Watermill

That was a "nut crack", ...er, of a differnt sort, eh?

Just thought I'd keep this thread fresh so other OBT fans will remember to log in with their thoughts. I'll be away til Jan 5 and not sure what my computer access will be. I heard that Stowell has been rehearsing...it should begin to clean up nicely this week. Come on... de-lurk and share your feelings about this historic premiere! Flying out of the rain (19 days straight) and into the cold, Watermill

Mel, I just picked up my teenage son at 4am from the local midnight show...(no it is not a school night for him)...he's nearly speechless with joy over it...but found some of the violence disturbing. Looking forward to it.

I'd rather stick my head in a hornet's nest. Let's just say that a somewhat haughty attitude would emanate from the general direction of the OBT office. There were a couple of years when the School admin was outrageously insensitive toward both students and parents. I am fairly certain those days are blessedly done with.

Thanks, rg: shows how "out of the loop" I've been. Still hoping to see it someday...maybe I can twist Christopher Stowell's arm...

Thanks Ari: Sorry... I went to the NYCB site Reperetory file and checked "Tombeau"..."Couperin"...even "Ravel"... but not "Le"! Hope to see this piece someday.

In 1975's Ravel Festival Mr. Balanchine set eight pairs of quadrilles to Ravel's homage to his favorite 18th Century composers Le Tombeau de Couperin. I regretfully moved to New York a few months too late to see any of this festival. But this piece of music is one of my secret treasures and I would love to see what Mr. B did with it. I remember reading that he said of all the dances for this quickly assembled festival, it was Le Tombeau that lingered in his mind long after. I believe it was in the rep of POB for a while, but I don't think it has been performed for a long time.

G17, I envy your POB experiences...someday (sigh)... Not sure which side of the fence you're leaning to re Mary Mac ...but I'll just toss in the fact that because she had not been with the company for three years, Stowell did not have to offer her a contract. But he did. Good for him. Many would not. By the way, thanks to judicious placement of a tall student in Nutcracker Snowflakes, Mary Mac did not stand out much. It took me a minute to even realize she was a Snowflake. She does a good job adjusting to very tight corps formations. Don't know how they do it. Hear the pom-poms went flying at one performance!

Nyala, Welcome to Ballet Talk...How ab/fab that you make the trip from the Emerald City to watch the Rose City Ballet send forth some new buds. Your car should be called the Stowellmobile! Hope it gets 32 fouettes to the gallon... You seem to be an ex-NYC ballet fan, too. I lived there from "75 -'96. Perhaps we share some performance memories. I'm so glad you mentioned the need for live music. Sometimes I think I'm the only one who cares and it depresses me... I understand your technical disappointments. Everything worked, but not in a high quality way. I think that this was the best they could do this year. The previous Nutcracker cost $1.3 million. This one cost .3 million. You DO get what you pay for... Looking forward to hear what you think of Firebird. Watermill

Hello WhenPigsFly! Thanks for joining in. Get 30 posts logged so that you can send & receive private messages. You must be refering to Macy Sullivan who has lots of sparkle. Yes, she is a student of OBT School as is the other Marie, the prodigious little jumper Katherine Minor. The height difference obviously was not a factor for those casting the role of the Nephew/Prince. So what did you like about the rest of the production? Any favorite company members?

I'm going to respectfully take Bob Hicks to task over some comments made in his review of The Nutcracker. (See LINKS Dec 13 for full text) I felt this a rather brusque dismissal of Canfield's beautiful and beautifully danced Nutcracker. I don’t think that Bob should try to overlay Canfield's rock/contemporary reputation onto his purely classical Nutcracker. One of the dangers of thinking about the Canfield years is to only remember the controversial modern sensibility he brought to his company, which resulted in sometimes wildly successful, sometimes flat work, even within the same piece (Go Ask Alice for example). But one should not forget the classical ballets he staged: Giselle, Romeo & Juliet (With NYCB's Tom Gold) and of course, most consistently of all, the Nutcracker. To say that it was "very much less about the dancing" is a rather surprising evaluation of such a carefully classically danced Nutcracker. In fact, because Canfield’s dual storylines (Marie’s first love and her dreams of becoming a ballerina) emphasize company member performances, and much of the children’s lengthy participation was replaced by company dancing one could make a strong case, especially regarding the first act, that Canfield's Nutcracker was “more about the dancing”, if only because it had more company performances as opposed to children's shenanigans, processions and reels. And let me tell you, it is a lot more interesting watching a professional Marie & Prince dance a full out pas de deux than children walking about the stage. In fact, if one wants to watch a Nutcracker "simply walked through" (or sat through) there is no better example than the roles of the Nephew/Nutcracker and Marie in Balanchine's Nutcracker. How soon we forget... Watermill

Sunday matinee: B cast. House 90% sold. Lots of families. Audience absolutely glowing with joy by the final bows. This Nut is going to fly, Orville! Gavin Larsen, this time as Dewdrop, again the outstanding performance. Won't quibble about some minor things which should improve with more performances. I can see why Suzanne Farrell chose to work with her. There's a spirit to her dancing that shines from the stage to the depths of the auditorium. A total dancer. What a gift! Finally getting to see more Kathi Martuza (Hot Chocolate solo). She displays an energy and quickness which should be emulated by not a few other cast members, whether company, apprentice or student. She dances it as if it were Balanchine and seems to know the difference. Kester Cotton has a soft attack that just takes my breath away. He presented the least acrobatic and most "danced" Candy Cane I've ever seen. Feels the music: makes you feel the music. Mr. B would strongly approve, I think. Having seen Christopher Stowell as Puck in PNB's MND, I think there's a kindred spirit there. It should lead to some exciting collaboration. Is it just me, or is it getting hot in here? Must be Tracy Taylor Brand Coffee, with that unmistakable hint of Canfield eros. Very nice. Paul DeStrooper showing good partnering skills. Yuka Iino not in the matinee. There was little evidence of polishing, but with all the cast rotations, perhaps too much to ask for. Snowflakes seemed more together. Apologies, Mel re the music referred to in my first post: it happens when the Nutcracker is wheeled on in the bed. It's still quite a passive moment compared to the power of the music. I think Balanchine may have been going against the current, letting the appearance of a life size Nutcracker Prince carry the magic of the moment. It just doesn't for me. Paul: Yes to all your questions. Hope to hear some other opinions! Watermill

Paul, you will be glad to hear that OBT continues to have a variety of physiques on stage. How many companies have a ballerina over 6'? McKenzie Fyfe... and she did a nice job of your favorite "I Can Dream Can't I?" in Company B And the different body types among the apprentices indicates that this variety is going to continue under Stowell. I find this not only healthy but entertaining. Who wants to look at cookie cutter dancers?

Golab17, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you sharing these thoughts. You seem to me to be representative of the audience that was grown by James Canfield, as well as being a Portland dance community member alienated by OBT administration. You now need to be won over by Chris Stowell. There are a lot of dance fans like you out there. I will watch with interest to see what happens between you and OBT. Keep those cards and letters coming in. Oh, the men...the men. We could put together a terrific company if we could pick and choose from 15 years of companies. It seems like there are 100 qualified women for every company opening...and 10 openings for every qualified man. Going to Nutcracker? Check it out and let me know what you think on the OBT Nutcracker thread. Watermill

Mel, the section I'm referring to happens earlier: Marie is floating around the stage asleep asleep in her porto-bed while Tchaikovksy is heralding the what sounds like the birth of the universe...later the Fritz/Nutcracker Prince transformation happens. Is it possible they moved things around? Not likely with the B-Trust in charge. At this point I'm as confused as you probably are. On Sunday I'll try to pin it down. Sandik: there seems to be some latitude given to designers on copyrighted Balanchine material. These angels are very different from NYCB's. The cast is younger and cuter, however! Watermill

The technical production was well done. The clock was spooky, the tree grew, the bed and boat floated around nicely, the sliding arabesque worked as well; it all came off without a hitch. If I take your question correctly, Mel, I was refering to some transitions that it appear Balanchine himself had not really lived up to. There's a horn driven crescendo that saw Marie asleep in her lazily floating bed. By contrast, in Canfield's version, that same music was the Nutcracker Prince's great arrival to save the day. It always received hearty applause. There were a few odd moments like that. Anyone else go? Please share! Watermill

Well, it took 49 years, but Mr.Balanchine's childhood memory has finally drifted over the Rockies and found a West Coast home. With Artistic Director Christopher Stowell shepherding the massive but well rehearsed cast, it looks like a happy home as well. Having not seen this Nutcracker for many years, it held some suprises for me: The over balance of children's roles, the creepiness of Drosselmeier, some strangely passive choreography during some thrilling musical passages, the feeling that the ballet doesn't start until the Snowflakes appear, minutes before the end of the first act. Having watched Canfield's Nutcracker for 6 years, I'd have to give the first act to James, the second to Mr. B. Gavin Larsen shone the brightest as Sugar Plum. She is an exquisite dancer who, if given the chance, could grow to major ballerina status. The pas was off and on due to some unfortunate partnering. Could be opening night jitters. Yuka Iino a wonderful Dewdrop. I love it when a dancer makes such difficult steps look not only easy, but a joy to perform. Kathi Martuza a splendid Marzipan, with such lively jetes. Can't wait to see more of her. Alison Roper's Coffee very strong. Canfield handled this better. Apprentice Magrielle Eisen kept catching my attention as a Snowflake. The mixed company, apprentice and student corps was solid, well rehearsed and in need of polishing... which may or may not happen. Canfield would have had a fit. Don't know Stowell's style of "growing the show". Yet. We'll see how it looks Sunday. I positively loathe the sets and backdrops by Peter Farmer. Ghastly colors, little artistry, distracting from, not serving the dance. And the show curtain that greets the audience prepares one for the crass commercialism of Rockettes, not the delights of George Balanchine's Nutcracker. His costumes, however, are lovely. (With the exception of the Angels who are sacked with halloween-discount quality robes, plastic wings and Dee Snyder wigs.) The orchestra played well under Niel Deponte's moderate tempi. The violin solo's difficult harmonics were well bowed by Lorely Zgonc. As I listened and watched the orchestra, I found myself saddened to know that audiences will be listening to taped music for five performances. Hopely that will change next year. The audience, which was 75% full, loved it. It's going to be fine. Christopher Stowell has acheived his second important task: a crowd pleasing Nutcracker. OBT is on it's way! Watermill

Golab17: Thanks for chiming in with your take on the new situation at OBT. After seeing a lot of ballet in NYC for 20 years, I have been attending OBT regularly since 1996 and have watched the transition from Canfield to Stowell with great interest. I would have to agree with Leigh that you are kind of jumping the music by so severely criticizing Mr. Stowell based on his first program. But hey, I get grumpy, too! The transition from one Artistic Director to another is a complex one. Different artistic visions require different dancers and appeal to different audiences. Personally, I have felt that Christopher Stowell should be given two full years to develop his company and vision. You may of course, disagree with that timeline, but you must allow for some transition period and try not to judge so harshly so quickly. Please be aware of the economics of the situation: OBT is trying to upgrade and expand the company at a time when Oregon has a lousy economy and private and corporate giving is drying up. That Mr. Stowell was able to capture quality dancers like Kester Cotton, Yuka Iino & Gavin Larsen on his limited budget is a testament to the powers of his persuasion and connections. Also, you should know that he was bound by agreement to offer contracts to most of the Canfield company and has to proceed slowly in making a company that can properly dance his programs. I can't comment on alienated alumni without more facts, but will agree that there have been some very chill winds blowing from the front office over the years. I sincerely hope that will change. Chris Stowell is as engaged and excited as a new AD could possibly be. He is not going anywhere else for a very long time. I hope you will be attending The Nutcracker. Tell us what you think of it. Writing in the rain, Watermill

You caught me, citibob: I was making it all up! (Just kidding...) BTW: I misread the Ticketmaster info: All tickets on Family Discount days are reduced $10 - $15. The $90 Box seats are $75. Side orch drops from $35 to $20. OBT's Box office: 503 2-BALLET for more information. That's true, Paul, but allow me some further speculation that OBT saves $6,000 (40 musicians X $150) without orchestra. The average 25% discount lowers the potential box office from about 115 to 86 grand. That's giving up $29,000. to save $6,000, while lowering the quality of the event substantially, IMHO. Granted, my figures are educated guesses, so I could be off. And I'm well aware that "potential" income ain't the same as actual. I suppose an argument against my plea for live music is that lowered prices make it possible for a broader range of audience to attend. Not sure how much water that holds given that their are already cheap seats (as low as $10) available at the other regular performances, but I'm sure there are marketing factors of which I am not aware. My fear is that next year half the performances will not have live music and eventually there will be none. I trust that Mr. Stowell is leaning against that bitter wind. Slouching towards Who-ville, A Grinchy Watermill

Thanks for your thoughts, Paul. Once things are cut to the bone, as they have been under the draconian GM Beth Barbre, there really is no more cutting to be done, and long term revenue plans must fall into place. My point is that The Nutcracker is the cash engine upon which the entire season depends. My opinion is that live music is essential to a big 3,000 seat Nutcracker experience. To cut the orchestra is to fundamentally alter the pleasure of that experience much for the worse and therefore diminish the audience base for the one production that you can absolutely not afford to tinker with. As always, I must again mention that this is a transition period as Christopher Stowell learns the ropes. Hopefully, in a couple of years, this sort of thing won't be necessary. Watermill

For five performances of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker the Marzipans will be mincing to Memorex, not a live orchestra. The reason given for this is that these are "Family Discount" performances and the tickets cost less, so... But it turns out that the best orchestra seats still cost the same: $75.00 That's an awful lot to pay to listen to taped music. I understand the expansion of the company demands cutting corners, but this is a huge corner being lopped off of the biggest revenue producing production of the year. This is not when you cut or where you cut. The orchestra is an intrinsic element of the experience. Not to mention the Keller's sound system is often hissy and clipped. I strongly question the logic behind this. I wonder if the Mouse King will only have 3 extra heads on those days? Watermill

I heartily agree, Paul. Local productions are an absolute joy, complete with overacting parent amatuers and beyond cute children caught up in the thrill of performance. I also welcome the opportunity to let go of my critical judgement, and just sit back and smile. It's a kind of community theatre that makes one feel the human warmth of the season. Cheers! Watermill

Jeffrey: I imagine their comments are of the "let's shoot the messenger" category? As one dancer told me, she actually has to "choreograph her eye balls", meaning where to focus during certain steps in order to keep balance and judge distances (like where the edge of the stage is and other minor concerns) My point is that this takes stage time. When they don't get enough of it, you have some shaky performances. I am sure most dancers would choose to be beautifully illuminated in exchange for being momentarily blinded.

Simon: my condolences. I might mention that several dancers have told me that getting used to the lights is a major hurdle, and more than one rehearsal is needed to adjust, especially for turns and downstage jettes. One of the biggest disappointments of my theatre-going life was a West End production of Antony & Cleopatra with Vanessa Redgrave & Timothy Dalton. I only had one night in London and chose it over some other temptations because of my love of that play and admiration for Ms Redgrave. It was a wretched production, and the stars were "phoning it in". Seriously, they were practically rolling their eyes. Your story puts me in mind of the extraordinary documentary made of the behind the scenes shenanigans, pressures and demands on the ROH. An impossible situation...but on it goes! As Beckett wrote: "I can't go on, I'll go on."

Good points; well taken. I suppose I tilt towards the POV of the performer a bit. As a theatre director who's had his share of of scrambling desperately to fill in for sick or missing cast members, I sympathize (rightly or wrongly) with what Redick and company went through to present that performance. I would have cut him some slack. But you're right: people paid to see good work; if it ain't good, take your lumps!