Musings on ballet, classical music, the violin, and life
The Classical Girl It’s complex, gripping, devilishly complicated, and sounds like no other concerto in the violin repertoire. Listening to Finnish composer Jean Sibelius’ violin concerto, you hear dark, wintry night; pure, crystalline melody above a cushion of pianissimo strings (starlight has a sound!); brooding motifs; a violin that laments but never stops singing. In the second movement, … Read more
From the audience, that 2009 Sunday matinee performance in Davies Hall, nothing seemed amiss. Gautier Capuçon’s rendition of the Schumann Cello Concerto with the San Francisco Symphony won me over instantly, as did his stage charisma—and, okay, those cinematic good looks of his. Two years later, his thoughtful, nuanced performance of Henri Dutilleux’s “Tout un Monde Lointain, ” … Read more
Want the link to the Oct 5, 2017 coverage? Click HERE! Welcome to The Classical Girl’s World Ballet Day 2015 page! Glad you could make it. I will update this page prior to, and throughout World Ballet Day, so you can have the most relevant links and information as the day unrolls. And want to hold onto … Read more
Tonight, American Ballet Theatre principal Misty Copeland will debut on Broadway in On the Town, as the aspiring Broadway dancer, Ivy Smith (AKA Miss Turnstiles). Broadway, eat your heart out. Here’s a peek. I love seeing ballet professionals show up in other venues, on unfamiliar stages. Misty Copeland is showing up everywhere these days, including on … Read more
A common question I get asked goes something like this: I’m taking a ballet class again after many years. I’m not even sure what to wear as an adult, or what to bring, What should I wear or bring, so that I fit in and don’t stand out as oblivious? Okay, a valid question, and … Read more