cubanmiamiboy

Congrats to Lorena! I'm very happy to see that her long career is being also blessed with such beautiful gift. Will never forget your early, amazing days as a rising star in Havana, Lore...

Chopiniana is a ballet that I would pick over EVERY single ballet-(with the only exception of Giselle)-in the event of being asked. It is also in my very earliest memories of watching ballet, as it has been performed non stopping every single year in Cuba since 1948. I haven't seen it live ever since I left the island, and I really mourn this fact. It is just a masterpiece of a ballet...everything that I can ask from the art form. What a pity that it is missing from many ballet companies repertoire...

From this website, here are my picks for best dresses: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/golden-globes-2012-best-worst-dressed-stars-gallery-1.1006848 Jessica Chastain-(8) Evan Rachel Wood-(10) Maria Menounos-(12) Laura Dern-(14) Claire Danes-(22) Angelina Jolie-(25, top three) Sofia Vergara-(26) Julianne Moore-(28) Tilda Swinton-(43) Charlize Theron-(47, top three) Kate Beckinsale-(51, top three)

Oh, on the contrary. The government always tried to document and make available every single bit of Tatcher's moves and political posture, believe me. Taking sides on that matters definitely implied accepting her points of view. Just as with my rigid/non tolerant theater behavior philosophy, taking Tatcher's side-(as well as Reagan's)-was just a matter of the "If you're not with me you're against me" mantra. Never been a fan of the gray area.

Ah...try the Seraphic Fire recording. I saw them do the piece last season and they are just amazing. They use a four hands piano setting instead of the orchestra, but the voices are magnificent. As a bit of trivia, the album was Grammy nominated, and went all the way up in the Billboard Classical chart. http://www.seraphicfire.org/press/seraphic-fires-recording-of-brahmss-requiem-kicking-ass-on-billboards-classical-charts/ http://www.amazon.com/Brahms-Requiem-Johannes/dp/B005I67KRC

Has anybody seen La Streep as La Tatcher...? It could be the fact that I love them both for which I found the film, without being a super biopic, just great only because of Meryl's mere presence. As a kid in Cuba I always remember how the government couldn't stand the Tatcher-Reagan duo. We in our family, on the other side and silently, gave them all our sympathy. Go Tatcher, go Streep, gooooo! I smell Oscar on the air... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSiXVVdw0Yc

Exactly...and if someone is just expecting from second to second for a huge emergency to happen, better not to go out and just stay home and watch vigilantly the possible event-to-be really close.

Live and countless times-(just as many as Giselle or SL)- I've only seen the Cuban version, which premiered back in 1957 in LA-(and later on staged for ABT by Enrique Martinez, who danced in that production) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHKurDx_yQg&feature=related

Thanks, bart, for the excerpt. More than what Croce had to say about Miss Farrell, I was more interested in her view -back then a very first account one-of Balanchine's staging of the ballet. I remember being very unmoved and even feeling choreographically deprived of a great part of the famous "essence of the ballet" that many people seems to "see" in Balanchine's white act's condensation when I saw it by MCB. Maybe it is because I always see Swan Lake's strengths best reflected in its extravagant ballroom scene rather than in its poetic white acts. It could be that I'm caught up in the newest trend of being in owe of the full reconstructions and the "more is best" mantra. Truth is that I remember that staging as a just another regular presentation of the II and IV Acts sans the I and III...nothing less, nothing more.

The time I witnessed Michael Tilson doing just that, stopping mid-performance and not only turning back and scream at the offender, but also hitting loudly his music paper with the baton, I felt so embarrassed, even if it wasn't me. It just occurred to me that musicians think of just two sides, their side and our side, the audience side...so just for the fact of being on the other side of the stage I somehow felt as a part of the offense. It was horrible, and after that the performance just wasn't the same...some of the magic was broken.

Even more south..!

Due to a last minute trip on the weekend I wasn't able to attend the Miami performances, but I will try to catch those in Fort Lauderdale. Will report back.

Way more down south, BB...

Ok, so last Saturday I had the pleasure to assist to a theater performance that bore partial nudity-(bare breasts)-to an audience that included wonderfully behaved children and non surprised teens-(there was not previous announcing of the nudity item), zero wrappers, zero cell phones and complete silence during the whole time. I was almost in tears of joy! Edited to add: The performance took place 90 miles south of Miami, BTW...

Sorry, Jack, for my delayed response. I came back yesterday from a two days trip-(which I will talk about a little linked to another thread). About the little Prince mime scene, what I can remember related to what he does before recounting his tale is the two gestures of "wait" to his right and left audiences, and then his backward walking while doing some circular motion movements with his hands. Maybe the circular walking is happening during the whole scene, for which he certainly covers a big deal of space while miming...?

Almost decided not to mention my pick for the other side of the spectrum, but here it goes anyhow. As my worst dancing viewing moment-(not necessarily ballet)-I nominate my ill-fated experience with Cunningham's troupe's performance on their farewell tour. Just disheartening and confusing.

This is a 2008 thread, but I guess we can recycle it. The highest ballet point for me in the past year was not, ironically, a live ballet performance, but the DVD a good friend got me of the Italian reconstruction of Raymonda for Alla Scala. SUPERB!!! I still have to come up with the lowest one yet...will think about it.

I remember another poster here, Nanarina, who once wrote "Legend.." was her all time favorite ballet. I'm intrigued.

Which symphony? How much of that Zinfandel did you have? I thought there were six. But never mind, a snappy Happy (as my high-school algebra teacher, a jazz fan, used to say) to you, and to all the BA!-ers. Oops...my bad! There are six, of course...too much of the Whithe Zinfandel maybe...? He,he Anyway, I was listening to the "Little Russian", my favorite one...Tonight Zinfandel has been served again and Mr. T's Piano Concerto # 1, a la Liberace, is doing the honors. Kitsch, crass, bombastic, just what I need tonight...!

"Viscera"...Hummm...Intriguing.

...and a little card for you all... http://www.jacquiela...5362&path=83554

I do remember Catoya in this, Jack, and she was indeed wonderful.

"In the Night" can get a bit too slow for my taste, I must confess, but it is doubtless a beautiful work, even without my less than perfect appreciation. "Ballet Imperial", again, is a work that I would love to see in its original tutu-ed/backdrop incarnation. I like the idea of a pre or post performance meeting, BB..! Let's try to get bart into it...

A bit early..? Oops! Oh well, tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and so I'm already in celebratory mood with White Zinfandel and Tchaikovsky's 2nd Symphony. Anyway...this was a GOOD year...good health, new dream job and great ballet viewing. Glad to have BalletAlert in my life and so I want to thank all of you guys for keeping the site alive. Wishing you all the best for 2012, and that all your dreams come true. HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

Let's open a thread to discuss MCB Program II, which is just around the corner-(and the new year). The program will include this new work, "Viscera" by RB's Liam Scarlett. Has anybody seen anything from this guy before..? From the website's photo I'm already getting an idea of the type of work this could be. Humm . Let's see, there's always hope. Ballet Imperial, WELCOME!.. Any thoughs...? January 6 - 8 Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House Miami City Ballet presents Program II: Viscera (Scarlett/Liebermann) -- WORLD PREMIERE -- Liam Scarlett, The Royal Ballet's most successful young choreographer, accepted a commission from Miami City Ballet to create his first work for an American company. A coup! Using a challenging score for orchestra and piano, Piano Concerto No. 1 by the renowned American composer Lowell Liebermann, Scarlett's Viscera gives us a complex and urgent ballet, specifically created to reflect what he sees as MCB's outstanding dance qualities of energy, passion, musicality and radiance. Viscera is beautifully structured (a ravishing pas de deux is book-ended by two driven group sections), meticulously crafted and gut-wrenching. Costume designs for Viscera have also been created by Scarlett. In the Night (Robbins/Chopin) Three stages of love – flirtation, passion and intimacy – are experienced through three glamorous pas de duex – all danced against a star-studded night sky and to Chopin's ravishing piano music. Ballet Imperial (Balanchine/Tchaikovsky) This plotless masterpiece pays homage to the spirit and grandeur of imperial St. Petersburg. Balanchine described it as "a contemporary tribute to Petipa, the father of classical ballet, and to Tchaikovsky, his greatest composer."