At The Ballet – A Musical Scandal

Terry Teachout attends City Ballet’s latest Balanchine installment and is appaled by the orchestra: “I learned long ago not to expect miracles out of the NYCB pit orchestra, but I was shocked by what I heard. The playing of the string section in both pieces was ill-tuned and inaccurate, and in the case of Concerto Barocco the performance, particularly in the first movement, was so rhythmically uncertain as to adversely affect the quality of the dancing on stage. Dancers can’t do their job when they’re not sure what tempo to take. My friend was appalled. I was embarrassed.”