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<title>blogTO Recent Comments: Balanchine's Brilliant Don Quixote</title>
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<description>Comments recently made in this post on blogTO</description>
<copyright>Copyright 2009</copyright>
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<item>
<title>ry c</title>
<description><![CDATA[
nope, he di'in't]]>
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<link>http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2007/06/balanchines_brilliant_don_quixote/#c179645</link>
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<category>Toronto, Theatre</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 18 Jun 2007 20:05:56 PDT</pubDate>
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<title>ry c</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I gotta check my review of the trio of ballets to see if Mike stopped by, bye!]]>
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<link>http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2007/06/balanchines_brilliant_don_quixote/#c179631</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2007/06/balanchines_brilliant_don_quixote/#c179631</guid>
<category>Toronto, Theatre</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 18 Jun 2007 19:24:29 PDT</pubDate>
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<title>Adam</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Michael, thanks for the insight, it's definitely interesting to hear another perspective from someone who's a more seasoned ballet attendee.

There's a lot of history behind this show that I found fascinating to dig up, and if what you say is true, the relationship between Balanchine and Farrell is a lot more complicated than I was led to believe!]]>
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<link>http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2007/06/balanchines_brilliant_don_quixote/#c179232</link>
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<category>Toronto, Theatre</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 18 Jun 2007 12:26:24 PDT</pubDate>
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<title>Michael Goldbarth</title>
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* I would like to preface this partial review by stating I’m a big fan of Suzanne Farrell the dancer and person and that she faced an impossible task trying to revive a Don Q and make it palatable for a modern day audience. This ballet is beyond dated. To top it off, the musical score is so inferior, not even the greatest choreographer of all time could make it work. 

If Suzanne Farrell invites critic Michael Goldbarth over to watch her home movies of Don Q, he will have to respectfully decline the invitation. Fret not; I suffer not from any Don Q delusions of reality. I’m fully aware the probability of the above invite arriving in my inbox would best be described in the skinny world of ballet as ‘fat chance!’ Especially if Miss Farrell should read my review! Warning: As always, reader discretion is strongly advised. 

The restoration of Mr. B’s Don Q à la the Elusive Muse would make the Keno Bros of Antique Roadshow fame crinkle their foreheads in utter disbelief at this misguided marriage of music and movement. Mr. B’s Muse was as ‘elusive’ as ever not fulfilling this critic’s wish for her to surface at the Ballet Talk to chew the fat over the première of her Don Q on Canadian soil-If chewing the fat is possible in the ever so skinny world of ballet! Unbeknownst to the early birds in attendance at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, a cruel fate of near death from boredom awaited us. 

After National Post critic Michael Crabb treated us to a condensed tutorial for the historical significance of Don Q, one ballet dignitary after another paraded onto the podium to lecture one and all on the benefits of giving and giving and then giving some more to the National Ballet of Canada. All were dressed to the 9s and not one wrinkle could be spotted upon the foreheads of Beverley J. Oda (Minister of Canadian Heritage), Mavis Staines (Artistic Director of the National Ballet School), and Karen Kain (Queen Bee of the NBoC). Sadly all of the above unproven botox could not inject musical life into the choreography of Don Q. 

I’m sure those who look forward to the Ballet Talk would appreciate it if the above preached the virtues of ballet funding on their own dime. Exclusive members of the upper crust of art society will applaud most heartily at the news there is no more capital gains tax on donations of securities and that the Conservatives expanded the National’s endowment piggy bank by $1.2 million loonies. 

Excuse me whiles I pause for a loud prolonged yawn. This is one antique ballet that should be mothballed back into Miss Farrell’s (previously known as Roberta Sue Ficker) cobwebbed attic never to be viewed in public again unless her home barre is open, free, and flowing with the finest of libations. You will need to be in a pickled giddy condition to view Farrell’s memory of Mr. B’s choreography in concert with the music of Nicolas Nabokov as a happy marriage made in El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha heaven. 

Be a good sport and humor this writer by performing a harmless experiment. I want you to suspend your beliefs for the laws of attraction and try to imagine a 23 year old Suzanne Farrell and 64 year old George Balanchine at the alter saying their vows. That is how well Farrell’s staging dances the music of Nabokov to life. Not even the legend of George Balanchine (previously known as Georgi Melitonovitch Balanchivadze); the ethereal beauty of Heather Ogden; the sumptuous costume designing of Holly Hynes; the wow inspiring scenic design of Zack Brown, along with the celestial lighting of Brad Fields can make this marriage work. All of the above would win a handsome alimony settlement if they sued Miss Elusive Muse for cruelty to restaging. 

While we are on the topic of alimony, George Balanchine was fortunate to escape lawsuits by Tamara Geva, Alexandra Danilova, Vera Zorina, Maria Tallchief, and Tanaquil LeClercq-All former spouse ballerina muses for Mr. B. Suzanne Farrell chose to marry dancer Paul Mejia rather than become Mrs. B # 6-Not a smart career move. So sick was Mr. B. of this man who enjoyed the fruits of his careful nurturing—He paid him not to show up for work. Farrell made the mistake of giving Balanchine an ultimatum, and that was it. Balanchine banished them both from New York City Ballet. After some guesting which included stints for the NBoC, they had to move all the way to Brussels Belgium for steady employment. Many companies were understandably afraid Balanchine might prohibit them from dancing his ballets. 

Most of his ballerinas went along with this peculiar arrangement of spouse-muse even though he was far too much in love with making ballet to have a real marriage. His soul mate would always be ballet. After a six year hiatus, Suzanne Farrell returned to continue her career at NYCB-A testimony to her maturity as an artist and human being. When George Balanchine passed away on April 30th in 1983, he bequeathed 2 ballets to his Dulcinea, Tzigane and Don Quixote. 

To be continued when my Muse inspires me…. 

* BTW: Whiles perched from my Ring 3 seat; I noticed Michael Crabb and Executive Director Kevin Garland (a SHE) engaged in a very intense discussion during the intermission. I wish I could lip read!
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<link>http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2007/06/balanchines_brilliant_don_quixote/#c179197</link>
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<category>Toronto, Theatre</category>
<pubDate>Mon, 18 Jun 2007 12:02:44 PDT</pubDate>
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