Suzanne Farrell: Notes from the Ballet

[Helene]

I just received the following email from the Kennedy Center, signed by Suzanne Farrell:

My warmest welcome to you in the New Year! This year is personally a very exciting one for me. I'm currently working on the Balanchine Preservation Initiative with my company, which I'll be sharing with you later in the season. In the immediate future though, I'm eager to tell you about all of the ballet performances the Kennedy Center is presenting this winter, beginning with two companies over the next two weeks.

First, American Ballet Theatre will be performing its revival of Lar Lubovitch's Othello, and also a mixed repertory program with "Kingdom of the Shades," Dark Elegies, and Rodeo. The following week, the Kirov Ballet will perform Leonid Lavrovsky's production of Romeo and Juliet.

I've put together a little more personal insight about these events in my new page on the Kennedy Center web site, where I'll continue to share my thoughts with you throughout the season. I truly hope you have the chance to enjoy these performances - you'll hear from me again soon as we approach February's highlights.

Best wishes - see you at the ballet!

Here's a link to Farrell's Notes from the Ballet on the Kennedy Center website.

To date there are two entries:

On ABT: Othello and Mixed Repertory

On Kirov Ballet: Romeo and Juliet

[Ginny Kanter]

I just received the following email from the Kennedy Center, signed by Suzanne Farrell

I can't tell you how excited I was to receive Farrell's Notes from the Ballet! Many thanks to the person who came up with the idea--Michael Kaiser? Farrell herself? The opportunity to read Suzanne Farrell's comments on upcoming ballets will certainly enrich my experience as a subscriber. I also look forward to hearing more about the Balanchine Preservation Initiative.

Is the title Artistic Advisor for Kennedy Center Ballet a new one, or has this long been associated with her role as Artistic Director of the Kennedy Center's Suzanne Farrell Ballet? In each case, what a priceless resource! I eagerly await the next notes.

[Farrell Fan]

Is the title Artistic Advisor for Kennedy Center Ballet a new one, or has this long been associated with her role as Artistic Director of the Kennedy Center's Suzanne Farrell Ballet?

I think the title is a couple of years old. I remember a brief discussion of it on Ballet Talk in which one poster expressed misgivings and I took umbrage at his misgivings. I tried to do a search earlier but got nowhere. At any rate, Suzanne's email is the first tangible result of that title that I'm aware of.

[Dale]

The notes are updated with the Bolshoi's visit:

http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/bal...html#cinderella

[Ray]

I hate to be the fly in the ointment, but I was disappointed with the brevity and general tone of these "notes." Many read to me as if a publicist had written at least part of them, with SF just adding some impressions & information (rather than insights) and signing off on them. Perhaps my expectations are too high...

[pj]

I would agree with Ray. There was far less substance than I expected; a bit of information and not much insight. Perhaps these notes are meant for a more general audience than those who attend ballet on a regular basis.

[Dale]

Her latest notes are out:

I share how I'm re-discovering some of

Balanchine's "lost" works in a new project called the Balanchine Preservation

Initiative. Two of these ballets will be a part of my company's Opera House

engagement in June.

http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/bal...s.html#sfballet

[Farrell Fan]

I trust nobody will be disappointed in these notes. Very exciting news. I can hardly wait till June!

[Ray]

Now that's more like what I expect to hear from Farrell--interesting information as well as insights about connections among ballets. It's as if she--or a KC publicist--read Ballet Talk!

[pj]

It is uncanny that those of us who thought the other "issues" of Suzanne Farrell's Notes from the Ballet were less than exciting agree that this last writing was much more detailed and interesting. Maybe she's lurking here somewhere!

[Dale]

New notes! Farrell writes about her two Mr. Bs:

http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/bal...rell/notes.html

[Dale]

Again, Farrell updates her notes. Her subjects - Scotch Symphony and Mozartiana:

http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/bal...rell/notes.html

[Dale]

They've sent out updated notes. (see above link)