Dale

Thank you for the info A and L. The same move is done at the end of the coda by all four principal women.

Syphony in C was much improved at the end of the run. Kent was beautiful in the 2nd movement, Dvorovenko (sharp in the pointe work) and Beletserkovsky glittered in the 1st, and Murphy/Stiefel and Anna Liceica and Sean Stewart looked Balanchinian in the third and fourth movements.

I caught the group at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, an excellent place for dance (if only one of the groups would bring an orchestra).

I'd have to agree with much of the sentiment in the previous posts. This is just the beginning for Farrell's endeavor and it's sure to grow. Some of the sets were dinky and the costumes have that designer knockoff look. But these faults could not take away from the integrity of the performances. As a whole, the group and many of the principals dance in a lighter style than Farrell did or the NYCB does. This could have been a liability but I think it worked well in Scotch Symphony.

I also came away that Chan Hon Goh was a true artist and I'm happy that she so obviously enjoys working with Farrell. She brought me chills during Scotch Symphony and was chilling herself as the Sleepwalker.

Adding to my pleasure during the Mendlssohn is that I happen to like the way Farrell approaches and coaches the work. Over the last 3-4 seasons at NYCB, the part has become too perky. I prefer the mysterious, dance under moon light approach that I remember from the past and in Farrell's setting of the work with Elena Pankova in the lead. It also appears to be supported by a TV performance I saw (in the mueseum of broadcasting) of Tallchief from the Bell Telephone Hour.

My only complaint with SS was the Scottish lass, Kristen Stevens, who didn't have the briskness, beats, or charm the role requires.

I also was unimpressed with Jennifer Fournier. She has a beautiful face (sort of Darcey Bussell-like) but she is just so stiff. Wisely, Farrell put her in Monumentum/Movements, the former ballet requiring classical purity. While satisfying, the corp was not in unison during the famous diagonal where they flex their feet. A tiny blip. Runqiao Du partner well in both ballets and did well with his solo in the latter ballet.

I agree with Kate about Huys' shirt in the Duo Concertant. I don't know why they chose the alter (slightly) the costumes here as I would think they would be inexpensive. Natalia Magnicaballi was good but did not show off "Balanchine" style technique. However, she did the moment when she stand in the spotlight very well. The part where she pushes her face out of the light was very well done, almost as if they hand belonged to someone else, who was taking her away from Huys.

Even though it was very uneven, I'm glad Farrell programed La Sonnambula. It seems to be a ballet that will allow her company, I'm speaking about the corp and the demi soloists, to grow. Mario Hernandez wasn't quite up to the Harlequin, especially after seeing the role done with a lot of flash elsewhere, but it gives himself to work on. Stevens, Brian Palmer and Stephen Straub did the Pastorale as a trio, as has been pointed out. Balanchine himself dropped the hoop dance but was the Pastoral a trio before a quartet. This ballet has changed since it premiered with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. I believe the Harlequin was once danced by a female.

Bonnie Pickard and Dimitri Fateev danced the divertissement pas de deux were dressed more like playing card characters rather than exotica and the choreography was a bit different than what I see now. For example, when the female does an extention, instead of leaning on his back while he bends over, she is supported while he is kneeling. I don't know if this is an older version or what. (Other changes were the corps wearing flippers not heeled shoes and the performers not coming out with loose hair after the Poet is stabbed).

Christina Fagundes was the coquette and played her alluring but not heartless. Huys made a fine poet but did not bring out his sinister qualities during the group dances.

But Goh was magnificently creepy as the sleepwalker. As Kate said, we've seen some wonderful performances of this ballet recently. Whelen was terrific, as was Kyra Nichols a few years back. Goh did two things that really struck me -- she kept her eyes open and unfocused the entire time (something that Whelen did when she first debut in the role a few years ago but not this past season) and had the character appear to melt inside, but stay unreachable on the outside. Especially touching was the way she walked out of Huys' outstretched arms after the backbend. Her whole body seemed to be overcome with tiny shivers. Well, I can talk about this ballet forever, it's one of my favorites to analyze.

Some people didn't like the costumes in this ballet but I found them attractive, especially the dresses of the Coquette and guests, which had a whiff of the surealism in them that pays homage to the Dorathea Tanning originals.

ABT's opening night was billed as "A Tribute to the American Spirit" and I have admit that the experience was uplifting to me just to get away from the TV news, out of the house and into a theater.

The evening started with an except of the new ballet Amazed in Burning Dreams by Kirk Peterson. Set to Philip Glass, it was a big war-like in its movements with Herman Cornejo doing a lot of turns and jumps.

More spirit-filled was Ashley Tuttle's performance of Prayer from Coppelia. It was very beautiful, controlled, and simple.

Reverie, choeographed by Robert Hill to Schubert songs, brought old-timers Georgina Parkinson, Martine Van Hamel, and Frederic Franklin. Most of this was elaborate arm movements and walking steps. While it was a joy to see favorites from the past (although I never saw Franklin, only read about him), the effort -- for me -- wasn't very satisfying. However, all three dancers, along with Hill, Lar Lubovitch, Zack Brown, Nacho Duato, and Eliot Feld donated their salaries from the evening to the World Trade Center Fund.

Angel Corella and Erica Cornejo were pert in Feld's Variations on America. It's interesting to compare this with Stars and Stripes. Feld never really developes the idea of patriotism through choreography past a lot of salutes and the occasional mimic of firing a rifle. However, it serves as a good ballet for a gala. Watching it though, I noticed a lot of Baryshnikovisms (it was made on him, no?), much like his work with Tharp.

Lubovitch's My Funny Valentine to the Richard Rodgers' tune was a lot of clutching and grabbing, with some cutsie stuff thrown in. Sandra Brown and Marcelo Gomes did their best.

Watching Irina Dvorovenko, with husband Maxim Belotserkovsky, in Sylvia Pas de Deux by Balanchine, I decided that she'd be really great in it if she'd just trust the choreography and her own musicality without resorting to her bag of tricks. She has such great personal charm that I think she needs to resist adding in momements of mannerisms. Still, she and Belotserkovsky were very entertaining.

Susan Jaffe's performance in the Act II pas de deux from Swan Lake was one of the highlights of the night. The last few New York seasons she has had to battle through injuries, so we haven't seen her at her best as she was Tuesday night. Carlos Molina looked a bit scared at the beginning but supported Jaffe well.

Julie Kent and Vladimir Malakhov turned up in Duato's Without Words, before a disappointing Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 Third Movement. Xiomara Reyes was frisky as the 3rd mvt. soloist but I just didn't think Joaquin de Luz was dignified enough for the male soloist. Gillian Murphy/Ricardo Torres, Elizabeth Gaither/Gennadi Saveliev, Jaffe/Guillaume Graffin came on from the earlier movements. Gaither just didn't seem with it.

After an intermission, ABT premiered its version of Balanchine's Symphony in C, staged by Victoria Simon and rights holder John Taras. The company happily imported proper white costumes from National Ballet of Canada. On opening night, they were white but did not have to satin bows along with tutu until the next night.

I think Paloma Herrera has the right sort of attack and demeanor for the 1st movement, but some of her foot work was a little sloppy. Ethan Stiefel was perfect as her co-hort. A few of the lifts appeared effortful, but his solos and ensemble work were musical and finely etched.

Nina Ananiashvili has been beautiful in the adagio before and the movement brings out her best qualities -- lovely line, stateliness, perfect technique. Jose Manuel Carreno partnered her strongly.

Tuttle and Corella turned up in the high-bounding third movement. I think she was a bit miscast as she doesn't have the huge jump that I'm accustomed to in this role. She would be better off in the fourth. Corella has a exquisite light jump and turns that never seem to end. I only had wished that he would have coordinated his effects with Tuttle. It looked awkward in unison passages for him to do triples and her to do singles. It would have worked much better if they did less but were together. I sometimes think that Corella, a dancer I like and respect very much, misinterprets the daring required by Balanchine to mean doing more turns, big jumps etc... Certainly Mr. B wanted that, but I think the daring comes in the musicality and risk.

Sascha Radetsky was very good in the fourth movement, but Sandra Brown seemed completely undone by the choreography. One review put it down to being tired, but she performed the same on Wednesday.

The finale was, as usual, a joy, with all the dancers coming out on stage. The dancers found the quick ending a little hard to keep up with but they should grow into the ballet.

I saw Symphony in C the next night as well. Malakhov replaced Stiefel in the 1st movement and was just as good. Jaffe and Molina did the 2nd and duplicated their feat of the Swan Lake a night earlier. She was so still in her center and appeared to be floating on some mist. My only complaint in the movement was one of the corps girls (the second from the left) had just a huge gring on her face during a part of the ballet that is supposed to be moon-lit and mysterious.

Wednesday started with Black Tuesday. Not seeing so much Taylor in my lifetime, I have no qualms that this might be "re-cylcled" Taylor and really like it. The whole cast was wonderful and I can't really single out a particular dancer. However, the title does mean something very different to me nowadays.

Dvorovenko and Belotserkovsky did the full Sylvia Pas de Deux and appeared more comfortable in it. The adagio still had more arm flips, cloying smiles and hand flicks than I like, but the variations built fabulously. He performed all the turn combinations to perfection and seemed to have springs in his feat (yet always landing in a nice fifth) while she dazzled in the hops on point and turns, getting increasingly fast until the end. I only wish they would really do the big jump at the end, when she charges into his arms. You would think, as a married couple, that trust would not be a problem.

Nina A and Carreno did Esmeralda Pas de Deux, choreographed by Ben Stevenson. I asssume this is a piece picked up by NA during one of her stints at the Houston Ballet. If I have seen this pas de deux before, I don't remember it and don't know how well it stays with the original. It was pretty cutesy but Carreno was masterful in his solos and Nina was in her gala mode.

I had tickets for Thursday's performance but had to miss it due to personal reasons. I came back Friday. Black Tuesday featured the same cast B that performed it at the Met, with Murphy taking on "The Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and De Luz in "Brother, Can you Spare a Dime." A few people laughed during Murphy's solo. I didn't understand why, but she was very physical, really throwing herself about.

Afterwards, ABT showed off its new production of Antony Tudor's Dim Lustre. Julie Kent and Ethan Stiefel were the lovers who with a "whiff of perfume, the touch of a hand, a stolen kiss release whirls of memories which take the remembers back briefly to other moments and leave them not exactly as they were before."

While I think it traveled some of the same road as Lilac Garden, this Tudor ballet was worlds better than Peter Martins' treatment of the same score by Richard Strauss -- also a ballroom ballet. The premise here is that one movement or gesture triggers a memory of a former love, the lights go out and then in a darker hue, a mirror image comes on before the remembered old flame enters for an episode. I thought it worked well and look forward to seeing the ballet again.

Sym. in C again, with Reyes and de luz in the third movement. Michele Wiles and Ricardo Torres did the fourth and again the female solist had trouble. Could the fourth movement be harder than it appears? NYCB has had some of its more technically capable dancers (Ringer, Somogy, Samantha Allen) in the part.

[ October 29, 2001: Message edited by: Dale ]

I went Opening Night and two other times and will post something tonight. Thanks Bobsey for getting us started.

Ashley Bouder and Carla Korbes are profiled in a rather lengthy (for a dance article in Vogue) profile by Gia Kourlas in the November issue of Vogue (American). There is a beautiful colo photo of Bouder in her Firebird costume and Korbes dressed for Divertimento #15.

What about Eliot Feld's Variations on America? I haven't seen that ballet for a long time.

I was working at my office building when it happened. I'm located in Jersey city, on the water with our windows litterly across the river from the World Trade Center. We all rushed to our windows and were still there when the second plane hit. It took our breath away. I can see the flames take over an entire floor on the North tower. Then the the 2nd tower dropped away. We all gasped and cried before we were evacuated. Smoke is (as you all can see on tv) everywhere. As I led some co-workers to my apartment, just a few blocks from the water with a clear view of the towers, we stopped on one corner where we saw the other tower collapse. I just can't believe it's gone. Everything is stopped around here and some of the wounded are being brought to Jersey City. It's surreal. I've always looked out at the towers whenever I've gone to work and now they're gone. We're going to give blood.

[ 09-11-2001: Message edited by: Dale ]

linsusanr, as I asked before, you might find a library to view the tape near you. I know that the Balanchine Foundation tapes were sent to several libraries around the world, not just the performance library in NY. Or a university such as UCLA. For example, when I was at Columbia, the library there had copies of different Dance in America and Live at Lincoln Center broadcasts that were not available at that time. So, conceivably there might be a library near you that might have a copy of this program. You should call around.

Just found a link for the San Francisco Performing Arts Library:

http://www.sfpalm.org/dance.html

Special Libraries Association:

http://www.sla.org/

And Dance Films Association. They are located in New York but have festivals and viewing sites around the world:

http://www.dancefilmsassn.org/

UCLA library:

http://www.library.ucla.edu/

I read this book as well. It reads like bad fan fiction. First, I can "see" the research in the stories -- here Dance Magazine, there the book Ballerina (which we're discussing elsewhere on the board) etc... I'm not saying she plagiarized, but it does read rather clumsily if you had read the source material she used.

In addition, the author is just wrong in many cases. I think the Washington Post review pointed out that she refers to Nilas Martins as "tall and elegant," which is not really true. While "elegant" is somewhat subjective, the author has him performing Bugaku, which I don't think he ever has and probably won't. There are other instances of misinformation as well. Add in her purple prose and it's a strange book.

Well, that's understandable. I wouldn't go with a story based solely on unnamed sources, but I would take in the information and try to get confirmations that would go on the record. That could have been the case in the previous NY Times article -- the article appeared one-sided because the reporter could only get one side (the board members, who control the money) to go on record.

DancerX -- I think the difference between you and the other posters you mentioned is that they have not come on to make serious allegations against someone. But if you know something that should come out, why not contact the New York Times arts section or Dance Magazine, Dance View/Ballet Alert, Ballet Review etc... ? You might get more satisfaction than just coming on the board and complaining that things are being swept under the rug. You needn't put your job in jeopardy if you make it clear to the writer that you want to be used as deep background -- off the record.

Peggy -- Thanks for clearing the attendance question for me. I'm sure that includes the half-price tickets offered on the web site. Perhaps, you can further clarify the reports that various productions were cancelled, such as the new Sleeping Beauty. And wasn't ABT a partner in producing Kudelka's Firebird, along with Houston Ballet?

[ 08-20-2001: Message edited by: Dale ]

One dancer did go on the record with her displeasure with Kevin McKenzie -- Amanda McKerrow. In an interview with Time Out New York she said she didn't agree with the direction McKenzie was taking the company, but added she didn't want to go into it in print.

On the ticket sales increase, I'm not sure whether people are counting the income made from the sales or the number of the tickets. Because, at least for the Met season, the prices went up considerably. So, they could conceivably make more money but sell less individual tickets.

I'd also like to add support for Alexandra for wanting to keep this topic safe from a flame war. It's very easy to come on here, sign up under a tag or false name and hurl accusations, and then retreat into lurkdom. But it would really say something to come on under a real name and stand by your words.

[ 08-17-2001: Message edited by: Dale ]

I have this book. It came out in the early 80s and the writer [sarah Monte--I can't spell it off the top of my head, help here anyone ] also did one on famous ballet partnerships called "Pas de Deux."

The main section did stop with Ashley but then it was followed with a small chapter on up-and-comers, including Leslie Browne (Alexandra don't choke), Kyra Nichols and N Pavlova. It's one of my favorite books. Nice pictures. Unfortunately, I bought my copy at a library sale and someone drew a mustache on my absolute favorite -- Suzanne Farrell!!

If I were continueing the book I'd have put Nichols in the "ballerina" catagory and then add Darci Kistler to finish up the NYCB women. The book, written before the fall of the Soviet Union, really omits or came before many top Russian dancers, I add Kolpokova, Lopatkina, Nina A, Sylvie G, Viviana Durante and Darcey Bussell. Plus some of the French dancers whom recently retired -- Lourdes, Platel -- and Gueran. Maybe I'd add Kent, using what seems to be the book's criteria. And some Canadian dancers -- Evelyn Hart. I think Karen Kain is in the book, but if she's not I'd add her, as well as Patricia Barker. I'm sure I'm leaving out quite a bit.... (and, of course, misspelling a ton of names, sorry).

I'd like to see a ballet based on Miss Cleo, the psychic who advertises on TV.

[ 08-11-2001: Message edited by: Dale ]

Try a performing arts library near you or a major university library. If you live near a top ballet school, somebody there might have a copy.

And in the grand tradition of the Super Bowl, we can have a number to "Up with People" Who is after Nikki? The head coach? Instead of the dance of the priests, he could do a pas de quatre with his assistant coaches.

For a bad new ballet, I nominate the "Susan Smith Story" Ben Stevenson can do it in the style of Anastasia by McMillian but he'll collaborate with David Parsons, who will do a "dance of the dead children" -- like the one he did for Pied Piper. It would be a great role for a top dramatic ballerina. Music by John Adams.

[ 08-07-2001: Message edited by: Dale ]

[ 08-07-2001: Message edited by: Dale ]

I think the Texas La Bayadere could have a really good men's dance (a la Sparticus) taking place in the lockerroom with his teammates, clad of course in towels

Didn't the Joffrey have a ballet about the Holocaust that was a collaboration between two choreographers? It came under fire because it was seen as being anti-semitic. I think I read about it in that book about the Joffrey Ballet. Anyone remember this?

I think the Hayden book is from the 50s or 60s and geared more towards teens.

I've seen the Verdy book at some used book stores but it's always cost around $75 so I had to pass.

Adams, LeClerc, and Berosiva would make good subjects. I'd love a lengthy triple bio on the three "Baby Ballerinas" of de Basil's Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, but I'd also take just one on Tamara Toumanova. It would be great, from her dramatic birth on a train as her parents fled Russia, to her life as a baby ballerina, Balanchine muse, aging ballet diva, movie star, her life in California... On the other hand, Irina Baranova is still alive, so a bio on her might be easier to put together. Speaking of live subjects, how about a current one on Melissa Hayden.

Actually, I'd like a really good bio on Petipa. I only found one and it didn't look interesting.

Ed,

I don't know Spisto personally, and I won't comment on the gossip, but I do know that ABT had to cancell its new Sleeping Beauty because of a lack of funds and some other projects and tours. The company also was reported to have lost more money under his leadership than it did under Kaiser.

I think there are a few differences in doing business or raising funds in Detroit and New York. I'm not bashing Detroit, but I understand that Spisto liked to do the dinner thing a lot, and dinners and treats cost a bit more in New York than they do in Michigan. And a lot more costs go into a ballet company than a symphony orchestra. Ex. Some music does not recquire payment, there are no costumes and scenery to buy and maintain, hair dressers, props, toe shoes, physical threrapists etc, choreographers to pay.

I think maybe he expected the two jobs to be more similar and what would work in one would work in the other. They didn't as the books show.

Most likely, Stiefel is going to be with ABT while they tour and is scheduled to dance with the company during its season at City Center, running from late October to the first week of November. January appears to be a free month, so maybe he'll be in England then.

A lot of what everybody has said makes sense, and I also agree with Mary. It depends on how close it hits personally. I can go to a ballet company supported by Phillip Morris because I don't buy into the hype and I don't smoke cigerettes (although I love Triscuts).

But if I found out my mother got Alzheimer's from her moisturizer or makeup, and the maker of those items was the main sponsor for a ballet company, I might think about not going.

It's easy to think intellectually that Wagner operas did not kill the Jews during the Holocaust but I know survivers who can't hear German singing without thinking about the camps. I try to take these things on a case-by-case basis. I expect to see La Bayadere next week, not receive a religious conversion (who know, maybe they'll have a subliminal message played softly under the music ).

Do ballet companies have this dilemma? Would NYCB or ABT ever turn down money from a convicted murderer? Or for a company that caused the death of millions of people? Or a cult leader? It would be interesting to find one that said no to tobacco companies.

Oh, I'm so glad M.M. has had such a triumph in Cortege Hongrois. I'd love to see her do more of the "grand" roles, such as Diamonds, Symphony in C (1st or 2nd mvt), or Tchiak pas de deux. Then again, I'd like to just plain see her get cast, period.

I second Diana L. It's been great to read how the company has been doing while out of Manhattan from all of you, including Manhattnik over there in the other section of the forum. I'm as green as Giannina having missed Monique Meunier in Cortege. I hope she will be healthy enough next winter to do the part down here.