ECat Posted December 19, 2019 Share Posted December 19, 2019 (edited) Hello Ballet Alert People! This seemed like a fun discussion to start. What ballets (full length or one act) would you like to see added or brought back to specific company's repertoires? This could be totally realistic or a fanciful wish. Here is my list I will start with: MARIINKSY - Coppelia, Manon, Onegin PARIS OPERA BALLET - La Fille du Pharoan, Les Sylphides BOLSHOI - Fancy Free, Dances at a Gathering ROYAL BALLET - La Dame Aux Camelias Edited December 19, 2019 by ECat Wasn't finished adding stuff Link to comment
sandik Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 All kinds of wishes, but I'll try to keep things to a minimum, and just talk about Pacific Northwest Ballet. Revivals: Intermezzo, Lilac Garden, Dark Elegies, Crayola (Dennis Spaight work) Restaging: Green Table, Nijinska Les Noces, Hodson/Archer reconstruction of Sacre du Printemps Link to comment
California Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 8 hours ago, sandik said: Restaging: Green Table Seems like a really great time for every ballet company to restage Green Table! Just saying... Link to comment
sandik Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 2 hours ago, California said: Seems like a really great time for every ballet company to restage Green Table! Just saying... Just agreeing! Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 2 hours ago, California said: Seems like a really great time for every ballet company to restage Green Table! Just saying... Yes, and I think a lot of us have been saying this for the past few years. Would like ABT to revive this, along with more Tudor, De Mille, Ashton (again, repeating past years wishes). And, Paquita. Link to comment
FPF Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 A short list (at least until I think of more): NYCB: Bourree Fantasque ABT: Bruch Violin Concerto Link to comment
California Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 1 hour ago, Leah said: I wish NYCB would do a Rite of Spring - I know that Balanchine didn’t do it, but it’s the most famous Stravinsky ballet and the only version New York has is ABT’s AfterRite. Maybe a future Peck project? ABT acquired Glen Tetley's version in 1976 for Baryshnikov. Colorado Ballet did this version a few years ago. I thought it was worthwhile both times. https://www.abt.org/ballet/the-rite-of-spring/ Link to comment
California Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 38 minutes ago, Leah said: Have they revived it since the 90s? I’d really like to see it if the new McGregor hasn’t replaced it. I don't recall seeing it on ABT's schedule. they revived in 1992, right after MacKenzie took over. I found a couple of brief clips: PNB and Colorado. Link to comment
sandik Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 PNB hasn't done the Tetley since Peter Boal took over the AD position -- they've performed Molissa Fenley's solo version several times (Boal used to dance it, and helped to stage it here) Link to comment
lmspear Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 I've never had the opportunity to see anything by Nijinska. Link to comment
naomikage Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 16 hours ago, California said: Seems like a really great time for every ballet company to restage Green Table! Just saying... Star Dancers Ballet of Japan has staged The Green Table last year which was so successful that they are going to perform it again this February. They also did a whole evening dedicated to Tudor, including The Leaves are Fading, Lilac Garden, Romeo and Juliet pas de deux and Pillar of Fire. Link to comment
miliosr Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 (edited) I'll play (this will be very ABT-centric) . . . I would like to see a sustained recommitment to the Antony Tudor repertory including (but not limited) to Continuo, Dark Elegies, Dim Lustre, Gala Performance, Jardin aux Lilas, The Judgment of Paris, The Leaves Are Fading, Pillar of Fire, Undertow and -- above all others - the complete Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. From repertory, I would like to see revivals of Frederick Ashton's Les Patineurs and Les Rendezvous, Eugene Loring's Billy the Kid (w/ Aran Bell in the lead). Harald Lander's Etudes, Jose Limon's The Moor's Pavane, Leonide Massine's Gaite Parisienne and (echoing a previous poster) Clark Tippet's Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1. Keep George Balanchine's Theme and Variations (which he created for ABT) and Symphonie Concertante (which was an important ABT revival in the 1980s) but ditch the rest of the Balanchine. ABT is not trained in Balanchine's method and style and the result is that they look foolish in comparison to the company across the Lincoln Center courtyard. Give Jerome Robbins' Fancy Free (especially) and Agnes de Mille's Rodeo rests for a while. Have Kevin McKenzie wean himself from jumping on whatever micro choreographic trend is happening at the moment. ABT just isn't that kind of company. (I freely admit this is a forlorn hope on my part.) 20 hours ago, Leah said: I wish NYCB would do a Rite of Spring - I know that Balanchine didn’t do it, but it’s the most famous Stravinsky ballet According to Suzanne Farrell, Balanchine thought Maurice Bejart's version was the best version. Staging that at the New York City Ballet would certainly cause a lot of New York-based critics' heads to explode! There's always the Pina Bausch version: Edited January 4, 2020 by miliosr Link to comment
California Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 A revival no one has mentioned: Tharp's Push Comes to Shove. At a Met Gala a few years ago, I thought they did just the opening to Scott Joplin and I was hoping they'd revive the entire ballet. They have people who could take Baryshnikov's role - most notably Simkin and Cornejo. I assume Tharp controls this, however, so that might well be the issue. Link to comment
sandik Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 16 hours ago, lmspear said: I've never had the opportunity to see anything by Nijinska. I'm sorry -- her work is very specific, and while people see aspects of it in Ashton and Tudor, they take it in their own direction. There must be something online somewhere, in this YouTube age -- does anyone here have a link? Link to comment
sandik Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 3 hours ago, miliosr said: According to Suzanne Farrell, Balanchine thought Maurice Bejart's version was the best version. Staging that at the New York City Ballet would certainly cause a lot of New York-based critics' heads to explode! There's always the Pina Bausch version: I'm wondering how many of the critics working currently in NYC have seen much Bejart -- the work doesn't get to the US anywhere near as often as it did. And really, the demarcation lines at NYCB (who's an acceptable choreographer and who's not) are far more permeable than they were in the past. But I do love the Bausch version of Sacre. Link to comment
sandik Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 34 minutes ago, California said: A revival no one has mentioned: Tharp's Push Comes to Shove. At a Met Gala a few years ago, I thought they did just the opening to Scott Joplin and I was hoping they'd revive the entire ballet. They have people who could take Baryshnikov's role - most notably Simkin and Cornejo. I assume Tharp controls this, however, so that might well be the issue. I don't know what the details are about Tharp's repertory at ABT, but it wouldn't surprise me if she had considerable veto power. It's in the repertory of several different companies, which makes me think that Tharp controls the rights. (if you haven't seen her website yet, do take a look -- it's packed with great information) Link to comment
Kathleen O'Connell Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 I would like NYCB to keep on performing Cunningham's Summerspace and not just dust it off once a decade for special occasions. While they're at it they can add Paul Taylor's solo back to Episodes. 7 hours ago, miliosr said: I would like to see a sustained recommitment to the Antony Tudor repertory including (but not limited) to Continuo, Dark Elegies, Dim Lustre, Gala Performance, Jardin aux Lilas, The Judgment of Paris, The Leaves Are Fading, Pillar of Fire, Undertow and -- above all others - the complete Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. Yes indeedy. We're going to forget how to watch Tudor if no one dances him anymore. Link to comment
sandik Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 7 hours ago, Kathleen O'Connell said: I would like NYCB to keep on performing Cunningham's Summerspace and not just dust it off once a decade for special occasions. While they're at it they can add Paul Taylor's solo back to Episodes. Yes indeedy. We're going to forget how to watch Tudor if no one dances him anymore. Not to mention dancers forgetting how to perform his work... Link to comment
cubanmiamiboy Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 MCB needs a complete SL-( they do Balanchine's). And SB. And Bayadere. And Raymonda. Never gonna happen, but since this is a wishes thread.... ABT needs a proper Raymonda. Also, they need to claim their Tudor repertoire back and make a strong repository of it. There are people still alive who can be called. Hurry up before they die. Mariinsky needs to claim their imperial heritage back and get over with Vainonen, K Sergueev and Ponomarev. Everybody and their momma is doing Petipa, and Mother Russia looks from the distance. Not fair. Link to comment
Quiggin Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 Would like to see a Guggenheim-like discussion and demonstration of early 20's Ballet Suedois works, including Honneger/Leger Skating Rink and Satie/Picabia Relâche. I especially like the in-character walking/skating bows in Skating Rink. Did this influence Ashton Les Patineurs and even Balanchine Cotillon? The Leger costumes are especially fine. https://vimeo.com/14390025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHAYeOU9hkU Another reconstruction of a lost ballet, lost before it was first constructed, for a magician repetiteur. Came across this letter to Balanchine yesterday in the Noguchi archives: Quote [November 1967] Dear George, As we spoke over the telephone I can not see how I can find time to do the sets for a ballet at this time, much as I would like to work with you again. I listen to the BERG music which I brought along with me to Japan but still find the problem unresolvable. I wanted to let you know this as soon as possible. With best regards Ever sincerely Isamu Noguchi Link to comment
FPF Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 5 hours ago, cubanmiamiboy said: MCB needs a complete SL-( they do Balanchine's). And SB. And Bayadere. And Raymonda. Never gonna happen, but since this is a wishes thread.... I thought MCB was supposed to be acquiring the Ratmansky SL reconstruction. Link to comment
sandik Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 2 hours ago, Quiggin said: Would like to see a Guggenheim-like discussion and demonstration of early 20's Ballet Suedois works, including Honneger/Leger Skating Rink and Satie/Picabia Relâche. I especially like the in-character walking/skating bows in Skating Rink. Did this influence Ashton Les Patineurs and even Balanchine Cotillon? The Leger costumes are especially fine. https://vimeo.com/14390025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHAYeOU9hkU Another reconstruction of a lost ballet, lost before it was first constructed, for a magician repetiteur. Came across this letter to Balanchine yesterday in the Noguchi archives: I don't know that Ashton had a chance to see the Ballet Suedois -- Doug Fullington might know. I saw Moses Pendleton's version of Relache for the Joffrey years ago and enjoyed it, but I don't think they were considering it a reconstruction. Wow -- that letter from Noguchi opens up all kinds of imagined opportunities! Link to comment
cubanmiamiboy Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 12 hours ago, FPF said: I thought MCB was supposed to be acquiring the Ratmansky SL reconstruction. Nothing else has been said about it... Link to comment
sandik Posted March 17, 2020 Share Posted March 17, 2020 Bumping this back up to the top of the queue, for obvious reasons. We're not going out, so I propose we make a virtue of necessity -- here's my request. Let's talk about programming. Your idea of a wonderful evening in the theater, the special qualities of your local company/audience, a great program that has stuck with you for years, common errors you see companies make -- what have I missed here? I'll go wash my hands, and come back to add my thoughts. Link to comment
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