After my initial introduction to the company, which was one class the previous day with Mr. Balanchine, my schedule began in earnest. I didn't play class that first day of work (guess they were giving me a little time to become accustomed to rehearsals), but I did have a 2-hour rehearsal of LIEBESLIEDER beginning at noon with Mr. Balanchine and the dancers. So I met the principal soloists about whom I had heard so much and indeed had seen onstage in performance. (Patricia McBride, Frank Ohman, Karin von Aroldingen, Peter Martins, Kay Mazzo, Conrad Ludlow, Violette Verdy, Jean-Pierre Bonnefous). These 4 couples would be the performing cast...and also were going to be filmed in Berlin the following year, I believe (as was I, although I didn't know that yet). We started with the Group Dances, and I have to say that playing the score was NOT so easy as I had the 4-handed version and needed to read both parts as well as the singers lines if they had the melody. (Of course, I had practiced the music beforehand, but only had one day to get it ready. This was par for the course, I learned.....as the schedule only was posted at the end of the day or early the next morning). However, all went quite well....then Robert Irving came in and played the piano duet with me for a bit (about 10 minutes). But he got bored and left! I was also trying to write the various steps in the score (learn the choreography), so I would know where Mr. B. was....when he said "take it from the -----." That was the most challenging part of rehearsals....to know WHERE they were starting from! If I looked blank, he would sing the music......he always knew where HE was!
That rehearsal ended, and while I didn't have the opportunity to talk much with the dancers, they were all very nice and friendly to me. Kay Mazzo, for example, invited me for coffee. She and I became good friends quite soon.
The following rehearsal for me was the Corps de Ballet (no principals) in SYMPHONY IN C (Bizet)....first movement. That score is not difficult to play, but was (and still is) handwritten (which always presents a few challenges.) This rehearsal was under the auspices of Rosemary Dunleavy, ballet mistress for many years. She was always very clear, and unflappable, and (I thought) very easy to work with. After the first movement part had finished, she said, "now take it from the Finale step." Hmmm...I had not a clue what THAT meant, so asked her where the 'Finale Step' was located. To make matters more confusing, there was ALSO a first movement finale step in THAT movement, but we had just rehearsed it. She did know this was my first day of rehearsal, so she came over and said, "the Finale step is in the Fourth Movement; each movement dancers re-enter and dance.....and then everyone dances all together." A bit flustered, I DID find the marking....FIRST MOVT. FINALE....and played it. Thank goodness, she knew where to tell me to look, or I would have been searching throughout the music! (When I think back to that day, I can recall exactly how I felt.....a bit panicky and flustered. Of course Symphony in C is 'old hat' to me now...I can play it from memory.... but at the time, was another story.) The dancers, of course, didn't realize how mysterious things could be for a pianist, and some got impatient when I didn't comply immediately with Rosemary's directions.
The next hour was scheduled for the Third Movement Corps de Ballet (again, no principals....they would have a separate rehearsal). Now the Third Movement is somewhat complicated to play, mainly because of the number of repeats in it. And one has to turn back a page for the first repeat. So I decided to just memorize the music on the previous so I wouldn't be struggling with the pages. Then at the end of the movement, one has to turn back all the way to the beginning....and play the entire movement again! (That maneuver required setting up the turn-back of several pages...by placing a book to mark the place!) Of course, there is a Finale Step in the 4th Movement for the Third Movement as well. By this time, I knew where to find it! Then there is a FINALE FINALE step for everyone in the ballet to dance, and the ballet concludes! (Does this sound confusing? Well...it definitely is.) By this time, I had decided that I would ask Gordon or Jerry Zimmerman (the other piano soloist) for assistance in ensuing ballets. One needs a roadmap for some of these works, thought I. There is nothing like learning on the job, but it is quite nervewracking, I have to say.
I think it was during this rehearsal that I met a girl who would become my closest friend in the company, and in my life as well....her name is Marilee Stiles. (She lives in Seattle as well with her screenwriter husband, Stewart Stern.) She came over to the piano with 2 other dancers....Rene Estopinal, Elise Flagg, and Margie Spohn. They were very friendly....and said to me that I didn't seem nervous at all in class or rehearsals. (Hmm....I thought to myself, if they only knew!) Rene mentioned that other pianists had come to play class and were so nervous, they couldn't do it! But, they said, "you are not afraid at all....that is amazing! We hope you will stay....it can be lots of fun." (Well, I thought, perhaps after a while it will be, although at the moment, I didn't think so.) But I was not going to give up...I considered this a challenge, and I am not one to shrink from challenges or obstacles.) So...the die was cast. I decided right then that I was going to stay and become part of this huge family.
The next day's schedule was posted, and I saw that my name was listed as pianist for one of JEROME ROBBINS' (Jerry) ballets.....(THE CONCERT). Oh Boy! I had heard a great deal about him....shall we say....and was a little concerned. I knew he was someone to be reckoned with! Fortunately, after being shown the Chopin music by Jerry Zimmerman, who was the onstage solo pianist for that ballet, I realized that I already knew all the pieces in that ballet. But it had been a while since I had played/performed them....so knew I had to practice ALL of them later at home to prepare for the following day. Which I did....and afterwards, really felt like I HAD accomplished something that day. I shall describe my various experiences with Jerry....in the next installment, so STAY TUNED!!!
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