DanielBenton

Time permitting I like all three times because you get to see the evolution of the performance that way (my experience is with NYCB). If I had to pick one it would be middle or end because at NYCB the first performances of many works are a little ragged (including, and sometimes especially, the orchestra).

A great series of podcasts, shedding light from different sources on Balanchine's work

At NYCB (what we used to call the State Theatre) I sit in the Second Ring, as away from the stage as the $26-$29 seats go (AA10 or AA 11 - the higher up the number the closer to the stage and the more you lose of the side you are on). For those of us with old eyes it is good to be this close to the stage and I alternate sides on a regular basis. You can get these on a subscription.

A wonderful musician. I think one of his greatest projects was the in-studio recording of Don Giovanni which became Joseph Losey's film shot at various locations.

I agree with you about Allegra. She was one of the great dance artists and she is very articulate in her book about who she is and what she did. Even when her "external" life was a mess she knew what she was doing on stage.

Very well said, Kathleen O'Connell. I think NYCB missed an opportunity to become artistically less insular, by their own choice

Amour, do you have a source for the details of the NYCB offer to Ratmansky? Thanks

bravo Justin! Parenthetically, how short-sighted of NYCB to make an offer with such restrictions to Ratmansky. What a bad idea that was.

Thanks for letting us know about this. I was especially delighted to see the rehearsal of Sonatine.

Volcanohunter - thanks!

I know someone can help me: how to pronounce Petit, as in Roland Petit. Thanks

She danced tonight; I thought she had an authoritative presence in the role.

Alastair Macaulay in the NY Times has written an excellent review of the May 14 program (Davidsbundlertanze and Union Jack). I especially appreciate his discussion of Schumann's music and the music-dance interaction in Davidsbundlertanze.

I agree Megan is not a smiley face in a tutu. I look forward to hopefully seeing her in Agon and Four T's next year. In a video clip available on YouTube she talks about how she was inspired by Agon.

Vol.3 has been announced on the VAI website: Scenes from Swan Lake, Coppelia, and Menotti's: The Unicorn...

NYCB is doing Harlequinade in the upcoming winter season

OK, it was up and now it is gone again!

I think the whole schedule is now on the website calendar

I think Orpheus is certainly different from the typical Stravinsky/Balanchine collaboration: the music is static and often seemingly without momentum, and hence so is the movement - more like a musical drama with movement rather than the type of ballet we are used to seeing. I think the music is one of Stravinsky's greatest scores and quite beautiful.

I was there the night of the donkey mishap in Union Jack. As I recall, the curtain closed, then the stage director said quite politely over the public address system: "Ladies and gentlemen, please give us a minute while we clean up our act".

It is interesting to see how Balanchine adapted the spacing for the small television stage. Tight shots and only six corps women in Barocco.

In the one of the video series of Balanchine dancers (of the 1940s-60s) coaching more recent dancers (which seems to be available to libraries mostly) Maria Tallchief mentions that although he did not produce Giselle, Balanchine knew every part in it and taught it to her and other dancers. I don't recall what the time period was. As Jack Reed says. and Solomon Volkov reports, he would have done Sleeping Beauty if the funds and time were available to do it right.

I greatly appreciate all these comments, esp. Birdsall, for providing a lot of food for thought.

I find Tommasini's logic muddled and dislike his tendency to give his opinion as if it were fact (Gergiev..."major musician of our time"). I sympathize with Dudamel having to defend himself and reminding us he is a musician, not something else. Some of the political issues discussed in Tommasini's article have (at least) two sides to them. For instance, many progressive people supported Hugo Chavez' policies, and it is well-known, although underreported in the western press, that significant elements of the Ukranian groups which conducted the coup there are ultra-nationalist right-wingers with neo-fascist leanings. Tommasini reports as given truths nothing more than what one can read in a typical American newspaper or television broadcast. This does not condone Russia's anti-gay stance or what is currently going on in Crimea and Venezuela but he should at least show some respect for different perspectives and the nuances of political realities.

Awesomeness. Probably all in black and white? When was color introduced?