Fall Digital Season

[pherank]

On 9/30/2020 at 9:11 AM, Leah said:

Well, that was nice to watch after the debate last night. I just received a survey from NYCB similar to the one sent by others about audience comfort in returning—perhaps there will be a live streamed season for Winter and Spring, as they seem to be considering that. 

Many people around the world would love access to streamed seasons from major companies. I hope somebody has the guts to actually make it happen.
 

2 hours ago, sohalia said:

I have absolutely no words for Tiler Peck and Joaquin De Luz in Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux. Out of this world. What a partnership, what dancers, what a performance. I wish this would stay online for ever so I could watch it over, and over, and over.

Yes, that performance is an instant classic. Lovette and Angle were a nice surprise in Liebeslieder as well. It was all enjoyable for me, though complete ballets would be prefered.

[pherank]

A bit of information about the upcoming Program 2 - Modern Innovation:
 

 

Edited October 4, 2020 by pherank

[pherank]

I believe that's everything.

[Rosa]

On 9/10/2020 at 2:12 PM, canbelto said:

SEPTEMBER 29 - ALL BALANCHINE

 

Program to include Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, “The Unanswered Question” from Ivesiana, and excerpts from Symphony in C, Liebeslieder Walzer, Episodes, and Stravinsky Violin Concerto.

 

The All Balanchine program knocked it out of the park IMO!! I had a smile on my face almost from start to finish. Episodes and Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux were my favorite performances. 🥰

[DC Export]

1 hour ago, Rosa said:

The All Balanchine program knocked it out of the park IMO!! I had a smile on my face almost from start to finish. Episodes and Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux were my favorite performances. 🥰

 

Same here! This was my first time seeing any of Violin Concerto, but it didn't compare well next to the other large-scale finale from Episodes which I thought was much stronger. We all want to see these full ballets, but I felt that nagging especially with Liebeslieder and Ivesiana. I told my husband when the Ives program started that I was so excited to see Janie Taylor, who I'd never seen dance before-- we joked afterward that I still haven't seen her dance.

[canbelto]

This afternoon's program was very fun. Loved Megan and Joaquin in Tarantella.

[cobweb]

Thanks for the reminder about this program, canbelto. I forgot they were doing some as matinees. I thought Megan Fairchild was the best program host we've yet seen.  She is charming and at ease. And strangely, she looks more mature and elegant than she often does on the stage. As many times as I've seen her perform, I had no idea her eyes were so enormous and liquid! I remember when she came out onstage for her brother's farewell, very pregnant, in very high heels and a simple but sophisticated dress, and I was surprised by her mature persona. Onstage she often comes across as young and cutesy, with a small smile (although of course, extremely accomplished and professional). I hope she can work some of that sophistication and beauty into her performing, and meanwhile, please let's see her in more "digital hosting" duties!

[sappho]

Though the Scherzo excerpt was brief, it was pleasure to see Claire Von Enck and Olivia Boisson in featured roles. They are both such witty and generous dancers.

[sidwich]

7 hours ago, cobweb said:

Thanks for the reminder about this program, canbelto. I forgot they were doing some as matinees. I thought Megan Fairchild was the best program host we've yet seen.  She is charming and at ease. And strangely, she looks more mature and elegant than she often does on the stage. As many times as I've seen her perform, I had no idea her eyes were so enormous and liquid! I remember when she came out onstage for her brother's farewell, very pregnant, in very high heels and a simple but sophisticated dress, and I was surprised by her mature persona. Onstage she often comes across as young and cutesy, with a small smile (although of course, extremely accomplished and professional). I hope she can work some of that sophistication and beauty into her performing, and meanwhile, please let's see her in more "digital hosting" duties!

I thought Megan Fairchild did a wonderful job hosting as well, both educational and fun.  Based on her eye movements during the intros, I think she was using a teleprompter, probably on a tablet.  I noticed because I use a teleprompter app when I make speaking videos as well, and I've had to learn to make the eye movement not too obvious and distracting. 

I know for myself, I'm much more relaxed having that little "help" when I'm recording myself (as well as much less likely to forget something I wanted to say, LOL!), so perhaps that's something that more of the hosts may want to consider in the future.

[BalanchineFan]

17 hours ago, sappho said:

Though the Scherzo excerpt was brief, it was pleasure to see Claire Von Enck and Olivia Boisson in featured roles. They are both such witty and generous dancers.

I really liked the Scherzo as well. I wasn't aware it was an excerpt. I also agree with all the posters about Megan Fairchild's hosting. She was great. I think she's gotten a lot of practice doing her YouTube channel, but it seems both she and her brother were brought up with some acting training (and continued it during their careers). She is so comfortable in front of the camera. 

I liked that the introduction was geared towards children. She had a good script that was informative, entry level ballet knowlege and still didn't talk down to anyone.

I also enjoyed hearing Maria Kowrowski's inroduction earlier in the week. They have very different personalities, but her story about Karin von Aroldingen in rehearsal still brings tears to my eyes. I remember von Aroldingen's dancing so well. Passing it down generation to generation.

[nanushka]

33 minutes ago, BalanchineFan said:

I really liked the Scherzo as well. I wasn't aware it was an excerpt.

It wasn't billed as one, and the work is only 4 minutes long according to the NYCB repertory page.

[sappho]

4 hours ago, nanushka said:

It wasn't billed as one, and the work is only 4 minutes long according to the NYCB repertory page.

Ach, my bad! I'd forgotten that Scherzo was super short.

[Kaysta]

Just watched the modern innovation program, and man do I really need to see all of Kammermusik.  Sara Mearns blew me away.  I don’t know how I’ve never seen that ballet but I can’t wait to someday see the whole thing in person.

[sohalia]

6 hours ago, Kaysta said:

Just watched the modern innovation program, and man do I really need to see all of Kammermusik.  Sara Mearns blew me away.  I don’t know how I’ve never seen that ballet but I can’t wait to someday see the whole thing in person.

Same for me. I really want to see more.

I also very much enjoyed Glass Pieces. Red Angels pleasantly surprised me. Also loved seeing Unity Phelan in Opus 19.

[California]

11 hours ago, Kaysta said:

. . . do I really need to see all of Kammermusik.  Sara Mearns blew me away.  I don’t know how I’ve never seen that ballet but I can’t wait to someday see the whole thing in person.

I'm part of a small minority, apparently, that loves Kammermusik. It is so unusual for Balanchine -- 8 men and 2 women, for starters. Late in his career (1978). I first saw it at LA Ballet to recorded music many years ago. Colleen Neary gave a brief talk beforehand. She was in the original cast, with Karin von Aroldingen. He choreographed the women's parts in unison. When they had it nailed, he said: okay, now Colleen will start one beat after Karin with the same thing. The men have their own distinctive choreography. Fascinating piece.

[JuliaJ]

I also love Kammermusik. I wasn't crazy about Teresa Reichlen in this recording though. Her style of "attack" is different than Mearns' and she just looked overshadowed. Love her in other leggy modernist ballets though. 

I think the piece works particularly well when the two female dancers look and move alike, like the performance I saw at NYCB last fall with Unity Phelan and Emilie Gerrity. It was sometimes hard to tell them apart. 

[Helene]

Kammermusik No 2 was the Balanchine ballet at the matinee program the day Balanchine died.

[vagansmom]

That's interesting, Juliaj. I thought they weren't a good pair either, but I preferred Reichlin's movement quality to that of Mearns who looked too grounded to my taste for that ballet. I also thought the area in her shoulders and neck looked too stiff as compared to those of Reichlin. Her legs didn't fully define each step. Overall, I feel Mearns didn't complete all the movements, but streamlined them so they all looked alike. Reichlin, on the other hand, completed each step. I'm not a dancer, so I don't quite know how to express this. 

[vagansmom]

Perhaps I should have said that Reichlin's performance was more nuanced.

[Kaysta]

5 hours ago, JuliaJ said:

I also love Kammermusik. I wasn't crazy about Teresa Reichlen in this recording though. Her style of "attack" is different than Mearns' and she just looked overshadowed. Love her in other leggy modernist ballets though. 

I think the piece works particularly well when the two female dancers look and move alike, like the performance I saw at NYCB last fall with Unity Phelan and Emilie Gerrity. It was sometimes hard to tell them apart. 

Felt the same!  I usually love Reichlen but I literally could not stop watching Mearns.

[pherank]

I was very happy to see Kammermusik, and Movements - neither of which I know well. I also kind of tripped up on the visual differences between Reichlen and Mearns' movements. Completely reminded me of the time that I watched SFB's Aaron Robison performing beside Carlo Di Lanno in Stravinsky Violin Concerto - two very different movement qualities and body types. Reichlen is given the shadow role so she's operating at a disadvantage in that if she doesn't truly mimic Mearns' movements, attack and tempo - we notice. If Reichlen were alone dancing the lead role we would likely enjoy her interpretation. It's just in the comparison that things look slightly odd. Mearns is always so unhesitating in her steps and arm movements that I think the eye is naturally drawn to her.

[pherank]

The entire ensemble in Brahms-Schoenberg was excellent. But Huxley and Fairchild in Duo Concertant were sublime. I was left wanting nothing.

[canbelto]

The Dances at a Gathering excerpt was exquisite. Always love the "rainbow in the sky" moment.

[BalanchineFan]

5 hours ago, canbelto said:

The Dances at a Gathering excerpt was exquisite. Always love the "rainbow in the sky" moment.

It's a beautiful excerpt, but with DAAG it would be hard to pick a bad moment. I can't wait to see the entire ballet again.

I loved this last program. And Duo Concertante is just lovely to watch. I have no idea what the ending means, but it always gives me such a sense of loss and longing. I remember seeing Robert Fairchild perform it with Sterling Hyltin when he decided to leave the company. (gorgeous and space "eating"!!) I also have memories of seeing Suzanne Farrell and Peter Martins do it together. Just seeing the two of them standing at the piano said something. The scale of their bodies, their energy and attitudes really complemented each other. All the couples I've seen dance it well, really well. Those two looked like King and Queen of all they surveyed.

[canbelto]

1 hour ago, BalanchineFan said:

It's a beautiful excerpt, but with DAAG it would be hard to pick a bad moment. I can't wait to see the entire ballet again.

I loved this last program. And Duo Concertante is just lovely to watch. I have no idea what the ending means, but it always gives me such a sense of loss and longing. I remember seeing Robert Fairchild perform it with Sterling Hyltin when he decided to leave the company. (gorgeous and space "eating"!!) I also have memories of seeing Suzanne Farrell and Peter Martins do it together. Just seeing the two of them standing at the piano said something. The scale of their bodies, their energy and attitudes really complemented each other. All the couples I've seen dance it well, really well. Those two looked like King and Queen of all they surveyed.

Duo Concertant is one of those Balanchine "surprise" endings. You think it will be this upbeat, cute duet and it mostly is until the melancholy ending. Baiser de la Fee also has an ending like that. As does Emeralds actually.