Marga Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 The current thread on NYCB's Sleeping Beauty made me think of those whose dancing I am more familiar with. I don't live in New York anymore and don't get to see NYCB in its present incarnation. But oh!, I can imagine the following, for starters: Aurora: Maria Tallchief Patricia McBride Kay Mazzo Prince Désiré: Jacques d'Amboise Peter Martins Helgi Tomasson Fairies: Lilac -- Diana Adams Tanaquil LeClercq Gloria Govrin Suzanne Farrell Candide -- Allegra Kent Jillana Coulante -- Mimi Paul Sara Leland Breadcrumb -- Violette Verdy Marnee Morris Canary -- Suki Schorer Violente -- Melissa Hayden Patricia Wilde Patricia Neary Marnee Morris Carabosse -- Patricia Wilde Melissa Hayden Gloria Govrin Bluebird: Eddie Villella Arthur Mitchell John Clifford Princess Florina: Suki Schorer Merrill Ashley Red Riding Hood: Carol Sumner Puss in Boots: Deni Lamont White Cat: Susan Hendl Queen: Karin von Aroldingen On to Giselle! Link to comment
dirac Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 Very interesting idea! I would put down Adams for Aurora, just to see how she would do it. And Erik Bruhn's involvements with NYCB were short and none too sweet, but we have to fit him in as Désiré somewhere. And Farrell has to be a Sixties Aurora! Link to comment
Farrell Fan Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 Very interesting list, Marga. For me, the unrivaled Carabosse from that era would have been Shaun O'Brien. Link to comment
Hans Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 I know Baryshnikov wasn't with the company long, but he would have made a great Bluebird. Did he ever dance that part? Link to comment
Paul Parish Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 famously, when he was at hte Kirov.... Link to comment
carbro Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 I seem to recall Manhattnik posting on another thread something about imagining Allegra Kent as Giselle. If you read this, M'nik, I hope you don't mind my putting it here. What inspiration! Link to comment
perky Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 I'd have Mimi Paul as Lilac, Gelsey Kirkland as Princess Florina, Conrad Ludlow as Prince Desire, and Marie Jeanne as Aurora. And since Mr. Balanchine occasionally danced character parts (Don Quixote and Drosselmeyer), I'd have him dance Carrabosse. :grinning: Link to comment
Marga Posted November 22, 2003 Author Share Posted November 22, 2003 To Perky: Mimi Paul as Lilac -- YES!!! I always felt she didn't get her due. No wonder she left during the Farrell years. I would have loved to see Mimi Paul as Nikiya, with Suzanne Farrell as Gamzatti. I can just imagine the passion. I also considered Gelsey Kirkland as Princess Florina. I decided not to put her in my list because the last time I saw her onstage was when she was still in the corps. I saw Balanchine as Don Quixote! I agree he would make a good Carabosse. Thanks for that suggestion. Link to comment
Paul Parish Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Perky, that's inspired...... Link to comment
Alexandra Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Perky, that is a cast I'd like to see -- thank you for that. Link to comment
Marga Posted November 22, 2003 Author Share Posted November 22, 2003 Very interesting list, Marga. For me, the unrivaled Carabosse from that era would have been Shaun O'Brien. I agree with you, too, Farrell Fan. Shaun O'Brien would have done the part to perfection. I saw him many, many times as Drosselmeyer. I was a big fan of his. I totally forgot about him when I was working on my list! Link to comment
perky Posted November 23, 2003 Share Posted November 23, 2003 You know I forgot that Nora Kaye danced for a season or two with NYCB in the 50's. So if they wanted a female Carabosse she would be perfect. With her dramatic instincts, she certainly scare the heck out of me! Link to comment
atm711 Posted December 20, 2003 Share Posted December 20, 2003 I have always harbored a secret desire to see Maria Tallchief dance Nora Kaye's Ballet Theatre roles. Tallchief had a great dramatic potential that was never fully developed with NYCB, or her later ABT performances. She would have been a formidable Tudor dancer---but then, I remember reading somewhere that she did not approve of some of Tudor's methods. Link to comment
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