Give Me Balanchine!
I'm glad the Robbins Celebration is over. Yes, I know he's a top choreographer, very versatile, and his ballets much-beloved by dancers and audiences alike. There's about a half-dozen Robbins ballets that excite me and another half-dozen that I can usually enjoy. But there's an awful lot of Robbins that just doesn't do anything for me: his Broadway-style ballets I avoid at all cost. I saw most (but not all) of the Robbins works presented during the Celebration; they all seemed lovingly prepared and mostly very well-danced. But what the Robbins Celebration made me crave was: more Balanchine. In the Paul Kolnik photo, the Company pays tribute to its founding genius.
First, I want to see the Balanchine SWAN LAKE Act II again. I happen to be one of those people who likes the Peter Martins full-length SWAN LAKE - now that I've managed to tune-out the decor. Perhaps we have been deprived of seeing Mr. B's setting so as to avoid confusing prospective ticket-buyers as to what constitutes SWAN LAKE. Well, there has to be a way around that because Mr. B's setting of the first lakeside scene should not be ignored.
Other Balanchine ballets that we ought to be seeing again are: LA VALSE, Tchaikovsky SUITE #3, CHACONNE, SCOTCH SYMPHONY, FIREBIRD, ALLEGRO BRILLANTE, SCHERZO A LA RUSSE, CORTEGE HONGROIS, and PORTE & SOUPIR. And what has become of GOUNOD SYMPHONY which I saw once long ago? Let's hope these ballets will all be returning to the repertoire soon.
This was my first viewing of the Balanchine SWAN LAKE; note that among the starry names of the Swans is one who soon after added an "e" to her last name, moved to ABT, starred in three films and is now a choreographer:
I love seeing names like Kyra Nichols in the corps roles. It reminds me that everybody starts somewhere!
Posted by: Laura | July 29, 2008 at 09:47 AM
and one of my childhood favorites...Judith Fugate!
Philip...Can I add to your list? How about SQUARE DANCE? I've always read how difficult a ballet it is to dance...but also very exciting! I'd love to see it!
Posted by: Sara P. | July 29, 2008 at 09:55 AM
Yes, SQUARE DANCE for sure...though it has been done more recently than the ballets I listed.
Judith Fugate danced so beautifully - I saw her do a lovely Swanhilda in COPPELIA. Yes, it is fun to see these names listed...and Marnee Morris, who was one of my top favorite dancers when I first started going to NYCB.
Posted by: Philip | July 29, 2008 at 10:52 AM
What a treat to see this program! I started going to NYCB in 1976 and remember most of these dancer. I adored Wilhemina Frankfurt and, of course, all of the better known dancers as well. CORTEGE seems like it would be perfect for Danny (or Antonio or Adam or any of our greatest technicians).More Mr. B please! (although I am a big Robbins fan as you know).
Posted by: Deborah | July 29, 2008 at 11:34 AM
I too have a preference for Mr. Balanchine over Mr. Robbins, though I enjoyed the recent celebration. The Swan Lake program dates from 2 years before my first experience of NYCB and many of the names fill me with nostalgia.
A wonderful blog. Many thanks.
Posted by: Peter | July 29, 2008 at 03:12 PM
Thank you, Peter! I'm so glad I saved all my old cast lists from operas and ballets - I will try to include them on my blog more often.
Posted by: Philip | July 29, 2008 at 04:31 PM
I enjoy looking over my programs from even 7 or 8 years ago. It's a reminder that the Company is always changing and a dancer who is this year's Snowflake might be next year's Sugarplum Fairy!!!
Posted by: Laura | July 29, 2008 at 08:36 PM
I was just looking at some old programs last night. One "not so old one" from a Stamford City Ballet performance of Nutcracker included Christopher Wheeldon as one of the mice. There ya' go!
And as for Balanchine and Robbins...I do believe I can appreciate Robbins' choreography more thanks to Balanchine. I like how they compliment eachother.
Posted by: kathy | July 30, 2008 at 01:09 AM
Clearly Philip, you didn't go to one of the recent Spring Workshops (2007 I think) which featured a performance of Gounod Symphony. :) The scenery was gorgeous with trademark Karinska long tutus featuring the layering of various colours.
It was also at a Spring Workshop too that I got to see Bourée Fantasque. Do you think the work will be danced by the main company again?
Regarding the Robbins celebration, I loved the diversity of styles and the inventiveness but there were times I was pining for lush orchestration especially for those programs dominated with solo piano works.
Posted by: DustPuppyOI | July 30, 2008 at 01:48 AM
I remember that GOUNOD was included in a recent Workshop but I wonder when was the last time it was danced by the Company?
Two Robbins ballets that I was hoping would be revived for the Celebration were AN EVENING'S WALTZES and SCHERZO FANTASTIQUE which I remember used to drive audiences wild.
Aside from Balanchine and Robbins, what's happened to Jacques D'Amboise's IRISH FANTASY and Lar Lubovitch's RHAPSODY IN BLUE?
Speaking of Lar Lubovitch, Tonya pointed him out to me in the audience at the Joyce last night.
Posted by: Philip | July 30, 2008 at 07:43 AM
Christopher Wheeldon must have been a very tall mouse!
Posted by: Philip | July 30, 2008 at 07:45 AM
Along with d'Amboise's IRISH FANTASY and Lubovitch's RHAPSODY IN BLUE, I would love to see Robbins's GERSHWIN CONCERTO again. I still have vivid and wonderful memories of the original cast (Kistler, Calegari, Tomlinson and Chris d'Amboise)and was very disappointed that it wasn't revived for this spring's Robbins festival.
Posted by: Bob | August 05, 2008 at 12:12 PM