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Lincoln Kirstein Centennial 2007


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According to nycballet.com, there will be a Lincoln Kirstein centennial:

Lincoln Kirstein Centennial

In 2007, NYCB will honor the life, ideas, and work of Lincoln Kirstein, in a centennial celebration of NYCB’s co-founder. Born on May 4, 1907, Kirstein was a towering figure, both in his person and influence on American arts and letters of the 20th century.

New York City Ballet was born of his passion, discernment, unwavering commitment, political skills and generosity. Here is where you will find schedules and details on the exhibits, seminars and other activities that will celebrate and recall the man The New York Times proclaimed, “Public Balletomane No. 1.”

With LK's birthday in May, I'm assuming there will be more celebrations during the 2007 Spring season. This is a great thing for NYCB to do. So let's help the company out and come up with some ideas for the Lincoln Kirstein Centennial. What programs would you like to see, or ballets that should be revived?

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In addition to repetoire, the promenade rings could be filled with his interests in art and architecture.

Yes! I'd especially love to see some of the paintings and sculptures of Kirstein done over the years, like the Gaston Lachaise figure "Man Walking (Portrait of Lincoln Kirstein)" and the Jamie Wyeth portrait.

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Here, from the site, is the program they are planning to honor him. Episodes, Vienna Waltzes, Tribute, the latter a ballet by Chris d'Amboise. Comments?:

Tribute to Kirstein.

This program pays tribute to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Lincoln Kirstein, who co-founded both the School of American Ballet and New York City Ballet with Balanchine. Kirstein, who was born on May 4, 1907, in Rochester, New York, is widely acknowledged as one of the most important cultural figures of the 20th century.

English critic Clement Crisp has written that Kirstein was “one of those rare talents who touch the entire artistic life of their time. Ballet, film, literature, theater, painting, sculpture, photography all occupied his attention.” The Company will continue its Kirstein centennial festivities during the 2007 spring season.

Included on the program is the NYCB premiere of Tribute, a ballet that was created to honor both Kirstein and Balanchine by former Principal Dancer Christopher d’Amboise, and was originally performed at the School of American Ballet workshop performances in 2005. The program will also include Episodes and Vienna Waltzes, two landmark works by Balanchine, whose arrival in America in 1933 was made possible through Kirstein’s efforts.

This program will debut on Saturday, January 27 at 8 pm, and will be performed four additional times: Wednesday, January 31 at 7:30 pm; Sunday, February 4 at 3 pm; Tuesday, February 6 at 7:30 pm; and Thursday, February 8 at 8 pm.

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I'd love to see examples from Kirstein's extensive art collection on display on the various levels of the New York State Theater next spring. He put together a book called "Quarry: A Collection in lieu of Memoirs," Twelvetrees Press, 1986, which would be enormously helpful in this respect. There are portraits of Balanchine and Nureyev, several stunning sculpted heads of Kirstein, as well as beautiful examples of Asian, African, and American art. I think it would be an eye-opener in showing the breadth of the man. Considering the disappointment of the Balanchine centennial, I have little hope such a project would materialize for Kirstein's. But at the very least, perhaps the huge Nadelman sculptures on the promenade could be decorated in the manner of the New York Public Library Lions at Christmas.

After Kirstein's death, I remember how shocked I was to see someone else sitting in the seat he had long occupied in the first ring. But I don't suppose anything can be done about that at this late date.

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In addition to repetoire, the promenade rings could be filled with his interests in art and architecture.

That is a wonderful idea, Helene -- I remember a delightful exhibit at the Met Museum of his collection of Japanese art done after the arrival of Westerners -- done in traditional Japanese style, with everyone in Western dress.

He was also very fond of cats.

Mr. Kirstein was my ultimate hero, I look forward to the tributes. The night of his 80th birthday celebration was one of the most wonderful ever at the State Theater.

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Fanciful - How about a public, outdoor performance of the 1934 Serenade program, staged at the Warburg estate (if it's still there) in White Plains?

I think Purchase College did something like this for Balanchine's Centennial in 2004 (I remember Dance View Times did a review)...

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Whatever is done should involve the school, of which he was also the co-founder. His writings and art work should be featured with exhibitions and lectures.

Works from Ballet Caravan should be shown, such as Lew Christensen's Filling Station and Eugene Loring's Billy the Kid (which had libretti by Kirstein). Exhibitions and lectures involving this time in ballet history could be held.

Also, maybe his biographers or researchers could look into which ballets were his favorites.

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Also, maybe his biographers or researchers could look into which ballets were his favorites.

And also which ballets Balanchine gave Kirstein the rights to after his death? I can't remember which ones they were.

Orpheus is one of them. The later edition of the Taper bio on Balanchine has the breakdown (it was also an essay for Ballet Review). I don't have it handy on me right now.

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Maybe the full Episodes could be done, including the Graham section (Part I). Maybe Sallie Wilson, who played Mary Queen of Scotland, remembers some of it. Wasn't it Kirstein's idea to invite MG in to do the ballet with Balanchine?

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Fanciful - How about a public, outdoor performance of the 1934 Serenade program, staged at the Warburg estate (if it's still there) in White Plains?

Too late; it's under a country club, a couple of condos, and the Town of Greenburgh 7-school campus.

Hey, it's a public building! http://www.greenburgh.k12.ny.us/ Why not a performance in the parking lot (still fanciful)? Forget it -- Kirstein's memory deserves better.

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Fanciful - How about a public, outdoor performance of the 1934 Serenade program, staged at the Warburg estate (if it's still there) in White Plains?

Too late; it's under a country club, a couple of condos, and the Town of Greenburgh 7-school campus.

Hey, it's a public building! http://www.greenburgh.k12.ny.us/ Why not a performance in the parking lot (still fanciful)? Forget it -- Kirstein's memory deserves better.

A campus like that must have a sports field that could be commandeered to a Jacobs Pillow-like stage and some lawn chairs, not to mention a dining tent for the big donors.
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Mr. Kirstein should be honored in the two buildings he was instrumental in bringing to reality: the School of American Ballet and the New York State Theater. Perhaps a ballet by Christopher Wheeldon might be commissioned, and after it's premiere at SAB, it could enter the NYCB repertory. If the ballet had a cameo role for Puss in Boots, so much the better.

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