Comments on: ABT: Sleeping Beauty, Orange County

By: jennifer

jennifer — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 04:42:56 +0000

Christine,

Thank you for your comment and glad to meet one of Emily’s colleagues! Emily will always be remembered as a kind, ever-patient clarinet teacher, as well as a phenomenal musician.

By: Christine

Christine — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 20:51:51 +0000

Jen,
On behalf of my colleagues in the Pacific Symphony, thank you very much for your kind words about our performances! We’re thrilled that you enjoyed the music. It was especially nice to hear from one of Emily’s students. Many of us worked with her and we miss her.
Thanks again!
Christine Frank
Pacific Symphony Players’ Association

By: jennifer

jennifer — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 08:54:51 +0000

john,

perhaps pacific symphony could redefine the term “community orchestra”? pasadena symphony, like the pacific, is made up of professional musicians, not amateurs, coming from juilliard, eastman, USC, Indiana, San Francisco, Curtis, and other music schools around the country. while pacific may have a larger budget than pasadena, my heart has a special place for the pasadena symphony; esp since the untimely passing of my clarinet teacher and the amazing concerts i have enjoyed as a high school student in its audience.

thanks for your comment!

By: John

John — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 22:15:04 +0000

Hello,

Thank you for your kind comments about the Symphony’s playing. I have served as President for nine years, and we are proud of our role performing with great ballet companies including ABT.

Pacific Symphony’s budget now rank it among the top 25 symphony orchestras in the US. It performs vastly more services annually than a group like Pasadena and it is drawing audition candidates from around the nation.

In the national symphony scene, “community orchestra” implies one which draws amateur players and serves only a small local audience. With a highly successful recent international tour to Europe, arguably the Pacific Symphony has achieved national stature.

Community orchestra is not a term representative of the Pacific Symphony or the caliber of musicians who occupy its ranks.

Thank you again for your kind comments.

John

By: Cathy

Cathy — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 19:11:53 +0000

That was a very nice review.
I have seen Gillian in that Swan Lake DVD, and I must agree with you that she does not convince that much as an actress. She’s beautiful , but not so emotional.

By: jenchang

jenchang — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 14:55:11 +0000

Art, “community” orchestra has *never* had a negative connotation with me…my clarinet teacher in high school was principal at the Pasadena Symphony; Jorge Mester, their music director has also elevated the quality of their music immensely. Even though my teacher was principal clarinetist at LA Opera, sub for L.A. Phil, musician for Hollywood movies… her first passion was Pasadena Symphony, a community orchestra.

I agree with you; I’ve never heard such an orchestra accompany a ballet before. Sounded better than the ABT orchestra in NYC.

By: Art

Art — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 08:57:05 +0000

You were TOTALLY right about the Pacific Symphony. They sounded fantastic on Tuesday night, and Wilkins kept the score moving at a crisp pace, and balanced out the orchestra’s coloring beautifully. The orchestra sounded so warm and full – I’ve never heard the ballet score performed so well in a live stage performance before. I must defend the Pacific Symphony, though… I’d hardly characterize them as a community orchestra anymore – music director Carl St. Clair has elevated its national profile significantly, and they’re playing magnificently as a major orchestra in the new concert hall across the plaza.

I agree with everything you said about the awkward sections of the ballet. The prince looked nervous everytime they rushed around him to pick him up! I did, though, end up enjoying the production much more than I thought i was going to, being prepared for the worst after New York reviews…

By: Jolene

Jolene — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 07:33:26 +0000

oh my, sarah lane is going to dance aurora?? i’m really curious how she’s going to do.

By: tonya

tonya — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 00:24:09 +0000

I totally agree with everything you said. None of the ballerinas I saw who danced the lead here impressed me much — I thought it was just because it wasn’t my favorite ballet, but maybe they don’t have enough to work with in this production. I feel the same way about the fairy knights, or whatever they’re called, carrying the prince around — very corny and undignified! No matter who is dancing the prince! And Sascha — I loved him as bluebird — i thought he was every bit as good as Herman. I didn’t see Sarah Lane in any major roles; I just remember liking her in Sinatra Suite, but I haven’t seen her in a major role in a full-length story ballet, so am interested to hear how she does as Aurora.