New York City Ballet in Montreal, vols. 1-5

[Dale]

Good sleuthing volcanohunter!

[DanielBenton]

Thanks volcanohunter. I hope it's Allegra and Edward. Just have to wait some more for Liebeslieder

[emilienne]

Balanchine Foundation notes that it has been broadcast twice: once on PBS Dance in America (possibly the Dance Theatre in Harlem version, and I have a vague memory of seeing this one) and once on CBC. NYPL lists the following 1978 cast:

Patricia McBride, Jean-Pierre Bonnefous, Bonita Borne, Elyse Borne, Elise Flagg, Delia Peters, John Bass, Richard Dryden, Laurence Matthews, and Richard Tanner.

(and for something slightly different)

What I find very odd is that VAI has not seen fit to release the complete L'Heure du concert of the 1960s Apollo/Concerto Barocco/Divertimento Brilliante program. It's a complete, self-enclosed hour of programming, and I'm pretty sure that there is a color source. At least, the Balanchine biography excerpted a color segment of young Farrell and not-yet-majestically-maned Martins in Apollo from this broadcast.

[volcanohunter]

What I find very odd is that VAI has not seen fit to release the complete L'Heure du concert of the 1960s Apollo/Concerto Barocco/Divertimento Brilliante program.

From your lips, as they say. A few clips of that Concerto Barocco have appeared in documentaries, most recently in Afternoon of a Faun. The clip there may last no more than 5 seconds, but when I saw it, I actually groaned out loud with longing.

The Amazon listing for volume 5 now includes the cover image, and it's possible to zoom in on the screen shot from Bugaku, although the wigs and makeup do a good job of disguising the dancers.

[emilienne]

From your lips, as they say. A few clips of that Concerto Barocco have appeared in documentaries, most recently in Afternoon of a Faun. The clip there may last no more than 5 seconds, but when I saw it, I actually groaned out loud with longing.

The Barocco in Afternoon with Adams and Le Clercq (black leotards, six women corp) is on Volume 2 in the series. I don't recall Afternoon excerpting from the Barocco that I had mentioned, which features Conrad Ludlow, Suzanne Farrell and Marnee Morris with white leotards and a proper eight women corp.

[volcanohunter]

There is a juxtaposition of the two versions at the 60-minute mark of Afternoon of a Faun, but it is extremely brief. Frustratingly so.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/tanaquil-le-clercq/full-film-tanaquil-le-clercq-afternoon-of-a-faun/3023/

[DanielBenton]

Re Vol.5: in a VAI catalogue received today, it says McBride and Bonnefoux are in Bugaku, and Apollo is the version on YouTube with D'Amboise, Adams, Jiliana, and Russell.

[volcanohunter]

In addition to the complete D'Amboise Apollo from 1960, VAI indicates that the disc also includes excerpts from Apollo filmed in color for the Bell Telephone Hour in 1963 with D‘Amboise, Melissa Hayden, Jillana and Patricia Neary. Not Montreal, but there you have it.

http://www.vaimusic.com/BALANCHINE+NYCB/4575.html

[pherank]

Re Vol.5: in a VAI catalogue received today, it says McBride and Bonnefoux are in Bugaku, and Apollo is the version on YouTube with D'Amboise, Adams, Jiliana, and Russell.

Just received a catalog from VAI today and that too reads McBride and Bonnefoux for Bugaku. In any case, I'm looking forward to viewing this one.

[emilienne]

Okay, if they're going to include things not from Montréal, why not also the 1966 BBC Apollo with d'Amboise/Farrell/Govrin/Neary? Grr.

[Dale]

From the YouTube preview (The Bell Telephone Hour Apollo has interesting costumes. Maybe the TV censors wanted the muse's arms covered up? That ballet has certainly had several costume changes since it arrived at it's current state):

The notes:

The fifth volume of New York City Ballet in Montreal features two Balanchine masterpieces, created 35 years apart. The beautiful and exotic Bugaku (1963) is seen here in a 1978 color telecast starring Patricia McBride and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux. McBride, one of New York City Ballet’s most celebrated ballerinas, will be awarded the Kennedy Center Honor next month. Apollo (1928) was a milestone in the early part of Balanchine’s career. Jacques d’Amboise dances the title role in a 1960 performance of the complete ballet (followed by an interview with Balanchine), as well as in excerpts of the work as presented on the Bell Telephone Hour in 1963. The latter telecast provides a rare opportunity to see an early performance of Apollo in color and Melissa Hayden as Terpsichore (her only appearance in this DVD series).

Color & Black & white, 71 minutes, 4:3, NTSC (Playable all regions)

BUGAKU
Choreography by George Balanchine
Music by Toshiro Mayuzumi
Dancers: Patricia McBride, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, Bonita Borne, Elyse Borne, Elise Flagg, Delia Peters, John Bass, Richard Dryden, Laurence Matthews, Richard Tanner (1978)

APOLLO (complete)
Choreography by George Balanchine
Music by Igor Stravinsky
Dancers: Jacques d‘Amboise (Apollo), Diana Adams (Terpsichore), Jillana (Calliope), Francia Russell (Polyhymnia) (1960)

GEORGE BALANCHINE DISCUSSES APOLLO (1960)

APOLLO (three movements)
Choreography by George Balanchine
Music by Igor Stravinsky
Variation d’Apollon • Pas de deux (Apollo and Terpsichore) Coda (Apollo and the Muses)
Dancers: Jacques d‘Amboise (Apollo), Melissa Hayden (Terpsichore), Jillana (Calliope), Patricia Neary (Polyhymnia)
(Bell Telephone Hour, 1963)

[volcanohunter]

Okay, if they're going to include things not from Montréal, why not also the 1966 BBC Apollo with d'Amboise/Farrell/Govrin/Neary? Grr.

ICA Classics has pulled a few things out of the BBC archives. Perhaps they could be persuaded to go after the 1966 Apollo.

http://www.icaclassics.com/dance

[sandik]

The 1963 version had a very interesting set of stairs upstage, as well as the sleeves.

[Dale]

The 1963 version had a very interesting set of stairs upstage, as well as the sleeves.

The set designer probably tried to do something so that Apollo could climb the stairs at the end. This would have been before Balanchine cut parts of the ballet in the late 70s. It would have had the original Apotheosis.

[sandik]

The 1963 version had a very interesting set of stairs upstage, as well as the sleeves.

The set designer probably tried to do something so that Apollo could climb the stairs at the end. This would have been before Balanchine cut parts of the ballet in the late 70s. It would have had the original Apotheosis.

I'm just wondering why they chose this little hill (which actually looks rather like one of the original designs) rather than the ladder-like structure that was standard at the time.

[emilienne]

Bell Telephone Hour always seemed to have outrageous sets, which makes me suspect (facetiously) that the set designer had frustrated ambitions. The Art of Maria Tallchief featured a Don Q grand pas de deux with Erik Bruhn that featured the couple trying to dance around large lacy fans that opened and closed.

[DanielBenton]

Just received and watched Vol.5: Bugaku and Apollo excerpts from Bell Telephone Hour.

Bugaku is very interesting on first viewing. I immediately thought "movie music", but very

good movie music. I need to watch it several more times. It would be interesting to hear

from those who saw the initial casting of Kent and Villella and can compare.

Bell Telephone Hour excerpts: the action seemed too fast and kind of casual, plus the yellow/orange

fringe-y costumes and soft pink background light made the whole thing a little odd. I do think d'Amboise

is the best Apollo, bringing out the personality traits Balanchine wanted us to see in the brash young

person.

[pherank]

Just received and watched Vol.5: Bugaku and Apollo excerpts from Bell Telephone Hour.

Bugaku is very interesting on first viewing. I immediately thought "movie music", but very

good movie music. I need to watch it several more times. It would be interesting to hear

from those who saw the initial casting of Kent and Villella and can compare.

Bell Telephone Hour excerpts: the action seemed too fast and kind of casual, plus the yellow/orange

fringe-y costumes and soft pink background light made the whole thing a little odd. I do think d'Amboise

is the best Apollo, bringing out the personality traits Balanchine wanted us to see in the brash young

person.

Hello DB,

Who dances in the 'excerpts' of Apollo?

[DanielBenton]

Pherank: (with d'Amboise): Terpsichore:Melissa Hayden; Calliope: Jilliana; Polyhymnia: Patricia Neary

[pherank]

Barnett Serchuk review of Vol. 1, at BroadwayWorld.com:

http://http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwdance/article/From-the-Archives-Balanchine-in-Montreal-20150323

I once had a conversation with Melissa Hayden who complained that present day NYC Ballet dancers - this was 1997, I believe - did not know how to perform Orpheus. It just went over their heads. Watching this 1960 version, I am not sure if it went not only over my head, but my heart as well. Is this my 21st century view? Is it possible that a ballet that once symbolized a great ballet company has become a murmur, whereas Serenade is still vital today. It's hard to say. I'll leave it up to the viewer to decide.

[pherank]

Question: Does anyone know of a comprehensive cast list - by section - for the Vol. 2 Agon performance?

This is the structure as reported by Wikipedia:

I.

1. Pas-de-quatre (4 male dancers)
2. Double pas-de-quatre (8 female dancers)
3. Triple pas-de-quatre (4 male + 8 female dancers)

Prelude
II. (First pas-de-trois: 1 male, 2 female dancers)

1. Sarabande-step (1 male dancer)
2. Gaillarde (2 female dancers)
3. Coda (1 male, 2 female dancers)

Interlude
III. (Second pas-de-trois: 2 male, 1 female dancers)

1. Bransle simple (2 male dancers)
2. Bransle gay (1 female dancer)
3. Bransle double (2 male, 1 female dancers)

Interlude
IV.

1. Pas-de-deux (1 male, 1 female dancer)
2. Four Duos (4 male, 4 female dancers)
3. Four Trios (4 male, 8 female dancers)

[DanielBenton]

Pherank, from the DVD notes:

The participants as listed are: Diana Adams, Violette Verdy, Jiliana, Francia Russell,

Todd Bolender, Arthur Mitchell, Richard Rapp, Roy Tobias, Susan Borree, Carole Fields, Marlene Mesavage and "The Identity of the twelfth dancer cannot be determined."

So first section is everyone available (with Adams and Verdy out front amongst the females),

II. Sarabande-step: Bolender. Gaillarde: Jiliana and Russell. Coda: all three;

III. Bransle simple: Rapp and Tobias. Bransle gay: Verdy. Bransle double: all three.

IV. Pas-de-deux: Adams and Mitchell. Four duos: four males + four principal females. Four trios: everyone

[pherank]

Thanks Daniel, that does help. Aside from the obvious ones (Mitchell, Adams, Verdy and Bolendar), I don't really know the other dancers by their faces.