Barbara

I'm hooked! Thanks for posting - can you keep them coming as Season 2 continues? Any word where Katie and Mike (?) are currently dancing?

I remember when she was guest artist for the Nutcracker done by my small ballet school in So. Calif. She wore very heavy flesh-colored tights and her legs seemed quite thick in comparison to the rest of her body. I recall being a tad skeptical about her abilities until she began dancing - she was marvelous. Now I see from the article that she suffered from lymphedema, which explains what were most likely compression tights. Knowing this my admiration for her has grown. RIP, Ms. Bethune.

Lucky you, cantdance! I've always wondered what it would feel like on stage to see the performance from that perspective; while staying in character, of course. I fear my mouth would be agape in awe.

Ahhh, wonderful. Only thing lacking was a bit of a smile. Thanks for the link!

I think toeprints might mean the ballet shop that was on Broadway near 64th? I think there's a Starbucks there now. I purchased my autographed copy of the Suzanne Farrel book there as well as Costumes by Karinska. Wish it were still there.

I've always tried (not always successfully) to get in the ticket exchange line as early as possible. Never considered going later in the day although I get your point. I guess I think everyone is trying to exchange for the same performance I am so the early bird....

Puppytreats, just from memory, one of them was Darci Kistler.

Yes, Anne Hathaway sang during the Streep segment! I also agree that Glenn Close had the weakest voice - how could she compare to Rebecca Luker or Kelli O'Hara or omg Audra McDonald? But I think she did a heart-wrenching interpretation of the lyrics that must have pleased Barbara Cook. You can probably see the performances on YouTube - I know I found a segment on Zubin Mehta that I had missed years ago.

Oops, guess I don't know how to use emoticons!

Ok dirac, you've forced me out of the closet With absolutely nothing on TV during this "rerun" time of year, I was happy to see the Kennedy Center Honors were being telecast. And it was a thoroughly enjoyable 2 hours. I intended to skip Sonny Rollins and Neil Diamond in favor of folding laundry but ended up glued to my seat. I knew nothing about Sonny Rollins and the film clip was instructive. Btw, they didn't gloss over sensitive issues like drug use for Mr. Rollins and alcohol and depression for Barbara Cook. The stage performances were outstanding. I even liked the Neil Diamond segment. He's not a favorite of mine but as I was listening I have to say I was impressed by how many recognizable tunes he wrote. My favorite segment was Barbara Cook - what a voice! (If ever I have dollars left after buying ABT tickets, my dream would be to see her at Feinstein's.) Glenn Close's rendition of Sondheim's Losing My Mind was breathtaking rivaled only by the ensemble and chorus singing Make My Garden Grow - always gives me goosebumps. I love Meryl Streep but I felt her segment was the weakest. As you would expect, the musical segments were more enjoyable even though Anne Hathaway did her best during the Streep segment (she's a spitfire - get that girl on Broadway!) Meryl and Yo Yo Ma seemed to be having the most fun. Barbara Cook was straight-faced most of the time but perhaps she was simply overcome.

Merry Christmas to all!

Well although I was "bummed" as I stated on the thread announcing the D. Hallberg injury, I must say that Eric Tamm aquited himself beautifully. Although not as tall as Hallberg nor as regal, he danced beautifully and has a winning, boyish quality that fit the character very well. He and Gillian had lovely chemistry together. The only negative I would note is that some of the lifts and transitions within the lifts seemed a little rough. Otherwise, I was even more enchanted by this production than last year. I think Ratmansky has made a brilliant Nut! He hits the psychological notes just right and the playfulness and humor are delightful. I was close to tears the first time young Clara and her Nutcracker Prince are mirrored by their adult selves. Young Mikaela Kelly and Theodore Elliman were very touching and perfectly embodied that time between childhood and adulthood. I love all the "stage business" in Act 1; hardly know where to focus my attention with all the charming interactions going on. Grandmother Adrienne Schulte was a big hit - so nice to have her back in the company.And I can't say enough about Grandfather Roman Zhurbin - he never disappoints. The dance for the Nutcracker's Sisters was especially fine with Gemma Bond, Kristi Boone, Yuriko Kajiya, Sarah Lane, and Hee Seo - quite a line-up! One mishap in the Waltz of the Flowers during the "tossing" sequence. One young lady was not caught well and kind of crumpled down to the floor but was up quickly and everything moved along just fine. Spotted E. Steifel in the audience - lots of empty seats, btw. Now can't wait until next year - looks like this will be an annual outing.

NOOOOOO!!! I had this premonition and thought I should check in to Ballet Alert JUST IN CASE to see if everything was A-OK for Hallberg's matinee tomorrow. I'm so bummed! Of course I hope he recovers fully (maybe that Colbert appearance set him back). I missed his spring Swan Lake due to injury too. Did I say I'm bummed??!!

Thanks, Ray. It's the lift at 3:53 and 4:02. It seems to be the same in the pdd with Kistler and Woetzel so I suppose that's how it's meant to be. Just not a pretty lift imho. Btw, how do they create the traveling arabesque en pointe? It's magical.

Yes, I think so.

I have a question about one of the lifts (done two times) in the SPF pdd. The Cavalier lifts SPF into a lift that looks like he wanted her to be overhead but instead was done so that the audience was given an awkward crotch shot. The first time I thought deLuz simply hadn't been able to lift Fairchild high enough but then the lift was repeated in the same way. I thought if that lift had been done for example by Bolle and Part the ballerina would have been completely overhead with her back and head draped over his head. I know this is a clumsy description but I hope you know the lift I'm talking about. If this is the way it is choreographed I have to repeat that it was awkward. Can someone enlighten me? PS - Carbro, I was also annoyed with the "thirteen" logo on the screen!

I liked his early films (I was a huge Glenda Jackson fan) and recently re-watched The Boyfriend, which I enjoyed very much. Not the least because of the delicious Christoper Gable. RIP Mr. Russell.

Puppytreats, I feel your pain - every year I say it's like a Rubik's Cube trying to put together the best Met season I can. Welcome to the club.

I was also part of the "up at 6:30am for David Hallberg" club. Walked into Big Cinemas just behind Alistair Macaulay. This was my first time seeing ballet on a big screen and I have mixed feelings about it. Of course any chance to see David dance is worth it but I don't usually sit so close as the cinema view afforded and I found it a little disconcerting. I don't care to see the inevitable effort involved in some of the positions and lifts but one couldn't avoid noticing it. Being so close to the action I felt took me emotionally out of the story. I found myself accepting it for what it was and watching technique rather than interpretation. I found Ms Zakharova to be lovely with beautifully articulated feet. David was perfectly princely with gorgeous line and soft landings. I never warmed to Maria Allash as the Lilac Fairy, finding her unimposing with no emotion on her face. A standout was Nina Kaptsova as Princess Florine - her personality shone through and she was equally matched with the impressive Artem Ovcharenko as Bluebird. Other thoughts: I missed the series of fish dives in the Grand Pas de Deux - is this always the case in the Bolshoi SB? As others have noted, I also disliked the "busy" blue and gold floor design. I found myself wishing for a wide screen so as not to miss any of the action. At one point the camera was following Lilac Fairy and missed the beginning of Aurora and her Prince dancing. Still all in all I am grateful to have the opportunity to see the Bolshoi relatively close to home and especially with our New Yorker.

I'm glad to know the dancers will be wearing wigs otherwise I would have been a little taken aback when viewing tomorrow. Can't say I'm a fan of the wig look - it always looks to me as if their heads are covered with whipped cream. Is this a particularly Russian style - or maybe European?

Ah, so great - thanks for posting!

I will also be there (here)! But I wonder why the SB is being called his debut with the Bolshoi when he danced Giselle with them last week?

I attended last year and enjoyed it very much. I was disheartened to learn that it took place last Sat. with little or no advance publicity. I don't remember seeing anything about tickets being available,although I was out of town for 2 weeks in early Aug. Is it possible that tickets were not made available to the general public? If so, can't imagine why not.

There is also Native American "Fancy Dancing" involving full costumes and sometimes hoops, etc.

Yes, indeed! There's this interview and the one done in Japan with David Hallberg that puts American tv to shame.