Helene

If you're choosing one, I'd go with Tan, who won't be dancing forever, or van Patten, who is unique and surprising. I love Kochetkova, but she dances in NYC a lot and will be guesting with ABT, and Chung, but I'd still pick one of the other two.

Massine was choreographing his first big symphonic ballets in the early 30's, and while the Ballets Russes had its own squabbles and split, it was two companies supporting choreographic talent. "L'Epreuve d'Amour" from 1936 is the last Folkine ballet for which the rights can still be obtained from the estate. The bio of the estate's site states, While Kirstein and Balanchine were still in Europe, Folkine had already made his way to the US and had started his own school and company, which lead to: Those were the days. Folkine was also invited by Lucia Chase to be one of the first choreographers for Ballet Theatre in the '40's. Nothing going on for Balanchine didn't mean ballet had all but died.

Patrice Chereau, the theater, film, and opera director, died of cancer yesterday at age 68. His production of "Ring of the Nibelungen" for Bayreuth in 1976 broke the Wieland Wagner tradition and was considered the end of opera as we know it, until it because a classic four years later. From The New York Times: Rest in peace, M. Chereau.

WQXR chose its "five most noteworthy" NYCO productions: 1. William Grant Still's "Troubled Island" 2. Handel's "Giulio Cesare" 3. Ginastera's "Don Rodrigo" 4. Boito's "Mefistofeles" 5. Carlisle Floyd's "Susannah" They asked for listener's thoughts in the comments.