atm711

Really looked forward to this, but disappointed. There were three great 'skits'----the Johanssen bit, the dancing sailors and the best one -- Ralph Fiennes trying to teach English to a cowboy star. The transitional scenes were tedious....

Oh my! It looks like Macauley threw the kitchen sink at him

The Four Kiss In The Wonderland I like that!

He has always been high on my list of favorites. I was fortunate to see him on stage in "Private Lives". Whenever I run into "Sense and Sensibility" on TV, I will watch it for the upteenth time. R.I.P.

I saw a portrayal of Balanchine in a play (Nikoli and the Others) with Michael Cerveris and he did manage to resemble Balanchine in his 40's---especially the same hairline.In the "Who's Who" he said he performed with the NYCB once in 'Vienna Waltzes'...as a waiter.

A beautiful boy---and those lovely long tapered fingers- - -he is already pointing at something.

Earlier this year I saw a great exhibition of her works at the Neue Gallery in NYC. Most impressive It included a brilliant rendition of her take on van Gogh's Sunflowers.

I saw the Sunday Mat performance of 'Monotones' with Copeland, Kochetkova and Simkin in '#1' and Seo, Hammoudi and Han in #2---the only thing I can say about Copeland is that she should stay far away from white bodysuits . The performers were not up to the DVD from the Royal Ballet that includes Nunez and Watson. I really love seeing ballet trained dancers in 'Company B--they move with such glorious freedom. Gomes did 'Death' in the Green Table.....and he was a much more forgiving character---nothing like Maximilian Zomosa of frightening memory,

Having seen the first rendition of this ballet (1947??) with Alonso and Yousekevitch--what I find sorely missing in the subsequent performances is the grandeur of the principals. Yes, Kirkland's technique is formidable (I have the recording from Dance in America) but for me, she comes across as an exceptional soloist, as do most of the others especially from NYCB. I am not looking for the old Russian Grand Manner in a ballerina, but the parts (both male and female) demand a touch of it.

It seems to me that Copeland and the music were two separate entities.......

...and it looks like the Dresden Ballet is doing it justice

To this list I would like to add the name of Raven Barkley of the Charlotte Ballet. I saw the company this summer in Chautauqua in a performance of Carmina Burana. She has a marvelous explosive jump and the wit and sauciness of a Danilova, also a lovely long slim silhouette. I asked her about her name but it was not derived from the first 'Raven'. She said her mother liked birds!

Lovely news -- God bless......

I am hoping the younger men and women who did not see much of her in her prime---go for it You will be seeing a wonderful artist---something that is seriously lacking in the recent female principals. In my younger days I was thrilled to see Danilova, Markova, Riabouchinska and even Dolin near the end of their careers.---just put technique on the 'back burner' and enjoy this artist. (although I really think she will be fine technically, or don't think she would try it) I will in all probability not get tickets for the performance----I am still recovering from last season when Semionova and Vishneva were replaced by Hee Seo---I guessg his year it will be Copland.........

A biography of Catherine Littlefield is long overdue

I hope it is the beginning of new career......

I saw 'Age of Anxiety' at the Sat Mat....for me, it was 'Fancy Free' updated for our current times.....it was a joy to see a contemporary ballet with marvelous sets (ah! shades of the glory days of Ballet Theater) The first scene was a bar, the second an apartment living room and the third, a wonderful backdrop curtain of NYC. (John MacFarlane, with lighting by Tipton) There were three main male characters and one girl.....I wondered how they would pair off. I assumed two of the boys would be gay and the other male would pair off with the girl.....but the males were all gay....and the girl??? deep anxiety. I hadn't heard the Bernstein score in a long time and thoroughly enjoyed it........All in all, the Royal Ballet was a great antidote to ABT

Thanks for the clip, Ken, that is the cast I saw last night and they were superb. The very end of the ballet was very moving....the three principals joined hands and walked in slow motion downstage and seemed to be walking on clouds.

Last night was a revelation after the disastrous ABT season. This morning I am still in awe of "Song of the Earth". It really hits home for the older generation (Me) It's hard to believe MacMillan was only in his thirties when he composed this. Each of the 'songs' I found riveting---both choreographically and emotionally. Heart wrenching.....is there a recording of this around? I found the ballet superior to his opulent evening long ballets. Osipova has a hard time doing Ashton.....she should have looked at some old clips of Fonteyn...it might have helped her. In the final PDD she was ferociously flailing her arms...and frankly. I found her interpretation more 'snooty' than regal.

I saw quite a lot of her performances when she came to New York with Petit's various companies--most memorably in "Le Combat". NYCB performed it as "The Duel". Marchand was a hard act to follow for any dancer in that role and no one ever topped her. Rest in peace.

I wonder how many 'Swan Lakes' she will be dancing next week . Fortunately I don't have tickets for any of them.

Yes, I join you in being underwhelmed. I cannot understand KM's obsession with Hee Seo----and there was Stella Abrera in one of the shades variations when her Nikiya would have been welcomed. I am sure she knows the role and would have been a great replacement for Semionova. Well at least there was the Corps, Murphy and Kim to save the night. Fortunately I will be seeing a real ballerina as Nikiya on Thursday---Veronika Part.

What I can't understand is why Seo is performing three Bayaderes in one week I have tickets for that performance and how I wish for any one but! Fortunately I am seeing Part later in the week.

I saw yesterday's rehearsal of 'Giselle' with Abrera and Shkylarov in the 2nd act. As interested as I was in s eeing Abrera---it is Shkylarov's performance that is still dominating my thoughts. What a joy it was to see a bona fide premier danseur on the stage. I have gotten so used to seeing the imitations (both male and female) I was forgetting what joy it is to see the real thing. Everyone on that stage paled next to him. Good liuck, Stella.

Mimsyb said that "Lilac Garden" and "Pillar" ...."suffers from b eing on a large stage.....the bigness of the stage overwhelms...." I originally saw both these ballets on the stage of the old Metropolitan Opera House on 39th St---I don't know the dimensions of the old Met and new Met, but I assume they are pretty close in size. Unfortunately, I do not think it is the theater, but the performers. Back at the old opera house the performers were trained by Tudor, and they projected. I have no idea who the present dancers work with since we no longer have Sallie Wilson. PS---yes, Murphy was great in T&V---what a change from Tuesday's perfformance.......