KarenAG

So am I! (bunny emoticon, please)

Thank you, Cristian, this is very beautiful. I also love the paintings accompanying the music, depicting Russian life with the church.

This is welcome news! I can't wait to find out what they will perform.

National Ballet of China will perform at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY July 21 & 22 for 3 performances. I think they're doing Peony Pavilion. Visit spac.org for further info.

Thanks, ABT Fan, I appreciate your advice. I will try for tickets to the Saturday matinee, June 6, I think it is with Semionova and Murphy. I would really love to see Veronica Part dance Nikiya, but it's difficult going to the evening ballets since I'm 3 hours away!

My local PBS didn't air it, so I tried to find it streaming on other stations with no luck. I'd love to see this! I remember Mia's comments in that great documentary Ballets Russes. Another dancer I'm very interested in is Nini Theilade. I believe she is still alive and actually still teaches! She was so lovely in the film A Midsummer Night Dream.

I am so excited! I have tickets to 2 performances - Ms. Xiomara Reyes' final performance May 27 and R&J on June 18! Does ABT perform Bayadere every year? The answer to that may make me buy a ticket to that ballet this season. Any in fo is appreciated -thanks.

Is there a way to see this RB SL streamed? Thank you.

Victoria, my check will be in the mail this week. Happy Spring!

I wish I could have met Carley. She sounds like a wonderful person. And Concerto Barocco was her favorite ballet! How nice to know that because I adore that ballet, too, and will have the pleasure of seeing it May 2 and I will think of you when I am there. Rest in Peace, Carley. Your many ballet friends love you very much, as evidenced by the heartfelt and beautiful posts here.

Thank you, Helene, this video is lovely and Maria Alexandrova is a wonderful dancer. We were blessed to enjoy the Bolshoi for six performances of Don Quixote last summer at Saratoga and I saw her dance Kitri. She was pretty spectacular and I look forward to seeing the Bolshoi again sometime (soon, I hope).

Happy Valentine's Day to our ballet community. May your day be filled with beauty & love and a graceful pas or two!

The Albany Times Union posted NYCB's 2015 SPAC schedule in their Arts Talk section. http://blog.timesunion.com/localarts/spac-announces-new-york-city-ballet-lineup/36480/

So very happy the company is visiting its summer home for two weeks again! ~ Karen

Thank you, Alexandra! This is good news and I'll read the blog soon.

My Munich-Stuttgart ballet trip is now available for booking (deadline Jan 20)

This trip sounds fantastic, Katherine!

It is interesting how the Balanchine Trust works. Symphony in C appears in the list just with the said title, whereas Ballet Imperial has Piano Concerto # 2 in parenthesis (no the other way around). Valse Fantaisie only lists the 67 version, whereas the NYCB site also aknowledges the 1953 completely different first version with Diana Adams, Melissa Hayden, Tanaquil Le Clercq and Nicholas Magallanes.

True, because they consider Symphony in C it the same ballet. But there are real differences, nonetheless. And here's something else to think about. It seems we mostly agree that, despite the differences in scenery, costumes and steps, they are the same ballet, being devil's advocate now, are they? As they ballet is performed today by NYCB, it really does feel different than the POB Palais. I do love the POB, by the way - lots of nice Balanchine steps and structure.

Symphony in C has 2 Demi couples in each movement, too.

The steps are somewhat different, as I remember from viewing last night - I don't have a great memory for remembering lots of details in some ballets and in this particular ballet, there is so much going on. I need to watch every day (no problem )

I been only able to watch the first parts of the posted City Ballet "C" and Paris "Palais" videos, but Palais de Cristal seems so light and open, like a presentation at court, whereas Symphony in C is more like a white scene lakeside Swan Lake, at least the second movement. Palais seemed laid out in floral patterns, whereas Symphony C is more architectural. There are Maltese cross movements of two couples in Palais that I didn't notice so much in Symphony C. And on the long flight across the stage, the woman's foot penetrates the surface of a circle made of the arms of another couple ritualized and highly erotic which doesn't seem to happen in the earlier version. Also the end of the second movement in the later version has a series of tableaus forming and reforming behind the principal couple. You don't know which one will be the final one or if they'll manage to slip in another (as in the long version of Emeralds).

It's as if Palais de Cristal is a remake of a classic French ballet that Balanchine remembers from somewhere, and Symphony in C is a remake of Palais. Also Symphony in C begins to reflect Balanchine's high modernist esthetic of the 1950s.

I've enjoyed them equally well.

Interesting observations, Quiggin, and I think you've hit on something essential about the two versions, the differences in tone (?). Although the performances themselves do contribute to the differences, as well. In the Palais, the feeling is very light and quite joyful. In Symphony, the dancers seem to have more gravitas. I like your comment about the architectural quality of Symphony in C, too. I'm having difficulty articulating what I am feeling about these two performances, but the fun is in the journey

These two clips come from a two part documentary that John Drummond made for the BBC for the long defunct arts programme Omnibus. The documentary was shown in 1969 and has not been disinterred from the vaults since then. In order to make the programme Drummond interviewed twenty former Diaghilev dancers; the interviews were published in book form in Speaking of Diaghilev published by Faber and Faber. I would recommend reading this book as it gives you the chance to get an idea of what it was like to be part of the Diaghilev enterprise at first hand.

Both Karsavina and Sokolova tried their hand at autobiography. Karsavina's Theatre Street is an account of her training and early career;written in idiosyncratic English it provides a vivid picture of the pre-revolutionary, pre-Vaganova world of Russian ballet.Dancing for Diaghilev ;the Memoirs of Lydia Sokolova provides an eyewitness account of the Diaghilev company written by a non Russian. Sokolova,born Hilda Munnings in Leytonstone East London and renamed by Diaghilev ,created a number of roles including the Chosen Maiden in Massine's Rite of Spring and one of the sporty types in Le Train Bleu. She also famously described the Little Red Ridinghood variation as the most boring variation in ballet. Her book gives an insight into the operation of the company up to its collapse on Diaghilev's death. Both books are well worth reading. Both Karsavina and Sokolova appear in the ICA DVD of the BBC's recordings of Les Sylphides and Giselle. Karsavina introduces Les Sylphides,danced by Markova, Elvin and Beriosova while Sokolova who coached the corps in this work appears in Giselle as Giselle's mother. The other indispensable book for those interested in Karsavina is Tamara Karsavina; Diaghilev's Ballerina by Andrew Foster which is full of finely reproduced photographs from Russian archives.

Another important autobiography that should be read by anyone interested in Nijinsky and the Diaghilev company is the autobiography of Bronislava Nijinska. Finally while Richard Buckle's books on Nijinsky and Diaghilev are dated I think that they are worth reading alongside more recent scholarship, Buckle may not have been able to read Russian or have access to archives that are now open to scholars but he had met and had spoken to a lot of people who had been involved in the operation of the Ballets Russes and had been eyewitnesses its impact on the West.

Thank you for the great reading suggestions, AshtonFan; much appreciated. I just ordered Madame Karsavina's book and I already have Dancing for Diaghilev, although haven't read it yet - I'm woefully behind I also have the BBC Les Sylphides and isn't Madame wonderful in her introduction! She's poetic and well, heartbreaking. A time gone forever.

While I have many of the books on Balanchine, I don't have Richard Buckle's and I'm happy to have your input on these other tomes. ~ Karen

So much great information here- thank you. I've been taking g what time I can to study the two versions side by side and, upon paying closer attention, and as emilienne, Quiggin and Cristian noted, there are many differences, but it is essentially the same ballet.

This is just great! I hope there will be more posts and I hope to have some time tomorrow night to read the posts more attentively. Lots of good thoughts and contributions! Thank you.

Thank you, PeggyR, these clips are fascinating.
I received a copy of Scheijen's biography of Diaghilev for Christmas and I hope to begin it soon.

Thank you, California, don't know why I forgot to consult Nancy Goldberg's essay, which I just read. It is puzzling about Taras' remark about deletions and simplifications., which he continues saying 'is surprising, considering how much better technically dancers have become these days'.

DanielBenton, thank you. Taras mentions in his article that the rights first went to Betty Cage in 1962 who then gave Taras the rights to it in 1992. But aren't all Balanchine Ballets governed by the Trust? I know Suzanne Farrell owns a couple of Balanchine's ballets, can the Trust assert authority over them?

Greetings, Members,

As I have expressed on BA in the past, Symphony in C is probably my favorite Balanchine ballet, certainly in the top 4 or 5. And, in anticipation of seeing this beloved ballet again on Jan 25, I would like to introduce a topic on the differences between Symphony in C and Le Palais de Cristal.

I've seen an old performance of Symphony in C (the one with Allegra Kent in 2nd movement) and a recent performance of Le Palais de Cristal, performed by POB and staged by Colleen Neary and Laurent Hilaire.

So I spent the morning researching Symphony in C/LePalais de Cristal to try and understand the differences in the two works, which I noted watching both performances, although I admit I don't have the time right now to watch them over and over to note exactly where and how. (Let me say that I enjoyed both performances immensely, although the NYCB is very dear to me and my favorite of the two). The 1st and 2nd movements seem different, while the 3rd seem to be the most similar. I will take some time to watch more closely and post my, hopefully, deeper observations, but right now I just want to share the performances and my interest. I read the essays in Repertory in Review, Balanchine and Mason's Stories of the Great Ballets and Anatoly Chujoy's New York City Ballet, to find not much about the evolution of this ballet, except in the costumes and how many dancers were available once Mr. B.re-staged it in NYC, etc., which has been discussed a bit on this thread, too. Then I remembered an essay entitled 'Balanchine's Bizet' by John Taras in Ballet Review, Spring 1998. In it Mr. Taras says this:

'What remains of the original choreography in Paris is anybody's guess. In an unauthorized version staged by Jean Sarelli of the Paris Opera for the Tokyo Ballet, there were several marvelous patterns apparently not remembered by Balanchine. They were omitted from his staging of the ballet in America. It is worth noting, however, that when Balanchine personally staged his ballets for other companies, the resulting version always differed somewhat from the original. The reason was not entirely faulty memory; he revised choreography inspired by the individual dancers available to him at the time.' And after mentioning that the ballet was 'part of the inaugural performance of the newly created New York City Ballet' and its later move to the State Theater: 'Balanchine eventually altered much of the choreography, especially repetitions in the original. There have been deletions and simplifications since his death....'

It is my understanding that Balanchine did revise his choreography when it suited him (Apollo is the best example that I can think of), so I am interested in what members have to say about Mr. Taras' observations, the two works themselves and Balanchine's revisions - do they contribute to a tighter, more coherent work? Is it more brilliant, more beautiful? What deletions mentioned by Taras were made and did that alter the work in a bad way? Also, with Colleen Neary, who obviously danced Symphony in C, and Laurent Hilaire, an etoile from POB who may have danced Le Palais de Cristal or even both, staging the French work, can one infer that we are seeing something of the original choreography in Palais? Also, will note here that the two works are not described as two distinct but one; in other words, writers usually refer to the ballet as Symphony in C and reference it was earlier staged as Palais with colored costumes. This seems fair to me, except that it is performed mostly as Symphony in C but also as Le Palais de Cristal.

I look so forward to this discussion!

The PBS documentary will be by Ric Burns. (Is he related to Ken Burns?)

Yes, he is Ken Burns' younger brother and I think he produced or was somehow involved in Nancy Biurski's Afternoon of a Faun.

If you didn't specifically ask the box office about "Trios" for ABT, but instead called it Create Your Own, they may not make the connection between them, even though the Trios offering is essentially a create your own program by a different name.

That's probably true, Abatt. The box office rep I had on the other end of the line seemed pretty 'green' about options, suggesting that I wait until March and purchase my three performances then, which wasn't much of a solution, IMO, especially because I wouldn't be afforded the discount and ticket prices most likely will increase.

Some interesting offerings in dance.

-A preview of ABT's 75th Anniversary Season

-Wendy Whelan and Edward Watson in new works.

- A preview of Justin Peck's new ballet for MCB

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/29/guggenheims-works-process-series-to-offer-dancing-singing-and-more/?ref=arts

Thank you abatt (and happy New Year). I got my pamphlet directly from Works and Process. All of these shows will be live streamed.

They are: Justin Peck, 1/18 @ 7:30 and all of the ABT Performances: 4/19 @ 3:00pm, 4/19 @ 7:30pm and 4/20 @ 7:30pm. The first ABT talk will cover dancers from 1940-1965; then is dancers from 1965-1990; and the last group (the McKenzie dancers) 1990-2015. There is no date yet announced for the Whelan/Watson.

The first ABT talk will cover dancers from 1940-1965; then is dancers from 1965-1990; and the last group (the McKenzie dancers) 1990-2015.

Thanks so much for the heads-up on this. They all sound intriguing, but I'm especially pleased to see these discussion about ABT dancers, particularly the earliest cohort. I imagine that they'll just be able to touch on the surface, but even so!

I agree and thank you, Abatt and Amour. I read somewhere, but not sure where (sorry, it's the holidays; all days run into one another by the end of them ) that PBS will have a special on ABT's 75th anniversary, in May, I think. Sorry I don't have more info, but we'll hear more on this as the Spring approaches. On another note, seeing NYCB Jan 25 3pm!!! Yayyyy!!!!