rg Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 scan of an undated and uncredited NYCB publicity photo showing Edward Villella's Oberon and Melissa Hayden's Titania, the original leading dancers in Balanchine's 1962 production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. the 1965 dating may refer only to the newsroom's use of the photo, presumably to illustrate a Walter Terry article or review. the pose is no doubt one struck for the photographer as the staging includes no time when Oberon partners Titania. since the ballet's recent run to close NYCB's spring season included rebuilt versions of Karinska's costumes and Hays' Harvey-assisted settings, this glimpse of the original, or nearly original designs, may be of interest. it's reasonable to assume that this photo dates from the City Center era ('62-'64); the Balanchine catalog notes that in '64, when the company moved into Lincoln Center's New York State Theater, Karinska re-designed the costumes. other photos from the early NYST era document differences between the costuming shown here as well as from those that NYCB has had in place for the last few decades. Link to comment
sandik Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Pacific Northwest Ballet performed in their Martin Pakledinaz costumes earlier this year -- lovely, but much less ornate. I do love the line of Hayden's head/neck here Link to comment
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