SandyMcKean

I wonder what Suzanne, or anyone else in the room, thought about Laura and Karel's height?? I'm pretty sure that they are the tallest male and female dancer in the entire PNB company.....and that's in a company known for its "tallness"! (I know Laura is; The only one who might be taller than Karel is Joshua Grant).

Like many of you, no doubt, I love, love, love the opportunity to see/hear MET Opera productions at my local theater -- and I go to most of them These productions have also spurred my long time ambition to replace or enchance my opera CD collection with video based versions. The reason? I am one of those who is in tune with an opera being not just music and singing, but also the marriage of music, emotions, words, and spectacle. For me, I need to see the singer, read the subtitle words.....in essense "be in the opera house". That these Met productions are available on DVD and Blu-ray has inspired me to "listen" to operas at home on DVD/BD instead of on CDs. But here's my question..... Although some of the MET HD operas are available in Blu-ray, many are DVD only. I'd far prefer the Blu-ray versions. Does anyone know how the decisions are made as to whether a production will be released on DVD vs Bly-ray? In particular, what are the odds that something that's DVD only right now will later be released on Blu-ray also. I've attempted to research this, but have found no information. Case in point.....I would love to have a copy of the Met's "Enchanted Island". It's available on DVD but not Blu-ray. I'd hate to buy the DVD and then find out later that a Blu-ray version is released. Incidentally, the cost for either version (when they exist) are very similar.

Yes, I ran into this tape when I did my big search several years ago. It has a couple of "problems": first is that it isn't the whole play but only an excerpt from Act 1; second, you have to go to the library to view it. If I ever go to NY again I would certainly attempt to do this. I don't believe there is a recording of the entire play. During my search I seem to remember that someone who knew Williams told me that Williams also attempted to find such a recording and was unable to do so. Later edit......well, it seems my memory fails (no big surprise these days ). There does appear to be a tape of the entire production. sandik's post got me to snooping around. In the same collection, there is another set of video tapes (staff # NCOV 747) that includes the entire production. There is a note that says: "Restricted to qualified researchers". So now I'll look into how to become a qualified researcher P.S. Looking at this library "index card", I note that the lighting designer for this production was Jennifer Tipton. I didn't know that before. It's something that makes this production even more intriguing to me.

OMG! You actually saw that production! I'd give my left testicle (pretty useless anyway, these days ) to have seen that production. I once heard there was a video of it. I searched everywhere, including major libraries around the country, but never could get my hands on it. "Waiting" is my favorite play (altho "Texts for Nothing" is a close second...if you can call it a play). I've seen many versions of the "Waiting for Godot" (including a new one I will see in Seattle in September during the upcoming "Beckett Festival"), but never the one with Williams et al. I did see Bill Irwin (my favorite stage actor) as Vladimir in a Seattle Repertory production several years ago.....one of the highlights of my life (there is a point in the play when Vladimir makes a joke about his hat; I seemed to be the only one in the audience that night that got it, at least I was the only one who laughed out loud -- quite loud -- Irwin seemed to be tickled by that; he looked up at me somewhere in the balcony, and sort of tipped his hat to me......I'll never forget that moment)....my 3 heros all in one moment: Beckett, Vladimir, and Irwin!!. Someone once sent me the Playbill from that 1988 production (I think it was someone from BalletTalk....maybe you??). It is now one of my prized possessions. I can almost hear William's GoGo saying....."Nothing to be done!"

meunier fan, so well written.....Thank You. FWIW, my memory of Robin Williams stretches back to high school (I'm in my late 60s). I went to high school in Marin County, California. In the early 60s, this strange guy enrolled mid-term into Redwood High School. He wasn't in my class so I don't remember him well, but he got noticed because he was a bit strange. He wore a suit and tie to school for one thing. I was struck by your characterization of Robin Williams as "shy".....seemingly a non sequitur. This new kid named Robin Williams was extraordinarily shy and more or less kept to himself. Little did any of us know what was lurking inside!

Indeed. I remember thinking the night of the competition: "I wonder who pays the expenses that these 9 singers encumber?" I assumed it would be Seattle Opera (or alternatively one of the donors who make an event like this possible). But in any case, I have no doubt that artists make great sacrifices in pursuit of their art......even the ones that make it must have sacrificed dearly early in their career. Just one of many reasons I so admire them all.

As I sat there listening, I had the same thought. I don't know the "etiquette" standards when it comes to conducting opera, but I would think it is perfectly normal to tone the orchestra down just a bit if the singer doesn't quite have Stephanie Blithe's power , but maybe that's not so. In any case, on more than one occasion I caught myself thinking: "The orchestra should back off a bit and let the singer thru."

It was nearly a clean sweep by tenor Issachah Savage from Philadelphia. He won one of the two 1st prizes, the audience award, the orchestra award, and was Speight Jenkins pick to replace an indisposed scheduled singer at Speight's Farewell Celebration on Saturday. The other 1st prize winner was Danish tenor David Danholt. I believe Danholt was a last minute inclusion since he was not included in the evening's brochure but had his biography on a separate included piece of paper. I liked the idea of awarding two 1st prizes ($25,000 each) instead of the more traditional 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. Interesting I thought that both these tenors sang from Parsifal in the 1st round. In that first round I was blown away by Danholt's delicate and haunting performance of "Nur eine Waffe taugt". All the singers were terrific. Frankly, my picks did not include Savage....altho he was hugely impressive. My pick was Seattle's Marcy Stonikas with near tie with Tamara Mancini. Mancini's Isolde was dramatically the best performance of the evening IMO. Strangely perhaps is that the performance that keeps replaying in my head 3 days later was the deeply rich mezzo voice of Suzanne Hendix singing Erda's warning to Woltan......but then I just love that piece so. I'm certainly not one who knows voices as some can do, but perhaps some of the differences between singers who won vs singers who some of us felt sang the best, was spelled out by Speight himself when he re-took the stage to announce the winners. He emphasized two things: one, that it took the 5 judges an extraordinarily long time to reach a decision -- which he felt was a tribute to the very high quality of the contestants; and two, that he, Speight, gave very clear instructions to the jury (as it were ) to select the singer who did not necessarily give the most outstanding performance of that particular night, but rather the singer whose voice was most likely to have a successful career primarily in the Wagner repertory. I thought that an interesting distinction. I kind of like the idea that the prizes should go to the best performance given not later but now; but OTOH, perhaps any good voice can do a highly selected "aria" from Wagner, but just doesn't have the power and sound for a career in the repertory. In the final analysis, I guess I have to agree with Speight, what counts is a voice that with maturity and training can do justice to a large portion of Wagner's masterpieces.

Yep. You just might get a couple of visitors pretty soon!!

His answers are as clever and authentic as his dancing!

Very provocative thought! Please post more once you get a handle on this. (Now, you got me thinking..... )

Not everyone agrees with me, but I found Allegra's book pretty wonderful too. Very honest I thought.

Super. I'm so glad to hear this! Unfortunately I can't attend, but please give us a brief review.

I think you are just plain wrong about this. I have seen this production 7 times now (4 times in 2011 and 3 times this week); I have therefore seen/heard 7 different audiences react to this "quite in fashion in the 19th century" stagecraft when the Wilis have their veils "magically" swept away. You might have thought the audience laughed, and true the typical sound coming from audience members at that moment were technically "laugh" sounds, but the emotion most audience members were feeling (IMO) was awe and surprise......exactly the intended effect. Have you never made laughing sounds when suddenly presented by perhaps even a dangerous situation? There is probably a word for such a reaction, but I can't think of it. The point is: laughing sounds do not necessarily mean the audience thinks something somewhat silly (or over the top) just happened, such "laughter" can also signal, just as I say, awe and surprise.

I'm ecstatic!!

Boal mentioned a couple of nights ago in an Q&A that William Forsythe might come to Seattle to stage the rep devoted to his choreography next season (The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude*, New Suite*, In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated). Boal didn't sound too hopeful, but indicated that it was a definite possibility. He mentioned that it would be wonderful experience for PNB dancers to work with Forsythe directly. If I remember correctly, Forsythe does not like to fly....so maybe that's the hangup, or perhaps it's a health reason; but in any case, as a huge Forsythe fan, I have my finger's crossed. *PNB premieres

If I were anyone interested.....I'd be paying attention to Andrew Bartee. He is a remarkably talented person on all levels.

Someone in the Q&A audience made the statement that Angelica Generosa's performance in "State of Darkness" was the most powerful theatrical performance he had ever seen. I completely concur. I have seen this piece 6 or 7 times, danced by nearly all the PNB dancers who have done it in recent years; and as good as they all were, Angelica's performance was beyond the beyond. She was the music; she was completely in "the zone"; she would have stunned Mr Stravinsky himself, IMO. I can only hope that Melissa Fenley will get the chance to see Angelica's performance on video. What Melissa created to this extraordinary piece of music was magically realized by this young dancer. I can't help but wonder if Angelica herself truly knows what she accomplished that night. BTW, the standing ovation was immediate, loud, and enduring. Helene, you and I must not have been the only ones! BTW, Angelica herself may have given the answer to this remarkable performance at the Q&A. She was asked how she prepared and remembered this incredible 34 minute solo feat. She said that for weeks she played the music over and over again until every bit of it registered naturally in her being. For my money, that was her secret (any dancer's secret really): to be at one with the music. To have achieved this unity with Stravinsky's Rite of Spring is mind boggling.

BINGO

There is a new video showing some rehearsal footage for State of Darkness (I can't wait!!). Most of the 2+ minute video is Jonathan Poretta rehearsing I'm guessing from a few years ago -- the last time they did it, but the video opens with Peter Boal teaching this incredible dance to 4 PNB dancers. I recognize 3 of the dancers, but am unsure of the 4th. Two are Rachel Foster and James Moore as to be expected since with Jonathan they were the 3 to do it last time. But there is an additional man and woman. The woman is surely Angelica Generosa; the new man is, I think, Benjamin Griffiths, but I can't be sure. In any case, it looks like we may get to see at least 2 more dancers to do this amazing work.

WOW....big news. I think it's a good move. As much as I like the Stowell/Sendak production, it's time because it's time.

Perhaps you choose the word "oversight" casually, which is just fine, but if you mean the word as the dictionary defines it ("a mistake resulting from inattention"), then I have to take issue with you. I have little doubt (but no facts) that Jerome's position in the company, his contributions to the company, his skills and artistry, PNB's commitment to him, and so on have all been very carefully considered. Although, I can only speculate, I suspect that Peter Boal and Jerome Tisserand have had at least one heart to heart on these subjects and have reached an understanding. No, I can't accept "oversight". P.S. Having said this, I certainly agree that Jerome is, and should be, on the short list for promotion to principal. Like fine wine his time will come (probably sooner rather than later).

I am so happy to see all these promotions....well deserved in every case. The promotion that personally gives me the greatest pleasure is William Lin-Yee's promotion to soloist. I've mentioned before on this board how impressed I've been with how William has added grace and character to the movements of his large frame. We need large, strong men in ballet, but so many of his body type seem to remain ponderous. I can't agree more with Peter Boal's remark that William as the Friar in Malliot's R&J showed William to be the artist that he most certainly is. I never thought I would see an equal (or almost the equal ) to Olivier Wever's Friar (and I've seen this R&J probably 15 times now), until that night I first saw William in the role. For me, he became soloist that very night.

Of course there are many other factors that go into promotions other than skill and artistry (no quibble that he has those two under his belt). Just to mention one, that can easily affect company morale, is "time in grade". Jerome has been soloist not even 2 years (he was promoted in 2012). In contrast, his wife Laura was soloist for almost 5 years, and Lindsi Dec was soloist for 6 years.

Absolutely....like from the very 1st second she stepped onto PNB's stage!!! Agreed. I didn't mean to imply that the understudy assignments were specific, but just that since Korbes has been hurt, perhaps this is what allowed Biasucci to dance Aurora (if indeed she had been an understudy). I too like the Foster/Bold pairing. She is so expressive, and he rather stoic. The "dynamic", as you so aptly put it, will be interesting.