Haglund sat in front of six video monitors and simultaneously watched Olga Spessivtseva whirl through Giselle, Gary Chryst whip up a spirited Chinese Conjurer in Parade, Baryshnikov’s Prodigal Son prowl around Von Aroldingen’s Siren, Alicia Markova float through Les Sylphides, Nadia Nerina burn through allegro as the Firebird, and Alexander Grant‘s suffering Petrouchka. The Ballets Russes exhibit at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts will close after Septermber 13th; so, there's still time to rout your way through Manhattan's newest office park, the renovation-in-process at Lincoln Center, to see this wonderful exhibit: Diaghilev's Theater of Marvels: The Ballets Russes And Its Aftermath. Curated by Lynn Garafola, the exhibit came about through the generous gifts and loans by many, but the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago contributed a major part of this collection including videos of Petrouchka, Parade with Leonid Massine and Robert Joffrey rehearsing the dancers, and the spectacular Gary Chryst dancing as the Chinese Conjurer. The Joffrey also contributed many of the reconstructed costumes from Petrouchka, Le Spectre de la Rose, and Parade as well as those huge Picasso puppets from Massine’s production. There is a pair of Pavlova’s shoes – very tapered, very small Nicolinis – on display and a number of programs, letters, menus, and diary entries as well. The original painting of an eye done by Nijinsky during his mental decline stands out along a wall of traditional costume designs and portraits. Well worth a visit.
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