carolm

We are planning on coming to NYC in July. I checked both ABT and NYCBallet and both are not going to be there then.

Can anyone point me in the right direction to see if any other ballet companies will be performing in NYC in July?

TIA,

Carol

carolm - just one final point of information - Balanchine was known to actually like what might be considered an unruly style! 

I guess I was putting my thoughts in his mouth.<s> 

Carol

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Hi carolm! This is , I know, but I still have to throw my 2 cents in here and elaborate a little on Leigh’s post. I actually chuckled a bit when I read your comments about Jewels in the NYCB forum. As someone who saw the NYCB frequently in the 70’s when the master was still around, and then took a hiatus from the company until 2 years ago, let me say that the first thing I noticed when I started watching them again was how much more cohesive the corps had become. That was one of the things that really put me off the company back in the day. There’s a quote about Balanchine’s corps that I ran across in one of the forums here “24 girls doing 24 different things at 24 different times”.

Susan

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I really had no idea that Balanchine was not that bothered about the corps. And here I was criticising the NYCB while all along they were doing just what was expected! And...even though I now know that Mr. B. would approve--I still do not.<s>

Carol

carolm - just one final point of information - Balanchine was known to actually like what might be considered an unruly style!

I guess I was putting my thoughts in his mouth.<s>

Carol

I read two reviews of "Naked"--both panned the ballet by saying that the choreography was the fault, not the dancing. Has anyone seen it? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Carol

Carol - I discuss it at length on my blog.

http://www.leighwitchel.com/blog/archives/...balanchine.html

I saw both casts.  I'm afraid I was not at all pleased.

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If you did not like this performances count yourslef lucky that you did not see the Royal do it a few months ago.<s> I take in what you said in your blog but I still go back to my point that not being that familar with the Balanchine style, I thought the Tuesday performence excellent. Is it a case of "ignorance is bliss"?

Carol

Did some posters of this forum attend the performance when he was promoted ?

And, to the RB watchers here: what do you think of his promotion ?

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Watson did make a pretty good impression as Oberon in "The Dream" (which I also saw on my trip). I saw his debut on May 17, and it certainly did not look like a debut. It was assured and I enjoyed it very much. He was also paired that evening with Leanne Benjamin - a fantastic Titania. So the whole thing just sparkled, with huge applause at the end of the pas de deux.

We saw him last night as Oberon with Leanne Benjamin. Both of them danced very well. Because of this thread, I took extra care to notice him! Not a hard job, I assure you. He was well worth watching.

Carol

  Back to London tomorrow am to see The Dream and Symphony in C.  As for Sym in C, I shall not worry or carp if they dance it at least as well as NYCB would do Symphonic Variations   I think they're safe.

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I wrote about how disappointed I was with NYCB in another thread. I felt Balanchine would be very disappointed had he seen them dance in an unruly style. Last night we saw Symphony and loved it! Were you there too last night?

I would love to hear your opinion. I started a new topic on this subject.

Carol

We saw The Dream, Three Songs--Two Voices, and Symphony In C.

Leanne Benjamin and Edward Watson were the leads with Ciacomo Ciriaci as Puck. The music is wonderful and the dancing was very good. Again, I liked all the dancers very much.

Three Songs is another matter.<s> The music is awful. The man sitting next to me called the music "Midsummer Nightmare"! The dancing was fantastic. Tamara Rojo, Zenaida Yanowsky, and Deirdre Chapman were all excellent. I especially liked Chapman.

I am not familar with Hendrix's music. Various people have told me that it is more Nigel Kennedy than Hendrix. True?

Sylvia, on 18 May wrote a full report of this new Bruce ballet.

Symphony In C is my favourite Balanchine ballet. The last time I saw it with the Royal Ballet I was sorely disappointed. But not last night! Again the music is glorious and the dancers were so intuned with the music. Balanchine so likes to use the dancer to emphasise the beat in the music. There was nothing about this performance not to like.

Attending both matinee and evening performances of this triple bill, i could not help be deeply disappointed by the standard of dancing throughout yet at the same time deeply hopeful at the programming.

We seem to have seen different performances on the same night at the same place.<s>

The first two ballets I had not seen before; the last (Month) I had seen many times. I have never felt that only one person does a role the "correct" way. Each dancer brings their own interpretation to a role. I am sure that each time a dancer dances a role it is different from the time before. I have seen Guillem in Month several times and as far as I remember, she danced it differently each time.

And the standard of the dancing was very high on Saturday night especially in Month and Symphonic Variations. Cojocaru was partnered by Bonelli; it was Morera who danced with Kobborg. I do not agree with you that Cojocaru was acting "the star"--I felt all six dancers were equal. I thought all the dancers were excellent and hope to see them again. And of course it is good that there are new dancers coming into view.

Carol

Last night we saw three short ballets: Les Biches, Symphonic Variations and A Month in the Country.

Les Biches had Leanne Benjamin and Zenaida Yanowsky and they were both in top form. I heard that Leanne was retiring but I cannot imagine why.

SV is for 6 dancers and it was fantastic! Alina Cojocaru & Federico Bonelli; Laura Morera & Johan Kobborg; Belinda Hatley & Steven McRae.

Morera replaced Jamie Tapper who is on maternity leave and McRae replaced Sadaki who is injured. I think Morera is a wonderful dancer and hope that she keeps be given more meaty parts.

The six dancers were so attuned to each other either as partners or as part of various combinations. We were still applauding when the lights came on and they took extra bows. This was the first time I had seen this ballet and I definately would like to see it again.

A Month in the Country was with Sylvie Guillem and Massimo Murru danced the tutor. Everyone in the cast were excellent. I do not know whom to highlight. Most of the dancers were new to me. Kolia, the son, was danced by Giacomo Ciriaci. What leaps! Does anyone know anything about him? Vera, Natasha Oughtred, is another find. When she, Guillem and Murru were dancing it iwas magic.

For us, the evening kept getting better and better. I do not think I shall forget this "Month" very quickly.

Carol

Carolm, Leigh was referring to ABT's Swan Lake, which has been turned into a sort of a leatherboy fantasy (all the more dissapointing, because they had a reasonably traditional one set by David Blair), and NYCB, as the company least likely to do a good Swan Lake.  They do a version set by Peter Martins, based on one he did for the Royal Danes, and has stark and quite ugly sets and by and large new choreography (the black swan pas de deux is traditional), which is very sub par.  I don't think any American company does what might be called the real Swan Lake now, if by a real Swan Lake you mean Petipa and Ivanov's medieval meditation on fate and the power of love. 

NYCB has by and large focused on triple bills, but Balanchine did do a few full lenghts, Nutcracker, Midsummer, and of course Don Quixote, which is being revived soon by Farrell.

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A "leatherboy fantasy" sounds like the Bourne all male version of SL. We saw it with Adam Cooper when it first opened and loved him in black leather!

When I was a child (many years ago now) NYCB used to do a one-act SL. I still do not understand why they do not do a full length production. The music is gorgeous and Petipa's choreography devine.

I have not seen any of those full lenght ballets by Balanchine. Do you enjoy seeing them?

Carol

I attended the Monday evening performance and I was in awe the whole night.

Monday night began with Ballet Imperial and I loved Diana Vishneva.  This is the second time that I have seen her dance live.  The first time was at the Stars of the 21st Century back in February.  I liked the ballet, but I kept waiting for Vishneva to come back on stage.  Everything about her dancing was magical, especially her solo numbers.

I am no expert, but I felt that Vladimir Malakohov's partnering of Vishneva was a little shaky - I noticed a few hand wobbles.  He danced fine by himself, but he seemd nervous when dancing with Vishneva.  The secondary lead was danced by Anna Liceica, who seemed to be enjoying herself - she brought a lot of joy to the role.  But the ballet belonged to Vishneva - she truly has a command of the stage and the audience.

[snip]

Theme and Variations was good, but a let down after the spectacular dancing of Herrera and Carreno.  The lead parts were danced by Gillian Murphy and Gennadi Saveliev. 

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We too were at the Monday performance. Your comments about Ballet Imperial and Theme & Variations are exactly my comments. <s>

I also agree with you that the Act II Swan Lake was much too short and as it was out of context it made very little sense. Act III, OTOH, was wonderful.

I guess it can stand alone because one does not have to know why they are going all out to impress--one just admires.

I had never been to the Opera House before and was astounded at how large it is. We had seats in the last row of the orchestra and yet could see the stage quite well.

Carol

We saw Jewels on Friday, 27 May. This was a lackluster performance. The chorus needs a lot more rehearsing. They were each dancing to their own beat. It was very messy looking.

Emeralds: between the orchestra playing badly and the dancers not caring, it was a very tedious performance.

I was so shocked at the whole performance. Are they bored?

The one and only time we saw the whole of Jewels was many years ago when NYCB came to London. The Royal Ballet sometimes does Rubies alone. As soon as I knew we were going to NYC I went on line to book.<s>

We could not imagine why they were given such raptureous applause. A real disappointment.

Carol

Carol, I think Mara finishes her run of Rites this Friday, and it's Symphony in C to end the bill again in June. I'm very excited, I love this work (and there are only so many Rites I can take in 1 week ) and given that it's not returning next season, am going to see every single one.

For Three Songs, there's only one cast, but I can give you most of it from memory:

Zenaida Yanowsky, Gary Avis

Tamara Rojo, Johannes Stepanek

Deirdre Chapman, Ricardo Cervera

Gemma Sykes, Laura McCulloch, Pietra Mello-Pittman, Sian Murphy

James Wilkie, Steven McRae, Ludovico Ondieva, Brian Maloney, Bennet Gartside

I'm sure there are 2 or 3 others - I'll have to add them later I'm afraid, I don't remember who they were, or at least I couldn't match names to faces.

It's a fun new work, whether it will last I don't know. (It's not being revived next season - personally of all the new works we've seen in the last 5 years, Wheeldon's Tryst, Bintley's Les Saisons, McGregor's Qualia and now Bruce's Three Songs, I'd love to have Qualia back.) So the audience here may as well catch it while they can!

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I am not sure which ballet "Rites" or "Symphony in C" "...am going to see every one"?

I like both ballets very much. Symphony in C is my one of my favourite Balanchine ballets.

The "Three Songs" is that the "New Bruce" we shall be seeing on 7 June?

Carol

[it just makes our versions - take your pick between a Swamp Thing-Purple Phallocentric version or the version done by The Company Least Likely To Do A Good Swan Lake - really look inadequate - because they are. Sigh.

Which companies are you referring to?<s> Having only ever seen the full Swan Lake (done by various companies) in London, I am not familiar with any American version.

We have just returned from NYC and saw productions by ABT and NYCB. I pointed out to my husband that NYCB never (?) do 3 act ballets. I wonder why. Is it because Balanchine did none?

Carol

Thank you Carol~ We are planning a trip to London in August and was afraid of  the summer tourist crowds causing difficulty in booking seats. Booking on line is a great idea!  Now, to get our dates organized for travel    We are attempting to gather the kids together for a short vacation to celebrate son's graduation from law school and DD will already be in Edinburgh dancing at the festival.  Here's hoping it all works out!   

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For some reason I missed the notice that you had replied. A wonderful reason to celebrate--having a son graduating from law school.

Who is "DD" and which group is she dancing with? We went to Edinburgh a few years ago when NYC Ballet were appearing. A wonderful atmospheric city.

Carol

If one was traveling to London this summer, how difficult would it be to get tickets to Billy Elliott?  Are they sold out for months or is it possible to find tickets at all?

Would love any information !

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I just saw the web site for the musical: www.billyelliotthemusical.com

That might be where you book for it.

Hope that helps,

Carol

With Memorial Day weekend approaching, I thought I'd start our annual summer reading thread.  Let us know what you're planning to read, and report on what you do read!

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This might not be the perfect summer reading book but I am in the middle of an excellent book. It is about a poet who returns home to a small village in Turkey. There is romance, there is history, there are philosophical thoughts about whether Turkey is European or Asian. The writing is excellent.

SNOW by Orhan Pamuk

My next book will be an autobiography of the man whom the film with Russell Crowe was made--something like "Master of the World"--takes place on a ship in the 1800s. This book is called COCHRANE: Britannia's Sea Wolf, by Donald Thomas. It comes highly recommended and I hope it lives up to the recommendation!

Carol

Also -- I believe there's no better therapy when you get into a very dark place than rereading your favorite children's literature.  That's when I need the comfort of the Melendy chiildren, Anne of Green Gable, and Betsy and Tacy, for starters. 

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My heart leapt up when I read that you had read the Betsy Tacey & Tib series. I remember going into a library when I was 18 or so to read the last book to find out if they had married!

Carol

It's fine to have another thread here -- not everyone looks at both boards. Would love to hear about the Guys and Dolls, carolm -- it's a favorite of mine, too!

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We are off to NYC for a week (and seeing two NYC Ballet performances --wonderful!) so shall wait until we come home to book. We did contimplate going to a preview performance this week but too much to do and not enough time has thwarted us.

We are always wary when thereis a British revival of an American musical. Though, the last time Guys & Dolls was done here it was done by The National Theatre and it was a terrific performance.

Carol

If one was traveling to London this summer, how difficult would it be to get tickets to Billy Elliott?  Are they sold out for months or is it possible to find tickets at all?

Would love any information !

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It got universal rave reviews and yet I went to the theatre right after and got two tickets for a Friday night performance. I believe there is a web site. It is playing at the Victoria Palace Theatre.

www.victoriapalacetheatre.co.uk

There are many London sites which will tell you about what is on.

We sat on an outside aisle seat which cost £40. I think the top price is £50. I would try to get seats in the centre. You might be able to order tickets on line.

If you are flexible I am sure you will get something but it is always better to try and book ahead.

Carol

A sudden treat--going to NYC and seeing two ballet performances. One of them is on Saturday afternoon. Has anyone seen this new ballet, "Tala Gaisma"? What is the music like? Did you enjoy it?

I am sure it will be a shock after seeing "Jewels" the previous evening!

TIA,

Carol

Thanks for starting this thread, carolm, and thanks, ami1436, for the link.  It's nice to know that people seem to be enjoying the show.  It is nice to have the opportunity to see the original cast early in the run.

I did not realise there was another thread on the same subject. We try and see a play when it first opens. A new production of "Guys and Dolls" is in preview this week. We shall try and see it after it officially opens==one of my favourite musicals.

Carol

After scanning the positive reviews in recent weeks of Billy Elliott, the musical, I am hoping that it makes it way out to California someday so I can see it.  For a second there, I was thinking, gee, I hope they make a movie of it so that I can see it...hmmm, a movie of a stage production of a movie  .

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Perhaps you can come over one day. It is such a hit I am sure it will be on for a long time. We saw it about 4 days after it opened. I like seeing plays with the orginal cast. Everyone was fresh. The audience loved it. The atmosphere was electric.

I hope to go again in about a year.

Carol

We went to see Billy Elliott and thought it very good. The young boy we saw is such a good dancer. All the cast go from tap to ballet to jazz with great ease. I especially liked the dance that he does with himself as an adult.

The music is by Elton John and it was not that memorable. One does not leave the theatre humming any tune.

An emotional story well danced and acted.

Carol