ViolinConcerto

Yes, I also noticed a number of obtrusive (and unnecessary) adjectives. But, about what is missing....we don't know what was edited out.

Many of her remarks showed a deepening, maturity and acceptance of the cycle of life that reminded me of Suzanne.

Saturday night's performance was more than 75% Balanchine and the house was packed! It opened with a very lovely and gentle CONCERTO BAROCCO, with the two women (who always seem to me to be like the personification of devoted friends, the way they move together) performed by Rachel Rutherford and Wendy Whelan. Albert Evans did the male role. I loved watching Albert -- he made the role a calm, supportive and strong presence. He and Wendy were beautiful together. The guest conductor, David Briskin, created a dignified, smooth pace, like a soft, comfortable flying carpet for them to dance on. It was a bit slower than usual, and that was most welcome -- IMO -- after all the very rushed tempi we've had to sit through. Wendy seemed as if the music was flowing directly through her. The corps and the violin soloists (Arturo Delmoni and Kurt Nikkanen) were equally unified. The ROMEO AND JULIET pas de 2 was nicely performed by Yvonne Borree and Sebastien Marcovici (two dancers I generally don't like). Again, Briskin had a gentle command of the orchestra. Then came an explosive Tschaikovsky Pas de 2 with Damian Woetzel and Miranda Weese. The entire fourth ring was cheering like crazy. Reminded me of "the old days," in Balanchine's time, when our hands would hurt from applauding! I agree with Michael about Sylve's performance: she was the high point of SYMPHONY IN C. For me, her style is different from most NYCB dancers, but I am not able to articulate why I feel that way. I have come to feel that Charles Askegard just does not put energy, strength and commitment into his work: he looks "flabby" and just can't keep his part of the bargain. The first movement (IMO again) was similarly unbalanced: Jenifer Ringer just sparkles, and Nilas Martins sort of thuds along. Megan Fairchild took the 3rd movement that Bouder was supposed to do. She and Joaquin de Luz were good, but a little "lite" for my taste. Jason Fowler in the 4th movement had a wonderful classical line. I was glad to see that his work is being recognized. Abi Stafford had good energy, but to me, is still a bit bland, though better than she was.

That's György -- don't forget about young Lucas, who lives in NYC. He's an excellent composer/percussionist. Course, I prefer György.

or Ligeti?

Chris, to me, it is a scholarly book that looks like a coffee table book. It is a series of essays about exactly what the title says, "The Ballets Russes and its World" that is beautifully and thoroughly illustrated. It's not a history, or biography, or the story of the various Ballets Russes companies (like the wonderful film!), nor something you can read straight through, but good for really deeply thought analyses, and historical essays. They are in chronological order, starting with a discussion of Diaghilev's family, going all the way through Lincoln Kirstein. I have found it interesting and useful -- and I have not read more than one essay straight through, but been able to jump from chapter to chapter when I want to research (or just learn about) something.

It was actually the (NOT ecstatic) Orange that kept me away: orange and hideous blue! Mon Dieu! And the Jackson Pollack wannabe drips! And Orange you glad I'm not continuing my rant!

For Michael--How soon we forget! Here's from the rep note on the NYCB website: Premiere: May 10, 2001, New York City Ballet, New York State Theater Original cast: Darci Kistler, Jenifer Ringer, Janie Taylor, Jared Angle, Nilas Martins, Jock Soto I always have felt that CALCIUM LIGHT NIGHT was PM's best work. I only saw SCHUBERTIADE during it's first season, and my immediate reaction was that he'd lost his editor.

Liebeslieder Waltzer!

Rchamp, I bow to your vastly superior knowledge and/or memory. You're absolutely right. It was either Kaplow or Moredock. According to the rules of the site, I can't tell you how I learned this because it's technically hearsay, but the source, as they say, was impeccable.

Yes, Bouder was absolutely magnificent, but I felt that the conductor was very uneven, and sped up raggedly in some places so that Bouder had to clip the edges of some of the pas de chats and those incredibly difficult triple turns capped by an extension that Merrill Ashley describes as being her nemisis in her book. When I saw Bouder last year I felt that she surpassed Merrill in some ways. I also agree that Millipied and the four soloists were superb (and was especially happy to see Riggins in such good form). To me, MORGEN is the same ballet as IN THE NIGHT, but not as good. At the intermission, I and several friends confessed that we'd dozed off. One friend described the people he was sitting near (all in the orchestra) as sinking deeper and deeper into their seats, it's that soporific. The music is stunningly beautiful, and I agree with Oberon that the soprano veered off to the sharp side now and then. I stayed for OPUS JAZZ because I'd only seen it once, and enjoyed the energy, the visuals and -- of course -- the dancing. It has all of Robbins' trademarks, most of which he improved on in later years: the circle, the challenges, the repeats, the passing of a movement from one person to the other: a pre-natal INTERPLAY. It really brought back the essence of those times for me, as well.

All true. I seem to recall that in some seasons she has only done one of the "M's" which offered some respite. But in the performance I saw, IMO, the corps was just more ragged than I'd ever seen. My memory being what it is, I can't recall if Maria ("Legs" Korowski, to quote from another thread) has ever done this. If not, WHY NOT?

The only performance I've seen as yet at NYCB began with M/M, and I felt it was very weak and listless. I'll be seeing it again next week, and hope the dancers have recovered from the very strenuous rehearsal and performance schedule (Swan Lake, of course) that may have detracted from concentration and energy. Here is the beginning (and link to) a thoughtful critique: Here is the link: http://www.nynewsday.com/entertainment/sta...dance-headlines

"The Sleeping Ballerina" is VERY hard to find. One friend has a copy and was good enough to xerox it for me. Much of it deals with her years in a mental institution upstate New York. Dolin sprung her from that, bless him.

Bart, I wish I remembered my thoughts on that, but I don't.

I have seen nearly all the dancers mentioned above (other than Bruhn and D'Amboise and Luders) and found wonderful things in every one, including the perfection of line in Peter Martins' performance, tho he could certainly never be called a Wild Child. In March, 2004, at Symphony Space there was a full day tribute to Balanchine ("Wall to Wall Balanchine"), with many wonderful discussions and performances. It was topped off by a full performance of Apollo by the Dance Theater of Harlem, with Apollo danced by Rasta Thomas. J. D'Amboise coached him, and I have to say it was totally unique. There was so much going on in his face, he was so alive and reactive, that it was amazing. I don't think those cool Danes could have done that at all. His dancing was also wonderful, though probably constrained by the small stage.

It's hard to tell if the Company is still a feet & legs consortium, as it was under Mr. B., because hardly any of the new choreography has complex footwork. As to whether it's an arms company, the audiences in St. Petersburg certainly didn't think so, as I mentioned in my report on "Bringing Balanchine Home."

I will do what I can to check on that performance, but my recollection is that it was Quinn -- last Spring season.

Some of Quinn's tempi have been so fast as to be nearly undanceable. One of Bouder's 1st performances of "Ballo della Regina" was like that. She managed to finish -- beautifully -- somehow -- once again showing what an outstanding dancer she is.

Bringing Balanchine Back Richard Blanshard, U.S., 2003; 80m From the program notes: "Peter Martins took the New York City Ballet to St. Petersburg in 2003 with a repertory of George Balanchine ballets, unseen since 1972. This intimate look at the dancers in rehearsal and in performance on the stage of the famed Marinsky Theater is full of intimate moments, crises, and triumphs. A U.S. premiere. The Director will introduce." In his introduction to the film, Mr. Blanshard noted that the film was shot in two weeks, with one day off. They had three camera crews. Christopher Ramsey made a few interesting comments before the film: in his view, this film was about a child going home after losing both parents. The child is the company, the parents were George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. "In reaching out with love for its parents, the child grows up." The film began with the very rushed preparations for the tour, which was set up in a very short time. (as I write this, miraculously, the music from "Ballo Della Regina" is on the radio.) It then shows comments by Solomon Volkov, Boris Eifman, and Sergei Gergiev, a number of students from the Vaganova Academy (but no dancers from the Kirov, who may have been away) who discuss the Company's visit from the Russian point of view. After performances, audience members outside (in the midnight sun) are asked their opinions as well. Most are quite positive, though almost universal in feeling that whereas NYCB are fast and flexible with great feet and legs, the Kirov has the advantage with the arms. From the Company, Peter Martins, Rosemary Dunleavy, Albert Evans ("I hate the raked stage!"), Wendy Whelan, Jock Soto, Craig Hall, Benjamin Millepied, Alexandra Ansanelli Darci Kistler each make a number of comments, and Carrie Lee Riggins, Alina Dronova, Daniel Ulbricht, James Fayette, Pascal van Kipnis and others also speak about their experiences. Alina, who is originally from Russia was hyper-conscious of being judged on if and how she had changed (she had a principal role). Rosemary, who had been to the then-Soviet Union with Balanchine in 1962 and 1972, found herself very overwhelmed, remembering how it was when they were there previously. While she clearly felt his presence, she clearly missed him tremendously. A number of other company members -- even those born after Mr. B. died in 1983 -- talked about feeling his presence. They showed both rehearsals and performance excerpts, the editing and photography were SUPERB. The director did not have to exaggerate or overdramatize to show the kind of stress the Company was under: after 24 hours traveling, they went right into rehearsal and apparently performed that very night! In the nine (I think) days they were there, they had only one day off, and we get to tag along a little bit there. There was a bit of a drama when Gergiev, who was invited to conduct on opening night, vanished for a half hour or more during the first intermission, with the entire orchestra. He conducts, unshaven, in a tee shirt. Peter Martins commented, at a reception afterwards, that "we only take 20 minute intermissions." Ironically (in light of later events) there was a real "sub-plot" about Alexandra Ansanelli, and her struggle -- after recovering from an injury -- to make her debut in "Serenade." She did not dance it as scheduled. We were not told why (but we're used to that!). The film ends, after showing the taking of the magnificent group photos onstage at the Maryinski, with breathtaking shots of St. Petersburg at night (now, how did they do that, if it's always light??), and at one point, the very pensive photo of Mr. B. by Tanaquil LeClerq is superimposed. That, I must confess, brought tears to my eyes. The repertory for the tour (as I remember, and that's not saying much), was, "Serenade," "Symphony in C," "Agon," "Symphony in 3 Movements," "Glass Pieces," "Hallelujah Junction," "Western Symphony," and "Interplay." I think the festival planners made a serious mistake in only programming this wonderful, incredible, beautiful film once. I recommend a massive outcry.

They are truly beautiful as independent works of art (separate from our knowledge of the ballets). I agree with Carbro about the one of the Bayadere corps. Thank you.

I was in Asia for a long while in the 70's, and my first reconnection with "Western Civ" was seeing "I am a Dancer" when I reached Athens on my way back. That really opened my eyes. The pdd by Glen Tetley reached me on a very emotional level. I just watched the pdd with Ms. Piggy, and think that the dancer in the Piggy suit hasn't received any credit, and surely deserves some (other than the points where they substituted a doll). Nuryev was equally skillful with doll and dancer, and a great actor, as well. Alas, the next time I saw him was in 1984, at the Joyce, with a small group (they did "Apollo," "Moor's Pavane" and "Pas de Quatre," I believe) and to me it seemed that he was primarily terribly tired in everything. A fine, proud performer gone too soon.

Two things -- I just started to read this thread, and was thinking "Kyra Nichols" all along...glad someone else mentioned her. Her phrasing is always very, very musical. She uses rubato like very few other dancers I have seen (granted, I am only familiar with NYCB dancers). One of the best examples I can think of is in "Ives, Songs." I think Robbins used her musicality very well. And, re singing while you dance (a different thing from singing with the body), in most forms of Indian dance -- and I am most familiar with Bharata Natyam and Odissi -- the dancer sings the lyrics in the dramatic sections, and often sings the "bols" in the pure dance segments. (The "bols" are syllables that indicate the rhythms. They are like solfeg for rhythm. I think jazz drummers do that also, maybe even tap dancers -- does anyone know?)

I was just looking at the main page that Koshka has a link to, and my girl cat was on the chair behind me. On the page, when you "roll over" certain spots, you hear a cat's "meow." Suddenly, my cat jumped down off the chair and started looking and sniffing around! Every time I repeated the action, she got all excited and looked for the "other cat!" And I didn't think that meow sounded real. But then, who am I to judge?

Yes, Mea culpa -- Telecharge. whatever. you can't pick your seats. so: be up close, front and center, tho not in the first row. and I have to emphasize that the clowning is very basic, and much of it is geared for children. So quick, become a child!