What with Patricia Wilde’s discipline and intellectual curiosity —
Wilde was here last week to tape for the Balanchine Foundation, reunited with Robert Barnett to scrutinize the roles they danced together in Bourree Fantasque and Western Symphony six decades ago.
While here, she recalled how brother-in-law Roger Shattuck, scholar of French literature and culture, recommended that Wilde read Proust, an author about whom he wrote quite a lot.
Wilde duly bit the bullet and read the six volumes, all the time dancing away with New York City Ballet.
She probably should re-read them today, she said; she’d be able to read through more slowly.