Bruce Wall

Excellent, Rob. ..... Dont forget the 'Blind discount' - wherein you are guaranteed productions whose lighting is so dark only those with night goggles have a hope of getting a fleeting glimpse of the cherished secrets. I'm told there has been - in the recent past - an ever growing selection to choose from. Certainly something they feel we might want to look into.

Agree it is an excellent incentive. Surprised they are excluding The Nutcracker as I would imagine that would be of special interest to younger people to share with members of their own generation. I do understand the commercial aspect ... but surprised they were not willing to make SOME available - even as a token towards the fulfilment of their stated goals in this allurement; especially as it is one on whose back I would imagine they have got substantive funding from philanthropic sources.

Thanks so, Naomi. You are most kind.

I wonder, Naomi, have the memorial videos for Carla Fracci and Patrick Dupont been put up on line anywhere? Grateful for your kind advice.

What a magnificent treat. Just watched both the Whiteside and the (J) Peck for the fifth time before they disappear from view. There is no question in my mind but that they are both keepers for time. Such jubilant fare and so gloriously shot so that we could truly appreciate the dignified complicity of the choreography. The long and mid-shots ensured such while the close ups were keenly appreciated in the hugely applauded calls so that we too could bear witness to the thrill the dancers (and creators) had - one shared with the exultant dynamism of their audience - in mutual celebrations. Both were pinpoint conversations of jocose beatitude. Happily I imagined a programme which could now be shared by both NYCB and ABT at the same time; one night at that which I will always know as State Theatre, the next at the Met. It would comprehensively be known as 'Reawakening', much as the Royal Ballet used Sleeping Beauty to dust off the ROH after the war. It would start with a first act of Ratmansky's 'Valse Triste', followed by Whiteside's A Perpendicular Express and finishing with Peck's 'Bloom'. The second act would entail Peck's Rodeo followed Balanchine's Tschai PDD. The Resident Choreographers of both Companies would here be celebrated as would their dancers. They are after all the current champions of our modern balletic globe. Both could then rightfully bow - as could we all - to the imortal splendour of the Master Choreographer who, himself, created so much of the language we all long to champion. .... Well, one can dream ...

Couldn't agree more, Jan. For me Marcia Haydee was an eternal teenager. She was my first Juliet ... and I had the privilege to see her last performance in the role. As fresh - if not more so - than the first.

Thanks so for this, Jeanette. So exciting to see the talent seemingly hidden away in the US regional companies. That young lad from Kansas City Ballet II in the Flower Festival PDD (Joshua Kiesel) is obviously very talented. (Here is a brief clip from his social media while on a summer intensive with The Washington Ballet). Have dipped in (and out it has to be said) of the 13 episodes. Really enjoyed Cameron Thomas' 'Basie Land', shot in the American Jazz Museum. The dramatic focus of the performers' eyes went into overdrive making the mask wearing aptly exotic. Loved the spoken interactions between the novice cinematographer and the choreographer too. Thomas - apart from being gifted balletically - is obviously (again from his social media) one mean pianist. Certainly shows in his dance making. Hope he does more.

It is promising I think that in an article in today's New York Times Wendy Whelan is quoted as saying: We do hope to keep some form of streaming and digital creativity alive; we know how important this year has been for developing and building a larger global outreach for City Ballet.

Just watched the new Peck PDD, ‘Bloom’ in the second part of Vail’s NOW PREMIERE’s programme. (I should be working but couldn’t resist.) I predict this will become every bit as much international balletic standard gala fare as Balanchine’s Tschai Pas – which both ‘Bloom’s music and choreography quote - has been for decades. I - for just one I'm sure - can't wait to see it live. Assuredly I bet this will soon be part of the established NYCB rep with resplendent justification. The phantasmagorical score by the very talented Caroline Shaw springs forth as if the glories of Tchaikovsky had been passed through a Copeland strain and moistened with Shaw’s own key dramatic salt. Peck’s choreography – here created for two internationally loved senior ballet artists – Tiler Peck and Hermann Cornejo – is not only reminiscent of the 20th Century Ballet Master in whose shadow he was wrought but one whose prism is cut through with notations to De Mille, Tudor and Robbins. What a gift! This is American balletic artistry at its pinnacle. How fortunate we are to be able to gaze upon the original creative/creators’ impulse of this rapture. This is a sorely needed gift for our troubled times. Thanks so Mr. Woetzel for your extraordinary vision in making this all come together. You and your entire team are visionaries to venerate. Together you champion humane wonder; animate heartfelt bliss.

The programme file runs 2.23.50 in length and will be available for a week for free viewing so through 2.30 am next Tuesday GMT. Hope that helps.

Watched the first half of the above referenced Vail 'all premieres' progamme and really enjoyed it. Glorious to see Robbie Fairchild back on a ballet stage (dare I say where he belongs?) and paired again with the wonderful Unity Phelan in the opening Whiteside - 'A Perpendicular Express'. This wittily administers such a glorious uplift I just had to watch it a second time. Refreshing indeed. Well worth the standing ovation that the dedicated (and capacity) Vail audience gave it. Boylston also radiates jubilance here. Lovette and Lil Buck poignantly mash bouree with moonwalk in their 'Until We Meet Again' and the very young Mira Nadon mesmerises in Tiler Peck's haunting 'And So' to a persuasive new score by Caroline Shaw. The obvious influence of the mighty Woetzel - the Nijinksy/Kirstein combo of our times - is clearly having a persuasive effect on Roman Mejia's ever prevailing dynamism. His is one that does not need to shout. It merely is ... and only ever seems to bud in its euphoric vigour.

The Vail stream (up for a week) that Jeannette has referred to is here.

A very interesting interview dated 06.08.21 with Suzanne Farrell might be of some interest in this regard. Here is but one (perhaps pertinent) quote from it: "The words of a great poem are written down. They don’t change, but choreography is subjected to many variables. Our medium is humanness. The human body is constantly changing. It alters with time, emotion, humidity, with health. It has lived one day longer. You should never assume that a human body will be predictable."

That's 2.30 am on Tuesday in the UK. Wonder if they will be keeping it online for a few days.

Saw this production last night. It engenders grins. Tendrils of rapture are earnestly kicked alongside heated vapours of rain. The production itself is perhaps more pitter than patter but is competently delivered with an infectious High School energy that all can relate to. An enervated trio lead. They cram their collective crows feet into benevolent beams. It's as if they are constantly winking at us whilst aiming to wave at the memory of their forefather's burnished sheen. At their helm former Royal Ballet principal Adam Cooper charms with soulful ease. Having seen him do everything from Swan Lake (both as Petipa's Seigfried and Bourne's Swan which he originated) to Forsythe's Herman Schermann years ago it was a treat to again glory in his 'Everyman' charm. Aptly he husbands his resources. They sprout in and around an endearingly boyish toothy grin; one every bit as potent as that of another former RB veteran, the sadly late Christopher Gable - (one who died far too young) - in similar West End pursuits. Forget the title, this is a DETERMINEDLY sunny affair. It so desperately wants you to love it that in the end you ... erm ... do. It becomes a condition of carriage. The zealous patrons avidly squealing (often dangerously without masks it has to be said) their delight demand that you must.

Thanks for alerting us, Jeannette. Sadly British travellers are not allowed to enter the US at this point in time unless they are (to use American terminology) 'Resident Aliens'. I see that US children below the age of 12 are not allowed to attend NYCB - nor the Met or Carnegie Hall - , they say 'before October'. I assume that is because they feel they won't have vaccinated children of that age until then. Of course your countrymen began vaccinating people over 16 on 19th April. I have a feeling that British travellers may well be barred from US entry until that time ... if not longer. I'm praying that we will be able to go by February of next year as I have a whole schedule of programmes that were re-arranged from first quarter 2020. I pray for NYCB's sake that children under 12 are allowed to attend by late November or it will play havoc surely with the Nutcracker schedule - and they must sorely need those funds now. You really had me excited with the prospect of digital offerings from the forthcoming season (i.e., from the email notice I received with your new notation - entitled as above). Now I find myself just disappointed. One, of course, lives in hope - and remains hugely appreciative for the programmes we have received for free from NYCB during these dark days.

As Dave so kindly pointed out ... It's for a 'world class' one! Perhaps that helps define the price! ....

A true and hugely valued public service!

It has been reported that Patricia Wilde, one of the legendary NYCB ballerinas and originator of many key Balanchine roles and so much more, has sadly passed away. RIP https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10159433924689819&id=284470914818

I seem to recall the volume level of the opening performances of McGregor's Multiverse at the ROH really bringing it on for me .... if memory reliably survives to serve that is ...

Just a note for anyone going to the RBS presentation on Saturday 10th July at 12 noon, the Northern Line will not be working between Kennington and Charing Cross in either direction on that day. You are asked to use alternative buses or tube lines.

One thing you can say about Peter Matins - and heaven knows a lot has been said - but he always demanded that NYCB choreographers - no matter their background nor how junior they might be - and even for the Choreographic Institute - ALWAYS held the capacity and - vitally - the desire to employ a balletic idiom. It paid off. Bringing people in from different dance angles is, I agree, wonderful, however it HAS to be a two-way conversation otherwise I fear the core point gets lost in much more than just translation.

Really enjoyed ENB’s Solstice programme which I was lucky enough to see a number of times. One thought stood out. This beautifully crafted fare was exactly what was ideal in this concert space. More please. Indeed, I think this is exactly the kind of thing that the company should always do in this space. Next time it would be grand to see a similar programme – but with segments perhaps from works that ENB has not done in the past. The RFH was never intended as a balletic performance space and scenery always compromises possibility there. Here the dance did the talking and often it was yelling from the rooftops. There’s no question but that it took the audience with it. It will, I know, again. Were it to have been otherwise you could never have seen the brilliant largess of space-gobbling Frola’s Ali. Unquestionably this is a dancer now in the historic first league. (That one performance of Nijinsky of his in Paris will I think always remain one of the highlights of my ballet going of ALL TIME.) What I loved about his Ali is that at every performance he gave he always mixed it up. No two performances were the same. He was always challenging himself. Then came the triumph of the last performance. He did the whole of the Baryishnikov variations and triumphed – replete with that cross-stage run prior to the initial preparation to that full arabesque – which he had partially attempted previously – with Shori Kase being held glittering aloft – to the bombastic barrel turns of the second variation. I had never actually thought to see it live again. I found myself almost weeping. I recalled a week back in the 70’s in New York – at the height of the so-called 'dance boom' – seeing Nureyev do that same aside Gelsey Kirkland one Sunday and then Baryishnikov seemingly punch the entranced State Theater audience for six doing the same the next, again opposite a thrillingly radiant Kirkland. All were then at the heights of their powers. The titanic volume of those audiences' cheers still live in my ears. There is no question but that Frola is now of that ilk. He must be duly prised. The ENB men here were really – in so many aspects – the highlight. Playlist 1,2 was rightfully chosen as the 11 o’clock number. Well it was deserved. With Cirio - as historically ever - defining dramatic elegance in whatever his sleekly precise gams – and laser-fierce intelligence - chose to do – [my only disappointment in his regard being that he was not paired with the ever radiant Katja Khaniukova as theirs is a classical pairing to be reckoned with]; with the mighty McCormick stealth-fully scrambling ever higher up that ladder of a definitive star on the make, and Hernandez continuing to dance well there is so, SO much on offer. Junor Souza offered a masterclass in ... well, .... classy partnering and pristine line in both of his charges; James Streeter continues to never, EVER disappoint but only surprise with 110% soulfulness .... and Noam Durand routinely toyed us with rapid-fire brises that might well cut glass. Of the women these past two weeks really was – for me – the dawing of Emma Hawes. She excited in both the heart-stopping Three Preludes segment and her Coppelia charge. Equally Emily Suzuki mindfully tantalised in both Dust and Hollow – where I found myself thinking of her as being sister to the very fine brother of Victor Prigent and his earnest efforts to wholly understand. The aforementioned Khaniukova joyfully gobbled up the very lust of Khalo’s life in the Broken Wings PDD (as Galvao did) and shone in the diamond gleam of her Sleeping Beauty Jewels’ variation every bit as much as did the always fine McWhinney. Kase cosseted skilfully opposite Frola (who wouldn’t) in the Coppelia segment (something which sadly escaped Oliviera’s technical capacity opposite a stellar Cirio) but it really was the anniversary girl, Erina Takahashi, who dominated by the whirlwind force of her majestic theatrical mind and balletic maturity. She provided the laser focus of Dust – a PDD in which – for me at least – the woman is very much the catalyst and thrilled in the Black Swan PDD. I was at the performance that Irmgard rightfully defines at some length above. It could – and now will – stand amongst antiquity’s very best. I too was disheartened by the repeatedly lacklustre outings by the new principal, Natascha Mair. I’m sorry to say but I found her port de bras most awkward and her frequent lack of preparation downright shoddy. One could continually feel the audience’s disappointment being surrounded – as she was - by just so much excellence. It was with some relief therefore to find at the very last performance she actually managed to actually pull the Black Swan adagio and first variation out of the bag. It came as a pleasant surprise. It allowed her strengths – those telling eyes – for once to have their fitting prominence and at least gave some hope for her future in this fine company; the lustrous house that Rojo has built.

No list of prospective dancers this year? I guess it will depend on the travel codes at the time. I would imagine it will be very hard to plan. Also, I just note that you cannot - at least at the moment - book a seat in the balcony!!

Not before its time - that's for sure ..... This promotion was far too long in the coming ... but wonderful that it FINALLY has. There is no question bit it has been well deserved FOR AGES.