dirac

Thank you for letting us know about the article, Ray. I enjoyed reading it.

Do tell us about it, Klavier.

I'm sure it has - it's the sort of thing reviewers focus on, alas - but my point was that this particular affaire has been rehashed pretty frequently over the years. It may very well be new to anyone not familiar with the Oliviers' travails. Would be interested in hearing what she says about the roles she danced.

Great topic, bart. Looking forward to reading these responses!

Thank you all for reporting on this production. This has been a most interesting thread to read.

Thank you for the heads up, innopac. I hope there's more about dancing and ballet in the book, though. I don't think the adultery saga will necessarily be much of a selling point - the subject has already been explored quite exhaustively elsewhere, although of course the view of the wronged wife will hold its own interest, and I'm not sure how much people care about this now.

I ask other posters not to adhere to this policy. Keep suggestions coming, please. And not a lot of pretty scenery, which was for me the major attraction of the movie, in all honesty. There is also the matter of Brad Pitt's demise a la the unfortunate Timothy Treadwell, which I suppose could be dealt with using a character dancer in a bear suit, not that many will be eager to don one after recent events at Atlanta Ballet......

Thank you, innopac, for reviving this thread. I didn't find the book to be entirely satisfactory as a whole, but it does contain lots of good stuff. Definitely worth looking into. I love that Massine, story, too.

Thank you for starting an interesting topic, MJ. I think Rashomon has possibilities, Ray. The Wizard of Oz - interesting, but you do need those special effects......

Very true. Is there anything else in the book about Nureyev's musical tastes?

I believe Homans also said 'sordid' (although I note she said it in the pages of The New Republic, not National Review). There's a story in Meredith Daneman's book - don't know if Kavanagh mentions it too - where Fonteyn is putting Nureyev up for a short while. The former had no great interest in music outside a professional context and Nureyev couldn’t get accustomed to hearing no music around the house.

There has been another recent one and I think the subject arose before, although I'm not sure on which thread - try doing a search and I think something should come up.

Sure does. Nureyev always did inspire comment. Please report back on that thread when you're ready.....

Actually, dirac, it's completely excusable. For reasons unknown to me, the movie was for years completely unavailable. I'm not sure it was ever even on videocassette. Perhaps somebody here knows the story behind that. Anyway, it is now on DVD, and it is a delight. I especially love the dance numbers Donald O'Connor and Vera-Ellen have, just a joy to watch. Thank you for the information, Anthony_NYC, I feel better. I'm looking forward to seeing it. O'Connor is always fun to watch, and although I suppose Vera-Ellen wasn't the world's most charismatic performer I enjoy her dancing.

I had much the same experience, vagansmom, and I don't intend to try again, there are too many good books for grownups out there. I'm sure they're fine books, great for the kids, and I think that the Potter phenomenon is by and large a Good Thing, but I do not entirely understand the series' vogue with adults. Thanks for keeping us posted.

I’ve seen complaints in the reviews and comments that Kavanagh made too much of his sex life, but as far as I can tell without dipping into the book she doesn’t ignore the artist. Certainly a biography with any claims to comprehensiveness does.

That was not the view at the time. It was rather the opposite. Baryshnikov's hunger to dance everything (which was totally understandable) made him "rush through the repertory like a kid in a candy store," as one critic wrote about his first seasons at ABT. He would do role after role once or twice, then move on. It was one of the issues that Kirkland (who wanted to rehearse everything A LOT) has mentioned. [editing to add: I think this may have changed as he matured, but his tenure with Graham was quite short, as I remember it. During the White Oak period, however, I remember reading and hearing that he was totally committed to that project and those works. Careers have different phases.] As for Nureyev, Paul Taylor wrote that Nureyev would try out "Aureole" in the wings, years before he danced it. I also remember reading, at the time, how hard he worked with Graham and Murray Louis. [Editing to add: He worked with Graham over several seasons, dancing repertory roles as well as several creations.] And in his early years at the Royal Ballet, he would take small roles in new choreography, and work quite hard on them. Perhaps Alymer or John P (if they see this) might comment, since they were there. I think she said it straight out, more or less. Anyone new to the discussion would assume that Nureyev just showed up on a modern choreographer's doorstep and did his own thing. In "I Remember Balanchine," Helgi Tomasson says something to the effect that Nureyev, more than anyone else, made an effort to understand new dance styles and explore them. "What respect I have for that man!"

Without having read the book, I’d say that in a biography of Nureyev, celebrity and artistry would intersect and at times be inseparable (Gottlieb made a related point in this direction when talking about the significance of the Fonteyn-Nureyev partnership on the Rose show), and this is inevitable given the nature of his career. No, they are not the same thing, but he was both.

My impression was that Sibyl was supposed to be about thirty or so, but I haven’t read the play in quite some time. (I’ve never seen the movie, although I keep meaning to.) On stage, the actress playing Ann Shankland also played Sibyl – it was Margaret Leighton in the original production, who would have been in her early thirties at the time, although the role had been slated for Vivien Leigh (with Olivier as Major Pollock and the other fellow whose name escapes me) and she would have been about forty. Of course, in the theatre these things matter far less. But Kerr was in the right age bracket at the time. I don’t doubt that she was good – she was one of those actresses who can look convincingly dowdy for one role and then turn around and stun you with her utter gorgeousness (unlike, say, Michelle Pfeiffer in Frankie and Johnny, where they tried to make her look plain with the deployment of barrettes; I suppose having her put on weight couldn’t be thought of, not that it would have helped much, although a woman who feels as bad about herself as Frankie does probably wouldn’t put in much time with a personal trainer. But I digress). If you liked Separate Tables you might try a couple of other adaptations of Terence Rattigan to film. ‘The Browning Version’ with Michael Redgrave is one of my favorite movies ever, and he is stunning, one of the most moving performances I have ever seen. (I also like ‘The Deep Blue Sea’ with Vivien Leigh, although it is not well thought of in most quarters - not sure if it's on DVD, I saw it in a revival house years ago.)

Thanks for the recommendations, everyone. Keep them coming!

As I understand it, this group is pretty much a touring company; they have appeared here in NJ a couple of times. They don't employ much in the way of name singers, the goal is to get to areas where live operas are not often seen. I've never seenone of their performances but they could perhaps been a good "first opera" company and develop more audience interest. So if you want to see Traviata it might well be a good deal for you . If you do go, why not report back on the performance. I've only heard a few reports, both critics and audience and would like to hear more. Yes, please do, vagansmom. Thanks for posting!

Yes, it's the best article I've seen from Bentley in some time. Her last few efforts for the Book Review have been well off form.

Yes, George Sanders had a real voice. I read that he was once invited to sing Scarpia at San Francisco Opera and I think he did a pop recording once. He used to sing at home for his Uncle Sasha when he was a boy, to which practice he attributed the development of his voice. Almost did South Pacific, but got spooked at the last minute. It is awkward to admit but I have never seen Call Me Madam. I will rent at once, it’s an inexcusable omission......

Thank you, richard53dog, I was hoping you’d pipe up.

Thanks, Mme. Hermine. A bright idea and I hope the 'other discipline' takes it under advisement.