Coming up this week from NYCB's digital spring season:
Tuesday @ 8PM Rubies from Jewels with Megan Fairchild, Gonzalo Garcia, and Mira Nadon dancing the principal roles.
Friday @ 8PM Concerto DSCH featuring Sara Mearns, Tyler Angle, Ashley Bouder, Gonzalo Garcia, and Joaquin De Luz. Watching Garcia and De Luz tear through this choreography with such delight was always a heart uplifting time in the theater.
The Mariinsky Theatre continues to broadcast terrific productions from their archives. The opening gala performance of the Mariinsky II with selections that spanned classical music, ballet, and opera was terrific entertainment. Their Tosca is coming up later today. (Skorik looked quite lovely in the Diamonds finale.)
Stay safe, everyone. Please wear a mask outside — a legitimate mask, not a fashion scarf that does little to contain your personal pathogens. It is so disappointing to see these so-called "health conscious" maskless joggers running up and down the Hudson & Riverside Park paths heaving their hot breath onto the necks of walkers as they flash by without maintaining social distance. Ditto for the cyclists. Some people seem to think their faces are too damn pretty to cover up. By now, most of us know someone who was taken by this virus. Let's band together as a swarm of gadflies corps de gadfly to enforce common sense.
22 responses to “observations 5/4”
I would love to see NYCB giving us a full-length ballet – how about Coppelia? It’s cheerful and chock full of glorious hoofing.
I agree w/you about the joggers not wearing masks. Galling.
April 30 was the 37th anniversary of Balanchine’s death. Can you believe it?
I would love to see NYCB giving us a full-length ballet – how about Coppelia? It’s cheerful and chock full of glorious hoofing.
I agree w/you about the joggers not wearing masks. Galling.
April 30 was the 37th anniversary of Balanchine’s death. Can you believe it?
So far the programming has featured Megan and Sara twice each. Coincidence?
So far the programming has featured Megan and Sara twice each. Coincidence?
I think it’s coincidence. Tiler has been on twice as well.
I do wish we’d get the full ballets for some of the pieces they’re presenting. But I’ll take the excerpts that they’re giving.
I think it’s coincidence. Tiler has been on twice as well.
I do wish we’d get the full ballets for some of the pieces they’re presenting. But I’ll take the excerpts that they’re giving.
I would love to see full ballets – why not? Why not the whole Jewels? Coppelia? Midsummer?
“Why are you stingy with yourselves? Why are you holding back? What are you saving for—for another time? There are no other times. There is only now. Right now.” Someone said…
But seriously folks, Megan was marvelous in Rubies. All of them were. Mira Nadon… loved her.
Megan and Isa agreed that the performing arts would have to go down the road of more taped performances… I don’t agree. Nothing takes the place of live performance. Nothing.
I love these videos for archival purposes and it makes me ache to think of all the legendary performances that exist only in memory, but no video will ever take the place of being in a place in time and seeing the real deal, mistakes and all.
I would love to see full ballets – why not? Why not the whole Jewels? Coppelia? Midsummer?
“Why are you stingy with yourselves? Why are you holding back? What are you saving for—for another time? There are no other times. There is only now. Right now.” Someone said…
But seriously folks, Megan was marvelous in Rubies. All of them were. Mira Nadon… loved her.
Megan and Isa agreed that the performing arts would have to go down the road of more taped performances… I don’t agree. Nothing takes the place of live performance. Nothing.
I love these videos for archival purposes and it makes me ache to think of all the legendary performances that exist only in memory, but no video will ever take the place of being in a place in time and seeing the real deal, mistakes and all.
With all due respect, Diana, it’s fine to prefer live performances to tapes when one happens to live in the New York City area (or in Paris, Moscow or London) and the means to purchase tickets. The vast majority of human beings on this earth who love (or could potentially love) classical ballet do not live in one of those cities. I don’t mean to come down hard on you…so apologies. It just gets to me when people with privileged access to culture downplay the alternative means that the lesser-privileged people have to enjoy the arts.
With all due respect, Diana, it’s fine to prefer live performances to tapes when one happens to live in the New York City area (or in Paris, Moscow or London) and the means to purchase tickets. The vast majority of human beings on this earth who love (or could potentially love) classical ballet do not live in one of those cities. I don’t mean to come down hard on you…so apologies. It just gets to me when people with privileged access to culture downplay the alternative means that the lesser-privileged people have to enjoy the arts.
I agree with Jeannette. I live in the region and can’t see half the ballets I would like ( affordability and time) and I would still pay to have a subscription online. Nothing beats live- on the other hand, to study the different parts, go back, see it again, is to be refreshed and illuminated. To think having this while living in another city would be wonderful in developing the arts for more people. This is what technology is for!
I agree with Jeannette. I live in the region and can’t see half the ballets I would like ( affordability and time) and I would still pay to have a subscription online. Nothing beats live- on the other hand, to study the different parts, go back, see it again, is to be refreshed and illuminated. To think having this while living in another city would be wonderful in developing the arts for more people. This is what technology is for!
I said nothing controversial or slighting towards those who can’t see live performances.
I clearly wrote that I’m sorry we don’t have the early performances of all the early NYCB immortals from 1948-2016 (or whenever they began the video-taping) but that nothing will ever take the place of going to the theater. The company is called The New York City Ballet, not The Virtual Ballet Company of The Internet.
You should look up Megan’s YouTube channel and listen to her chat with Isa to get the context. It sounded to me like both skirted close to saying that video will replace live. Not exactly but close.
Everyone’s very confused, shocked, dazed, and these artists are sincerely worried for the future of their livelihood, which is not conducive to clear thinking. I understand their emotions. I’m simply saying that ballet and symphonic music aren’t rock or pop. They aren’t the Beatles or the Beach Boys 1968 who will disappear into the studio.
The first live performance post-Covid will be a triumph. I hope to be there. With or without a mask.
I said nothing controversial or slighting towards those who can’t see live performances.
I clearly wrote that I’m sorry we don’t have the early performances of all the early NYCB immortals from 1948-2016 (or whenever they began the video-taping) but that nothing will ever take the place of going to the theater. The company is called The New York City Ballet, not The Virtual Ballet Company of The Internet.
You should look up Megan’s YouTube channel and listen to her chat with Isa to get the context. It sounded to me like both skirted close to saying that video will replace live. Not exactly but close.
Everyone’s very confused, shocked, dazed, and these artists are sincerely worried for the future of their livelihood, which is not conducive to clear thinking. I understand their emotions. I’m simply saying that ballet and symphonic music aren’t rock or pop. They aren’t the Beatles or the Beach Boys 1968 who will disappear into the studio.
The first live performance post-Covid will be a triumph. I hope to be there. With or without a mask.
I quite enjoyed Concerto DSCH – it was my first time seeing it. It’s nice to have a choreographer holding up Balanchine’s maxim, ‘See the music, hear the dance.’ Ratmansky takes a whole piece of music and interprets it through choreography, without feeling the need to slice and dice or remix the music.
I quite enjoyed Concerto DSCH – it was my first time seeing it. It’s nice to have a choreographer holding up Balanchine’s maxim, ‘See the music, hear the dance.’ Ratmansky takes a whole piece of music and interprets it through choreography, without feeling the need to slice and dice or remix the music.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, too, Minkus. The principals and the fabulous 14 corps members really romped through the choreography with a joy that became infectious — not that we should be using that word these days to describe ballet.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, too, Minkus. The principals and the fabulous 14 corps members really romped through the choreography with a joy that became infectious — not that we should be using that word these days to describe ballet.
Diana, NYCB’s full-length Coppelia starring McBride is among the just-announced historic “Live from Lincoln Center” webstreams coming in late May. Ditto NYCB’s Midsummer Dream starring Calegari and the 1983 Balanchine Tribute 3ple bill including Mozartiana, Who Cares and Vienna Waltzes! WOWEE!!!!
Diana, NYCB’s full-length Coppelia starring McBride is among the just-announced historic “Live from Lincoln Center” webstreams coming in late May. Ditto NYCB’s Midsummer Dream starring Calegari and the 1983 Balanchine Tribute 3ple bill including Mozartiana, Who Cares and Vienna Waltzes! WOWEE!!!!
Jeannette – THANK YOU for alerting us. I looked for the link and couldn’t find it. Can you supply?
This is golden!
Jeannette – THANK YOU for alerting us. I looked for the link and couldn’t find it. Can you supply?
This is golden!