KarenAG

I’m coming in for Wednesday night’s performance, so I will be very interested to see Roman dance. I’ve never seen La Source, so I am excited, especially because of Ashley and Joseph Gordon. And Firebird is a favorite of mine.

Agreeing with everyone here. I find this production to be grim and unattractive. I do like the swan’s tutus, and I love the dancing, but overall it’s a very dark and flat production. I have the same feelings about Martins’ Romeo and Juliet, Per Kirkeby having designed those sets and costumes, too. That said, I did find some good things to like about it, as I’m sure you will, too, especially O/O. I haven’t seen it in about five years and I will most likely take in two performances at SPAC this summer, especially if there are two casts, but it’s doubtful there will be two casts.

Thank you so much for posting this, FPF. Given there is Balanchine in two programs, I’ll probably go to more than three performances this year in addition to SL.

I’m so sorry to hear about your ankle injury, canbelto. Here’s hoping your recovery speeds up. I’m sure it’s very demoralizing. Thank you for your interesting thoughts!

This is a fun topic and I’m glad it was revived! My love of ballet began in the summer of 1980 when my future husband took me on two dates to see NYCB at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. I was 24 years old and hadn’t experienced much ballet at all up until then. How I wish I had kept my programs! The first date included Scotch Symphony and I do believe Suzanne Farrell danced the lead role. I was enchanted, I tell you! The second performance we saw that summer was Midsummer Night’s Dream and Patricia McBride danced Titania. Talk about being enchanted! And gobsmacked! I’d never in my young ladyship seen anything like it. Well, I was hooked and thus began my ballet education and long devotion to and love for the New York City Ballet. Over the next few summers I was to experience many of Balanchine’s, and Robbins’, essential works. So the five critical ballets in my life were: Scotch Symphony MSN’sD Apollo (the old version, I think, before Mr. B changed the choreography to eliminate the staircase and other elements) Concerto Barocco and the Balanchine ballet closest to my heart, Symphony in C. I will never forget the first time I saw it. It was so thrilling and it was danced so perfectly, I nearly wept. I must also add a sixth, Mr. B’s one-act Swan Lake. Such a distilled beauty. For many years, the only company I saw was NYCB at SPAC in the summer, and, except for taking some adult ballet classes and reading a ballet history or two, that was my dance education. I was going to college, working, and other life experiences took center stage. I felt blessed knowing that this great company was in my proverbial backyard each summer, and, at that time, that was enough. Fast forward to the 2000’s and I had 1. the opportunity to see more ballet, 2. the time and maturing interest to broaden my dance education through acquiring books not available in the library, and 3. the ability to learn ALOT through the internet, most importantly and critically, on YouTube, especially Russian and Soviet ballet. And I began to acquire a video and book ballet library, which gives me great pleasure. So I think of my ballet education and enthusiasm in two distinct parts. As such, I must add five more ballets that were critical in making me the ballet-lover I am today. Swan Lake (full-length - Russian performances on video, American stagings [NYCB, ABT] live). The Nutcracker The Sleeping Beauty (Royal Ballet and Russians on video, NYCB live). Serenade The Firebird - NYCB’s. Giselle (ABT’s live, especially Xiomara Reyes and Sarah Lane; Ballet Nacional de Cuba live; Royal Ballet and Dutch National Ballet on DVD, and all sorts of video clips on YouTube, especially Maximova and Vasiliev).

Thank you so much, dirac.

Great post, Cristian! Happy Thanksgiving to you, as well.

Happy Thanksgiving to our BA community who celebrate today. Now that I’m retired, I hope to post more than I have these past two or so years. Enjoy! Karen

mille-feuille, I’m cracking up! GOAT. And I completely agree with that. I saw Tiler perform Dewdrop a few years ago and she was fabulous.

Greetings, Canbelto, I hope your recovery is speedy. Thank you for this, it will be great Sat morning reading with a cup of coffee. Rest in Peace, Ms. Alonso.

Thank you, Nina. I haven’t been on BA, either, as I was out of the country. I appreciate uour responding to me.

Why, NinaFan? Is ABT’s Met season shortening?

Exactly! I didn’t get ANY email.

Thank you, FPF. I’m worried about that, too, even said it to my husband at dinner when I heard of the cancellation. I only found out because my friend texted me. Wasn’t listening to the news, but when the six o’clock news was on TV, all I heard (I admit I was only listening with half an ear) was about the race track being closed. But by then I’d already heard about SPAC. It would have been brutal for the dancers. I imagine it’s terrible tonight. But no email to subscribers? I get emails from SPAC every day!