Paul Collaborates On World Premiere NYC Ballet
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What I find interesting about the critiques of the ballet are that you have two ballet novices in Paul and Stella, who both took a huge leap with this undertaking. One review referred to the ballet as "ballet for beginners," I think as an intended insult. But what was the purpose of bringing in two big names in Paul and Stella? Opening ballet to a wider audience. To do that, you can't exactly create a complex piece that will lose the intended audience of ballet newbies. The story was simple enough that you could follow it, the costumes were out there enough to be interesting to folks, and the dance was not overwhelming, but it was stripped down and simple enough to go with the stripped down and simple storyline. Again, I will happily admit that I'm not a fan of the ballet, but the fact that I was glued to my seat and the hour flew by for me was, to me, a good indication that the whole package worked well. Just my two cents. Or more like a dime.
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walliebaby:
What I find interesting about the critiques of the ballet are that you have two ballet novices in Paul and Stella, who both took a huge leap with this undertaking. One review referred to the ballet as "ballet for beginners," I think as an intended insult. But what was the purpose of bringing in two big names in Paul and Stella? Opening ballet to a wider audience. To do that, you can't exactly create a complex piece that will lose the intended audience of ballet newbies. The story was simple enough that you could follow it, the costumes were out there enough to be interesting to folks, and the dance was not overwhelming, but it was stripped down and simple enough to go with the stripped down and simple storyline. Again, I will happily admit that I'm not a fan of the ballet, but the fact that I was glued to my seat and the hour flew by for me was, to me, a good indication that the whole package worked well. Just my two cents. Or more like a dime.
Personally, I don't think having Stella McCartney creating the costumes really brought in people wanting to see this ballet. I think it was all about Paul McCartney and the music he was creating and for the most part critics thought it was ok . A good/great choreographer can work with any score and still have a decent ballet which was pointed out by the NY Times critic. Mr. Martins who has plenty of experience was the one who got the brunt of the criticism for his choreography which was said to be "stale" . From the reviews I have read, Mr. Martins has been "panned" quite a bit over the last few years so this is not something new.
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walliebaby:
I don't know that it would have much to do with ego, or whether it would have more to do with whether Peter and Stella feel the critics' points are valid.
While Stella is a wonderful designer it is quite different creating costumes for a ballet dancer for obvious reasons. I made the point about ego because when you reach the top of your profession like Stella and Peter, sometimes you think everything you do is wonderful and have a hard time accepting criticism.
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Michelley:
hey_kittay:
I was not at the Primere of Ocean's Kingdom. So I know nothing first hand of the performance of the dancers, choreography, etc... But I have an inkling that if Peter Martins had the musical score of some unknown or lesser known composer to choreograph this ballet for, he would not be getting "bad reviews." I feel the critics are putting Paul's music on a pedestal, just because his name is on it, and Peter is getting slammed for not having, "done more with it." Not that Paul's music is not wonderful,we know it is, but I think anyone who agrees to choreograph the score for Paul McCartney has got balls, knowing the scrutiny they will be subjected to, as we now see! Congratulations Peter Martins, The NYC Ballet Dancers and Stella for the brilliant costumes!
Well it's not that simple. Peter Martins has been under fire from the NY critics for a LONG time for what they view as 20 years of stale choreography. Yes, the project was high-profile because of Paul's music. But people have been saying this about Martins for years. I doubt Paul knew that (not being a ballet insider). If anything, it seems like the NY critics used Paul's ballet to send a strong message to Martins. And they succeeded. For years, they've been trashing Peter's choreography of lesser known composers and no one cared. But Paul's notoriety gave them an opportunity to trash Peter's work and get those stories on the front page of most NY newspapers. I feel bad for the man. It's almost like they want to see him fired or retired. Paul (and his score) kind of got caught in the crossfire.
Having attended quite a few ballets in my time and having two daughters who majored in dance in college, I would have love to see this ballet to make my own judgement. I think your point is a very valid one, McCartney's high profile gave critics a chance to really send a message about Mr. Martins. The bad thing for McCartney is that the headlines had his name but if you read the full reviews, most thought the music was ok and it was the choreography that got "blasted" the most.
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yankeefan7:
walliebaby:
I don't know that it would have much to do with ego, or whether it would have more to do with whether Peter and Stella feel the critics' points are valid.
While Stella is a wonderful designer it is quite different creating costumes for a ballet dancer for obvious reasons. I made the point about ego because when you reach the top of your profession like Stella and Peter, sometimes you think everything you do is wonderful and have a hard time accepting criticism.
But the truth is, that applies to Paul, too. While critics generally praised the music, they were critical of the libretto (storyline) which Paul created. Someone should have said, "Paul, your storyline needs to be sharper and here's where it's weak." But perhaps Peter Martins was intimidated (or star struck) working with Paul. I would think that happens a lot with Paul. People are afraid to criticize.
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I think the whole thing could have benefitted from a bit more work all around. I think they rushed it all out to get it done for this season and they pretty much accomplished what they wanted to do which was to cause a buzz around the ballet and to make some money, which is the bottom line as far as everything is concerned. I spoke to people in the office numerous times and each and every time they commented how they had never experienced anything like this before in terms of interest and how thrilled they all were. So with that in mind, mission accomplished big time. Now artistically it may have suffered, although I do have to say along with others here, that the music was pleasant enough, the dance was good enough and the the ballet was short enough to keep your attention throughout, so if that is a parameter than once again mission accomplished. I really think that was the best anyone could have hoped for.
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There is a new video out on the mainpage with more music and digital notes that are followed with a light ray. as a collector of science fiction sound scores (I used to get into John Williams when he was billed as Johnny Williams from the mid-60s) this is totally my type of music.
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Michelley:
yankeefan7:
walliebaby:
I don't know that it would have much to do with ego, or whether it would have more to do with whether Peter and Stella feel the critics' points are valid.
While Stella is a wonderful designer it is quite different creating costumes for a ballet dancer for obvious reasons. I made the point about ego because when you reach the top of your profession like Stella and Peter, sometimes you think everything you do is wonderful and have a hard time accepting criticism.
But the truth is, that applies to Paul, too. While critics generally praised the music, they were critical of the libretto (storyline) which Paul created. Someone should have said, "Paul, your storyline needs to be sharper and here's where it's weak." But perhaps Peter Martins was intimidated (or star struck) working with Paul. I would think that happens a lot with Paul. People are afraid to criticize.
I think your point is valid but I think McCartney would have listened to criticism of the storyline because he has never written one for a ballet.
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I'm not so sure Paul would have listened to criticism, to be honest. I also don't think Paul goes into anything blind. If anyone out there thinks Paul didn't look into other librettos or ballet music before this undertaking, I have a bridge to sell you. lol Paul is a smart guy, and he has a cracker-jack staff around him who I'm sure did some research prior to him beginning his work.
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Well, I think Paul takes the criticism for what they are. All his life has been the subject of them. I also believe that when he takes the decision to do the music for the ballet, did not think to write the script, was something that happened. Maybe that's the problem. In the interview he gave to the BBC said that he often do not know how to stop when the challenge is interesting. The important thing is that even if the criticism is harsh with him, need not prove nothing at this stage of his career. It's just one more experience in his gifted life. Good for him!!! 2:
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Paul met Peter Martins at a ballet gala last year that he and Nancy went to. Peter Martins made a remark about him writing music for ballet and it went from there to the NYC ballet commissioning Paul to write the music.
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So I guess the question now is: How much of a career mis-step is this for Paul? Certainly it gives ammunition to all the classical-music "experts" who seem irritated that Paul even tries to compose in this realm. And the fact that Paul hugely promoted this ballet meant that he has had to take an embarrassing amount of bad publicity lately with words like "bland" and "trite" attached to his name. It's really a shame as Paul's had such a great year, what with the rave reviews for his summer tour and the good-to-great reviews of his two reissues. It's two steps forward, one step back. I applaud him for taking the risk as an artist but perhaps the whole thing should have been less heavily promoted and treated more as an experiment and a work in progress than the high expectations that were built. But hindsight, as they say.
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So many audience members have shared that this ballet gave them a lot of pleasure that I don't think Paul should have misgivings, at all. After all the audience is the most important thing and most of them we've heard from have stated that "Ocean's Kingdom" was pleasurable and enjoyable to experience. That's the nitty gritty and bottom line for Macca, I'd wager That--favorable audience response--and the actual process of creating.
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According to the Huffington Post review, the rapturous applause was on the first night only, when Paul was in the house. But on subsequent shows, the applause was "polite." There is no way that Paul McCartney is satisfied with reviews of his work that use words like "unremarkable" and "banal." And if he is, then maybe that's why the ballet got the reviews it did. But something tells me he hoped for more, and was clearly let down by Peter Martins who had dollar signs in his eyes and did not give this work the staging it deserved.
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I read that too...that the nights following the opening night attendance has been back to normal=waaay down. Everyone was there just to see Paul!
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If Martins was in it mostly for the money, why didn't he try the very hardest he could to jazz up the dancing and make it all fancy, busy, memorable every second to get people's fannys in the seats for all the performances--plus he knew the vast amount of attention his work would receive since McCartney was attached--if he's mediocre then why and how does he hold that high position in ballet? Not trying to contradict, just wondering. It's a big puzzle. I did see a kind of bitter look on Paul's face in one of the photos, as if thinking "what are they gonna write about our ballet." Highbrow critics or any kind but especially highbrow seem not to mind tearing things down, quite the contrary. An enormous amount of work goes into a major creative pursuit of that sort but I guess they could all always have busted their a-----s even more, slaved away even more laboriously and intensely. Then finally they have to say they're satisfied enough with the finished product to declare it finished and send it out into the world. Either that, or postpone or cancel the production. Ironically, mixed reviews can make one even more curious and eager to behold the work for oneself, and come up with one's own verdict. I hope for a DVD of this one day. But I don't know much about ballet Would at least be able to tell if it holds my attention and the dance moves look graceful, exciting, or whatever to fit the music, and if the music sounds good.
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I saw the ballet last Saturday and as you all mentioned the dancers had some problems with the choreography, maybe more reharsals will help, but my comment has to do more with the audience's reaction to the function and I have to say that it was quite cold and going out I listened to a lot of people criticising the ballet in a hard way. Don't know if it has to do with the director of the company or some decisions done to rush the debut in order to attract people to the ballet, but the general perception was dissapointing
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Mayte_Mex:
I saw the ballet last Saturday and as you all mentioned the dancers had some problems with the choreography, maybe more reharsals will help, but my comment has to do more with the audience's reaction to the function and I have to say that it was quite cold and going out I listened to a lot of people criticising the ballet in a hard way. Don't know if it has to do with the director of the company or some decisions done to rush the debut in order to attract people to the ballet, but the general perception was dissapointing
If professional dancers had problems with the choreograpy than obviously it was not rehearsed enough. This was a golden opportunity for the ballet to get some positive media attention due to McCartney's involvement and it appears they blew it.
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SusyLuvsPaul:
If Martins was in it mostly for the money, why didn't he try the very hardest he could to jazz up the dancing and make it all fancy, busy, memorable every second to get people's fannys in the seats for all the performances--plus he knew the vast amount of attention his work would receive since McCartney was attached--if he's mediocre then why and how does he hold that high position in ballet? Not trying to contradict, just wondering. It's a big puzzle. I did see a kind of bitter look on Paul's face in one of the photos, as if thinking "what are they gonna write about our ballet." Highbrow critics or any kind but especially highbrow seem not to mind tearing things down, quite the contrary. An enormous amount of work goes into a major creative pursuit of that sort but I guess they could all always have busted their a-----s even more, slaved away even more laboriously and intensely. Then finally they have to say they're satisfied enough with the finished product to declare it finished and send it out into the world. Either that, or postpone or cancel the production. Ironically, mixed reviews can make one even more curious and eager to behold the work for oneself, and come up with one's own verdict. I hope for a DVD of this one day. But I don't know much about ballet Would at least be able to tell if it holds my attention and the dance moves look graceful, exciting, or whatever to fit the music, and if the music sounds good.
Like I said below, if professional dancers are having trouble with the choreograpy than obviously to me they were not ready. Granted this has nothing to do withn the quality of the choreography but has plenty to do with the entire production. Why Mr. Martins still has his high position after years of being "slammed" for his choreography is probably political.I agree and would love to see it for myself and have my daughters see it also to make a judgement.
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I'm going to go back to an idea that was floated earlier in this thread This ballet is not for the advanced ballet fan. Paul is a ballet novice, and he wrote music and a story as such. A lot of the reviews that are the most critical are written by people who belong to the advanced ballet fan category, many of whom also seem to have been frothing at the mouth to have a reason to skewer Peter Martins. I'm a ballet novice, and I really enjoyed the producation. The music was the highlight for me, as I enjoy classical music. I wasn't blow away by the dancing, but I thought it was good enough to capture my attention for the full performance. I don't know that I would consider this ballet to be a mis-step in Paul's career, as the reviews of the music have been kind (at least in comparison to the savaging Peter is getting). I'm sure this isn't the reception Paul wanted for his first ballet, but it could be a lot worse--he could be getting the treatment Peter Martins is in the reviews. wink