cubanmiamiboy

It was 1993, and Havana was going through one of its darkest-(if not THE darkest)- periods in history. We no longer had Uncle Stiopa with us. Blackouts happened all the time, all day long, or even worse, all night long. I was living in the student dorms of Havana University, in a 23rd floor, where the elevator would break for several weeks at the time, and where one should lift a bucket of water all the way up if wanting to take a “shower”. Sometimes all we students had to eat before going to bed was water mixed with some sugar. Buying a slice of pizza in a cafeteria would mean 4 or 5 hours in long long lines, and I was down to 120 pounds at almost 6 feet tall. But then something happened. One night I was asked to go to the ballet with a friend. It was a celebration of the 150 anniversary of the most beloved ballet for Cubans, Giselle, and a spectacular gala was to be presented. The night of the performance me and my friends gathered among some other hundreds of people- (of course the performance had been sold out in 30 minutes)-around the lateral door of the theater. I will never forget this, because when it was announced that the theater was full packed, the angry mob started forcing the big wooden doors until they gave up open. We all ran upstairs and gathered like sardines in the upper galleries. Cops came over and threatened to evacuate the place. Nobody moved and they were even booed, until they too gave up. And then the magic happened. Giselle, once more, came out onstage to fall in love and die for Albrecht…and for us. This performance has a special meaning in my heart, and I'm sure in everyone else who was lucky to be there. The thing is that the company had decided to employ ALL of their Principal ballerinas in the leading role and that of Myrtha, along with others that had been fighting for the title and never got it, due to...well, lack of justice. For only one time, we could see all our favorite goddesses dancing our most beloved ballet in one night. It was PANDEMONIUM. There were our sacred “"Four Jewels", the very pillars of the company and each one of them with a very specific public of their own- (Josefina, Aurora and Loipa-(for some reason I can’t remember Mirta, but I think she wasn’t dancing anymore by then…). Aurora, the meanest Myrtha and most sordid Odile I’ve ever seen; Yuyi,…the WHITE SWAN "per se"-(hands down)-, Loipa, the best Grahn ever to grace the Lorca stage- (that I remember). Then…the “"Three Graces"”-(Rosario, Amparo and Ofelia...controversial as they were for never being recognized during the height of their active career, among then the very “"black sheep"” of the company: Charin, the only dancer whom I witnessed could make you forget EVERY performance of ballet you had ever seen before…Alonso’s included and Ofe, the best Kitri ever...sorry Viengsay). There were the supreme technicians of the company, the one and only Martha Garcia- (never surpassed by ANYONE in pure strong technique)-and on and on. Everyone was there..Svieta Ballester, Gladys Acosta -(the best instep of the Cuban company). Even a very young Lorena Feijoo was there. Back then I barely knew who they were-(my more experienced friends were going insane with their appearance and dissapearance onstage...suddenly Josefina was doing exquisite pique turns and next thing you knew it was Loipa pirouetting like there was no tomorrow...you could barely keep track of who was who, as they were all dressed the same. Still, I felt that I was witnessing some fine performances. Mme. Alonso came onstage to do three segments...the mad/death scene of Act I and from Act II the entrechats sequence and the final scene. All this was the same with the male dancers...all the Principals were used-(still...Havana had always been a "ballerina thing", I think all they way until Carreno came over, a change that finally got fully materialized with Carlos Acosta and Sarabita, who made clear that the women would had to fight harder to keep being the only Queen Bees onstage. I can’t describe in words what I felt that night. If anything, all I can say is that from that moment on I established the parameters of what a REAL ballet performance should be. I realized then and there that the magic of a performance is not just one way-(onstage down)-, but TWO ways. Not only were THEY performing up there for us. They made us feel that we WERE also part of that...that we WERE also performing FOR THEM...that they ALSO NEEDED that performance from us, and they KNEW what we were doing and so they felt obliged to reciprocate that performance. They danced, we whistled...…they mimed, we laughed or cried...…they smiled at us, we smiled at them...…they knelt, we stood up...…they didn’t wanted to leave the stage, we didn’t wanted to leave the theater…. They knew that that mass of people were there filled with problems and material scarcities and shortages. But they knew they could give us hope…and they did. When those ARTISTS came onstage they gave it ALL...they were there FOR US...and we KNEW IT. Years have passed by and I still want to feel that again.… I constinuosly search for that performance every time I go to the ballet. No, there are not more blackouts and no more hunger on this side, but at the same time, I haven’t been able to “see” that magic ever again. For all those men and women who made us feel special during those times here is my deepest respect, and be this little post my humble tribute. GRACIAS!! First, Divine Mme. Josefina Mendez-(RIP) partnered by Jorge Vega. Lovely Miss Amparo Brito-(at 1:50). FEARLESS Miss Martha Garcia -(at 2:41). Mme. Loipa Araujo at 3:52 partnered by Lienz Chang. The ONE AND ONLY Miss Charin in Giselle's Pas Seul. Gallope. Gladys Acosta-(best instep of the company) 2nd from left. Lorena Feijoo third from left. Mme Alonso taking her place for the Mad/Death Scene at 1:55.

Oh, so Patricia also got the role...? How interesting. I wish I could see her on the Saturday matinee..(not possible though, due to working schedule... ) But...will be there on Sunday! Edited to add: Ooooh, I just realized that the Saturday matinee cast is the same as Sunday's. Yoohoo!!

Yes...!! Sister Carrie was my first...

I know you won't agree with me, Cristian, but this example only confirms for me why Tchaikovsky didn't make Tommasini's list. I can't imagine any of his preferred composers writing anything so bombastic (not even Wagner) or crass. Forget me, but I didn't know what "crass" meant, so I went to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, and I found that it is synonym of: "common, coarse, crude, gross, ill-bred, illiberal [archaic], incult, insensible, low, lowbred, lowbrow, raffish, rough, rough-hewn, roughneck, rude, rugged, tasteless, uncouth, uncultivated, uncultured, unpolished, unrefined, vulgar". Poor Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto # 1...

I notice how all this people choose to denote the titles of their lists-(just as Macaulay's "best something ballerina")-as if this is THE one and only consensus in world history-(or at least the only one worth to look at). Let's keep it humble and start using the first person, I think..."MY favorites so and so...". (But then, we're talking about an even harder thing...being humble) Anyway...if anything, leaving out Tchaikovsky, Liszt and Chopin of ANY list...

You're right! BUT... Give me-(or give HIM)- another chance...pleeeeeeease.

Just came across this pic. and thought it would be interesting to share... (which makes me wonder when did Youskevitch-[or Balanchine?]-decide to eliminate the feathered hat he wears in other pics...) http://www.theartsdesk.com/images/stories/DANCE/ismene_brown/royal_ballet/alonso_youskevich_TnV.jpg

This post is more of a reflection than a question. Almost in every ballet we can see countless sequences where an abundance of reverences and courtesies are performed. Peasants to court members, court members to royalty, the younger to the elderly and so on. Then I was very surprised to find out that the very last segment of the beginners ballet class I once took was devoted to learn and perform a reverence to the professor-(which I found lovely, but still a surprise note). So then Wikipedia says that… "Reverence (attitude)is the acknowledgement of the legitimacy of the power of one's superior or superiors ..."… To then redirect the reader to… "Deference-(also called submission or passivity)-is the acknowledgement of the legitimacy of the power of one's superior or superiors. Deference implies a yielding or submitting to the judgment of a recognized superior out of respect or reverence." Then, in on the paragraphs of her famous epilogue, Homans writes: “Ballet, moreover, is an etiquette as much as an art, layered with centuries of courtly conventions and codes of civility and politeness...” ...but.. "We are skeptical of elitism…...Ballet fine manners and implicitly aristocratic airs…seem woefully outmoded...…” Not only do we find reverences in the warhorses. Many Balanchine ballets has them too-(for some reason I particularly remember the two male dancers in Divertimento No. 15, who bow to one another after their dancing…). I also remember in Danilova’s book where she declares that a ballerina should never kneel onstage while taking a bow unless there’s royalty present in the house. On the other side, this is 2011, and many of us don’t have this type of things incorporated to our daily lives-(probably one of the few things in common I found between my homeland and US). So, perhaps people who live in places where monarchy is still active can identify themselves more with such items…? Are reverences implemented in all ballet classes…? Are they still active and expected to be performed in other places as a regular thing...? DO WE BELIEVE IN THEM, or do we see them as a mere curiosity from past times and no longer justified in our modern daily living…? http://www.ehow.com/images/a06/2m/6k/importance-reverence-advanced-ballet-dancing-800X800.jpg http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_vJJWmzKz0Gw/SyRNG03OgzI/AAAAAAAAF2I/BYbg7R_ylXo/s400/%2BLady+Gaga+meets+the+Queen+photo+6+cropped.jpg http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-HE1lR1mlb8/S7hsgiSn3OI/AAAAAAAACIw/Lt3fYh2KSsY/s1600/coronation_charles7.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QRym1iu5BjQ/SGhALFBfHpI/AAAAAAAABIo/Ze1A0uA0xPQ/s400/reverence.jpg http://www.ballet.co.uk/albums/jr_abt_swan_lake_coliseum_0309/jr_abt_swan_franklin_corella_kiss_042_500.jpg

They always rent the performance space, either at the Arsht Center or anywhere else. Actually the wife of the conductor-(a client of mine)-told me that they had been trying hard to lease the Lincoln Theater once it was vacated by the New World Symphony after their moving to the Gehry building, but the rent was to expensive for them. As I reported, some retailers ended up getting it and , sadly, it will be gone soon.

Where on earth is Mr. T there...?!?!?! Edited: Oops..I see there were some comments about it. Anyway...if he's not there, that list is useless. Rebelling and so listening to "Little Russian" as I write...

I hope this helps... http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/education/works-and-process/events-schedule?option=com_calendar&task=showevent&mt=1300597200&mh=+%40+7%3A30%26nbsp%3Bpm&aid=3844 Other than that it seems that the only other place they'll perform will be California. http://events.inlandsocal.com/costa-mesa-ca/events/show/128797025-royal-danish-ballet

What a wonderful thing. I much appreciate your quick answer, Mr. Fullington!! (Aah...but what a pity that this PDD really seems to be completely lost. Oh well, at least there's still the Zuraitis LP, which I aqquired, to listen to the music....)

The PNB approach wasn't addressed specifically in the presentation; I hope it will be as the production nears. A restoration of the dramatic order and music would make this production significant in itself. The big question here-(still on the air)-being what's to be restored. Are they trying to follow the very final Petipa staging ?-(which I believe was the one to be notated, but correct me if I'm wrong). In this case, maybe the 1884 Petipa/Minkus/Gorshenkova Act I PDD could be a potential applicant...? That would be wonderful, as it seems that this was the only piece among the added Petipa/Minkus segments that got lost at some point-(unlike the Act I Pas Seul or Act II Giselle's variation/waltz). I hope doug is reading this so he can clarify my doubt. Is this PDD notated...? Is there a possibility for it to be revived...?

It is...

So after a very controversial period, the Lincoln Theater gave its Swan Song via another great offering by MTT-(as everyone calls Michael Tilson Thomas over here). First we had Schumann's "Overture to Manfred" ,which I ADORE and think as one of his finest orchestral creations, one that tells you right in your face of the tone of despair of Lord Byron's work. Beautiful. Then we got Bernstein's "The Age of Anxiety" -(which I had never heard before and didn't like)-and as the Grand Finale MTT gave us Prokofiev "Symphony No. 5" . From the three most famous Russian exiles-(Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev)-I place Prokofiev-(in my own level of likeness)-after the too-contemporary-for-my taste Stravinsky and before Rachmaninoff-(my favorite due to his pronounced lyricism and sumptuous harmonies...my thing). Prokofiev Symphony No. 5 is always a very interesting choice, particularly for its ever changing tones of the finale. The audience, me included, loved it. And now...after some years serving as a great performance space-(the Art Deco building is from 1936)- the Lincoln Theater it will cease to exist to make way for...a shopping center, just as the New World Symphony will open next week in their brand new, shiny Frank Gehry Concert Hall/Academy. Still, I will really mourn the end of this beautiful, charming place, which has given so many great concerts to the people of Miami Beach. And now, we'll get just what we need...ANOTHER shopping center in Miami. Good Bye, Lincoln Theater. We DO love you!!! and... Welcome, New World Center...!! http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.contractdesign.com/contract/content_images/New-World-Symphony---3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.contractdesign.com/contract/gallery/2099.htm&usg=__LLR4fvFEDMEXeT4CXHsixpil1ug=&h=399&w=600&sz=174&hl=en&start=10&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=glDHd7RnBLj0-M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnew%2Bworld%2Bsymphony%2Bcampus%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:*:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GWYE_en%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=FRU5TZ-KJcOB8gbopK2-Cg

Wow...I see Lorena is still active, ah...? Good for you girl...always shining since the very beginning...!!

Will do duffster...!

I'd take his acting over Tom Cruise's at anytime...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS1NsC8CHwM

I'm having fun doing this. I hope you're enjoying it... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0tu8BSP1CM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbIiczLRFgg

I wonder if Portman looked into some of this old videos...

My pleasure Macnellie. I find very interesting to compare different styles by different dancers..

MSO is a great orchestra that has been suffering for a while its absence of a permanent home. That's why it is kind of hard to track its concerts-(in this very spread out city). BUT...for the opening season's night they got the Arsht Center-( ), and so I went. The program consisted in Beethoven's "7th Symphony in A Major", with its joyful dance elements, vitality, and sense of celebration, Ravel's "Bolero"-(always an audience's favorite)-and to close the night, fellow countryman jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval performed "Concierto de Miami" by Cuban-Guatemalan composer Carlos Rivera. This charming, relatively lightweight concerto, with plenty of attractive melody and color, is the product of a joint commission by the Miami Symphony Orchestra and the famed El Sistema Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. AD Eduardo Martured conducted. It was a wonderful night!