Winter 2018

[Helene]

I hadn't thought about the flu, especially people being cautious, too.

[cobweb]

I have a ticket for tonight's performance that I cannot use. If anyone would like it and can pick it up from my doorman near 57th and Broadway, PM me. 

[yukionna4869]

Patricia McBride coaching Megan & Joaquin

 

 

[rkoretzky]

Patricia McBride asked to coach one of her signature roles! What a positive change. This bodes well for the future of our beloved NYCB. 

[BalanchineFan]

On 2/4/2018 at 12:30 PM, fondoffouettes said:

I completely agree. Even in a less-than-perfect performance, I was so impressed and moved by Four Ts. And nothing felt more like "balm for the soul" than the Andante section of Divertimento ...

Does NYCB ever present Theme and Variations as a standalone piece? I appreciate Suite No. 3 as a sort of foil to the brilliant grandeur of T&V, but I feel T&V is more effective when presented on its own. It's a perfect ballet that needs no prelude. 

If they wanted to give Tchai Pas a rest (as wonderful as it is), how about Sylvia Pas de Deux? It's similar in length and filled with razzle-dazzle moments, if not as gasp-inducing as Tchai Pas. Does NYCB ever perform the work? Is there some problem with securing rights? 

I don't care for the first few movements of Suite No. 3, but in my 30 years of ballet going I've only seen NYCB perform the Suite in its entirety. What an interesting idea. It would make it more like ABT, though. Though I NEVER tire of Tschai Pas, I've also never seen Sylvia ppd. I thought the Trust gave the company the rights to perform any Balanchine work. Someone on here certainly knows.

And yes, Balanchine as balm for the soul. More Balanchine in the programming please. I'd love to see Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No 2 (aka Ballet Imperial) and Liebeslieder Waltzer, which were performed a few years ago. Tiler Peck made her Piano Concerto 2 debut with Amar (beautiful, both of them, bringing tears to your eyes). That woman really has nerves of steel. Liebeslieder too. What a beautiful, cultured ballet.

[BalanchineFan]

On 2/6/2018 at 1:40 PM, sandik said:

In part because these decisions are made very far in advance, likely before any of the proverbial shit hit the fan.

 

On 2/6/2018 at 1:40 PM, CharlieH said:

Abatt, I agree with this general formula but...with such a rich bounty a great ballets in the NYCB Rep, I can’t help but think that the great majority of Martins’ works will no longer adhere to that formula. Martins left (resigned) just as the current season was about to begin. Too late to re-program. I suspect that we’ll see the impact of Martins’ departure beginning in fall 2018...even if initial programming has occurred, the new leaders have time to make changes before the 2018/19 rep is made public.

R+J is so hideous that, if I were a betting guy, I’d wager that it  never returns. Swan Lake - yes. Beauty - absolutely.

Fearful, Hallelujah and Barber Violin seem to be his better works. Magic Flute is so atypical of Martins, I often wonder if Balanchine helped out? I’ve seen about 30 or so Martins ballets since the mid-80s and didn’t care much for the majority.

I think it was Bournonville that helped out with Magic Flute. Wasn't Bournonville the original choreographer and Martins was supposed to be restaging it "in the style of"?

Honestly, I'd be happy to see this SL go. It looks like the swans are dancing in someone's old abstract bed sheet. I think it's been quite successful with audiences, though, so they'll probably keep it for a few years more.

[abatt]

I think ABT did Balanchine's Sylvia pdd a long time ago. I remember seeing Dvorovenko do it at City Center during an ABT Fall season.

 

It costs a lot of money to make new productions of full length ballets.  I think fundraising may drop in the coming seasons because of Martin's departure, so I doubt the company will be going on a spending spree to dump the old SL sets and costumes. 

Edited February 7, 2018 by abatt

[BalanchineFan]

I was under the impression that See the Music only adds time to the performance. I saw one (heard one?) before Midsummer and thought it was such a great idea. The music is so lovely and the conductor highlighted all the different musical themes and connected them to the characters. It added to my enjoyment and understanding of the ballet. I made a point to buy another ticket when they're doing See the Music. It probably helps build the audience. I wish they'd do one with Stravinsky. When Litton spoke at the Apollo talk he gave the audience a few things to think over in that realm.

Abatt, you're absolutely right! If I were hired as director of NYCB I wouldn't spend MONEY on new SL costumes when the current ones are wearable. I just want to see them as an audience member.

Edited February 7, 2018 by BalanchineFan

[fondoffouettes]

30 minutes ago, abatt said:

I think ABT did Balanchine's Sylvia pdd a long time ago. I remember seeing Dvorovenko do it at City Center during an ABT Fall season.

I think you are right, and there is the old Van Hamel/Bissell video of it, as well. I know it's a lesser work, but I think it's fun and definitely worthy of a revival. It could be a great vehicle for Ashley Bouder or Tiler Peck, among others. 

[AmandaNYC]

47 minutes ago, BalanchineFan said:

I don't care for the first few movements of Suite No. 3, but in my 30 years of ballet going I've only seen NYCB perform the Suite in its entirety. What an interesting idea. It would make it more like ABT, though.

I think they did T&V on its own during the Balanchine Celebration in '93.  There were many things brought back for just that season I wouldn't mind seeing again, not that I recall any ballet names. 

Edited February 7, 2018 by AmandaNYC

[nanushka]

8 minutes ago, AmandaNYC said:

I think they did T&V on its own during the Balanchine Celebration in '93.  There were many things brought back for just that season I wouldn't mind seeing again, not that I recall any ballet names. 

If it's what was telecast, I believe that was only starting from the PDD through the end. (It's on YT with Kistler and Zelensky.)

Most of the works that were done for that particular program were excerpted, around 10 min. each.

But they may well have done the complete T&V in other performances that season, if that's what you mean. 

Edited February 7, 2018 by nanushka

[AmandaNYC]

6 minutes ago, nanushka said:

If it's what was telecast, I believe that was only starting from the PDD through the end. (It's on YT with Kistler and Zelensky.)

Most of the works that were done for that particular program were excerpted, around 10 min. each.

But they may well have done the complete work in other performances that season, if that's what you mean. 

I meant throughout that entire spring season, which was a wonderful crash course in Balanchine. The telecast was the final performance.  

[nanushka]

3 minutes ago, AmandaNYC said:

I meant throughout that entire spring season, which was a wonderful crash course in Balanchine. The telecast was the final performance.  

Wish they'd do another season like that!

[Royal Blue]

1957? 1979? Ashley Bouder and Tiler Peck dance the steps in Square Dance and the “Fall” segment of The Four Seasons respectively with an ease, a confidence and a naturalness which give the impression that they are creating them on the spot. Watching the two perform in these ballets during the same evening was by itself a breathtaking experience. And, of course, there was so much more to savor both in terms of the casting and program!

Edited February 7, 2018 by Royal Blue

[nanushka]

I've never seen Agon live and don't remember the last time it was done. Any guesses as to whom we might see in it later this season?

Edited February 8, 2018 by nanushka

[canbelto]

Maria Kowroski and Amar Ramasar usually do the pas de deux but Amar is gone. Tess also has it in her rep.

[nanushka]

Thanks canbelto. Who dances the woman in the MWM trio?

Edited February 8, 2018 by nanushka

[BalanchineFan]

1 hour ago, nanushka said:

I've never seen Agon live and don't remember the last time it was done. Any guesses as to whom we might see in it later this season?

In addition to Maria and Tess, both Unity Phelan and Miriam Miller also know the Agon ppd.

I've seen Savannah Lowery and Megan LeCrone in the MWM trio. It's been in the rep in the past two or three years. I saw Tess Reichlen and Adrian D-W in a rehearsal for the ppd, but I never saw them perform it. Maria and Amar are amazing in it.

[nanushka]

10 minutes ago, BalanchineFan said:

In addition to Maria and Tess, both Unity Phelan and Miriam Miller also know the Agon ppd.

I've seen Savannah Lowery and Megan LeCrone in the MWM trio. It's been in the rep in the past two or three years. I saw Tess Reichlen and Adrian D-W in a rehearsal for the ppd, but I never saw them perform it. Maria and Amar are amazing in it.

Hmm not a particular fan of Savannah L or Megan LeC, that’s too bad. I like that PDT. Wound love to see Maria K or Unity P in the PDD.

[BalanchineFan]

I've only seen Unity dance the ppd with Calvin Royal III. I'm not sure who she'd do it with at NYCB. I don't know who Miriam dances it with either, though she apparently performed the entire ballet shortly after she joined NYCB. Does anyone know who she danced with? 

There was a new Peck ballet a season or two back, horizontal stripes, lots of corps de ballet. Silas Farley and Miriam danced together for a hot second and I thought they were well paired. He's certainly tall enough.

Is there someone you'd like to see in the MWM pas de trois? Unity may already perform that. She's done one of the pas de trois in the piece, but somehow I think it's the WMW. Heather Watts gave a talk on the ballet last fall and that's where I saw Unity and Calvin dance. They had done it at Vail.

Edited February 8, 2018 by BalanchineFan

[nanushka]

3 minutes ago, BalanchineFan said:

I've only seen Unity dance the ppd with Calvin Royal III.

Oh wow! So jealous! That sounds like an amazing pairing.

I hadn't thought of anyone in particular for the MWM. I only know the piece from videos and am not as familiar with the full company as I am with ABT, as I only started seeing NYCB regularly a few years ago (when I caught the Balanchine bug really bad).

[BalanchineFan]

They may not be your cup of tea, but both Savannah and Megan LeCrone dance Agon quite well. I think it's the best thing I've seen Savannah dance, (aside from Hippolyta or Peck's Times Are Racing). I've never seen her as Coffee, though.

LeCrone is also well suited to the Agon second woman role with all her angularity. There's a short video of her rehearsing it and talking about it on the NYCB website.  She seems like a Stravinsky ballerina to me. All the women's roles in that ballet tend to go to the taller women. It's such a leg festival. And yes, Unity and Calvin are well paired. It's like they come from the same long-legged tribe. Somewhere there's an instagram clip of them doing the opening.

 

Edited February 8, 2018 by BalanchineFan

[rkoretzky]

9 minutes ago, BalanchineFan said:

They may not be your cup of tea, but both Savannah and Megan LeCrone dance Agon quite well. I think it's the best thing I've seen Savannah dance, (aside from Hippolyta or Peck's Times Are Racing). I've never seen her as Coffee, though.

LeCrone is also well suited to the Agon second woman role with all her angularity. There's a short video of her rehearsing it and talking about it on the NYCB website.  She seems like a Stravinsky ballerina to me. All the women's roles in that ballet tend to go to the taller women. It's such a leg festival. And yes, Unity and Calvin are well paired. It's like they come from the same long-legged tribe. Somewhere there's an instagram clip of them doing the opening.

 

It's possible (even likely) that I'm not remembering correctly, but I was at a lecture/dem in Lake Placid quite a few years ago where Megan LeCrone danced the Agon PDD beautifully. I don't remember who her partner was, but I was struck by how well suited she is to Balanchine leotard roles. At the same program, a young Kathryn Morgan danced the La Sylphide PDDwith Joaquin DeLuz. Quite a while ago. 

[canbelto]

In the upcoming Agon Ashley Laracey is dancing the PDT. I remember Rebecca Krohn used to dance it, and Tess as well.

[fondoffouettes]

5 hours ago, BalanchineFan said:

I don't care for the first few movements of Suite No. 3, but in my 30 years of ballet going I've only seen NYCB perform the Suite in its entirety. What an interesting idea. It would make it more like ABT, though.

 

It's pretty frustrating that the company feels such an obligation to perform only Balanchine's final iterations of his ballets. Suite No. 3 is pleasant enough, but it pales in comparison to the brilliance of Theme and Variations on its own. I'm not saying the full suite should never be performed, but I don't think it needs to accompany T&V every time it's performed.

Would it kill the company to, once in a blue moon, perform Square Dance with a caller, or to perform the original version of Apollo with the birthing scene? The company seems to have a very narrow-minded view of what it means to preserve the legacy of Balanchine.

It's time for NYCB to stop think about pleasing "Mr. B" and to treat Balanchine like any other genius-artist. The company has every right to pick and choose how it presents Balanchine's works. 

Edited February 8, 2018 by fondoffouettes