Peter Martins

[GeorgeB fan]

With so much debate and discussion from critics and audience about Peter Martins' skills as a choreographer, which ballets of his do you think will survive after him in the repertory of New York City Ballet?

My picks:

Calcium Light Night

Morgen

Sinfonia

To be truthful my picks has less to do with my belief of their survival, although I enjoy them very much, then with the fact they are the only ballets of Martins I have ever seen. With the exception of his staging of Sleeping Beauty of course.

[Farrell Fan]

I'll go along with Calcium Light Night and Morgen. I'd definitely add Barber Violin Concerto. The problem is there are so many ballets by Peter Martins that fall into a great middle ground, it's hard for me to remember which is which. Ash and Fearful Symmetries seem almost interchangeable, so I'll pick them both. Most recently I've seen a number of performances of Eros Piano; while it's fresh in my mind, I'll pick that one, too.

[Leigh Witchel]

I'd say Fearful Symmetries, for practical reasons as well. It's an interesting work, and it's danced by several other companies.

[ballerina1023]

I agree with Farrell Fan- so many of his ballets just fall into a middle ground. Most aren't offensive, but very few are a masterpiece. At least he isn't producing regular Musagetes. The ballets I list below weren't chosen because I think they're masterpieces. Rather, they are respectable works that have remained in the repertoire (in most cases).

Them Twos (I actually really enjoyed some parts of this)

Eight More (doesn't have a lot of depth, but is a lot of fun- Daniel Ulbricht, Antonio Carmena and Adam Hendrickson danced this quite well a few seasons ago)

Eight Easy Pieces

Fearful Symmetries

Calcium Light Night

Barber Violin Concerto

Burleske (very "pretty" for Martins)

The Waltz Project

Jazz (Six Syncopated Movements)

Zakouski (again, no depth but entertaining)

Stabat Mater

Chairman Dances

Morgen

Hallelujah Junction

Jeu de Cartes (although I am not a big fan of the new costumes)

Also- I remember reading about Ecstatic Orange, but have never seen it. Any thoughts on this one?

[oberon]

I would say FEARFUL SYMMETRIES, BARBER VIOLIN & HALLELUJAH JUNCTION are the best Martins pieces and likely to stay in the rep after he leaves. A ballet of his that I love is BURLESKE, partly because I love the music and the costumes are gorgeous and the choreography is nice but mainly because I think I was one of the few people who saw what was happening in that ballet. I even wrote letters to a couple of critics who were baffled by the switching of partners at the end. To me it was clear as vodka. I hated RELIQUARY at first, then liked it, then cooled again...I hated MORGEN at first and now love it...I think STABAT MATER is tedious though the music is gorgeous, of course. I loved RIVER OF LIGHT which has not been revived. EROS PIANO was very nice, and gave Ashley Laracey a big break (she was beautiful in a beautiful role...). I would like to see GUIDE TO STRANGE PLACES again (but I didn't like Darci on the floor); we are to see TODOS BUENOS ARIES again in the coming season which was fun though he ultimately chickens out on having two men dance together. HARMONIELEHRE was a wonderful idea (the four elements) and had some fine stretches but the finale was horrible. And I thought CHICHESTER PSALMS was visually breath-taking though it is more of a ritual than a ballet. CHAIRMAN DANCES is a hoot, esp. when Meunier did it...and I like JEU DES CARTES pretty well, esp. when Janie Taylor does it. Would love to see ECSTATIC ORANGE...when was it last given? And I remember the very lovely CONCERTI ARMONICI...wow, I guess I like Peter's ballets more than I thought I did...

[Giannina]

I saw Ecstatic Orange a couple of times, long ago; once (if not both times) at Orange County Performing Arts Center. The first time I saw Watts, Soto and Ashley in the principal roles. I loved it; Ashley was a revelation in it....very unlike her usual roles. The 2nd time (much later) it was Watts and Soto again; I do not remember the 3rd dancer. It was not as good; very dissapointing. The Watts/Soto pdd is rather gymnastic but truly lovely and flowing; I forget the Ashley role but it was seductive, I think. The music is exotic.

Giannina

[Hal]

Calcium Light Night is probably my favorite Martins ballet. It was his first and I think best work. Maybe Balenchine had a hand in it. I was hoping to see it this past spring season and it was listed for one of our evenings but got cancelled. I was very disapointed. I also love Ecstatic Orange. Barber Violin is also another well done work.

I just looked at the rep for the coming season and it breaks down as follows:

Balanchin 19 works

Robbins 9

Martins 7 (includes 1 new work)

Wheeldon 5 (includes 1 new work)

Stroman 1

Eifman 1

What does everyone think of that mix?

[charlieloki]

i believe that very few of martins' or of wheedon's works will have long lives, due to their lack of emotional connection with the audience

balanchine's works will be around forever because they satisfy the demand for technical superiority as well as the real need for a connection to the human heart