atm711

All that dancing on hard concrete made me cringe---why would Malakhov agree to that? Overall the program was duller than usual.

...a bit late in replying---but, yes, definitely Eglevsky and Toumanova---only Toumanova has eyes like that---and Eglevsky had the largest hands in ballet---one wag of a critic at the time said that he ''appears disconsertedly to be looking for a towel to wipe his hands on"

Oh, yes. Ruth Page's 'The Bells'---after all these years I am left with an image of Frederic Franklin encased from the shoulders to the calves in a transparent bell--the bottom part was on a hoop and it moved from side to side (I know there is a photo somewhere of this). come to think of it I believe it was beige. It was outstanding, in a way---outstanding-ly weird.

Cygnet---I think you are having a Charlie Brown moment.....

Those Red Shoes managed to kill Victoria Page........

As a long time admirer of Ansanelli (I still miss her very much) thank you Leonid for your comments. She is a 'natural' for Ondine and in time I would not be surprised is she is at the top of the list of interpreters.

I guess I am getting used to the gynecological/pretzel approach to choreography (did Balanchine ever think it would go this far?) But, I too, did find parts of it very moving (due in great part to the beautifully trained dancers) but could only think how much better the angst approach would have been in the hands of a Tudor. There are some great parts in it for Somova better still-----rehashed B alanchine and Robbins with angst, anyone?

Back in the early BT days there was not a complete Nutcracker. What was very very popular was the Act II Adagio recreated by Anton Dolin. Alonso, Markova, Hightower--they all performed it. I have a great little book by Anton Dolin-- "Pas de Deux, The Art of Partnering" and it has the complete choreography as set by Dolin.

I saw "Billy" a few days before it opened and I found it to be as touching as Macaulay wrote. There isn't much one can add to this review. I was never much of a fan for British musicals and I saw this with much trepidation. It had the emotional punch of great American musicals--'Oklahoma', 'Carousel' and 'South Pacific'. I was so pleased that the "Swan LaKe'" of the film was absent from the musical. The pas de deux of the young Billy and his grown-up self (marvelous Stephen Hanna) inserted in the middle of the musical was glorious. Be sure to have Kleenex with you.

Actually, ABT only did the Nutcracker Pas de Deux between the sugar-plum fairy and the prince---the only longer version of Nutcracker around in NYC at the time was by the Denham Ballet Russe; a truncated version by, I believe, Alexandra Fedorova.

....or Whistler's Mother ??

The Alonso photos are glorious...it brings back the Alonso I saw those many years ago. There is one photo of Alonso with an 'unidentified man'--it is a youthful Antony Tudor---.

the problem is, for those of us (in dwindling numbers!) who saw Tudor in the 40's, something will always be missing in the revivals. I don't like the current ABT revival of 'Pillar of Fire'---but, hey, that's OK. I am glad that other generations can see the work. There will be times when current dancers hit-the-mark--as in Veronika Part's interpretation of the other woman in 'Lilac Garden'. My generation marvelled at Nora Kaye in 'Lilac Garden' but others said there was no one better than Maude Lloyd. (she is at the top of my list of wish-I-saw-that)

I am still not over her 'Ballet Imperial'...

If ever sets and costumes were important to a ballet---this R&J is it. It was Botticelli come to life. The dancing for most of the cast is very stylised; it has been called "dramatic pantomime". It can be slow moving, which gives one a chance to enjoy the costumes. (more like the old court ballets). There is one beautiful sequence of the bridesmaids in their flowing Botticelli dresses. Considering some of the disasters BT has spent money on I would hope they would try to revive this one;--it's their heritage. With all the scenery chewing productions of R&J out there--this would be a wonderful thing to see again with their original sets.

On his first date with Michele they went to the Chicago Art Institute... and she said she was impressed with his knowledge of art...

I guess I am one of the very few BTers who saw Hightower dance in her prime. She was a ballerina in the early days of Ballet Theatre. She was one of my first Odettes and had a very beautiful classical line; she was also my first Myrtha (with Markova and Dolin's Giselle) and she showed me from the beginning that Myrtha was a ballerina role. Her interpretation of the pig-tailed girl in 'Graduation Ball' was a real gem; and she also did the Nutcracker and Bluebird PDDs. I dare say, she was our first Native American ballerina---the two Tallchiefs were soloists at the time. Rest in peace, Rosella.

I saw 'Lilac Garden' last night with Melissa Thomas and Veronika Part--two of my favorites. Part was superb as the other woman; she really 'nailed' the role. She could have been schooled by the Master himself. Thomas had the most youthful interpretation of the role of Caroline I have seen. The interpretation was a bit light-weight and hopefully more performances will reveal a greater depth. There was another 'Ballo' with Wiles and Hallberg. This ballet was so tailor-made for Merrill Ashley's gifts I have sympathy for any ballerina who takes it on. The Romeo & Juliet PDD was a tease..it would be wonderful if ABT restored the original work and used it as a centerpiece of its repertoire. There was a rousing finale of 'Company B' which had me tapping my feet throughout the performance.

I will never cease to be amazed at how fast all your answers arrive. Thanks. The first time I saw it performed was by the Pennsylvania Ballet.

I am trying to locate a DVD that has a performance of 'Grosse Fugue'. Some of the van Manen DVD's do not give a complete list.

I saw 'Pillar' last season but I have purposely avoided it this season for some of the reasons Coleen mentioned. Many of the subtleties of the younger sister and the seducer are missing. I do have a long memory of other performances. particularly Janet Reed as the younger sister. With Reed you weren't quite sure if she was genuine or not in her affection for Hagar--she wasn't quite so overt. Gomes, on the other hand pushed the role too hard and came out looking like a common street thug--unlike his seductively elegant Rothbart. (which is how Hugh Laing played it---seductively elegant)

I was at last night's performance and I am completely dismayed by the performance of Theme & Variations. Sara Lane ?? No--this was a minor league peformance by a supposedly world class Company. I felt the same way about Cornejo in T&V as I did with his recent performance last spring of Don Q...he has a long way to go to convince me he is a Premier Danseur. He is lovely to watch technically--but.....I really liked Reyes and Saveliev in "Leaves"---their PDD was a joyful testament to love. Much of the ballet was reminiscent of the final lyrical PDD of Pillar of Fire. The cast of 'overgrown path' was breathtaking to watch---imagine! Herrera, Part, Kent, Murphy, Gomes---all on the stage at the same time---it's enough to make any ballet a success. Time will tell with different casting; although I thought it an appropriate tribute to Tudor.

All three boys look great I have my tickets for the day after THE election.

I have a copy of 'Blood Memory' which I have enjoyed reading; all this talk has prompted me to re-read it.

I have a cast list of probably the first performance on Feb. 2, 1939 and it lists the four princes as: Harold Turner, Frederick Ashton, William Chappell and Frank Staff. The clip was just a few weeks later in March.