Comments on: Oh, why not? http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/ Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:39:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Jeff http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50467 Jeff Fri, 21 Dec 2007 18:23:48 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50467 I use to really enjoy New York at Christmas time. We went almost every year up until 2001. We walked 5th Avenue and enjoyed the stores and displays mostly. We never did one of the Christmas shows like the Nutcracker Suite. But after reading your post you've inspired me to shoot for a New York Christmas show next year. Thanks. I use to really enjoy New York at Christmas time. We went almost every year up until 2001. We walked 5th Avenue and enjoyed the stores and displays mostly. We never did one of the Christmas shows like the Nutcracker Suite. But after reading your post you’ve inspired me to shoot for a New York Christmas show next year.

Thanks.

]]> By: Bugs http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50473 Bugs Fri, 21 Dec 2007 19:08:54 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50473 I'm sorry - is this post about the ballet or the Hillary Clinton toy? I’m sorry - is this post about the ballet or the Hillary Clinton toy?

]]> By: Tatyana http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50486 Tatyana Sat, 22 Dec 2007 01:27:15 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50486 Americans treat Nutcracker as a lightweight fairy tale. Yes, it is a make-belief story, but more like a fable, and rather dark one at that. Once I read original Hoffmann (sp?) novella, the story was transformed in my mind. Chaikovsky indeed dumbed it down for his ballet, but not as much as subsequent choreographers in US. The directorial tradition on Russia is much closer to the original tragic tale in German. I remember seeing in incredibly ethereal, magic stage design in L'vov Opera &Ballet theater, sometime in 1990...still remember that lilac and frosty ice-blue of the curtains, and the floating candlelights in the darkness of intermission... Even the old animated film is more...I don't know...sincere? "in-the-story"?earnest? truly romantic? than the syrupy concoction I saw in Lincoln Center 5 yrs ago. That was quite embarrassing. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zEmsK6Mu40" rel="nofollow">Here, part I</a>. <a> </a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OemS7HrXnFs" rel="nofollow"> Enjoy.</a> Americans treat Nutcracker as a lightweight fairy tale. Yes, it is a make-belief story, but more like a fable, and rather dark one at that. Once I read original Hoffmann (sp?) novella, the story was transformed in my mind. Chaikovsky indeed dumbed it down for his ballet, but not as much as subsequent choreographers in US. The directorial tradition on Russia is much closer to the original tragic tale in German.
I remember seeing in incredibly ethereal, magic stage design in L’vov Opera &Ballet theater, sometime in 1990…still remember that lilac and frosty ice-blue of the curtains, and the floating candlelights in the darkness of intermission…
Even the old animated film is more…I don’t know…sincere? “in-the-story”?earnest? truly romantic? than the syrupy concoction I saw in Lincoln Center 5 yrs ago. That was quite embarrassing.

Here, part I.
Enjoy.

]]> By: Tatyana http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50487 Tatyana Sat, 22 Dec 2007 01:29:13 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50487 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzVgTkq08Yo" rel="nofollow">Part II</a>. - skipped it somehow. Part II. - skipped it somehow.

]]> By: AmericanWoman http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50519 AmericanWoman Sat, 22 Dec 2007 14:10:02 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50519 My husband and I went to see the Nutcracker last Christmas at the Atlanta Ballet. He had never been to a ballet before. We did a matinee performance at the old Fox Theater. There were plenty of little girls there, and I had as much pleasure out of watching them enjoy the performance as I did watching it myself. It brought me back to my girlhood. My husband did enjoy it. Nutcracker is a lively entertaining ballet, full of silly characters (in this version there was a pig character that almost stole the show). Despite one very little girl's meltdown tantrum in the second act, it was the most fun I've had at the ballet. My husband and I went to see the Nutcracker last Christmas at the Atlanta Ballet. He had never been to a ballet before. We did a matinee performance at the old Fox Theater.

There were plenty of little girls there, and I had as much pleasure out of watching them enjoy the performance as I did watching it myself. It brought me back to my girlhood.

My husband did enjoy it. Nutcracker is a lively entertaining ballet, full of silly characters (in this version there was a pig character that almost stole the show). Despite one very little girl’s meltdown tantrum in the second act, it was the most fun I’ve had at the ballet.

]]> By: mrs whatsit http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50545 mrs whatsit Sat, 22 Dec 2007 22:59:54 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50545 When my daughter was three, she wore out a videotape of the 1977 Gelsey Kirkland/Baryshnikov version watching it over and over and over again. Now she is 21, has recently acquired a DVD of the same production, and has begun working on wearing that one out. She says she isn't sure why the story had such power over her young self, but I agree with Tatyana that there is a certain darkness in the story, and I think that is part of the appeal. When my daughter was three, she wore out a videotape of the 1977 Gelsey Kirkland/Baryshnikov version watching it over and over and over again. Now she is 21, has recently acquired a DVD of the same production, and has begun working on wearing that one out. She says she isn’t sure why the story had such power over her young self, but I agree with Tatyana that there is a certain darkness in the story, and I think that is part of the appeal.

]]> By: C. Siegel http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50546 C. Siegel Sat, 22 Dec 2007 23:03:47 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50546 I always loved the stagecraft. The North Carolina School of the Arts always used to do a production that was an absolute confection. Perfect convergence of all elements. I always loved the stagecraft. The North Carolina School of the Arts always used to do a production that was an absolute confection. Perfect convergence of all elements.

]]> By: biff http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50568 biff Sun, 23 Dec 2007 05:59:20 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50568 Smile, one year my daughter played Clair (I think) and as her real father I played her father in the production. I even had a little dance. We still go every year, although there have been many Clairs I have yet to see my equal as dad. Merry Christmas to all Biff Smile, one year my daughter played Clair (I think) and as her real father I played her father in the production. I even had a little dance. We still go every year, although there have been many Clairs I have yet to see my equal as dad.
Merry Christmas to all
Biff

]]> By: AmericanWoman http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50587 AmericanWoman Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:47:12 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2007/12/21/oh-why-not/#comment-50587 It's Clara :) It’s Clara :)

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