Coals in Newcastle

When the American Ballet Theater announced that it would invade ballet-wise Moscow this fall, U.S. critics feared that the once-great company--which was disbanded two years ago and gradually reformed early this year--might disgrace the U.S. in Russia. Wrote New York Times Dance Critic John Martin: "Has Newcastle asked for coals? In the unlikely case that it has, assuredly it should not be given cinders." Last week in Moscow the American Ballet Theater proved itself something more than cinders.

As Khrushchev's wife and youngest daughter watched from a box of the Stanislavsky Theater, Maria Tallchief and Erik Bruhn glided through the Black Swan pas de deux from Swan Lake. The troupe also leapt and lassoed its way through the Aaron Copland and Agnes de Mille ballet Rodeo and George Balanchine's abstract Theme and Variations, set to Tchaikovsky music. The Russians admired Tallchief and Bruhn, were politely confused by the unclassic vigor of the American originals, but clapped the entire company back for six curtain calls after their debut.

The press notices were less ecstatic but favorable. On the last night of the troupe's three-day Moscow stint--they will return later, after touring other Russian cities--the audience included Russian Composer Aram Khatchaturian and Bolshoi Ballerina Maya Plisetskaya, who was heard to murmur about one of the company's modern works: "I wish they would create something like that for me."

Even more impressive to the Russians, at one of their own artistic games, was George London, Canadian-born U.S. bass-baritone, who last week became the first American ever to sing Boris Godunov in Russia. It was, admitted London, "like a Japanese ballplayer being invited to play first base for the Yankees." The negotiations leading to his invitation, said London, almost broke down during the U-2 incident, but, he added wryly, "what was I supposed to do--chicken?" London, who has performed the role often in the U.S. and Europe, had only three days to rehearse with the Bolshoi Opera. He proved to be in top form, sang his part in near-perfect Russian (although he does not speak the language). The audience gave him a standing ovation and eight curtain calls. Said London: "This is the climax of a life-long dream."

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