salzberg

However, Clearchannel also controls a significant amount of live theatre touring.

It's more likely that your local NPR affiliate is picking up less and less of NPR's music programming (and the Met broadcasts are not an NPR program), something the network has little control over. Call (or better yet, write) your local station manager.

Although, as Lillianna pointed out, the rape is indicated but not explicitly shown in the film, it is usually present in the stage play, so in a way Cunningham was being truer to the source material.

I'd guess that NYC and Mexico Citiy are the only North American cities big enough to support a Lincoln Center, with its many (at least 6 that I can think of) theatres and 12 resident companies. Now, as to why more cities don't have an equivalent to DC's Kennedy Center or Houston's Wortham Center, I suspect that LMC's right; it's a lack of vision.

I'm pretty sure I have never before heard anyone say that.

Wow. In one of those photos she looks just like Peter Boal.

On the other hand, given the popular misconception that dancers can only count to 8, it's nice to have proof that at least one can count as high as 32.

Because I (of course) have more to say, I've taken the liberty of copying the relevant parts of this discussion to The Pro Shop.

From my point of view, it's nice if the writer also acknowledges that the artistic vision of the company -- or even of a specific work -- extends beyond choreography and dancing, and gives credit (and blame*) where it's due. So far, two reviews of this year's incarnation of A Shropshire Lad have mentioned that, at the end, the dancer is confined to a coffin-like box of light; neither has given any indication that the light appeared by other than magical means. But back to the nominal subject at hand.... I, too, would be very interested in comments from people who saw the concert. * As annoying as the lack of recognition of good design is the lack of condemnation of inadequate work; there's a tendency to not mention technical elements except to praise them, which means that much bad lighting, costume, and set design goes unpunished.

Well, I was there, of course, being the lighting designer and, being so, my views are necessarily biased, but here goes.... Rideau, Leigh's wedding present to Estelle, was a legacy from last year, and I liked it even better this time around (here's where both my bias and my unique point of view come in; one major reason I liked it better was because I liked the lighting better). I like dances in which sets and lighting are integral, rather than added on after the fact. The fifth character in Rideau is the curtain; dancers perform in front of it, behind it, and through it. A Waltz Remembered was beautiful and touching, as two dancers look back on their relationship that might have been. Frankly, I'd like to do this one again; I was pleased, mostly, with the lighting, but opening night was one of those figurative hand-slap to the forehead moments when I realized there was another, better, way to light the opening. Peter Boal's solo, A Shropshire Lad (performed Thursday night only), is one of my favorite ballets (see the above comment about lighting being an intrinsic part of the choreography). Boal is an amazing dancer and Leigh's choreography certainly took advantage of this. The Pause on the Way Down (Friday through Sunday) was Alexandra Ansanelli's first guest appearance since being promoted to principal dancer. It's hard to summarize Ansanelli; the word "kinetic" certainly comes to mind. She's going to have a glorious career. The Pause on the Way Down is as different from A Shropshire Lad as Ansanelli is from Boal (Peter's style is much more controlled and considerate), but in its own way just as good. Until I saw it in performance, I wasn't sure I'd really like The New Rome (as it turned out, I did). For one thing, it was written for a string quartet, but in the studio, we rehearsed with a CD recorded from a synthesizer. It's a dark, moody piece; interestingly enough, the modern dancers I spoke to in the audience all liked it best. Oh, and I agree; David Quinn's dress for Ansanelli and his costume for Mary Carpenter in A Waltz Remembered were entirely stunning.

I (vaguely) recall that when Ben Stevenson took over in Houston about 28 years ago, he replaced a goodly number of dancers.

Well, I spent two glorious months in Vermont doing summer stock (4 shows in 8 weeks). Now I'm back in hot, steamy, muggy almost-danceless Sarasota.

Sort of like Cher herself.

I have no specific reference to cite, but I recall reading (more than once) that Stars and Stripes was an homage to his new country, and, indeed, it's precisely the sort of overt gesture that relatively new citizens are wont to make (well, those new citizens who are as gifted as Balanchine, anyway).

(Sorry I'm entering this late) The Open Directory Project, which aspires to be the largest human-directory on the web, breaks its listings down geographically and -- at least in the case of American companies -- by professional standing. It lists 80 professional and 128 regional and civic companies in the US.

quote: Originally posted by Estelle: The Pascal Rioult Dance Theatre will perform in Saint-Quentin en Yvelines and in Nanterre at the end of March, and I was wondering if it would be interesting to attend it. I worked with Pascal at SUNY Purchase; I'd recommend this concert if only to see "Wien".

Moving back a little closer to the original topic, it sems to me that art with a religious (or for that matter, a social) theme is perfectly valid; indeed, much of the very best art has had such themes (the Pieta, Dorothea Lange's Migrant Mother, The Crucible, ad infinitum). The best production of a play I've ever been associated with was produced by an African-American theatre in Houston, and I've seen some very nice work produced by faith-based dance companies. The problem begins when a producing organization's social mission so completely dominates its artistic one that technique and professionalism. Then, you wind up with preaching that only the choir can appreciate.

I wish! I saw it years ago. If they ever release it (they won't, I'm sure; as I recall, it was black and white and not up to today's video standards), I'll be the first in line.

In the late 50's, NYCB did a television version of The Nutcracker with Arthur Mitchell dancing Arabian. . .and partnering white women, which for the time must have raised quite a few eyebrows. Thank G-d we've progressed since then. That same broadcast, by the way, featured a Drosselmeyer by the name of something like Balanchivadze. . . .

That is true, and it's certainly a possibility, but I've encountered less prejudice in Houston than in most places I've lived and worked, so I think that it's not the reason in this case.

The NYCB Nutcracker, with Balanchine as Drosselmeyer.

It's annoying, though, when they sovocalize at a performance that doesn't merit such praise.

Absolutely. It's his work -- his intellectual property. To argue otherwise is to open a Pandora's box; it's just a short hop down the road from arguing that his copyright is not morally valid during his lifetime and that anyone, anywhere, is free to perform his choreography. [ November 11, 2001: Message edited by: salzberg ]

. . .And why, tell me, must every organization presenting new works claim that they are "setting <name of genre> on its ear"? What we need is people helping arts get on their feet.

Perhaps this will be a trend spanning multiple arts forms: Symphonies will abandon those moldy Mozart pieces, museums will move to the basement those grimy Georgia O'Keefes, theatres will no longer produce all that seedy Shakespeare. Gee, what a great idea. [ October 24, 2001: Message edited by: salzberg ]