City Ballet The Podcast

Hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Aarón Sanz are back for another cameo-filled conversation around The Rosin Box. On a typically drama-filled performance night of George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream, the wings are like a "zoo," filled with fairies, dogs, young dancers from the School of American Ballet, a donkey-headed danseur, plenty of sparkles, and costumes fit for the ballet's "cape-ography." (44:53) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records Overture and Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night's Dream, opp. 21 and 61 (1826, 1842); Overtures to Athalie, op. 74 (1845), The Fair Melusine op. 32 (1833), The First Walpurgis Night, op. 60; Symphony No. 9 for strings; Overture to Son and Stranger, op. 89 (1829) by Felix Mendelssohn

In this special episode of See the Music recorded live at our Lincoln Center theater, NYCB Music Director Andrew Litton dives into the history of the Felix Mendelssohn score for Balanchine's enchanted ballet A Midsummer Night's Dream. Litton shares excerpts from the music—written 173 years ago, when Mendelssohn was just 17 years old—that encapsulate the young composer's prodigious talent, even in the face of religious persecution in his native Germany where the score was banned for a time, despite its charming, enduringly romantic character. (12:43) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Symphony in Three Movements (1945) by Igor Stravinsky Overture and Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night's Dream, opp. 21 and 61 (1826, 1842) Overtures to Athalie, op. 74 (1845), The Fair Melusine op. 32 (1833), The First Walpurgis Night, op. 60; Symphony No. 9 for strings; Overture to Son and Stranger, op. 89 (1829) by Felix Mendelssohn All music performed by New York City Ballet Orchestra

Hear the Dance returns with guest host Jared Angle in conversation with former NYCB Principal Dancer Kyra Nichols. Nichols shares how having a dancer mother (former Company Member Sally Streets) has influenced her career; what it was like enrolling at the School of American Ballet at age 11; and the ways in which what she learned as a performer shapes her current work as a Professor at Indiana University. Her words of wisdom for this spring's dancers in the lead Spring role she originated in Jerome Robbins' The Four Seasons? "Have fun." (45:22) Written by Jared Angle Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky I Vespri Siciliani (Les vêpres siciliennes) (1855) by Giuseppe Verdi I Lombardi alla Prima Crociata (1843) by Giuseppe Verdi Il Trovatore (1853) by Giuseppe Verdi Symphony No. 1 in C major (1855) by Georges Bizet Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6 (1837) by Robert Schumann All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra

Associate Music Director Andrews Sill voyages into the beguiling score of George Balanchine and Igor Stravinsky's Orpheus in the latest See the Music episode. As Stravinsky describes, in a 1949 radio interview, Orpheus is a "long, sustained, slow chant," that utilizes ancient modes and inspirations without directly imitating ancient music. With select excerpts and piano demonstrations, Sills describes Stravinsky's use of a "rare form of kleptomania" to create an undeniably modern yet timeless sound. (16:13) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Interview excerpt from "Stravinsky Visits WQXR with Orpheus" by WQXR Features (1949) Music: Orpheus (1947) by Igor Stravinsky Symphony in Three Movements (1945) by Igor Stravinsky All music performed by New York City Ballet Orchestra.

Host and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan is back with another New Combinations episode of City Ballet The Podcast. This week she's joined by choreographer, former NYCB dancer, and current Dean of the Colburn School's Trudl Zipper Dance Institute Silas Farley and composer David K. Israel, who are creating a new work for this spring's 50th anniversary Stravinsky Festival. Farley and Israel describe the gift exchange between George Balanchine and Igor Stravinsky that provides the inspiration for their work and movingly encapsulates the depth and generative power of the two titans' artistic partnership—a model for their own collaboration today, aesthetically and spiritually. (38:22) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Sisyphus" by Andrew Wegman Bird Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. as agent for Muffet Music Co

In Part 2 of this week’s Hear the Dance conversation between host Silas Farley and Helgi Tomasson, the two discuss Tomasson’s career following his entrance into the Company as a Principal Dancer in 1970. As he shares, originating a role in 1971 in Jerome Robbins’ The Goldberg Variations marked a turning point in Tomasson's life; the following year, the original Stravinsky Festival led to two more seminal roles created on the dancer: Balanchine’s Symphony in Three and Divertimento from Le Baiser de la Fée. Tomassion describes how his years dancing with NYCB informed both his work as a choreographer and his tenure as the Artistic Director of San Francisco Ballet, on the eve of his retirement from that position. (38:16) Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri MUSIC: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Symphony in Three Movements (1945) by Igor Stravinsky Le Baiser de la Fée (1928) by Igor Stravinsky Aria with Variations in G, BWV 988 (1742), "The Goldberg Variations" by Johann Sebastian Bach Symphony No. 1 in C major (1855) by Georges Bizet All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra READING LIST: The Joffrey Ballet: Robert Joffrey and the Making of an An American Dance Company by Sasha Anawalt The Stravinsky Festival of The New York City Ballet Written and Edited by Nancy Goldner Thirty Years: Lincoln Kirstein’s The New York City Ballet by Lincoln Kirstein Somewhere: The Life of Jerome Robbins by Amanda Vaill San Francisco Ballet at Seventy-Five by Janice Ross; Preface by Brigitte LeFévre; Foreword by Allan Ulrich How Helgi Tomasson Reshaped S.F. Ballet to World-Class Renown by Rachel Howard

On this week’s Hear the Dance episode of City Ballet the Podcast, join host Silas Farley for an in-depth conversation with former NYCB Principal Dancer Helgi Tomasson. In Part 1, Tomasson shares his journey from childhood in his native Iceland to joining the Company at age 26. In between, Tomasson auditioned for Jerome Robbins’ Ballet USA, gaining a significant fan in the choreographer; discovered the States while on tour with the Joffrey Ballet; danced for six years with the Harkness Ballet; and won the silver medal following an adventure-filled performance at the First International Ballet Competition in Moscow in 1969. Tune in to Part 2 for more of Tomasson’s fascinating story. (45:15) Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri MUSIC: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Symphony in Three Movements (1945) by Igor Stravinsky Le Baiser de la Fée (1928) by Igor Stravinsky Aria with Variations in G, BWV 988 (1742), "The Goldberg Variations" by Johann Sebastian Bach Symphony No. 1 in C major (1855) by Georges Bizet All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra READING LIST: The Joffrey Ballet: Robert Joffrey and the Making of an An American Dance Company by Sasha Anawalt The Stravinsky Festival of The New York City Ballet Written and Edited by Nancy Goldner Thirty Years: Lincoln Kirstein’s The New York City Ballet by Lincoln Kirstein Somewhere: The Life of Jerome Robbins by Amanda Vaill San Francisco Ballet at Seventy-Five by Janice Ross; Preface by Brigitte LeFévre; Foreword by Allan Ulrich How Helgi Tomasson Reshaped S.F. Ballet to World-Class Renown by Rachel Howard

New Combinations is back with a conversation between host and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan and choreographer Pam Tanowitz. Wendy catches up with Pam between rehearsals for two works making their debuts on the NYCB stage this spring: a world premiere, and the reprisal of her Gustave le Gray No. 1, to be performed by two guest dancers from Dance Theatre of Harlem as well as dancers from the Company. As Pam tells Wendy, her works are intended to activate and engage the viewer, an effect achieved in part through what she describes as an equal collaboration with the originating dancers, and in part through a constant commitment to challenging herself—as she says it, “I’m very comfortable making myself fail." (36:34) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Sisyphus" by Andrew Wegman Bird Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. as agent for Muffet Music Co

What goes on behind the big gold curtain at New York City Ballet? Hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Aarón Sanz take us on a backstage tour for the latest episode of The Rosin Box, catching up with dancers as they primp and prep over two nights of the winter performance period. The behind-the-scenes encounters include Principal Dancer Daniel Ulbricht sharing his journey through the character of the Prodigal Son, and the dancers of Jamar Roberts’ world premiere work Emanon – In Two Movements reacting in time to a round-the-block line of ticket buyers. (53:32) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini, Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records "Pegasus" and "Prometheus Unbound" by Wayne Shorter "Le Fils Prodigue Op. 46" (1928-29) by Sergei Prokofiev "On Your Toes" (1936) by Richard Rodgers, orchestrated by Hershy Kay "Jeux d'Enfants, Opp. 22-26, nos. 6, 3, 11, 12" (1871) by Georges Bizet "String Quartet No. 5" (1934) by Béla Bartόk Performed by New York City Ballet Orchestra

This week’s episode of The Rosin Box finds hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Aarón Sanz in candid conversation with NYCB Solo Pianist Alan Moverman, who shares how he went from childhood piano lessons in Syracuse, NY, to studying jazz piano with the legendary late NPR host Marian McParland, to joining the Company as a rehearsal pianist in 1995. They dig into the three aspects of Moverman’s role—providing music for daily class, accompanying rehearsals, and performing—and the “intimate gift” exchanged between musician and dancers in the studio. (58:19) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music:  "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records