Farrell Fan

Being a merciful sort, I say let the Diamond Project live! Some of the DP ballets from earlier years which came back this year looked pretty good -- Concerto in Five Movements, Viola Alone, Chiaroscuro. Maybe this year's crop will look better in revival. I would, however, feed Angelin Prejlocaj to the lions.

Sonora, I too have been wondering what became of our reviewers. Were they kidnapped by Le Corsaire along the obstacle course of Lincoln Center Plaza? Personally, I don't feel up to the task of a late-season summary, but I won't let that stop me. Last night I saw the premiere of the new Miriam Mahdaviani ballet, In the Mi(d)st. Leaving aside the questionable significance of that (d), I found it disappointing. Like Wheeldon's ballet Morphoses, it started out in murky gloom. Wheeldon's ballet, which I liked, suggested creatures rising from primordial ooze. Mahdaviani's dancers might have been survivors of Ground Zero, I thought. But that impression dissipated when the dancers paired off. There were a lot of lifts but not many identifiable steps, to bombastic, foreboding music by Oliver Knussen and Aaron Jay Kernis. I know enough not to try to "figure out" what a ballet is "trying to say," even when, as in this case, it seems to want to say something important. Nevertheless, my mind kept wandering and In the Mi(d)st left me in a fog. The dancers (all very good, of course) were Jennie Somogyi and James Fayette, Alexandra Ansanelli and Sebastien Marcovici, and four other couples. For me, a highlight of recent days has been "Concerto in Five Movements," a Diamond Project ballet from 1997 by Robert La Fosse, to Prokofiev, that I hadn't seen until now. Now I've seen it three times. The corps is reminiscent of the phalanx in Symphony in Three Movements, and there is an athletic pas de deux for Kowroski and Evans, a more lyrical one for Whelan and Soto, and a crowd-pleasing variation for Tom Gold. Good stuff. Yvonne Borree was an excellent sleepwalker in Sonnambula and Peter Boal was superb as the poet in the two performances I saw. Ringer made the Coquette almost believable. And she made The Man I Love in Who Cares a thing of beauty, without for a moment erasing the memory of Patricia McBride. You ask about Agon. The last time I saw it, it was preceded by Them Twos and La Stravaganza. One might think that coming after a mediocrity and an abomination, a great masterpiece would be all the more welcome. To my horror, I didn't find that to be the case. My reaction to it was a lot like the reaction Jennifer Homans would have had.

I saw it last night too and liked it very much. I agree with Patricia, each of Wheeldon's ballets is different from the previous one. Morphoses is not like Polyphonia, although he certainly has an affinity for Ligeti. The Flux quartet played the music extremely convincingly, and the audience responded to them -- and to the ballet -- enthusiastically. As for the people in Patricia's row, one has run into their ilk over the years at NYCB performances. Several decades ago, I heard a guy complain loudly about Stravinsky's music for Agon. The least successful Wheeldon choreography of recent times IMO, was for "Sweet Smell of Success." It was generic Broadway razzmatazz. I thought that show as a whole, though, was a lot better than the critics said, and I'm sorry it closed.

In her piece in today's New York Times about Carlos Acosta, Anna Kisselgoff writes, "At this point in his career, Mr. Acosta considers himself a free-lancer with several companies." I suppose Nureyev considered himself that. But some dancers, no matter how many companies they dance with are usually associated with one in particular. The same article refers to Nina Ananiashvili as "the Bolshoi ballerina...who is dancing with him at Ballet Theatre." But Ananiashvili is listed in ABT programs as a Principal Dancer, as is Acosta. They are not called guests. Are there rules about this? Can anyone other than a superstar make a living as a free-lancer?Are there many true free-lancers? And would you say dancers in such companies as Suzanne Farrell Ballet, DanceGalaxy, Dance as Ever, etc. are free-lancers, guests, or company members?

Thanks for stepping in on the Bonnefous(x) question, Alexandra. I didn't know the answer. Thanks to all for the definitive spelling, and to Glebb for the mini-portrait of the artist.

I'm on the mailing list of DanceGalaxy, a company of which Judith Fugate and Medhi Bahiri are the Artistic Directors. They have an impressive "Board of Advisors," starting with Karin von Aroldingen, Peter Boal, and Fernando Bujones, and ending with Edward Villella. On the list is Anne Marie D'Angelo. Seeing her name spelled that way was a surprise comparable to when Jean-Pierre Bonnefous became Bonnefoux. In the Second Edition of the Oxford Dictionary it's given as De Angelo, which is how I remember it from when she was dancing with the Joffrey and ABT. I'm sure I've also seen it as Di Angelo. But I'm delighted with the DanceGalaxy spelling, since D'Angelo is also my name. I only saw her dance a handful of times. Does anyone have recollections of her as a dancer and choreographer? Or know how she spells her name?

My favorite letter in the group was that of Laura Segal. (Isn't she a critic?) I was more than a little surprised that the first three letters, favorable to NYCB, are from people with connections to it. The fourth letter is also pro-NYCB, making the final tally 4-3. But that's from someone who advises Homans to watch the company in rehearsal. That would indicate that the writer is at least a member of the NYCB Guild. Not that there's anything wrong with that -- so am I. All the letters come down firmly on one side or the other. My letter to the Times said the Homans article was overstated but had good points and that the heartbeat of the Balanchine legacy could be found in the Suzanne Farrell Ballet. Since I've sent them quite a few letters in the past on NYCB and SF, some of which they've printed, I didn't expect them to this time.

My favorite letter in the group was that of Laura Segal. (Isn't she a critic?) I was more than a little surprised that the first three letters, favorable to NYCB, are from people with connections to it. The fourth letter is also pro-NYCB, making the final tally 4-3. But that's from someone who advises Homans to watch the company in rehearsal. That would indicate that the writer is at least a member of the NYCB Guild. Not that there's anything wrong with that -- so am I. All the letters come down firmly on one side or the other. My letter to the Times said the Homans article was overstated but had good points and that the heartbeat of the Balanchine legacy could be found in the Suzanne Farrell Ballet. Since I've sent them quite a few letters in the past on NYCB and SF, some of which they've printed, I didn't expect them to this time.

I used to work in book advertising, and the phenomenon of evangelical bestsellers isn't new. What's new is that mainstream publishers are trying to get in on the action formerly reserved to Christian publishers. The mergers in publishing have meant, to give the example cited in the article, that the largest Christian publisher, Zondervan, is part of HarperCollins, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Apparently, the Christian worry is that their "liberal" owners will dilute the message of the true believers. I think the true believers have nothing to worry about. American publishers are not famous for their stand-up qualities in the face of a fatwa or boycott. On the other hand, the true believers provide cause for nervousness, if not concern, on the part of the rest of us. Those evangelicals who object to the "Satanism" in the Harry Potter books, cannot be expected to take kindly to Wilis, Fairies, or swans in thrall to evil sorcerers -- let alone to all that exposed female flesh on display. All it would take would be for some Pat Robertson type to go to the ballet just once, and there would be hell to pay, excuse the expression.

Inspired by the forthcoming publication of Alexandra's book, I consulted The Ballet Cook Book, by Tanaquil Le Clercq, and found Henning Kronstam's recipe for Roast Duck. ("Stuff with prunes, apples, and smoked tenderloin of pork.") As might be expected, George Balanchine is represented with more recipes than anyone else. Among them: Blini, Slow Beet Borschok, Speedy Beet Borschok, Jellied Borschok, Fast Soup No. 1, Fast Soup No.2, Barley Kasha, Mr. B's Sweet Kasha, Buckwheat Kasha, etc. etc. This is a really charming book, although I never tried to follow any of the recipes. There is lots of ballet lore and many amusing anecdotes. Unfortunately, I doubt there are many copies extant. It was published in 1966, and I bought my copy at an antiquarian book fair. Somewhat along the same lines is The Dancers' Body Book, by Allegra Kent, from 1984. "Tells you how to look, feel, and move like one of the most beautiful creatures alive," says the jacket. This has some recipes too, including: Darci Kistler's Fruity Milk Shake, Suzanne Farrell's Cold Salmon with Watercress Mousseline, and Mel Tomlinson's Pineapple Dump Cake. A much younger Suzanne is also represented in Tanny's book, with a couple of Omelets (Artichoke and Zucchini), Sauerbraten, Liver and Ham Loaf, Graham Cracker Cake with Filling, and Pate Oscar. The pate is what she fed her cats at the time, Top and Bottom.

The New York Times is just catching up with Ballet Alert members, Driver. See recent posts in the American Ballet Theatre and New York City Ballet forums. I'm a little puzzled about the Times' phrase, "effective immediately" referring to the promotions, wondering whether it also applies to Monique Meunier. Has she already moved across Lincoln Center Plaza? Does anyone know?

There was a thread in one of the forums which had been going on since last fall but which I happened upon yesterday for the first time. The original post was from a young girl who was excited at the prospect of a 19-year-old ballet professional coming to stay at her house. Reading all the posts in one sitting was a delightful experience -- the girl's reactions, the questions posed by others at balletalert, the gentle guidance of Victoria Leigh and Mel Johnson -- it all seemed like a poignant short story. The thread has been closed now and I don't remember the original poster's name, but I'd just like to thank and congratulate her and everyone else involved.

The Diamond Project has hardly been neglected by the New York Times. But perhaps the Balanchine legacy has been neglected by NYCB, so I agree with Calliope: What better time to call attention to that than on the eve of another Diamond Project? There's more to Jennifer Homans' article than a diatribe. While she failed to take Lincoln Kirstein's role into account, her emphasis on the "etiquette and sumptuous rituals of the Imperial Court," and "the majestic incense-suffused rituals of the Russian Orthodox Church" as important influences on Balanchine is an unusual point, worth making. So is the whole idea of the Russian-American atmosphere at SAB. That's gone now, because with the exception of Madame Tumkovsky, all those people are dead. Can't blame that on Martins, but some NYCB fans are distressed that the greatest living inheritors of that heritage are not asked to contribute their abilities to the company, where only the limited Martins view of Balanchine prevails. That said, I reiterate that calling the Balanchine repertory at NYCB, "boring, pompous, and passe" is ridiculous.

The Diamond Project has hardly been neglected by the New York Times. But perhaps the Balanchine legacy has been neglected by NYCB, so I agree with Calliope: What better time to call attention to that than on the eve of another Diamond Project? There's more to Jennifer Homans' article than a diatribe. While she failed to take Lincoln Kirstein's role into account, her emphasis on the "etiquette and sumptuous rituals of the Imperial Court," and "the majestic incense-suffused rituals of the Russian Orthodox Church" as important influences on Balanchine is an unusual point, worth making. So is the whole idea of the Russian-American atmosphere at SAB. That's gone now, because with the exception of Madame Tumkovsky, all those people are dead. Can't blame that on Martins, but some NYCB fans are distressed that the greatest living inheritors of that heritage are not asked to contribute their abilities to the company, where only the limited Martins view of Balanchine prevails. That said, I reiterate that calling the Balanchine repertory at NYCB, "boring, pompous, and passe" is ridiculous.

She was listed as being in the corps for the Rondo of Brahms-Schoenberg. I don't know what she looks like, but I assume she danced.

I was at the 8 o'clock performance Saturday and enjoyed it very much. Ana Sophie Scheller was the lead in Ballo, with Allen Peifer, and they were terrific. The lead Gentilhomme was David Blumenfeld, but they all deserve mention: Daniel Applebaum, Hyek Chen, Radoslaw Kokoszka, Austin Laurent, Keith Mearns, Lucien Postlewaite, Avichai Scher, and Nicolai Smirnov. How's that for an eclectic collection of names? Woetzel's piece, Copland Portrait was episodic. The piano music didn't sound much like Copland until the end, but the ballet looked a lot like Robbins. Anyhow, the young dancers took to it and looked great. Giovanni Villalobos (another great name) stood out. The final two movements of Brahms-Schoenberg ended the evening. The andante was led beautifully by Jessica Flyn and Tyler Angle (Jared's brother), with Sterling Hyltin, Zoe Zien, and Stephanie Zungre. The Rondo, by Ashley Laracey and Adrian Danchig-Waring. When Ashley's ribbons whipped across Adrian in the finale, they put me in mind of Suzanne and Peter. What more can I say?

Thanks for the news and all the interesting comments. Like Manhattnik, I bought a pair of Rachel Rutherford's toe shoes years ago. I just went to look at them and thought congratulatory and self-congratulatory thoughts. My wish for the new principals is that they get good head shots in the NYCB program next season. Over the years, Peter Boal's photos have been disastrous. The current one makes him look like Ivan the Terrible. Darci's photo looks nothing like her. And Kyra is better looking than that. But this seems to be a tradition at NYCB. I don't remember that there was ever a really good one of Farrell. So good luck at the photographer's.

Thanks for settling that, Leigh. Bouder's fall proves that "Live from Lincoln Center" is just that and not "live on tape."

Jeu de Cartes, with its gaudy new costumes, is too busy a ballet to look good on television. I could imagine thousands of viewers tuning out a couple of minutes through it. What I couldn't imagine was that at least one would be heading for Martha Stewart's sandbox. Some of the excerpts after the first intermission came off rather well, I thought, notably Red Angels and Ancient Airs and Dances. The latter is a very good ballet which should be seen in its entirety. Starting off Them Twos with the "Horror" section made no sense, but the dancers looked good as they did throughout the night. Chiaroscuro looked okay but looks better in the theater. The snippet from Viola Alone was fine and a snippet is all I can take from La Stravaganza, by Angelin Preljocaj. As I said on the booing-at-the-ballet thread, I felt like booing it in 1997 but didn't, and now I'm sorry, because they're bringing it back. Before the second intermission last night, it's true that everything was looking very much alike -- but some of that was because we were seeing excerpts. I've seen all these works in their entirety, and they don't look as much alike as they did on the broadcast. Even an evening of excerpts from the Tchaikovsky repertory would start looking alike after a while. Mercurial Maneouvres is not my favorite Wheeldon ballet, but it deserves to be seen under better conditions and not at the end of such a long night -- one hour too long, IMO. Incidentally, a friend of mine says that was Lindy Mandradjieff, not Ashley Bouder, who fell down. I couldn't tell. I love Andrea Quinn's conducting, and she talks just like Julie Andrews. Maurice Kaplow and guest conductor Robert Sadin were fine. But it's too bad NYCB couldn't have found find a spot on the show for their venerable principal condoctor, Hugo Fiorato.

Hi, LoD -- Row U isn't that bad a seat. The First Ring overhangs it, and there are a couple of rows behind it. But be sure to bring your opera glasses. You'll probably see Wendy Whelan and Albert Evans in the Herman Schmerman Pas de Deux and I think you'll love it. In addition to Swan Lake, the rest of the program consists of Balanchine's Kammermusik No 2, which is kind of hard for a first visit to the ballet, and Mercurial Maneouvres. If you watched the NYCB broadcast on PBS last night, MM was the last thing on the show It's fun. It's great that you'll see Swan Lake on your first visit to the ballet. I saw Swan Lake on my first visit to the ballet -- the full length version as done by the Kirov, not the one-act Balanchine version you'll be seeing. I was twice as old as you when I went. That was over 40 years ago and I've been going to the ballet ever since. Have a great time.

Thanks to Michael for injecting Lincoln Kirstein into this discussion. After all, without LK, there would be no SAB, NYCB, or Balanchine legacy. It's a sad fact that Kirstein's contributions are often overlooked today, even within the company he co-founded.

Thanks to Michael for injecting Lincoln Kirstein into this discussion. After all, without LK, there would be no SAB, NYCB, or Balanchine legacy. It's a sad fact that Kirstein's contributions are often overlooked today, even within the company he co-founded.

Maria Kowroski was in four of the five works on the program -- Monumentum/Movements, Them Twos, and I'm Old Fashioned. It was great to see Monumentum/Movements with the same ballerina in both parts again. I think even Jennifer Homans might have approved. There's no doubt that in her versatility and charm, Kowroski is the closest today's NYCB comes to Farrell. In Them Twos, she and Charles Askegard (also her partner in M&M) danced the "Horror" movement of Wynton Marsalis's score -- the one with the police whistles. She wears that black Morticia Addams dress which happily shows off her long and glorious legs. In I'm Old Fashioned, which I thought was given a somewhat tepid performance, she was the girl who leaves Philip Neal and then comes back. The one Kowroskiless piece was the Herman Schmerman Pas de Deux, danced by Wendy Whelan and Albert Evans. They looked extremely fetching in their matching Gianni Versace miniskirts.

Okay, I will henceforth refer to Peter Martins as Ballet Master in Chief and Ultimate Authority.

Okay, I will henceforth refer to Peter Martins as Ballet Master in Chief and Ultimate Authority.