jsmu

... The exception I would want to point out, which I think is pretty obvious, is in the film of 'Appalachian Spring'. Not only was she not statuesque enough to do the Pioneer Woman herself and seem the one partially immortal character in the dance, Turney clearly dominates the film, perhaps along with Stuart Hodes. ...

Indubitably. That's the one Graham role which was not quite typical--not a cauldron, not epic in scope--and I think it was less suited to her than any of the others. Matt Turney, a goddess, indeed dominates and owns that performance. I would give anything to have seen her live in many roles (She of the Ground, Errand into the Maze, whichever role she danced in Diversion of Angels...the list just goes on) she danced. I believe the stage probably loved her too--who wouldn't? miliosr, I think you're right--sadly, something like Clytemnestra requires the great star, in fact perhaps the sacred monster, to hold it together. It isn't Primitive Mysteries or Letter to the World--it's no masterpiece.

Miliosr, there are some Graham vehicles from the Sixties in which she did nothing but stand onstage

as a totem/symbol/deity while dancers surrounded her. At least Clytemnestra doesn't fall into that

category...

As a semi-Balanchine 'cultist', I admit you have a point about the Gospel of George; he himself referred

to his ballets as 'butterflies' and was famous for such remarks as 'there are no mothers-in-law in ballet';

'la danse, Madame...c'est une question morale'; and 'God creates: I only assemble'--clearly he put on

no airs about his own work. He also had the advantage over Graham of being an artist who did NOT

like to perform (by every account a great dancer who did not like to dance himself) and who was not

indelibly linked with the performance of virtually every great role he created. Graham, even on film,

burns up the stage and comes right through the camera; she was undoubtedly one of the great presences

and dancers of her time, and it has always put subsequent dancers of the caliber of Elisa Monte,

Mary Hinkson, Yuriko, Matt Turney (to name only a few of many stellar Graham company members) at

a huge disadvantage to be inevitably, and unfavorably, compared with Graham herself.

Graham was of the artistic and esthetic stature of a great classical actress; they have great roles in which

to express their gifts--she did not, and in attempting to make such roles she turned to classical mythology

and, indeed, classical theatre (Phedre, for example), as well as the lives of great female artists like

Dickinson. alas, some of the information she asked dancing to impart is beyond the scope of the art form,

as you say, but what a magnificent creator she was.

Amen to Simon G's and papeetepatrick's posts. "attract younger audiences" is pure emesis,

especially when linked with the worst programming of any NYCB season in living memory.

Valse Triste was made passable by its brilliant and charismatic original cast

and by the lovely Sibelius score. You definitely don't want to see it sans McBride.

Thanks, jsmu. I ask because Guernica -- which has been described as the last great painting in the Western classical tradition -- is often perceived in terms of its huge emotional content to the exclusion of its beautifully controlled form.

Having the chance to learn from Balanchine AS WELL AS Guernica at the Museum of Modern Art was one of the great privileges of young adulthood in New York City at the time that Weiss danced with NYCB.

I would hate to see a dance work performed to music that expressed only on the emotional level to the exclusion of the formal and controlled, which make the feelings so much more powerful in Picasso's painting.

Yes. I see you noticed the deliberate omission of any comment on the score. sigh.

it was lamentably predictable, cliche-ridden, and loud. Hardly the formal, controlled,

or complex expression called for. The choreographer did well under the circumstances...

A lot of us have fond memories of Robert Weiss dancing with New York City Ballet.

Here's the Carolina Ballet website:

http://www.carolinaballet.com/

I notice that the "Picasso" program was presented in conjunction with a show devoted to Picasso at the Duke University Art Museum. I'd especially love to have seen the ballet based on Guernica. Jsmu, can you tell us what music was used for that?

Bart, it was a commissioned score, as was that for The Song of the Dead, by Mark Scearce,

who is the head of the music department at North Carolina State University. Guernica was

for piano solo; Song of the Dead for violin, clarinet, and piano. Salome was the Dance of the

Seven Veils, and Picasso's Harlequins used various Satie including Relache.

O'Brien was remarkable in Guernica.

Although the production was in no way worthy of her, Nichols was

a wonderful Lilac--regal, with grandeur and delicacy and

tremendous attention to detail, including gesture. I imagine

Lallone would be good in this role as well. Lucky viewers who

got to see Adams (!) and Bergsma, by all accounts one of the

most wonderful dancers ever at RB, in this role. Bergsma talks--

in the interview in Striking a Balance-- about the role, the solo,

and how nervous it made her, especially when she was first cast

in the New York run. She seems similar to Adams in more than one

way: self-effacing, modest, characterizing herself as a 'nervous'

dancer, and not quite convinced of her own overwhelming virtue.

Nunez's Myrtha is superb: icy, vengeful, remorseless, and with an

equal sang-froid in her technical command.

it is a shame she is criticized , implicitly or otherwise, for having

such a strong technique...

This mixed bill was inspired by a show of Picasso works at Duke University;

Robert Weiss choreographed three of the four ballets, with the fourth--

Guernica--by Attila Bongar, a principal dancer in the company.

Margaret Severin-Hansen seems to become more brilliant and scintillating

with the passage of time; her technique in Picasso's Harlequins, the most

'classical' ballet of the evening, was beyond exemplary and well into the

realm of 'how on earth does she make that difficult enchainement look

so nonchalantly perfect?' She has a captivating ease and unforced

charm in addition to the fastidious refinement of her dancing.

Lara O'Brien, the principal in Guernica (with five men), danced with

a rare passion, ardor, and abandon. Her hunger to be onstage

is palpable; she ate this part up, literally flinging herself into falls and dives

(including a kind of fish, off the shoulders of four of the men into the arms of

the fifth man ,which had the audience gasping) with complete authority.

Alicia Fabry showed beautiful epaulement in the trio from The Song of the Dead,

and Barbara Toth a remarkable openness and lift in her sternum and upper body

in the quartet from this ballet.

Gabor Kapin was hilarious and virtuosic in Picasso's Harlequins, (to Satie) which also

featured marvelous Twenties-style corps costumes by David Heuvel.

Hardly anything could be added to that wonderful evocation of Nichols in Tchaik Pas,

except perhaps that to bravery and virtuosity and humor she added candor and

utter honesty. I also saw Feijoo do it, as well as Ashley, and both were as dazzling

as one could wish, but aside from that tape of Verdy and Villella (and the other

montage of Hayden, Verdy, McBride, etc, which was shown on a PBS Balanchine

special--remarkable in every way) Nichols is still my favorite. I imagine Delgado

is marvelous in it, judging from her Tarantella...