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12/06/2016 04:00 PMLincoln Center is getting a little bit closer and more convenient to attend this December, courtesy of a new program being introduced at the Essex Public Library (EPL). Lincoln Center Local is a streaming program that allows libraries and other organizations across the country to set up public streaming broadcasts of its archived performances.
“They had a booth at the Connecticut Library Association annual meeting,” said Ann Thompson, head of Adult Services at EPL. “They run a workshop, teach you how to run the programs, what their goals are. We listened to members of Lincoln Center, and representatives from New York school systems and libraries to learn about the range of programming available, and how we could build upon the experience locally with speakers and related reading.
“It is an amazing way to bring culture and art to people who might not be able to access it otherwise,” continued Thompson. “It is all free. In this area especially, both price point and lack of proximity to different opportunities and experiences are prohibitive. Some people can’t make the journey out to the city, and the tickets are expensive. Lincoln Center Local is a step towards greater accessibility for our patrons.”
The library will be looking at streaming operas, different forms of dance theater, and symphony music, encouraged by the response from the community to currently offered programming.
“We had a Monday opera series that was very popular,” said Thompson. “We also had a music history program that had 27 people attend at 1 p.m. on a Wednesday.”
Asked about what the community stands to gain from this program, Thompson said, “participants gain knowledge about different forms of intelligence. It is especially inspiring for children, who are exposed to an aesthetic experience not found in school.”
The first screening will be a production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker performed by the New York City Ballet, a piece that has become iconic of the holiday season, and is one of the most recognizable presentations of the ballet. Adding to the experience, local architect and retired dancer Mary M. Wilson will be giving a brief introductory talk before the ballet begins.
Wilson, a former ballerina with American Ballet Theatre, is intimately knowledgeable about this production, and the history of The Nutcracker ballet, something she plans on discussing with attendees, along with why Balanchine’s choreography in particular has become so iconic of the production, and of Christmastime.
“I started doing ballet when I was eight years old, and was in a production of this ballet as one of the party kids,” said Wilson. “This show has many roles that dancers can graduate from as they increase their skills and grow as dancers.
“From the party kids, to the mice and soldiers, the Arabian, the snowflakes, dancers are always faced with a new challenge. It keeps it fresh for us, too,” continued Wilson.
While acknowledging that keeping the experience fresh for audiences is a professional challenge, Wilson said that she actually misses the production.
“It becomes a part of your holiday and Christmas tradition,” said Wilson. “For kids especially it is great because it gives them an opportunity to dance alongside professionals and learn how the theater works. It’s quite magical. For those who don’t have the opportunity to see a lot of ballet or dance theater it is the perfect introductory level and expands the audience because it can appeal to children and adults. Children love the acting in the party scene and the first act, and there is a lot of technique on display in the second act. The tree growing is also a favorite moment for many.”
That is not to say that the ballet doesn’t have its critics.
“It is very dated; it was first choreographed in Russia in the 1890s and it is very much a product of its time,” said Wilson. “Many productions choose to update it.”
She explained that the ballet wasn’t originally a holiday production, nor was it very popular in Russia.
“In some ways it has become iconic because of some of Balanchine’s changes. He was the first to use children in the roles of the party kids, and of Clara and the Nutcracker Prince,” said Wilson. “As an audience member it became easier to relate to.”
When part of American Ballet Theatre, Wilson performed in many different editions of and productions of The Nutcracker, and herself danced upon the Metropolitan Opera stage in Lincoln Center during American Ballet Theatre’s eight-week season at the Met. The New York City Ballet has established a tradition of using Balanchine’s choreography, preserving it as a living museum piece and a part of American ballet history.
Asked if she ever had a favorite role or piece, Wilson said, “I was in the corps and I enjoyed the Waltz of the Snowflakes. But I like them all, actually. Each time it was a little bit different, and a little bit of a different challenge.”
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker danced by the New York City Ballet will be screened on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 4 p.m. at the Essex Public Library.