cargill

I don't know what it is called, but I would very much like to see something to relax the wrists, so they don't flick quite so violently at the end of a variation. And of course, it would be nice to have a large stock of Antiguillem, to keep legs from jerking up at regular intervals.

Funny though the idea of the Texas Bayadere is (Billy-Joe Solor is wonderful), in a way it just shows what an effective libretto Petipa was working with. At the bottom of all that ham, there are real, believable human feelings. And did you know that there was a version (as a joke) of Wagner's Ring set in Texas, called Das Bar-be-que. I forget all the details but they were as funny as Billy Joe Solor on his mechanical bull. As for a truly bad idea, Amarcord seems pretty hard to beat. As for a bad idea that hasn't been tried, I was actually thinking on my way to work that I was very glad I haven't seen Der Winterreise danced to. There are some works that are so self-contained that the idea of dancing to them trivializes the original.

For me, it was the old "loved the dancers, didn't like the repertory" scenario. The new Peter Martins looked very much like a Heather Watts pas de deux, with cut off tights, lots of difficult and jerky poses, with the occasional flexed foot. I enjoyed the music, because it was live, which makes such a difference, and the odd combination of instruments (saxaphone, piano, cello, and violin, as far as I could tell) made for an interesting sound. The music had a sort of a casual, impromptu feel, but the choreography was pretty souless. The new Stanton Welch looked like just about every other Stanton Welch piece I have seen, except that the costumes were bright orange. I thougth their first season had more variety, last night all the pieces looked pretty much the same.

The Burrow was an early Macmillan ballet, which I haven't seen, but was supposed to represent Anne Frank's hiding place, as I recall. Wasn't Echoing of Trumpets supposed to have been based on the massacre at Lidice? It certainly has a WWII feel.

Gomes has danced some principal roles at ABT, but is not consistently cast in them as yet, so I don't know how long it may take him to be promoted, but it is hard to imagine that, if he stays healthy, he won't be. ABT has some wonderful men now, though, and it may be hard for him to move up, especially if Acosta is really coming. I think is is just stunning as a dancer, so polished technically, (as it seems so many are now), and just so gracious and generous. The Theme and Variations he did last spring with Murphy still gives me chills to think about, it was so powerful yet so elegant. It must have been so wonderful to see him in Brazil--what was the audience's reaction?

I don't think the Revenge or the Planted Review is a new issue--some of my favorite Victorian novels have lots in them about dishonest reviewers, both pro and con. What has changed somewhat now, I think, is that there are fewer places that carry reviews. If the reader can choose between 6 different opinions, one doesn't carry so much weight. I also don't think that a good review is one that the reader agrees with. As an example, I happened to love the Kirov's new/old Sleeping Beauty, but Marc didn't. But I think he wrote a very good review of the production, which I respected far more than a mindless rave, even though Mr. Mindless and I had the same opinion. As for the Gottlieb review, I didn't agree with all of it--van Kipnis is very different dancer than Kyra Nichols, much lighter, but for me just as springy. And Jenifer Ringer was also spring and she is certainly a dancer who can be matched with any previous ones. Also Martins, as I understand it, does not have control over the Robbins repertoire, so the general complaint of no coaching (which I think is a real problem), if it was true in that case, can't be blamed on Martins. I think Gottlieb, though I may be reading it wrong, was saying that ABT and NYCB have the same types of problems, not that they are converging; the problems of fine dancers inadequately coached and cast, and a repertoire not equal to their talents.

I had a Cuban friend who loved ballet and Alonso especially, but he refused to see the Cuban ballet because of Castro; he just couldn't bring himself to go. It is easy to say art and politics should be separate, but it is difficult when it is personal. On the other hand, he was not arguing that the Cuban Ballet shouldn't come to Washington or that others shouldn't see them. I remember the 80's Bolshoi tour, and I certainly didn't get the feeling that the audience was made up of leftists. On the other hand, after seeing those men, I did think that the Russians should just send the Bolshoi around to American army bases, and we would surrender immediately. But I think it is best to at least try to separate art and politics. I don't agree with US policy towards Latin America, but am very glad to see Conterto Barocco.

I think the most famous example of ballet influencing fashion is Bakst's Sheherizade (that looks like I spelled it wrongly). All sorts of evening gowns in the teens looked wonderfully colorful and exotic. And I have read that it influenced interior design too--many fluffy pillows. As for dress influencing ballet design, the only example I can think of is the ball gowns of the 1830's, with their basque waists, cap sleeves, full skirts, and slippers, which became the Romantic tutu.

He danced in Fosse on Broadway after he left ABT, I am pretty sure. And I think he is still with Twyla Tharp--he was dancing in her company last summer. I was at his last performance at ABT. It was very nice, lots of applause and flowers. He is a lovely dancer.

In general, this may be true, that the successor of a great person is maligned unfairly, but I don't think it is always the case. Ashton took over the Royal Ballet from de Valois, one of the all time great, imaginary leaders, and there was no outburst of criticism of his leadership. By and large, he was praised for his additions to their repertoire, especially for bringing in Nijinska. (No grumbling about doing old choreography, or cries for the new.) It is certainly true that many New York writers have been critical of Peter Martins recently, but that attitude developed gradually. If you read things written soon after he assumed the position, people were, as I recall, extremely positive. And one of the first major things he did was revive Liebeslieder Walzer, which was, in my opinion, brilliantly cast and carefully rehearsed, and was greated by almost uniform rapture--I don't remember any complaints. Certainly Croce, who people would put firmly in the anti-Martins camp now I think, praised it and him to the skys. I think it is a little too easy to dismiss all the Peter Martins comments as a knee-jerk reaction of post-genius depression.

I was tremendously impressed with Duncan Cooper's Prodigal Son when he danced it in New York a couple of years ago. I was lucky enough to interview him (the interview appears in the most recent Ballet Alert), and before talking to him, read through his reviews. His first Prodigal Son, in San Francisco (he began his career with the San Francisco Ballet), got some of the most incredible reviews I have ever read, so I wasn't alone in being impressed! Unfortunately, he has had some terrible injuries, but he was so moving as the Prodigal.

About the "British hate Balanchine" issue, there was an interesting article in some quarterly (I forget which one, maybe Ballet Review) discussing the whole issue, especially the received gospel that the NYCB was not popular when it first came to London. The author quoted extensively from early reviews praising his choreography, not all of them by by Richard Buckle! Somehow this idea got around about the benighted British, but I remember when I was there in the early 1970's, almost every review I read (a slight exaggeration!) said the Royal Ballet should do more Balanchine. Coming to the US after having lived in England, I was struck by how narrow the US writers seemed, it was Balanchine or bust, pretty much. Having lived in NY for a number of years, I think a lot of that is just what they had the chance to see. Nutcrackers or bad Swan Lakes or the 1000th production of Giselle were often the only story ballets around, and Balanchine was so much better than that. But having lived in both countries, the idea that the British just don't get Balanchine is not true as far as the writers go, and the idea that New Yorker's only like Balanchine does have a bit of truth.

In the eternal Ivanov/Petipa debate, I thought it might be interesting to quote some things Karsavina wrote about them. I found them in a brief article she wrote in the 1906's about the Maryinsky La Fille Mal Gardee. She says "Having danced Swan Lake, La Fille, and Graziella and having had besides a fairy close knowledge of Ivanov;s blighted career, I always longs for his claim to greatness to be acknowledged. I was too late to have worked under his direction: the year of my graduation was the year of his death. But his mehtods of work and the systematical repression by Petipa of his opportunity for a full self-expression I learned from my seniors and my father who was a staunch friend of Ivanov. The ageing Peitpa needed a hack worker under him and with this aim in mind he nominated Ivanov as the second ballet-master. The policy of Petipa, the all-powerful master of our stage, had been to turn over to Ivanov only the curtain-raisers or a few items in his own ballets for which Invanov never got the credit with the public...Even then Petipa would look over Ivanov's work, sugggest, add or alter and, on the strength of this "editing", put his name on the programme. The artists all along knew that those jewels of Swan Lake, the second tableau and the last act, were Ivanov's work, but the public was not told so." Of course, this is not unnecessarily an unbiased account, but it seems to suggest that crediting Ivanov more than a Soviet idea to build up the Russian angle.

That is a wonderful stage direction/translation. I remember a very literal translation of a Czech opera, which described a ball as having the guests "engaged in active milling", which I think if a pretty good description of some of the lst act Swan Lakes I have seen.

I will be boringly predictable and say the absolute gold standard Odette for me is Fonteyn. I saw her very late, but she was so extraordinarily moving--her mime was so wonderful, I didn't care about the dancing at all. She made the work such a tragedy. I will never forget her in the final act going I will die, I will die,just by crossing her wrists. Susan Jaffe is very good, as well, especially with Careno. For me, Swan Lake stands or falls with Odette, and the Odile comes second.

As I have said many times, I adore the mime, and having seen productions both with and without, I think the mime adds so much. Odette has so much more character and individuality, she has to convince an audience she is enchanted, she has to really use her eyes, and not just flap around. It is so much more moving with the mime. And the queen should have enough time for her say, too, and Siegfried should get a chance to react as a person, not just rush off and do some droopy solo.

Since in the real Swan Lake, von Rothbard is a magic owl, the headress was originally, I have been told, intended as an echo of the owl, so the two-pronged feathers. I supposed dancers prefer tiaras! I think the style of the tutu really depends on the period. Our taste has changed so much. But what I think most people forget is that Odile isn't in there to vamp and seduce Siegfried, she is there to trick him into thinking she is Odette. There are echoes of Odette in her dancing, and she is trying to mimic her, she just isn't able to be as soft or lyrical. She is not up there bumping and grinding. This is yet another reason I think the new ABT version is so wrongheaded, because von Rothbart is not a symbol of sex, he is an evil force, and so is Odile. Playing them salaciously, a la MacMillan, is just taking the easy and sensational way out.

The only Benno I have seen is the Trockadero's, so I am certianly not qualified to make any judgements, but I would love to see him back, just to see what it might have been like. Someone, I forget who, said that with him, Siegfried stood back more and looked adoringly at Odette, which would help focus the audience's attention on her and her reactions. Two people partnering her might also make her look more fragile, which would help characterize her. I think I remember seeing or reading that in the original Swan Lake, the hunters partnered the swans during the second act. (Presumably dropped in the early English productions because of lack of men.) Having real men, in real shoes--not the fake ballet boots--contrasted with the swans in point shoes would make them look more magical, I should think. It certianly worked in the Kirov new/old Sleeping Beauty, when Desiree was wondering around the vision scene in heeled boots.

I saw them here in New York in the mid-90's, and the rustics seemed like buffons and the lovers like dandies. It oculd have been that the Met is so huge, they felt they needed to overplay it a bit, but I was very disappointed. It is one of my very favorites, but is such an ensemble piece that any wrong note jars so.

Dale, I think McKenzie has wanted to do The Dream for quite a long time. I remember a number of years ago talk of a Shakespearean triple bill of The Dream, Moor's Pavane, and Tudor's Romeo and Juliet. I heard that money was the problem (the sets for R & J were very cumbersome and expensive.) McKenzie danced in The Dream as a member of the Joffrey, as I recall. The Dream is a stunningly beautiful ballet, but very hard to cast, with Bottom, Puck, and the lovers, who have to be very subtle comedians. Anything too broad or silly can make the work seem so trivial. The last time I saw the Royal Ballet do it, it looked in pretty bad shape, but then my memories go back to Sibley, Dowell, and Alexander Grant! [ 06-26-2001: Message edited by: cargill ] [ 06-26-2001: Message edited by: cargill ]

The first production I saw was the Royal Ballet's of the late 60's, and the various editions of that one: the Ashton/Tchaikovsky ending and the Ivanon/Drigo one (which is the one I really prefer), the pas de trois in, the pas de trois out, the Ashton pas de quatre in the lst act/3rd act, the makurka in/out. But over all it was a lovely production, very simple, very believable. The Festival Ballet did a version, set by Beryl Grey, which nobody much liked. As I remember, the folk dancing was replaced by the princesses dancing classically (they were from the various countries), and a brand new last act, which wasn't up to much. The Canadian Ballet, with the Wicked Witch of the West substituting for von Rothbart, and Odette surviving ending. The San Francisco Ballet's, set in the 18th century; I would think even a 20th century Swan Lake would be more appropriate than that rational, even-tempered, harmonious age. I thought it was completely wrong-headed. Balanchine's one-act version, in the newly designed ice-palace edition. I have never found his, with so many of the shapes and phrases taken from Ivanov, to be as moving as the original. It just seems a bit fussy and figity. The old David Blair ABT version. This was a bit down-at-heels, and the first act was a bit messy, but the 2nd and 4th acts were just fine. (sob, sob) The new, Russified Royal Ballet version. I thought it was about the worst production of a classic the Royal Ballet had ever done, until their Sleeping Beauty topped it. Swan Lake is not a Russian story, it is not set in the 19th century (I know the Romanov's weren't much in the brains department, but to go hunting with a cross-bow when his army has guns is a bit silly even for Siegfried.) The lake sets are hideous and unmagical, like someone's own private nightmare, not some magical place. And having Siegfried come bouncing on in the third act running around like he just swallowed the jester is dramatic nonsense. Peter Martins' version. I have gone on at length about it and I think my review is still posted on the reviews page if anyone is interested! The new ABT version. A major disappointment, because they had a decent version which needed some polishing. Again, it is just so dramatically inept. How could anyone not give Siegfried the closing scene of the first act? The various Russian versions, too indistinct to keep track of. Too many jesters, not enough mime, and terrible last acts. It seems that the further away productions get from the original, the clumsier and more inept they become. In addition to writing "Odette is not a bird" I wish directors would also write until they believed it "Petipa/Ivanov were better choreographers than I am." [ 06-25-2001: Message edited by: cargill ]

I have only seen her briefly with the San Francisco Ballet when they were in New York; she danced the Cage, which I think is just a horrible little ballet, though well-made, and she was very good. I have also seen her in a couple of galas, and didn't much like her. She did the white swan pas de deux, granted out of context, but seemed just all extensions and mannerisms, which almost no emotional content. I remember thinking she didn't look at all classical, and can't imagine what her Aurora was like. Aurora needs so much weight and dignity in the last act.

Amanda, I have always wanted to see Evans to Melancholic, too. I think he has almost too much presence and tension for Phlegmatic. My favorite Phlegmatics were Mel Tomlinson and Adam Luders, who had a sort of boneless quality to their upper body that just seemed to ripple with the music. And such a deadpan expression when they picked up and put down their foot. Evans makes it seem so significant. But yes, it is wonderful to see him in anything.

One ballet I would love to see again, which is still listed on the NYCB web site's repertoire, is the Haieff Divertimento. It was revived for the Balanchine Celebration, and danced the season after than, and then jsut disappeared. It was a leotard ballet, and I guess people thought it too similar to 4Ts, but it had some wonderful choreography, especially, as I remember, for the men. And the music was very good. If it's not done soon, I supposed it will be lost again, which is a shame. It had a small cast, and seems like it would suit a smaller company perfectly. The Sylvia pas de deux was danced at NYCB for a year or so after the Balanchine Festival, but except for Kyra Nichols and Judith Fugate, it didn't seem to be danced very well. I think they have dancers now who would look very good in it, and it would make a nice change from some of the other pas de deux they keep doing, like Romeo and Juliet and Zaklousiki!

Thanks for that report. I certainly agree with each choice. Elizabeth Walker is just wonderful to watch. She danced the Russian girl in an SAB performance of Serenade when she was about 15 I think, and she was just so abandonded. She also danced the lead in Robert La Fosse's fairy tale ballet at the SAB performance I saw however long ago it was, and I just loved her. She is so much fun to watch, because she always seems to be so happy on stage.