Helene

Dance Magazine did a profile of Carla Korbes in it's February 2010 edition, which has been posted to its website. Korbes will make her debut as Aurora this Saturday afternoon, 6 February, in the Ronald Hynd production of "The Sleeping Beauty".

She's a beautiful singer. I loved her in "I Puritani" in Seattle.

From what I heard a couple of weeks ago at "A Midsummer Night's Dream", the orchestra hasn't found its way yet in the new acoustics. When Benaroya Hall opened in Seattle, the orchestra was so used to "yelling" and not at all used to hearing themselves from performing in the pre-renoed Opera House that they overplayed until they figured out the right balance and relearned their feedback loop. (This was even more pronounced in the smaller recital hall than in the main auditorium.) I would suspect the same for the NYCB orchestra.

I don't know this version of the ballet. If it's anything like the Bolshoi version, there will be two big male leads and two big female leads, and with that, the inevitable comparisons between them. If they are not cast from strength, it will be obvious. The company has enough depth for multiple, great casts.

I can't wait to see the casting when it is released!

The Kolpakova "Raymonda" (Kirov). The "Dream" pas de deux is sublime. The Sizova and Kolpakova "Sleeping Beauty"s. Both Bolshoi "Raymonda"s for Gedeminas Taranda. The PBS Balanchine biography, with so many great clips, especially the "Liebeslieder" excerpts. Jacques d'Amboise: Portrait of a Great American Dancer with "Afternoon of a Faun" with d'Amboise and Leclerq. "Comme les Oiseaux" for the scene where Vladimir Vasiliev coaches Loudieres in "Giselle". "Dancing for Mr. B" and "Elusive Muse", for the interviews, commentary, and excerpts, especially the clips of Moylan as Sanguinic, Darci Kistler's graduation Odette, and Allegra Kent with Conrad Ludlow in 2nd Movement of "Symphony in C". "New Year's Eve in St. Petersburg" for the tease Wedding Act from the reconstruction of "Sleeping Beauty".

Here's a link to a video page posted on Whim W'him's Facebook page with a 2.5 minute film by Matthew Brown: http://vimeo.com/channels/whimwhim

The things we do for love.

That would be great! (As would an All Robbins program that didn't include WSSS.)

I just received an email from Ballet Arizona announcing the following principal casting in the upcoming run of "The Sleeping Beauty" (reformatted): Fri 2/12 8 pm, Sun 2/14 2 pm Princess Aurora: Paola Hartley Prince Desire: Astrit Zejnati Lilac Fairy: Kenna Draxton Thu 2/11 8 pm, Sat 2/13 8 pm Princess Aurora: Ginger Smith Prince Desire: Roman Zavarov Lilac Fairy: Natalia Magnicaballi Sat 2/13 2 pm Princess Aurora: Chelsea Wilcox Prince Desire: Shea Johnson Lilac Fairy: Natalia Magnicaballi The pdf for the complete cast list is here. Daniel Baudendistel, who portrayed Don Quixote when I saw the production a few years ago, is cast as King Florestan. Elye Olson returns for Catalabutte, and Nancy Crowley for Carabosse. Among the casting are the following Princess Florene/Bluebird pairs: Jillian Barrell and Roman Zavarov (14) Tzu-Chia Huang and Michal Wozniak (12,13M) Chelsea Wilcox and Daniel Marshalsay (11,13E) There's terrific casting throughout the run.

Renewal packages must have gone out, because renewals are being encouraged on the PNB website, with the following details on the website: http://www.pnb.org/Season/Subscriptions/Renew/Overview.aspx * The PNB premiere of Jiri Kylian's Six Dances and the return of this season’s smash hit, Petite Mort. * An all Twyla Tharp retrospective. * The long-anticipated revival of Kent Stowell's full-length Cinderella. * World and PNB premieres. * Subscriber favorites, Lambarena and Jardí Tancat. * A new-to-PNB Jerome Robbins work, Glass Pieces with music by Philip Glass. for "Afternoon Ball" and "Waterbaby Bagatelles" with "Nine Sinatra Songs", but that might be too greedy. "Glass Pieces" -- and

The program is TBD, but on 13 June at 6:30pm, PNB will present the Season Encore in honor of Stewart Kershaw, and Maestro Kershaw will conduct! http://www.pnb.org/Season/09-10/Encore/#Overview Renewing subscribers by the 27 March deadline can order tickets at a discounted price and no shipping and handling fee.

Maybe a decade ago I saw a fluff piece on soap opera actors, and the interviewer asked a bunch of them something to the effect of "What do you think about to get the reaction to the news that your late husband is now alive, or your baby has been switched?" And they said that they think, "Did I leave the oven on?" The end of the segment was a bunch of reaction shots with a dramatic voice-over asking, "Did I leave the oven on?"

I just read the obituary for J.D. Salinger on huffingtonpost.com: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/28/j...r_n_440500.html From The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/books/29salinger.html?hp From The Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...ml?hpid=topnews On Howard Zinn, From The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...0012801291.html From The Associated Press: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/us/28zin...zinn&st=cse

Thanks to the "For Ballet Lovers Only" Facebook page, I found the links to the following two-part mini-doc on "Esmeralda": The last 15 seconds or so of Part 1 shows Maria Allash, whom I haven't seen since the internet TV broadcast of "Raymonda" a few years ago. The dance excerpts are much more extensive than those restricted by US union contracts, including large parts of variations by Ivan Vasiliev and Maria Alexandrova. There's a lot of beautiful dancing by Alexandrova, so these are a little piece of heaven for me. Thanks to hookham for posting them.

I was searching for information about Fabiano and found a link to this review by Anne Midgette in The Washington Post who agrees. She wasn't impressed by Shrader in the house nearly as much as she was in the film, and didn't think Smith had it. I found it more concerning when she wrote that "That is, it selects a few singers to follow, and gives others significantly less air time; but it shorts some of the day's memorable performances and builds up some that were less good." I don't think any of the singers in the film have a Met PR star-making team behind them, and if they were overrated in the film, time and exposure will/would bring this out, but if there were greater performances to which we weren't exposed, I can only hope that the opera directors recognized this and will make appropriate offers.

I want to add my thanks! I'll watch this as soon as I am over my current bout of jetlag and can concentrate.

Welcome to Ballet Talk, 2dancer! We hope that you continue to enjoy our discussions, and hope you'll join them

I am so sorry I missed Doug Fullington's presentation. Thank you so much for reporting on it. Casting is up on the site for Week 1 in the awful drop-down box format (see below): http://www.pnb.org/Season/09-10/SleepingBe...Details-Casting There is a PNB webcast video with quotes from the three corps couples who are learning the roles: Amanda Clark/Kyle Davis, Liora Reshef/Eric Hipolito, and Margaret Mullin/Jerome Tisserand: http://www.pnb.org/Season/09-10/SleepingBeauty/#Media (BTW: When searching for the Bluebird video, I happened up from local PBS station KCTS about Hipolito.)The Rausch/Orza partnership doesn't debut the first week, nor do any of the new Florine/Bluebirds, but there is exciting casting all around in both dance and character roles: Wevers and Porretta are Carabosse, Otto Neubert is King, Dec/Lowenburg/McFall are Queen, Uko Gorter returns and shares Catalabutte with Kiyon Gaines, Jordan Pacitti is Gallison, and Ariana Lallone's Countess. I was trying to copy and paste the cast list into a grid to attach to this post, but for whatever underlying technical reason, it copies by the role and then a list of all the dancer cast for the role (to date). It's not easy to read, but here it is after a few clean-ups: Role Thu 4 Feb; Fri 5 Feb; Sat mat 6 Feb; Sat eve 6 Feb Aurora Kaori Nakamura Mara Vinson Carla Körbes Carrie Imler Prince Lucien Postlewaite Seth Orza Karel Cruz Batkhurel Bold Lilac Fairy Carla Körbes Carrie Imler Stacy Lowenberg Laura Gilbreath Carabosse Olivier Wevers Jonathan Porretta Olivier Wevers Olivier Wevers King Otto Neubert Otto Neubert Otto Neubert Otto Neubert Queen Lindsi Dec Stacy Lowenberg Victoria McFall Lindsi Dec Catalabutte Uko Gorter Uko Gorter Kiyon Gaines Kiyon Gaines Fairy of Beauty Kylee Kitchens Sarah Ricard Orza Liora Reshef Sarah Ricard Orza Fairy of Temperament Brittany Reid Rachel Foster Sarah Ricard Orza Brittany Reid Fairy of Purity Stacy Lowenberg Kylee Kitchens Kylee Kitchens Stacy Lowenberg Fairy of Joy Rachel Foster Margaret Mullin Rachel Foster Rachel Foster Fairy of Wit Chalnessa Eames Lindsi Dec Lindsi Dec Chalnessa Eames Fairy of Generosity Lesley Rausch Chalnessa Eames Chalnessa Eames Lesley Rausch Countess Ariana Lallone Ariana Lallone Lindsi Dec Ariana Lallone Gallison Jordan Pacitti Jordan Pacitti Jordan Pacitti Jordan Pacitti Princess Florine Mara Vinson Rachel Foster Rachel Foster Chalnessa Eames Bluebird Jonathan Porretta Benjamin Griffiths Benjamin Griffiths James Moore Silver Carrie Imler Lindsi Dec Lindsi Dec Mara Vinson Gold Seth Orza Karel Cruz; Lucien Postlewaite Andrew Bartee ; Lucien Postlewaite Andrew Bartee; Jonathan Porretta Benjamin Griffiths Red Riding Hood Leanne Duge Abby Relic Leanne Duge Liora Reshef Wolf Barry Kerollis Jerome Tisserand Barry Kerollis Andrew Bartee White Cat Lesley Rausch Sarah Ricard Orza Lesley Rausch Sarah Ricard Orza Puss in Boots James Moore Jordan Pacitti James Moore Jordan Pacitti

Marzipan is the hardest role in Balanchine's "The Nutcracker", in my opinion. It is long, intricate, technically difficult, yet must come across like finely spun sugar. And it comes after two, shorter, athletic pieces for a male lead, Tea and the extraordinary Candy Cane, after which its delicacies are often not appreciated by an audience on an adrenaline rush. I've always thought it should go after Tea.

Fazer Cafe I missed that Kenneth Greve runs Finnish National Ballet. On that basis, I think the company will do the work proud. (But still see "Swan Lake" in Tallinn if you can manage it.)

I was too much of a Verdi/Puccini wuss to go when Brooks was performing it, and I am very sad that I missed her Melisande. I must admit, I wanted to push Yniold into the fireplace. I didn't buy the program and forgot to check the English website to note the intermission, and while it was being performed, I thought they might perform it end-to-end. I wish they had. It's interesting that you mention tempo, because the orchestra kept the tension in the interludes, which gave it the feeling of moving and may have made the tempos seem faster than they actually were. I heard a wonderful Pelleas by baritone Russell Braun in August 2003 in concert version. Jonathan Darlington brought more color to the score, but either a slower pace or less tension. It really is so, so difficult to cast and stage this! Director Joosten did a remarkable job.

I'm fairly certain the hotel in Russia would help with the visa application, but if you're leaving in two weeks, you'd very likely need to pay the expedited fee in order to be sure of getting your passport back in time. Just to warn you, both Tallinn and St. Petersburg are experiencing "Black Days" -- the sun rises late and sets early. But if you're there for two weeks, then definitely go to Tallinn, no visa needed. It's much less expensive than Helsinki and twice as beautiful. (Not that Helsinki is ugly, but...) Their ballet company is renowned; not so much Helsinki's. Their opera company is fine as well; I heard a wonderful "Don Giovanni" there in 2003. (This link is to the February calendar.) The Old Town is a treasure, the food is fantastic, there's free WiFi everywhere, public transportation is super (a 3-day pass costs 100 EEK or 10 USD), and people everywhere speak English. The city looks beautiful in the snow: just yesterday morning, before I left, there was a light dusting. If you do go, try the restaurant Troika just off the town square. The pelmeni -- four kinds, including bear meat, which I didn't try -- are amazing. They are meal-sized, especially if you start off with a shot of vodka and end with one of their yummy desserts. The "country style" dumplings, baked with a dough lid are cooked in a mushroom cream sauce and are out of the this world. (Not a drop of the sauce will go to waste, with the bread lid.) The pelmeni with three sauces (dill, horseradish, and maybe garlic?) are also great. The total for pelmeni, vodka, and dessert would be about 200-250 EEK (20-25 USD), which is the cost of a modest meal in Helsinki, given the exchange rate of the Euro. If you decide to go and need help finding a hotel or want feedback on one you've chosen, PM me, and I'll ask my friend who lives here. It will be cold in all three places. Helsinki often feels 10 degrees colder, because of the damp winds. Bring layers and gloves (or buy gloves when you get there).

How long will you be there? Is there any chance you could spend an overnight in Tallinn Estonia, just a 3-4 hours ferry ride away? (Unfortunately, the last ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki is 9pm.) The Estonian National Ballet is performing "Swan Lake" on 4 February, and a mystery to me Ballet Evening -- I don't know the work of Nils Christe or Tiit Härm -- on 6 February at the Opera House. They're also doing a Mai Murdmaa production of "Phaidre" at the KUMU Art Museum's auditorium on 5, 7, 8 February, with score by Britten. Tallinn is more beautiful than Helsinki, and the most expensive ticket at the opera house is 350 EEK (about 35 USD), while tickets at the art museum are 245 EEK for the premiere on the 5th and 195 EEK for other performances. When in Helsinki, if you like chocolate, go to the Fazer Cafe and kill two birds with one stone: a huge variety of pastries and a chocolate store on the other side.

I just got back from a breathtaking "Pelleas et Melisande" at the new Opera House in Copenhagen. First, the building: from the back/pedestrian side, it looks pretty much like a regular building. The front is what is spectacular from the outside, and it takes a water approach at night for the full impact. I'd just gotten in after a week of -10C to -20C in Tallinn to find a balmy -5C in Copenhagen, but that was too cold to deal with waiting for water transport. The inside is just generally spectacular, for a combination of woods-- the inside of the auditorium and the giant wooden apple/cocoon facade -- steel and glass (the lobby), and sweeping round shape. The only miss for me were the giant ball chandeliers that looked like faceted Christmas tree ornaments: with the gold and rainbow mirror effect, they looked tacky, not quite whimsical and not elegant. The gold in particular wasn't needed, since the wooden apple gave the steel and glass the warmth it needed. Maybe I'm missing a design context and that for Copenhagen, this is what whimsical extravagance is. Oddly, while someone looked at my ticket as I entered, and there were servers at the bar during intermission and people selling programs, there were no ushers that I could see, nor much signage apart from the level. People were on their own, and we all figured it out. I had a wonderful seat slightly off center in the first balcony. Seating is continental style, with no center aisle. Now the opera, a production by director Guy Joosten, set designer Johannes Leiacker, costume designer Jorge Jara, and lighting designer Davy Cunningham. The costumes were turn-of-the-century for everyone but Melisande, who was dressed in generic diaphanous. The set, on a revolving platter, was like a pie cut into thirds. The base for each set was a narrow flat back wall at center with a fireplace, with the main walls angling downstage. The walls were covered in red flocked (I assume painted) fabric, with trompe l'oeuil marble baseboard and top moldings and narrow columns to divide the walls, and there was one large working door on each main wall, through which some characters moved from set to set. In each section, there was a dining room table and chairs that served as the center, and one section was the room straight. In another, there was the room with trees, including a large fallen tree stump, and in the last, there were rocks and boulders. In Melisande's death scene, the basic set was used, and the dining room table turned for Melisande to face downstage, with mirrored screens across the set behind her bed. Before I left for Europe, I watched the first act of the 2007 Tcherniakov/Bolshoi "Eugene Onegin" -- the production that made Galina Vishnevskaya so verklempt -- and it was set entirely at the huge dining room table. I was struck by how the sense of control and convention that the formality and rituals of the meal conveyed, and the same thing was true in this production. It was more intimate than the "Eugene Onegin" setting, and most of the opera was directed as if it were a play by one of the great Scandinavian contemporaries of Debussy, Strindberg or Ibsen. The brilliance of the sets and costumes was that they provided the context, repressive civilization vs. nature, both untamed and dangerous and delicate. It was a nervy, neurotic tense production that portrayed one of the most dysfunctional families in opera: the emotional delicacy and violence and the nervous-breakdown-in-the-making that is "Pelleas et Melisande". The orchestra, while it did have ravishing, delicate moments, was more robust than Gallic with the score. (The conductor was Marc Soustrot.) The concept and the conducting might not have been completely authentic, but they taught me a lot about the opera. The direction was thoughtful, if full of ambient noise, like soup plates clinking -- the family ate a lot of soup -- and, like in the "Onegin", dining room chairs crashing to the floor. It was presented with one intermission for the five acts. The only possible outlier interpretation was having King Arkel try to molest Melisande during his Act II monologue, during which he asks her to kiss him; most of the productions I've seen of the opera portrayed the character as sympathetic but ineffectual. Golaud entered through the stage right door and watched the end of that scene until he slammed the door to announce his arrival to them. There was dog imagery to reflect the opening, taped barking hunting dogs, that appeared later to chilling effect after Golaud stabbed Pelleas in the woods. At one point, Pelleas imitated a dog, and when Golaud attacked Melisande and pulled her hair, she was on all fours, like a dog. The opera ended as it started, but with a young girl in Melisande's place, weeping by a stream. The servant women who appeared during Melisande's death scene all had long, gray wigs, with hair down their backs like Melisande's. It was like they were elderly Wilis. There was a longish pre-curtain announcement, apparently told with humor, and when Golaud made his first appearance on stage, Armand Arapian appeared downstage left in black tie. He sang while the (I assume) indisposed Johannes Mannov lip-synched and acted the performance. The direction was detailed and complicated enough that it would have been impossible for a cover without extensive stage rehearsals to do the role, which included a leap onto the table to attack Melisande. Like the conducting, the singing was robust, although Arapian had some ravishing, sotto voce moments where the orchestra was almost transparent. The Genvieve, mezzo-soprano Anette Bod, was spot on in the letter scene and as an actress present for about a third of the scenes. Bass Anders Jakobsson had some solid moments as Arkel, particularly in his early scene, but in his later scene with his monologue, his voice was oddly wobbly for stretches. Baritone Palle Knudsen was convincing vocally and dramatically as Pelleas. I prefer baritones to tenors in the role, and he showed the most color of all the singers in this performance. The Melisande, Elisabeth Janssen, was affecting in a very difficult role to portray convincingly. Although her voice isn't very warm, I liked it.