Can somebody please tell me what Symphony this is? I know I should know this as a ballet dancer, but I don´t, so please bear with me ...
I guess it could be a Tchaikovsky symphony, but if, which number?

Thanks a lot for your help!
IrishKitri

Symphony in C is by Bizet. It is called just that, if you are looking for it. It has no number but was an early work by Bizet.

IrishKitri, Symphony in C is a masterpiece, both in its original form and as one of the great Balanchine ballets. Bizet, who was a prodigy, wrote it in 1855 when he was seventeen (you won't believe that when you hear it.... . It was languishing in obscurity, not having been played in concerts for many years, when Balanchine made his ballet Le Palais de Cristal to it in 1947; the name was changed to Symphony in C when the ballet became a staple of NYCB's repertoire.

Bizet was not successful during his all-too-brief lifetime. Even his last opera, Carmen, was a failure at its opening. A short time later Bizet was dead, and
Carmen on its way to becoming the best-known opera in the world.

I was startled the other day to hear an announcer on a classical-music station (WNYC-FM), refer to Symphony in C as "Bizet's first symphony." Did she know something we don't?

Bizet wrote another symphony, a programmatic work he titled "Roma".

I read that when Tchaikovsky visited Paris, he was especially impressed by Bizet's music.

But then again, he heard Delibes' Sylvia, and commented that, "My own Swan Lake is poor stuff compared to it."

Did the man have any idea how great his own stuff was?

Now that's an interesting question -- thinking of the artist's biographies and autobiographies I've read, think there's a Condition (it's not quite a syndrome) that causes them to know exactly how good they are and, in one pocket of their heart understand this and demand recognition; but in another pocket, they think they're worthless. And although these seem contradictory, they seem to coexist in many people. (This must be distinguished from Polite Modesty, as when Ashton would refer to "my poor baubles." He knew they weren't poor baubles, but I think he wanted the person he was addressing to tell him this. Part reassurance, perhaps, and part acknowledgement.)

Yes, I've observed that Condition many times. I wonder how Bizet felt? (Getting back on topic .)

Poor.

Didn't Mr. B. choreographed something on the Roma symphony?
Joe

Roma : Chor: George Balanchine; mus: Georges Bizet; scen & cos: Eugene Berman; lighting: Jean Rosenthal. First perf: New York, City Center, Feb 23, 1955, New York City Ballet.
(the costumes can nowadays be seen dressing 'divertimento from le baiser de la fee')

wry smile. Poor, indeed. I think the Condition Alexandra mentions has to do, often, with the appalling poverty and money struggles of MANY great artists (sorry to be so obvious, but...). experiences such as Mozart's (being told your music has "too many notes") and Rodin's certainly don't bolster the self-esteem-- and then there was Dickinson, never even published or heard during her life.
Joe, Roma was for Tanaquil LeClercq and Andre Eglevsky. everyone who saw the ballet (precious few, unfortunately) raved. it disappeared from the repertoire even before LeClercq's career was ended by polio, and has never been revived...

Edwin Denby is quoted in Repertory in Review, "Roma was not much of a success at its opening. Its modesty turned out to be an extremely avant-garde effect. People went to see what new twist Balanchine had dreamed up and when they were shown the innocent art of dancing they were too bewildered to recognize it."

I should say that everyone who saw Roma and wrote later about it (Denby, Garis, Haggin, et al.) raved. those are connoisseurs, though. the ballet may not have made much of a splash with the general public--- a shame--

Kind of proto-PoMo? :shrug:

No sort of just Mo. The failure of the ballet was attributed to the Berman scenery, which seemed to owe a lot to the spikiness of Jean Carzou, combined with a lot of what looked like wash drying on clotheslines. The costumes were OK, but the Carzoudledom was too much for most of the 1955 audience.

Thank you all for your infos! You´re really helpful guys! Thanks!!! :-)

Reviving an old thread. I had a chance recently to see a video of the Royal Ballet dancing Symphony in C in 1997 (Yoshida/Sansom, Bussell/Saunders, Benjamin/Trevitt, Bull/Cassidy), and I found their interpretation to be just delightful, because it so highlighted all their English qualities. They had a soft elegance that's so different from NYCB's jagged edges. We often have discussions here about the right style and whatnot, but I wonder if there are certain ballets that better serve as vehicles for showing off a company's own style, and are the better for it because of the diversity of interpretation. I can only imagine how awesome the POB must look in Symphony in C, and I find the idea of a Russian version danced by the Kirov to be very intriguing.

Since it was made on the POB so long ago, I can't imagine Symphony in C to be one of those ballets that really demands Balanchine style, whatever that may be! Its use of mostly pretty fundamental ballet steps would seem to let it be easily adaptable to many different schools of style.

--Andre

The day after tomorrow I will be watching my first ever Symphony in C. I will watch clips of whatever is available online in advance, but I still would like to get some info and insights from you guys....WHATEVER you can add will be very helpful.-(as it has been in the past with other B. newbies for me)
Thanks!

I will also be at the performance in Miami, cubanmiamiboy!

I have not seen Symphony in C in about 10 years. My memories are ample as a performer and an observer however. All are wonderful, although I must say seeing NYCB dance it 10 years ago did leave me a bit cold. I am interested to see MCB on Thursday. Hopefully the joy of my memories will return.

Cristian, Symphony in C was on the City Center program (I), so there are references to the current state of MCB's performances in the reviews that have been posted here.

According to my notes, I first saw it at MCB in March 2004. Jack started a thread on this, here:

http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=16401

The 2003-2004 season was MCB's "Balanchine Centennial Celebration." It was ballets like Symphony in C that hooked me on this company. At that time, the couples in the 2 casts I saw were:

-- Katia Carranza with Mikhail Ilyin in the pyrotechnical first movement, allegro vivo; they are supported by 2 demi-solo couples and a corps of 8 women.

-- Kronenberg and Guerra in the second movement adagio; supoprted by 3 couples and a corps of 8 women.

-- Catoya with Luis Serrano (Carranza's husband and now director of the Ballet de Monterey, Mexico) in the third movement/ this was Villella's role, allegro vivace; supported by 2 couples and a 6-woman corps;

-- Joan Latham (now an MCB ballet mistress) with Didier Bramaz, allegro vivace; supported by 8 couples and an 8-woman corps.

(Deanna Seay and Isanusi-Garcia Rodrigues also danced the first movement at another performance.)

The 4th movement segue-ways right into the finale, with each couple -- and everyone else as well, over 50 on stage -- reappearing. Make sure your eyes are OPEN ALL THE WAY for the conclusion -- one the most thrilling, in my opinion, in classical ballet.

MCB nexted danced it in April 2006.

The performance thread for that is here:

http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=22009

Casts I saw were:
-- 1st Movement: Carranza and Ilyin ( I put a big "GOOD!" next to his name in the program. Ilyin, a principal, later left the company and is now dancing with ABT in the corps.)
also Seay and Kenta Shimizu at another performance
-- Kronenberg and Guerra (Haiyan Wu and Mikhail Nikitine at another performance)
-- Catoya and Penteado (Katia Carranza and Mikhail Ilyin at another performance);
-- Jeanette Delgado (still in the Corps) and Serrano (Patricia Delgado and Didier Bramaz at another performance).

Looking over old cast lists is interesting. In a big-cast ballet like this, Villella is very willing to give new dancers a chance at prominence. Wong, for example, has a demi-solo in spring 2006, during his first season with the company.

I some of our other MCB-watchers on Ballet Talk will correct any errors I've made in the above.

New York recently saw this cast:

• 1st Movement: Catoya, Penteado (plus two demi-solo couples and eight women)
• 2nd Movement: Wu, Guerra (plus two demi couples, six women, not the eight noted by bart, above)
• 3rd Movement: J. Delgado, Wong (plus two demi couples, eight women)
• 4th Movement: P. Delgado, Cox, (plus two demi couples, eight women, later joined by full cast of principals, demis and corps)

I notice that MCB does not list the corps women alphabetically, as I am accustomed to seeing. I didn't notice, but perhaps they are listed in order of appearance?

Interesting. It might be a good idea. It could solve the problem, that I sometimes have, of identifying a corp member that stands out to me.

You're right! carbro. I just rechecked, and it's 6 women, not 8.

Incidentally, is there universal agreement with Croce's 1993 statement that Symphony in C is "Balanchine's greatest show-piece"? Or should it be amended to something like "greatest show-piece of classical style"?

And how about her claim that the adagio movement is "probably the most privileged [woman's] role in the Balanchine repertory"? (1975)

And here's one more Croce observation, reminiscing in 1983 about Edward Villella:
It's interesting to read in carbro's post that Villella chose Alex Wong to dance that particular role when his company made its long-anticipated Manhattan debut. I wonder whether Wong, a young man of huge potential, fully realized the legendary footsteps in which he was being asked to dance -- and to fly.

Symphony in C corps can be done with either 6 or 8 women in each movement, although I do believe it was first choreographed with 8 ladies in each movement in the corps depending upon the size of the stage.

cubanmiamiboy, I think it will be one Balanchine ballet you will love. Notice in particularly the second movement adagio, which is maybe the most celebrated part of Symphony in C. And watch whether the ballerina attempts to touch her knee in her penchee, which was the "Farrell move." And be exhilarated by the final.
Prepare to NOT be entranced by the costumes, especially those for the guys.

And before Farrell, Allegra Kent. Many ballerinas try it, but IMO few can pull it off without making it look like a stunt.

Cristian, you really don't need to do any preparation to enjoy Symphony in C, it's one of the most joyous ballets I've ever seen. Although an unfortunate side effect has crept into my psyche over the last few years - whenever I see it now, as soon as the last movement starts reaching it's climax I start wishing it would start over again from the beginning so I can never truly relax & just focus on the ending!

Sym C was one of the first Balanchine ballets that I loved & I managed to love it with absolutely no insight into it's origins, allusions etc, however several years ago I read some commentary on it that really illuminated it's humor for me. I'm sure I found the info on or through ballettalk, although I don't have time to search the archives for it now. I can't remember if it was Croce or Denby or someone else but the writer pointed out the choreography's fit with the score's youthful exuberance and also pointed out that Balanchine was choreographing for circus elephants at around the same time that he made Sym C, and referred to the ballerinas in the 4th movement (I think it was the 4th) as an oncoming herd of ballerinas. I've never gotten that picture out of my head and it always makes me smile.

While trying to track down that article I found this one by Jay Rogoff – it's long and discusses several Balanchine ballets but I think it's excellent and it discusses Sym C first. You will have to register to read the full article, but it's free:

http://www.articlearchives.com/humanities-.../1262387-1.html

BTW, I saw MCB's Sym C during the City Center engagement and the only complaint I have is with the 2nd movement casting. Wu's dancing is pretty, but too posey for me. She does the knee/head touch but it definitely looks like a stunt rather than an inevitable continuation of the movement. Enjoy the performance!

Susan

Oh, absolutely. "Symphony in C", despite its length, is at the top of my short list of "do-over" ballets, the ones I want to see again as soon as they are over.

Just came back. What a beauty...
Will report tomorrow...

Scratch the white paint and underneath...

Tim Scholl and, as I remember, Danilova point out that the original Symphony in C, Palais de Crystal, was in color--each act in red, blue, green, and white. The original scenario featured "a Ruby Priestress, a Sapphire Spirit, an Emerald Spirit and a Crystal Spirit in a Palace of Diamonds" (Richard Buckle). When it was presented in New York the next year, the costumes were black and white, in part perhaps because the troop was small and the dancers had to appear in more than one part.

Vadim Gaevksy in his book "Divertissement," Scholl says, likens the structure of Symphony in C to that of a pas classique: entree, adagio, variation, coda. Also for Scholl it recalls the formula of the Petipa ballet a grand spectacle: exposition, white act and divertissement (though shorter and speedier). The adagio, he says, is the work's ballet blanc, but here

With Scholl everything begins with Sleeping Beauty and ends with Jewels, and I find myself ok with that alpha and omega.

* * *

Footnote: For me Symphony in C was probably the first Balanchine ballet that really knocked me out. The amount of invention was amazing, lines were combing through each other and changing each other's natures, and then all the characters, which had lived unknown to each other in separate stories, suddenly filling the stage and going on about at life at the same time, side by side...Pure madness.

It is madness! I'd never thought of it that way, Quiggin. But within that madness is order. What a delicious paradox!

Quiggan, you're right. They are "characters" in a sense. The color variations in Palais de Cristal must have made this point more clearly. I'll be seeing this in March and will definitely look for what you suggest.

During my time at SFB, I first danced first and third movement soloists, and then first and fourth movement principal. It's a challenging ballet, but wonderful to dance. When we first danced it in the mid-seventies, we wore black leotards and black short skirts. Eventually, the tutus returned in the early 80s (Crystal Palace). I actually think the ballet works better visually without the tutus. The beauty of the line shows to more advantage in simple attire.

P.S. I have a story for you that I heard when dancing at SFB. Beatrice Tompkins premiered the principal woman in the third movement in New York in 1948. It was to have been Gisela Caccialanza who had amazing ballon. Before the premiere, she injured her achilles heel during rehearsal and was unable to dance. I notice in looking at the history of the NYCB premiere that her husband, Lew Christensen, was the principal male in the fourth movement.

The first time I saw the ballet it was called 'Palais de Crystal' and was performed by the POB in NYC one year before it was done by NYCB. It had a very elegant look---the different colored tutus were muted and the whole ballet had a soft look. It looked very different the following year as performed by NYCB. The women wore white sleeveless leotards with a soft skirt--the men in black tights and white tops. One part that has stuck in my head from that first performance was when all four movements are on the stage at the same time (NYCity Center); the stage looked terribly crowded, the corps lost their 'lines' and they barely managed to get it together. --but, at the time the corps talent was pretty raw---they went from the classroom to the stage rather quickly.---they were a far cry from POB---and a far cry from what they are today. Both Companys performed it at the same theater.

What don't you like about the costumes? And wouldn't they be slightly different according to the companies that perform the ballet?

Conviction? Perhaps.

Unless the video and music are misaligned due to the upload to youtube the musicality is fairly messy in most of this performance.

The battu in the third movement is not the Bolshoi's strongest moment on film either.


But it is great to see all of this footage.

I don't think so. I thought it was well known to be Bizet's Symphony No. 1. Wasn't it, after all, a student exercise?

The POB still performed "Palais de Cristal" with its colored costumes in the 1990s. I saw it once (unfortunately in Bastille, I guess it would have looked better in Garnier), what a wonderful memory...
But when they last performed it a few years ago, for some unknown reasons it had become "Symphony in C" and had black and white costumes. It still was a mesmerizing work, but I regretted that the POB had abandoned the colored costumes- after all, "Palais de Cristal" is part of the POB heritage, as it had been premiered there in 1947... I don't know if we can have any hope to see the colored costumes again.

Yes, for the Paris Conservatory. That's why it took so long to find.

Buckle seems to have had his own sense of the color-coding intended by Fini's design scheme, but it seems her ideas went, in order of the ballet's four movements, according to the following precious materials:
1. The Rubies = allegro vivo
2. The Black Diamonds = adagio
3. The Emeralds = allegro vivace
4. The Pearls [note: NOT diamonds] = allegro vivace

this scan shows a page from Paris Opera Ballet gala program on which LE PALAIS DE CRISTAL was shown; presumably these sketches of Fini's show some ideas for two danseuses from the "Rubies" and "Emeralds" segments, respectively. i can't say that these sketches indicate costuming for the ballerina leads or for the movements' secondary dancers.

(from Fort Lauderdale, Florida) A note about cast numbers, which has been spoken of above: In New York, MCB performed Symphony in C with 40 dancers, by my count of the names in the program (Who's going to sit there and count the bodies on stage with that celestial machine in action?); 14 dancers appeared in more than one movement.

As I understand it, this is the reason for the white costumes in America: POB had plenty of dancers for separate casts for the first three movements and the first part of the fourth, but Balanchine did not, in those early days, so if a dancer was going to perform in more than one movement, her costume had to blend in, and so they all wore white.

Nancy Reynolds, in Repertory in Review: Forty Years of the New York City Ballet, p. 85, writes "... in the Paris original, each movement was a different color; in the finale, with fifty-two dancers, the stage was divided into color areas... Although fifty dancers, many of them students, were rounded up for the Ballet Society presentation, during the early years of the New York City Ballet it was often performed with forty or fewer."

And in my days at NYCB (in the audience, not on stage!) Balanchine added a few more dancers very late in the last movement. They stood half in the wings, and we saw mostly their arms and legs reflecting some of the movement of the others onstage.

(Thanks to rg for posting the costume pictures!)

Actually I did count the numbers and names that were repeated for personal reasons (sounds dramatic, but not really) when MCB performed Symphony in C at the Arsht Center last month. I will be very pleased to see the matinee on Sunday at the Broward Center. This is a great program!

We're already starting to talk about it in the MCB forum:

http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.p...mp;#entry244119

Note that you will need to be in the theatre at 1:00 PM to hear Villella's introductory remarks in their entirety, vrsfanatic!