drb

Knowing my own interests in seeing various casts in favorite ballets and repeating viewings of favorite dancers (Bouder, Reichlen and about 20 others), I will go less often this season than I would have, BUT given the immense upgrade in ballets being shown, will likely go more often than last winter.

I hope sales go up and dancers are healthier.

One sign of intelligence in all this is that the company, when faced with a crisis, knows enough to call in Balanchine to the rescue! The PBS fall broadcast* of Bringing Back Balanchine should spur the public's interest in him just in time for winter sales.

*As reported on the upgraded site and posted on the Bringing Back Balanchine thread in Ballet Videos, Films, and Broadcast Performances.

The program will be aired on PBS this fall, and the dvd will be out by Christmas!!! So reports NYCB's website under What's New:

Broadcast Alert: Bringing Back Balanchine

In July 2003, NYCB visited George Balanchine’s birthplace of St. Petersburg, Russia, for the first time in more than 30 years to help celebrate the 300th anniversary of the city and the start of the Balanchine centennial year. This documentary film presents an insider’s view of this historic tour, including excerpts of many remarkable performances there, backstage views of the famed Maryinsky Theater and stunning panoramas of a city that is legendary to anyone with an interest in ballet. Bringing Balanchine Back, will air on public television this fall. Narrated by Kevin Kline, this film is a treasure trove and will be available for purchase on DVD—just in time for the holidays. Check back in this space for specific date(s), channel and air times.

.... I do hope there will a few interesting debuts in ballets where some of the older generation should be leaving.

There always are. That's one of the best things about this company, and a great part of why it is my favorite.

Acosta makes a great point about that AD fetish of creating "Swan Lakes" which not only ruins Swan Lake (while greasing the AD's pockets) but retards progress:

We don't need a new Cinderella, or a new Swan Lake. Why spend £1m on a new production of Swan Lake when you could be working towards a new piece that could shape the future?...

Of course Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty sell. But we cannot just think about what will and will not sell, otherwise we will just go on doing the same thing, and we will never take this art form further.

That great hope Christopher Wheeldon has made two full-lengths, Midsummer Night's Dream and Swan Lake.

Oh.

Well they were good. And the originals were pretty mediocre.

Maybe he should have expended his talents on something that was needed.

Checking the dancers list on the new site, I don't see any other new corps members than the above six. But doing a count:

Principals 23

Solists 20

Corps 54

Total 97

I can't remember when NYCB was so large.

ABT has theme programming at the Met. So successful that they were down to one last year. ABT has mix & match in their all mixed-bill City Center season. And it sells. So ABT copied the old NYCB method for City Center, and now NYCB copies ABT's Met idea.

Sales will be up because there are so many more great ballets this winter, plus the three Diamond Project hits. No doubt credit will go to the easy marketing scheme. More initial sales, but fewer repeats? Perhaps they should have tried the Quality gimmick first...

Here, from the site, is the program they are planning to honor him. Episodes, Vienna Waltzes, Tribute, the latter a ballet by Chris d'Amboise. Comments?:

Tribute to Kirstein.

This program pays tribute to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Lincoln Kirstein, who co-founded both the School of American Ballet and New York City Ballet with Balanchine. Kirstein, who was born on May 4, 1907, in Rochester, New York, is widely acknowledged as one of the most important cultural figures of the 20th century.

English critic Clement Crisp has written that Kirstein was “one of those rare talents who touch the entire artistic life of their time. Ballet, film, literature, theater, painting, sculpture, photography all occupied his attention.” The Company will continue its Kirstein centennial festivities during the 2007 spring season.

Included on the program is the NYCB premiere of Tribute, a ballet that was created to honor both Kirstein and Balanchine by former Principal Dancer Christopher d’Amboise, and was originally performed at the School of American Ballet workshop performances in 2005. The program will also include Episodes and Vienna Waltzes, two landmark works by Balanchine, whose arrival in America in 1933 was made possible through Kirstein’s efforts.

This program will debut on Saturday, January 27 at 8 pm, and will be performed four additional times: Wednesday, January 31 at 7:30 pm; Sunday, February 4 at 3 pm; Tuesday, February 6 at 7:30 pm; and Thursday, February 8 at 8 pm.

http://www.nycballet.com/ticketing_info/su...r1_TSMenuID=246

Here's the site's illustrated list of programs. I had to log in to get to it, so I hope it works.

As you can see, the greatest Balanchine lineup since forever.

I was all set to hate the idea, then looked up my schedule (you must be registered):

January 12 - The Sleeping Beauty

The Sleeping Beauty

Approximate performance conclusion time: 10:30 pm

January 26 - Tradition and Innovation

Mozartiana

In Vento

Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2

Approximate performance conclusion time: 10:30 pm

February 9 - Contemporary Quartet

Carousel (A Dance)

Intermezzo

Slice to Sharp

Friandises

Approximate performance conclusion time: 10:35 pm

February 23 - For the Fun of It

Circus Polka

Walpurgisnacht Ballet

Jeu de Cartes

Firebird

Approximate performance conclusion time: 10:15 pm

Only one junk ballet on the whole list. The trick is that they are starting this system with a lot more high-voltage Mr. B. than they gave last seaason: for last year's rep it would have been a nightmare. So I think people will be relatively happy this year, but not because of the new system. In statistics this is known as confounding: an unethical trick to make a desired response come through. Of course I've only looked at a few other series so far.

Here is a problematic program:

Serenade

Dybbuk (Major Revival)

Stravinsky Violin Concerto

Two I'd want to see frequently, but in the middle of this tasty doughnut not just a hole, a rock. Perhaps they could set up extra chairs on the promenade and play old Suzanne Farrell vids for escapees. Or specifically permute programs so that 2 out of 3 times the dog would be first or last. Of course this specific example is particular to my taste, but there will be others...

"Single-ticket sales were flat from 2001 to 2003. After a spike for the 2004 Balanchine centenary, they remained higher in 2005 but declined slightly last year." For the decline, check the Balanchine rep. The only Big Gun (Quality + Popularity) was Symphony in C over and over and over. And Ashley Bouder was out. With this year's long list of Masterpieces last year wouldn't have gone down.

Sofia News Agency reported today:

A hotel in Varna, on the Black Sea coast, saw its premises closed off by police on Monday. The reason was a call threat saying there is a bomb planted in the hotel. Police cordoned off the area and evacuated the guests of the hotel - the majority of whom are participants in the last-night closed International Ballet Contest Varna 2006. No explosive was disclosed, so guests and hosts of the hotel returned back to normal routine in the afternoon.

The Last Dance, Sunday July 30

The seven movement Tomasson/Bach 7 for 8 started with Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun and Pierre-Francoise Vilanoba. As on opening night, she maintained her continuous flow of movement. Kristin Long and Gonzalo Garcia followed, and as in Sylvia he projected a warm-hearted virtuosity. Then came Frances Chung, Elizabeth Miner and Pascal Molat. Next Jaime Garcia Castilla joined Garcia, Long and Miner. So far a pleasant show piece, and each dancer was pleasing. Pascal Molat came on for a very well-danced solo, I feel it was significantly better danced than his Aminta, making it a bit easier to understand why he is such a well-regarded principal.

The sixth movement featured a return of the lead pair, Pipit-Suksun and Vilanoba. There was a moment when she let go of his hand and managed to simultaneously move toward and away from him. Maybe she didn't move at all. But it was the moment of poetry in this ballet. As on opening night, there is something very special about this dancer. She delivers those you-gotta-be-there moments, yet so quietly that you wonder what other you may have missed with the blink of an eye. There is something subtle about her fluid movement that transcends even direction. All the dancers were enjoyable in the finale. Choreographically light, but showing each dancer pleasingly, if not sufficiently challenging them.

Poor Mr. Wheeldon. When you are called "the best young ballet choreographer" everyone expects an almost Sleeping Beauty or a Symphony in C or an After the Rain. So Quaternary isn't it. Still, it has its merits.

Winter (Cage) gave another chance to see Yuan Yuan Tan, here partnered by David Smith. Solists were Elana Altman, David Acre, Lily Rogers and Quin Warton. Maybe because I like Cage's music for prepared piano I liked this. Maybe a better reason is that I really enjoyed Tan this season, she has such fine amplitude and presents the choreography in such a crystaline way.

Spring (Bach) featured Lorena Feijoo, Joan Boada, Tina LeBlanc and Rory Hohenstein. Although anticipating looking at the first pair, I was drawn to Tina, whose dancing explained the title of the section. At least for me, Wheeldon's invention seemed to flag by mid-movement.

Summer (Part). Here's Wheeldon! Muriel Maffre and Tiit Helimets were the dancers. In NYC we've seen some extraordinary duets created by Wheeldon on Wendy Whelan and ultra-partner Jock Soto. One knew from the opening Gala that Helimets was a real partner, then he disappeared during the Sylvias. Why? Maffre brought her imagination, that gave such completeness to her Diana, to play in this more abstract scenario. She was riviting. The piano's notes plucked singly very slowly, but deeply, and the space between was filled by Wheeldon's completing, giving continuity to the seemingly discrete music. The music has an emotional heart, of course, the notes the beating of the heart and the dancers swimming on this quiet wave. Helimets created the vast and calm sea in which his secure partner could entrance. When he exits stage left she is left to sit onstage, alone. This was very well received, in the moment and substantially during the bows at ballet's end.

Autumn (Mackey, played by the composer on electric guitar) completed the seasons. Sarah van Patten and Ruben Martin, with Brooke Moore, Garrett Anderson, Jonathan Mangosing, Garen Scribner, James Sofranko. Liking this is probably highly correlated with how one feels about the music. Is there some meaning to van Patten's coming over to console, and then remove Maffre's gown? There is a lot of action for the corps. I note again, as in the Gala, that any emotion that Sarah projects does not involve facial expression.

Forsythe's Artifact Suite had a large number of dancers, plus leading roles for two couples, Yuan Yuan Tan and Damian Smith, and Tina LeBlanc and Gonzalo Garcia, with Muriel Maffre as the Sentinal and William Forsythe as the Big Ego. The thudding curtain and that long pause as we were forced to sit in semi-darkness, awaiting breathlessly the next burst of divine creativity: For once I was not in a mood to shssss the restless talkers. When we were allowed to see some choreography and dancing it was as good as the season's given. When it was over you wouldn't have known that this was the company's farewell. Perhaps the audience felt too mistreated, and hadn't the heart left to pay proper honor to SFB's worthy dancers.

Favorites? One would be tempted toward a long list. But allowing two of each.

For the women:

Yuan Yuan Tan, she taught me much about what I was seeing, and had the amplitude and presence of a ballerina.

Nutnaree Pipit-Suksun, precisely because I don't know why.

For the men:

Guennadi Nedviguine, for going beyond technique and for gazing at his ballerina.

Tiit Helimets, perfect partnering for two totally different ballerinas.

Grand Prix:

Muriel Maffre, for being the season's Heart of Dance.

Just out of curiosity, did Martin West conduct all three Sylvias?

He has been the listed conductor on all four programs, and is the only conductor included in the description of artists in the Playbills.

Sylvia, Friday June 28

The final pairing was Vanessa Zahorian and Guennadi Nedviquine.

Tonight, a different look at the ballet, downstairs. Early on there was a minor stumble and a couple of dancers in named roles had some problems finishing multiple turns. Out of curiosity, how do SF seasons work? Does the company usually dance over a significant number of days without breaks? Not to worry, though, for this turned out to be a very successful performance.

I like the way each dancer in the big roles has interpretive freedom, even some with the steps, in this company. After a fascinating exploration of choreography by Tan, and romantic, capturing the spirit of the great score, by Elizabeth Miner, Zahorian seemed to go for realism. For example, while being carried off by Orion (Damian Smith) half way off she stopped her struggling, overcome with concern for Aminta (or maybe just that a dead guy wouldn't be able to rescue her?). Asleep at Orion's, she was dreaming as he stroked her leg and clearly her expression showed this had invoked an especially erotic moment in her dream, and thus so natural that she made that arching backward reach to encircle her dream-lover's neck, only to be shocked to awaken to Orion. It wasn't just because of Morris's choreographic need to echo Aminta's awakening from death by Sorcerer/Eros (Garrett Anderson). Once the goons had been inebriated to their knees around the table she mounted it. The oboe began to sing erotically like a shenai and we (or rather they) were treated to a dance right out of (in spirit) Bejart's Bolero. This was quite a strong Act for her. The scene change at the end was more magical from orchestra level.

There always seems more to see in Act 3. With all that beautiful classical symmetry, a boy and girl on the left and two girls on the right place one Grecian Urn, centered, on each side. Then place alongside four bowls each, but Zenly not symmetric in their placement. A signal that classical symmetry can be enriched? After all, it is Mark Morris. Well, if there were any doubt, on comes Nedviguine to proclaim this truth, as he came into his own with his opening solo full of renversees, daring to tip into a higher dimension of artistry. Zahorian captivated the crowd with a beautiful floating finish to her solo. The adagio was really magic. This was an Aminta who really partners, presenting the ballerina by gazing at her with such a sense of awe that we must look at her. He evokes Malakhov partnering Vishneva. I can give a danseur no higher praise. What ballerina would not dance for such a partner? His variation was a symphony of renversees, who could care that others might have more and faster pirouettes? Interestingly, that shocking toss of himself around himself was in the opposite direction from the first two Amintas, and smoothly, did not upset the higher symmetries he'd been creating.

I think I may have been a bit imprecise earlier regarding audience response. The curtain does go down and up at least a couple of times, it is just that after the last down applause stops so individuals do not come out in front of the curtain for additional bows. NYCB audiences tend to demand these curtain calls for worthy performances. Tonight was the most responsive audience so far. The company and individuals did have to come forward frequently, even more often tonight. The crowd was especially loud for Garrett Anderson and Muriel Maffre, and of course the leads. While this is the first night followed by a non-work day, I don't think that fully explains the more prolonged ovation. They were good!

Sylvia, Thursday July 27

Seeing this again is a different experience, both b/c of Morris and the Company.

Having made my snap judgments Wednesday, I especially looked at what I didn't like. Clearly Morris likes to play "naughty." So just accepted that (why not, it works for his company and this is his ballet). Very different cast.

1. Sylvia: Elizabeth Miner for Tan. As suggested by posters who've seen this in The City (yes, was there for years long ago, and sorry NY, it was), they are very different. I think a choice, if one had to be made, is one of seeing Morris's inventions (Tan) or seeing a Romantic ballet (Miner). Although different players in all the other roles can create figure-ground problems if one really wants to try to compare ballerinas. That, to me, stunning/signature/beautiful horse gait in Act 1 was much more pronounced with Tan. Since I like it I was happier with the "high amp" version. Sylvia and the other Valkyrie/Nymphs in Act 1: Miner is one of them, sort of a first among equals; where Tan is more set apart, as in Birgit Nilsson from the chorus in Die W (I don't mean this necessarily qualitatively). When Sylvia is shot with Eros's arrow, Tan has much more to change. On her return to glimpse the dead Aminta Miner was the one who showed a more genuine set of emotions: it was the beginning of her drawing more audience sympathy for her character Sylvia, the more Romantic ballet interpretation.

In Act 2 I thought Tan put up the more interesting struggle, seemed more in danger. This could have been b/c Pierre-Francois Vilanoba was a less Brutish Orion that was Possokov with Tan. Vilanoba was a bit more tempered by his romantic side. We felt for Miner, the less resourceful, more Giselle-ish victim. We rooted for Tan, the battling valkerie. (The Act 2 curtain drop scene change again was not completely successful looking down, it seems designed for those sitting at orchestra level.)

For Act 3, where Tan was more a Diamond, Miner was pretty-in-pink, a radiant Pink Sapphire (Madagascar) in a diamond setting. With Tan I saw more of the cascade of diamantine effects in the adagio that Mr. Parish described in the previously referenced early review. With Miner more of the romance, a warm glow. Of course the surprises in choreography are more likely to hit one on first viewing.

2. Aminta: Pascal Molat for Garcia. In the variations Gonzalo Garcia did seem the more virtuosic. In particular, after the Act 3 adagio, his pirouettes were more Corella-ish, the renversee was instant and pronounced, reckless, and seemed the tranforming impetus for the throw of himself around himself. Mr. Molat showed more preparation for the final leap around himself.

3. Diana: Katita Waldo for Maffre. It was certainly nice to see Waldo on stage again. While certainly effective, there's no getting around the fascinating character development that Muriel Maffre gives to Diana.

4. Eros: James Sofranko for Castilla. I guess one just has to come to terms with Morris seeing this character so differently from Ashton. On second viewing, it seems that if Morris were to have been a dancer in Sylvia, this is the role he'd have taken. One might enjoy this role by imagining that Mark Morris was dancing the part.

Since this is the home field for NYCB, a company very rich in dramatic ballerinas these days, one can't help but think of possible Sylvias there. Especially after seeing Elizabeth Miner's, Sara Mearns seems a real natural for this choreography. She has the youth and of course that awesome beauty. And so effectively grabs an audience's sympathy, well, adoration. But it's that score by Delibes, the thought of her playing with it. Tchaikowsky, 1877: "Listened to the Leo Delibes' ballet Sylvia. In fact, I actually listened, because it is the first ballet, where the music constitutes not only the main, but the only interest. What charm, what elegance, what richness of melody, rhythm, harmony. I was ashamed. If I had known this music early then, of course, I would not have written Swan Lake."

While this is the home of NYCB, the (again a nicely full house) audience for SFB this summer seems different from the regulars. Both in terms of recognition of familiar faces, and in the way they respond. Especially of late, NYCB audiences can be very demonstrative (although also not, it depends on what goes on onstage, unlike the automatic standing ovations for ABT). This year we had the Diamond Project again. It offers up a few new one-acters every few years. And this year there were a number of big hits, at max the 10 curtain call variety. In the first three nights of SFB, once the curtain is lowered the dancers don't come out for bows. I really wish we'd had the NYCB crowd around for SFB. Were NYCB to have shown Act 3 as a new one-acter, I think the home audience would have gone wild.

An aside. There is a photo exhibit of prior Lincoln Center Festivals on the First Ring Promenade. The photo at the South East corner of the exhibition is of Molly Smolen, dancing Ashton's Isadora (Brahms) with incredible expressive power. It is a Wow! I hope they find a way to get her into the weekend's mixed bill.

Highs:

1. The Partnerships. Ferri/Bocca, Vishneva/Malakhov, Part/Gomes.

2. Frequently, the quality of corps dancing.

Lows:

1. The Lack of Partnerships.

2. Only one Part/Gomes.

3. Virtually no chances given for people in the corps to dance meaningful solo parts.

4. So many dancers leaving the company. Not really much different from 3.

By the way, if you haven't looked recently, there are many new late-season photos now posted on

http://www.geneschiavone.com/gallery/

Under Principals (beginning with a half dozen of Vishneva/Malakhov in the swamp), including such highlights as Bocca's shoes-at-Giselle's-grave. New ones mostly at the beginning and end of this collection.

Under Invidual Dancers you can see many corps and soloist favorites.

I watched Divine Dancers this afternoon. Unless you love Masha Alexandrova and Sergei Filin you might want to save your money. A peculiar release in that these two Bolshoi stars are given lesser billing than Charles Jude (an honorable Moor's Pavane), Polina Semionova and Igor Zelensky, and Daniil Simkin.

It begins with Polina and Igor in the bedroom PdD from Manon. Sure she dances it well, but Vishneva and Malakhov capture so much more of its emotional intensity and beauty on their Great Dancers of Our Time dvd. Chemistry needed, not there. Of course Semionova is the very young Prima of Malakhov's Berlin company. He's very generous with permitting video excerpts of his company, so you can see much more of her greatness on You Tube, for example.

Daniil Simkin is supposedly the new Baryshnikov or whatever. On the basis of this, not even whatever. Not that he has a chance to show if he can dance ballet. The first bit is a duet with his father, OK, a novelty for a novel situation. But it is to Sinatra's My Way. Choreographer Stephan Thoss is not Twyla Tharp. Very not. Then he has a duet with Marek Tuma to a Jacques Brel song. It would merit an F if there were anything to even grade. His father speaks, saying he wants to make sure that his son doesn't make the same career blunders he made. Then we see Daniil in a solo to another Brel piece. Seems to be playing an 8 year old boy, wearing a tie no less, "cute", and finding a cancerette in his shirt pocket. Poor kid can't find a match. But can play pretend smoking and do a couple of tricks. The audience likes this one. This is the last but one item on the dvd. They stick in at the end:

Masha and Sergei in an adagio from Raymonda Act II. This is the best thing in the show. Both of them are in great form and relate, so strongly that when it ends about three minutes later, they seem to find returning to reality a bit awkward. Why on earth didn't this keep on going? The dvd says it is 6 minutes long, but that includes the final bows for all the performers, including Alexandrova and Filin in their Fille du Pharaon costumes. So clearly the adagio has been placed at dvd's end for some non-sequential reason. In Fille she dances Aspicia (on the full ballet dvd this is danced by Sveta Zakharova and Masha dances Ramze) so you do get something otherwise unavailable here. This actually is nearly 6 minutes long, and they are terrific, individually and together.

So this dvd does give you nine great Bolshoi minutes and a nice six minute look at Polina. And they do get to say a few words. (Masha and Sergei both really admire each other, so? We couldn't tell by watching?)

Most of the other, unfamiliar, dancers are either saddled with empty choreography, or in one case would have been better served if the recording had been "misplaced." The one good exception is a duet from Who Cares? danced by Natalie Hoffmann and Altin Kaftira.

Now I will keep going back to watch Masha and Sergei, so I can't say don't buy it....

Sylvia, Wednesday July 26

Another full house for SFB at the State Theater (at least as seen from the 2nd Ring). The NYC Opera orchestra, under SFB Music Director Martin West, again distinguished itself (take note, ABT Orchestra, it is possible for horns and brass to play in humid weather).

A year after Mark Morris created his version of the ballet, Sir Fred Ashton's Sylvia appeared as if from nowhere at ABT and The Royal, and surely looked far better than what one expected from the history books. Perhaps such a master's "C" work would be graded an "A" in today's choreographic world.

Certainly for me Morris's Act 1 was a huge disappointment compared to Ashton's beginning. It looked very cluttered (stage size or Balanchine's house aesthetic?). Although with (finally...) the arrival of Sylvia (Yuan Yuan Tan) and her eight nymph friends the scene began to have a sense of place. It was the brilliant swing section, with its echo of Fragonard's Balancoire: not so much the famous voyeuristic "Swing" in which a gentleman is given a view, but more the earlier painting that may be seen here http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/s_z...liams/swing.jpg

So one might see a post-Watteau sensibility at play in this Act. It looks French.

It is very difficult to say much about individual interpretations based on one viewing. But Tan does seem to project as an authentic, space-filling ballerina. I also liked the horse-like gait given the ballerina while running. I mean this positively, the proud high-chested gait of a thorobred. At first look, I don't buy Morris's Eros/disguised version, as compared to Ashton's take. Yet it does give him added scope for choreographic invention, and much for dancer Jaime Garcia Castilla to revel in. And he surely did impress.

Aminta (Gonzalo Garcia) and Orion (Yuri Possokov) would come into their own later.

In Act 2, after being too contemporarily thuggish as the Act 1 abductor, Orion became more developed. Much of this Act looked as if Morris were playing with the Balanchine of Prodigal Son, as if imagining how Mr. B. might choreograph the scene in which Orion and his goons (so like the creeps in PS) have Sylvia in their cave. Mr. Possokov clearly did us a favor by unretiring for this mini season. He was intense, powerful and riviting. Somehow he brought dimension to this basically vile character, we could be interested in him. Oddly, we had to leave "France" to get to wine. Now obviously, wine is also a big deal in Northern California. Vintners must have enjoyed Mr. Morris's notion that wine was created spontaneously by stomping on grapes: instant fermentation. Yet it did get the guys drunk. But what looked as if it were going to be a stunning scene change may not have worked right. Will have to see it again. Still really missing Ashton.

Act 3. Classical ballet! A white classical (ancient--statues of four gods) set, beautiful symmetries, in perfect harmony with a very diamantine presentation of the balerina. A wonderfully classical, inventive PdD for Sylvia Tan and Aminta Garcia. So many stunning images for Sylvia (perfectly described with luxuriating detail in the 2004 Dance View Times article by Paul Parish). Garcia's variation after the adagio was both classical and exciting. A brilliant curly-cue kind of finish (I would assume Morris's) to multiple pirouettes. Repeated. Hopefully someone can decribe this more technically. But it not only was a virtuosic detail, it added emotional fullness through gesture, made the variation more than just a variation.

{edited addition when more awake--11:15 AM Thursday Muriel Maffre must be mentioned for her Diana, played as a more dimensional character perhaps than we see in Ashton's version. She came on with an intimidating expressive power and relishing it. But when her youthful indiscretion was revealed she quickly enjoyed the release she received from her own stringent bonds. Her participation in Sylvia's wedding-by-sharing-an-arrow, a brilliant aesthetic stroke by Morris, showed her liberation was to be extended to others as well. One imagines that after the ballet was over there were to be changes in Nymphville.}

So, a great Act 3. Enough to go again. When Act 3 began the white + symmetries followed by the presention of the ballerina and very classical choreography brought diamonds to mind. Act 1, had a certain French perfume. And so Balanchine touches in Act 2 began to suggest a certain parallel to Mr. B's Jewels. Which goes from French to American (i.e., Mr. B.) to Imperial Russia. During my first 15 or so years of Jewels, Diamonds was my favorite. I know the other two are better. But Diamonds then was Farrell. When you've got D-flawless... And I think that Morris's diamond-faceted final act makes his Sylvia a keeper.

Gala, Tuesday July 25

Well, quite a company! And 76 dancers large: 19 principals, 11 soloists, 41 corps, 3 principal characters, 2 apprentices. The combined 30 at the top is more than at ABT. With all these dancers that are new to me, please forgive any misjudgments; it takes a season, not party bits in a gala, to form any fair opinions.

The evening began with some powerhouse choreography, not always the case overall.

1. Vertiginous Thrill, Forsythe/Schubert. Long/Waldo/Zahorian/Garcia/Nedviguine. They all showed great energy and enthusiasm for what they were doing. Star turns, but not just, clearly a company.

2. PdD from Dance House, Bintley/Shostakovich. Pipit-Suksun, Helimets, Hohenstein. The biggest Wow! for me of the gala, Nutnaree P-S is magic. Flexible mid back, and an incredibly strong lower back: she extends a leg, Tiit H lifts her by it to anywhere you can think of, and she never has to break her flowing spell. Using all her body in charismatic harmony. I have no idea what she can or cannot do re classical technique, but I'd buy a ticket to see her in anything.

3. PdD from Reflections, Mendelssohn/Possokhov. Maffre/Smith. Something about mirrors. Problem was the conductor was reflected in full, at dancer level, too distracting to follow the dancing.

4. Swan Lake PdT, Tomasson after Ivanov(it says, but is in a Petipa Act). Chung(a turner)/Viselli/Phillips. Corpsman Joseph Phillips very impressive. Very nice diagonal of double-into-single tours-en-l'air in his first variation, continuing impressively air-borne in the second.

5. Odette Adagio, (looks very Ivanov). Tan/Helimets. Yuan Yuan Tan seems very pure. Stunningly perfect right foot petits battements at the end, but not a sense of trembling. Helimets, as with P-S above, is a very princely partner. Watch out for prince-raiders from certain aging big companies...

6. Harlequinade PdD, Balanchine/Drigo. LeBlanc/Boada. This really grabbed the house. She has a skimming above the floor look to her dancing, her first variation thrilled the crowd. Both showing exemplary speed.

7. Concerto Grosso, Tomasson/Geminiani. Molat and Anderson/Garcia Castilla/Hohenstein/Yamamoto. While Molat especially pleased the audience, it did seem to go on...

Second half.

8. Chaconne, Tomasson/Handel. LeBlanc/Karapetyan. Tina skimmed across the stage again, beautifully.

9. c-# Waltz from Chopinianna, Fokine/Chopin. Smolen/Martin. I don't like Fokine and generally avoid Les Sylphides, even back in Baryshnikov's era. This was wonderful. Her epaulement was notable. But I can't say there was anything technically special. Yet the pair created some sort of magic. Chemistry, I guess. Whatever, for me the goose-bumper of the evening. Beauty, restraint, intense emotion.

10. Purple from Terra Firma, Kudelka/Torke. Long/Possokov. I don't know. Just too logical, like the composer. Still, appreciate Possokov's unretiring for us, and look forward to seeing him this weekend.

11. PdD from Fifth Season, Tomasson/Jenkins. Tan/Smith. Nicely danced.

12. No Other, Caniparoli/Rogers. van Patten/Vilanoba. Looked right on this stage, where Mr. B's Who Cares? so often has appeared. This really sang, delightfully danced by both. There's something flowingly emotional about Sarah van Patten, without emoting or seeming to even change expression. She joins Nutnaree and Molly as my three favorites of the evening.

13. Don Q PdD, Petipa/Minkus. Feijoo/Boada. A bit of ABT-ness. Star power fun. Lorena made about 45 rotations during the "32", and Joan delivered charismatically.

14. Brubeck Solo, Lubovitch/Brubeck. Garcia. A star turn, but not, it would seem, a very interesting vehicle.

15. 3rd Movement, Glass Pieces, Robbins/Glass. Finally a chance to see a good chunk of the company. Very attractive, intense dancers. Bravi!

...

Sylvie Guillem- Cherry

Diana Vishneva-Raspberry

...

With all due respect, Diana is Cherry. And given her recent performances, make that Cherries Jubilee*!

Just plug her name

ВИШНЕВОЙ

into Babelfish to see why:

http://babelfish.altavista.com/

* Escoffier's original recipe (for Q. Victoria):

CHERRIES JUBILEE (Original Version)

Simmer some fine stoned cherries in syrup. Drain them, put them into little silver, fireproof porcelain or glass ovenproof dishes. Pour the syrup into which they have cooked over them, after boiling it down and addiing to it a little cornstarch or arrowroot diluted with cold water. Then pour into each dish a tablespoon of warmed kirsch and set flame to it at the moment of serving."

The original version had no ice cream. A few years later Escoffier invented Peche Melba, which did. And so, God Save the Queen, this progress from the Empire:

CHERRIES JUBILEE (Modern Version)

Pour the juice from a pint jar of pitted Bing cherries into the top pan, or blazer, of a chafing dish. Place the pan directly over the flame and bring the juice to the boil. Thicken it with 1/2 teaspoon arrowroot dissolved in a little cold water and then add the cherries. Stir the cherries in the sauce until they are heated through. Pour over the cherries 2 ounces of kirsch and set aflame. Serve the flaming cherries and sauce over a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Quotes from Historian J.J. Schnebel at http://members.cox.net/jjschnebel/cherries.html

One book tangential to the subject of your question is Gennady Albert's "Alexander Pushkin".

The book is available on Amazon and a number of pages and photos (Pushkin with Nureyev, with Baryshnikov etc.) are viewable gratis. Ballet history buffs and teachers, especially, might find it interesting:

Alexander Pushkin: Master Teacher of Dance presents in detail three of Pushkin's classes: a Senior Class from the late 1930s-early 1940s; a Graduating Class from 1967; and an Artists' Class from the 1960s. The classes reveal the inventiveness of his combinations and the logic of his class progressions. Pushkin always refused to write a ballet textbook because he did not want his method, which was flexible and adapted to the individual needs of his students, to turn into a rigid lesson plan. However, he was generous in sharing his ideas on teaching with all who came to observe his classes. His openness is reflected in this biography by a former student, which makes available for the first time in English the techniques of one of the greatest and most influential of all modern ballet teachers.

Shipping from Amazon on 25 July is Divine Dancers, a Gala in Prague (January 2006?) starring among others Polina Semionova/Igor Zelensky, Daniil/Dmitri Simkin, Masha Alexandrova/Sergei Filin.

From Amazon: 5 more days

Adam - Giselle / Svetlana Zakharova, Roberto Bolle, Vittorio d'Amato, La Scala Ballet

List Price: $32.98

Price: $24.69 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

You Save: $8.29 (25%)

Availability: This title will be released on July 25, 2006. You may order it now and we will ship it to you when it arrives. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

Did anyone see Kathryn Morgan's Juliet debut yesterday in Saratoga?

From today's links, the review gave a small mention:

...Robbins' "Andantino" featured Megan Fairchild and Joaquin de Luz; Sean Lavery's "Romeo and Julie" showcased Kathryn Morgan and Tyler Angle. The satisfying performances were expressive but not overly showy.

I've also heard it was a success, but join you in hoping for a live report.

... Maybe this project might not seem so depressing if Tchaikovsky's music were used, or Delius's, or Berlioz's. How about Bellini? Zingarelli? Zandonai?...

Or maybe Luigi Marescalchi, who composed the first Giulietta e Romeo (he even got the order right!) ballet score in 1785 for choreographer Eusebio Luzzi, a five-act version, for intermission lovers. But more to the point, the score by Constant Lambert for the Bronislava Nijinska 1926 Ballet Russe version, with some choreography by BALANCHINE!