Natalia

Comments to a couple of the postings on this thread: Marc - Super list! I'll add to these the entrance to the main pas de deux in Balanchine's Agon, which begins with the leading girl & boy dancing a furious diagonal of chaine turns, from upstage-left to center-stage. It really "heats up" the stage, making the subsequent calm all the more dramatic. Lilly - re. Gelsey's Dying Swan on an early-1980s Gala of the Stars: The beauty of this performance is even more incredible after Gelsey revealed, in one of her two books, that she was "high" on some sort of drug during that performance. This was the one where Rostropovich played the cello, on-stage, as Gelsey danced. It's so sad to think of what REALLY was going on in her head & body at that moment. - Jeannie [This message has been edited by Jeannie (edited March 25, 1999).]

Thanks for the feedback (so far). Sounds like most people agree that the critic him/herself should continue to receive the comps. Let's take this two steps further: How about a critic receiving another set of tickets for his/her spouse (or accompanying friend)? Alexandra already gave an answer for this...but I don't recall any others. and... How about a critic being given all-expense paid trips? Yes...I witnessed this when I was living in Russia. Without naming names--and, again, I am not referring to any "regulars" on this Board--I attended a Nijinska Seminar in St. Petersburg which coincided with the maly-Mussorgsky Theater's premiere of the first Russian setting of Nijinska's LES NOCES. I saw a number of Western-based critics in attendance. An employee of a local museum--which co-sponsored the seminar--pointed out to me 3 individuals who were invited free-of-charge to be in attendance & to subsequently write favorable articles in their magazines or newspapers. TRUE, they worked by writing articles, when they returned home, so the trip WAS work-related. They also toured the palaces & went to a gala dinner after the performance that was "unecessary" from a professional point-of-view. Is this sort of "freebie" correct? Also-I agree with Dale about the ethical questions in sports. In the US Government contracting world (my world), the cut-off amount for gifts/favors/meals is $25, soon to be lowered to $15, by the way. It is best do keep it at "zero." When I go to USAID & have coffee with my contracting officer, I make sure that I buy my own cup of coffee...I excuse myself & stand in another line for coffee. More opinions, please. - Jeannie [This message has been edited by Jeannie (edited March 25, 1999).] [This message has been edited by Jeannie (edited March 25, 1999).]

Gwyneth Paltrow is thin enough to play Gelsey...or how about that actress who plays Aly McBeal (forgot her name). For Baryshnikov...how about Rasta in pale make-up?

Thanks for clarifying the question, Paul. For all it's worth, here are my own criteria when I review a performance for a.a.b. & the Kirov web site; BIG PICTURE: * Do all components blend into a unified, coherent whole, i.e., choreography, music, sets & costumes, lighting, general accomplishment of the soloists & corps, etc. DETAILS: * Is the dancer "right" in the role - does s/he have the correct style & "look" for the role being performed (e.g., I look for Russian-looking dancers in the Petipa repertoire; I look for Danish-looking dancers in Bournonville; etc.) * Is the dancer musical? (I'm big on musicality) * Is the dancer charismatic? (I try to convey my inner-guts feelings about a performer & how that performer affected me.) * Quality of the mime, in story-ballets * Details of technique: I like to share "technical highlights" (or "lowlights," if glaring) with the reader. To capture these highlights, I use a mind-mapping technique of jotting down 1 or 2 key works in my memo pad. The word triggers an idea, so that I will be able to recall the moment when I am writing the review. * If the story of the ballet is not well-known to the average reader of the a.a.b newsgroup, then I take the time to convey the plot That's a start. Maybe our fellow-critics on this board can add other criteria? - jeannie

I think that the most important criterion for a good dance critic is experience, experience, experience...in seeing live dance. Overall, the critic should be a well-rounded & highly knowledgeable person, who has traveled throughout the world, has read fine literature and seen the great works of art (particularly Western art history, to relate to the Western dance genre of ballet). S/he should be able to relate other art forms to the ballet being reviewed, e.g., Balanchine's MIDSUMMER NIGHT's DREAM meant more to me after seeing Botticelli's PRIMAVERA. To summarize, the ballet critics whom I most admire and respect are: (a) Well read and with a command of his/her native language, (B) knowledgeable in all facets of Western art history, © well-traveled and, most importantly, (d) have attended a heck of a lot of live performances before putting pen to paper! - Jeannie [This message has been edited by Jeannie (edited March 24, 1999).]

I agree with Kevin. Nonetheless, New York has a couple of high-quality magazines with high-quality critics, too, e.g., Joan Acocella in NEW YORKER & Tobi Tobias in NEW YORK. Also..is THE VILLAGE VOICE considered a "legit" newspaper or a tabloid? Deborah Jowitt is still its dance critic (I think). - Jeannie

Diana Vishneva! The most versatile--Kitri, Juliet, Aurora, Symphony in C/3rd, Carmen, Medora, Nikiya (in school performance)...all ravishing. - Jeannie

I always thought that DANCING ON MY GRAVE would make a wonderful movie. Does anybody know if it was ever marketed to Hollywood? With so many "silly" made-for-TV movies of late about figure skaters who aren't half as interesting ("The Oksana Baiul Story" & "Tonya & Nancy" a couple of years ago; a new Michelle Kwan Story film in the works), I thought that Gelsey's story would be so much more gripping & marketable. - Jeannie

Alexandra - Thank you for the wonderful essay on the meanings of "classicism" & "neo-classicism" in history & in the arts. This is very difficult to do, in 1,000 words or less! I only have a couple of interesting notes to add, related to my knowledge of architectural history (thanks to being married to an architect with whom I've traveled quite a bit). In the context of general arts & architecture, the neo-classical period of the late 1700s was inspired, in great part, by the discovery of the ruins of Pompeii. This was the catalyst for the Grand Tours by English & American gentlemen to Italy, Greece & other "classical" locales. Among the celebrated travelers was young Thomas Jefferson, who was inspired by the ancient temple at Nimes to design buildings in the classical style, resulting in a transference of that style to the New World. Thanks to TJ and his contemporaries, the look of every American bank building, for many years, was that of a Greek or Roman temple. Our money was "safe" in such stable & "intelligent"-looking buildings! Unlike ballet, architecture experienced a THIRD period of "classical renaissance" in the 1980s, with "post-modernism." A hallmark of this style is the use of a known classical motif--such as a column or a pediment--in an exaggerated manner. A well-known example of this is Phillip Johnson's AT&T Building in midtown Manhattan--a skyscraper topped by a huge broken pediment. It's interesting that the term "post modernism," in dance, does not harken to the features that we associate with "classicism" in dance--the formal, aristocratic structures of Petipa, which became "neo-classical" with Balanchine et. al. Unlike architecture, "post-modernism" in dance is not a reflection of the classical style. For example, Peter Martins' recent ballets echoing the Balanchine style are still termed "neo-classical," rather than "post modern." In the world of dance, "post-modern" is something altogether different (as far as I have read & seen in performance...please correct me if I am wrong). In the world of architecture, "post-modern" continues the link with "classicism." Just goes to show you how the terminology has evolved differently, in different arts. - Jeannie

As Alexandra hinted, I wouldn't be surprised if the Martins full-length SWAN LAKE "bumps" the one-act Balanchine out of the repertoire. But if the rumors about the Danish version are true, then the Balanchine portions will continue to exist within the context of the Martins version. I am hopeful because Martins already did something similar--he has maintained Balanchine's exquisite "Garland Dance" within the context of the full-length SLEEPING BEAUTY. Here's another positive thought: Why can't the two versions co-exist? Other major ballet companies do this, e.g., Paris Opera Ballet maintains two totally different full-length SWANS and two GISELLES. The Kirov was performing two RAYMONDAS (K. Sergeyev & Grigorovich) and two SWANS (K. Sergeyev/Ivanov and Vinogradov) in the mid-1990s. I think that the NYCB audience can handle it (if, of course, the SWAN LAKE is a success). - Jeannie

I've often wondered how critics of the dance (or any other art, for that matter) can maintain complete objectivity and review a performance fairly when the dance troupe or sponsoring theater/organization provides the critic on a regular basis with choice-location complimentary tickets and other freebies, such as free gala dinners and the like. As an "informal" and occasional dance critic on the alt.arts.ballet newsgroup & Kirov Academy web site, I pay for my own dance tickets and travel to/from places where a performance is taking place. [Yes, I even pay for my Kirov Academy recital tickets at $25 each, for myself and my husband.] Consequently, as I write, I feel very "free" in my conscience that I am telling-it-like-it-is, exactly as I see it, warts and all. I can say that ballerina-X is overweight or that the ballet company's choreographer-artistic director stinks, if that is the case. Quite simply, by paying for my tickets, I feel that I don't owe the dance troupe or sponsoring organization any favors. Only once in my "occasional dance critic career" have I accepted a comp ticket & invitations to parties. This happened only because I registered as a critic with that particular organization so that I could have access to the facilities of the press room and be sent a press kit. A representative of the organization asked "Don't you also want comp tickets?" so who was I to say "no"? I accepted. THEN they asked me "Do you want a set of comp tickets for your husband (or companion)." That's where I drew the line--Why on earth would a non-working/non-critic companion be entitled to comp tickets? I also declined a dinner invitation for the press. So, again, my question is: Do you think that it is appropriate for dance critics to accept comp tickets (& other "freebies") to performances that they will be reviewing? Is it possible for a critic to maintain impartiality in such cases? I am genuinely interested in reading your responses. Thank you, in advance. - Jeannie Szoradi

I totally agree with Alexandra. I like my renditions of the classics "pure and straight-up." I'll even go one step further than Alexandra & state that Don Q and Coppelia should not stray from the versions now considered as "classics" - The 1902 Gorsky Don Q (as performed by the Kirov) and the 1890s Petipa-Ceccheti Coppelia (as NOT performed now by the Kirov when the $^%&*# Vinogradov version took over). Heck, I even prefer my Humpbacked Horse in the StLeon-Gorsky setting of Novosibirsk above the horrible 1960s Schedrin version that is the only one available at present in St. Petersburg (at the Maly-Mussorgsky Theater)! It will be interesting to see how close the Kirov Ballet's "new-old" Sleeping Beauty will be to the 1890 Petipa original. I will keep my hopes up until I see the curtain rise on the upcoming Met season, in which this revision is supposed to premiere. But I will be holding my checklist of "passages" (movements/moments/settings) from the original which should be included in any version that dares call itself "1890 petipa original," e.g., Lilac Fairy in heeled slippers (as a character role), the rolling panorama, & the Grand Pas de Deux in Act III being, in reality, a Grand Pas de Quatre for Aurora, Desire & two of the Jewel Fairies. I, for one, am praying that they can pull it off...but I don't want to get too excited & set myself up for a major disappointment, so I try not to think too much about it. - Jeannie

Steve - Did you read my post to Giannina, just above yours? I, too, will be in NY for those same performances & will be delighted to see you again, as well as Gianninna & the other 2 Ballet Alert/AAB posters. I'm staying at the Radisson Empire. Let's arrange a meeting place & time, as we come closer to the week-end, OK? Cheers, Jeannie

Oh, Giannina, you're a lady after my own heart! I'll be in NY then, too, expressly for the last three days of the NYCB Tchaikovsky Festival...which happen to be my absolute-favourite ballets in the NYCB repertoire. The very thought of seeing them all in a concentrated period of time makes my head spin. It's a thrill to see just one of them on a programme...let alone a full programme of these. It's sort of like eating a meal that consists of only rich desserts! Maybe we can exchange notes & impressions on this forum, after the fact. - Jeannie Szoradi, Washington, DC

There is a very good video of the Paris/Bourmeister SWAN LAKE starring Marie-Claude Pietragalla. It's on the European PAL & SECAM formats. Americans with multi-system TVs & VCRs can also enjoy it. This version was originally produced for the Moscow-based Stanislavsky Ballet, of which Bourmeister was a founding choreographer/director. The Stanislavsky made its long-awaited USA debut just this December in Washington, DC's Kennedy Center. One of the three programmes on view was this SWAN LAKE. [Truth be told, one of the few highlights of this paltry ballet season in DC, so far.] The Bourmeister SWAN emphasizes dramatic realism but, best of all (for me), it resurrects many portions of the Tchaikovsky score that are usually omitted...the most notable being the melancholic Act IV "Dance of the Little Swans" music. [Of course, Ashton didn't do a shabby job with that lovely piece of music, either!] - Jeannie Szoradi