Helene

-- We agree on a movie-related topic I just love Peter Riegert.

The musicians, dancers, and backstage personnel are involved in taping live productions, and royalties and fees need to be addressed with each union. This has proven to be prohibitive historically.

I'm going to veer a little off ballet here -- the worst case of this I've ever witnessed was during the performance of Rigoletto in the 1970's in which Ingvar Wixell made his Metropolitan opera debut in the title role. Originally scheduled to sing with him were Reri Grist and Luciano Pavarotti. I had been at the Opera Guild dress rehearsal in which neither appeared and was prepared, and, sure enough, the pre-curtain announcement came that both singers had the flu-of-that-year. A man just below us in the Balcony yelled out an expletive at full voice and stormed out before the performance began. The audience was kind to the Gilda, who I think was Gail Robinson, but had no tolerance whatsoever for the tenor, Enrico diGiuseppe, whose third act aria was greeted with a number of boos. I just thought of this the other night, when I read his obituary in Opera News.

Thank you so much for posting this. It is fascinating and humbling to learn about a revered figure about whom we know little. The UNESCO article says that Beishenaliyeva "danced on the famous stages of the world." I wonder if any of our readers have seen her performances outside Kyrgyzstan. Were you able to get a sense of the state of ballet now in Kyrgyzstan during your trip?

On an sad and eerie note, in the April issue of Opera News, there is an advertisement for a tribute in memory of Birgit Nilsson, and Moffo is listed as one of the guests paying tribute to her. (There was also an obituary for Enrico di Giuseppe, who sang Rodolfo in the first live opera I ever attended, in the same issue.)

I voted for the Kirkland/Baryshnikov Theme and Variations on May 17, 1978.

Here are the dance excerpts I found; I'm sure there was dancing in those New Year's Galas, but it's not broken out: New York City Ballet May 30, 2002 NYC Ballet's Diamond Project: Ten Years of New Choreography Beverly Sills, Host Stravinsky, JEU DE CARTES Choreographed by Peter Martins, conductor: Andrea Quinn. Janie Taylor, Benjamin Millepied, Damian Woetzel, Nikolaj Hübbe Francesco Geminiani, CHIAROSCURO Choreographed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett, conductor: Maurice Kaplow. Jock Soto, Rachel Rutherford, Jennie Somogyi, Pascal van Kipnis, James Fayette, Tom Gold. Marsalis, THEM TWOS Choreographed by Peter Martins: Guest conductor: Robert Sadin. Charles Askegard, Maria Kowroski, Nikolaj Hübbe, Yvonne Borree, Jock Soto, Darci Kistler. Hindemith, VIOLA ALONE Choreographed by Kevin O'Day; (no conductor). Carrie Lee Riggins, Jennie Somogyi, Jeroen Hofmans, Alexander Ritter. Respighi, ANCIENT AIRS AND DANCES Choreographed by Richard Tanner; conductor: Mauarice Kaplow. Gagliarda: Carla Körbes, Philip Neal Siciliana: Janie Taylor, James Fayette Passacaglia: Alexandra Ansanelli, Sébastien Marcovici Evelyn Ficarra, LA STRAVAGANZA Choreographed by Angelin Preljocaj; (no conductor). Richard Einhorn, RED ANGELS Choreographed by Ulysses Dove (no Tom Gold, Benjamin Millepied. conductor). Electric Violin: Mary Rowell. Maria Kowroski, Wendy Whelan, Albert Evans, Peter Boal. Shostakovich, MERCURIAL MANOEUVERSChoreographed by Christopher Wheeldon; conductor: Andrea Quinn. Jenifer Ringer, Jock Soto, Benjamin Millepied, Ashley Bouder, Lindy Mandradjieff. Live backstage intermission feature with Beverly Sills and Peter Martins;Pretaped intermission feature: Peter Martins, dancers' choreographers and Andrea Quinn (conductor) talk about music/ballet; Peter Martins, choreographers and dancers talk about dance; Pretaped intros to all dances are done by the choreographers except for "Red Angels" which is introduced by Wendy Whelan (dancer) and Mary Rowell (Elec. Violin). --------------------------------- New York City Ballet May 5, 2004 New York City Ballet: Lincoln Center Celebrates Balanchine 100 Stravinsky, Fanfare for a New Theater; Tschaikovsky, None but the Lonely Heart; Drigo, Harlequinade (excerpt); Stravinsky, Duo Concertant (excerpt); Brahms, Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet (First Piano Quartet in G minor, Op. 25); Brahms, Liebeslieder Walzer (exerpts); Bach, Concerto Barocco (excerpt) Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor: Largo; Gershwin, The Man I Love (excerpt from Who Cares?); Strauss, R., Vienna Waltzes (excerpt) Pretaped: Susan Stroman introduces archived video of Balanchine. ------------------------- New York City Ballet Hugo Fiorato, Conductor Peter Martins, Choreographer Miranda Weese, Odette/Odile Damian Woetzel, Prince Siegfried Jock Soto, Von Rotbart May 5, 1999 Tschaikovsky - SWAN LAKE (Ballet in 2 Acts; choreographed by Peter Martins after Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov and George Balanchine; Scenery and Costumes by Per Kirkeby) Beverly Sills, Host Act I; INTERMISSION; Act II. Pretaped intermission feature: Beverly Sills in conversation with Peter Martins, Darci Kistler and Damian Woetzel. Pretaped feature in celebration of NYCB's 50th Anniversary: "Fifty By Five", featuring: John Guare, Bert Stern, Robert Caro, Paul Cadmus and Wendy Wasserstein. Program Length: 2:51:37 ------------------------------------------ New York City Ballet Robert Irving, Conductor Maria Calegari (Titania) Ib Anderson (Oberon) Jean-Pierre Frohlich (Puck) Merrill Ashley, Adam Luders (Divertissiment) May 24, 1986 Mendelssohn, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (choreography by George Balanchine) Patrick Watson, Host Live intermission interview backstage with Irving/Peter Martins, Ballet Master in Chief. Program Length: 1:58:46 ------------------------------------------- American Ballet Theatre Jack Everly, Conductor Natalia Makarova (Juliet) Kevin McKenzie (Romeo) Johan Renvall (Mercutio) May 7, 1988 Prokofiev, ROMEO AND JULIET (ballet in 3 acts, choreographed by Kenneth MacMillan) Patrick Watson, Host Pretaped intermission feature with Natalia Makarova in 2 segments with Watson commentary live backstage; live interviews backstage with Kevin McKenzie, Georgina Parkinson, Dance Mistress. Program Length: 2:57:46 ---------------------------------------- New York City Ballet Ray Charles, Ray Charles Band, The Raeletts, Judith Fugate, Stephanie Saland, Heather Watts, Lindsay Fischer, Robert LaFosse, Jock Soto, Allison Brown, Florence Fitzgerald, Tom Gold, Nilas Martins, Gordon Stevens, Robert Irving, Conductor, New York City Ballet Orch. May 12, 1989 "Ray Charles in Concert with the New York City Ballet" (A FOOL FOR YOU, choreographed by Peter Martins). (no host) Carmichael/Gorrell, "Georgia on My Mind"; Charles, "Ain't That Love" (Fugate/Saland/Watts/LaFosse/Brown/Fitz); Charles, "Don't You Know" (Watts/Soto); Curtis, "It Should've Been Me" (LaFosse/Brown/Fitz); Mayfield, "Hit the Road Jack" (Fugate/Soto/Watts); Charles, "Rockhouse" (Fugate/Saland/LaFosse/Fischer); Nugetre, "Mess Aroung" (Brown/Fitz/Gold/Martins/Stevens); Charles, "A Fool For You" (Watts/Soto); Charles, "I Got A Woman" (Fugate/LaFosse); Glover, "Drown in My Own Tears" (Saland/Fischer); Charles, "What'd I Say" (Entire cast); Kern/Hammerstein, II, "Ol' Man River"; "America the Beautiful" (adapted by Charles). Program Length: 57:46 -------------------------------------------------- American Ballet Theatre Alan Barker, Conductor May 20, 1981 Martine van Hamel, Alexander Godunov, Elaine Kudo, George de la Pena, Ruth Mayer, Kevin McKenzie Susan Jaffe, Lisa de Ribere Marianna Tcherkassky, Fernando Bujones Natalia Makarova, Mikhail Baryshnikov Cheryl Yeager, Danilo Radojevic, Cynthia Harvey Glazounov, RAYMONDA Divertissements (choreography by Petipa) Delibes/Minkus, "Jardin Animé scene from LE CORSAIRE (choreography by Petipa; orchestration by Hershy Kay). Hertel, Act I Pas de Deux from LA FILLE MAL GARDEE (Choreography by Jean Dauberval & Petipa) Tchaikovsky, THE SLEEPING BEAUTY Act III (choreography by Petipa) Live intermission interviews with Baryshnikov; Godunov, Van Hamel. Program Length: 2:28:45 ------------------------------------------------------ A Lincoln Center Special New York City Ballet Robert Irving, Conductor October 4, 1982 (Perf. Tapings: June 18-19, '82) Peter Martins, Suzanne Farrell, Kyra Nichols, Maria Caligari Martins, Adam Luders, Karin von Aroldingen, Victoria Hall "Stravinksy & Balanchine: Genius Has A Birthday!" (2 ballets choreographed by George Balanchine, with music by Igor Stravinsky) Introductory remarks by Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. APOLLO: Apollo (Martins), Terpsichore (Farrell), Polyhymnia (Nichols), Calliope (Calegari) ORPHEUS: Orpheus (Martins), Dark Angel (Luders), Euridyce (Aroldingen), Leader of Bacchantes (Hall). --------------------------------------------------------------- A Lincoln Center Special New York City Balled Robert Irving, Conductor October 10, 1983 (Perf. Tapings: May 27-28, 1983) Kyra Nichols, Heather Watts, Elyse Borne, Karin von Aroldingen, Suzanne Farrell, Sean Lavery, Helgi Tomasson, Bart Cook, Peter Martins, Adam Luders Suzanne Farrell, Victor Castelli, Ib Anderson Lourdes Lopez, Heather Watts, Patricia McBride, Sean Lavery "New York City Ballet Tribute to George Balanchine" (3 ballets choreographed by Balanchine) (no host) J. Strauss, II, Franz Lehar, Richard Strauss VIENNA WALTZES Tchaikovsky, MOZARTIANA George Gershwin, WHO CARES? (adapted & orchestrated by Hershy Kay.) Program Length: 1:58:46 --------------------------------------------------------- American Ballet Theatre Akira Endo, Conductor Natalia Makarova (Odette/Odile) Ivan Nagy (Prince Siegfried) June 30, 1976 Tchaikovsky, SWAN LAKE (ballet in 4 acts choreography by Marius Petipa & Lev Ivanov) Dick Cavett, Host Live intermission interviews backstage with Clive Barnes, Dance Critic, New York Times; Erick Bruhn (a principle dancer of the ABT); Makarova, Lucia Chase (Director of ABT). Program Length: 2:58:48 --------------------------------------- American Ballet Theatre John Lanchberry, Conductor Natalia Makarova (Giselle) Mikhail Baryshnikov (Count Albrecht) Martine van Hamel (Myrta) June 2, 1977 Adolphe Adam, GISELLE (ballet in 2 acts, choreography by Jean Coralli & Jules Perrot. Orchestration by John Lanchbery). Dick Cavett, Host Live intermission interview with Erik Bruhn (a principle dancer of the ABT). Program Length: 1:58:48 ---------------------------------- New York City Ballet Robert Irving, Conductor Patricia McBride (Swanhilda/Coppelia) Helgi Tomasson (Frantz) Shaun O'Brien (Dr. Coppelius) January 31, 1978 Delibes, COPPELIA (ballet in 3 acts, choreography by George Balanchine and Alexandra Danilova after Petipa. Book by Charles Nuitter after E.T.A. Hoffman). Edward Villella, Host Live intermission interviews backstage with McBride/Tomasson, Danilova; O'Brien, Irving. Program Length: 2:28:48 ------------------------------------------ American Ballet Theatre Akira Endo, Conductor May 17, 1978 Rebecca Wright, Marianna Tcherkassky, Ivan Nagy Natalia Makarova, Fernando Bujones Gelsey Kirkland, Mikhail Baryshnikov Cynthia Gregory (The Firebird), John Meehan (Tsarevitch), Leslie Browne, (Tsarevna), Marcos Paredes (Immortal Kostchei) "American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House" (in 3 acts) Robert MacNeil, Host Chopin, LES SYLPHIDES (choreography by Michel Fokine) Leon Minkus, Grand pas de deux from DON QUIXOTE (choreography after Marius Petipa) Tchaikovsky, THEME AND VARIATIONS (choreography by George Balanchine) Stravinsky, THE FIREBIRD (choreography by Michel Fokine) Live intermission interviews backstage with Makarova, Bujones, Erik Bruhn, (a principle dancer of the ABT); Kirkland, Bruhn. Program Length; 2:44:57 --------------------------------- American Ballet Theatre John Lanchbery, Conductor Cynthia Gregory (Princess Aurora) Fernando Bujones (Prince Florimund) May 2, 1979 Tchaikovsky, THE SLEEPING BEAUTY (ballet in Prologue and 3 acts, staged by Mary Skeaping after Marius Petipa & Nicholas Sergeyev) Robert MacNeil, Host Live intermission interviews with Marcos Paredes (Wicked Fairy), Jolinda Menendez (Lilac Fairy); Gregory, Bujones, Lanchbery. Program Length: 2:58:48 ---------------------------------------------- American Ballet Theatre John Lanchbery, Conductor Natalia Makarova (Nikiya) Anthony Dowell (Solor) Cynthia Harvey (Gamzatti) Victor Barbee (Rajah Dugmanta) Alexander Minz (High Brahmin) Danilo Radojevic (Head Fakir/Bronze Idol) (Marianna Tcherkassky replaced Makarova after Act I). May 28, 1980 Minkus, LA BAYADERE (ballet in 3 acts, choreography by Makarova after Petipa. Music arr. By John Lanchbery). Pia Lindstrom, Host Live intermission interviews backstage with Lanchbery, Israel Chorberg, ABT Concert- master; Dowell, Makarova. Program Length: 2:28:46

Thanks, Leigh! It looks like Stowell's strategy might be the same here as for Swan Lake: present the big party scene with lots of divertissements and the big pas de deux and variations for a first viewing. For Swan Lake, this will turn into a full-length the following season (this June).

From the subscription brochure I received yesterday: Ballet Under the Stars September 2006, Dates and Program(s): TBA over the summer 2006. downtown Phoenix, Glendale, Tempe, Estrella Mountain Ranch, Anthem (and more) Don QuixoteSwan Lake (please see the link in Alexandra's post below for more details) Staged by Olga Evreinoff, based on Petipa Symphony Hall, Phoenix Symphony Fri Nov 3, 8pm Sat Nov 4, 2 & 8pm Sun Nov 5, 2pm Nutcracker Ib Andersen Symphony Hall, Phoenix Symphony Dec 9-Dec 27, matinee and evening performances Subs performances: Fri, Dec 15, 7:30pm Sat, Dec 16, 2 & 7:30pm Sun, Dec 17, 1pm Copellia Ib Andersen Symphony Hall, Phoenix Symphony Fri, Feb 16, 8pm Sat, Feb 17, 2 & 8pm Sun, Feb 18, 2pm Mixed Rep TBD. The marketing letter describes it as "a spring repertory show featuring the work of Finnish choreographer Jorma Elo," but it isn't clear if all works will be by Elo. Orpheum Theatre. Fri, Apr 13, 8pm Sat, Apr 14, 2 & 8pm Sun, Apr 15, 2 pm World Premiere Ib Andersen Symphony Hall Fri, Jun 8, 8 pm Sat, Jun 9, 2 & 8pm Sun, Jun 10, 2pm

Is Act III the hunting party/vision scene/search for Aurora/awakening Act? Or the last act/Aurora's Wedding?

The original plan was for Sarastro to represent bad, and for the Queen of the Night to represent good. This was switched in the middle of writing the opera, which makes it less than consistent. In theory, in the new version, Sarastro kidnaps Pamina for her own good, to keep her away from her evil mother, whom she trusts. (This is hinted at in the Wikipedia article, which mentions his "paternalistic wisdom.") Sarastro's action is supposedly justified when the Queen of the Night sings that the price of loyalty to her is attacking Pamina's father. Pamina's character flaw is shown most vividly when she succumbs to despair -- being torn between two raging parents and having her world fall apart apparently doesn't justify this -- and threatens suicide. Luckily, our hero arrives, Pamina takes his arm and accompanies him through the tests, and Sarastro cedes the kingdom to the yin/yang of male/female harmony, daylight, and enlightenment, unlike the schism that sent him underground. (The forces of darkness were in full daylight, while the good guys had to go underground.)

Pace, Anna Moffo.

Francia Russell once mentioned that while Balanchine didn't like the music to be interrupted, the dancers felt the same way as the ones you've known. She also said that the dancers can feel when an audience is engaged and responsive over the footlights.Speight Jenkins said on Saturday night after Cosi fan Tutte, a very witty production directed by Jonathan Miller, that the performance was as good as any in the run and that one of the reasons was that the singers heard the laughter and enjoyment from the audience, and that spurred them on to give their best. A win/win situation.