The Royal Ballet has put its charming 2005 La Fille mal Gardée up on YouTube for a limited time. The performance stars Marianela Nuñez and Carlos Acosta — and as keenly observed by a Haglund'eeler — includes Gemma Bond as one of the Hens.
Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbZEYzrPnLc
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The Coppelia and Tribute to Balanchine which were pulled from Lincoln Center's Dance Week have been rescheduled for June 22nd and June 29th, respectively. Details here. Here's hoping that NYCB keeps its begging low key or eliminates it. Begging for more money while standing atop a heaping pile of $220,770,500 is being disgracefully grabby during a time when there are so many people who have real needs. [The $190M which we referenced in the June 3rd post was the figure at the start of 2018. The $220M is what they had at the end of the year.]
How much money is too much money? NYCB is not like the Met Opera (whose endowment was only $240,161,784 at the end of 2018) with its massive-beyond-belief full length productions, high-priced stars, and 3X the revenue and expenses of NYCB. There are no evenings at the Met Opera where singers stand around singing on a scenery-less stage while wearing Reid & Harriet earth-colored leotards and bike shorts–the likes of which one could assemble at the Salvation Army Thrift Shop.
How much money is too much money? When a company can boastfully pay all of its dancers and staff full salaries and benefits NOT to work but to stay home and doodle on Instagram, isn't that an example of the Privileged being pampered? What next? Are they going to pay Uber to chauffeur dancers to and from the studio?
How much money is too much money? NYCB is lounging on a mountain of cash in excess of $220 million and they feel compelled to continue increasing ticket prices and grabbing at the wallets of the longtime Fourth Ring Society members (now known as Society NYCB members) through higher fees and ticket prices. If a company is lounging on a mountain of cash in excess of $220 million, it should RESTORE and REVIVE the Fourth Ring Society and make it once again truly affordable for the people who are NYCB's most faithful. It should reduce ALL of its ticket prices to recognize the financial suffering of the New York City audience.
How much money is too much money? Is this even a true endowment if NYCB can withdraw $19 million just to pamper its dancers and staff with full salaries and benefits while the rest of New York goes on Unemployment? Enough already.
NYCB should stop begging. There is no $8 million "shortfall" as claimed in the solicitation received in the mail today — there is a cash pile of $220 million dollars. NYCB hasn't truly been hurt by this pandemic and shutdown. True, they have less money, but they had so much in the first place that it hardly makes a difference.
Hopefully, the video streams on June 22nd and June 29th will exclude NYCB begging for money and simply provide a couple of hours of happy dance for the suffering masses to watch in isolation.
38 responses to “observations 6/12”
Loved the Fille. I wish ABT treasured its Ashton rep more. Haglund, thanks for the alerts you give; you are the best.
Loved the Fille. I wish ABT treasured its Ashton rep more. Haglund, thanks for the alerts you give; you are the best.
Thanks, Haglund. Reminder that the *LIVE* post-COVID reopening of the Royal Opera House is today at 2pm Eastern US time (7pm London). It’s mostly an orchestral concert but will include some new ballet by Wayne Mcgregor to a Richard Strauss piece. I’ll be dressing up to watch on the big Smart TV for this one! YouTube link is already up and counting down the hours: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhnGXyvpClk
Thanks, Haglund. Reminder that the *LIVE* post-COVID reopening of the Royal Opera House is today at 2pm Eastern US time (7pm London). It’s mostly an orchestral concert but will include some new ballet by Wayne Mcgregor to a Richard Strauss piece. I’ll be dressing up to watch on the big Smart TV for this one! YouTube link is already up and counting down the hours: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhnGXyvpClk
Thanks, Ellen. I share your wish about ABT and its Ashton rep. I think they’ve presented La Fille mal Gardée in only one season out of the past fourteen.
Thanks, Ellen. I share your wish about ABT and its Ashton rep. I think they’ve presented La Fille mal Gardée in only one season out of the past fourteen.
Thanks, Jeannette, for the ROH update. Does your big Smart TV have an intermission champagne bar?
It looks like this performance will include a Swan Lake excerpt with Francesca Hayward and Cesar Corrales!
Thanks, Jeannette, for the ROH update. Does your big Smart TV have an intermission champagne bar?
It looks like this performance will include a Swan Lake excerpt with Francesca Hayward and Cesar Corrales!
La Fille..is just about one of the most entertaining and enjoyable ballet in the ballet repertoire.ABT did a very commendable production but unfortunately It did not sell. NYC audiences seems too “sophisticated “ for such a ballet. Too bad.
La Fille..is just about one of the most entertaining and enjoyable ballet in the ballet repertoire.ABT did a very commendable production but unfortunately It did not sell. NYC audiences seems too “sophisticated “ for such a ballet. Too bad.
Jose, wasn’t it strange how La Fille didn’t sell as well as expected? True – it was calendared for the week that ran up to Memorial Day. True – it was calendared against NYCB’s ever-popular Midsummer Night’s Dream. True – only half of the Lises were watchable, and none of the Colases approached what Steve McCrae did with the role. BUT Marcelo Gomes was Widow Simone! And Roman Zhurbin was Widow Simone! That should have packed the house. There are some outstanding actors in all levels at ABT who would do Widow Simone justice. Hopefully, we’ll see La Fille on the schedule next year — assuming there is a schedule for next year.
Jose, wasn’t it strange how La Fille didn’t sell as well as expected? True – it was calendared for the week that ran up to Memorial Day. True – it was calendared against NYCB’s ever-popular Midsummer Night’s Dream. True – only half of the Lises were watchable, and none of the Colases approached what Steve McCrae did with the role. BUT Marcelo Gomes was Widow Simone! And Roman Zhurbin was Widow Simone! That should have packed the house. There are some outstanding actors in all levels at ABT who would do Widow Simone justice. Hopefully, we’ll see La Fille on the schedule next year — assuming there is a schedule for next year.
La Fille is a fun ballet. I don’t think ABT sold it well the last time they performed it. It should be presented as family friendly. Also I think it is one ballet that should definitely be used to present new up and comers from the Corps. Courtney Lavine would be a wonderful Lise.
I really enjoyed the ROH performance. The rooster and the chickens still managed to steal the show.
La Fille is a fun ballet. I don’t think ABT sold it well the last time they performed it. It should be presented as family friendly. Also I think it is one ballet that should definitely be used to present new up and comers from the Corps. Courtney Lavine would be a wonderful Lise.
I really enjoyed the ROH performance. The rooster and the chickens still managed to steal the show.
Haglund, how about a champagne in a bucket of ice, right by the comfy sofa? Tray of finger sandwiches…cucumber…salmon…cream cheese! Swan Lake too? I heard a new Magregor pdd to R Strauss’ Morgen. The more the merrier!
Haglund, how about a champagne in a bucket of ice, right by the comfy sofa? Tray of finger sandwiches…cucumber…salmon…cream cheese! Swan Lake too? I heard a new Magregor pdd to R Strauss’ Morgen. The more the merrier!
I agree with Melponeme; ABT’s marketing department does a terrible job. Fille is the perfect family-friendly entertainment for doting grandparents to take their grandkids to. What young ballet student wouldn’t come out of the theater dreaming that she could grow up to be Lise? What young class clown wouldn’t want to be Alain with his umbrella?ABT needs a lesson about what gems they have in their rep and then they need to pitch them properly. Ashton was one of the greatest choreographers of the 20th century and he doesn’t get the treatment he should at ABT.
I agree with Melponeme; ABT’s marketing department does a terrible job. Fille is the perfect family-friendly entertainment for doting grandparents to take their grandkids to. What young ballet student wouldn’t come out of the theater dreaming that she could grow up to be Lise? What young class clown wouldn’t want to be Alain with his umbrella?ABT needs a lesson about what gems they have in their rep and then they need to pitch them properly. Ashton was one of the greatest choreographers of the 20th century and he doesn’t get the treatment he should at ABT.
I must have dreamed up seeing mention of the Swan Lake excerpt in today’s Royal Opera House performance.
I loved much of the singing especially Behold the cat that singeth by Gerald Finley. The Wayne McGregor piece was McAwful as usual – the Angst & Yank of contemporary ballet. Actually, no one should call his stuff ballet because it doesn’t utilize more than .01% of the vocabulary.
My goodness, the ROH Il Trittico that popped up afterward (released June 5th) is marvelous.
I must have dreamed up seeing mention of the Swan Lake excerpt in today’s Royal Opera House performance.
I loved much of the singing especially Behold the cat that singeth by Gerald Finley. The Wayne McGregor piece was McAwful as usual – the Angst & Yank of contemporary ballet. Actually, no one should call his stuff ballet because it doesn’t utilize more than .01% of the vocabulary.
My goodness, the ROH Il Trittico that popped up afterward (released June 5th) is marvelous.
ROH reopening concert: McAwful? Better than McDonalds! I suppose it’s baby steps. Next week’s live concert will include the orchestra and Vadim Muntagirov In Ashton’s Dance of the Blessed Spirits.
I also enjoyed Fille although the pert Ashtonian touches have changed since that wonderful VHS with Leslie Collier and Michael Coleman. Sigh.
ROH reopening concert: McAwful? Better than McDonalds! I suppose it’s baby steps. Next week’s live concert will include the orchestra and Vadim Muntagirov In Ashton’s Dance of the Blessed Spirits.
I also enjoyed Fille although the pert Ashtonian touches have changed since that wonderful VHS with Leslie Collier and Michael Coleman. Sigh.
Re: next week’s live concert — don’t we have to pay $4 or something?
Re: next week’s live concert — don’t we have to pay $4 or something?
Yeah, 4.99 British Pounds equivalent. Also, I think that it will be on Vimeo, with registration required.
Yeah, 4.99 British Pounds equivalent. Also, I think that it will be on Vimeo, with registration required.
Direct link to information on the ROH’s upcoming streamed offerings (pay per event):
https://stream.roh.org.uk/products
A few steps to take…registering with the ROH streams…paying L4.99/$5.28 per event (after which you’ll get an email providing link to Vimeo)…and info on registering with Vimeo, if you don’t yet have that. Personally, I’m hoping for more ballet-centric concerts before paying a fee.
Direct link to information on the ROH’s upcoming streamed offerings (pay per event):
https://stream.roh.org.uk/products
A few steps to take…registering with the ROH streams…paying L4.99/$5.28 per event (after which you’ll get an email providing link to Vimeo)…and info on registering with Vimeo, if you don’t yet have that. Personally, I’m hoping for more ballet-centric concerts before paying a fee.
Thanks much for the link. ITA. I’m not sure that 3 or 4 minutes of Dance of the Blessed Spirits is what I want to pay $5.28 for. That the ROH doesn’t seem to be describing the programs in much detail is not encouraging. But we’ll just have to wait and see. I’m not inclined to plop down money for a surprise buffet.
Thanks much for the link. ITA. I’m not sure that 3 or 4 minutes of Dance of the Blessed Spirits is what I want to pay $5.28 for. That the ROH doesn’t seem to be describing the programs in much detail is not encouraging. But we’ll just have to wait and see. I’m not inclined to plop down money for a surprise buffet.
And now the SAB Celebration Virtual Workshop has been reprogrammed to premiere on July 9, 7pm Eastern, via SAB’s own site (rather than Live from Lincoln Center). It can be viewed on SAB’s Facebook or YouTube channel.
https://sab.org/virtual-workshop-performance-celebration/
And now the SAB Celebration Virtual Workshop has been reprogrammed to premiere on July 9, 7pm Eastern, via SAB’s own site (rather than Live from Lincoln Center). It can be viewed on SAB’s Facebook or YouTube channel.
https://sab.org/virtual-workshop-performance-celebration/
Thanks, Jeannette. This is an interesting split between LC and NYCB/SAB.
Let’s hope that we soon hear about some virtual performances of Nutcracker and/or the fall season. There is just no excuse for NYCB with its cash pile of $220+ million not to be able to put together some streaming substitutes while the audience is banned from the theater.
But we should be careful what we ask for. We could end up being asked to pay $5 to watch a program of mostly 21st Century choreographer crap (“21CCC”) with very little Balanchine. One would think that NYCB would have gotten the message by observing the interest that people had in watching the digital spring season offerings. The 21CCC did not fare well in comparison to the Balanchine programs which were impressively attended.
Of course, as we all know, in this day and age, social media interest can be purchased. If a mediocre artist wants to create an impression of success, he can just go out and buy it on social media. A dead choreographer, no matter the scope of his genius, can’t do that.
Thanks, Jeannette. This is an interesting split between LC and NYCB/SAB.
Let’s hope that we soon hear about some virtual performances of Nutcracker and/or the fall season. There is just no excuse for NYCB with its cash pile of $220+ million not to be able to put together some streaming substitutes while the audience is banned from the theater.
But we should be careful what we ask for. We could end up being asked to pay $5 to watch a program of mostly 21st Century choreographer crap (“21CCC”) with very little Balanchine. One would think that NYCB would have gotten the message by observing the interest that people had in watching the digital spring season offerings. The 21CCC did not fare well in comparison to the Balanchine programs which were impressively attended.
Of course, as we all know, in this day and age, social media interest can be purchased. If a mediocre artist wants to create an impression of success, he can just go out and buy it on social media. A dead choreographer, no matter the scope of his genius, can’t do that.
I’m still dumbfounded that, after this impressive selection of streamed offerings from DTHarlem, BalletHispanico, BalletArizona, SFB and NYCB (to name some troupes that have provided regular weekly or biweekly complete ballets), ABT cannot muster-up even one little 15-minute full ballet to stream for its public. Sorry but the 1978 Live from LC reprise, did not count, as great as was that show.
Not even for the multitude of Misty Fans? Really? Oh, come on, ABT. Enough of the virtual warm ups and greetings from basements.
I’m still dumbfounded that, after this impressive selection of streamed offerings from DTHarlem, BalletHispanico, BalletArizona, SFB and NYCB (to name some troupes that have provided regular weekly or biweekly complete ballets), ABT cannot muster-up even one little 15-minute full ballet to stream for its public. Sorry but the 1978 Live from LC reprise, did not count, as great as was that show.
Not even for the multitude of Misty Fans? Really? Oh, come on, ABT. Enough of the virtual warm ups and greetings from basements.
It is dumbfounding–or just plain dumb. Everything in the Met Opera House is videoed from the 1st tier. Why not show Stella’s debut as Giselle with Shklyarov or Stiefel’s final Ali in Le Corsaire or one of those great Noche Latina Le Corsaires or one of Ferri’s final Manons during her retirement week or Bocca’s Farewell. Please spare us more video of the Celebrina…
It is dumbfounding–or just plain dumb. Everything in the Met Opera House is videoed from the 1st tier. Why not show Stella’s debut as Giselle with Shklyarov or Stiefel’s final Ali in Le Corsaire or one of those great Noche Latina Le Corsaires or one of Ferri’s final Manons during her retirement week or Bocca’s Farewell. Please spare us more video of the Celebrina…