Dale Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 I hope we'll get lots of views on this (don't forget it's 6:30pm!!). Here's the casting again to whet your appetites: Opening Night Gala Ballet Imperial (First Movement) Choreography by George Balanchine Casting Herrera, Saveliev, Abrera Manon (Pas de Deux from Act I) Choreography by Sir Kenneth MacMillan Casting Ferri, Bocca A Sweet for Freddie Staged by Kevin McKenzie Casting McKerrow, Tuttle, Franklin Diana & Acteon (Variation) Casting Carreño Carmen Fantasie Choreography by Kirk Peterson Violin: Sarah Chang Casting X. Reyes, Molina, Copeland, Pavam, E. Cornejo, H. Cornejo Intermission La Bayadère(Adagio from "Kingdom of the Shades," Act II) Choreography by Natalia Makarova, after Marius Petipa Casting Corps de Ballet Tarantella Choreography by George Balanchine Casting Murphy, Stiefel Raymonda (Pas de Sept) Choreography by Anna-Marie Holmes, after Marius Petipa Casting Ananiashvili, Gomes, Saveliev, Part, Wiles, Hallberg, Torres Le Grand Pas de Deux Choreography by Christian Spuck Casting Dvorovenko, Beloserkovsky Caught Choreography by David Parsons Casting Corella Raymonda (Galop) Choreography by Anna-Marie Holmes, after Marius Petipa Casting Ananiashvili, Gomes, Bystrova, Pastor Link to comment
Alexandra Posted May 11, 2004 Share Posted May 11, 2004 I got one "thumbs up" email from a friend -- but no details. Link to comment
Dale Posted May 11, 2004 Author Share Posted May 11, 2004 I guess I can go quickly before I go to sleep. In Kevin McKenzie's opening speach, he brought on honorary chairwoman Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg and said that a new school for ABT will be named after her mother, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (a former honoary chairwoman). So there was that little bit of news. Ballet Imperial (First Movement) Herrera, Saveliev, Wiles: Michelle Wiles took Abrera's place. It was nice to see this in more of its old "Ballet Imperial" look - tutus, the Neva in the background - to compare this to NYCB's Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2. It's good to have both. However, this was staged by Colleen Neary. ABT's older version, I believe, was staged by John Taras and brought back much of the mime. With only the first movement so far, I don't know if Neary went back to that version or one close to it (I think PNB does a production which blends the older version with the one Balanchine revived in the 70s; whereas the Royal did the 70s version, but then reconstructed their own Balanchine-staged production from the 50s). Herrera managed the opening trickery, but the piano cadenza was so slow for her solo, it became very disjointed. Bringing together musical phrases is not her forte. Wiles was good, but doesn't have the Balanchine attack. We'll see. Manon (Pas de Deux from Act I) Ferri, Bocca. Well these two have been doing this for a long time. Not much to say here. It's the only part of the ballet I like, so seeing it is not bad. A Sweet for Freddie McKerrow, Tuttle, Franklin: A little something to bring Frederick Franklin (whose Coppelia ABT will perform this season) out on stage, concocted by McKenzie. McKerrow and Tuttle performed Coppelia's solo and Franklin came on and brought the "dolls" to life. The dolls preferred Franklin to their partners and the men were peeved. Diana & Acteon (Variation) Carreño: Another well-worn item (I think I've seen this, and Carreno in particular, over four times in galas recently) and, as usual, it brought out the cheers. Carreno is just so centered, to perfect in his technique, it doesn't get tiring. Carmen Fantasie (Kirk Peterson) Violin: Sarah Chang X. Reyes, Molina, Copeland, Schulte, E. Cornejo, H. Cornejo. The choreography reminded me of figure skating pairs moves. Reyes and Molina performed a "steemy" pas de deux. Copeland and Schulte (replacing Renata Pavam) did an athletic side-by-side duet and the Cornejo siblings brought out all the tricks. La Bayadère(Adagio from "Kingdom of the Shades," Act II). Always pretty. Nicely done, not spine-tingling. Tarantella - Murphy, Stiefel. First thing, they didn't wear the Neopolitan headgear And her costume looked like it came from a poor company's Don Q production (red satin bodice and floopy white tutu, not the trim tutu with a dark red velvet bodice used at NYCB and elsewhere) The tone and the dancing were just right, although some bits of choreography seemed changed (in Murphy's first solo) and Stiefel is still hamming it up, although here it fits. Beautiful form though. Raymonda (Pas de Sept): Ananiashvili, Gomes, Saveliev, Part, Wiles, Hallberg, Torres. This bit was much better than the Grand Pas De Deux we in New York saw at City Center. Ananiashvili is a noted Raymonda and this made me want to see her in the rest of it. Wiles was more in her Petipa element here, and you all know I was just so pleased at seeing Part on stage. Le Grand Pas de Deux - Dvorovenko, Beloserkovsky. The couple brought all their stage craft to this peice. Part of me wants to hate it and part of me does find it amusing (which upsets me). One could say that Irina and Max poked fun at their own persona in this comedy pas de deux (she dances with black-rimmed glasses and a pocketbook, a cow with a pink tutu sits stage right, and the choreography is peppered with prat falls, disco moves and goofiness), or they've finally found the perfect vehicle for what some people call their "antics." They did the curtain calls in character - she bowing in the persona of her classical roles: Swan Lake, Don Q., etc...) Caught (Parsons): Corella. Moody dancing under a spotlight, then darkness as a strobe goes off (danced to electronic music). The last bit is very effective - catching the impressive Corella in midjump, split-action splits, turning. Raymonda (Galop): Ananiashvili, Gomes, Bystrova, Pastor. Just a bit at the end to send everybody home happy. The Hungarian dancing looks a lot like Balanchine's in Cortege Hongrois, which made me wonder how much of his he took from the version he knew in Russia. Link to comment
Alexandra Posted May 11, 2004 Share Posted May 11, 2004 Thank you, Dale That's more than a once over quickly! There are several photos from the gala -- of Raymonda and of Caught -- in Susan Reiter's review on DanceView Times that I just put up: ABT's Season Opens With a Sizzling Gala More reports, please -- I can't believe Dale is the only one who went. Link to comment
Clara 76 Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 I've only ever seen Parsons do 'Caught'- Tell me more about how Corella danced it???? Clara Link to comment
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