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Found 17 results

  1. New York City Ballet's long awaited return to Britain after 16 years is finally here! Their flying visit opens tomorrow with a matinee (some tickets still available at several price ranges from £38 to £75 ; a few returns for tomorrow night and Friday night currently available at the time of typing). There's already some discussion of the programme - consisting of Rotunda by Justin Peck, Duo Concertant by Balanchine, Gustave le Gray no 1 by Pam Tanowitz and Love Letter (On Shuffle) by Kyle Abraham - on the News thread and NYCB Winter Season 2024 thread but for future searches and to avoid confusion with the discussions about New York performances I've started this one here. Merde to all the dancers, musicians and staff coming and looking forward to meeting the new talents and seeing familiar faces! Also looking forward to reading members' reactions after watching our visitors from across the Atlantic.
  2. Good to see this: People on this forum have often expressed their disappointment at not being able to see NYCB and/or Balanchine, so it's good to have the opportunity.
  3. As ENB's Our Voices programme opens this week, I thought I would start a thread for people to comment on the performances but also to give some further information on the casting, which Aaron Watkin has agreed I can make public, and I hope it will help those who have yet to buy their tickets to decide which performance/s to see. As always, there is the caveat that casting is subject to change. As well as the principal couples, listed on the website, and the corps de ballet, "Theme and Variations” has four demi-soloist couples. There are three casts for this. As they do not always dance with the same principal couple, I will list them by performance: Bueno, Otani, Adams, Suzuki, Snyder, Woolhouse, Jakonis, Saruhashi (21st, 22nd, 23rd eve, 28th eve, 30th eve) Wood, Kang, Evrard, Nevzorova, Martin, Nakaaki, Souza, Maievskyi (23rd mat, 26th, 28th mat, 30th mat) Velicu, Lizardi, Keneally, Choi, Maidana, Durand, Yeomans, Fuchiyama (27th, 29th). I must confess I have never seen a complete performance of this ballet but I was lucky enough to watch Victoria Simon stage it for Royal Swedish Ballet when I was in Stockholm last October and, of course, I attended her very informative masterclass for ENB recently which really whet my appetite. Having seen the stunning tutus being made in the workshop and had glimpses of them in the trailers released by ENB, I think it really will be a glittering opening to the evening! I have always considered Nijinska's "Le Noces" to be a masterpiece and so it will be interesting to see Andrea Miller's completely different take on the Stravinsky score, linking it to his earlier "Le Sacre du printemps" although not to any particular choreographic version of it. I had the privilege of seeing a model of the set a few months ago, dominated by an extraordinary staircase designed by the late Dame Phyllida Barlow. The ballet has a single cast of eight female and nine male dancers. As well as those listed on the website, this includes Emily Suzuki, Erik Woolhouse and Junor Souza. David Dawson's "Four Last Songs" has two casts of six males and six females, with Erina Takahashi, Ivana Bueno and Lorenzo Trossello appearing in both casts. For anyone who does not know Richard Strauss's song cycle (his last masterpiece, premiered posthumously here in the UK at the Royal Albert Hall in 1950), I would recommend reading a translation of the poems by Eichendorff and Hesse, which can be found at www.lieder.net, to fully appreciate the glorious soundscape Strauss created. As I always say, mixed bills are excellent value for money because they provide a chance to see almost all of a company's leading dancers in one performance, and this is certainly the case with this triple bill, which will also probably be the biggest musical feast since the days of the company’s Ballets Russes programmes. Playing works by three titans of classical music will give the English National Ballet Philharmonic a chance to shine, complementing the starry line-up onstage, and I cannot wait to experience this fascinating programme.
  4. Balanchine had links with the Paris Opera Ballet, notably in 1947 when he created the original version of Symphony in C (initially called Le Palais de Cristal) and mounted Apollo, Serenade and a lesser known work. In the '70s, over 3 seasons, he mounted other major works, including Prodigal Son and Agon on the company. Subsequently other staff from New York City Ballet mounted other works but it is only in this season that the company has danced Ballet Imperial and Who Cares. I saw the twelfth and thirteenth performance of that double bill. A friend who had been to a performance at the start of the run had been very disappointed by the standard of dancing. By the time I saw them they had settled more into the ballets but even so I was surprised that the dancers hadn't sufficiently mastered the Balanchine style and attack, given the company's long exposure to his ballets - and that the redoubtable Patricia Neary was one of the rehearsal directors. The most memorable episode of the first performance was at the curtain call when the Opera director came on stage with the new Director of Dance, Jose Martinez, to announce not one but two promotions to the etoile status (principal). The first was to Hannah O'Neill, a dancer trained in Japan, then Australian Ballet School, who has danced in Paris for nearly 13 years, who was given many interesting roles until Aurelie Dupont became director. She seemed taken by surprise at the announcement but her partner, Marc Moreau, who was very supportive of her, seemed flabbergasted when it came to his turn, bursting into tears and finding it hard to compose himself. Whilst he's a dancer I've always admired, being very versatile, adaptable for all types of ballet, not least contemporary, a solid performer, he was never an obvious candidate for the highest classical status, although he deserves it for his contribution to the company. Neither of them was originally cast in that performance of Ballet Imperial, being late substitutes, which also added to the surprise element. He couldn't even celebrate straight away as after the interval he had to burst on the stage in the main male role in Who Cares. He partnered the three female dancers (Marine Ganio, who also seems to be given more roles under Martinez; Silvia Saint Martin; Heloise Bourdon) well enough but the next night Mathieu Ganio had more panache. Neither came close to the former NYCB dancer, Sean Lavery., who made it his own. The soloists in both performances danced well but didn't have the necessary attack while the female corps dancers in the first part of the ballet were merely decorative, the men fared better as the choreography is faster for them. The decor and costumes are different from City Ballet's, less jazzy costumes and the skyscrapers are more vertical but move after each dance. Ballet Imperial disappointed a little, too. Partly the music was played too slowly- like that for so many ballets nowadays, Although the ballet is primarily a tribute to Russian classical ballet it should still have New York undertones, with speed and tension. which slow music undermines. The women principals, O'Neill and Bourdon, shaped their movements well but Auric Bezard was no more impressive than at the Etoiles gala, seemingly bored and sometimes a bit late in his partnering. At least the company did the tutu version, which looks so much more imperial and classical than the tunic version called Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 2. Tonight there will be a 'Live' showing in cinemas so it may come out as a video some time. Despite my slight disappointment it was at least good to see some Balanchine and not just the whole or parts of Jewels which many companies seem to rely on. It is good that BRB will be doing Apollo in the summer- I hope Desmond Kelly will be able to coach it as he was one of Britain's best Apollos. And we wait to see what the next RB season offers. One of the black and white ballets such as Agon or Four Temperaments would be great and one of the classical ballets, Symphony in C or Serenade would be wonderful. One can only dream.
  5. 2021 DIGITAL SEASON Just announced today, New York City Ballet is creating several new works and special programs for digital release this winter and spring. Following is an overview of this exciting programming with more on our winter activities below. All performance streams and Inside NYCB presentations will be available free of charge. Visit our website for complete details and The New York Times for additional coverage. FEB 23 - MAR 18 Three Sides of Balanchine We’re kicking off an array of programming with a three-week series exploring the narrative, classical, and neoclassical aspects of George Balanchine’s choreography as represented by Prodigal Son, Theme and Variations, and Stravinsky Violin Concerto, a group of works spanning more than 40 years of creation. Scroll down for the schedule of events, including virtual workshops and onstage presentations. MAR 9 A Parting Pas de Trois This year’s virtual version of the Company’s Annual Luncheon fundraising event will honor three NYCB principal dancers who will retire during the 21-22 performance season. During the program, Maria Kowroski, Ask la Cour, and Gonzalo Garcia will each perform an excerpt from a work closely associated with their NYCB careers and participate in a conversation with NYCB Board Member Donya Archer Bommer, which will also feature performance clips from the dancers’ repertory. Event tickets starting at $350 are available online; for more information, please contact NYCB Special Events at specialevents@nycballet.com. APR 8-22 Kyle Abraham World Premiere Choreographer Kyle Abraham returns to premiere his third creation for NYCB, beginning with a three-week COVID-compliant residency bubble at the Kaatsbaan Cultural Park in Tivoli, NY. Subsequently, his new work will be filmed onstage at the David H. Koch Theater and digitally released in early spring. MAY 6-20 Spring Gala featuring Justin Peck World Premiere NYCB's first-ever virtual gala will take place May 5, highlighted by a world premiere from NYCB Resident Choreographer Justin Peck, who is creating a solo for Principal Dancer Anthony Huxley to a string quartet arrangement of Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings, along with excerpts of ballets by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins newly filmed for the occasion. The gala program will be digitally released on May 6 and available to view free of charge for two weeks. Gala tickets, including an opportunity to mingle with Company artists online, start at $2,500; for more information, please contact NYCB Special Events at specialevents@nycballet.com. INSIDE NYCB: TUESDAYS AT 8 PM Inside NYCB presentations corresponding with each week's featured ballet will release on three consecutive Tuesdays, starting with Prodigal Son on February 23. Principal Dancer Russell Janzen hosts these onstage rehearsal sessions and conversations with NYCB artists and repertory directors, offering unique access and insights into each work. These events will be available to stream for nine days after airing. PERFORMANCE STREAMS: THURSDAYS AT 8 PM Performance streams of complete ballets begin February 25 with Prodigal Son, a narrative work from 1929. The following two weeks will feature the virtuosic 1947 showpiece Theme and Variations on March 4 and Balanchine’s 1972 neoclassical masterpiece Stravinsky Violin Concerto on March 11. These streams will be available for one week after they air. Access both the Inside NYCB presentations and performance streams on YouTube and our website as of their respective 8 PM airings. New episodes arrive beginning Monday, February 22, exploring Prodigal Son, Theme and Variations, and Stravinsky Violin Concerto as part of the Three Sides of Balanchine series. But you don't have to wait – binge a variety of chats before the next episodes are released. For the practical minded .... There might be some interest in the activities below ... WINTER VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS Warm up with movement workshops for participants of all ages and ability levels. Dancers from across the Company's roster lead these lively classes, which are livestreamed via Zoom. Tickets are available now. FEB 22 – MAR 8 Ballet Essentials Online for Teens and Adults of All Levels These hour-long, open-level workshops every Monday at 6:30 PM EST include a ballet warm-up, choreography inspired by Company repertory, and an interactive Q&A with the hosting dancer. Tickets: $0, $10, and $15 FEB 24 – MAR 10 Signature Steps for Experienced Teens and Adults For intermediate- to advanced-level teen and adult dancers, these one-hour sessions every Wednesday at 6:30 PM EST feature a barre and abridged center work exploring George Balanchine's signature aesthetic. Tickets: $30 FEB 25 – MAR 11 Access Workshops for Teens and Adults with Disabilities Movers of all ability levels are invited to join a different Company dancer each week at these hour-long workshops every Thursday at 6 PM EST. Attendees will be led in a warm-up and choreography inspired by NYCB's repertory, with modifications and movement options offered for all. Tickets: $0 and $15 FEB 27 – MAR 13 Ballet Breaks for Children (Ages 3-8) Get your tiny dancer moving with these 30-minute sessions each Saturday at 11 AM EST. Our young fans will explore basic ballet concepts and learn a new dance together each week. Tickets: $0, $8, $12 FEB 27 – MAR 13 Access Workshops for Children with Disabilities Lively movement workshops designed especially for children with disabilities, these 45-minute sessions every Saturday at 12 PM EST include modifications and movement options to accommodate all little movers. Tickets: $0 and $10 Ticket sales for a series of spring virtual workshops, running May 3-22, will open at a later time.
  6. Picking up on Alastair Macaulay's comments about the Royal Ballet's recent performances of Apollo the other day, in which he states that "Like every Royal Ballet “Apollo” I’ve seen since 1976, it’s musically slow and dynamically sluggish." and calls the performance a "reverential ritual" (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/25/arts/dance/wheeldon-ratmansky-and-balanchine-at-the-royal-ballet.html?_r=1&), I was wondering how other companies dance it, particularly, of course, NYCB? Is anyone able to compare? Unfortunately, I don't think there's a DVD of the ballet available.
  7. Does anybody have any tickets available for Balanchine & Robbins on either 4th or 7th June? Many thanks!
  8. I felt the company was a lot stronger in the Ashton works than in Balanchine's, but I suppose that's to be expected? There is definitely some young talent to keep an eye on, though! Here's my review of Program 2.
  9. Greetings! Long time lurker who has finally decided to contribute due to the fact have recently moved to Stuttgart and so finally have a chance to see ballet on a fairly regular basis. Last weekend I went to the “Shades of White” programme at Stuttgart ballet and thought some of you might be interested in my (completely novice) view of it. The programme consisted of Concert for Flute and Harp, choreographed my Cranko, music by Mozart The Kingdom of the Shades from La Bayadere (Markova version) Symphony in C (of course by Balanchine) I thought it was an interesting concept for a triple bill, in that all of the pieces are linked by a similar aesthetic. Unfortunately for me, this idea was not completely successful (more on that later). I had two ballet newbies with me and I felt quite stressed because I thought their opinion of ballet would largely be formed based on this. The first piece was the Cranko piece, which is a plotless neoclassical piece. It was the one I knew the least about, and in fact I don’t know if any other ballet company performs it. It quite unconventional, in that it has two principal ballerinas and a male corp of 10(ish) dancers, with two male principal parts embedded within it who occasionally emerge for variations and pas de deux. The choreography was very musical with interesting partnering and very nice moments. Something that really struck me was how much fun everyone on stage seemed to be having. I thought that it must be so nice for some of the male corp dancers to get some limelight and to push themselves technically. I was kind of surprised that it is not more well known, since it was really lovely in many ways. Overall though I felt that it didn’t quite add up to more than the sum of it’s parts. Possibly part of this was the music. Although there is nothing wrong with Mozart, I wasn’t sure how suited this piece was to ballet. The orchestra for it was small and it lacked drama. It was a good job this came first because, although it was very nice, it was followed by two pieces which are (arguably) masterpieces . Apparently La Bayadere has been missing from Stuttgart ballet’s repertoire and this run is a company premiere, not that you would have known that from the performance I saw. The shades passed the wobble test with flying colors during their entrance and the overall effect was nothing short of sublime. It’s something that I think I could see countless times and never fail to be deeply moved by. The three shade variations went well and Solor was suitably dashing, but the real star (along with the corp) was Nikiya, danced by the amazing Hyo-jung Kang. Not that I really know a lot about these things, but I thought she was very sharp technically while at the same time being wonderfully soulful and expressive. She is someone who I would book again specifically to see. This was both mine and my friends’ favourite piece of the evening and both of them said they would come again to see the full version (mission accomplished!). Lastly Symphony in C, and here we come to the drawback if this programme. This is ballet that I have watched extracts of on youtube and wanted to live for a long time, but the time it came around I was suffering slightly from what I have dubbed “white tutu fatigue”. I felt that the Cranko piece at the start owed, at least superficially, a lot to Balanchine and although I think Symphony is a wonderful ballet I couldn’t experience it with as much freshness as I would have wanted. Still, the finale was very impressive. Dancer-wise, the male lead in the first movement, David Moore, really stood out to me (in a good way). I was one of those dancers who somehow seems to draw my eye simply by standing still and doing nothing. Interesting. he trained at the Royal Ballet School, but wasn’t taken into the company. Appologies in advance for any spelling mistakes or typos. Is anyone else on here a regular Stuttgart ballet-goer?
  10. A writer for The Traveling Ballerina was in Fort Lauderdale last weekend, so decided to see MCB's A Midsummer Night's Dream; she also reviewed the performance. Personally, I absolutely adore the original Balanchine version so probably would have a difficult time accepting this one.
  11. I had the fortune of being in New York to see two of NYCB's programs and I wrote reviews on both of them - Jewels and All Balanchine. I would love to hear your opinions, especially about Symphony in C because it's a ballet that I wanted to like but just didn't. Do I give it another chance?
  12. New York City Center, as part of its 75th anniversary, has announced a series of events throughout the coming year. I noticed from October 31 until November 4 a series of performances dedicated to Balanchine - the City Center Years (City Ballet were resident at City Center for 15 or 16 years before moving to State and Balanchine created many works for the company on that stage). There are several participating companies listed including the Royal Ballet (others include, as well as NYCB, Paris, Joffrey, Miami and the Mariinsky). As the Royal are due to be performing Mayerling and Bayadere at the opera house that week, I assume that the Royal's participation must be limited to a couple of dancers sent over to perform, say, a pas de deux. Does anyone with a greater knowledge of the company know what the intentions are? It's only five days of performances, but it looks potentially very interesting.
  13. So I have been invited to dance a solo at my schools presentation evening, and wanted to do the Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux girl variation which I learned at Easter school (I have no Balanchine training, but I do love it!) the only problem is, the only music I can find to download is either extremely fast (47 seconds) or painfully slow (59 seconds). Which would be better? Also, is it a good idea to perform en Pointe? The only thing I would have to adapt if en Pointe would be the 'lame ducks' (posé turns en dehors)... I'm not confident with them being doubles if en Pointe. It is in the school main hall, which isn't sprung but neither is it particularly slippy. (It is also not very big... Might have to turn the turns into a manège!) Please help! ?
  14. Paris Opera Ballet and The Bolshoi are to collaborate with New York City Ballet in 5 performances next summer, 20-23 July 2017, to celebrate 50 years of Balanchine's trilogy Jewels. POB will dance Emeralds, NYCB Rubies and the Bolshoi Diamonds. Later in the run NYCB and the Bolshoi will swap. Each company will use it's own costumes, so Lacroix for POB, Karinska for NYCB and Zaitseva for The Bolshoi. Should be a fantastic treat to see this!! http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/30/arts/dance/celebrating-balanchines-jewels-with-an-international-flair.html?smid=tw-nytimesarts&smtyp=cur
  15. The Balanchine Foundation has established its own YouTube channel. The contents look very interesting. Lots of interviews but also coaching sessions. When you see the short section of Violet Verdy coaching a section of a pas de deux from Emeralds you may get an idea of what has been missing in some of the performances that we have seen at Covent Garden. All in all it looks fascinating.
  16. While watching "The Four Temperaments" last night, it struck me once again just how few of Balanchine's works have made it to DVD. Sure, a few of his full-length works are available - Midsummer Night's Dream, Nutcracker and Diamonds spring to mind - but as regards his shorter works, it's very few. The main output is those TV recordings from, I think, the 1970s (or possibly 80s?), but there's no Serenade, no Apollo that I'm aware of ... It surely can't be down to lack of demand. Is the Balanchine Trust resistant to producing DVDs, perhaps, or NYCB?
  17. Just time before I go out to set up a new thread for the run of Jewels starting this evening. Please post your thoughts here.
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