Visiting the Palais Garnier in Paris
July 23, 2010
The exterior of the Palais Garnier
Earlier this month I spent a very busy week in the wonderful city of Paris. While New York City was apparently scorching, the City of Light was having a heat wave of its own with absolutely no rain. Fortunately, that boded well for sight-seeing, lots of walking, and dining outdoors at brasseries (one of my favorite things about Paris was that the sun didn’t set until about 10 PM, and it wasn’t pitch black until close to midnight!).
In addition to getting lost in the Louvre, boating on the Seine, praising the efficiency of the Metro (it puts the MTA to shame), getting mistaken for a particular dancer in the Paris Opera Ballet (!), biking around the Grand Canal at Versailles, admiring the beauty of Monet’s gardens in Giverny, eating delicious food, and drinking delicious wine, of course I took in some dance. I’ll be sharing my reviews very soon, but for now, here are some photos from the Palais Garnier, also known as the Opéra Garnier or Opéra de Paris. The David H. Koch Theater and Metropolitan Opera House aren’t exactly shabby, but the Palais Garnier is in a league of its own. In bright daylight it was impossible to look directly at the gilded angels atop the building (in the above photo) without being blinded.
The ceiling of one of the lower lobbies
A lighting rehearsal was in progress when I visited
Marc Chagall’s stunning ceiling, which was painted in 1964
On the stairs leading up to the theater
One of the glittering lobbies
A model of the Palais Garnier in the Musée d’Orsay
The balcony
The view from the balcony
Darci Kistler Retires from New York City Ballet
June 27, 2010
Darci Kistler at 16, performing Balanchine’s Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3, photo by Costas, 1980
After thirty years with New York City Ballet, today is principal dancer Darci Kistler’s final performance. Her retirement not only marks the end of a remarkable career, but also the departure of the last dancer hand-picked by George Balanchine to join the company – truly the end of an era. She joined NYCB in 1980 after performing in Balanchine’s one-act Swan Lake at the School of American Ballet Workshop, and rose to principal in just two years. Balanchine never choreographed a role for her (he died in 1983), but some of her most notable roles are in his ballets, including Apollo, Vienna Waltzes, Serenade, Concerto Barocco, and La Sonnambula. In a recent New York Times article, she said of Balanchine, “The real reality is there is nothing in the world like being talked to and being graced by his presence, by his words, by his thoughts.”
Read more about Darci Kistler in a recent Wall Street Journal article, where she shares her experience visiting Balanchine in the hospital the night before he died. You can also listen to a brief interview with Kistler on Studio 360, and look at Jill Krementz’s photo journal of Kistler from 1980.
92Y Dance Party!
May 24, 2010
On May 25th, 1935, Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, and Hanya Holm performed at the 92nd Street Y for the first time. What better way to celebrate the 75th anniversary of their performances than with a big dance party!
92Y 75th Anniversary Wrap Party
Tuesday, May 25th at 8 PM
$15 General Admission, $10 Artist Admission with recent performance postcard or program
$25 VIP Admission – 2 free drinks and a HotBot electric boogaloo just for you!
Hors d’oeuvres, full bar and $5 cocktail specials
Costumes Encouraged
Performances by Gallim Dance, Ronald K. Brown/Evidence, Bill Young, Nicholas Leichter Dance, and Dixie Fun Lee will be interspersed with dance music spun by DJ Matty Matt!
Roaming, impromptu performances throughout the evening by Eric Jackson Bradley, Sara Joel, Storme Sundberg, Butoh Betty, and Hotbot & Orgasma, the stripping robots!
Purchase tickets online, at the door, or by calling 212.415.5500. 92nd Street Y is located at 1395 Lexington Avenue, NYC.
Alwin Nikolais Centennial Celebration
April 29, 2010
The Abrons Arts Center at Henry Street Settlement is celebrating the centennial of the birth of Alwin Nikolais, a visionary choreographer who has captivated audiences with his use of multimedia technology and mesmerizing use of movement, lighting, and sound.
On April 30th, the Centennial opens with a one-night only performance of From the Horse’s Mouth: Remembering Nik. This celebratory “live dance documentary” will be mounted by over thirty outstanding dancers and choreographers each telling their personal story about this renowned choreographer, and perform movement from his work.
The following two evenings, May 1st and 2nd, are dedicated to Homecoming. The Ririe-Woodbury Company will present the iconic Noumenon (1953), Kaleidoscope (1953), and Imago Suite (1963). Revisiting Nikolais’ legacy as a beloved teacher at the Henry Street Playhouse, students from the Abrons Arts Center Dance Ensemble will perform the audience favorite Tensile Involvement (1955).
The Centennial continues at The Joyce Theater from May 4th through 9th, where the Ririe-Woodbury Company will re-mount Nikolais’ later works in contemporary dance, Liturgies (1983) and Crucible (1985), and “Tower” (1968), the third section from Vaudeville of Elements.
Tickets to performances April 30th through May 2nd at Abrons Arts Center are $15, $10 for students and seniors, and $100 for patron seating. For more information, visit Abrons Arts Center’s website or order tickets by calling 212.352.3101.
Tickets to performances May 4th through 9th at The Joyce Theater start at $10 and can be ordered online or by calling 212.242.0800.
The 60 Best Dance Sequences in Film
March 14, 2010
Last week, Flavorwire posted thirty-five of the best dance scenes in film, with all thirty-five videos embedded in the post and arranged in chronological order. The list includes scenes from Swing Time, Saturday Night Fever, The Red Shoes, Dirty Dancing, and three scenes from West Side Story, choreographed and co-directed by Jerome Robbins. After receiving so many comments about scenes that didn’t make the list, Flavorwire posted another twenty-five best dance scenes in film. Here are a few of my favorites, along with a personal favorite that didn’t make the list, from the 1960 film version of Peter Pan. This scene (which has its fair share of Native American stereotypes) features the dynamite Sondra Lee as Tiger Lily and choreography by Robbins.
