observations 11/9

New Jersey Ballet's fall digital season will include a couple of stellar guest artists. Sarah Lane and Carlos Gonzalez will perform an excerpt from Paquita. NJ Ballet has been busy these past months ramping up efforts to present a season by outfitting its studio theater with equipment, state-of-the-art LED lighting, performance curtains, etc. in preparation for video production. We haven't heard about dates or platforms yet, but we'll keep an eye out for more info.

 

Comments

[cah]

You may want to post the information for the Tulsa, Sarasota and Louisville Ballet Companies as well.

[Haglund]

Thanks much!

Sarasota Ballet's Program II is on November 20th: https://cart.sarasotaballet.org/digitalprogram2/4850

Louisville is streaming Kentucky! Volume 1 on November 21: https://www.louisvilleballet.org/kentucky-volume-1/

Tulsa Ballet has many stream offerings calendared in the near term:
https://tulsaballet.org/creations-reimagined/

[cah]

Tulsa is on sale for 11/14 @ 3:00pm and 11/22 @5:00pm fpr $25

[Haglund]

Thanks much!

[Shawn]

Hi Haglund. This is a gorgeous performance with a ravishing Nikiya and perhaps the tallest ever (5’11”?) Gamzatti. For $6!

https://belairclassiques.com/minkus-la-bayadere-mikhailovsky-ballet-vod

Thought of you when Pfizer posted the encouraging news. Hopefully very soon they’ll end the trial, and maybe even tell you you’ve already been vaccinated:)

[cah]

Dutch National Ballet:
https://www.operaballet.nl/en/campagne/manoeuvre-and-dancing-apart-together?utm_source=hnb-algemeen&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=online-streaming&utm_content=&fbclid=IwAR1a2yTj4HGA_Lz8zZa4-Sy9nNjeFQWXVzuljzbQp1mdd_wOeX4lIT5w1G0

School of American Ballet Ballet Connoisseurship Series:
https://sab.org/ballet-connoisseurship/?fbclid=IwAR1QenthaEC1tRCe5lU2AIu2xLbrqBW-F085NNj9uf4APvoLzOBFiGyA4uk

David Dawson's Requiem:
https://www.operaballet.nl/en/campagne/requiem-david-dawson-25-years-dutch-national-ballet?fbclid=IwAR3jCNB73jMeieM1StabJOi7BNh3wBJWEjS1M1rCTifghZgCQZjkfcObHgw

David Dawson's The Swan:
https://www.scottishballet.co.uk/event/the-swan?fbclid=IwAR3NxxX0QQYBTScUxoy7JatSrEN0VgZ-7bMc3XydyvNlmpcw14CE5huh83c

Benois de la Danse Festival:
November 13 at 19.00 Moscow time, selected pieces from the archival recording of the 2018 gala will be presented. https://www.youtube.com/c/BenoisdelaDanse/videos

[Haglund]

Shawn and cah -- thanks much for the listings.

[cah]

Also wanted to thank you for the public acknowledgement of Pittsburgh! I am born and raised in Allegheny County.

[Jeannette]

Thanks for the links, all!

The Tulsa Ballet model is unique and a first: a ticket to a live performance, viewable only once (live). It’s on Zoom’s Side Door platform. Audience members encouraged to turn on their computer cameras and mikes, so that dancers can see audience and hear applause. (Hopefully audience will have the option to turn off or cover the camera, if it chooses to watch in privacy.)

Because it’s on Zoom, there’s a limit to the number of tickets sold (1,000 per show).

[Jeannette]

Meant to add: The Tulsa Ballet model is exactly what I’d been hoping for the future: the ability to see complete “normal” performances of ballets, performed in real time from company’s stages...not pre-filmed tidbits & pdd (like Sarasota & Pacific NW did last month).

The next-best model is what Pennsylvania is offering: filmed complete ballets from its archives. (NYCB followed mostly this model last spring before reverting to excerpts or very small completes.)

The absolute worst: little made-for-the-camera MTV videos, as with NYCB’s recent New Crappola Festival. Apparently ABT is planning the same thing for its Fall Virtual “Gala.” At least they offered (to donors) the 2019 “ABT @ Vail” program that included Lilac Garden w/ Teuscher/Schevchenko/Stearns...and a very old low-def Manon.

If Tulsa and Philly (and London) can get their acts together, why not other companies. The performance-hungry public is ready to pay, if decent performances of complete ballets were offered.

[Haglund]

I don't know what the problem is with NYCB & ABT not be able to do more than they have. It's pitiful. They're just not trying hard enough.

My neighbor, who is an actor, goes through 5 COVID tests each week in order to work on a set for a Netflix series. FIVE. He had to make all sorts of promises regarding activities during his off-hours and hasn't been allowed to work any other jobs. FIVE COVID tests each week. This is the extent to which this guy is going in order to do his work and pay his rent. Some people are willing to try harder than others.

[Jeannette]

Five COVID tests seem excessive but each employer is different.

I’m working overseas at the moment and had to take one COVID test the day before getting on the plane...to show a certificate, upon landing, that I was COVID-free 24 hrs before the trip. (At least this country welcomes US citizens under certain circumstances.) I have to test once a week to continue the visa & be ready to report when immigration police call at my hotel.

Thank goodness for good internet...will be watching Pennsylvania Ballet from the African continent!

[Haglund]

Stay safe, Jeannette. What a crazy world.

[Elizabeth]

In regard to your friend who is an actor, that is a very safe amount of testing. I am an actress and have worked on a series during Covid-19. We got tested every 3 days and I was grateful for all of them. There are so many people on a set and the actors are in such close proximity. We can never be too safe right now.

[Haglund]

Thanks, Elizabeth. So glad to hear of another working actor during this pandemic.