Oberon's Glade

Author: Philip Gardner

  • Waltz of the Snowflakes

    Snapshot waltz

    Post:ballet presents a ‘Waltz of the Snowflakes‘ from Tchaikovsky’s THE NUTCRACKER for the time of the pandemic.

    Watch and listen here.

    This performance really gave me a lift during this unusual holiday season. I was especially happy to see Landes Dixon dancing; I met him a few years ago when he danced with Steps Repertory Company, and again when he danced with Michele Wiles/Ballet Next.

    Credits:

    Choreography by Robert Dekkers
    Cinematography/editing by Ben Tarquin
    Performed by Post:ballet dance artists Cora Cliburn, Landes Dixon, Emily Hansel, Caitlin Hicks, Jenna Marie
    With Berkeley Ballet Theater dance artists Mai Corkins, Cameron Heanue, Elizabeth Inami, Monique Jonath, Nina Owen, Frances Pine-Rinella
    Produced by Lance Hepler
    Costumes courtesy Berkeley Ballet Theater and Post:ballet
    Special thanks to Marge Funabiki
    Filmed in Alameda, CA following corresponding state and municipal COVID-19 Safety Guidelines for Media Production
    Presented by Post:ballet and Berkeley Ballet Theater

    Merry Christmas to all!

  • Christopher Lowrey ~ Ombra Mai Fu

    Snapshot ombra mai fu

    Counter-tenor Christopher Lowrey and Voices of Music perform “Ombra mai fu” from Handel’s SERSE.

    Watch and listen here.

  • Brahms Viola Songs ~ Kožená/Grosz/Rattle

    Magdalena_kozena

    Mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená (above), violist Amihai Grosz, and pianist Sir Simon Rattle perform Johannes Brahms’ Zwei Gesänge für eine Altstimme, Viola, und Klavier for Arte TV’s Hope@Home series, in April, 2020.

    Watch and listen here.

  • Lisette Oropesa @ La Scala ~ 2020

    Lisette scala gala 2020

    When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Teatro alla Scala to abandon their planned opening night performance of a new production of LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR with Lisette Oropesa in the title-role, the theatre instead honored their traditional opening date – December 7th, the Feast of Saint Ambrose – with a televised gala featuring a number of prominent singers performing arias pre-filmed on the Scala stage, without an audience.

    Lisette, wearing an Armani gown, sang Lucia’s Act I aria. Watch and listen here.

    The Cuban-American soprano is currently in Barcelona for performances of Verdi’s LA TRAVIATA.

  • Sara Leland Has Passed Away

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    Above: former New York City Ballet principal dancer Sara Leland has passed away.

    In the Autumn of 1974, I had moved into TJ’s dorm room at Sarah Lawrence College, pretending to be a student; he and I were making frequent trips into Manhattan for the opera. We’d spent the Summer on Cape Cod, performing with a small ballet company. I had never liked ballet until I got caught up in it by dancing in COPPELIA. Now that we were living within range of Lincoln Center, TJ began taking me to see The New York City Ballet.

    It was a heady time at NYCB, with Kay Mazzo, Patricia McBride, Karin von Aroldingen, and Violette Verdy as reigning ballerinas. And on our third visit to the House of Mr. B that season, Suzanne Farrell returned to the Company after five years in exile following her falling out with Balanchine…yes, we were there that night.

    Whilst these lovely ladies were giving one spectacular performance after another, both TJ and I had a special affection for Sara Leland, a truly unique ballerina. I first saw Sara in the Valse Mélanconique of TCHAIKOVSKY SUITE #3; a few days later, she danced the third movement of SYMPHONY IN C in Farrell’s return performance. 

    In May of 1975, I saw my first JEWELS, and it was RUBIES that most dazzled me, with Ms. Leland and Marnee Morris, another favorite, in the leading roles. Robert Weiss stepped in on very short notice for Edward Villella that night. Read about it here.

    Helgi and sara

    We went on to see Sara Leland in Balanchine’s UNION JACK (above, with Helgi Tomasson), SYMPHONY IN THREE MOVEMENTS, and VIENNA WALTZES, and in Robbins’ DANCES AT A GATHERING (in Apricot), SCHERZO FANTASTIQUE, GOLDBERG VARIATIONS, AN EVENING’S WALTZES, and THE CONCERT.

    Both TJ and I were especially fascinated whenever Sara danced with Bart Cook. They had a kind of offbeat sexiness, and they somehow could be both edgy and poetic at the same time:

    C2-1

    Another of Sara’s frequent partners, John Clifford, posted a film of SYMPHONY IN C, third movement; watch it here.

    Iwm weslow sara leland

    Sara Leland’s romantic side shines thru in this lovely photo of her with William Weslow in Balanchine’s LA VALSE.

  • Evgeny Kissin ~ Beethoven Piano Concerto #1

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    Evgeny Kissin (above) plays Beethoven’s Piano Concerto #1 in a 2007 performance with the Verbier Festival Orchestra conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen.

    Watch and listen here.

    I first fell in love with this concerto when Helgi Tomasson set his ballet PRISM to it for the New York City Ballet in 2000.

  • Richard Strauss ~ ‘Epheu’

    Snapshot strauss

    Soprano Julia Smith sings a Richard Strauss rarity, ‘Epheu’, with Jonathan Fisher at the piano, at the Elizabeth Harwood Prize Competition at The Royal Northern College of Music in March 2020.

    Watch and listen here.

  • Indigenous Peoples Day ~ 2020

    Native2

    Honoring the First Peoples, today and always.

    Buffy Sainte-Marie ~ God Is Alive Magic Is Afoot

  • HYMN TO THE SUN

    Iris

    The Hymn to the Sun from Pietro Mascagni’s opera IRIS, performed in 1996 at the Palazzo del Quirinale in Rome by the orchestra and chorus of the Teatro San Carlo, Naples. The conductor is Paolo Carignani.

    Watch and listen here.

  • NY Philharmonic Cellists ~ Bach @ Home

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    Above: NY Philharmonic cellist Eric Bartlett

    Cellists of The New York Philharmonic play Bach’s Suite No. 1 for Unaccompanied Cello in G-major from their homes during the pandemic.

    Watch and listen here.