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Thanks, California - you answered a question I had - How much did David Koch actually involve himself with the ballet during his lifetime? I'm not a NYC person so I didn't know about his actual ballet-going habits.

It's hard for me not to be reminded of all the negative aspects of the Koch brothers. Interesting that it is so often the wives that are the prime movers behind donations to arts and charities.

I watched some, not all. ;) As much as I admire the music, watching drunk/stoned/whatever musicians jibber-jabber isn't that interesting for me. I've spent enough time around touring musicians to know that the backstage club world is not glamorous, but mostly interminably boring and ugly. In some ways, it works best to just watch the music highlights on YouTube!

SFB just sent out their yearly survey to subscribers (and others?), and one of the questions that caught my attention was: How appealing would you find each of the following options for structuring the SF Ballet season? A season that is spread out across several months instead of 15 - 16 consecutive weeks Two non-consecutive time periods where the programs are divided equally A season that is spread across the entire calendar year As far as I know, those options are not available for the War Memorial Opera House. However, there was another question that asked about one's ability to go to performances that might be located elsewhere (such as the East Bay, South Bay, Marin, etc.)

Thanks Dirac - I believe that's from the Rolling Thunder Revue movie, which is out on Netflix or Amazon Prime...

Some things don't change: Maria Kochetkova working on La Bayadere again - as coached by Natalia Makarova. Only this time it's in Oslo, Norway. https://www.instagram.com/p/B1a5SJWhx9K/ It's a long flight for Natalia from Napa to Oslo. I wonder if she visits with family/friends in Russia these days, or if she just steers clear.

I just liked this backstage photo from Stern Grove: (photo by Erik Tomasson) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1W0THuj59P/ And Dores André and Lonnie Weeks rehearsing the new Marston ballet: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1JdH_3Dvyy/

Thanks Miliosr - we do need forum 'correspondents' in Houston to keep us up-to-date.

I'm not sure if we mentioned this somewhere else, but Isabella Walsh is now dancing with the Het Nationale Ballet. https://www.instagram.com/p/B063sXJgy3c/

Veeeeerrrrrryyyyyyy interesting. I expect they will both be inspiring ballet masters for the AB dancers. Onward and upward!

Well yes, there has to be medical staff available on a daily basis, and, they would have to have decided what is an acceptably 'healthy' condition for their dancers to be in. But that's where we will find disagreement as to what is healthy and beneficial to the dancers. There have been many dance companies that seemed to worry little about the dancer's physical and mental well being.

No problem - many companies have seasons that run from the Fall through the Spring, and North American companies also have their Nutcracker "season" in between. It just depends on the operating budget and the availability of their performance space.

Definitely many vaudeville acts resembled what many of us today would expect to see at a circus. I wonder if vaudeville (at its beginning) wasn't simply a collection of circus acts that would fit easily on a theater stage (along with the usual stage arts like singing, dancing and comedy). The closest thing we have to vaudeville in the present day is probably shows like "The Tonight Show", or "America's Got Talent".

SFB posted a Q&A with Gabriella Gonzalez: https://sfballet.blog/2019/gabriela-gonzalez/ and... Summer with SF Ballet: Part 1 https://sfballet.blog/2019/summer-with-sf-ballet-part-1/ They have also posted previews (with music samples) of a number ballets slated for next season: https://sfballet.blog/category/listen/

Somewhat related: TCM played Broadway Rhythm the other night and it includes a routine by the Ross Sisters - who sing (a la the Andrew Sisters), do a little dancing, but mainly break into a long contortionist routine (to music) which is a marvel. We're talking MAJOR CORE STRENGTH. I can honestly say I had never seen anything quite like it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1J3NLNWAPU [Jump to 1:20 in the timeline]

I'm noticing that SFB has pushed out on their subscription dates this year. The 'Choreograph Your Own Season' option isn't happening until September 12th this year - over a month beyond the former start date. I guess they've decided the Fall is a better time to sell tickets?

FYI: The current subscription offer from the NY Times - Your payment method will be automatically charged $4.00 every 4 weeks for the first year ($1.00 per week). It will then be automatically charged $15.00 every 4 weeks thereafter, starting on August 5, 2020 ($3.75 per week). Your subscription will continue until you cancel. You can cancel anytime. And they accept PayPal as payment, as well as the usual credit cards.

Thanks Quiggin, I hadn't read that one. Ulrik Birkkjaer is one busy boy.

Great choice, which reminds me - it was disappointing for me to see that Die Toteninsel was not being brought back, instead we get a repeat of Hummingbird. Did Tomasson really think that Die Toteninsel failed?

The talk about Joy Womack going to Boston Ballet made me wonder again about Messmer's whereabouts, so thanks for this update.

Nice video clip of Tan and Di Lanno dancing Diving Into the Lilacs : https://www.instagram.com/p/B0y685tBsrP/

At least the NYT is moving on to some degree by naming a dance critic successor. Good luck to Ms. Kourlas.

Two other recent photos of Ishihara (one with company members) - this time with SFB Ballet Master Felipe Diaz who seems to be in Toronto as a répétiteur: https://www.instagram.com/p/B0rTpx-AUZ4/ On his own Instagram page, Diaz states, "I think Alexei would have enjoyed it. Much success to you all." So I'm thinking that is a reference to Alexei Ratmansky, and he must be coaching Piano Concerto #1 for NBoC.

I don't know how your tastes run, but I really want to see the new Ratmansky (The Seasons), and new works by Marston and McIntyre have the potential to be good, but one never really knows. ;)

Lots of articles now about Hal Prince and his legacy: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/31/theater/hal-prince-dead.html