Another wonderful evening at the ballet! Philadelphia Ballet in La Sylphide
Another wonderful evening at the ballet! Philadelphia Ballet in La Sylphide
December is really hectic for an arts reviewer. Everybody is rolling out their big moneymakers for the year, and the Philadelphia Ballet is no exception. Yes, it is Nutcracker time again!
I've been looking at the Nutcracker for years now, examining the music, and the history, and the corps of snowflakes and flowers.
This year, I talked to the directors of the choirs whose voices provide the ethereal melody at the end of Act 1. And like everyone I've every talked to about their part in the ballet, they think it is magical!
Saw Philadelphia Ballet's Le Corsaire last night. Dancing was marvelous, and artistic director Angel Corella cut the really sleazy bits and reworked the story so you didn't have to look past all the 19th C. cringe to enjoy it. Corella is in his 10th year with the company, and I got to reminisce with him about the journey.
Over the years, I have said some critical things about the Philadelphia Ballet, though always in as respectful and objective way possible. But I always want to love them, and I give props when they are due. They are fun to work with, through it all, so it was a treat to sit down with Angel Corella to reminisce about his 10 years with the company.
Prodigal Son is one of my favorite ballets. Balanchine choreographed it back in 1929 and it is the height of avant-garde. Saw it again last week and still love it! The Frederick Ashton was good too, but I do love the strangeness of Prodigal
Giselle is one of my favorite ballets--probably my favorite of the 19th century ones, but in true 19th century form, the story has its issues. Philadelphia Ballet's artistic Director Angel Corella sees it differently, though--check it out and decide for yourself--was Albrecht a cad, or a victim as well, of his society's expectations?
#Giselle #Ballet #dance #PhiladelphiaBallet
https://www.broadstreetreview.com/previews/philadelphia-ballet-and-angel-corella-present-giselle
What with one thing and another (holidays, vacations, cataract surgery, deaths of friends) I haven't been working like I used to. But a few days ago, I had a fun chat with Philadelphia Ballet artistic director Angel Corella about Giselle. He is team Albrecht! He's persuasive, but the proof is in the dancing.
#ballet #Dance #PhiladelphiaBallet #Giselle
https://www.broadstreetreview.com/previews/philadelphia-ballet-and-angel-corella-present-giselle
It's all Nutcracker all the time around here, except when it is Christmas Carols with family at the various choruses in town.
This year, I checked out 3 Nutcrackers. Worn out, but they were all so different it was a lot of fun. Promising myself the next three days off though, to catch my breath before the next round of celebrating.
#Ballet #Nutcracker #PhiladelphiaBallet #ChocolateBallerinaCompany #RockSchool #Philadelphia #Dance
This is my favorite Nutcracker essay. Music director Beatrice Jona Affron was a joy to talk with, and her deep dive into the Tchaikovsky's music is fascinating.
Went to the last of the Nutcrackers for the season today. Will be writing that up, but now, my ongoing reminiscence of Nutcrackers past: I talked to Jaimie Santoro last year about teaching the children who populate the ballet.
I hear over and over how magical the ballet is to the people behind the scenes. It's magical to us in the audience too.
Sidetracked from my Nutcracker series by PHILADANCO and all the choruses--I made it to Choral Arts and the Mendelssohn Chorus--and so far have hit two Nutcrackers, with a third tomorrow! December is when the companies make their budget for the year, so I am busy covering their work.
I'll have a triple review next week, but in the meantime, more of my favorites from years past. This is one of my two favorites. Dancers who have moved on to teaching and administration reminisce about their time in the ballet, and a retiring dancer talks about his life in Nutcracker, from Drosselmeyer's nephew to Drosselmeyer himself.
#Nutcracker #Ballet #Dance #Philadelphia #PhiladelphiaBallet
Continuing my countdown to Nutcracker, dancers remember their early days in the Philadelphia Ballet's Nutcracker. Such a wonderful look back for the company's 50th anniversary!
Every year at this time I run out the essays I have done about the Philadelphia Ballet's Nutcracker. I'm starting with the sensory friendly essay. This year, the sensory friendly performance is Dec. 26 at noon.
On of my favorite memories from the sensory friendly was a little girl dancing in the aisle next to me. The top of her head barely reached the top of my seat back. She had a sparkly dress on and she was very serious, trying to follow the steps of the ballerina on the state. My heart just melted.
Here is my review of the Philadelphia Ballet's Carmen. Angel Corella has been talking about doing this for years, and it was worth the wait. But whoa! Lots of sex!
Review of Angel Corella's Carmen is in. I am never satisfied with my reviews, because I am torn between saying everything and being boring. So some of my favorite parts get left out because they are small moments that would take more words than I can afford to explain why they are worth paying attention to. Argh!
A busy month for the Philadelphia Ballet: Sleeping Beauty, and now the company is bringing Balanchine to the Academy of Music. It was such a treat to talk with repetiteur Colleen Neary about Balanchine the person as well as the choreographer, So much love!
I talked to artistic director Angel Corella for a preview the Philadelphia Ballet's Sleeping Beauty. He said that he shortened it a bit, but all the glittery bits are still there, as are the famous dances we all look forward to.
#BroadStreetReview #PhiladelphiaBallet #SleepingBeauty