2007-08 season wishlist

[bingham]

Is it too early to have such a list? Anyway, a revival of Ashton's La Fille... and Don Q, both with H Cornejo and S Lane would be a good start.

[Kanawha]

Bingham, it's not too early for me to hope that they would do Ashton's "A Month in the Country."

I've been wishing for that one for a long time!

[FauxPas]

Bingham, it's not too early for me to hope that they would do Ashton's "A Month in the Country."

I've been wishing for that one for a long time!

Unfortunately, the ideal Anna Petrovna - Alessandra Ferri - just retired from the company. I wish that Ferri had done her Roland Petit "Carmen", her "Lady of the Camellias" and her Tatiana in "Onegin" all with Julio before they retired. Oh well, won't happen.

Actually, the role of Anna Petrovna would be a superb role for Julie Kent and I bet Nina Ananiashvili would be very interested too.

I am among the many who would love to see the Ashton "Cinderella" done by ABT.

[Dale]

I believe Anthony Dowell has the rights to A Month in the Country and in interviews has said he wants to have only the Royal do it, as sort of an exclusive calling card.

However, I'd love to see ABT do more Ashton. Cinderella would be wonderful but I guess since they have the Kudelka right now, we won't see it even if they wanted for another 10 years. I think Monotones I and II would be great. Can you imagine a Monotones II of Hallberg, Part, Gomes?

And ABT does have Birthday Offerings and Les Rendezvous in its rep. I'd especially like to see Birthday Offerings again. Right now ABT doesn't schedule many ballets that show off more than just one principal couple. That's one of the reasons why the new Sleeping Beauty was such a disappointment. Those divertissements they cut in the last act are perfect for soloists and up-and-coming corps.

Another multi-soloist work I'd like to see from ABT's repertoire is Bourree Fantasque.

[Buddy]

Veronika Part doing anything.

[drb]

... a revival of Ashton's La Fille... with H Cornejo and S Lane would be a good start.

You'd need two or three other casts. I wonder if Stella Abrera's Cinders performances might hint that she could do it? Since it is a masterpiece, Diana Vishneva (Corella) might be interested in the challenge, and since it is Ashton, Gillian Murphy (Hallberg). But who for Alain, the ballet's central character?

An all-Ashton mixed bill from ABT's rep might be:

A Birthday Offering (while Julie Kent is still here from ABT's original cast)

intermission

Symphonic Variations (for art, but since it lasts only 18 mins, follow it with a fan-grabber star turn)

pause

5 Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan (Ferri, why not?, she lives here; or Nina)

intermission

Les Patineurs (to give lots of young dancers exposure)

[atm711]

Why all the Ashton?---'08 is the Tudor Centennial---certainly he did more to put ABT on the map than Ashton. So far, 'Leaves Are Fading' is set for the fall season and I hope it doesn't stop there. Also, Martins should chuck his R&J and revive Tudor's. (on second thought, I take that back. Lord knows what that heavy hand would do to that delicate beauty of a ballet)

[Dale]

You're right atm711 about Tudor. I'd like to see Gala Performance revived - can you imagine it with Dvorovenko (Russian ballerina), Reyes (French) and Part (Italian)? It would be a hoot. A revival of Echoing of Trumpets would be great and so fitting right now. There's some smaller pieces that I always felt would be great for a City Center season, like Fandango and Continuo.

[bingham]

Veronika Part doing anything.

Some people might find it a minor Ashton but Thais PDD would be perfect for Veronikaa d Marcelo imo.

[jllaney]

On a similar note. How about a principal guest artist wishlist? Tamara Rojo would be at the top of mine.

[carbro]

I want more rep in the spring seasons. At least three mixed bills.

Also, I hate the Ballet-of-the-Week scheduling. I understand that it makes for efficient rehearsing, but it makes for a boring season. How about four performances now, and four two weeks later? And don't schedule my casts of choice on consecutive days!

I agree that the Tudor centennial presents a wonderful opportunity that ABT should pounce upon! (I doubt they will. )

I would love a revival of LaSylphide (Cornejo and Kajiya, for starters?), but not as restaged by KMcK.

In fact, I think any future contracts offered to KMcK should have a "no choreography" clause.

[Leigh Witchel]

I'd love to see the Tudor R&J.

If there were an Ashton ballet I think it would make sense for ABT to acquire, it's Rhapsody. It's not my favorite Ashton work, although a few senior ballerinas at the Royal have done the pas de deux in excerpt so beautifully as to make you forget the ballet is about the man.

What it does have is a beefy role for a short virtuoso as well as good parts for a strong corps. The company needs a ballet like that.

[drb]

On a similar note. How about a principal guest artist wishlist? Tamara Rojo would be at the top of mine.

Osipova/Vasiliev.

[carbro]

On a similar note. How about a principal guest artist wishlist?

Since ABT has so many younger dancers deserving opportunities, I tend to oppose the idea of guest artists, but since your question is "who" and not "whether" I'd suggest Maria Alexandrova and Alina Cojocaru.

Not together, though.

[4mrdncr]

Sorry to hear about "A Month in the Country", I've always loved it, and always thought there were several dancers at ABT who could do it justice. Then again, there were some restrictions re Dowell and "The Dream", and that seems to have worked out okay, so who knows? But, yes, Tudor should be honored first.

Thanks BT. Keep posting all those other suggested reps, maybe someone will notice. (At least I now have a list of other productions to seek out at the NYPL-Perf.Arts archives.)

[atm711]

I'd like to see Gala Performance revived - can you imagine it with Dvorovenko (Russian ballerina)

Yes, Yes, I thought the same---a role made in heaven for her. And Part as the Italian--wonderful choice.

[nysusan]

In fact, I think any future contracts offered to KMcK should have a "no choreography" clause.

Amen to that, and to losing the block scheduling. I know it would be fruitless to ask them not to cast every single female principal in every title role but that would also go a long way towards improving the spring season.

I would love to see ABT do more Ashton - Monotones, Les Patineurs, Symphonic Variations, Rhapsody & The Two Pigeons are on my wishlist.

In addition to commissioning new work I'd also love to see them present a little more from their own past (Massine, Lichine and keep reviving Fokine, Tudor & de Mille) as well as bringing in productions from current and recent ballet choreographers like Bejart, Cranko, Petit, Neumier and Forsythe.

Gala Performance sounds perfect for the Tudor Centennial, and Dale suggested perfect casting. In addition to Tudor's R&J (which I've never seen) I'd love to see a revival of Lilac Garden. I can see the first cast - Kent as Caroline, Saveliev as The Man She Must Marry, Gomes as her Lover and Murphy as the Other Woman. Then Abrera/Stappas/Corella/Boone. Or Lane/Radetsky/Cornejo/Copeland…

[Dale]

In addition to commissioning new work I'd also love to see them present a little more from their own past (Massine, Lichine and keep reviving Fokine, Tudor & de Mille) as well as bringing in productions from current and recent ballet choreographers like Bejart, Cranko, Petit, Neumier and Forsythe.

The company did well by Forsythe a few seasons back but, for me, I don't care to see too much more Neumeier or Petit.

[bingham]

In fact, I think any future contracts offered to KMcK should have a "no choreography" clause.

Amen to that, and to losing the block scheduling. I know it would be fruitless to ask them not to cast every single female principal in every title role but that would also go a long way towards improving the spring season.

I would love to see ABT do more Ashton - Monotones, Les Patineurs, Symphonic Variations, Rhapsody & The Two Pigeons are on my wishlist.

In addition to commissioning new work I'd also love to see them present a little more from their own past (Massine, Lichine and keep reviving Fokine, Tudor & de Mille) as well as bringing in productions from current and recent ballet choreographers like Bejart, Cranko, Petit, Neumier and Forsythe.

Gala Performance sounds perfect for the Tudor Centennial, and Dale suggested perfect casting. In addition to Tudor's R&J (which I've never seen) I'd love to see a revival of Lilac Garden. I can see the first cast - Kent as Caroline, Saveliev as The Man She Must Marry, Gomes as her Lover and Murphy as the Other Woman. Then Abrera/Stappas/Corella/Boone. Or Lane/Radetsky/Cornejo/Copeland…

or Fang/Pastor/Hallberg/Wiles

[4mrdncr]

Gosh folks, the ABT Studio Company has been doing "Lilac Garden" for over a year now--though ABT said it was a 'premiere' by them when they performed in NYC area, they had previously done it in Massachusetts a few months before, where I saw them. So yes, it would be nice to see the principals do it again, but there WERE opportunities to see "Lilac Garden" this past year or so, if you paid attention.

[miliosr]

For calendar year 2008 (centenaries for Antony Tudor and Jose Limon):

Tudor's Romeo and Juliet (Too costly to revive? Is it even revivable -- three decades and counting -- at this point?? Too much of a "legend in abstentia"???)

Limon's The Moor's Pavane (Repertory staple during the 70s but worth reviving when the company already has its big-budget version of Othello?)

Limon's solo Chaconne for Herman Cornejo at City Center (Everyone's always complaining that he doesn't have enough repertory . . . )

I would also like to see the Limon Company revive its production of Dark Elegies for the Tudor centenary . . . give me a second to put on my flame retardant suit before all the posts start rolling in about what a bad idea that is!

[bingham]

In a Dance Magazine interview(2-3 years ago?),K Mc mentioned that among the future plans of ABT included productions of Ashton's Sylvia and Napoli.If they do Napoli, i hope he will leave the staging to someone from RDB. Did anyone hear about this possible production?