Paquita

I missed it too:( But I'm hoping that they will post the transcript up on the website...

I want to try and get tickets for the 14th, for Marcelo Gomes of course... My subscription ticket is for the 27th but I'm thinking of switching it to another date... I don't think Aurora would be one of Fournier's best roles, and I'd really like to see Cote's Florimund anyways (probably with Sonia Rodriguez). I'm excited to see Roberto Campanella returning to play the King (I've only seen him in fFIDA and on the CBC program last year, Mrozewski's "Year of the Lion"). I've had him as a teacher at several open classes and he's excellent. Extremely charismatic and still a great dancer.

There's also an ABT 2004 calendar I saw on amazon. The cover photo is of Michelle Wiles and David Hallberg, in a fish dive from Grand Pas Classique. The website doesn't let you see any of the other photos.

It's been a fairly exciting year for the NBoC, with new ballets: "Tristan and Isolde" and "Monument", and the company premiere of Kudelka's "there, below". This fall we also got to see Evelyn Hart and Nikolaj Hubbe as guest artists, both of which were quite moving in "Gazebo Dances" and "Onegin" respectively. Unfortunately, for me, both of the new ballets were dissapointing overall. John Alleyne's Tristan was too safe, too monotone, too disjointed (the elements of music, dance, and narrative rarely converged). There were some very strong pas de deux, and gorgeous costumes, but the ballet lacked drama. "Monument" was a bigger dissapointment, not because it was a worse ballet, but because I so admired Mrozewski's first work for NBoC "A Delicate Battle". The concept of "Monument", an exploration of the evolution of dance and its fleeting nature, is fresh and elegantly conceived. But this ballet looks more cluttered than his previous work which was more distilled. It seems he received a larger budget for this ballet, and he is young and has so much to say. It's a short ballet, but there is a LOT in it... possibly too much. Of the Kudelka ballets presented this year, "Swan Lake", "Gazebo Dances", "The End" (man's solo), and "there, below", I was not really fond of any of them. It was interesting to see "there, below" though. Kudelka created the ballet for Ballet Met in 1989, and his style has changed quite a bit since then. I wish NBoC could get a new Swan Lake, but with the price tag of this one, that will not happen anytime soon (not while Kudelka's alive anyways!). I enjoying seeing Dumais' "One Hundred Words for Snow" again. "Elite Syncopations" and "Onegin" are sort of signature ballets for the company, and both looked great. It was my chance to see Rex and Xiao Nan Yu dance Onegin. There was so much fuss about Nan's debut, I was very sorry that I missed it (I saw Chan Hon Goh instead). The ballet is quite dear to me, and I was truly moved by their opening night performance. Rex is such a wonderful partner and Nan is also very talented. The pas de deux were incredible. Both gave their all in that performance. Just when I thought it couldn't get better, Martine Lamy and Nikolaj Hubbe gave a totally different, but equally effective portrayal of Pushkin's story. Lamy is a superb dance actress that will be very difficult to replace. This was my first time seeing Hubbe, and I was impressed with the intensity of his performance. "Jewels" looked fantastic this spring, especially with brand new costumes. I had the chance to see "Judgement of Paris" both in the theatre and the open air at the "Ballet by the Water" event at the Harbourfront. Victoria Bertram and Lorna Geddes were hillarious in the roles they first danced 3 decades ago. Jennifer Fournier was able to hold her own amongst these two veteran performers. A "Ballet by the Water" highlight for me, was seeing Guillaume Cote's Apollo. "Apollo" is another favourite of mine. I adore the music and can never see it enough. "Intermezzo" was also lovely with the warm summer breeze. For non-NBoC performances, I enjoyed this year's gala "Stars of the 21st Century". Two words: Herman Cornejo. Wow! He danced "Diana and Acteon" pdd with Xiomara Reyes who was also a delight.

I'm guessing that Hodgkinson will be paired with Antonijevic... as for Gomes? Does anyone know how tall he is? Because I think Xiao Nan Yu should deffinately be given Aurora, but her usual partner, Ryan Boorne, is not really suited to dance the Prince. Sonia Rodriguez might be a good choice? Leigh, you may be right about Odgen... it seems quite probable, just because she is Cote's regular partner and the audience wants to see this partnership grow.

This just in: "GUILLAUME CÔTÉ TO TRAIN AT PARIS OPERA BALLET FOR THE SLEEPING BEAUTY December 16, 2003...Toronto, Ontario...First Soloist GUILLAUME CÔTÉ will train at the Paris Opera Ballet with Étoile MANUEL LEGRIS, a protégé of Rudolf Nureyev's, to prepare for the lead role in The Sleeping Beauty. Mr. Côté will spend two weeks (December 28- January 10) with Mr. Legris at the Opera Garnier studios in Paris. The Sleeping Beauty opens on February 14th at The Hummingbird Centre. " Lucky him!

Just came across this site: http://www.e-onegin.com , not sure if posters have already seen it or not, but there are some lovely photos (mostly Kirov and Bolshoi). Enjoy

I just found this very useful link describing the score: http://www.national.ballet.ca/Productions/...oneginMusic.php Now I feel silly replying to my own question... Any other insights are still welcome though!

The music for Cranko's Onegin is a mix of lesser known Tchaikovsky works rather than the opera music. I recognized several pieces from The Seasons (overture, Olga and Lensky pdd, Lensky's Act II solo, etc.), but I was wondering where the rest of the ballet score comes from? The program (for the recent NBoC performances) didn't give any information about the music, except that it was composed by Tchaikovsky. Any info would be much appreciated!

jer468, thanks for chiming in:) It's nice to get some discussion going on the NBoC forum! I'd be really interested to hear what you thought about Reid Anderson's Onegin (or any other Onegin's you've seen). Were you there for the premiere? Having seen Aleksandar as Onegin and Lensky, I prefered him as Lensky. His temperament seems much more suited to that role. I agree about your comment on Bournonville, and if you search this forum you'll be able to find a thread about that mixed program (Napoli excerpts, Spectre de la Rose, Elite Syncopations, Judgement of Paris). I can't very easily imagine Fournier as Tatiana. She never struck me as a strong actress, but I may not have seen her in the right role yet. I've mostly seen her in contemporary works, esp. Balanchine. I saw her Odette/Odile in 1999, and was not really impressed. Well, I agree with you about Xiao Nan Yu! Aside from her amazing technique (longest lines ever), her artistry is truly beyond her years and it will be exciting to watch her develop. Rex obviously thinks very highly of her, and in one interview dubbed her the company's next star. But as you mentioned, Kudelka is not interested in building a company of "stars" but rather team players. He wants the choreography, namely, HIS ballets, to be the stars (well, if the ticket sales from the last mixed program are any indication... All I can say is that I went to see Evelyn Hart not Gazebo Dances), kind of like a NYCB attitude rather than ABT. Nonetheless, the press certainly wants to make a star out of her. There were several articles about her after she made her debut as Tatiana. She's been compared to Karen Kain several times. But Nan seems unphased by all the fuss. I don't think she really cares whether she becomes a "star" or not. If the depth of her interpretations and her ability to perform under pressure are any indication, she's got a good head on her shoulders and is bound to go far.

Yes, it's really a shame that there is not much incentive for a good male principal to want to join or even guest with the company (unless they are fans of Kudelka's work and would like to work with him). It was wonderful to see Nikolaj Hubbe dance Onegin last night, but it wasn't even a full house! And as far as I know, the newspapers have not printed a single article on him! Now, to me, having the opportunity to see a NYCB principal on the Hummingbird stage is a big event! (big enough for me to make a special trip from Hamilton to see him when I have exams coming up!) But such is not the case with most Torontonians. I remember my ballet teacher complaining about the costs of Kudelka's new Swan Lake (at least $1 million), and suggesting that guest artists would boost ticket sales. But I wonder if Torontonians would even recognize the names? These aren't the days of Nureyev and Baryshnikov anymore...

I went to see Onegin again last night. It was another knock-out performance. Having just seen it last week, it has really grown on me. This time, it flew by, each act seemed like 15 mins. I didn't want it to end! I was just thinking about how most of my favourite ballets are very technical (Bayadere, Swan Lake) or pure dance with little narrative (Apollo, Serenade). Onegin relies much more on dramatic ability than sound technique (although some of the variations are very difficult as well as the main pdds), or rather it requires dramatic ability through technique. There is less pure dance in this ballet, but Cranko makes the dances matter. With each pdd and variation, we see relationships evolving, as in the final act when Onegin watches Tatiana and Gremin's romantic pdd or Tatiana's heartbroken act 2 solo- she grand jetes towards Onegin at the end, and he slams his hand down on the table, too consumed by self-loathing to be able to bear the recognition of her love. On Lamy and Hubbe's performance, I agree with Leigh. Hubbe was a fascinating Onegin, and it's a treat for Torontonians to be able to see him. I'm surprised at the lack of press coverage concerning his performances, as NBoC has not had a big guest artist since Robert Tewsley in Manon. Hubbe's interpretation is much more introverted and restrained than Rex's. While Rex enters the party in act 2 with a yawn, making no effort to conceal his utter boredom, Hubbe is tortured by an inward struggle with himself. This struggle slowly deveops, building up to the climactic act 3 pdd- which for me, was hands down the highlight of the entire evening. Everything just burst out of him (for lack of better words), neither him nor Lamy held anything back. It was as if Onegin was on the verge of breakdown, hanging on the thread of hope that if Tatiana takes him back, things will be okay. He *needs* someone to tell him he is worth something, and as he tugs on Tatiana's hand, refusing to let her refuse him, there is dispair written all over his face. The most powerful and tragic moment is when Tatiana forces him to leave. If you weren't crying before, this will do it. Both characters are just shattered. It's interesting to compare 2 of the casts. For me, both Rex and Hubbe were able to ellicit sympathy but in totally different ways. Both Yu and Lamy were magnificent Tatiana's, thoroughly convincing. Here is one dancer who has danced the role for at least a decade, and another who made her debut in it just a few years ago when she was still in the corps, both achieving an effective and moving portrayal, and making the role their own. It is good to know that we have a Tatiana for the future, and one that right now is giving some of her best performances and later will be able to share her understanding of the role with future generations.

See the press release here: http://www.national.ballet.ca/Media/pressReleases.php It's too bad that he's leaving, and now I really wish I saw him in "Monument" since that ballet was created on him. 2 years ago he dancing in "Contact", so it is not a big surprise that he has chosen to do Broadway. I think he would be great on Broadway, I only wish those shows toured in Canada. I wonder if Rex Harrington is going to get any ideas...

"Dancing Cats and Neglected Murderesses" over here.

Hi Sylphide! I'm sorry I didn't reply to your message earlier, but I thought your question was a difficult one to answer and that maybe it would be best for you to just see it without anyone else's opinions clouding your judgement. The NBoC has many strengths, and they are particularly strong in this work, which has been in the repertoire for roughly 2 decades. But there aren't really specific things that I or anyone else could really tell you to look for. The NBoC may not be on the same level as POB or the Kirov (this would certainly be evident if one was to compare their Swan Lakes or Sleeping Beauties), but I must say, and I hope you agree, that they do a wonderful Onegin! I was at yesterday's opening night performance, and what a night it was! The first time I saw Onegin was 3 years ago (Aleksandar Antonijevic and Chan Hon Goh), and I absolutely fell in love with the story and the ballet as a whole. Cranko conveys the emotions of the characters so clearly in this work, and it is one of my favourite ballets. Since then, I have also read the novel and it really is beautiful. Last night was especially moving as it was part of the celebration of Rex Harrington's 20 years with the NBoC. I didn't have the chance to see his earlier Onegins, but his intelligent and nuanced performance show that this is a role that he has grown with. He manages to make the audience utterly despise him when he heartlessly tears up Tatiana's letter in front of her, yet somehow transforms the character so that in the end we feel sympathy towards Onegin and his emptiness as he realizes the magnitude of his mistake. In the first act, his self-absorbed Onegin is consumed by his ennui, seeking diversion in the country. But Harrington also communicates a sort of melancholy beneath Onegin's cool demeanor. This touch of human vulnerability is best displayed in the duel scene. Onegin is all calm and collected (at least on the outside), while every part of Lensky is trembling. When Onegin kills his friend, his horror with his deed is strongly felt. Of course, in the scene just prior to this (Tatiana's birthday) we see Onegin's impulsive and vindictive side as he flirts with Olga, purposely provoking Lensky. He skillfully and tauntingly weaves in and out of the couples, much to Olga's delight and Lensky's distress. Act 2 gave Aleksandar Antonijevic (Lensky) an opportunity to show some of his finest acting, especially leading up to the duel. The mood of his variation was one of tragic disillusionment. In the final act, there is almost too much great acting on stage to watch it all. Here, Gremin (Ryan Boorne) and Tatiana (Xiao Nan Yu) dance a very formal pdd that seems fitting for their love which is honourable but not passionate. Still, Tatiana appears very content, and Gremin treats her well. Then we see Onegin pacing in the background, confused and full of regret. It is painful for him to watch them dance. When Gremin introduces them, Tatiana's reaction is extremely moving. She recognizes Onegin right away, and remembers everything he once meant to her. For one moment, she breaks from her formal and proper bearing, looking at Onegin in disbelief. But she quickly composes herself, as she is no longer that naive girl uncontrolably infatuated with him. The final pdd, when performed well, is the kind of moment that brings tears to audience members' eyes. Harrington an Yu danced it with the most sincere and heartfelt emotions, holding nothing back. The parallels of Tatiana's inward struggle and Onegin's torment, more outwardly expressed, were deeply affecting. It is here that both characters have matured and fully realize the compexity of their relationship. This is where we see Harrington's dramatic ability at its fullest, and Onegin's character at its most multifaceted. One of the most touching moments in the pdd is when Tatiana has stopped resisting him, and they dance together freely (some steps mimic those of the mirror pdd- Tatiana's fantasy finally being realized). Onegin thinks he has won her heart, and extends his hand towards her. But that is when Tatiana knows that it can't be, and she tears up his letter, ordering him to leave and not bearing to look at him in case she changes her mind. It was just magnificent. I can see why there was such a buzz around Yu when she made her debut as Tatiana 3 years ago, then just a corps member. Just as Onegin is a signature role for Rex (In Act 1 he is pure magnetism, and it is easy to believe why Tatiana would fall for him!), I think that this will become one of Yu's. It is definately the role that propelled her meteoric rise to principal, and it is one that allows her talents (both dramatic and technical) to shine. Her Tatiana undergoes a full evolution, without skipping a single phase. Furthermore, her portrayal is utterly believable. I just hope that she will be able to find a good parter in the future. Antonijevic and Sonia Rodriguez (her first appearance since giving birth) were perfectly matched as Lensky and Olga, and both displayed some excellent dancing, especially in the first act pdd. The corps gave a fine performance with the slight exception of a few new members who were just a bit out of sync. It may have been Rex's night, but the entire cast was very strong and made yesterday's show a complete performance. During the final bow, Kudelka, Magdelena Popa (ballet mistress), and Karen Kain each presented Rex with flowers. It was most definately a night to remember! I would love to hear your thoughts, or those of anyone else that was there!

I don't really have time to write a long description, but I just wanted to start a thread and see if anyone else attended the mixed program. I went on saturday for the matinee, mostly because I wanted to see Evelyn Hart. She may not be appearing with NBoC for much longer, so it's really nice to see her while we still can- even if it's only for a very short pas de deux. Evelyn and Rex danced an excerpt from Kudelka's "Gazebo Dances" (made on Ballet Met). For the entire segment, the woman covers one eye with her hand, and the man has his hand places over his mouth. With only one free hand, they manage to do promenades, turns, and balances quite effectively (sometimes switching hands, but there is always one covering the eye/mouth). I'm not sure if this mannerism persists through the entire ballet though. I think that would be a bit much. Otherwise, the two dance compliment each other very well and seem completely in sync with each other. There are some daring lifts in the pdd, and they were tackled with ease. Evelyn looks even more tiny to me now, so fragile. In this pdd, she seems vulnerable and afraid. She has such an amazing ability to project these feelings with the smallest gestures. It's hard to describe, but she has "breath" in her dancing...When you watch her, sometimes you start to inhale and exhale in time with her. The other Kudelka excerpt was a solo from "The End" (made on SFB). I wish I had seen Guillaume Cote, I think he would be brilliant in it. I also thought of Jhe Russell when I watched it. He won the Erik Bruhn Prize a few years ago with this solo. I didn't see that performance, but I imagine it being an ideal showcase for his talents. It's an exuberant piece, mostly jumps- and it requires a dancer with a great deal of energy and charisma. I felt that Richard Landry was lacking in those categories. His jumps were technically sound, but they lacked amplitude. Overall, the performance looked a little tired but it was clear from watching it, that it could be great. "there, below" (Kudelka) was created on Ballet Met in 1999. It was interesting for me to see one of his "earlier" works. This ballet is very geometric, the lines are harsher. The intricate partnering he is known for is displayed in the series of pdd. Overall, the piece seems detached from emotion. The dancers, in nude unitards with sequins, seem inhuman in their movements and interactions. "One Hundred Words for Snow" (Dumais) was choreographed for the Glenn Gould tribute in 1999. I think it loses a bit of its impact when it's taken outside that context. She is quite literal in her approach. Gould was known to be obsessive about taking care of his hands (i.e. he wore gloves everywhere), so she incorporates a lot of awkward hand movements. Throughout most of the ballet, Gould's humming can be heard on the recording. However, it is an interesting piece to watch, with each of the dancers representing different voices in the music . All of the dancers looked comfortable in this work, understanding the details and nuances of the steps (I didn't feel that this was the case with "Monument"). "Monument" (Mrozewski) was a bit of a let down. He addresses some important ideas about the ephemeral nature of dance, its history, its future. It's a bit like a tribute to the art form and its evolution. This is his 2nd comission for NBoC, "A Delicate Battle" being his first. With "Monument", Mrozewski works with a larger ensemble and also has a set. The set is integral to the ballet. There is a old run-down building whose walls are used to climb up and hang from, and there are several boxes which the dancer move around and stack on top of each other. Compared to his first ballet, "Monument" is more cluttered, less unified, less lucid. It has 3 movements: the first features the dancers in romantic tutus and represents classical ballet, the second movement has the dancers in bare feet and street-type clothes- their movements are more grounded and allude to modern dance (at least that's what I think, but I haven't seen a lot of modern), the third movement hints at the fusion of classical and modern. There were some wonderful images in this ballet and his approach is fresh (except, I think that the juxtaposition of classical dancers and more "contemporary" dancers in ballets is overused. I thought of "Centre Stage" when I saw it, and that's not a good thing). Mrozewski has shown with "A Delicate Battle" that he is a highly skilled and original choreographer, and although "Monument" may perhaps need some refinement, it is promising to see in him a glimpse of the future of Canadian ballet. Sorry that this is about all I have time for right now (hmm, actually, that was quite long all things considered!). I'm curious to hear what other peoples' impressions were though, so do chime in!

This week's Maclean's (the university rankings issue) has a 3-page article on Rex. There's a picture of him walking his dogs, and one of him and Evelyn Hart dancing Swan Lake. Here's the link (but no pictures): http://www.macleans.ca/culture/dance/artic...117_69510_69510 There's also an online exclusive interview with Rex.

Check out the press release on the NBoC website: www.national.ballet.ca Kudelka's "Italian Straw Hat" which was set to premiere in May 2004, is being replaced with his remaking of Cinderella. The Straw Hat will be postponed until next season. It's seems a bit odd to present a new version of Cinderella, when the company only acquired Ben Stevenson's in 1995. No doubt, Kudelka's interpretation will be dark, which should be interesting considering the fairy tale story... I wonder how he will fit his signature themes of love, sex, and death (after choreographing the Firebird, he added "whimsy" to that list in an interview) into Cinderella. It could work... I've always considered Prokofiev's score to have a dark and dramatic quality somewhat inappropriate to this typically "fluffy" children's story (not to say that I don't love the music itself).

He danced Giselle Act II pdd and In the Middle... with Alicia Amatrian (also a lovely ballerina, and a principal dancer now!). He was wonderful to watch! I agree, he is just so elegant and clean. I would deffinately like to see more of him, but alas, I doubt that Stuttgart is coming to Canada anytime soon

Well, this season at NBoC looks to be one of the most exciting in recent memory. While this season commemorates Rex Harrington's 20 years of performance and George Balanchine's centenary, the company will also welcome two international stars for a few shows: Nikolaj Hubbe (Onegin) and Marcelo Gomes (Sleeping Beauty). Both should be a delight! For the past few years the NBoC has been lacking in classical, principal men. Now, there are a few young up and comers that show promise but have still not developped in to their potential fully. These two guests should help to inspire the male dancers at NBoC and sustain the full-length classics (and give Aleksandar Antonjevic a bit of a rest? He has danced almost every opening night for classical programs, paired with various ballerinas). While the need to import guest dancers for leading roles is indicative of the NBoC's paucity of strong male performers, I still think it's a good move (well, as long as it didn't cost too much...). It can rejuvinate the company and audiences alike, and at risk of sounding overly optimistic, put the NBoC back on the ballet map.

Even more exciting news: Nikolaj Hubbe is going to be performing as a guest artist. He will dance Onegin! His Tatiana will be Martine Lamy. I think the role will suit Lamy well. Principal Casting: Onegin REX HARRINGTON (Nov. 22 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 26 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 28 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 30 at 2 pm) NIKOLAJ HÜBBE (Nov. 27 at 2 pm/ Nov. 29 at 7:30 pm) GEON VAN DER WYST* (Nov. 27 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 29 at 2 pm) Tatiana XIAO NAN YU (Nov. 22 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 26 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 28 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 30 at 2 pm) MARTINE LAMY (Nov. 27 at 2 pm/ Nov. 29 at 7:30 pm) CHAN HON GOH (Nov. 27 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 29 at 2 pm) Olga SONIA RODRIGUEZ (Nov. 22 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 26 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 28 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 30 at 2 pm) REBEKAH RIMSAY (Nov. 27 at 2 pm/ Nov. 29 at 7:30 pm) STACEY SHIORI MINAGAWA* (Nov. 27 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 29 at 2 pm) Lensky ALEKSANDAR ANTONIJEVIC (Nov. 22 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 26 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 28 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 30 at 2 pm) NEHEMIAH KISH* (Nov. 27 at 2 pm/ Nov. 29 at 7:30 pm) GUILLAUME CÔTÉ * (Nov. 27 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 29 at 2 pm) Prince Gremin RYAN BOORNE (Nov. 22 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 26 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 28 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 30 at 2 pm) PATRICK LAVOIE (Nov. 27 at 2 pm/ Nov. 29 at 7:30 pm) CHRISTOPHER BODY (Nov. 27 at 7:30 pm/ Nov. 29 at 2 pm)

This fall's all Canadian mixed program with "there, below" (Kudelka), "One Hundred Words for Snow" (Dumais), and "Monument" (Mrozewski) will now also include excerpts from two other Kudelka ballets: "Gazebo Dances" (created last year for BalletMet), and "The End" (created on SFB in 1992). Perhaps even more exciting, Evelyn Hart will be dancing the pas de deux in "Gazebo Dances" with Rex Harrington That should be worth the ticket price alone! I haven't seen any of the Kudelka ballet on the bill, so if any Americans are familiar with these works, please post your thoughts. Thanks!

Check it out, there are some pictures and quotes: http://www.harry-rosen.com/whatsnew/ad_cam...campaign19.html

I haven't read all those books yet, we will be studying them throughout the year. So, I don't consider myself very learned, but I hope to emerge from university so I would not have the strength to tackle those Greek classics on my own, that is for sure! I agree with Jacki, they really do require a discussion group. The only one I read by myself were the Theban plays, last summer. Hans, I also read the Nijinsky diaries- but a very old version I found at a used bookshop. I definately know what you mean when you say "slow going". He seems to repeat himself a lot and there is no real direction in his writing. But it is a fascinating portal into his mind (the version I have even has some pictures that he drew in the hospital) and he also had some very humourous and interesting musings!

vagansmom, I've been reading "Life of Pi" on and off this summer also. It's getting put to rest again unfortunately... Alexandra, fun school books this year include: Sophocles' Theban Plays, Aristotle's "Poetics", Thucydides "History of the Peloponnesian Wars" (this might end up no fun but I *hope* it's good), King Lear, some Chaucer, Hesiod... not fun books are: my biology textbook (!) and Lucretius "De Rerum Natura" (we only have to read a few parts). I also have to read "Phaedra"- Seneca, and "Oroonoko or the Royal Slave"- Aphra Behn. I'm not sure if I will like them or not... My before bedtime book right now is "Writing in the Dark, Dancing in the New Yoker" which my ballet teacher gave me. Arlene Croce is such an excellent and articulate writer, and the articles are short and stand on their own. Since my recreation reading habits are so erratic during the school year, I can't seem to get into a long book because if I stop reading and start again I don't remember the details!