Curtain Call - New York City Ballet

Curtain Call

Few celebrations in ballet's rich history can rival the evening of November 24, 1998, at the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center when well over 250 Company members – past and present – filled the stage to mark New York City Ballet's 50th Anniversary as part of the 1998 Opening Night Gala. It was an unparalleled assemblage of great artists representing five decades of brilliant dancing. New York City Ballet is pleased to share this memorable moment with you.

Limits on photography, time and memory make it impossible to identify every dancer on stage that evening. What follows are those individuals who can be clearly recognized, in their approximate order of appearance. See how many you can name.

50th Anniversary Curtain Call 1
Photo © Costas		 50th Anniversary Curtain Call 2
Photo © Costas

Approximately Left to Right, First Row to Back Rows:
First Row: (L.) Yvonne Mounsey (red gown), Patricia Wilde (black gown), Kyra Nichols (brown gown), Valentina Kozlova (cream gown), Merrill Ashley (red gown), Judith Green (black gown), Allegra Kent (blue dress), Kay Mazzo (white dress).

Next Rows: (L.) Mikhail Baryshnikov, Elyse Borne, Ethan Stiefel, Carol Sumner, Philip Neal (in costume), Wendy Whelan (in costume), Colleen Neary (white dress), Sean Lavery. (L.) Glorianne Hicks, Nancy Reynolds, Carole Divet, Marisa Cerveris, Deborah Wingert, Jade Adams, Alexandre Proia, Bruce Wells, Christopher Fleming. (L.) Francis Sackett, Elizabeth Walker, Paul Sackett, Margo Krody Blutt, Roland Vazquez, Afshin Mofid, Gerard Ebitz, Brian Reeder.

Approximately Left to Right, First Row to Back Rows:
First Row: (L.) Merrill Ashley (red gown), Judith Green (black gown), Allegra Kent (blue dress), Wendy Whelan (in costume), Kay Mazzo (white dress), Mimi Paul (black gown), Carolyn George (with camera), Jacques d’Amboise, Melissa Hayden (black gown, back to camera), Jillana (black gown).

Next Rows: (L.) Miranda Weese (in costume), Philip Neal (in costume), Colleen Neary (white dress), Sean Lavery, Roland Vazquez, Florence Fitzgerald, Christine Redpath, Leonid Kozlov. (L.) Deborah Wingert, Alex Kotymski, Renee Estopinal, Lisa de Ribere, Christopher Fleming, Margo Krody Blutt, Tatiana Garcia-Stefanovich, Anna Liceica, Christopher MacDougall. (L.) Gerard Ebitz (with arm raised), Afshin Mofid, Paul Frame, Dolores Houston, Brian Reeder.
50th Anniversary Curtain Call 3
Photo © Costas

Approximately Left to Right, First Row to Back Rows:
First Row: (L.) Arthur Mitchell, Sara Leland (black gown), Jillana (black gown), Suzanne Farrell (black gown), Maria Tallchief (black sequin gown, arm raised), Maria Calegari (black gown), Patricia McBride (black gown), Karin von Aroldingen (black gown).

Next Rows: (L.) Victor Castelli, Susan Hendl, Daniel Duell, Susan Pilarre (white dress, partially obscured), Gloria Govrin (black v-neck gown), Robert Weiss, Roberta Silbert-Greene, Ib Andersen, Frank Ohman, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux. (L.) Heidi Gans, Giselle Roberge, Willie Berman, Miriam Mahdaviani, Daniel Levans, Santhe Tsetsilas, Kent Stowell. (L.) Penny Dudleston, Ulrik Trojaborg, David Richardson, Peter Naumann, Meg Gordon, Jamie Wolf (in costume).