Noreen Arnold

Is that film where Swan Lake is danced on a floor made of mirrors? Also didn't someone fall through a trap door on stage during the performance....I think I saw this on TV many, many years ago and it was so silly I've remembered it all this time - kind of stuck in my mind like a bad dream!

It's going to a full year before we see how Kain will put a season together as the 2005/06 has already been set. And of course, that season will be particularly a high profile one because of the move into the Four Seasons Opera House. I'm only speculating now but, given what she said in her speech last week about spending more on dancer development etc. and less on the big spectacular productions, there may not be a new Sleeping Beauty to open the Opera House. Perhaps she will use the Farrell Don Quixote as the opening "big show" instead. As well I'll be interested to see what new coaches etc. are hired - I'd certainly like to see Frank Augustan come on board even on a part-time basis. I've only heard great things about his teaching/coaching abilities. Lastly, I wonder if Rex Harrington might be back as a "guest" artist. I can think of a number of roles he could do...Tybalt to mention only one.

Ouch! Now I can hardly wait for the 2006/07 season so I can be underwhelmed as well! Poor Nehemiah Kish - he deserves better. I'm glad Rodriguez at least impressed with her dancing as she is one of my favourites. Rockwell described her as "adequate" I believe.

Well the first review is up - John Rockwell's is generally favourable. (Someone else will have to post the link...I don't know how) I'm very interested in what everyone who was there last night thought of the show. Rockwell's comment about the music being sometimes "downright gorgeous" is kind of amusing given the general opinion by those who saw the original production that the score was a major problem.

...thanks for the link Bart, I enjoyed listening to it. I envy all of you who will be there tonight or later in the week. With dancers from my own company taking part I'd love to be there but I just couldn't manage to get away right now. I will look forward to everyone's comments on the production and the leading dancers - especially Rodriguez and Ogden. Whatever the the critical reaction is to Farrell's restaging of this work, she is to be celebrated for the effort it took to get it to get it back on stage some twenty-five years after the last performance. I suspect just getting the funding for the production was quite a task. A new generation needs to see this Balanchine work and judge it for themselves, and thanks to Farrell, now we can. (Well...in my case, it will have to wait perhaps a season or two - or whenever the new AD of the NBoC decides to schedule it!)

Awfully non-committal. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I suspect it will be one of the highlights of the first season in the new Opera House (Fall 2006) along with Kudelka's new production of Sleeping Beauty.

If it is a NBoC dancer I'm hoping it will be Tomas Schramek. He has wonderful stage presence and is a great dance/actor. We'll just have to wait and see I guess.

Some thoughts since the announcement: -what precipitated this rather abrupt change in plans? I can't believe it's been planned for some time and only announced now as it has the feel of a snap decision on Kudelka's part . . . or even the Board's. Kudelka could have personal reasons for shedding the responsibilities or maybe he's had a terrific offer somewhere that requires more time then he can be away from the company. [snip] Secondly - the new AD does not have to be a Canadian although we all immediately start thinking about prominent Canadian ex-dancers who would get the job. This is probably waaaay out there but it occurred to me that one high profile candidate could be Suzanne Farrell. She’s worked with the company, knows and admires the dancers and just consider the international clout she could bring to the job. Could be a very interesting choice..... However, while I’m not sure Karen Kain is the best choice as AD I’m betting that if she wants the job it’s hers for the taking.

I'm going Sat. afternoon and taking a friend to her first Ballet - this is a good one to use as an introduction I think. If I can pry myself loose from painting I might also try and get down Sunday afternoon as well to see Greta and Molina. Last year I saw four performances - all casts and Rodrigues/Cote twice. I absolutely love this production and I'm so glad it's back this year - even if only for a short run.

I usually apply the term an “old warhorse” when speaking about those tried and true ppd that get trotted out for all the galas and other special occasions - Don Q, Le Corsair and all the other grizzled veterans of the razzle, dazzle ‘em ballet wars. Les Sylphides, on the other hand, is done so infrequently that finding it on the season’s schedule is always a treat. I was very impressed by Magdalena Popa’s staging of the ballet - particularly the attention paid to the musical phrasing. For instance, at one point during the final big waltz, the dancer (Ogden and Vanstone at the performances I saw) does a huge pas de basque into a pose attitude that completely matches the swell in the music at that moment. In addition it’s sometimes tricky to establish the soft, dreamy mood of the piece without the dancers looking limp and half asleep and I thought the National dancers achieved the necessary “look” quite well. Not a “languid” one in the bunch! One other thing I noticed about Popa’s coaching was the attention to the hands. Beautifully soft, but still sustained and there was this “tinkling” thing they did with the fingers. I thought at first it was one dancer’s interpretation but then noticed as the ballet unfolded that it was a motif repeated again and again by everyone. Quite charming - like flicking dew off the fingers! When watching Les Sylphides, I always remind myself that when first produced, it was groundbreaking in its own way and probably rather controversial. The dancers all dressed alike with no distinction made for the ballerinas in either costume or sparkling tiaras broke one of the main ballet conventions of the day. Pavlova, Karsavina and the others must have really believed in Fokine’s genius to agree to something so completely unconventional. This is going back a long way - but does anyone remember Mary Jago’s dancing in the prelude. I remember you could not hear her feet as she danced - she seemed to melt into the movement. Even after all these years she is the one I hold as the standard for the others to reach for. Of the two performances I saw, I thought Howard’s dancing was the closest to my ideal in Sylphides.

Rodriguez made her Giselle debut the last time the ballet was scheduled (about 4 years ago?) and made a very good impression so I'm certain she will be cast this time - probably with Cote as they seem to be teamed quite often these days. Cote is doing double duty....establishing a partnership with Ogden and Rodriguez both! We need some more Principal male dancers....I suspect there will be an import or two next season to fill in the gap.