Alexandra

"Marguerite and Armand" IS being performed. If you check the link that klingsor posted above, you'll now see that ballet listed. We just happened to catch the Lincoln Center web site between updates. There are cast changes, though, as follows: Please note these changes to casting for Week II of the Ashton Celebration at Lincoln Center Festival for THE ROYAL BALLET. July 14: Birthday Offering: Darcy Bussell, Thiago Soares Marguerite & Armand: Sylvie Guillem, Massimo Murru July 15: Marguerite & Armand: Sylvie Guillem, Massimo Murru (Murru will dance all three M&A's with Sylvie Guillem) July 17: Cinderella, eve. 8 p.m.: Tamara Rojo, Inaki Urlezaga

Thanks very much for posting that. I did a quick count (and I haven't double checked) and got: Balanchine, 19 ballets Robbins, 8 Martins 7 Wheeldon 5 Stroman and Eifman each 1

What were the hight points of the season for you? What, if anything, didn't you like? Ballets, dancers, direction?

Note to the lost and confused -- my fault. I moved these two posts over from the Musagete thread, where Rachel first posted her question.

Rachel posted a very interesting question, picking up from something canbelto wrote, about what kinds of new ballets should the company be getting? MUST they fit into the Balanchine aesthetic? Why or why not? I've split that question out to a thread of its own here: http://balletalert.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=17230 I hope we'll have lots of opinions.

They always SAY they want to retain readers. And then go do what they really want to do, which is, as Herman says, "only do items that are sure to be successful and attract a big audience." In Denmark, one major paper reduced its "arts" coverage to movies and pop music ONLY unless there were something cosmic enough to be worthy, for lack of a better word, of "Entertainment Tonight." I have mixed feelings about the hard-hitting coverage. Sometimes I agree -- there are things that happen in the dance world that, if they happened anywhere else, would be major scandals (misuse of money: bad hiring choices at the directoral level, say, that require buying out the bad choice after a year. And how are artistic directors chosen, anyway?) But to be honest, I think it would result only in a different kind of spin. In the 1950s, when newspapers did think of themselves as leaders of taste (I know, I know, I could go to hell for even thinking that) they actually covered the arts as arts. Instead of an interview with the choreographer of a new ballet, they might talk to the composer, or, if the composer were "difficult," the music critic would do a piece explaining him. When I was researching my book, I came across some very imaginative uses of the arts pages. For a new ballet that dealt with schizophrenia, a psychologist wrote a piece about schizophrenia. There was an effort to enrich the reader/viewer's experience, and also to try to tie the arts together, to assume that someone who attended theater also wanted to know what was going on in the world of opera and ballet. I'm going to attempt to do something like old-style arts coverage this in DanceView Times for Lincoln Center's Ashton Festival. I'm writing thumbnail descriptions of the ballets, and invited several people to write short preview pieces talking about how to look at Ashton, or what they liked about Ashton, etc., from different points of view. Why? Because Ashton is unfamiliar to many New York balletgoers now. I saw something like this way way back, in the early 20th century when the Ballet Russe came to Washington. The Star, the big paper then, did a huge feature on them, with descriptions of the ballets and an explanation of exactly what ballet was and what to expect -- written for sentient beings too poor, perhaps, to make the Grand Tour.

We love people who post topics! Please, never be afraid to do that. I think this is an interesting question -- City Ballet fans, please speculate to your hearts' content.

Well, if you look at it another way, this poor Genius tries to kill a boy so he can steal his heart, soul and senses and give it to a doll. He's trying to create a doll-female who will do his every bidding. (early Stepford Wife) Swanilda takes him down a peg or two. Go Swanilda!!

As far as I know, the Eric Naslund book is the only full book on Cullberg. I don't have it, so I can't check its bibliography. A search on amazon.com now will turn up whenever a name is mentioned in a book, not just books with that name as their subject, so you might try there. It also might be worth contacting both the Royal Swedish Ballet and the Swedish Embassy. Cullberg was a very important figure and there may well be at least a pamphlet, or small biography.

I'd say in the interests of the institution, the ballets should remain within Balanchine's aesthetic, as Balanchine remained within Petipa's aesthetic. Some of his work obviously resembled Petipa's, much did not, but it never strayed from the underlying aesthetic. We've had a lot of imitation Balanchine. Many of the choreographers seem to think that the world began with "Agon" or the Stravinsky Festival (1972). And some of it is just plain imitative. That's not more than a stopgap solution to the problem of new repertory. What one would hope for is someone who can come in and not think, "Oh, I have to be Balanchine," or "I'm Balanchine's heir!" or "Whatever I do, I don't want to be Balanchine," but to share his sensibilities naturally and create new work that will be recognizably part of the family. The problem is, if you get something that's too far away from Balanchine -- even a very good choreographer, Mark Morris, say -- then the Balanchine repertory would start looking like Morris. When ABT had Twyla Tharp in residence, the Shades scene began to look like Tharp's parody of Shades in "Push Comes to Shove," where the Shades peak at the audience from under their outstretched arm in arabesque. Cute in Push, not cute going down that ramp!

I do remember it, but the story I was told was that the project was skuttled because of a strike, and the idea was never revived.

Interesting thoughts. I'm not one who agrees that ballerinas are victims, though. We're in an age of ballerinos (that's fine, although no one dancing today is a Nureyev or Dowell or Vasiliev, et al., IMO) There have been times when both genders got equal attention. That's my idea of feminism in dance. (The other is that women have some control backstage and in the board room)

This just in from ABT: ARLENE J. BLAU, ROD BRAYMAN AND TIVIA KRAMER ELECTED TO BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF BALLET THEATRE FOUNDATION Fred Seegal Elected to President of Board American Ballet Theatre has announced the election of Arlene J. Blau, Rod Brayman and Tivia Kramer to the Board of Trustees of Ballet Theatre Foundation, effective immediately. In addition, Fred Seegal, a Board member since 2003, has been elected President of the Board, succeeding Robin Neustein who becomes President Emerita and remains a trustee. “It is continually affirming to have such dedicated individuals join ABT’s Board. Arlene, Rod and Tivia have all demonstrated an increased level of commitment to the Company over recent years. Their support will do much to further ABT’s goals,” said Lewis S. Ranieri, Board Chairman. “We’re especially grateful to have Fred Seegal at the helm as President and delighted to have Robin Neustein continuing as an active trustee. Arlene J. Blau, a graduate of Adelphi University, serves on the Boards of Directors of Manhattan Theatre Club and Old Westbury Gardens. Blau’s extensive fundraising experience includes serving as Chair of the Crystal Ball for the Mount Sinai School of Medicine for several years. She has also been instrumental in fundraising for New York University Medical Center, The Starlight Foundation for Chronically and Terminally Ill Children, and the University of Pennsylvania. Additionally, Blau is the founder of the Brookville Chapter Hadassah and has served as its President for several years. Rod Brayman is the President of Phoenix Beverages, a liquor distribution company. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Queens College and has attended ABT performances for more than thirty years. Brayman currently serves on the Board of WE CAN, an organization that serves the New York homeless community. In addition, Brayman generously underwrote ABT’s A Tribute to Balanchine program for the 2004 spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House. Tivia Kramer, a former senior credit officer at a major Japanese bank, studied dance during her childhood in South Africa. She has been a supporter of ABT’s Family Day benefits for the past few seasons. Kramer is active in numerous charities, including Greenwich Hospital, The Bruce Museum, The American Red Cross, Mount Sinai Children’s Center Foundation and Central Park Conservancy. She is also on the Board of the Jewish Museum of New York. Fred Seegal, a member of ABT’s Board since 2003, is a Managing Executive at Stephens Financial Group. Previously, he was President and Managing Director of Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein and Chairman of Global Media Telecom & Communications. Seegal holds degrees from Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School. Seegal also serves on the Board of the San Francisco Opera and the Museum of Radio & Television. He has also been on the board of Southhampton Hospital, Project A.L.S. and the Neuberger Museum of Art.

For those curious about Robert Gottlieb, here's a long feature/interview piece about him from today's Globe and Mail (also posted on Links): http://www.globeandmail.ca/servlet/story/R...obert+Gottlieb%

I think that ballet is at a low point creatively at present, and has been for some time. I don't think postmodern culture is to blame, it's part of the ballet history cycle: a period of high creativity with a new form or style of ballet, followed by a period in which this new form becomes formula, followed by a period in which technique dominates, followed by a period where the public loses interest and every kind of novelty is tried (where we are now), followed by a period of renewal. I do think that the Diva personality doesn't match our postmodern times. But, then, isn't postmodernism dying too?

What a nice idea! I hope everyone will post what their high points were. If you discovered a new ballet, or new dancer, or changed your mind about either, etc.

Welcome, Dance Scholar London! It's a complex question (and don't worry about your English from this end, DLS; it's perfect!). "American" encompasses many companies -- NYCB has never had prima ballerinas in the European sense of the term, but the company certainly has ballerinas. NYCB has a tradition of promoting choreography over stars, while American Ballet Theatre has, since the mid-1960s, at least, been very proud to be a "star" company, where people buy tickets to see particular dancers. I'd argue that now isn't a great age of ballerinas anywhere -- at least, not in the sense of Fonteyn, Ulanova, Plisetskaya, or Carla Fracci, Marcia Haydee, Lynn Seymour, stars who had big personalities and were associated with particular roles.

I'll check again with Lincoln Center on Monday. I've gotten several updates, but they've been unofficial. There may be an injury that's caused "Marguerite and Armand" to be cancelled.

Hello, Rachel -- and welcome back. We've missed you! Thank you for that assessment. I think your comment about Mezentseva being a transitional ballerina is very perceptive. I remember when Asylmuratova first begain dancing, hearing reports that "the Kirov has a new, very streamlined, ballerina." More in the Western mold. As for Mezentseva, I'll never see the purity of line, but others do.

Thank you, Mikhail (and good to read you again). This is indeed good news -- and a nice new tradition.

Perfect! One for Odette, one for Odile. It will happen, guys. Just you wait.

I would think more people know Balanchine than would know Spessitseva ("the Red Giselle"). But there's still more box office draw if the tortured artist was "real." People want it to be a REAL tortured artist, especially if there are a few nasty little stories buried in there.

Lincoln Center lists only the leads for "Rhapsody." Both evenings, it's Tesuya Kumakawa/Viviana Durante

I think, though, that part of what Eifman is doing is using big names as a box office draw. Someone wrote this, and now I can't remember who -- was it Gottlieb? -- that it's like the made for TV documentaries. (Perhaps Scott and Laci, the Ballet, will be next....) Otherwise, he'd have to call his ballets Tortured Artist I, Tortured Artist II, etc. I understand why people have dwelt on the insult aspect, but if this is anything like the Eifman I have seen, it could be judged harshly on artistic terms, aside from content. But the people who like Eifman ballets will like it.

PRINCIPAL CASTING FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 6 – JULY 10, 2004 SARATOGA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER TUESDAY EVENING, JULY 6, 8:15 P.M. (Conductors: Kaplow, Mann+, Fiorato) CIRCUS POLKA: La Fosse+ [K] pause STRAVINSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO: Borree, Martins, Whelan, Soto [Ma] [Nikkanen] APOLLO: Hübbe, Kistler, Bouder, Weese [F] CORTÈGE HONGROIS: *Sylve, *Hanna, A. Stafford, Hanson, Ringer, Evans [K] WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 7, 8:15 P.M. (Conductors: Quinn, Mann+) MOZARTIANA: Nichols, Hübbe, Gold [Q] AGON: Whelan, Soto, Marcovici, Tinsley, Hanson, Kowroski, Liang, Higgins [Ma+] TSCHAIKOVSKY SUITE NO. 3: Körbes, Hanna, Rutherford, Fayette, Bouder, De Luz, Weese, Tewsley [Q] THURSDAY MATINEE, JULY 8, 2:00 P.M. (Conductors: Quinn, Mann+, Kaplow) MOZARTIANA: Nichols, Hübbe, Ulbricht [Q] STRAVINSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO: Borree, Martins, Whelan, Soto [Ma] [Nikkanen] CORTÈGE HONGROIS: Sylve, Hanna, A. Stafford, Hanson, Ringer, Evans [K] THURSDAY EVENING, JULY 8, 8:15 P.M. (Conductors: Fiorato, Mann+, Quinn) APOLLO: Martins, Borree, Bouder, *Fairchild [F] AGON: Whelan, Soto, Marcovici, Tinsley, Hanson, Kowroski, Liang, Higgins [Ma+] TSCHAIKOVSKY SUITE NO. 3: Körbes, Hanna, Rutherford, Fayette, Bouder, De Luz, Weese, Tewsley [Q] FRIDAY EVENING, JULY 9, 8:15 P.M. (Conductors: Quinn, Fiorato, Moredock) DIVERTIMENTO NO. 15: A. Stafford, Borree, Rutherford, Bouder, Ansanelli, Martins, J. Angle, Higgins [Q] THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS: Arthurs, J. Stafford, Hankes, Ramasar, Tinsley, Fowler, Boal, Sylve, Tewsley, Evans, Reichlen [F] [McDill] THE FOUR SEASONS: JANUS: Fowler; WINTER: Veyette, Bouder, Carmena, Suozzi; SPRING: Hanson, Ringer, Liang; SUMMER: Knapp, Körbes, Fayette; FALL: Seth, Weese, Millepied, Ulbricht [M] SATURDAY MATINEE, JULY 10, 2:00 P.M. (Conductors: Kaplow, Mann+) CIRCUS POLKA: la Cour (replaces La Fosse+) [K] pause ZAKOUSKI: *Fairchild, Millepied [Grant, Nikkanen] AGON: Whelan, Evans, Boal, Tinsley, Hanson, Kowroski, Liang, Higgins [Ma+] CORTÈGE HONGROIS: Sylve, Hanna, Abergel, *Körbes, Ringer, Fayette [K] SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 10, 8:15 P.M. (Conductors: Fiorato, Quinn) APOLLO: Boal, Ansanelli, Bouder, Weese [F] MONUMENTUM PRO GESUALDO: Kistler, la Cour [Q] pause MOVEMENTS FOR PIANO AND ORCHESTRA: Kistler, Marcovici [Q] [Moredock] pause ZAKOUSKI: Borree, Hübbe [Grant, Nikkanen] TSCHAIKOVSKY SUITE NO. 3: Körbes, Hanna, Rutherford, *J. Angle, Tinsley, Gold, Whelan, Tewsley [Q] * First Time in Role + Guest Artist