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Suzanne Farrell, elusive muse

Title: Suzanne Farrell, elusive muse [videorecording] / a production of Seahorse Films in association with Thirteen/WNET ; directed by Anne Belle and Deborah Dickson ; produced by Anne Belle.
Publication: New York, N.Y. : Fox Lorber CentreStage, distributed by WinStar TV & Video, c2001.

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Status	Format	Access	Call Number	Item Location
Request Appointment Available - Can be used on site. Please visit New York Public Library - Performing Arts Research Collections to submit a request in person.		Use in library	*MGZIDVD 5-26	Performing Arts Research Collections - Dance

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Description

1 videodisc (105 min.) : sd., col. with b&w sequences; 4 3/4 in. (DVD)

Summary

Profile of the ballerina Suzanne Farrell, most of it told in her own words, focusing on her complex and often troubled professional and private relationship with choreographer George Balanchine. She describes their collaboration, beginning with Movements for piano and orchestra (1963) in which she replaced Diana Adams as creator of the principal female role. Among the major ballets by Balanchine that she created or danced in the 1960s are Meditation; Apollo; Don Quixote, in which Balanchine performed the title role; A midsummer night's dream; and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue. Farrell discusses her marriage to dancer Paul Mejia, which led to a break with Balanchine and her departure from New York City Ballet in 1970; her engagement with Maurice Béjart's Ballet du XXe Siècle; and her return to New York City Ballet in 1974. She discusses Tzigane, the first ballet Balanchine created for her upon her return; her partnership with dancer Peter Martins; and the ballets Robert Schumann's Davidsbündlertänze, Vienna Waltzes and Mozartiana. In conclusion, she talks about her reactions to Balanchine's death, her retirement from performing, and her role in preserving his legacy by teaching and staging his ballets. Additional insights are provided by her mother, Donna Holly; Mejia; Jacques d'Amboise, Arthur Mitchell, Edward Villella, and Béjart. The documentary is profusely illustrated with excerpts of her past performances, and footage of her rehearsing various dancers in ballets from the Balanchine repertory.

Donor/Sponsor

Gift of Dance in America.

Uniform Title

Suzanne Farrell, elusive muse (Motion picture)
Movements for piano and orchestra (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
Meditation (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
Don Quixote (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
Monumentum pro Gesualdo (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
Midsummer night's dream (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
Concerto barocco (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
Romeo and Juliet (Choreographic work : Béjart)
Tzigane (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
Jewels (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
Robert Schumann's Davidsbündlertänze (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
Mozartiana (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
Chaconne (Choreographic work : Balanchine)
Vienna waltzes (Choreographic work : Balanchine)

Subjects

Genre/Form

Dance.
Biographies.
Autobiographical films and programs.
Documentaries and factual films and programs.
Video.

Note

An abridged version of this film was telecast on Great Performances: Dance in America, Episode #2213, on June 25, 1997.
DVD version includes scene access, DVD production credits, and weblinks.

Credits (note)

Co-producer, Catherine Tambini ; editor, Deborah Dickson ; cinematographer, Don Lenzer ; executive producer, David S. Singer ; sound recordist, Peter Miller.

Performer (note)

Interviewees: Suzanne Farrell, with Donna Holly, Jacques d'Amboise, Arthur Mitchell, Paul Mejia, Edward Villella, Maurice Béjart, Marie-Christine Mouis [voice-over].
Dancers appearing in performance and rehearsal excerpts: Suzanne Farrell, George Balanchine, Jacques d'Amboise, Maria Calegari, Conrad Ludlow, Richard Rapp, Heléne Alexopoulos, Arthur Mitchell, Jorge Donn, Isabelle Guérin, Jean-Yves Lormeau, Peter Martins, Susan Jaffe, Marie-Christine Mouis.

Contents

Dance excerpts (choreography by George Balanchine, except Romeo and Juliet): Movements for piano and orchestra (b&w) / danced in studio rehearsal by Suzanne Farrell, Jacques d'Amboise, and others -- Meditation (b&w) / danced by Farrell and d'Amboise -- Apollo (b&w) / danced by Farrell and d'Amboise -- Monumentum pro Gesualdo / studio rehearsal with Maria Calegari -- Don Quixote (b&w) / danced by Farrell and George Balanchine -- Scotch symphony (b&w) / danced by Farrell -- A midsummer night's dream / film version ; danced by Farrell with Conrad Ludlow (Titania's cavalier) and Richard Rapp (Bottom) -- Slaughter on Tenth Avenue / studio rehearsal with Heléne Alexopoulos -- Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (b&w) / danced by Farrell and Arthur Mitchell -- Concerto barocco (b&w) / danced by Farrell, Ludlow, and ensemble -- Romeo and Juliet / choreography, Maurice Béjart ; danced by Farrell and Jorge Dunn -- Tzigane / studio rehearsal with Isabelle Guérin and Jean-Yves Lormeau, Paris Opéra Ballet -- Tzigane / danced by Farrell and Peter Martins -- Tzigane / danced by Guérin (entrance only) -- Diamonds [from Jewels] / danced by Farrell and Peter Martins -- [Robert Schumann's] Davidsbündlertänze / danced by Farrell and d'Amboise -- Mozartiana / studio rehearsal with Susan Jaffe -- Chaconne / danced by Farrell and Martins -- Vienna waltzes / danced by Farrell -- Chaconne / studio rehearsal with Marie-Christine Mouis.

Call Number

*MGZIDVD 5-26

ISBN

0794200796

OCLC

144658758
NYPY97-F356

Title

Suzanne Farrell, elusive muse [videorecording] / a production of Seahorse Films in association with Thirteen/WNET ; directed by Anne Belle and Deborah Dickson ; produced by Anne Belle.

Imprint

New York, N.Y. : Fox Lorber CentreStage, distributed by WinStar TV & Video, c2001.

Credits

Co-producer, Catherine Tambini ; editor, Deborah Dickson ; cinematographer, Don Lenzer ; executive producer, David S. Singer ; sound recordist, Peter Miller.

Performer

Interviewees: Suzanne Farrell, with Donna Holly, Jacques d'Amboise, Arthur Mitchell, Paul Mejia, Edward Villella, Maurice Béjart, Marie-Christine Mouis [voice-over].

Dancers appearing in performance and rehearsal excerpts: Suzanne Farrell, George Balanchine, Jacques d'Amboise, Maria Calegari, Conrad Ludlow, Richard Rapp, Heléne Alexopoulos, Arthur Mitchell, Jorge Donn, Isabelle Guérin, Jean-Yves Lormeau, Peter Martins, Susan Jaffe, Marie-Christine Mouis.

Local Subject

Ballet in motion pictures. Midsummer night's dream.

Added Author

Farrell, Suzanne, 1945- dancer, interviewee.

Balanchine, George, choreographer.

Balanchine, George, dancer.

D'Amboise, Jacques, 1934-2021, dancer.

D'Amboise, Jacques, 1934-2021, interviewee.

Calegari, Maria, dancer.

Mitchell, Arthur, 1934- dancer.

Mitchell, Arthur, 1934- interviewee.

Ludlow, Conrad, dancer.

Rapp, Richard, dancer.

Alexopoulos, Helene, dancer.

Mejia, Paul, interviewee.

Villella, Edward, 1936- interviewee.

Béjart, Maurice, choreographer, interviewee.

Donn, Jorge, dancer.

Guérin, Isabelle, 1961- dancer.

Lormeau, Jean Yves, dancer.

Martins, Peter, 1946- dancer.

Jaffe, Susan, dancer.

Mouis, Marie Christine, dancer, interviewee.

Belle, Anne, director Producer

Dickson, Deborah, director Film editor

Tambini, Catherine. Producer

Lenzer, Don. Cinematographer

School of American Ballet.

New York City Ballet.

Ballet du XXe siècle (Belgium)

Opéra de Paris. Ballet.

Seahorse Films.

WNET (Television station : New York, N.Y.)

Fox Lorber CentreStage (Firm)

WinStar TV and Video (Firm)

DHCA.

Balanchine, George. Apollo

Balanchine, George. Scotch symphony.

Added Title

Suzanne Farrell, elusive muse (Motion picture)

Movements for piano and orchestra (Choreographic work : Balanchine)

Meditation (Choreographic work : Balanchine)

Don Quixote (Choreographic work : Balanchine)

Monumentum pro Gesualdo (Choreographic work : Balanchine)

Midsummer night's dream (Choreographic work : Balanchine)

Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (Choreographic work : Balanchine)

Concerto barocco (Choreographic work : Balanchine)

Romeo and Juliet (Choreographic work : Béjart)

Tzigane (Choreographic work : Balanchine)

Jewels (Choreographic work : Balanchine)

Robert Schumann's Davidsbündlertänze (Choreographic work : Balanchine)

Mozartiana (Choreographic work : Balanchine)

Chaconne (Choreographic work : Balanchine)

Vienna waltzes (Choreographic work : Balanchine)

Research Call Number

*MGZIDVD 5-26

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