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ABT 2007 City Center season


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Wow! The good neighbor policy, NYCB to the rescue!

... a new work by choreographer Benjamin Millipied, which will be set to a commissioned score by composer Nico Muhly. The unnamed work will be the first for ABT by Mr. Millipied, a principal dancer with New York City Ballet, who has previously choreographed pieces for NYCB and ABT's Studio Company.

The season will also feature... George Balanchine's "Ballo della Regina," which will be staged by former NYCB principal dancer Merrill Ashley...

Perhaps ABT could loan the occasional tall male dancer to NYCB in return? WHY NOT?

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Here's the press release:

PHILIP GLASS’S A MUSICAL PORTRAIT OF CHUCK CLOSE

CHOREOGRAPHED BY JORMA ELO AND

A NEW WORK BY BENJAMIN MILLEPIED

TO HIGHLIGHT AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S

2007 NEW YORK CITY CENTER SEASON, OCTOBER 23-NOVEMBER 4

Company Premieres of George Balanchine’s Ballo della Regina and

Twyla Tharp’s Baker’s Dozen to Highlight Engagement

Repertory for American Ballet Theatre’s 2007 Fall season at New York City Center, October 23-November 4, was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie. Highlighting the engagement will be the World Premieres of new works by Jorma Elo, in collaboration with Philip Glass and Chuck Close, and by Benjamin Millepied, with a commissioned score by Nico Muhly.

American Ballet Theatre’s 2007 Fall Season at City Center will open with a Gala Performance on October 23 at 6:30 PM and features ABT’s Principal Dancers in selections of the season’s works. ABT’s Opening Night Fall Gala is sponsored by Nina Ricci. For information on ABT’s Gala benefit, please call the Special Events office at 212-477-3030, ext. 3239

World Premieres

The friendship between two influential artists is the inspiration for a new ballet by Jorma Elo, set to Philip Glass’s A Musical Portrait of Chuck Close, Glass’s musical portrayal of the life of artist Chuck Close was conceived and first performed in 2005 by concert pianist Bruce Levingston. ABT’s premiere of the work will include three new movements composed by Glass and performed on stage by Levingston. Featuring a set design by Chuck Close and costumes by designer Ralph Rucci, the new Elo/Glass/Close ballet will receive its World Premiere on Saturday evening, October 27. Elo previously choreographed Glow - Stop for ABT in 2006.

The World Premiere of a new work by Benjamin Millepied is scheduled for Friday evening, October 26. Set to a commissioned score by composer Nico Muhly, Millepied’s work, a ballet for 12 dancers, also features costumes designed by Millepied and lighting by Roderick Murray. A principal dancer with New York City Ballet, Millepied has previously choreographed Double Aria (2003) for New York City Ballet and Circular Motion (2005). He choreographed Capriccio in 2006 for the ABT Studio Company. This is Millepied’s first work for American Ballet Theatre.

Countrywide Financial is the National Sponsor of American Ballet Theatre. Superfund Asset Management, Inc. is the sponsor of American Ballet Theatre’s 2007 New York City Center season. CA, Inc. is the Leading Sponsor of ABT’s 2007 Family Initiative and Saks Fifth Avenue is the Leading Sponsor of ABT’s Costume Fund. Benjamin Millepied’s new work is underwritten by Cheryl Bergenfield Katz and the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency. Nico Muhly's original score has been generously underwritten through a gift from Michele and Steven Pesner. The new Elo/Glass/Close work is made possible by the generous support of Leading Underwriters Barbara Hemmerle Gollust, Lewis S. Ranieri, Leila and Mickey Straus, and the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

Company Premieres

George Balanchine’s Ballo della Regina, staged for American Ballet Theatre by Merrill Ashley, will be given its Company Premiere on opening night, October 23.

Set to music by Giuseppe Verdi from the opera Don Carlos, with costumes by Ben Benson, Ballo della Regina was given its World Premiere by New York City Ballet on January 12, 1978. The ballet will receive five performances by ABT.

Twyla Tharp’s 1979 Baker’s Dozen will be given its Company Premiere by American Ballet Theatre on Tuesday evening, October 30. A work for twelve dancers in five sections, Baker’s Dozen is set to music by Willie “The Lion” Smith and features costumes by Santo Loquasto and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. Baker’s Dozen received its World Premiere by the Twyla Tharp Dance Company on February 15, 1979 and featured Tharp in the original cast. The ballet will be staged for ABT by Elaine Kudo.

Revivals

Antony Tudor’s The Leaves Are Fading, last performed by American Ballet Theatre in 1997, will be given five performances this season beginning Wednesday evening, October 24. Created for ABT in 1975, the ballet has music by Antonin Dvorak, scenery by Ming Cho Lee, costumes by Patricia Zipprodt and lighting by Jennifer Tipton. ABT’s revival of The Leaves Are Fading will be staged by Amanda McKerrow and John Gardner.

Agnes de Mille’s Fall River Legend will be given its Revival Premiere on Thursday, November 1. Last performed by ABT in 1999, Fall River Legend, based upon the true story of Lizzie Borden, is set to music by Morton Gould with scenery by Oliver Smith, costumes by Miles White and lighting designed by Thomas Skelton.

Returning Repertory

American Ballet Theatre rounds out its New York City Center season with the return of Lar Lubovitch’s Meadow, Stanton Welch’s Clear, Twyla Tharp’s Sinatra Suite and Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free.

Lar Lubovitch’s Meadow will be given five performances beginning Thursday evening, October 25. Set to music by Franz Schubert, Gavin Bryars, Ferruccio Busoni and William David Brohn, with costumes by Ann Hould-Ward, Meadow received its World Premiere by ABT in 1999.

Stanton Welch’s Clear, premiered by ABT in 2001, is set to music by Johann Sebastian Bach with costumes by Michael Kors and Lisa Pinkham. The ballet will be given five performances beginning Tuesday evening, October 23.

Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free will have four performances beginning Wednesday evening, October 24. Staged for ABT by Jean-Pierre Frohlich, Fancy Free has music by Leonard Bernstein, costumes by Kermit Love and lighting by Jennifer Tipton after original designs by Nananne Porcher. Fancy Free was premiered at the Metropolitan Opera House by American Ballet Theatre on April 18, 1944.

Tickets for American Ballet Theatre’s 2007 Fall season at New York City Center, priced $27-$98, go on sale by mail, by phone at 212-581-1212 and at the City Center Box office beginning July 16. Discounts are available for packages of three or more performances. For more information, please visit ABT’s website at www.abt.org.

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So this is a cut-back from three to two weeks. Were sales bad last fall? At least Wheeldon's new company will be at City Center the week before.

Thanks

I didn't know about Wheeldon's company being there (I'm sometimes not totally with it). I'll be looking into that.

I can't believe ABT's sales at City Center were bad. Whatever the reason, a two week season is a shame.

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Could this have something to do with the renovation schedule at City Center? I wonder. The performance calendar for the Main Stage looks fairly empty after this summer.

Maybe they are doing something now? (Though somethig called Gypsy fills their July schedule.) With Wheeldon and ABT in October/November, Ailey December (always a sell-out five weeks, no?), Vishneva's Beauty Tour a week in February (already being sold), Taylor much of March (again, a fixture), Mariinsky three weeks in April (already being sold). Will there be another Fall for Dance in September? Will the 2008 Ananiashvili State Ballet of Georgia Tour play here? The five venues announced so far seem to suggest a tour beginning out west, through the midwest to ?, as winter marches on.

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Maybe they are doing something now? (Though somethig called Gypsy fills their July schedule.)

that is (yet another revival of) the musical Gypsy about Gypsy Rose Lee and the ultimate stage mother of all time, Momma Rose.

Im not sure *why* they are reviving it since it was on bway just a few years ago, but that is what it is.

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Maybe they are doing something now? (Though somethig called Gypsy fills their July schedule.)

that is (yet another revival of) the musical Gypsy about Gypsy Rose Lee and the ultimate stage mother of all time, Momma Rose.

Im not sure *why* they are reviving it since it was on bway just a few years ago, but that is what it is.

Well, I guess CC thinks they can sell a lot of tickets, especially with Patti Lupone as Mama Rose. Actually Broadway shows are very late in the food chain of "reviving" Up until the 70s most of what was put on the Broadway was brand new. It was only

around then that new material started to dry up, and revivals start to absorb the space.

As I said, Broadway shows are recent additions to the revival business. We have been looking at revivals of Giselle, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, etc. for a long time. And they are revived for the same reason; people will buy tickets. So you could say "why do Swan Lake, it was done last year"

I could add operas, classical plays, and orchestral music. All the schedules for this classifications are dominated by revivals for a long , long time.

Audiences want to play it safe with stuff they know and that figures regularly in the scheduling

*****edited to fix the role that Lupone will play, it's NOT the title role

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Well, I guess CC thinks they can sell a lot of tickets, especially with Patti Lupone in the title role. Actually Broadway shows are very late in the food chain of "reviving" Up until the 70s most of what was put on the Broadway was brand new. It was only

around then that new material started to dry up, and revivals start to absorb the space.

As I said, Broadway shows are recent additions to the revival business. We have been looking at revivals of Giselle, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, etc. for a long time. And they are revived for the same reason; people will buy tickets. So you could say "why do Swan Lake, it was done last year"

I could add operas, classical plays, and orchestral music. All the schedules for this classifications are dominated by revivals for a long , long time.

Audiences want to play it safe with stuff they know and that figures regularly in the scheduling

Good points. I actually like broadway revivals, as I much prefer older musicals to most of those from the 70s to today. It is a bit strange however given that broadway musicals *aren't* usually revived every year, that there is another revival of Gypsy this soon. And Patti Lupone is certainly more true to type (Ethel Merman) than Bernadette Peters was.

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I could add operas, classical plays, and orchestral music. All the schedules for this classifications are dominated by revivals for a long , long time.

Audiences want to play it safe with stuff they know and that figures regularly in the scheduling

Or they want to share the experience with someone of a younger generation. The first Broadway show I went to was Fiddler on the Roof, in the original production (but not the original cast). I was thrilled to see that there was a revival with Molina, so that my (much) younger cousins could see it. (Not that it had to be on Broadway, but it was important to be prominently available.)

Although I don't know if today's 17-year-old would have seen the same thing in Pippin that I did at that age :)

A lot of the classic musicals are our a key part of American musical legacy, and are great vehicles for today's actors. I think there's something great about passing them down.

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It is a bit strange however given that broadway musicals *aren't* usually revived every year, that there is another revival of Gypsy this soon. And Patti Lupone is certainly more true to type (Ethel Merman) than Bernadette Peters was.

No, you're right, a musical being revived that quickly is odd. But let me make a few guesses(mostly concerned with money of course).

The Peters revival of 2003-2004 was troubled and you are not the only person to remark that the role was not a neat fit for her

(imagine whispering Everything's Coming Up Roses??????)

More important , it was an open ended show at a Broadway house.

The Lupone is easier and neater for the promoters, it's closed ended, just three weeks and it should be easy to sell a lot of tickets even in July based on the short window. I don't know this as fact, so bear that in mind, but I think this version may be moved around to limited engagements in other cities. The producers have less of that old style managing of looking at last weeks takes and deciding to post a closing notice.

Sorry, I've gone waaaaaaaaaaaaay :off topic::)

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Any bets who gets Ballo? My guess is first cast Murphy-Stiefel, second cast Lane-Cornejo :beg: .

You are probably right but a Murphy- Hallberg cast would be nice too.Any ideas for "Leaves..." :flowers:

Abrera maybe, she is unlike Kirkland (who I saw in the role) but has an air of mystery and fluidity that might work.

A connected topic - ABT is ripe for promotions. I had assumed that Part would become a principal soon. Is that happening? Could Abrera be on the principal track? Also, I have been rooting for a Lane promotion to soloist. Are any promotions likely to be announced any time soon? I feel like this site is sometimes like "the oracle."

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Good points. I actually like broadway revivals, as I much prefer older musicals to most of those from the 70s to today. It is a bit strange however given that broadway musicals *aren't* usually revived every year, that there is another revival of Gypsy this soon. And Patti Lupone is certainly more true to type (Ethel Merman) than Bernadette Peters was.

Much of the reason for the City Center run is because Arthur Laurents and Patti Lupone finally "kissed and made-up," so to speak and Laurents not only consented to the casting but will be directing Lupone in the production. He had refused to give his consent to Lupone playing Rose in a major production, and now that he's not only given his go-ahead but signed onto the project, no one is really going to sit around on it. After all, quite frankly, Laurents isn't getting any younger. With an all-star supporting cast, I guess City Center is selling it as a variation on their popular "Encores!" concerts.

And yes, while I've thoroughly enjoyed Bernadette Peters in many things (including concert renditions of songs from "Gypsy") she was miscast in the last revival and Mendes was not the director who could make it work.

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This is probably just 'relatively soon' for Gypsy to be getting revived again, because it seems the perennially revivable show. The only comparable one that showcases a diva type is 'Hello, Dolly!' and that doesn't have the staying power. Dozens of ladies from the movies did it in the 60s and 70s, but Gypsy always gets a major production eventually. Even with business matters, as with Laurents and Lupone, Gypsy is the one show that keeps making it back due to its perfect balance as a work in this form. I definitely think if a single one had to be chosen as the most exemplary, it would be Gypsy.

I like Richard53dog's observation about revivals of B'way shows being like revivals in ballet and opera--hadn't thought of it exactly like that--but it is exactly the same. Even reminded me of the way Michael Moore presented universal health care to Oprah as being a kind of public right just like a police and fire department--should be taken for granted. Never have seen Lupone, so am looking forward to this. This is :FIREdevil:, I see, but I guess it's about City Center, my least favourite theater in New York.

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The two week schedule is now posted on the ABT website. I was not to pleased with the comission to Millipied after sitting

through his very forgettable Quiet Music at the YAGP gala in April BUT it is last on most programs so if it's another zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz we can skip out during the second intermission and do an "early quit"

http://www.abt.org/insideabt/news_display.asp?News_ID=199

Scroll all the way to the bottom for the sched

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Any bets who gets Ballo? My guess is first cast Murphy-Stiefel, second cast Lane-Cornejo :beg: .

You are probably right but a Murphy- Hallberg cast would be nice too.Any ideas for "Leaves..." :lightbulb:

Abrera maybe, she is unlike Kirkland (who I saw in the role) but has an air of mystery and fluidity that might work.

A connected topic - ABT is ripe for promotions. I had assumed that Part would become a principal soon. Is that happening? Could Abrera be on the principal track? Also, I have been rooting for a Lane promotion to soloist. Are any promotions likely to be announced any time soon? I feel like this site is sometimes like "the oracle."

Unfortunately, K Mckencie doesn't listen to "the oracle" but the ABT higherups seems to be pushing J Mathews to more soloist roles than any other male member of the corp.There seems more promising females than males in the present group. Any other names? :FIREdevil:

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I'm so bummed they aren't doing In the Upper Room! I was prepared to rush out and buy tickets for every performance of it. I'm still dumbfounded from last year's performances.

In the Upper Room has been done a lot recently by a bunch of companies. Boston Ballet is doing it next May, on a program that includes Concerto Barocco and Dark Elegies.

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