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City Ballet The Podcast’s season finale has arrived with a fresh New Combinations episode, just in time for NYCB’s first ever digital New Works Festival. In the lead up to the Festival’s premiere, host Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan is joined by Sidra Bell, choreographer of the opening night work, and her father Dennis, who composed the commissioned score to her piece. Native New Yorkers and lifelong collaborators, the Bells describe the processes behind the creation of both the dance and the music, the ways in which their long-standing connections with Lincoln Center and New York City Ballet informed the work, and how this collaboration represents a “homecoming.” (27:15) Music: "Sisyphus" by Andrew Wegman Bird Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. as agent for Muffet Music Co

Host Silas Farley is back with another Hear the Dance episode, devoted to the creation of George Balanchine’s tale of toy romance, The Steadfast Tin Soldier. Farley is joined by former Principal Dancers Patricia McBride and Peter Schaufuss, on whom the ballet was created. The Steadfast Tin Soldier was the first ballet Balanchine made on Schaufuss, who danced with the Company for just three short but very formative years; this marked the second ballet for which Mr. B cast McBride as a doll, following 1974’s Coppélia, and she highlights here the differences in performing the two roles. Reunited for the first time after more than 40 years, the pair's recollections of the ballet's 1975 premiere in Saratoga Springs are as fresh as if it were yesterday. (1:06:28) Reading List for The Steadfast Tin Soldier: My Theatre Life by August Bournonville and Patricia McAndrew Letters on Dance and Choreography by August Bournonville and Knud Arne Jurgensen My Dearly Beloved Wife!—Letters from France and Italy, 1841 by August Bournonville, Knud Arne Jurgensen, et al The Fairy Tale of My Life: An Autobiography by Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales (Penguin Classics Edition) by Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen: The Life of a Storyteller by Jackie Wullschlager Dance in Saratoga Springs by Denise Warner Limoli Balanchine’s Ballerinas: Conversations with the Muses by Robert Tracy Dancing Across the Atlantic: USA-Denmark, 1900-2014 by Erik Aschengreen Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Jeux d'Enfants, Opp. 22-26, nos. 6, 3, 11, 12 (1871) by Georges Bizet Overture and Incidental Music to A Midsummer Night's Dream, opp. 61 (1842) by Felix Mendelssohn

This week’s edition of City Ballet The Podcast is the premiere broadcast of a live See the Music presentation on the score to Balanchine's Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet, recorded on the NYCB stage in 2019. Host and Resident Conductor Clotilde Otrantro walks us through the innovations and themes of Brahms’ original chamber music score, and indicates some of the choices Schoenberg made in the instrumentation for full orchestra in order to maintain the music’s various sombre moods, military vibes, and folk influences. Otranto is joined by the NYCB Orchestra for a number of evocative excerpts, transporting us to the romanticism of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. (13:33) Music: Symphony in Three Movements (1945) by Igor Stravinsky Piano Quartet in G minor, Op. 25 (1861) by Johannes Brahms, arr. by Arnold Schoenberg

In this second half of a special 2-part Hear the Dance episode celebrating the life and work of late choreographer Ulysses Dove, host Silas Farley interviews Ulysses’ brother Alfred, Director and Administrator of Ulysses’ estate. Beginning with his childhood in South Carolina and Georgia, Dove traces his brother’s transition from a talented pre-med student at Howard University to a dancer with the Merce Cunningham Company, to his first works as a choreographer commissioned by Alvin Ailey. Dove shares his recollections not only of Ulysses as a sibling, but as a creator, and discusses how continuing to engage with his brother’s works as they are performed by Companies today is like returning to an old friend—one that “gives the dancers the opportunity to live completely out loud… if they take the risk.” (46:49) Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten (1977) by Arvo Pärt Episodes (1987) by Robert Ruggieri

Former NYCB dancer Silas Farley is back to host a special 2-part episode of Hear the Dance devoted to the life and work of late choreographer Ulysses Dove. Beginning with a brief overview of Dove’s career, this part focuses on Red Angels, the first of two works he choreographed on NYCB. Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan, Pacific Northwest Ballet Artistic Director Peter Boal, and violinist Mary Rowell, all of whom performed in the ballet’s 1994 premiere, reunite to discuss Dove’s working style in the studio, the challenges presented by Red Angels’ unprecedented choreographic vocabulary, and the audience’s electric reaction on opening night. “It was all about owning your space and owning your voice,” says Whelan, “and that was Ulyssess at that time.” (45:21) Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Maxwell's Demon (1988-1990) by Richard Einhorn July (1961) by Michael Torke

City Ballet the Podcast is back with a new season of deep dives into the history and artistry of New York City Ballet. We begin by revisiting our very first See the Music episode to celebrate the premiere of the Digital Fall Season—and the All Balanchine program. NYCB’s Music Director Andrew Litton delves into the background of Bizet’s Symphony in C, a hidden treasure that, 80 years after its creation, found a new popularity with the help of George Balanchine. Litton also sits down with NYCB Orchestra’s principal oboist, Julia DeRosa, to discuss Symphony in C’s iconic oboe solo and the intricacies of playing an instrument that is integral to so many ballet scores. (26:12) Music: Symphony in Three Movements (1945) by Igor Stravinsky Symphony No. 1 in C major (1855) by Georges Bizet All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra.

Hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Aarón Sanz wrap up this season of City Ballet The Podcast with their last episode of The Rosin Box, responding to a selection of questions submitted by NYCB Instagram followers. Along with Claire and Aarón, NYCB dancers Jared Angle, Teresa Reichlen, Lauren King, Meaghan Dutton-O’Hara, and Mary Elizabeth Sell answer: what do you like about the Balanchine style, and what are your funniest dance memories? Why did you choose NYCB? Tune in for their responses to these questions and more. From all of us at NYCB, thank you for listening to Season Five, and we’ll be back with new episodes in September. (40:00) Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records

In this week’s Rosin Box episode, hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Aarón Sanz discuss injuries, wellness, and fitness—three important, intertwined aspects of a dancer’s development and ongoing practice. They are joined by NYCB’s Health and Wellness Coordinator, Marika Molnar, PT, LAC, who helped create the first physical therapy program for an American dance company in 1980, with George Balanchine’s support; and Physical Therapist Dirk Hartog, DPT, whose essential cross-training classes continue to help NYCB’s dancers stay in shape remotely. Claire and Aarón also answer a question submitted by one of NYCB’s Instagram followers: How do you relax after a performance? (47:00) Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records

Hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Aarón Sanz are back for another season of The Rosin Box, recorded remotely but with all the exclusive behind-the-scenes access intact. This week, NYCB dancers and longtime roommates Marika Anderson and Daniel Applebaum join the discussion, on touring: adjusting to new stages, packing performance necessities (and souvenirs), and the pleasures—and perils—of exploring new cuisines. Plus, Claire and Aarón answer a question submitted over NYCB's Instagram: What’s your schedule like during quarantine? (35:30) Music: ""Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records

This week’s New Combinations episode of City Ballet The Podcast features two recordings of Inside NYCB presentations made at Lincoln Center. The first is a conversation between choreographer Pam Tanowitz and NYCB Ballet Master Craig Hall, just two days after the 2019 premiere of her Bartók Ballet; Tanowitz describes her collaborative approach to the rehearsal studio, sharing that she’ll warn dancers, “If you don’t want to do something, don’t show me, because I’ll love it.” Resident Choreographer Justin Peck is interviewed by former Miami City Ballet dancer Michael Breeden in the second half of the episode, reflecting on his personal history as a choreographer, from tap dancing at age nine to tweaking works commissioned and performed by the Company. (19:11) Music:  String Quartet No. 5 (1934) by Béla Bartόk USA III: Rail (2012) by Dan Deacon Sisyphus (2019) by Andrew Bird

In the second half of our two-part Hear the Dance on Balanchine’s Diamonds, host Silas Farley is joined by Principal Dancer Sara Mearns, who has performed the lead role for over 12 years with seven different partners—for seven very different experiences. Mearns takes us through a detailed play-by-play of dancing this regal, demanding movement from Jewels, from the slow opening, which allows her to warm up, to the physically challenging dancing to come, and through to the triumphant, emotional conclusion. (36:15) Music: Pelléas et Mélisande (1898) by Gabriel Fauré Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra (1929) by Igor Stravinsky Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29 (1875) by Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky Recommended Reading:  1) Holding On to the Air: An Autobiography by Suzanne Farrell and Toni Bentley        2) Dancing for Balanchine by Merrill Ashley      3) George Balanchine: Ballet Master: A Biography by Richard Buckle in Collaboration with John Taras

The newest episode of Hear the Dance is a special two-part discussion of Diamonds, the glittering final movement of Balanchine's Jewels, from the perspective of the lead ballerina. In this first installment, host Silas Farley interviews iconic former Principal Dancer Merrill Ashley, who recalls learning the corps role in her first season as a member of the Company, and the many factors that aligned in her eventually making her debut in the lead role. Now, as a répéteur with the Balanchine Trust, Ashley has taught Jewels to companies in America and abroad; as she describes it, this particular movement in the ballet is “cool, but hot—like a diamond.” (36:33) Music: Pelléas et Mélisande (1898) by Gabriel Fauré Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra (1929) by Igor Stravinsky Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29 (1875) by Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky Recommended Reading: 1) Holding On to the Air: An Autobiography by Suzanne Farrell and Toni Bentley        2) Dancing for Balanchine by Merrill Ashley      3) George Balanchine: Ballet Master: A Biography by Richard Buckle in Collaboration with John Taras

“This is a hot summer day, in a studio, in New York City.” So former NYCB dancer Dr. Afshin Mofid recalls Jerome Robbins’ description of the setting and mood of his Afternoon of a Faun, an innocently sensual pas de deux that premiered on NYCB’s stage in 1953. In this installment of Hear the Dance, hosted by Silas Farley, Mofid joins former NYCB Principal Dancer Kay Mazzo to share their memories of rehearsing with Robbins and performing Faun, a formative ballet for both of their careers. (50:27) Music: Prélude á l'Après-midi d'un Faune (1892-1894) by Claude Debussy Recommended Reading: 1) Diaghilev: A Life by Sjeng Scheijen 2) Nijinsky Dancing by Lincoln Kirstein 3) Somewhere: The Life of Jerome Robbins by Amanda Vaill 4) Jerome Robbins, by Himself: Selections from His Letters, Journals, Drawings, Photographs, and an Unfinished Memoir by Jerome Robbins, edited by Amanda Vaill

In the second part of this special edition of Hear the Dance, Silas Farley and former NYCB Principal Dancer Patricia McBride continue their expansive conversation on her impressive career—from working with George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, to the oral tradition between ballet dancers as they hand down roles over the years, to her current career teaching the Balanchine technique and more to the students of Charlotte Ballet in North Carolina, where she is the Associate Artistic Director, and where Silas began his own ballet training. McBride shares intimate recollections of her years on the NYCB stage, including how her own “decorations” continue in present-day performances of many of the ballets she originated. (35:58) Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Apollon Musagéte (1928) by Igor Stravinsky Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra (1929) by Igor Stravinsky Symphony No. 1 in C major (1855) by Georges Bizet Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 56, 'Scotch,' (1842) by Felix Mendelssohn

The latest episode of City Ballet The Podcast is a special two-part Hear the Dance, hosted by NYCB Soloist Silas Farley, with special guest Patricia McBride. Her illustrious 30-year career with NYCB—highlighted by her promotion to principal dancer at just 18 years old—included 60 different roles, 30 of which were created for her. In this first part of their wide-ranging discussion, Farley and McBride discuss her early years in the Company and working with Balanchine, through the 1964 premiere of Rubies. (41:23) Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Apollon Musagéte (1928) by Igor Stravinsky Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra (1929) by Igor Stravinsky Symphony No. 1 in C major (1855) by Georges Bizet Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 56, 'Scotch,' (1842) by Felix Mendelssohn

This week’s edition of Hear the Dance with Silas Farley is a special live recording of Inside NYCB on Apollo, captured during 2018’s annual Saturday at the Ballet with George event celebrating Balanchine. Joined by NYCB Music Director Andrew Litton, Silas discusses the legacy of and compositional inspirations for Balanchine’s first active collaboration with composer Igor Stravinsky; the oldest ballet in the Company’s repertory, Apollo was a foundational piece for both NYCB and the choreographer. The presentation includes a demonstration accompanied by Piano Soloist Nancy McDill, and concludes with a brief word from Ballet Master Craig Hall on the unique, inspiring challenges of performing the lead role. (26:35) Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Apollon Musagéte (1928) by Igor Stravinsky Reading List: Apollo's Angels: A History of Ballet by Jennifer Homans Stravinsky and Balanchine: A Journey of Invention by Charles M. Joseph I Was a Dancer by Jacques d'Amboise Stravinsky in the Theatre (1947 Issue of Lincoln Kirstein's Magazine, Dance Index) by George Balanchine, Aaron Copland, et al

City Ballet The Podcast is back with a new edition of See the Music originally recorded at a 2018 performance. Resident Conductor Daniel Capps gives a brief history of Tschaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 3, the composer’s final completed orchestral work. Joined by Solo Pianist Elaine Chelton and the NYCB Orchestra, Capps demonstrates the concerto’s unique development from a three-movement symphony to the bravura piano piece as it is currently performed, and to which Balanchine choreographed his 1956 ballet Allegro Brillante. (15:50) Music: Piano Concerto No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 75 (1892) by Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky

In this special bonus episode of See the Music recorded live in the David H. Koch Theater, Resident Conductor Daniel Capps briefly surveys the history and unique musical qualities of Aaron Copland’s Rodeo, which provides the score for Justin Peck’s Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes. Capps and the NYCB Orchestra demonstrate how Copland uses familiar folk songs and rhythmic invention to convey a distinct Americanness, achieving for the piece a place in the “very fabric of American identity.” (13:13) Music: Rodeo (1942) by Aaron Copland All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra.

In this week’s episode of See the Music, NYCB Music Director Andrew Litton introduces us to the score of Jerome Robbins’ In G Major: Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto from 1931. With live demonstrations on the piano, Litton explores the American influences and jazzy nuances of this late work from the French impressionist composer, relating which passage he considers “achingly beautiful” and his personal connection to the piece. (24:28) Music:  Symphony in Three Movements (1945) by Igor Stravinsky Piano Concerto in G Major (1928-31) by Maurice Ravel

In a lively, wide-ranging discussion about the relationship between music and choreography, Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan is joined by composer Nico Muhly, who is currently collaborating on a new work with Justin Peck premiering at NYCB on February 26. Muhly muses on the manner in which ballet has enriched his appreciation of the works of Stravinsky, why he loves watching from the wings, and how his newest work is like a musical scavenger hunt for Peck. (42:36) Music: "Sisyphus" by Andrew Wegman Bird Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. as agent for Muffet Music Co