SusanB

Thanks for the suggestion!

California, Thank you! We saw this and it's exactly what we want, but in a CD or mp4 format. We've searched and can't find anything. Can anyone suggest a resource? THANK YOU!

We're trying to locate the Strauss Cinderella Ballet music, and have searched high and low. Does anyone know where we can buy it? Thank you!

Hi MJSoden, T. Legat lives with her daughter who speaks English very well. I know someone who speaks to her regularly who has a current phone number and address -- who also remembers a student named Caitlin N. -- who would be happy to help, if necessary. I don't think you'll need my help but if you do, unfortunately, you cannot PM me with your contact information...perhaps a moderator could pass that on to me to give to her. Good luck!

Last Nutcracker season (2004) the same writer from the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote an opinion piece about hating the Nutcracker. I clicked on the link at the end of the piece and sent a her a lengthy email about how publishing her opinion could negatively impact ballet. She replied that I misuderstood the story, and that she meant to be funny. It sounds like the same opinion piece ran this year on NPR. Maybe I am a little slow, but it seemed genuinely negative to me, even reading it with her explanation in mind.

sz, IMO, attributing suffering in Cuba to President Bush is innapropriate and simplistic. The political situation is too complex.

I noticed Andrew Kamiski's name is gone too...does anyone know where he's gone?

Thanks for sharing that...it was hilarious.

The Lavender Leotard. B)

Thalictum, Will you please tell us when it's published?

Amy, In my experience the in house Box Office seemed to have more selection. They have a seating chart, are very helpful and make recommendations. Plus you don't pay a surcharge for tickets that you pay through an agency.

Does anyone happen to have a video of this documentary to share? Thanks!

Marc, Do you know where I can purchase that documentary, either in Russian or English? Thank you.

Nora, Try searching Kultur.com for it.

djb, Do you know where I can purchase that Sleeping Beauty video? Thanks.

Amy, There is an *in house* ticket office in the lobby of the Boston Ballet studios building on Clarendon Street. If you're far away try calling the main bb number and then ask for the operator to connect you to the box office in house. I always purchase tickets there and find them very accommodating.

Amy, I don't know if the tree is flat or not, but it's really spectacular when it grows. Everything on the stage is pulled up and out and it's visually stunning. I also love NYCB's Nutcracker. To me, that one feels more "magical" than Boston's...not sure why. Both are exceptional. I would recommend the first row after the break in the orchestra for you. No one would be directly in front of her. I think the vantage point of looking up slightly at the stage during the first act is better than down from the balcony, where she may not see the full tree nor get the effect of it growing. The theater runs out of booster seats, so plan to arrive slightly early for one. Often BB has entertainment in the lobby, for example, local children caroling.

Hello ~ I am wondering if anyone (Jeannie?) has the 2003-2004 International Ballet Competition schedule. I am aware that Varna is in July but do not know of any others. Can anyone help? Thanks!

I agree with you regarding the costumes NancyHJohnson. As I watched the program I tried to consider how some of my male friends who have stereotyped opinions of male ballet dancers would have responded. Unfortunately, IMO, no matter how much they tried to emphasize the masculinity theme, much of what was presented underscored all of the stereotypes. First, Mark Morris seemed to support the stereotypes. Then, I was so disappointed that with all of the fantastic choreography that could have been part of the program that men partnering men was selected. (For the record, I love ballet and don't find men partnering men objectionable.) Why couldn't it have been something more balanced, more representative of ballet? And Mahattnik, your post about Malakhov's technicolor nightmare had me laughing out loud . Thanks for the chuckle.

In today's Boston Globe, Mikko Nissinen and Jose Matteo both talked about their upcoming Nutcrackers. I could not help but notice the contrast in the tone of each of these Directors. All in all, I thought Mr. Nissinen sounded a bit condescending. I also thought he sounded a bit harsh. Did anyone else have this reaction? some examples: Whereas Mr. Nissinen said, "I demand that they not only dance well, but that they dance as well as possible," Mr. Matteo said "that the dancers truly enjoy this ballet, and it is inevitable that they imbue each presentation with genuine spirit and heart." Mr. Nissinen stated that he must alter long standing partnerships because "They may be good, but if the team doesn't make it to the playoffs, the coach has to alter the lineup in order to stimulate new chemistry." Mr. Matteo said, ''I continually look to dispense with anything old that no longer stimulates the engagement of today's diverse audiences, and replace it with imaginative surprises. I look to retain everything that contributes to the sense of beauty and awe that are intrinsic to ballet itself and work to find a fresh way of presenting it."

Calliope, I agree that Onegin is not kid friendly, but neither is Don Q, Bayadere, Hunchback or Giselle. Frankly, I only think of Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella as ballets that pull kids out in droves, many of them dusting off their tiaras for the occasion. But Onegin is a dramatic love story tragedy sort of ballet and would be a perfect date ballet. Boston advertises extensively in Boston, in print and on tv and radio. I was at a fundraiser for BB two years ago and I was speaking to a gentleman who told me he had donated some of his dot com stock to the company and had become one of their *big doners* with all of the requiste treatment. During the conversation he mentioned that some people had decided to withhold support for the company because of the tumultous situtation. I don't know how BB has been affected in terms of giving but now, recalling that conversation, I am wondering if alienation is a sizeable part of the ticket sales problem.

Hi Tessa, In the past, just about every full length ballet nearly has sold out -- or at least sold extremely well -- in Boston. Boston audiences sold out 3 full weeks of Sleeping Beauty a few years ago, and weekday matinee performances were added. Similarly, all the full lengths of the past few years -- La Bayadere, Cleopatra, Don Quixote, Giselle, Dracula, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Madame Butterfly -- sold very well. Rep programs have always sold less, but the theater seldom seemed that empty, except for occasional triple bills. The kind of attendance that would result in 7000 total tickets sold over 12 performaces is not quite 600 people per performance. The Wang has a 3800 seat capacity. My question is does a Board do anything in the middle of a season when the first two runs sell this poorly? Does a company with a budget like BB's have some cushion or would this put them in some sort of budget crisis? Does anyone know what happens when a company suddenly loses that much in attendance?

I have no idea what the problem is, but I do know that this represents a substantial and scary change at Boston Ballet. I do know that under Anna Marie Holmes' artistic direction that Boston Ballet was constantly sold out -- and often added weekday matinee shows -- when they performed full length ballets. Rep programs always sold less. In my opinion Boston Ballet has terribly mistreated members of the organization, both artistic and administrative. Reading Bruce Marks' recent interview he pointed out that the company fired or lost every administrative and artistic staff member from his watch save one -- conductor Jonathan McFee. He sounded upset and I think he said something like it takes a lot of effort to do that to a company. I suspect that the Boston Ballet Board has been attempting to restructure the AD position to one whose artistic vision is subordinate to the Board's, and to find someone who will be a figure head and not a strong artistic advocate. Both Bruce Marks and Anna Marie Holmes seemed to have clear artistic vision and stong wills. Anna Marie Holmes was pushed out and I wonder why Bruce Marks left a company that he built into a magnificent organization. I believe, and I have no evidence at all to back this up, that Maina Gielgud left abruptly before even beginning her first year because her vision of the AD position was different than the Board's. I don't believe she fired all of those dancers, merely carried out the mandate of the BB Board.

If anyone has the address/phone number for subscriptions to Ballet Review, would you please post it here? Thanks so much!

Recently I was talking to someone involved with professional sports regarding agents who asked me if it is common for professional ballet dancers to have agents. I don't know the answer to this but the question left me curious. Are there agents/agencies for ballet dancers? Does anyone know?