May 1 is Alumni Night at NYCB

[Alexandra]

This press release just in:

NEW YORK CITY BALLET TO PAY TRIBUTE TO ITS ALUMNI

ON SATURDAY, MAY 1 AT 8 P.M.

Nearly 200 Former NYCB Dancers to Be Honored

As part of Balanchine 100: The Centennial Celebration, its yearlong tribute to George Balanchine, New York City Ballet will salute its former members at the 8 p.m. performance on Saturday, May 1st. Nearly 200 alumni are scheduled to attend the performance that evening, and to be honored for their contributions to the Company’s excellence since it was founded in 1948.

As part of the evening, NYCB Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins will acknowledge the alumni in the audience, including many who originated principal roles in the ballets being performed that evening — Kammermusik No. 2 (1978), Liebeslieder Walzer (1960), and Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet (1966).

Over the course of the weekend, NYCB will be gathering oral histories from many of the former dancers for the New York City Ballet Archives, to be made available to scholars and researchers. Alumni will also have the opportunity to visit the Archives, which were established in 1999, as well as observe classes at the School of American Ballet and attend private viewings of the Balanchine Centennial Exhibit at the New York State Theater.

Among the former principal dancers who will be present for the salute are Jacques d’Amboise (danced with NYCB from 1949 to 1984), Karin von Aroldingen (1962-1984), Merrill Ashley (1967-1997), Maria Calegari (1974-1993), Bart Cook (1971-1993), Daniel Duell (1972-1987), Melissa Hayden (1949-1973), Gen Horiuchi (1982-1994), Allegra Kent (1953-1982), Leonid Kozlov (1983-1994), Lourdes Lopes (1974-1997), Adam Lüders (1975-1994), Michael Maule (1950-1953), Mimi Paul (1961-1967), Melinda Roy (1979-1996), Stephanie Saland (1972-1993), Suki Schorer (1959-1972), Margaret Tracey (1986-2002), and Patricia Wilde (1950-1965).

In addition, several dancers who were with NYCB during its inaugural year will be attending, including Doris Breckenridge (1948-1952), Arlouine Case (1948-1955), Jillana (1947-1967), Ninette Kiddon (1948-1950), Helen Kramer (1948-1950), Pat McBride (1948-1951), Yvonne Mounsey (1948-1959), James Radich (1948-1949), Barbara Walczak (1948-1960), and Tomi Wortham (1947-1953).

Tickets for NYCB’s spring 2004 season, which runs from April 27 through June 27, are available online at www.nycballet.com, through Ticketmaster at 212-307-4100, and at the New York State Theater box office.

The New York State Theater is located on the Lincoln Center Plaza at Columbus Avenue at 63rd Street. For general information on tickets for any New York City Ballet performance, call 212-870-5570, or visit www.nycballet.com.

[Farrell Fan]

Too bad the prima alumna assoluta won't be there.

[charlieloki]

yes, farrell fan -- without her it will be a non-event

or, she will be made stunningly conspicuous by her absence

thanks, mr. martins

[GeorgeB fan]

Where's

SUZANNE FARRELL

EDWARD VILLELLA

MARIE-JEANNE (is she still alive, I'm not sure)

MARIA TALLCHIEF

ARTHUR MITCHELL

PATRICIA McBRIDE

CONRAD LUDLOW (is he still alive, I'm not sure)

VIOLETTE VERDY

KAY MAZZO

SARA LELAND

JEAN-PIERRE BONNEFOUX

HELGI TOMASSON

ROBERT WEISS

HEATHER WATTS

IB ANDERSEN

and other great names of Balanchine's dancers?

Maybe they have not conform yet or maybe the press release only gave a small list of the former dancers who will be attending. But whatever the case is without them a reunion of Balanchine's dancer will just not be the same or have the same importance, in my opinion anyway.

[Alexandra]

Perhaps they're working? The last time the company did an alumni night, as I remember it, all the alums did was take a curtain call, and as nice a gesture as that is, it's a long way to come, for some of these people, just to take a curtain call at the height of the spring season.

[oberon]

At the 50th Anniversary Season Gala, a stageful of former NYCB dancers bowed in three separate groups: former corps dancers, former soloists and former principals. Though there was not time to introduce each guest individually, it was a grand sight to see them all there...Merrill Ashley made a lovely gesture of presenting her bouquet to Wendy Whelan. And right there, looking like an arch-angel in a flowing white gown, was Suzanne Farrell...as I recall, she and Peter embraced. (There was a photo of this massed curtain call in the display of pictures marking the Balanchine 100th.)

Of course we would all like to see all our favorites onstage and I'm sure they would all like to be there but some live far away, some are now rather elderly, others are not in the best of health, and some are working elsewhere. I cannot imagine anyone was left off the invitation list. When the Metropolitan Opera celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1983 many special guests were invited who could not attend. And five reigning divas (Behrens, Rysanek, Lorengar, Scotto & Christa Ludwig) were singing elsewere at the time. However, it was still a spectacular celebration...

It was at the time of the "50th Gala" that I had the pleasure of meeting Patricia McBride thru the courtesy of her daughter. Thanks, Melanie!

[Leigh Witchel]

Both Ludlow and Marie-Jeanne are still alive, last I recall. Ludlow is on faculty at the University of Utah.

Like Alexandra said, some of these people may just have other obligations.

[Farrell Fan]

I got so excited and flustered at the 1993 curtain call Oberon talks about, not knowing where to look first, that I completely missed Suzanne Farrell even though subsequent photographs revealed her front and center. But if there indeed was an embrace by Peter Martins, I'm glad I didn't see that -- since a little over a month later he fired her from NYCB.

[Leigh Witchel]

But the 50th anniversary season was in '97-98. . .

[Farrell Fan]

Sorry about that -- I confused the 50th Anniversary season with the Balanchine Celebration. I didn't see the 50th anniversary curtain calls at all, to the best of my fast-fading recollection.