For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.
Yesterday, October 1st was the second annual World Ballet Day, bringing ballet lovers from all over the world together online as we were invited to take part in the daily class and rehearsal periods of five major companies.
For a ballet freak like me, World Ballet Day is like being a kid and waking up on Christmas morning, with all of your presents waiting for you, all of your family gathering around, and an endless feast going on for hours and hours and hours, with none of it ever ending.
It was like heaven.
For this week's 5 on Friday, may I introduce the five companies who shared their lives with us yesterday.
For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.
Well...
I'm trying to process the results of a Cognitive Function Evaluation which I just received today when I went to the clinic for my weekly sauna detox treatment. I don't know why I was a little more hopeful about those results, when my Physical Function Evaluation in June turned out to be equally as jarring.
To put it plainly, I'm a wreck.
I have multiple chemical sensitivities and chronic 24/7 pain issues, and although quite obviously they have been taking their toll on me, it's a weird feeling to see black-and-white results staring me in the face.
Luckily, I'm currently in treatment for both of these conditions. It helps that my physiotherapist and my nurse both experienced similar situations and have made successful returns to stronger health.
This week, I need to cheer myself up. Ballet to the rescue!
1 - Compilation of scenes from Spartacus - Bolshoi Ballet Orchestra - composed by Aram Khachaturian
Here's a little reason why I love Ivan so much: "Ballets without a story are always a little bit difficult," he says in an interview with The Telegraph's Mark Monahan. "When I don't understand what I must say to the audience, it's a problem, because I must just dance -- but for what? I can dance 'just to dance' when I'm drunk."
2 - A section of the Raymonda Grand Pas Classique - Paris Opera Ballet Orchestra - composed by Alexander Glazunov
The section I'm featuring here in particular is the female variation that begins at the 3:40 mark, featuring Marie-Agnes Gillot. This piece of music has really captured me lately, and her version of this variation is truly the best I've seen.
3 - Romeo Learns of Juliet's 'Death' from Romeo and Juliet - Mariinsky Ballet Orchestra - composed by Sergei Prokofiev
The section I'm featuring here begins at the 35:45 mark and ends at the 40:00 mark. My very favorite male dancer, Vladimir Shklyarov. As always with Vladimir, I just wish he would put some effort into it.
4 - Dulcinea dream sequence from Don Quixote - La Scala Ballet Orchestra - composed by Ludwig Minkus
Featuring the deceptive strength and balance of Natalia Osipova. Male dancers always showcase their strength moves, while this choreography is typical of the female dancer disguising her strength as delicacy. This is an aspect of dance of which all fans are well aware, almost like a secret language between performer and audience. We know that the more fragile and ethereal the movements appear, the harder it was to pull it off.
5 - Final pas de deux from Onegin - Bolshoi Ballet Orchestra - composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, arranged from various sources by Kurt-Heinz Stolze
Nothing makes the hair rise all over my body or my gut wrench with emotion quite like this pas de deux from Onegin. Not only for the exquisitely tragic music -- my favorite kind -- but for the typically challenging partnering choreographed by John Cranko.
The roles of Onegin and Tatiana are danced here by the hunky and talented principal Vladislav Lantratov, whose dancing I've really enjoyed during last year's ballet series through Cineplex Front Row Centre Events, and leading soloist Olga Smirnovawho debuted in this role in the opening premiere rather than the reigning principal.
For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.
Now that November has arrived, it's time for my monthly feature for 5 on Friday -- The Hit Makers.
Once a month I'm going to feature the songs that launched careers. I'll be looking at different musical styles and the groups or singers from those styles who I love the best.
This will come as no surprise to any of you -- my favorite music of all is ballet scores.
I know -- shocking, right?
Here are five of my favorite ballet composers and the scores that launched their careers in that musical form.
1 - Swan Lake main theme - composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikoksky - 1876
Main theme begins at the 1:46 mark and ends at the 3:22 mark
2 - Romeo and Juliet main theme - composed by Sergei Prokofiev - 1935
3 - The Firebird final theme - composed by Igor Stravinsky - 1910
Final theme begins at the 37:33 mark and ends at the 40:26 mark
4 - Giselle main wilis theme - composed by Adolphe Adam - 1841
Wilis theme begins at the 6:05 mark and ends at the 8:42 mark
5 - La Bayadere's Nikia theme - composed by Ludwig Minkus - 1877
Nikia (who is the temple dancer or bayadere of the title) theme begins at the 0:00 mark and ends at the 3:13 mark
For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.
Just wrapping up a glorious two weeks of vacation from my day job. Had a short trip down to Yarmouth at the beginning of my time off to celebrate my mom's best friend's 80th birthday.
That's my mom, Paulette, above with my brother-in-law Newt, my sister Michelle, me and my husband Brad.
And here's the birthday boy -- Bill -- in light blue at right, with Jim, also a longtime family friend.
A great time was had by all (although we managed to refrain from getting written up in the papers.)
For the most part, I've been having a staycation and getting lots of rest, although Brad and I have been going on lots of adventures (you can check out our A For Adventure Challenge HERE.)
One thing I've been indulging in -- non-stop -- is watching ballet on You Tube. Sending out gratitude to all the people who secretly videotape live performances and then post them on You Tube (not allowed by any stretch of the imagination, as all live performances are copyrighted by the show's producers.) It used to be my job to stop people from doing just that when I worked as an usher at the performing arts theatre in Toronto. That was before the arrival of cellphone cameras.
I shouldn't be grateful to all of these people taping the footage -- but I am! I can't fly around the world at the moment to see all of these performances, so spending hours watching ballet on You Tube is the next best thing.
So, since I'm most definitely in a ballet state of mind, here are five lighthearted pieces from ballet scores that, unless you're a massive ballet freak like me, you likely haven't heard. They aren't the main musical themes, so you would need to hear the full ballet score in order to discover these. They've always been favorites of mine.
1 - Reconnaissance from Carnaval-- composed by Robert Schumann -- performed by Manon Hutton-DeWys
Well, almost all of these have been favorites of mine for years. This one is a brand new discovery after watching the Harlequin and Columbine pas de deux (dance for two) from Carnaval during this vacation.
2 - Diamond Fairy Variation (or solo dance) from Sleeping Beauty -- composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
3 - Morning Serenade from Romeo and Juliet -- composed by Sergei Prokofiev
4 - Andante from the Peasant Pas de Deux, Act I of Giselle -- composed by Adolphe Adam
5 - Neopolitan Dance from Act III of Swan Lake -- composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Welcome Everyone to this year's A to Z Blog Challenge. I joined this challenge for the first time in 2011. I've managed to meet several bloggers during this challenge who have become very dear online friends, and so I give much thanks to Arlee Birdfor starting this challenge in 2010. As of preparing this post on the evening of March 31st, there were 1992 participants signed up for the challenge. Amazing! Good luck to all. See you at the finish line on April 30th. I'm a longtime blogger who launched A Piece of My Mind in February of 2007 as an arts blog. You can sample some of my archived posts through the top menu bar or here: Poetry My Weekly Look at the Arts Arts Industry Interviews Art Gallery My Reviews of Great Reads A writer myself, I had to significantly pull back my blogging schedule in order to release the two titles I currently have out, as well as serve for two years on the executive of my writers' group. These days I post once or twice a week, focusing generally on the writing life and music. For this year's A to Z Blog Challenge, I'll be returning to my original arts format, beginning with my great obsession -- ballet.
A is for Adagio
An adagio is a section of a ballet where the movements are slow and graceful, recalling the Italian root of the term which is at ease.
American Ballet Theatre's site describes adagios as "the opening section of the classical pas de deux [or dance for two,] in which the ballerina assisted by her male partner, performs the slow movements...in which the danseur [male dancer] lifts, supports and carries the danseuse [female dancer.] The danseuse thus supported exhibits her grace, line and perfect balance while executing developees, pirouettes, arabesques and so on, and achieves combinations of steps and poses which would be impossible without the aid of her partner."
The great paradox of the ballerina's art is the fact that all of her apparently floaty, ethereal movements are only accomplished through extreme control and strength. The Rose Adagio from the Sleeping Beauty ballet is the perfect example of her art and athleticism.
Principal dancer Heather Ogden describes the Rose Adagio in the video clip below. Keep in mind that she's in rehearsal and is not holding onto her balances in the same way as she would if she were on stage.
However, the rehearsal wobbles are a good indicator as to the degree of difficulty for this piece of choreography.
Here is the Rose Adagio as performed by the Bolshoi's Svetlana Zakharova, who danced in the War and Peace segment of the Sochi Olympics opening ceremonies. I've never seen such balances. This Rose Adagio is a masterpiece performance.
Two years ago my blog friend Travis started a musical meme that he called 5 on Friday. I joined this Friday event two sets in, and have barely missed a week since. It's one of the highlights of my week.
I've met many good blog friends since then. Happy 2nd Anniversary to all of us as we keep spinning the tunes!
1 - Donauwalzer or Blue Danube - Vienna State Opera Orchestra
2 - Retour de la vendange or The Grape-Pickers' Return - Composed by Adolphe Adam, performed by the American Ballet Orchestra
The piece included for today's celebration starts at the 0:15 mark, and ends at the 2:52 mark. Giselle is danced by Carla Fracci in this clip, and Albrecht is danced by Erik Bruhn.
3 - Etudes - Composed by Carl Czerny, performed by the Royal Danish Ballet Orchestra
The section meant for today's set begins at the 5:03 mark and ends at the 7:19 mark.
4 - Firebird finale - Composed by Igor Stravinsky, Conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, performed by the San Francisco Symphony
5 - Apotheosis from Sleeping Beauty - Composed by Pyotr Tchaikovsky based on the pre-French Revolution national anthem Marche Henri IV, Conducted by Laurence Siegel, performed by the Radio Symphony Orchestra
One of the things on my Bucket List is attending performances of the great ballet companies of the world in all of their home venues.
As a spectacular early birthday surprise - since my birthday is five months away - my cousin and my sister, who will be my roomies at the writers' conference in New York next week, presented me with tickets to the ballet while we're in the City That Never Sleeps.
And not only tickets to any ballet company, but tickets to American Ballet Theatre, which is second on my descending list of companies to see after the Mariinsky Ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
And not only tickets to see American Ballet Theatre, but tickets to see Swan Lake, which needs no explanation as to why that is so incredibly dreamy for me.
So here are thirteen things I'll be enjoying during our trip to the Metropolitan Opera House:
1 - Entering the lobby with the other theatre-goers. How I love that first buzz of excitement.
2 - Entering the house (the inner auditorium) to find our seats. The thrill grows.
3 - Receiving the program from the usher and looking through it at my seat.
4 - The crowd conversation humming as the theatre fills and the warning bells ring.
5 - Houselights dimming and the crowd hushing. Anticipation trembles in the air.
6 - Houselights go dark. The spotlight hits the conductor. Opening applause to start the performance - how I love all the clapping. Audience participation!
7 - First notes from the orchestra. I'll probably burst out crying with joy. Don't worry, people-sitting-next-to-me - I'll be quiet.
8 - Curtain opening or rising. The 'ooo/ah' of seeing the set design.
9 - Clapping for the principal dancers as they make their entrances. Yes, I love the clapping!
10 - The rhythmic rustling sounds of the costumes as the company moves through its choreography, the tapping of the pointe shoes on the stage, and all of the sounds emanating up from the orchestra pit.
11 - Watching the conductor's floppy hair as he feels the music.
12 - Feeling connected to Tchaikovsky himself as certain unexpected and perfect moments appear in front of me, shining a light on his work in a new way for me. Trust me - it always happens.
13 - Cheering jaw-dropping or tear-inducing performances by the dancers. Shouting Bravo! or Brava!
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT -
My very own dot com web site will be going live on Saturday, June 25th - drop by A Piece of My Mind for the link and the world premiere of my book trailer!
Black Swan opened in theatres over a month ago, yet I only saw it this past weekend due to scheduling challenges - because I simply had to see it with my co-ballet-freak sister.
I adored this film on multiple levels - but really, there's no other way to experience Black Swan.
The story in a nutshell: Soloist Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) takes on the notorious ballet roles of Odette, the White Swan and Odile, the Black Swan - a cavernous dramatic stretch for the same dancer to pull off both roles convincingly. Nina attempts to find the darker, seductive side to herself in a make-or-break grasp at the principal role brass ring. In a career that is brutally short, Nina has to fend off the expectations of her mother, the competition of her company members, and the unrelenting efforts of the artistic director who senses her untapped greatness. Can fragile Nina handle the considerable pressure?
In an inspired casting move, Barbara Hershey plays Natalie Portman's mom, a former dancer who now appears to devote herself to her daughter's career. They have a strong storyline centered on a delayed detachment between mother and daughter.
Vincent Cassel is a perfect choice for the artistic director of the New York ballet company staging a fresh version of Swan Lake. He's all slash-and-burn business when it comes to retiring the prima ballerina and courting funds for his company. He resorts to mind games without blinking if it will give him the performances he not only wants but needs, in order to woo new audiences to a rarified art form.
Another soloist in the company with just as much to win or lose as Nina, Lily (Mila Kunis) has the passion and easy seduction of the Black Swan but none of the purity of technique required of the White Swan. She's also one of the only company members willing to remain friends with Nina after her promotion, yet her casting as the alternate for Nina's role puts a strain on their relationship.
For obsessive perfectionists like dancers, the prospect of deconstructing their painstakingly-crafted signature dance styles in order to transform into something uncontrolled like the Black Swan character is a recipe for psychological disaster.
There are many, many real dancers in companies all over the world who possess all of the aspects of Odette and none of the untidy brilliance of Odile. To take on the challenge really does require these women to confront and wrestle with their Ballerina Princess identities. I'm certain there is a long history of mental anguish associated with dancing the Black Swan.
That is also why the role is not handed over lightly.
For me personally, as a lifelong devotee of dance, the sequences of transformation from dancer into Black Swan gave me incredible chills. It's a private moment that happens for every dancer as she stands in the wings, whether she is Odette or whether she's in the corps.
And the sequences where the steadicam brings us directly into the rehearsal movements and onstage during the performance bring me as close to the dancer's POV as I will ever get.
However, this film - often billed as a psychological thriller or even an art house horror film - also takes us along the disturbing descent into mental illness. Aronofsky's use of fractured mirror imagery, through-the-rabbit-hole mirror-upon-mirror imagery, and the donning and removal of identities via ballet roles makes the realization that we may be in the point of view of an unwell narrator sneak up on us.
I have to say that Natalie Portman's courage in taking on a role where it was clearly herself dancing a difficult role for a professional dancer - let alone an actor portraying one - is nothing short of mindblowing.
My blog friend Travis began a new feature at his blog, Trav's Thoughts. He's already on his third set, but this is my premiere for 5 on Friday.
I'm not good with techie stuff, so rather than figure out the cool player he's got on his blog, I'm going to stick to You Tube clips.
Travis invites anyone to play - just let him know over at his blog, so he can come and visit.
5 on Friday showcases five songs or pieces of music which express a theme of your choosing. With Valentine's Day about to unfold, how could I turn to anything else but the music that beats along with every pulse inside my veins?
Here are five of my favorite pas de deux, or dance duet, which embody the reverence, symmetry, passions, awestruck recognition and depth of emotion so raw it hurts which love brings to those lucky enough to be so blessed.
1 - Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia
Spartacus - music by Aram Khachaturian - danced by Ludmila Semenyaka and Irek Mukhamentov
2 - Bedroom pas de deux, Manon and des Grieux
Manon - music by Jules Massenet - danced by Sylvie Guillem and Zoltan Solymosi
Carmen - music by Georges Bizet - danced by Alessandra Ferri and Laurent Hilaire
The music at the 2:37 mark is a huge favorite of mine.
4 - Balcony pas de deux, Juliet and Romeo
Romeo and Juliet - music by Sergei Prokofiev - danced by Marcia Haydee and Richard Cragun
I listened to this music compulsively while writing my first draft of my NaNo vampire story. The kiss and Juliet's reaction at the 7:50 mark is one of my favorite ballet moments.
5 - Pas d'action, Odette and Sigfried
Swan Lake - music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - danced by Alla Mikhalchenko and Yuri Vasyuchenko
1 - Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Pas de Deux: Adagio and Coda (romantic dance between the Sugar Plum Fairy and either the Prince or Peter)
2 - Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake No. 28 and 29 Scene finale (the battle between Siegfried and Rothbart at the end, the tragic parting of the Swan and Siegfried)
3 - Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet No. 19-21 The Balcony scene/ Romeo's variation/ Love Dance
4 - Puccini's Tosca "E Lucevan le stelle" ("And the stars were shining") / the prison lament of painter Mario Cavaradossi
"How the stars seemed to shimmer, the sweet scents of the garden, how the creaking gate whispered, and a footstep skimmed over the sand, how she then entered, so fragrant, and then fell into my two arms! Ah sweetest of kiss, languorous caresses, while I stood trembling, searching her features concealed by her mantle. My dreams of pure love, forgotten forever! All of it's gone now! I die hopeless, despairing, and never before have I loved life like this!"
5 - Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries Beginning of Act III of "Die Walkure" / about eight minutes in length, the Ride consists of four Valkyrie sisters who prepare to transport the fallen heroes to Valhalla. As the four other sisters join them, the Valkyries greet one another with their battle cries as the orchestra provides the thunderous, hair-on-the-back-of-my-neck-raising motif.
6 - Puccini's Turandot "Nessun dorma" ("None shall sleep") / the hope for victory by Calaf that he will be the one to finally win the heart of Princess Turandot
"The Prince - Nobody shall sleep!... Nobody shall sleep! Even you, o Princess, in your cold room, watch the stars, that tremble with love and with hope. But my secret is hidden within me, my name no one shall know... No!...No!... On your mouth I will tell it when the light shines. And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!...
The Chorus of women - No one will know his name and we must, alas, die.
The Prince - Vanish, o night! Set, stars! Set, stars! At dawn, I will win! I will win! I will win!"
7 - Mozart's Requiem Rex tremendae majestatis / this pretty much sums up my feelings about the Creator. I was lucky enough to sing this with my old choir in Toronto.
"Rex tremendae majestatis, King of awful majesty, Qui salvandos salvas gratis, Who freely savest the redeemed, Salve me, fons pietatis. Save me, O fount of goodness."
8 - Carl Orf's Carmina Burana I got to sing this amazing piece as well. What a heart-stopper!
9 - Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Snow Queen Pas de Trois (from the National Ballet of Canada version) or Tableau II, a pine forest in winter / the part of the winter scene that comes before the Waltz of the Snowflakes
10 - Puccini's Madama Butterfly The "Humming Chorus"
While Butterfly awaits the return of her American lover when his ship returns to port in Japan, her lovechild and her servant Suzuki fall asleep when he does not arrive. But Butterfly never stops waiting. / this part usually has the men in the audience in tears
11 - Vivaldi's Gloria
Another choral piece I was lucky enough to sing. This goes through my head often.
12 - Satie's Trois Gymnopedies The 1st Gymnopedie / one of my favorite pieces of music, and when my bridesmaids and I were arranging our bouquets, etc. before my wedding, I heard the pianist start to play this. I got chills and knew it was a good sign.
13 - Handel's Messiah The Hallelujah Chorus / of course, which choir hasn't sung this one? But when we get to the part where we're singing "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" I have never been able to get through it without crying. It gives me shivers just thinking about it.
Champion of the Arts - I write historical and paranormal fiction, as well as poetry. I love to showcase creative works by artists of all stripes. Blogging from Nova Scotia, Canada
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