S. Hurok Presents; A Memoir of the Dance WorldHurok, Sol
History
S. Hurok Presents; A Memoir of the Dance World
Hurok, Sol
Ballet -- History
For the new company Agnes has devised a repertoire ranging from the
story of an Eighteenth-Century philanderer through Degas-inspired
comments on the Romantic Era, to scenes from _Paint Your Wagon_, and
_Brigadoon_. Utilizing spoken dialogue and song, the whole venture moves
towards something new under the sun--both in Dance and in Theatre.
The settings and costumes have been designed and created by Peggy Clark
and Motley; with the orchestrations and musical arrangements by Trudi
Rittman.
With the new organization, Agnes will have freedom to experiment in what
may well turn out to be a new form of dance entertainment, setting a
group of theatre dances both balletic and otherwise, with her own
personalized type of dance movement, and a group of ballad singers, all
in a distinctly native idiom.
In New York City, on the 15th January, 1954, I plan to inaugurate a
trans-continental tour of the Roland Petit Ballet Company, from Paris,
with new creations, and the quite extraordinary Colette Marchand, as his
chief _ballerina_.
In February, 1954, I shall extend my international dance activities to
Japan, when I shall bring that nation’s leading dance organization, the
Japanese Dancers and Musicians, for their first American tour. With this
fine group of artists, I shall be able to present America for the first
time with a native art product of the late Seventeenth century that is
the theatre of the commoner, stemming from Kabuki, meaning
“song-dance-skill.”
The autumn of 1954 will see a still further extension of my activities,
with the introduction of the first full Spanish ballet to be seen on the
North American continent.
We have long been accustomed to the Spanish dancer and the dance
concerts of distinguished Iberian artists; but never before have
Americans been exposed to Spanish ballet in its full panoply, with a
large and numerous company, complete with scenery, costumes, and a large
orchestra. It has long been my dream to present such an organization.
At last it has been realized, when I shall send from coast to coast the
Antonio Ballet Espagnol, which I saw and greatly admired on my visit to
Granada in the summer of 1953.
On the purely musical side, there is a truly remarkable chamber ensemble
from Italy, which will also highlight the season of 1954. It is I
Musici, an ensemble of twelve players, ranging through the string
family, including the ancient _viola di gamba_, and sustained by the
_cymbalon_; and specializing in early Italian music, for the greater
part. This organization has the high and warm recommendation of Arturo
Toscanini, who vastly admires them and their work.
I have reserved, in the manner of the host holding back the most
delectable items of a feast until the last, two announcements as
climactic.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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