New York does December in its own inimitable way and one annual and memorable event is a season of George Balanchine’s Nutcracker performed at Lincoln Center by New York City Ballet. This year, however, you didn’t have to be in New York to see the production. It was filmed live on 13 December and relayed [...]

Jewels, David H. Koch Theater, New York, 27 February 2010
What a pleasure and a luxury it is to those whose home is not New York to see the full length Jewels. Made by Balanchine in 1967, each of its three distinct sections — ‘Emeralds’, ‘Rubies’ and ‘Diamonds’ — is set to music by three different composers, Fauré [...]

Liebeslieder Walzer; Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2, 20 February 2010
This double bill of works by Balanchine had two highlights for me: Teresa Reichlen’s performance in the leading female role in Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 and that of Wendy Whelan in Liebeslieder Walzer.
Teresa Reichlen, whom I remember admiring in a variety of solo roles [...]

A recent comment posted on this website spoke of the differences between the styles of three major ballet companies visiting Australia in the mid-decades of the twentieth century: de Basil’s Ballets Russes, Ballet Rambert and New York City Ballet. The comment went on to note that perhaps the most enthusiastic attendees at New York City [...]