Thread: Attending ballet performances

As a very new member, I have been really struck by the number of people who post that they enjoy ballet or ballet scores, but have never actually seen a live on-stage performance.

Why is that? Is it that no live performances ever take place in the region where they live? Is it that they fear that, although they enjoy dipping into and out of DVDs or CDs, sitting through two or three hours virtually uninterrupted might be too much? Does ballet have such an effete image that men, in particular, are deterred from going (it's certainly true that, whenever I go, men are a small minority of the audience)? Or is there some other explanation?

too lazy to go out now that even supermarket food can be ordered as delivery and vids downloaded from the internet.

Originally Posted by sharik

too lazy to go out now that even supermarket food can be ordered as delivery and vids downloaded from the internet.

A brave new world we're living in.

I would love to see more ballet performances live but most theatres don't offer that many.

Originally Posted by Ginger

I would love to see more ballet performances live but most theatres don't offer that many.

Not even in the cinema?
I though the R.O.H did HD transmission also?

Originally Posted by Pugg

Not even in the cinema?
I though the R.O.H did HD transmission also?

Well yes, there are some shown in the cinemas, but compared to the number of operas, that are shown it's nothing. At least that's the case in Germany .... important theatres seem to focus on operas here. I love opera as well but you shouldn't let balletts 'disappear'

Originally Posted by Ginger

Well yes, there are some shown in the cinemas, but compared to the number of operas, that are shown it's nothing. At least that's the case in Germany .... important theatres seem to focus on operas here. I love opera as well but you shouldn't let balletts 'disappear'

As your next door neighbour, we have the same "problem".

Damn, I just missed the HD screening of San Francisco Ballet's Romeo & Juliet tonight.

Why did I have to go to my sister's house for taco dinner?

Checking Fathom Events, which is the company that shows these HD broadcasts in cinemas where I live, we get 1-2 different ballets every month starting in Oct. Plus at least one opera.

In Oct, Tristan and Don Giovanni.

And the Bolshoi Ballet.

And THE SHINING.

Who needs new movies when you have ballet, opera, and Kubrik?

Originally Posted by Scopitone

Checking Fathom Events, which is the company that shows these HD broadcasts in cinemas where I live, we get 1-2 different ballets every month starting in Oct. Plus at least one opera.

In Oct, Tristan and Don Giovanni.

And the Bolshoi Ballet.

And THE SHINING.

Who needs new movies when you have ballet, opera, and Kubrik?

And a bit of good food, from time to time then it's suits me also.

Originally Posted by Marsilius

As a very new member, I have been really struck by the number of people who post that they enjoy ballet or ballet scores, but have never actually seen a live on-stage performance.

Why is that? Is it that no live performances ever take place in the region where they live? Is it that they fear that, although they enjoy dipping into and out of DVDs or CDs, sitting through two or three hours virtually uninterrupted might be too much? Does ballet have such an effete image that men, in particular, are deterred from going (it's certainly true that, whenever I go, men are a small minority of the audience)? Or is there some other explanation?

My mistake (as a straight male) was not realizing at a younger age how good my pick-up chances were at the ballet.

Seriously, I discovered the ballet about 10 years ago, and go frequently. I am fortunate to live in NYC which gives me ready access to the NYCB (where I have a subscription) and ABT plus many other companies.

And yes, if I am watching an evening performance of three short ballets, sometimes I lose focus by the third. But a DVD is not a true substitute for attendance in person. First, only a very small portion of e.g. Balanchine's work is preserved on video. And the camera changes the ballet. I want to choose what I look at on stage. When Balanchine participated in the Dance in America series in the 1970's he adjusted the dancing for the camera, so that is an exception. I don't know how often that is the case.

Originally Posted by jegreenwood

My mistake (as a straight male) was not realizing at a younger age how good my pick-up chances were at the ballet.

Seriously, I discovered the ballet about 10 years ago, and go frequently. I am fortunate to live in NYC which gives me ready access to the NYCB (where I have a subscription) and ABT plus many other companies.

And yes, if I am watching an evening performance of three short ballets, sometimes I lose focus by the third. But a DVD is not a true substitute for attendance in person. First, only a very small portion of e.g. Balanchine's work is preserved on video. And the camera changes the ballet. I want to choose what I look at on stage. When Balanchine participated in the Dance in America series in the 1970's he adjusted the dancing for the camera, so that is an exception. I don't know how often that is the case.

I am puzzled about that remark, doe it make a difference?

Originally Posted by Pugg

I am puzzled about that remark, doe it make a difference?

I highlighted the portion to which I was responding, (and as the emoji suggests, it was supposed to be humorous). If I were not a straight male I wouldn't be interested in picking up the women who make up the majority of the audience.

Originally Posted by jegreenwood

I highlighted the portion to which I was responding, (and as the emoji suggests, it was supposed to be humorous). If I were not a straight male I wouldn't be interested in picking up the women who make up the majority of the audience.

So you easily could have left that phrase out.

Originally Posted by Pugg

So you easily could have left that phrase out.

Don't be cheeky now