cards with them. I don't think Shaun's Dr. Coppelius has ever been surpassed, and I'm very sorry I'll miss his talk.

Gottlieb said of Ansanelli, "She's assumed the place that pretty, soft Jenifer Ringer might have held if she danced large rather than small." Any comments on his apparent writing off of Ringer? This is the kind of Olympian judgment that I find quite annoying.

As is well known you can prove anything you want with statistics. Of the all-Balanchine evenings in the winter season, 6 are of Midsummer Night's Dream and 6 of Jewels. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) In contrast, assuming I counted correctly, there will be 7 performances of the Susan Stroman ballet, and 13 of Peter Martins's Sleeping Beauty, as well as 4 of his Swan Lake.

Joseph Duell jumped out a window to his death, I believe in 1988, soon after he had attained stardom at NYCB. It was said he was suffering from depression.

Thanks for the thread, Ari. As Dulcinea, Farrell appeared to the Don in various guises. In the prologue she was a servant who bathed his feet and dried them with her hair. That scene is still vivid in my mind and, I suppose, in others'. She also appeared as Mary Magdalen, the Virgin Mary, a shepherdess, and the Lady of the Silver Moon. I can't now remember in which guise she did the most dancing -- the shepherdess, perhaps. I saw the ballet four or five times and always saw her in the part, and Richard Rapp as the Don. I never saw Mr. B do it, alas. Just to make it clear -- the ballet was a far cry from the familiar Petipa ballet to Minkus's music. In its three acts, it attempted to convey the heart of the entire Cervantes novel, rather than the Kitri's Wedding story in which the Don and Sancho are basically walk-on characters. The prevailing mood was dark, as the Don was continually mocked and humiliated. I suppose the music, by Nicholas Nabokov, was undistinguished, although Balanchine professed to admire it. Suzanne Farrell owns the rights to the ballet. It seems unlikely, but I'd love for her company to attempt it some day.

Ballerina 1023 -- Because your idea of what they should have done is very much like what I would have liked. Because the other day you were angry at the posters who were outraged by the announced plans and it turns out you're really very sensible. ;) And because you want to bring back Balanchine's Don Quixote.

Ballerina 1023, I love you.

When people, including me, try to cut through the marketing hype involved in this fiasco, it's not the same thing as blaming the marketing department for it. Of course they do what they're told. That's the point.

"Seabiscuit" is a wonderful book, and the current issue of The New Yorker (July 7) has a "Personal History" by its author, Laura Hillenbrand, that puts her great achievement into perspective. She suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome and the article, "A Sudden Illness," is a harrowing account of the onset of her illness, the difficulties in getting it diagnosed, and her struggle to write the book and go on living. It's brilliant and very moving.

I understand your indignation, Ballerina 1023. There was a time, say, fifteen years ago, when I probably would have shared it. And I continue to admire quite a few of Peter Martins's ballets. But with all due respect, this is not the time to bring up that Balanchine has been dead for 20 years, because, as a previous poster said, this "celebration" drives the last nail into his coffin. This was supposed to be an observance of Mr B's Centennial -- think of that -- not an everyday occasion! One looked forward to revivals of forgotten or neglected works, with the return of great dancers of the past to coach them. There is none of that. As has been noted, this is basically business as usual, with some special attractions who have no connection to Balanchine . What makes it so distressing is that it's being put forward as a year-long celebration of Balanchine, when it's just public relations and marketing gimmicks. That seems to me both insulting to Mr. B's memory and to our intelligence.

Thanks for the Croce quote, Kevin. I used to know a man, a devoted follower of NYCB, who, when Martins started running the company during Balanchine's final illness, used to go into tirades about him. He claimed Martins's ultimate aim was to rid himself of the Balanchine repertory and of all people loyal to Mr. B. I thought my friend was being paranoid, and poor Peter much maligned. But I've changed my mind.

Two things I plan to do are: 1) stop contributing to NYCB when I renew my subscriptions, and 2) drop my membership in the NYCB Guild. Although I'm far from being in the Anne H. Bass league, for someone like me, who's retired and living on a relative pittance, my contributions to the company have been substantial. Of course I intend to let them know my reasons. And whatever money I would have sent them I will contribute to the Suzanne Farrell Ballet.

And obviously, they made all the wrong choices.