kfw Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Did anyone see the performance of Balanchine's À la Françaix, danced last weekend by the Eglevsky Ballet? Does anyone remember seeing it when it was new in 1951? In his review Alastair Macaulay asks How many ballets by George Balanchine have you seen? My own tally — counting both items as short as the “Tschaikovsky pas de deux” and as long as the three-part “Jewels” as one each — is over 60. And though I began watching them in his lifetime, I have also seen all but one of them since his death. Surely no choreographer now dead has left so large a store of work in repertory. After reading that I just had to make my own tally, and with Kirstein's Thirty Years and Nancy Reynolds' Repertory in Review as supplemental memory aids, I counted 62, including only works I've seen in the theater and in full, and counting Jewels as one ballet and Ballet Imperial and Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto # 2 as one ballet. My count includes a number of rarities revived by Suzanne Farrell for her company, but I have never seen Le Tombeau de Couperin, Coppelia, Harlequinade, or (in the theater) Allegro Brilliante. I'm kicking myself for passing up a chance to see Pavanne on a Saturday afternoon in New York, but then I'd seen four NYCB performances in a row and had two more to go, and New York has other charms. Since this is the silly season on Ballet Talk, when most companies are on vacation or touring, and a ballet starved brain turns to . . . well, making lists in my case, if anyone else is feeling obsessive-compulsive, I'd love to see your own totals. I'll bet there are people here whose counts easily reach into the 80's. For a list of all Balanchine ballets -- at least according to wikipedia -- go here. Link to comment
Rosa Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 *The Nutcracker *Raymonda Variations *Theme and Variations *Tschaikovsky pas de deux *Symphony in C *Sylvia pas de deux *La Sonnambula *Jewels Link to comment
cubanmiamiboy Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Live: 31 In Cuba: Theme and Variations Waltz Academy Apollo Sylvia PDD Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux Ballo della Regina In US Serenade Symphony in C The Nutcracker Swan Lake Pas de Dix Bourree Fantasque Who Cares? Square Dance Symphony in Three Movements Monumentum pro Gesualdo Movements for Piano and Orchestra Mozartiana -Emeralds-(Jewels) -Rubies-(Jewels) -Diamonds-(Jewels) Divertimento # 15 Valse Fantaisie-(1953) Slaughter in 10th Ave. Allegro Brillante Concerto Barocco Ballet Imperial The Four Temperaments Sonatine Tarantella La Valse Link to comment
Juliet Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 75. Being truthful. Nor counting Harlequinade pd2 and Harlequinade separately. Using Wikipedia as too lazy to get my books to reference dates. Link to comment
California Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 For a list of all Balanchine ballets -- at least according to wikipedia -- go here. Please don't rely on Wikipedia when other, much more reliable sources are available. (Some colleges now ban the use of Wikipedia as a research reference, as it is so unreliable.) Better options: The George Balanchine Trust: http://www.balanchine.com/content/site/ballets I'd also suggest the NYCB site listing all repertory (although Balanchine is mixed in with everybody else, it does include works no longer performed, even the "legendary" PAMTGG, which is omitted from the Trust site, interestingly): http://www.nycballet.com/company/rep.html Link to comment
kfw Posted August 23, 2010 Author Share Posted August 23, 2010 Thanks for the better links, California. And thanks for the totals, Rosa, cubanmiamiboy, and Juliet. Juliet, I'm envious! cubanmiamiboy, it's interesting that you saw Waltz Academy in Cuba, since the ballet is such a rarity it isn't even listed by the Balanchine Trust. I see that it was made for Ballet Theatre. Link to comment
Mme. Hermine Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 46 Counting Jewels as 3 pieces. Midsummer Night's Dream Agon Allegro Brillante Apollo Ballet Imperial Ballo della Regina Bourree Fantasque Brahms Schoenberg Quartet Chaconne Concerto Barocco Coppelia Cortege Hongrois Davidsbundlertanze Diamonds Emeralds Rubies Divertimento No. 15 Duo Concertant The Nutcracker Harlequinade La Sonnambula La Valse La Source Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme Liebeslieder Walzer Mozartiana Prodigal Son Pulcinella Scotch Symphony Serenade Slaughter on Tenth Avenue Square Dance Stars and Stripes Sylvia Pas de Deux Symphony in C Tarantella The Four Temperaments The Steadfast Tin Soldier Theme and Variations Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux Tzigane Valse Fantaisie Vienna Waltzes Western Symphony Who Cares? and Persephone, which isn't on the trust's list. Link to comment
Helene Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Live: 63, counting each of Emeralds/Diamonds/Rubies, Le Palais de Cristal/Symphony in C, Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3/Theme and Variations, and Ballet Imperial/Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 as "1". Link to comment
bart Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Thank you so much, kfw, for this topic. I'm sure I am not alone in being grateful for this opportunity actually to ADD UP all our Balanchine ballets. My rough estimate: 71. This counts one Noah and the Flood (made for tv) and Princess Zenobia, which I've only seen in the film "On Your Toes." My NYCB experience ran from 1956 to shortly after Balanchine's death. I've followed Miami since 2001. It helped to use Rep. in Review for reminders. Some ballets -- Tricolore, for example -- I had completely forgotten until I read the brief description. (Edited to add: I've deleted Tricolore at Jack Reed's suggestion. But I added Glinka Pas de Trois, by MCB. So the total remains the same. ) Others -- occasional pieces -- I've forgotten entirely. Agon Allegro Brillante Apollo (long and short versions) Ballet Imperial Ballo della Regina le Bourgeois Gentilhomme Brahms-Schoenberg Bugaku Chaconne Concerto Barocco Coppelia Divertimento No. 15 Donizetti Variations Don Quixote Elegie l'Enfant et les Sortileges Episodes (with and without the Graham section) Figure in the Carpet Firebird Four Temperaments Glinka Pas de Trois (Added later; reminded by Jack's list.) Glinkiana Harliquinade Ivesiana Jeu de Cartes Jewels Liebeslieder Walzer Matastaseis & Pithoprakta Midsummer Night's Dream Monumentum pro Guesualdo Mozartiana Noah and the Flood (tv) Nutcracker Orpheus PAMTGG Persephone Princess Zenobia Ballet from "On Your Toes" Prodigal Son Pulcinella Raymonda Variations (and Cortege Hongrois) Ragtime Requiem Canticles Scherzo a la Russe Scotch Symphony Serenade Seven Deadly Sins Slaughter on Tenth Avenue Sonatine La Sonnambula Square Dance Stars and Stripes Stravinsky Violin Concerto Steadfast Tin Soldier Swan Lake Act II Sylvia Pas de Deux Symphony in C Symphony in Three MOvements Symphony of Psalms Tarantella Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3 Theme and Variations Tombeau de Couperin Tricolore Union Jack La Valse Valse Fantaisie (both versions) Vienna Waltzes Walpurgisnacht Western Symphony Who Cares? Link to comment
Quiggin Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 About 47 of them. Would trade a dozen or so to have seen the six ballets of Les Ballets 1933, including the first version of Mozartiana -- also Cotillion of 1932. Link to comment
Juliet Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 I'd love to see Cotillon, also Figure in the Carpet! Link to comment
Helene Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 About 47 of them. Would trade a dozen or so to have seen the six ballets of Les Ballets 1933, including the first version of Mozartiana -- also Cotillion of 1932. And I know which ones I'd trade in a heartbeat: "Steadfast Tin Soldier", "Western Symphony", Variations pour une porte et un soupir", "Kammermusik Nr. 2", "Gounod Symphony", "Meditation", "Tzigane", "Pavane", "Variations for Orchestra", "Scherzo a la Russe", "Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3" (if we get to keep "Theme and Variations"). Without Stanley Williams around to coach the young 'uns, "Bournonville Divertissement" would be my 12th. I'd love to see Cotillon, also Figure in the Carpet! From the clips of Diana Adams in the Balanchine bio "Figure in the Carpet" is at the top of my list, too. Link to comment
Quiggin Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Helene: And I know which ones I'd trade in a heartbeat I'd go along with that trade-in list, maybe along with Walpurgisnacht, and part four only of Brahms-Schoenberg, which is always too rich. I usually feel guilty about not liking the first parts of Suite no. 3, but all its gauziness does make T&V even more brilliant. I'm also always astonished by the "needlepoint work" in Figure in the Carpet whenever I see the Diana Adams clips. Link to comment
DanceActress Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Wow! What wonderful totals! Mine is small in comparison, 22, but I'm working on it: Agon Allegro Brillante Apollo Ballet Imperial Ballo della Regina Chaconne Concerto Barocco Cortege Hongrois Donizetti Variations Jewels La Sonnambula Liebeslieder Walzer Mozartiana The Nutcracker Prodigal Son Serenade Slaughter on 10th Avenue Square Dance Stravinsky Violin Concerto Symphony in C Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux Theme and Variations Companies: New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Pennsylvania Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Kirov/Maryinsky Ballet, Hamburg Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet Along with listing the ballets individually, I'm curious about the other ballet companies who dance Balanchine's works. Besides the American companies run by former Balanchine dancers, like Pacific Northwest and Miami City Ballet, what have companies outside of the Balanchine tradition brought to his work? Link to comment
bart Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 I agree that Cotillon, based on everything I've read, is definitely one I'd love to see. As to Figure in the Carpet, I wish I had paid more attention and watched more intently. I saw this on a weekend home from school. All I remember was that everyone was in it and that it was a big, colorful cornucopia of a production, on a much larger scale (and more elaborately decorated) than anything I had seen NYCB do up to then. I was surprised at the use of Handel, quite different from the music I was used to at NYCB. As someone who idealized ballets like Agon, I confess that I was overwhelmed and confused by the profligacy of it all. Is it possible to have TOO much creativity? Too much invention? Too much visual stimulation? Emperor Josef's "Too many notes" comment to Mozart comes to mind. I think I missed most of the dance details. Of the individuals, I remember only Villella in a bravura, jumping variation, and Arthur Mitchell (one of my NYCB heroes) as an African prince dancing with a beautiful black partner. Link to comment
kfw Posted August 24, 2010 Author Share Posted August 24, 2010 Of the individuals, I remember only Villella in a bravura, jumping variation, and Arthur Mitchell (one of my NYCB heroes) as an African king (I think) dancing with a beautiful black partner. Thanks for those glimpses, bart, and it's the latter image I wish I could call to mind myself. I can't remember ever seeing, on stage or in reproduction, an African-American NYCB partnership. DanceActress, do keep working, and keep us up to date! But that's a marvelous list already. As for me, I've been scanning these lists and pulling out old programs hoping to find ballets I'd missed listing. Success! I'm up to 64. Link to comment
Jack Reed Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Thanks, bart, for even that impression of Carpet. It gives me the idea of a densely-woven stage picture, maybe like we wouldn't get again until Union Jack? The Joffrey Ballet has offered a version of Cotillon, although some doubt the authenticity of it, but I enjoy the deftness of the action as well as the characteristic depth of response to the musical thought at each moment. (They've never nearly adequately cast the central Hand of Fate pas de deux that I've seen, making it more conscientiously indicated than actually realized, leaving you to add the missing dimension. Watching it's a good time, though.) I question the inclusion of Tricolore here. The Trust list excludes it, and the NYCB list only says Balanchine "conceived and supervised" it: http://www.nycballet.com/company/rep.html?rep=424 I recall it was reported to be rather a mess. Anyway, I never saw it. As to my total number? Hmm. I may have to take my shoes off to count that high... Link to comment
GeorgeB fan Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Holy CRAP!! I've seen 64 of Balanchine's ballets. Incredible! Unless noted I've seen them all with the New York City Ballet. A Midsummer Night's Dream Agon Allegro Brillante Apollo Ballet Imperial - American Ballet Theatre Ballo della Regina Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet Bugaku - Dance Theater of Harlem Chaconne Concerto Barocco Coppélia Cortège Hongrois Divertimento from "Le Baiser De La Fée" Divertimento No. 15 Donizetti Variations Duo Concertant Episodes Firebird Garland Dance George Balanchine's The Nutcracker Harlequinade Ivesiana Jewels Kammermusik No. 2 La Sonnambula La Source La Valse Le Tombeau de Couperin Liebeslieder Walzer Monumentum Pro Gesualdo Movements for Piano and Orchestra Mozartiana Orpheus Pas de Trois (Glinka) - Miami City Ballet Pavane Prodigal Son Raymonda Variations Robert Schumann's "Davidsbündlertänze" Scherzo à la Russe Scotch Symphony Serenade Slaughter on Tenth Avenue Sonatine Square Dance Stars and Stripes Stravinsky Violin Concerto Swan Lake (Act II) Sylvia Pas de Deux - American Ballet Theatre Symphonie Concertante - American Ballet Theatre Symphony in C Symphony in Three Movements Tarantella The Four Temperaments The Steadfast Tin Soldier Theme and Variations Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3 Union Jack Valse-Fantaisie Vienna Waltzes Walpurgisnacht Ballet Western Symphony Who Cares? Link to comment
bart Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 This is a great topic! Would it be possible, later on, to start a new thread on "How Many Times Have You Seen X"? I know Cristian's mom has more than 50 Giselles. I'm sure many on this board to equal or even exceed that, whether with classics and -- for BT people -- Balanchine. I can't remember ever seeing, on stage or in reproduction, an African-American NYCB partnership. This itself could be a fascinating thread of its own. You made me question my memory, so I checked Nancy Reynolds. I found that this section was called "The Oni of Ife and his Consort." The lady was Mary Hinkson of the Martha Graham Company. I'm sure that is why this unprecedent ed pairing stands out in my memory. One got used to seeing Mitchell as the single black person on stage, in those pre-Civil Rights Movement days, that the appearance of a black partner made a major impression. Reynolds quotes Walter Terry (NY Herald Tribune): "Striking duet, exceptionally lively but very majestic." Funny how memory works, but I remember the majesty (and dignity) of the dancers, though not the "liveliness." As for me, I've been scanning these lists and pulling out old programs hoping to find ballets I'd missed listing. Success! I'm up to 64.I envy you and all all who have retained their programs. Alas, my NYC collection did not make the cut when we moved to Florida ("Land of No Basements"). Link to comment
Kathleen O'Connell Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Holy CRAP!! I've seen 64 of Balanchine's ballets. Incredible! That was my response too! I tallied up 71 and just couldn't believe it was that many. Link to comment
cubanmiamiboy Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 I know Cristian's mom has more than 50 Giselles. ...and I surpass her... Link to comment
Jack Reed Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 (edited) Making my list turned out to be easier and more fun than I thought at first! So, thanks for the idea, kfw. Here's my list: Agon Allegro Brillante Apollo Ballade Ballo della Regina Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme Bourrée Fantasque Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet Bugaku Chaconne Clarinade (Contrapuntal Blues)* Concerto Barocco Concierto de Mozart (Adagio)** Coppélia Cortège Hongrois Davidsbündlertänze Divertimento Brillante* Divertimento from "Le Baiser De La Fée" Divertimento No. 15 Don Quixote Donizetti Variations Duo Concertant Elégie Episodes Firebird The Four Temperaments Garland Dance Glinka Pas de Trois** Gounod Symphony Haieff Divertimento* Harlequinade Ivesiana Jewels Kammermusik No. 2 Liebeslieder Walzer Meditation A Midsummer Night's Dream Monumentum Pro Gesualdo/ Movements for Piano and Orchestra Mozartiana The Nutcracker Orpheus PAMTGG Pas de Dix Pavane Persephone Pithoprakta** Prodigal Son Pulcinella Raymonda Variations Scherzo à la Russe Scotch Symphony Serenade Slaughter on Tenth Avenue Sonatine La Sonnambula La Source Square Dance (1957)* Square Dance (1976) Stars and Stripes The Steadfast Tin Soldier Stravinsky Violin Concerto Swan Lake Symphonie Concertante Symphony in C Symphony in Three Movements Tarantella Le Tombeau de Couperin Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3 Tzigane Union Jack La Valse Valse-Fantaisie (1953)* Valse-Fantaisie (1967) Variations Pour une Porte et un Soupir Vienna Waltzes Walpurgisnacht Ballet Western Symphony Who Cares? * means I saw it only in performances without Balanchine's supervision. If I can count, these are 80** titles. ** added in the light of comments from kfw and bart just below; initially, I had relied entirely on the Balanchine Trust list, rather than go through my programs or something like that. Edited August 27, 2010 by Jack Reed Link to comment
kfw Posted August 25, 2010 Author Share Posted August 25, 2010 Thanks for posting, everyone. I've enjoyed seeing the lists, so I might as well post my own. Jack, I notice that you, like me, don't list the "Adagio from Concierto de Mozart," which Farrell revived in 2007. (Actually, you forgot "Pithoprakta" too. ). Likewise, I don't list "The Unanswered Question," because it's all I've seen of "Ivesiana." I do remember now that I've seen "Allegro Brilliante." Ballo della Regina Prodigal Son Symphony in C Agon Vienna Waltzes Mozartiana Apollo La Valse La Somnambula Tchaikovsky pas de Deux Pas de Dix Stars and Stripes Union Jack Stravinsky Violin Concerto A Midsummer Night's Dream Serenade Concerto Barocco Four Temperaments Variations Tzigane Theme and Variations Ballet Imperial/Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto # 2 The Nutcracker Western Symphony Square Dance Donizetti Variations Firebird Jewels Valse Fantasie La Source Clarinade Pithoprakta Symphony in Three Movements Duo Concertant Divertimento from “La Baiser de La Fee” Orpheus Swan Lake Who Cares Don Quixote Tarentella Symphonie Concertante Haieff Divertimento Monumentum pro Gesualdo Movements for Piano and Orchestra Scotch Symphony Sylvia pas de Deux Slaughter on Tenth Avenue Steadfast Tin Soldier Ragtime Raymonda Variations Liebeslieder Walzer Episodes Davidsbundlertanze Kammermusik # 2 Divertimento # 15 Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet Bugaku Chaconne Sonatine Walpurgisnacht Ballet Ballade Meditiation Divertimento Brilliante Allegro Brilliante Link to comment
bart Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 Jack, your list is truly impressive, with several rarities I hadn't even heard of. Looking them up has added to my Balanchine education. I question the inclusion of Tricolore here. The Trust list excludes it, and the NYCB list only says Balanchine "conceived and supervised" it: I agree with your conclusion and have deleted it from my original post. On the other hand, your list reminded me about MCB's Glinka Pas de Trois, so I've been able to add that, thus retaining my total. Any more Balanchine enumerations? Even if you're a relative Balanchine beginner, it's fascinating to revisit what one has seen. For me, list-making has always been an essential early step in the process of reviving memory. Link to comment
ViolinConcerto Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 I can't count well... I keep getting mixed up, but I took out my Balanchine Festival Tee shirt and started counting on that.... but got mixed up. Someday I'll get out my "Choreography by Balanchine," and start counting, but, as I said, I lose count and get mixed up. I'm glad someone mentioned "Noah and the Flood," which I saw on TV, as I did one of Mr. B's versions of "The Spellbound Child," Those had to be in the very early 80's. So----- Do films versions count as a separate ballet (eg, "Midsummer's)? Does the Peter Martins revival of "On Your Toes," back in 1983, (I saw it twice!!) with all those wonderful ballet and tap numbers count? Do the short pieces done for TV (such as the short duets with Maria Tallchief and Jacques d'Amboise) count? We're on a very slippery slope here! But it's fun to try and climb up, isn't it? Regarding "Figure in the Carpet," after the Balanchine bio was produced on PBS which showed that intriguing segment, and in the few years following his death, I went to many seminars/lectures/talks at NYU, the Met Museum, the Museum of TV and Broadcasting, etc. and the question of who could mount a revival of "Figure in the Carpet" was brought up several times. Each time the answer was the same: no one remembers enough about it to put it back together again. Our very own Humpty Dumpty. Link to comment
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