atm711

On Monday night the Met Opera put on a dazzling show...Act 1 of Marriage of Figaro; Act 2 of Tosca; and Act 3 of Samson and Delilah. With great ease, Bryn Terfel went from Figaro to Scarpia and Placido Domingo was our Samson. They were both highly praised, and even my untutored ear could appreciate them. Angela Gheorghiu was Tosca and was quite magnificent in her red gown and abundant cape. I found her to be a low-key Tosca (I don't mean this vocally!); and I missed the passion of Callas; although, even to my ear, she has a better voice than the Divine Maria. The Philistines got to show off their debauchery in Samson and Delilah; the only positive note of the choreography is that they had to employ 30 dancers.

I was 'blown away' by her performance in "Theme and Variations" (the original version--not that later one ) I saw Alicia Alonso originally in the role, and I thought I would never see her equal---They both had the marvelous aristocratic style, but overlayed with a patina of softness.

Welcome to the Club

I have my tickets and I will be seeing them in Brooklyn; the last time I saw the Company they were known as the Central Ballet of China---so it has been quite a while.

"Love Affair" with Charles Boyer and Irene Dunne... (I think that's the title, although I usually confuse it with the later versions...) "Crossing Delancey" with Amy Irving.

Starting in 1978, the Dance honors went to the following: George Balanchine Martha Graham Agnes deMille Jerome Robbins Gene Kelly Katherine Dunham Merce Cunningham Antony Tudor Alwin Nikolais Alvin Ailey Alexandra Danilova Nicholas Bros. Paul Taylor Arthur Mitchell Jacques D'Amboise Maria Tallchief Edward Villella Mikhail Baryishnikov Chita Rivera Judging from some on this list, I don't think it's too soon for Farrell.

Pamela, I assure you, my comment was mostly tongue-in-cheek I particularly hate what Mark Morris did to the Nutcracker, and what that other Englishman did to Swan Lake. I find it interesting that you assume Giselle had a pre-marital fling with Albrecht; the only time I thought this could be true was when I saw Lynn Seymour's Giselle. From her reaction to Bathilde one could assume that she was 'with child'. PS: The 'age thing' doesn't bother me---I don't concern myself with things I can't change.

All wonderful scenarios--but Mats Ek still wins with his Giselle, it's the only version where Albrecht gets his come-uppance. At the end of the ballet he is literally naked and alone...... :blush: ---and that Act II in the Asylum?

Here is a bit more about it from Grace Roberts (Borzoi Book, 1946) "The first revival of the Balanchine version of 'Apollon Musagete' in America was presented by the American Ballet at the Met. Opera House, NY, on April 27, 1937 with a cast that included Lew Christiansen (Apollo), and Daphne Vane, Elise Reiman, and Holly Howard (the three muses). For this performance seventy members of the NYPhilharmonic played, conducted by Igor Stgravinsky............. The production of Apollo Musagete rejoiced in a decor and costumes by Stuart Chaney that were several degrees removed from Stravinsky's notions of what they should be. The Muses were clad in conventional Greek tunics. The setting, a naturalistic landscape, was cluttered with an assortment of objects: broken columns, urns, a colossal head, capitals, and a rock for the apotheosis, the whole over-hung with a great set of draperies, complete with fringes and tassels." She concludes with the following assessment: "Of the cast, only Holly Howard gained critical praise. Lew Christiansen received no credit for a fine performance, though, his admirable physique, classic dignity, and controlled technique were perfect for the role of Apollo. Several years later when Ballet Theatre revived the ballet, Andre Eglevsky, whose performance did not in any way measure up to Christiansen's, received the acclaim of the critics, who by that time had been more or less beaten into an acceptance of Balanchine's advanced style."

....and the ballerina with the long silver hair is Irina Baronova....

I didn't know there was a tape of Gregory as Hagar; all I know is the one with Sallie Wilson.

.......apparently she never had a peas and proscuitto sauce---delicious.

Ballet Internationale is hardly a 'world class company', although their artistic directors have been associated with a world class company. I saw the company last April at Brooklyn College and it attracted the Russian community of Brooklyn (not unlike Eifman!). The Company was a bit 'rag-tag'. The best part for me was seeing a dancer I did not know anything about---Karen Scalzitti-Kennedy, who I understand is semi-retired. It is a far cry from being an "internationally acclaimed ensemble" as Mr. Aliev states in the program.

Sitting in a darkened theater listening to the Swan Lake overture while waiting for the curtain to rise---I get a chill up my spine every time ....

Concerto Barocco---I have found myself, many times, concentrating on those 8 girls.

I don't know the last time, but I do know the first time. It was in 1848 with Fanny Elssler. "A contemporary informs us that Elssler's miming was so touching in the scene where Esmeralda bids Gringoire farewell and crosses to the scaffold, that many spectators shed tears" (CWBeaumont) She also used this ballet for her farewell performance at the Bolshoi in 1851.

I saw a performance of 'Giselle' with two 'closing' ballets The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo (1950) opened with Chauvire's Giselle and followed with the 3rd Act of Paquita with Danilova, and closed with a ballet called Birthday with Mary Ellen Moylan......

In the days when Ballet Theatre had an opening ballet before Giselle---there was no peasant PDD in the first act, which made the ballet considerably shorter, and, IMO, made for a better flow of the action.

I feel that way about 'Nutcracker' and have said so; but since your comment on Sleeping Beauty wounds me, I vow never to utter another bad word about 'Nutcracker'.---I wonder, did you see the Kirov reconstruction? 4 hours of bliss.

The solo waltz in Les Sylphides and the 2nd movement of Symphony in C---Why????because I can do them better than anyone

Thanks for the reminder, Paul. This is one I wanted to see but somehow got away. I just requested it from the library.

I had the same impression when I saw the tape of the Nureyev/Seymour Giselle. It would not have surprised me if the poor girl was pregnant---which could explain her fury at Bathilda.

It's only a guess, but that sounds like something Ludmilla Tcherina would have said in the film 'Red Shoes'.

Yes Yes The possibilities are endless---surely this deserves a topic of its own

Wow--great work, Estelle. The Ballets Russes documentary is something I would love to see...hopefully.