New and Need Help

[Guest tillzilla]

Good day all,

Sorry to be a bother, but I was wondering if any of you would be able to assist me. My girlfriend last night told me that she would like to go to the ballet to see "Romeo & Juliet".

I honestly do not know much about ballet and am not exactly sure where to start looking. I live in New York and would obviously like to find a performance playing somewhere in the city. I know that Lincoln Center has performances, but I do not see any performances for "Romeo & Juliet" on the calendar.

If any of you out there could at the very least point me in the right direction as to where I could find performances in the NY area it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this and I hope to hear from some of you with a word of help.

Thanks again,

Joe

[BW]

American Ballet Theatre is usually the company in NYC who'd be performing Romeo and Juliet, but it appears that it's not on their schedule this Spring. Here is their web page:ABT look under "Performances" and see what they have planned for their Spring run at the Metropolitan Opera House. Perhaps your girl friend might enjoy Giselle instead?

[Guest tillzilla]

Thanks, BW...!!

I posted this same thread in the "Welcome" forum and pretty much got the same response. I am going to see if she has any interest in another performance besides "Romeo & Juliet".

Not that I expected there to be a performance around this time, but with the Holidays coming up tickets to a ballet would be a great Christmas gift for her (and a chance for me to see my first).

I see that "Giselle" and "Swan Lake" are on the horizon, would you recommend either of these...??

Thanks again all ~ you have been a tremendous help.

PS: is there anywhere else I could/should be looking besides ABT and NYC Ballet (Lincoln Center) for ballets in New York...??

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH...!!

Edited December 10, 2004 by tillzilla

[BW]

I'm sure there are those who would recommend both. Perhaps if you read the plots of the two you'll get a better feel? I am sure that there are others on the board who'd be better than I at describing the two ballets. A number of people don't really love ABT's version of Swan Lake, but I've enjoyed it. My vote would be for Giselle, but that's because I haven't seen it often enough, and have seen Swan Lake a bit too often.

I'm sure you'll get some more helpful responses as the day goes on!

[Leigh Witchel]

Hey Joe -

There are other companies in NYC, but for your first ballet I'd suggest sticking with the companies performing at Lincoln Center or City Center in the alternative. It's neat to see the whole huge experience, big theater and all. NYC Ballet and ABT are your surest bets. Nutcracker can be difficult to get tickets to (and filled with children). If your girlfriend likes NY City Ballet, repertory season is a little bit less costly and more varied - and it begins right after the New Year.

If you asked me which nights to go, given that you're a newbie and you want to have a great time *and* make your girlfriend love you ;) my "date-night" suggestions are January 12 (all great Balanchine and Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3 is a great, elegant ballet with lots of "tutus and tiaras") or January 18 - which also has Suite No. 3 - but Christopher Wheeldon's delightful "Carnival of the Animals" - if she wants to see something with a story - that's the night to go. In between on both nights is the fascinating Stravinsky Violin Concerto so you get something more modern as well.

Good luck!

[Guest tillzilla]

Thank you all, I will certainly suggest the above to her.

you guys are great, much thanks...!!

[Leigh Witchel]

The only thing we request as "payment" is that you check back in with us and tell us what you went to see and how you liked it. Deal?

[Guest tillzilla]

fair enough...!!

have a great weekend all...!!

[nysusan]

If you're still thinking about Swan Lake vs Giselle at ABT - I'd go with Giselle. I'm sure you'd enjoy either one but ABT's Giselle is more "traditional" than their Swan Lake and they have some extraordinary dancers scheduled for Giselle in the spring. Go for either the Ferri/Bocca cast, the Ananiashvilli/Carreno or Vishneva/Malakhov cast. You can't go wrong with any of them!

[canbelto]

I agree. For the Swan Lake, the ABT's most incredible Odette/Odile, Irina Dvorovenko, is unfortunately on maternity leave. But Diana Vishneva, Veronika Part, and Gillian Murphy are all dancing it!

For Giselle, I agree about Ferri/Bocca. Can't go wrong with Giselle. It's short, and absolutely beautiful. You'll love it. You'll love the Wilis, you'll love Myrtha, you'll love the Mad Scene, and most of all you'll love the most heartrending pas de deux in all of classical ballet (IMO).

Have fun!

[Guest tillzilla]

thanks once again ~ hope you all had a good weekend.

ok, so after speaking to my gal, she seems really set on Romeo & Juliet. As she has been dancing for about 20 years she has seen many ballets before (also before we started dating). She told me that she's seen the "Nutcracker" and "Swan Lake" a bunch of times, so there is really no interest there.

She claims that she really likes the music of "Romeo & Juliet" which is her main draw for wanting to see it. She also stated that she prefers the more "traditional" or "classic" ballets over the more modern ballets.

So at this point I do not know if getting her tickets to the ballet would be the best Christmas gift if she only has her heart set on "Romeo & Juliet", that said could any of you recommend a ballet that may be the best alternative to "Romeo & Juliet" based on what she told me...?? If it's something that she hasn't seen before than that could make a great gift for her...!!

I really am sorry, I really feel like I am asking a lot of all of you ~ so please know that I truely appreciate all of the help that you have been giving me...!!

Joe

[Leigh Witchel]

Ooooh. She's not making it easy for you, is she?

The real problem is, I don't know that anything's playing in the New York area that's close to what she wanted. ABT's not in town for several months, I can't really tell whether she'd like or dislike NYCB (if she's danced for many years, there's a good chance she has a strong opinion on the company. If she's hell-bent on seeing R&J there's a chance that she's less of an NYCB person.)

Two slightly off-the-wall options.

1 - get her a good DVD of the ballet. Check with the folks in the ballet videos sections for their recommendations, and include promise to take her as soon as it comes to town?

2 - a huge splurge and it may not be possible, but maybe she'd like to see the Kirov ballet in Washington DC in January? Warning - it's right around the time of the inauguration, accomodation might be impossible.

Anyone else have any better ideas?

[Dale]

Pennsylvania Ballet (in Philadelphia) is doing Cranko's version of Romeo and Juliet. I've never seen it, so I don't know if it fits with GF's criteria. However, Romeo and Juliet is the final ballet of PA Ballet's season, taking place in the late spring. www.paballet.org is the website and Philly is not too far to go if you live in New Jersey.

Or maybe you want to make it a romantic weekend in Boston. Boston Ballet is doing La Sylphide in early March:

http://www.bostonballet.org/season/perform...lasylphide.aspx

However, reality might have to set in for your girlfriend. It's like wishing to see the Olympics on an off year. It's just not going to happen. There's no Romeo and Juliet in New York this season.

[Guest tillzilla]

Dale, my girlfriend actually told me about the Rome & Juliet in PA. We were actually planning on taking a trip to PA next month but will most likely postpone going to PA until later so we can catch the performance of Romeo & Juliet there...looks like we may go to Boston next month instead...

Thanks...!!