KarenAG

Welcome, Terez! I am not a dancer, but I adore ballet, so we do have something in common! Many threads on BT feature posts from dancers and former dancers, so enjoy.

I'll be seeing it April 7 at the Proctor's Theater in Schenectady, NY. Looking so very forward to it!

This is so wonderful.

pbl, would you pm me and tell me the price? Thank you.

Thank you for the reference, California.

Hi California, I'm curious about this because I only know of Balanchine's shortened, Act II version in which Siegfried and Odette must necessarily part at the end: she transforms back to a swan permanently and is lost to Siegfried forever. Balanchine was very spiritual and loved the rituals of his Russian Orthodox Church. ~ Karen

'perfection's broken heart' - how that applies to the incomparable dancing of Tanaquil LeClerc.

I agree. I love Martins' Sleeping Beauty and I do think he got it right with this full-length, although I agree it's tempo is a bit too brisk. I'm disappointed with Martins' R&J & SL and I have to agree with comments here - The Per Kirkeby sets and costumes are just not attractive at all. With R&J, they were trying to recall the Diaghilev era, I believe, and esp. 1929's Prodigal Son, with sets by Georges Rouault. It's just too bad because these could have been really beautiful, NYCB-style ballets.

Many interesting and thoughtful threads this week! Been too busy to take them all in and reply. Here is Frank O'Hara's poem to Tanny: Ode to Tanaquil LeClerc, 1960 smiling through my own memories of painful excitement your wide eyes stare and narrow like a lost forest of childhood stolen from gypsies two eyes that are the sunset of two knees two wrists two minds and the extended philosophical column, when they conducted the dialogues in distant Athens, rests on your two ribbon-wrapped hearts, white credibly agile flashing scimitars of a city-state where in the innocence of my watching had those ribbons become entangled dragging me upward into lilac-colored ozone where I gasped and you continued to smile as you dropped the bloody scarf of my life from way up there, my neck hurt you were always changing into something else and always will be always plumage, perfection's broken heart, wings and wide eyes in which everything you do repeats yourself simultaneously and simply as a window "gives" on something it seems sometimes as if you were only breathing and everything happened around you because when you disappeared in the wings nothing was there but the motion of some extraordinary happening I hadn't understood the superb arc of a question, of a decision about death because you are beautiful you are hunted and with the courage of a vase you refuse to become a deer or a tree and the world holds its breath to see if you are there, and safe are you?

My husband and I are so very sad about Mr. Cliburn's passing. In my house growing up, Van was The Man. We loved his recordings. I never saw him perform live, but my husband did. Excerpted from CNN today, in Mr. Cliburn's own words at the end of the ticker-tape parade NYC gave him after winning the International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in 1958: "I appreciate more than you will ever know that you are honoring me, but the thing that thrills me the most is that you are honoring classical music," Cliburn said. "Because I'm only one of many. I'm only a witness and a messenger. Because I believe so much in the beauty, the construction, the architecture invisible, the importance for all generations, for young people to come that it will help their minds, develop their attitudes and give them values. That is why I'm so grateful that you have honored me in that spirit." May God bless you, Mr. Cliburn, you gave the world such beauty!

Helene, I agree on both observations. And let's not forget the gorgeous Giuliana Rancic. She's not on the Red Carpet, but she always rivals anyone on it!

They do. Virtually impossible to go wrong with men's evening wear unless you're named Downey or Tarantino. That's funny, Dirac!

Bart, I noticed that 'split-personality' aspect this season. I mentioned it in the forum Winter Season earlier, but it's worth responding to your post here. I found it exceptionally odd, honestly, although I enjoyed it. It was like movements 1-3 were one ballet and movement 4 a separate, entirely different ballet! IMO, if this was indeed a comment by Balanchine on romanticsm/classicism, I don't think it succeeds. This summer T&V will be performed at Saratoga and I'll see it then, in its original incarnation as T&V.

I always thought that Ashley as Giselle was unimaginable, until I saw her in "Serenade" and felt I had seen her as Giselle, and she was wonderful. Ashley was indeed wonderful this season in Serenade. I would love to see NYCB stage (is that the right word?) Giselle, but not the way they staged Swan Lake full-length and Romeo and Juliet. I really don't care for those sets and costumes, except the swans' tutus. I'm willing to bet many of their ballerinas would love to dance the role. Several years ago (maybe 5 or so), NYCB danced Chopiniana at Saratoga Performing Arts Center and it was really lovely. According to NYCB's website, it was choreographed by Danilova after Fokine.

I agree, I love seeing her performance footage, but I'm always interested in watching her coaching, or in interviews She has a great sense of poise that I think comes partially from her generation and partially from her training -- for the most part, women don't present themselves in that way now, and I'm fascinated by the difference. The culture was so different back then. I absolutely loved her contribution and comments in the documentary Ballets Russes, which is one of my favorite documentaries, but that's another subject.

Hi Hamorah, Regarding your statement above in blue, I apologize for any confusion. The DVD to which I refer is an ICA Classics DVD of BBC performances of Les Sylphides and Giselle. If you look at my post to Cristian that I mention in the earlier post today, it has the DVD catalog number. This is a wonderful DVD, in my opinion. I agree with your view about Markova and Beriosova. And I absolutely love Galina Ulanova. My understanding from some readings (where I cannot remember), is that Miss Galina would wear soft slippers en pointe when dancing Giselle so that not a peep was heard from her shoes. She is divine. Older dancers did have a particular quality of refinement, didn't they? Not to discount the current crop of many fine, young dancers of today.

Cristian, thank you. This intro is on the ICA Classics DVD of BBC's Les Sylphides and Giselle (ICAD 5030). Sylphides stars Alicia Markova and Giselle stars Nadia Nerina. My husband gave me this DVD for Christmas and it's very good. Wonderful! I hope they could release at one point the whole Giselle film with Markova and Dolin.... Me, too! I love anything with Markova.

Hello, Hamorah, Not sure if you know that that clip you mention is available on DVD. Please see Cristian's post on Karsavina Chopiniana in the forum's section Everything Else Ballet - I've listed the DVD by name, label and label number. Such a beautiful performance. ~Karen

Update: looks like the schedule has been revised. No Opus19/Dreamer Tuesday, July 9 / 8:00 PM New York City Ballet - Opening Night OPENING NIGHT Garland Dance (from The Sleeping Beauty) (Tschaikovsky/Balanchine) Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux (Tchaikovsky/Balanchine) Barber Violin Concerto (Barber/Martins) Year of the Rabbit (Stevens/Peck) Theme and Variations (Tschaikovsky/Balanchine) Wednesday, July 10 / 8:00 PM New York City Ballet - Mixed Repertory MIXED REPERTORY Serenade (Tschaikovsky/Balanchine) Garland Dance (From The Sleeping Beauty) (Tschaikovsky/Balanchine) After the Rain Pas de Deux (Pärt/Wheeldon) Year of the Rabbit (Stevens/Peck) Theme and Variations (Tschaikovsky/Balanchine) "American Girl Night" "Instrument Petting Zoo" Sponsored by The Alfred Z. Solomon Foundation Thursday, July 11 / 2:00 PM New York City Ballet - Martins / Robbins / Balanchine MIXED REPERTORY Hallelujah Junction (Adams/Martins) Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux (Tschaikovsky/Balanchine) Barber Violin Concerto (Barber/Martins) Stravinsky Violin Concerto (Stravinsky/Balanchine) Thursday, July 11 / 8:00 PM New York City Ballet - All Balanchine All Balanchine Serenade (Tschaikovsky/Balanchine) Stravinsky Violin Concerto (Stravinsky/Balanchine) Theme and Variations (Tschaikovsky/Balanchine) The Sage Colleges "Date Night" Friday, July 12 / 8:00 PM New York City Ballet - Mixed Repertory MIXED REPERTORY Hallelujah Junction (Adams/Martins) After the Rain Pas de Deux (Pärt/Wheeldon) Dances at a Gathering (Chopin/Robbins) CDPHP "Family Night" "Instrument Petting Zoo" Sponsored by The Alfred Z. Solomon Foundation Albany Medical Center's "Children's Workshop on the Lawn" Saturday, July 13 / 2:00 PM New York City Ballet - Mixed Repertory MIXED REPERTORY Year of the Rabbit (Stevens/Peck) Garland Dance (From The Sleeping Beauty) (Tschaikovsky/Balanchine) Barber Violin Concerto (Barber/Martins) Stravinsky Violin Concerto (Stravinsky/Balanchine) Saturday, July 13 / 8:00 PM New York City Ballet - The Ballet Gala: "The Ruby Ball" THE BALLET GALA: "THE RUBY BALL" Bal de Couture (Tschaikovsky/Martins) This Bitter Earth (Washington and Richter/Wheeldon) Rubies (Stravinsky/Balanchine) West Side Story Suite (Bernstein/Robbins)

Cristian, thank you. This intro is on the ICA Classics DVD of BBC's Les Sylphides and Giselle (ICAD 5030). Sylphides stars Alicia Markova and Giselle stars Nadia Nerina. My husband gave me this DVD for Christmas and it's very good.

Actually to clarify, if you go Friday night, Sat aft, Sat night, there are in fact no repeats. That is true, and I thought of that after I'd posted today, but the schedule as a whole does repeat alot. For my part, I know I could not get my husband to sign up for a schedule of Friday night and two on Saturday. Anyway, it is what it is and there will lots of great ballet-viewing that week, notwithstanding.

Katherine, I just read your blog from 2010 and I was at that concert when the lightning hit. It was a beautiful performance and the first time I'd seen Divertmento #15, which I instantly adored. I remember Tiler Peck's performance, especially.

What a nice blog, Katherine! I'm chuckling as I write, regarding the border guard's remark. I saw most of those performances that year, too, though some with different personnel dancing. I have also taken class with Mary Ann's Dance with the Dancers, with Jenny Ringer. It was fun and very humbling.

Hi Katherine, Just read the details of your trip to SPAC - what a wonderful lineup and so nice that you're having dinner at the Hall of Springs. And enjoying our world-famous baths! And visiting the National Museum of Dance! As the time nears, let's arrange a visit. As an aside, I used to work for a tour operator in my teens, in the early-mid 70's. It is now defunct but it was called Top Flight Tours and was run by an Irishman named Mike Kelly. He sold tours to Ireland, Scotland and England. My Mom ran his office in the US, which was located in Albany. One of the perks was traveling to Ireland a couple of times. At 16 years old, that was a heady experience, indeed! ~ Karen

A few thoughts to share on this thread. As many of you probably know, SPAC has been NYCB's official summer residence since 1966, almost 50 years! As far as I know, it's the only such summer residence in the US for a major ballet company. SPAC opened July 9, 1966 with a performance of Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream. SPAC is also home to the Philadelphia Orchestra for three weeks every August. NYCB and the PO perform in the main amphitheater, along with performances of opera, modern dance, the Freihofer's Jazz Festival and many, many popular artists. SPAC also hosts the Saratoga Chamber Music Festival, which performs in the Little Theatre. NYCB's residency was originally four weeks, then three weeks for years and years and then, in 2011, I think, the schedule was reduced to only two weeks, which dismayed and alarmed so many of us subscribers and attendees devoted to this world-class company. And now, in 2013, NYCB is here for only 5 days, 7 performances. The PO has also seen its schedule reduced from 5 days to 4, but they are still here for 3 weeks. As of today, SPAC's website has not published anything about the chamber music festival. It's pretty clear what is happening. Some point the finger at SPAC's management, a lack of artistic vision and fundraising troubles. Contributing, of course, was the 2008 recession as well as other entertainments that now divert people, especially young people, from pursuing enjoyment and sustenance from the arts. Off topic but related is the penchant now for people to take pictures of paintings with their I-phones and other devices, which I witnessed last week at the MOMA. It seemed that they weren't at all looking at these great paintings, too absorbed in taking pictures of them. Back to the topic, I'm not very happy about the scheduling over those five days. For those who might take in more than one ballet, you can't without seeing a lot of repeats. Which is fine for those of us who are happy to see repeat performances, but what about the people who can only justify the expense by seeing a variety? This was difficult when NYCB was in residence for two weeks, now it's even more difficult. Add to that NBOC performing Giselle the following week and Aspen Santa Fe Ballet the following after that. I am not at all demeaning those fine companies and I will attend Giselle and a performance of ASFB, in addition to three NYCB performances, but many people will only have the choice of one or two ballet performances, so, yes, I'm worried, because if NYCB doesn't do well this summer, well, you get the point. Which will break our hearts. SPAC's classical and ballet audience is quite varied and comprises our local community, New Yorkers, Bostonians, New Englanders, Canadians and other vacationers. For those of you who have never attended a NYCB performance at SPAC, I hope you will and for those who have, please come back! SPAC has its own particular charms, not the least of which are the tall pines, the running brook which one can always hear in the background, and the gorgeous state park enclosing it. Fantastic summer enjoyment! Hope you don't mind my letting off some stress with this post. ~Karen Here is an excerpt from a review last summer in the NY Times. By ALASTAIR MACAULAY Published: July 18, 2012 SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – It’s startling how different New York City Ballet looks at the open-air Saratoga Performing Arts Center. The light has the effect of subtly changing faces, feet, musculature. Choreography, too. As I watched two performances here on Saturday, works as familiar as George Balanchine’s “Concerto Barocco” and “Symphony in C” suddenly revealed fresh details. The dancers looked happy, despite the afternoon heat, as if performing for friends. A high quotient of young people in the audience cheered and clapped at every opportunity.