dirac

Thanks for posting the link, mussel. I don't think this will be a 'ballet film' in the sense that The Red Shoes and The Turning Point are ballet films - it sounds as if it will be a thriller with a ballet setting, perhaps in the manner of Suspiria.

It would be a duller opera world without them, no question.

It's interesting that as a rule stepmothers have a much harder time and are given a lot more grief from their stepchildren than stepfathers, and such friction has contributed to the demise of a surprising number of second marriages. So without knowing the facts, the stats suggest Angela might well have a point. Gheorghiu certainly sounds as if she's capable of being a problem stepmother, though. Actually, if I understand correctly (my Italian is not good at all), here is what is said about children in the interview: "Ha pesato il fatto di non avere avuto figli? «L’avevamo deciso dall’inizio. In fondo avevamo già due figlie. Mia sorella morì nel ’96 e sua figlia, Johan­na, è cresciuta con me da quando ave­va 1 anno. L’ho adottata: da sola. Ro­berto è sempre stato contrario al­l’adozione. Era vedovo. Ha una figlia, Ornella, che ho sempre considerato mia figlia, dopo dieci anni ha saputo che non ero sua madre naturale. Mai dato un regalo o una carezza in più a Johanna. Da qualche tempo Ornella non mi chiama più mamma, sono sta­ti i parenti di Roberto...È stato un grande dolore»." Approximate translation: [From the journalist]: "Was the fact that you didn't have children together among the causes for the separation ? <<We had decided that together, from the beginning. In fact, we already had two daughters. My sister died in 1996 and her daughter, Johanna, has been raised by me since she was 1 year old. I have adopted her: I did that alone. Robert has always been against adoption . He was a widower. He had a daughter, Ornella, whom I have always considered as my daughter, after ten years [or is it: when she turned 10 ?] she knew that I wasn't her birth mother. I've never given more gifts or hugs to Johanna that to her. Some time ago, Ornella stopped calling me "Mamma", it is because of Roberto's relatives [i'm not sure of that part]... It has been very painful for me>>. Thanks for that translation, Estelle. Too much information from both sides, at this point, although there's a certain trainwreck interest in seeing couples fight out un-amicable divorces in public.

If you see the film it is pretty clear what he means. In the film nature isn’t neutral or a refuge; it’s a place full of violence where death is all around. ‘She’ fears nature, and she’s not wrong.

Simon, I'll probably be seeing it again. That was pretty much my spontaneous reaction and it could be unfair. However, I'm not sure that I can agree with Gainsbourg's character as representing herself alone – a one-off, as it were. Isn't it significant that the two leads are identified only as He and She, granting both of them a certain symbolic status as Male and Female? I do agree with the husband viewing the woman as a pet project. There's something profoundly paternalistic in his view of her. But if he is aware that she's unbalanced, would he let her go off for long periods alone with their child? Or has he lived with her so long without understanding how deep her illness lay? I also agree that it's in essence a horror film – in fact, when Dafoe was in the attic, it occurred to me that the scene was very similar to Shelley Duvall's All-work-and-no-play-makes-Jack-a-dull-boy epiphany in The Shining, only this time the sexes are reversed and it's Gainsbourg with the blunt instruments. It's a deliberately scary landscape, too - ravaged. This Eden is nature red in tooth and claw, etc. (Some have made fun of the talking fox, but I thought von Trier pulled that one off.) As for von Trier, for me the issue isn't really, or let us say only, his personal obsessions, but what he makes of them. He has said that he made this film after a bout of depression, which I can well believe. He has always been an obsessional filmmaker, but this is really the first time in which he didn't engage me far beyond the level of "What is going on with this guy?"

Thanks for the links and the quotes, innopac. I'll listen when I get a chance. Thoughts? Opinions?

[space intentionally left blank] I saw Antichrist this weekend. If there was any lingering doubt that von Trier is a raving woman-hating freak with a mommy problem that would make Freud rub his hands with glee, it's pretty much gone. Generally in a von Trier movie there is some doubt as to whether the tortured, martyred woman deserves her fate but there sure isn't any question about it here. Women may be demonic creatures, but they don't know it; this one is and does. Von Trier does make the point that raving misogyny is a well established religious tradition but it's not at all clear that he disagrees with it. As far as I can make out, the moral of the story is Yes, women have been tortured and killed over the centuries solely because they were female but you know, the crazy b****es probably had it coming, like this one. (The couple's woodland retreat is called Eden. Get it?) A second moral might be that there's a reason why therapists aren't supposed to treat family members. (The husband's not much better than the wife.) Except for the early scenes and a few places where von Trier effectively evokes the fear and dread that the wilderness can set off in disturbed minds, I didn't find the film especially involving or even frightening. The gore isn't too bad until you get to the do-it-yourself clitoridectomy. I've found something of value and interest in all of von Trier's films that I've seen, but there's little to redeem this one apart from the bravery of von Trier's actors and the beauty of some of the images. The terrific, in every sense, cinematography is by Anthony Dod Mantle. Pass the popcorn.

The Bejart received the heartiest applause of the afternoon and Ivan was lovely in it.

This season has ranged mostly from good to meh, but last night made up for a lot, I agree. As I see it, Weiner had to accomplish at least two things: 1) Get rid of the Brits and 2) Bring back Joan. Did you really think Suzanne was a sociopath, Simon???

Thanks for the link to that article, Quiggin. He has a point, although it's always been easier to make fun of rich men with a vestigial conscience instead of those who happily gorge and exploit without a qualm. The former occupy a hopelessly false position and the latter at least have the virtue of consistency. I will say that the public probably got more from the likes of Carnegie and Frick than we have from the robber barons of today. It does follow the state's. It's generally understood that the support of the NEA, for example, often acts as sort of Good Housekeeping seal of approval, encouraging private funding.

I wouldn’t say that’s necessarily more democratic.The officials may be unelected but we may generally assume they were appointed because they have the appropriate expertise to make informed judgments, not something they would acquire by spending time and money running for office and attempting to ingratiate themselves with voters. The state could do more.. Private money tends to follow public money and when the government takes a leading role in promoting and funding the arts it provides an example to follow. Considering that private donations have fallen sharply for obvious reasons, more stimulus for the arts would have been helpful. (There was some, but probably not enough.) I know this will not happen. .He should feel guilty about all that lousy software. Still, Gates is a poor example of the undeserving rich. His generosity goes far, far beyond the usual even for a man with his money and at least he didn’t make his dough exploiting cheap labor and destroying the environment. If the rich want to give, that’s splendid, as long as I’m not expected to tug my forelock and gurgle about how wonderful they are for doing it. (Lincoln Kirstein was an outlier; there are few rich folks with his commitment, expertise, and dedication.) Quite right.

Respectfully, I think that's a bit of an exaggeration, isn't it? Highly unlikely that things would ever go that far as far as announcements are concerned. There's a middle ground between being less than 100% for a performance and having to cancel outright. The dance world tends to be much more closemouthed, which has its good and bad aspects.

Thank you for commenting, Michael. The Times

Another eminent centenarian buys the farm this week. Francisco Ayala has died at age 103.

Thanks for the links and the quotes, Quiggin.

Thank you for the review, abatt. Nice to know Tidwell is looking good.

It is so me to put my foot in my mouth. Again, I meant no disrespect to fans of Osipova. I only meant that there are ticket buyers, who are not regular ballet goers, who assume that the Russian import is superior. To those who point to exhaustion, fevers etc. I just have to say that for me the performance I see, is the performance I see. In opera I don't want to hear that so-in-so is not in good voice that day. I just think that if you go out there and do it there are no qualifiers, whether you are a tennis player or a ballet dancer. I take your point but nevertheless qualifiers do exist. If an opera singer is suffering from a cold or other minor ailment, often an announcement is made before the show, and everyone takes the singer's indisposition into consideration when evaluating the performance (or ought to, in any case). If a top tennis player is injured and has a temporary run of disappointing results, that too is considered when evaluating his performance. If a dancer is suffering from injury or illness, surely the same applies. Special pleading happens too, but there's a difference between that and acknowledging that a performer through no fault of his own wasn't functioning at peak level.

Thanks for that, richard53dog. Ah, divas. It's interesting that as a rule stepmothers have a much harder time and are given a lot more grief from their stepchildren than stepfathers, and such friction has contributed to the demise of a surprising number of second marriages. So without knowing the facts, the stats suggest Angela might well have a point. Gheorghiu certainly sounds as if she's capable of being a problem stepmother, though.

I think you are right about the legacy to Le Clercq, Mme. Hermine; Balanchine seems to have been trying to look out for her. Balanchine couldn't leave a ballet to everyone, of course, and he seems to have favored his ballerinas over his danseurs, not terribly surprising. Edward Villella did suggest in his book that he was a little hurt at having been left out, which I can understand - so many of the ballets made for him were really his.

Thank you for posting, Patrick. Yes, I knew he was still around and hoped he was in good shape. An incredible life, and he left truly innovative work of lasting value. Can't ask for much more than that.

Thanks for the recollection, Nanarina. If there was ever a twinkle in McEnroe's eye it escaped me, although he gave a beguiling interview or two when he was a kid.

I agree, bart. The age difference is evident, although perhaps Farrell was able to project a freshness and youthfulness onstage we don't see here, although she looks as lissom as you please and there is a difference between video and theater. She does look wobbly in spots, too, and the performance in general leaves a bit to be desired. Still, one is grateful for any Farrell on film. I've not seen Mofid before, but he looks good, although not a dream partner for Farrell. There's footage of Robbins coaching Farrell and Martins in this ballet in the video Peter Martins: A Dancer. I add my thanks to GeorgeBfan for posting this little treasure.

fandeballet, do you happen to remember the name of the movie? There is a new movie called StreetDances that has been announced involving Royal Ballet dancers, although I don't know if Acosta is one of them.

I guess if they'd added another dancer they wouldn't have had any room for the agent.

Thanks for reviving this thread, miliosr and innopac. When We Were Kings is a terrific movie, with commentary by Plimpton, Mailer, and all the usual suspects you would expect from the period. I wonder if the running time of this new film was extended with the footage of concert prep because not all the surviving musical footage was suitable or available? You know, innopac, sometimes there is only one side.