182 replies to this topic

[drb]

vipa, on Feb 19 2007, 09:17 PM, said:

.... I have seen Part in many roles and am still looking for the experience that others have had.  In my experience she seems tense, flubs steps and under performs.  Is it possible that those that love her are taken with her looks, body, Russian training and facial expressions?  I just don't get it

Have you seen her O/O?  In other roles my experience is very often consonant with yours.

Quote

her looks, body, Russian training and facial expressions...

When you think about it, those are not the worst of things.  If you toss in musicality, the ability to sustain character, and managing most of the steps, you can have something.

Since Makarova I have seen many O/O's but very few have touched her level.  Other than Part, just (young) Guillem, Nina Ballerina,  Ashley Bouder, and (on her way, at least) Sara Mearns.  I think Mr. B's one-acter should count for something too.  Early Darci Kistler, and Maria Kowroski's last (a while ago...).

[vipa]

drb, on Feb 19 2007, 09:50 PM, said:

vipa, on Feb 19 2007, 09:17 PM, said:

.... I have seen Part in many roles and am still looking for the experience that others have had.  In my experience she seems tense, flubs steps and under performs.  Is it possible that those that love her are taken with her looks, body, Russian training and facial expressions?  I just don't get it

Have you seen her O/O?  In other roles my experience is very often consonant with yours.

Quote

her looks, body, Russian training and facial expressions...

Since Makarova I have seen many O/O's but very few have touched her level.  Other than Part, just (young) Guillem, Nina Ballerina,  Ashley Bouder, and (on her way, at least) Sara Mearns.  I think Mr. B's one-acter should count for something too.  Early Darci Kistler, and Maria Kowroski's last (a while ago...).

I would like to see Part in O/O because I am indeed curious.  I hope to see what others see in her and I hear that is her best ballet. The statement about "managing most of the steps" bothers me, because in other ballets I see fear and hesitation from Part because she knows she won't manage all of the steps.  

I am thinking more and more that this whole discussion boils down to individual tastes. I was not a fan of Makarova's Swan Lake although I loved Cynthia Gregory.   I don't really go for Russian trained dancers on the whole.

[Haglund's]

What is happening to the world this week?  First, the stock markets suffer mini-collapses, and then I come home after a 12 hour work day to see that Part and Gomes have been pulled from the March 18 Detroit Swan Lake.  Substituting will be Saviliev and Herrera.  Saviliev also subbing for, I forget, either Corella or Gomes in the Miami Swan Lakes.  Oh, Buddy, I am so sorry.

[volcanohunter]

Haglund, on Mar 1 2007, 12:22 AM, said:

What is happening to the world this week?  First, the stock markets suffer mini-collapses, and then I come home after a 12 hour work day to see that Part and Gomes have been pulled from the March 18 Detroit Swan Lake.  Substituting will be Saviliev and Herrera.  Saviliev also subbing for, I forget, either Corella or Gomes in the Miami Swan Lakes.  Oh, Buddy, I am so sorry.

drb noted on a different thread that the planned Sylve/Gomes performances in La Bayadère with the Dutch National Ballet didn't take place either, which would suggest that Gomes is injured.

http://ballettalk.in...topic=24308&hl=

[Buddy]

Haglund, on Feb 28 2007, 11:22 PM, said:

What is happening to the world this week?  First, the stock markets suffer mini-collapses, and then I come home after a 12 hour work day to see that Part and Gomes have been pulled from the March 18 Detroit Swan Lake.  Substituting will be Saviliev and Herrera.  Saviliev also subbing for, I forget, either Corella or Gomes in the Miami Swan Lakes.  Oh, Buddy, I am so sorry.

Thanks for the information anyway. I saw Herrera once in Giselle and she was wonderful. I will look forward to seeing her in Detroit--but maybe, maybe....another partner for Veronika Part....last minute....maybe, maybe ?

[FauxPas]

Okay, so the news is out: Veronika Part will open the new ABT production of "Sleeping Beauty" as Aurora.  I thought she would be lucky to get Lilac Fairy on opening night, so this is a major surprise that came out of nowhere.  


Her previous castings and vicissitudes at ABT would not indicate such a sudden change of status in the company.  This is confirmed by the individual ticket brochure which has a big color photo of her as Nikiya in "La Bayadere" and in the back pages shows her with Wiles and Gomes in "Symphonie Concertante".  
Some concerns: her dancing in "Bayadere" in Paris last month had some comments expressing a diminished technical level compared with her dancing on tours with the Kirov five or six years ago.  She was just recovering from an injury this past Winter.  She will need to be in top shape for the "Sleeping Beauty" opening night and the full-length "Bayadere" coming up this Spring and injury-free as well.  Can she get herself together by then?  Her long desired promotion to Principal seems to be a definite and imminent possibility now especially with the retirement of Ferri.  But her technical ability and performance consistency had better be high and God Forbid she gets injured or this will never happen.  It is make or break time for Veronika, the door is now wide open.

Also is she the right "emploi" for Aurora?  Is she too womanly for the role?  Is she too tall?  I have never seen her execute balances as far as I can remember.  Will the "Rose Adagio" defeat her?  The fast waltz solo in the first act after the Rose Adagio with the jumps with one foot doing batterie and many quick pirouettes isn't exactly her cup of tea either.  The Vision Scene in Act II and Grand Pas in Act III are right down her alley - grand, slow, majestic, long-lined and romantic.  I can see her dancing these and well.  Act I concerns me.  

Talk amongst yourselves, dahlings

Faux Pas Richman

[vipa]

FauxPas, on Mar 26 2007, 04:46 PM, said:

Okay, so the news is out: Veronika Part will open the new ABT production of "Sleeping Beauty" as Aurora.  I thought she would be lucky to get Lilac Fairy on opening night, so this is a major surprise that came out of nowhere.  

What a surprise.  I have in the past expressed reservations about Part's technique and confidence.  I hope she proves me wrong.  I am disappointed, however, that Murphy got only 1 NY Sleeping Beauty.

[bart]

FauxPas, on Mar 26 2007, 04:46 PM, said:

[ ... ] is she the right "emploi" for Aurora?  Is she too womanly for the role?  Is she too tall?  I have never seen her execute balances as far as I can remember.  Will the "Rose Adagio" defeat her?  The fast waltz solo in the first act after the Rose Adagio with the jumps with one foot doing batterie and many quick pirouettes isn't exactly her cup of tea either.  The Vision Scene in Act II and Grand Pas in Act III are right down her alley - grand, slow, majestic, long-lined and romantic.  I can see her dancing these and well.  Act I concerns me.  

Talk amongst yourselves, dahlings

Yes, please, what are your collective thoughts?

[aurora]

bart, on Mar 26 2007, 05:25 PM, said:

FauxPas, on Mar 26 2007, 04:46 PM, said:

[ ... ] is she the right "emploi" for Aurora?  Is she too womanly for the role?  Is she too tall?  I have never seen her execute balances as far as I can remember.  Will the "Rose Adagio" defeat her?  The fast waltz solo in the first act after the Rose Adagio with the jumps with one foot doing batterie and many quick pirouettes isn't exactly her cup of tea either.  The Vision Scene in Act II and Grand Pas in Act III are right down her alley - grand, slow, majestic, long-lined and romantic.  I can see her dancing these and well.  Act I concerns me.  

Talk amongst yourselves, dahlings

Yes, please, what are your collective thoughts?

Ok, so anyone who has seen me mention Part knows that I really like her--I state that up front to expose my biases here.

I can't imagine that they would have cast her as Aurora for the world premiere if they weren't seeing something in her dancing of late to justify that. It is a big committment for the company--to not just cast her in the role, but twice, and on that most important evening.

Maybe I'm being naive, or trusting too much in the judgement of management, but I would imagine they would have to be pretty confident she could do the role (including the balances, and the fast waltz solo) before they gave her the part at all.

no?

[drb]

aurora, on Mar 26 2007, 05:53 PM, said:

...

FauxPas, on Mar 26 2007, 04:46 PM, said:

[ ... ] is she the right "emploi" for Aurora?  Is she too womanly for the role?  Is she too tall?  I have never seen her execute balances as far as I can remember.  Will the "Rose Adagio" defeat her?  The fast waltz solo in the first act after the Rose Adagio with the jumps with one foot doing batterie and many quick pirouettes isn't exactly her cup of tea either...

...
Maybe I'm being naive, or trusting too much in the judgement of management...

Any trust in that judgment would be too much.  But it is hard to believe that Kolpakova is not supporting this, and I would trust her.  Also, you'd think Gelsey would say something if it were a problem.

As to emploi, well, her partner is huge so they should be in scale.  They will need to find a big Lilac, of course.  Perhaps Martine van Hamel could unretire; or Maria Kowroski, robbed of her role at NYCB last season (the best Lilac I've ever seen, and she'd tower over Veronika), could be borrowed...

Too womanly?  Maybe by ballet convention, but in real life many girls of that age are, or so it seems through clouded memory of high school past.  She has held balances in Swan Lake.  I'd be more concerned about stamina, and would therefore worry about the grand PdD.  But even more about health.

She couldn't do some of the steps in Balanchine last Fall without nearly falling over.  But then again she had a great success in Mozartiana without doing them either.  In her first ABT Swan she couldn't really manage Odette's two variations (but has since), nor the flashy stuff of Odile, yet delivered a monumental performance.  You don't go to see Part for the tricks, you go to have your life transformed.

By the way, she should be incredible in Bayadere, where womanly is everything!

[Kate Lennard]

I must say I have long read the concerns over Part's technique on these boards with at first disbelief and then worry, the recurrent themes of her inability to execute even the most basic of soloist level enchainement is very very much at odds with the young Part I saw dance Odette/Odile with the Kirov in London back in the summer of 2000.

Then she was touted as the rising young star debuting in the dual role, much was made of her lushness of movement her dramatic weight, her beauty and of course her technique.

In dramatic weight I was disappointed (at that time, but I saw very much the embryonic stirrings of a greatly passionate ballerina) however as the newest "rookie" of the Kirov ballerina "basketball" team, tall, athletic, Amazonian - she did not disappoint.

If anything she tended to technical overkill, but I was in no doubt on leaving the ROH that here was a ballerina with a first class arsenal of technical salvos.

Not that I doubt the opionions and judgement of the august posters here on Part's technical shortcomings at all, but I do ask you all, what went wrong?

Seven years ago I would have queued overnight to see this ballerina's Aurora, now I find myself worried for a ballerina I no longer recognise or know from that incredible debut as Odette/Odile.

[jllaney]

Kate Lennard, on Mar 26 2007, 08:33 PM, said:

Not that I doubt the opionions and judgement of the august posters here on Part's technical shortcomings at all, but I do ask you all, what went wrong?

I think she suffers by comparison to the other ABT ballarinas when it comes to technique.  She'll never turn like Murphy or balance like Herrera but what she does well, she does really, REALLY well.  She seems to invite us all into her world to share in all that wonderful emotion that's happening on stage.  Other ballerinas work there whole lives to to dazzling triple fouette combinations but they may never have that connection to the audience that she was born with.

[vipa]

jllaney, on Mar 26 2007, 08:55 PM, said:

Kate Lennard, on Mar 26 2007, 08:33 PM, said:

Not that I doubt the opionions and judgement of the august posters here on Part's technical shortcomings at all, but I do ask you all, what went wrong?

I think she suffers by comparison to the other ABT ballarinas when it comes to technique.  She'll never turn like Murphy or balance like Herrera but what she does well, she does really, REALLY well.  She seems to invite us all into her world to share in all that wonderful emotion that's happening on stage.  Other ballerinas work there whole lives to to dazzling triple fouette combinations but they may never have that connection to the audience that she was born with.

I feel this conversation going round and round.  Part has her fans and her doubters.  We will see what happens with Sleeping Beauty.  I happen to believe that there are artists who are able to use tremendous technique for artistic ends - Cynthia Gregory, Suzanne Farrell (in her own way) and Julie Kent are prime examples.  It doesn't have to be either or.

[nysusan]

jllaney, on Mar 26 2007, 08:55 PM, said:

Kate Lennard, on Mar 26 2007, 08:33 PM, said:

Not that I doubt the opionions and judgement of the august posters here on Part's technical shortcomings at all, but I do ask you all, what went wrong?

I think she suffers by comparison to the other ABT ballarinas when it comes to technique.  She'll never turn like Murphy or balance like Herrera but what she does well, she does really, REALLY well.  She seems to invite us all into her world to share in all that wonderful emotion that's happening on stage.  Other ballerinas work there whole lives to to dazzling triple fouette combinations but they may never have that connection to the audience that she was born with.

I agree that she suffers in comparison to Murphy and Hererra, and maybe even Wiles when it comes to technique. But when people complain about her lack of technique, well, people exaggerate. Like when they used to say that Makarova couldn't turn. Certainly she couldn't turn as well as Plisetskaya, or Gregory or maybe the top 10- 15 turners of her generation, but she could turn as well as 98% of the ballerinas at that time, and she had other talents that those other 98% couldn't dream of. Similar story with Part.

I am a big fan of hers, but I am not blind to her faults. She had a hard time when she first came to ABT, her conditioning slipped for awhile but she really got herself back together about a year ago.  One of the big complaints this past NY City Center season was that in Symphony Concertant she didn’t do the pirouette-developee-pirouette combination. Well, I must have seen that piece with 3 or 4 different casts and NONE of the “Viola” ballerinas did it, including Hererra and Murphy. Those two can spin like tops so I have to conclude that if they didn’t so it, it simply wasn’t choreographed for both ballerinas. The reports from Paris were disturbing, but let’s  not forget that she was coming back from an injury and may not have been dancing at full capacity.

I have to admit that I was a bit puzzled when I first heard that Part got opening night Aurora, she isn't a natural for the first act. I was expecting Murphy to get it and hoping to see Part cast as Lilac. I'm positive that her turns & petite allegro won't rival Murphy's or Vishneva's, and nobody will be raving about her balances but she will get through them all just fine and she will enchant us as Aurora.  I am a little concerned about her emploi and her stamina, but this is one case where I don’t think they would have given her the role if they weren’t sure she could do it. After all, judging from the way she’s been cast the past few seasons (or more to the point the way she’s not been cast) it doesn’t look like she’s been one of management’s favorites. As FauxPas said, this announcement came out of left field so I have to think that she must have really impressed them in rehearsal to snag opening night.

[atm711]

Well put, nySusan    In this day of colorless technicians her artistry is a revelation.