140 replies to this topic

[abatt]

I just noticed on the ABT website that Corella is replaced by Gomes for the Sat evening R&J with Vishneva.  Gomes is now scheduled to dance Romeo 3 times next week.

[Ambonnay]

Unless Corella is injured or the decision is Corella's,
this substitution is untenable. Corella has so few
full-length ballets this season even before the change.
He has stated in an interview that the paucity of
performances he has this season is not by his choice
(ie not due to his involvement with his ballet
company not permitting more ABT performances).

[abatt]

I'm disappointed too (nothing against Gomes, who I enjoy immensely).  I hope that Corella comes back to ABT next season.  It would, in my opinion, be a real loss if they lose him.

[onxmyxtoes]

I booked a trip to NYC this summer to watch him.  I'm so sad now.  I do love Gomes so so much... but watching Angel in Romeo has been a dream of mine.  Guess it's not going to come true this year

[Batsuchan]

THREE Romeos with three different ballerinas!!     Good luck, Marcelo!!

[atm711]

Great news...even before seeing the Vishneva/Gomes "Camellias' I was hoping for just such a change. I only hope Gomes' strength lasts until closing night.

[Drew]

Onyxmyxtoes--Most of my ballet going (pretty much all) is organized around trips; I have several times had the experience of going somewhere (at considerable expense too!) to see x or y, only to have x or y cancelled.  So I felt a huge sense of identification reading your post--my sympathies all the way.  (The good news is that you will still see Vishneva...at least 'knock wood' you will.)

[franelle2]

I'm disappointed about Corella also.  Wonder why this is happening.

Is it possible for someone to tell me what time ABT's Romeo and Juliet ends? I'm going to see it on Tuesday and it begins at 7:30.  I need to know in order to arrange for someone to pick me up when it is over as I cannot walk.

Will be grateful for any help and thank you.

Fran Wetzstein

[Ambonnay]

I wonder whether Gomes' receiving his third Romeo has any negative connotations on Kevin M's view of Cornejo playing the role (and I am not suggesting any are necessarily implied).  But Cornejo only has one Romeo, and his performance is early enough in the week relative to the Vishneva performance.  Has Cornejo worked with Vishneva before, and are there any issues to their potential pairing (e.g., how tall is Vishneva)?

Hallberg is not possible for the Vishneva performance because he will have just performed with Osipova during the matinee the very same day.  Also, since this is Osipova's first Juliet, Hallberg will need to commit presumably more practice time to her.  Hallberg is already dancing two Romeos.

Cory Stearns also has two Romeos, and is performing the Friday before the Saturday evening Vishneva performance.

That left Gomes and Cornejo as the likely Romeos that Kevin M would have chosen between, to work with Vishneva. I happen to think Gomes would be a better Romeo for Vishneva, but, if I were in Cornejo, I would be taking note of Marcelo getting his third Romeo and trying harder to get additional roles opposite ballerinas not named Xiomara.

[abatt]

The fact that Cornejo is so short severely limits his ability to fill in when someone is injured.  I would think that he could have partnered Osipova, but since she appears to enjoy working w. Hallberg, I doubt they would switch her to Cornejo for her role debut.  Poor Gomes. He is being overworked.

[ksk04]

Vishneva has made it pretty clear on numerous occasions she adores Marcelo, I doubt she would ask to dance with anyone else for this. I don't believe she has partnered with Herman before. She might be just at the limit of height to dance with him, but she is a bit wild onstage I don't think Herman would be able to dance with her in something as partnering intensive as R&J.


I hope Marcelo makes it to Sleeping Beauty in LA next week...with Veronika out last week, I am starting to think my little dream cast might not arrive all in one piece.



edit: Now might be a great time for Kevin to start letting some additional covers for Romeo line up. For years, I would assume it's a part that was pretty much impossible to get unless you were a principal but with half of the male principals taking Romeo out of their rep, you need more than one guy (Stearns) as a fill in. Regardless of this in Vishneva's case, though, I'm sure Marcelo would always have been the person to step in to dance with her.

[mimsyb]

ksk04, on 04 July 2010 - 11:32 AM, said:

Vishneva has made it pretty clear on numerous occasions she adores Marcelo, I doubt she would ask to dance with anyone else for this. I don't believe she has partnered with Herman before. She might be just at the limit of height to dance with him, but she is a bit wild onstage I don't think Herman would be able to dance with her in something as partnering intensive as R&J.


I hope Marcelo makes it to Sleeping Beauty in LA next week...with Veronika out last week, I am starting to think my little dream cast might not arrive all in one piece.



edit: Now might be a great time for Kevin to start letting some additional covers for Romeo line up. For years, I would assume it's a part that was pretty much impossible to get unless you were a principal but with half of the male principals taking Romeo out of their rep, you need more than one guy (Stearns) as a fill in. Regardless of this in Vishneva's case, though, I'm sure Marcelo would always have been the person to step in to dance with her.

Have faith! Gomes is a horse!  I have little doubt he'll make it through.  As to other contenders for the future, surely Eric Tamm should be learning the role.  ABT should be looking also as to who on the female side will be next in line.  Hee Seo we know, but who else has the technique and temperament for Juliet?  Possibly, Isabella Boylston. Maybe, maybe Sarah Lane, but her technique can blow hot and cold.  Not as secure as one would like for Juliet.

[bingham]

ksk04, on 04 July 2010 - 11:32 AM, said:

Vishneva has made it pretty clear on numerous occasions she adores Marcelo, I doubt she would ask to dance with anyone else for this. I don't believe she has partnered with Herman before. She might be just at the limit of height to dance with him, but she is a bit wild onstage I don't think Herman would be able to dance with her in something as partnering intensive as R&J.


I hope Marcelo makes it to Sleeping Beauty in LA next week...with Veronika out last week, I am starting to think my little dream cast might not arrive all in one piece.



edit: Now might be a great time for Kevin to start letting some additional covers for Romeo line up. For years, I would assume it's a part that was pretty much impossible to get unless you were a principal but with half of the male principals taking Romeo out of their rep, you need more than one guy (Stearns) as a fill in. Regardless of this in Vishneva's case, though, I'm sure Marcelo would always have been the person to step in to dance with her.

  A Hammoudi would be an interesting Romeo and Zhong Jing Fang( if she gets out of the injury list) would be a marveloius Juliet.

[Amour]

franelle2, on 04 July 2010 - 06:38 AM, said:

I'm disappointed about Corella also.  Wonder why this is happening.

To my eye, for the last two seasons Corella has looked out of shape technically and has also gained weight.  In addition, even in his prime, he had some difficulty with the lifts in Romeo and Juliet (you can see him laboring with Ferri in the balcony scene, in the La Scala production of R&J that is on DVD).  The fact that Diana also loves Marcelo (and might not feel as secure with Corella) all point towards reasons why this cast change happened.

[ksk04]

I agree about Tamm and Hammoudi, from what I've seen of both of them. I'd throw Stella Abrera and Maria Ricetto in for Juliet.

I read awhile ago Sarah Lane had used some grant money to get coaching from Alessandra Ferri for Juliet...probably wouldn't turn out that bad with Ferri guiding you.