Michael

A laughable motif repeated in B's Swan Lake -- and I think intended to be laughable -- is the point that the Hunters (i.e., the men Prince Siegfried's hunting party) partner the Swans in several ensemble passages. Thus the hunters, dressed in Forest Brown with little hunting hats, enter to each get a black swan on each arm and proceed to dance with them. I've no idea whether this was in the original 1950's City Center version of the ballet, or whether it crept in during the several re-choreographizations later on. This ballet was substantially remade and revised over the years; there were solos and dances in the 1950s version that have entirely disappeared and the black costumes for the swans were a fruit, I believe, of the most recent revision. Anyway, I nearly laugh out loud at that touch of having the hunters enter en masse to dance a deux and a trois with the swans in the corps de ballet. The ballet shouldn't be taken too seriously; it's a bit of a pastiche and, as such, quite agreeable, and is always popular with audiences. The trouble with it from the critical point of view is that by its very nature it insists on being taken seriously, as the underlying work is a Drama. B's treatment, though, is pastiche - perhaps justifiable as one of his stylizations - but suffering from the lack of integrity that pastiche implies, and thus open to criticism on that score.

Saw them tonight (Friday) -- Best Performance of the entire Season: Who would a thunk it?

The corps reduction is likely to create more opportunities for apprentices to dance in the short run. But, because an apprentice can only remain apprentice for so long - can only dance so many times before the company has to make a decision on a contract - the crunch will come later, six months to a year after the reduction. This entire thing at NYCB can be healthy if it's done contructively. If done dysfunctionally, that's another thing. They can easily reduce the corps by ten dancers. It's all a question of who it involves. In comparison to the scale of economic distress going on elsewhere in NYC right now the company is comparatively lucky. This is not on a par with GM, CitiBank, Merrill Lynch. Now there are folks who are really sweating -- it's an issue of whether those institutions are going to survive. At City Ballet, it's an issue of pulling in the belt. Audiences have actually been very good this year, amazingly good, compared to what's going on in the City at large. In NYC, if you go into Bergdorf's or Barney's right now, the stores are empty! Three or four people walking around an empty floor! You walk past restaurants and very often there are one or two tables of patrons (out of thirty tables), the rest of the place empty! Bars, restaurants and furniture stores on Amsterdam Avenue in the 70's and 80's are shuttered and closed and more will be closing. Cab drivers tell you they are taking home about 50% of what they did a year ago. Meanwhile, at City Ballet this week, Tues., Wed. and Thurs., the concourse was full of people during the entr'actes. I'm quite surprised by how well they are doing. MP

She is still working on recovering from her injury, she told me. So that's why she's just attempting one ballet beyond the Lee ballet before season's end. -amanda And the one ballet is Theme next weekend. Take what you can get this season -- MP

Deciphering the the casting for Stars and Stripes, who has the last principal role: is it Lowery as Liberty Belle?

What I meant, I think, is that to update the plaza in design under the best circumstances, ideally you'd want to take the style of the original, and incorporate it, contrast it, make it work with with another more contemporary (for the moment when it is renovated) style, equally identifiable and coherent, in an harmonious manner. To do this you want two things: first a good appreciation of the strengths or at least the internal logic of what the original style is and was -- and this takes time, takes perspective. Second, you want another style to have come to the fore at the moment of renovation. And that takes time also. This is pretty schematic and would be easy enough to poke some holes in and fun at, but it serves for discussion. Going by the new facade of Avery Fisher yesterday (even with the trench in front of it), I thought: 1. It's a gimmick; 2. It's even colder and more uninviting than what preceded it; 3. The inspiration is that of a shopping mall -- the style is "Haute Miracle Mile." As for the whole project with it's bank of grass where the breezeway used to be: good luck "inviting" the public into a noisy polluted exposure to W. 65th street. The old Breezeway, the old reflecting pool with Henry Moore sculpture, was actually very private, very secret, a kind of zen space in the City. The idea that a coffee shop and pedestrian plaza is actually better than this, even if it takes place successfully (which I doubt) is straight out of the psychology of the Food Court from the Monster Mall -- and it wouldn't surprise me if that isn't just what we get as a result of all this.

I am a little late in following the architecture and renovation discussion -- but: 1. Among the other hokum items in NY recently is the current architectural renovation of Lincoln Center, with the new cut-away front on Julliard and Avery Fisher Hall. It does nothing for its professed aim of making the center more human and user friendly -- but it does deface what was the one architectural masterpiece of the complex, the neo classical view of Julliard from the south, that is, looking from the State Theater back towards the breezeway and Julliard, where there was a great horizontal line and something really special. 2. To understand the decor of the the theaters, particularly the MET, it's interesting to think of the costume jewelry of the era, about 1963-4 -- Renoir in particular. The lights, the fixtures, the gold leaf and hammered gilt, are straight out of the costume jewelry of that time, the same aesthetic and look. In that context the State Theater, with its Nadelman sculptures, etc. was always a little bit of an odd design. Kirstein writes in his "Fifty Years' of his "red and gold" obsession, harkening back to his first experiences of his uncle's theater in Rochester, NY. But the entire center is really "Costume Jewelry meet Robert Moses." 3. It's too soon historically to overhaul the look of the plaza. The costume jewelry meets Robert Moses era was a weird one but has it's internal cultural aesthetic which becomes clearer and clearer as time passes. If you are going to mix it with something new, there has to be a certain perspective on that aesthetic, and a new architectural style to contrast it with -- which takes time -- and then the contrast can truly work, like what P. Johnson did with the Boston Public Library facade. He had a hiatus of seventy five to an hundred years to work with, an the contrast between Richardson's Romanesque Revival Copley Square and his modernism. The times today and the passage of time between styles just won't permit something similarly successful to be done with Lincoln Center. They should have stood pat, shored up a bit, and waited. MP

1. Sports franchises are doing this -- naming arenas and stadiums after sponsors. 2. It's consistent with the fact that City Ballet and Lincoln Center are now being run according to a business model. From the business point of view it makes sense. And let's be clear that this isn't City Ballet's issue. It's' a Lincoln Center board decision. 3. If the theater should be named for anyone, it's the late Nelson Rockefeller. He did far more than Mr. Koch to create it. 4. There is some irony, is there not, with putting a business-man's name, however, wealthy, alongside that of Abraham Lincoln? There was once a generation that gave without things like this; who would have refused it because of the incredible bad taste involved. But this is the Age of Bloomberg. MP

A most important thing an agent brings in any field is knowledge of the market and its economics, and the connections to pick up a phone and exploit that knowledge. If a principal can command competitive prices, it helps to have someone negotiating who knows exactly what those prices are and have been (for others), who is paying and has paid what for whom and when and in what circumstances, and who has the relationships with directors, impresarios, tour promoters, etc., to exploit that knowledge. This function is a very narrow one in the ballet world, where only a handful of dancers, if that, are in a position to exploit such a scenario. In the movies, t.v., on the stage, in sports, in entertainment more generally, it's very useful.

I'd also like to know who or what company today embodies that "classical" style, technique or training that we are asked to set next to "Balanchine" technique -- not just in your question here but generally in discussions of this sort? Is it Britain's Royal Ballet? The Paris Opera? One or both of the Russian Companies? Each of them is recognizably different from the other; and, I'd argue, differs from the others at least to as great a degree as each company differs from NYCB in its styling. Or maybe the "classical technique" we seek as a term of comparison is what we see in competitions: say what the judges look for at, for example, Jackson, Varna, YAGP, or others? But these are panels drawn from everywhere, with each judge differing personally in what they are looking for perhaps as much as each company style differs from the others above. (Not to mention the politics you observe in panel judging). And even if you think the panelists do agree, then the fact that no company actually embodies this panel-style should nonetheless give us pause to wonder whether it actually exists. MP

Well it's certainly a great compliment to LeCrone to be compared to Von Aroldingen. Though I think she's probably purer and and more classical, stronger and better trained as an academic dancer than Von Aroldingen was. (Probably doesn't make chicken soup as well, however). In any case, it will be interesting to see what the London audience thinks.

Jane -- I think your casting is quite good, in most instances better than how the same ballets were cast here this winter. The casting in Western has definitely improved from the State Theater. You've got the Taylor/Bouder/Gilliland cast of Serenade for the most part; I wish we could have seen that here. Mearns in Bizet 2d movement is an absolute must see. Both Fairchild and Sterling Hyltin too in 3d movement. Hyltin for spaciousness, strength, the raw movement quality -- she was not well utilized here this past season; she's really very fine. Ditto Mearns as spring in 4 Seasons (sorry you won't see Rebecca Krohn do summer in that ballet). I'd want to see Megan LeCrone in Agon -- she's got the intense, neo-classical, thing that Macauley thinks is often missing, only she carries it nearly to anti-classicism in a similar way to Whelan and for the same reason -- because the body is a bit anti-classical. LeCrone, if she can stay healthy, is a natural for much of Whelan's repertory. In Vento should look beautiful on Reichlen but it's an ensemble piece and will look good on everyone -- Tiler Peck is beautiful in it, dark, sexy, sunk into her hips, you'll be surprised it's the same girl who danced Carousel. I envy you the season and generally they are putting their best foot forward. I do think Martins is making a mistake (and asking for trouble from the critics) by taking Thou Swell there. He seems quite fond of that ballet (they took it to Copenhagen also three years ago) reinforcing my theory that the "inner editor" is what he often lacks.

I think ticket sales were up at NYCB this Winter.

You are right about that. Western was a bit of a casualty both times I saw it this year -- particulary First Movement -- which looked reduced to a nothing. Of everything performed, that ballet looked about the worst this season. That extends to the newly made costumes (replaced two years ago) as well as to the conducting, orchestra sound and tempi of those performances.

The corps was indeed sloppy in that performance but that wasn't a rule of thumb this season, they've actually been much crisper and better rehearsed overall. The exceptions were the first couple of nights after Double Feature, which had a dress rehearsal look and Sunday afternoon when you felt them stumbling to the finishing line. And also the sense that the season peaked on Friday and Saturday nights. Everything was a little sloppy Sunday afternoon, we saw it in Mozartiana too from everyone (Millepied and Whelan included) and plenty in Serenade as well. Wasn't that moment particularly poetic when Kistler let down her hair?

Interesting that for both performances of Piano Concerto this weekend the piano was not in the orchestra pit -- instead the pianist was placed on the stage level, on that stage extension outside the proscenium stage right, where the piano generally is placed when there's no orchestra involved (say for Dances at a Gathering). Because, it's way to the side, there's no way that the pianist can see the conductor or the conductor the pianist from that spot -- I don't remember the orchestra and piano for that ballet being disposed that way before -- the piano is probably more audible at very low touch from there, the pianist can be very subtle. Overall the coordination between piano and orchestra remained quite good. It was in all an improvement in sound. Friday, Maurice Kaplow took Piano Concerto at a slower pace than Karoui did yesterday for Bouder. Who was tremendous by the way; very lyrical, confident, commanding, and musically subtle - she has grown into the role a great deal in the past year and has her dance interpretation of it down . . . and it's her interpretation, something to see from a very musical ballerina. I must say that I do not, however, share the general enthusiasm expressed in the press for Mr. Karoui's conducting of the orchestra this season. To my ear, the sound of the orchestra as a whole has deteriorated from its level in the Andrea Quinn era. Quinn often, if not always, lost touch with the stage, that's true; but the orchestra had a very rich tone under her leadership in comparison with the years before she arrived. Karoui also loses touch with the stage -- not as much as Quinn, but enough for one to say it's a fairly regular thing -- and the orchestra as a whole is losing that rich quality.

I couldn't agree more about Reichlen's first Piano Concerto -- In addition to everything else, it was amazing for its sheer, raw star power. From the moment of her first entrance, she "had" the theater entirely her own; the first pirouettes on entrance over, you could see the confidence build and the sense of excitement in the house was palpable. The company on the stage fed off it and you could see that too -- a few of the corps girls were visibly watching her (Brittany Pollack for one) and once Reichlen took off, you could sense the energy on stage mount. Then at the first exit, huge applause, and it just got better after that. There are a few performances a season which are remarkable (and memorable) for excitement and for a kind of Elias Canetti, "crowds and power" feeling and this was probably the biggest such outpouring from an audience (or rather between an audience and a performer and the company) that I've witnessed this year at the State Theater. I don't remember another such ovation this Winter, except for Nikolai Hubbe's final Apollo. But back to the performance: Reichlen made the ballet look very beautiful as a whole and that was probably the best thing about it. You had the regal sense you want -- a sense that's often missed. You will often see that ballet danced as a bravura piece (cf. Gillian Murphy at ABT in Ballet Imperial some years back) but very seldom do you feel in addition to that tour de force, the additional sense of "hierarchy" and "Imperial Baroque," the sense of incandescent beauty that the ballet can have when performed at its best. There are, for example -- in addition to everything else -- moments in the choreography when the ballerina just stands there and commands the stage as the corps moves around her; when she's a Queen and the 2d Ballerina is a Princess and the corps de ballet is their court; and the extraordinary thing was how good the sense of those moments was last night. Kudos to John Stafford too, the male lead, as he deserves every bit as much credit as Ms. Reichlen for creating that sense and for supporting her. He looked a good deal more relaxed doing that than he did last year with Ms. Sylve, though Reichlen's probably as much of a handful for a partner. In the Chutzpah department: NYCB really needs to promote both Reichlen and Sara Mearns. Reichlen after this and Mearns after Davidbundlertanze the past couple of weeks. They both totally deserve it. MP

I just have to say that anyone who can should go see Ives Songs -- it's the middle ballet in the American Songs program at NYCB this final two weeks. It got an extraordinary performance tonight, so well sung, the songs themselves in the German Lieder tradition, the singer's diction in English such that you could understand the program as you watched, and the company looking just so beautiful in it from top to bottom. Throughout a large cast. I think it's one of Robbins' best ballets, terribly dark and moving, with Jerry at the peak of his powers as a dramatist, and working in his influenced by Robert Wilson mode. I'll eventually have to write about this so I think I'll shut up now, other than to recommend it to one and all. Michael Popkin

I've got to add my rave to this. I didn't expect it, but Ulbricht's Prodigal was extraordinarily good. The best thing was the way he brought the entire ballet into focus, dramatically and stylistically. It's good to have a youthful Prodigal; the immense energy in the first entrance made his rebellion clear. The choreography seemed to have been made on someone of his fireplug build (was it Lifar?). The final crawl home was likewise in dramatic focus because in such complete contrast to the opening explosion out. The middle of the ballet was muddled and they'll need to find a siren for him. Neither Kowroski nor Reichlen are suited to this role -- neither has an easy time being sexy; both tend to be a little slack above the waist, not what you want for this. Watching Reichlen and Ulbricht, you'd have though he was doing the seducing half the time. Helene Alexopolous was a great Siren.

Re last night, I pretty much disagree -- Especially as what I thought best was the way the company got the spirit of the ballet and seemed committed to presenting it at top level. For example Whelan in Diamonds -- she may be slightly on the downhill slope technically at this point in her career (she must be over 40 years old) . . . and maybe she doesn't finish her steps with her feet all the time, but my gosh the radiance, joy, committment and spirit with which she nailed this performance. I also thought Bouder's Emeralds about the best I've seen this role danced at City Ballet and the best I've ever seen Bouder in interpretive power -- the feel she had of introspection, of a little private world with her partner, the way she carried her steps through so that the dance impulse ended with every final placement of her hand, and also how she placed and presented her face, eyes and expression. I also very much liked Fairchild in Rubies. Hanna is a much stronger partner for Bouder than Gonzalo Garcia (whose partnering skills were nearly zero the previous night in Brandenburg) and together they created a lovely enchanted little space. For the past two seasons Diamonds has been coming into its own as a summation of a lot of Balanchine's work; you can see it as derivative, but when the audience reaches the point (in age and generation change) where the stuff it derives from has become obscure to them, this piece that has little echoes of other things (Snowflakes, Theme and Variations, Symphony in C, Symphonie Concertante, for example) becomes a primary source. Anything is a primary source the night it is danced.

Also beautiful response to music. Great feel for rhythm -- She carries each rhythmic response through both arms and legs and into the center of her back and then, at an easy pace, bounces it back. Big jump. Long arabesque.

There were three Dewdrops -- Bouder, Hyltin and Mearns. The finest thing all evening was Mearns' Dewdrop Coda. It's the first time I've seen her this year and I was astonished by: (1) the shape she's in, as good as in her career; (2) The effortlessness, the ease with which everything was accomplished; (3) the way she just went to each pose and danced through each step (developees to the side and attitude turns like Italian Fouettees) with absolutely perfect placement and confidence. She has authority now. Previously, Bouder and Hyltin took turns in the Flower Waltz: this can be done because the role is a series of four entrees. Bouder went first: the opening sequence where she is on the floor surrounded by the flowers, and then rises to toe with her arms en couronee above her head, for an endless balance, is one of the finest things Bouder does. She's so pulled up in the hips; so still; looks so good in the costume; every eye in the house is on her, and you can feel her breathe. I must say I wish that neither Hyltin (nor Fairchild in other performances I've seen) would watch Bouder's phrasingso much in this role and seemingly attempt to replicate it, specifically the fast little weaving motions, with stops, that Bouder does in the second entree. It's a very individual thing that doesn't replicate. Bouder looks good doing it, though even she sometimes punches it out to the point where it looks a little spastic: but the other girls don't look good with that phrasing. It looks rushed, uncoordinated, a little like martial arts or convulsions. Bouder in company class must be quite an irresistible influence; but Sterling Hyltin has such perfect lines. Really Hyltin is more of a stretched dancer and a natural Dewdrop than Bouder from the physical point of view (particularly with respect to a role (maybe?) made on Tanaquil Leclerq or at least associated with her) and I just wish she would trust her talents and dance it her own way. Sugarplum was Kowroski in the first entree, the dance with the Angels (a little wild); then Whelan partnered by Woetzel in the grand pas de deux. The grand pas variation for the woman, and the man's coda, were then turned into a pas de neuf, for three women and six men: Borree, Kistler and Stafford (quite radiant post promotion as you might have expected) with a bevy of men. Gonzalo Garcia was most impressive among them. Kistler then danced the final coda at the conclusion of the ballet. Turning the Sugarplum variations and coda into this ensemble piece didn't work all that well from the purely artistic point of view but it was cute and something special to mark the occasion. No complaints, a fun evening at the theater. I must mention Stephanie Zungre as the lead Marzipan. I'm not one who cares much for a few bumbles or whether every turn to the knee goes perfectly, as long as the whole impression is there and my my, it was: a lovely bouyant and charming performance. Also Jennelle Manzi as Harlequin in Act I. I'd love to see more of her: a big girl with strong rhythmic sense. Rachel Piskin has this year succeeded to Elizabeth Walker's roles as a frequent Columbine and particularly as the first snowflake on the stage. She shows immense promise.

I believe that Carrie Lee Riggins was another of the Marie's who went on to have a career with the company.

Hearing this, I remember her as one of the women in The Green Table. She was so poignant, human, and vulnerable in that role, heartbreakingly so. Does anybody know what and where it happened besides that it was on the road coming back from PA? There was the first snowstorm of the year that night or day, or the night before, just such a terribly dangerous time. It can happen to anyone and all change in an instant. My heart goes out to her and her family especially.

Re Osipova -- The YouTube clips of her in the Corsaire pas de deux show her to be a superb adagio dancer. Beautiful line in her working leg in attitude, effortless placement, very poetic -- She also carries her arabesque through her back and up into her shoulders in a way to die for -- Musically, she articulates to adagio music with sureness and subtletly -- passing from arabesque to alongee for example on a musical cue that's very eloquent and melody like. Her developpee is also just gorgeous -- I love the way she brings up the thigh and only then extends the end of the leg and with such ease, the coordination there is very striking. Altogether, it makes me think that she's not predominatly a demi-caractere dancer in type (despite her great Don Q and that clip of her in the Fille de Pharaon with all the taquetrie and beats) -- This is an amazing talent; don't forget how young inexperienced, and a little raw she still is.