78 replies to this topic

[Natalia]

Just curious if ABT has announced who will dance major roles beyond O/O and Siegfried, such as Von Rothbart and Pas de Trois? I seem to recall press releases on  'extended casting' in years past.

So far, we know that the O/Os and Siegfrieds will be:

Monday, June 25 - Part, Stearns

Tues, June 26 - Semionova, Hallberg

Wed, June 27 (mat) - Boylston, Simkin (role debuts for both!)

Wed, June 27 (eve) - Murphy, Gomes

Thurs, June 28 - Herrera, Corella

Fri, June 29 - Semionova, Hallberg

Sat, June 30 (mat) - Dvorovenko, Muntagirov

Sat, June 30 (eve) - Kent, Gomes

[nanushka]

Natalia, on 23 June 2012 - 02:39 AM, said:

Just curious if ABT has announced who will dance major roles beyond O/O and Siegfried, such as Von Rothbart and Pas de Trois?

See the topic 'Casting Updates Spring 2012 Met Season,' where a casting list including Rothbart is posted.

[Natalia]

Thanks, nanushka. We'll find out about the pas de trois, two big swans, princesses in A3, etc., soon enough.

I see that our two 'debutants' in the leads, Boylston and Simkin, are the 'Guest Tweeters' of the week, as per ABT website. Link to ABT Tweets:
https://twitter.com/#!/ABTBallet

[cubanmiamiboy]

Wow...Kent for the final, Saturday night performance...? Is she still capable of doing Odile and in such relevant week day...? (just wondering...no sarcasm intended, I promise...)

[MRR]

cubanmiamiboy, on 25 June 2012 - 06:38 AM, said:

Wow...Kent for the final, Saturday night performance...? Is she still capable of doing Odile and in such relevant week day...? (just answering...no sarcasm intended, I promise...)

Actually, when I saw Kent dance SL last year, I thought her Odile was quite adequate and in my mind superior to her Odette, something I would never have expected in a million years.  Certainy the technical fireworks in her Odile were lacking--she only made it to 26 fouettes--but she had a haughty characterization which I enjoyed.  Mind you, that's the only time I've seen Kent dance Swan Lake.

[Batsuchan]

Natalia, on 23 June 2012 - 02:39 AM, said:

Just curious if ABT has announced who will dance major roles beyond O/O and Siegfried, such as Von Rothbart and Pas de Trois? I seem to recall press releases on  'extended casting' in years past.

Stella Abrera, Maria Riccetto and Sascha Radetsky are dancing the p.d.t. on Tues and Fri night, as per Maria's tweet:
https://twitter.com/...775211561918464

I was at the dress rehearsal today and Act I was danced by Boylston & Simkin--if the p.d.t. cast is the same (sometimes they mix casts for the rehearsals) it will be Christine Shevchenko, Joseph Gorak, and Devon Teuscher.

I bought a ticket for the Boylston/Simkin matinee, so I guess I will look for you there, Natalia?

As for Julie--I saw her Odette last year with Carreno, and I thought it was beautiful and touching (though perhaps a little rusty on the technique).  In "The Bright Stream" I thought she had some of the nicest, easiest, prettiest single fouettes, but I don't expect her to be doing triples like Polina did in the rehearsal today!  Kent's balances are still quite good, and I heard she pulled off an amazing one last Friday in "The Dream," so that could be a highlight in Act III as well!

I won't really comment on the rehearsal (I don't think that's fair), but I will say that jumping into the lake must be much harder and scarier (and potentially more painful) than it looks!  It was pretty funny watching the dancers practice!  

[canbelto]

Actually I think Julie's O/O hasnt changed much. I saw her maybe almost 10 years ago in Swan Lake and I didn't know much about dance then but I remember both her Odette and Odile being somewhat "low wattage" even then. She wasn't bad as Odile but she was low key. She stopped at around 26 fouettes then too. Later I saw Nina and was like "oh wow so this is what it's supposed to look like." Julie's a lovely lyrical dancer but she's never been "demented" or go for broke.

[mimsyb]

Two words for tonight's "Swan Lake" performance.  Renata Pavam!   After not dancing the entire season, how wonderful to see her back.  First as the Italian princess in the ballroom scene and then (uncredited in the program) as a swan in the final grouping. YEAH!

[Batsuchan]

mimsyb, on 25 June 2012 - 07:56 PM, said:

Two words for tonight's "Swan Lake" performance.  Renata Pavam!   After not dancing the entire season, how wonderful to see her back.  First as the Italian princess in the ballroom scene and then (uncredited in the program) as a swan in the final grouping. YEAH!

OOH, that is so exciting!!  She's one of my favorites!  Can't wait to see her onstage myself!

[Natalia]

Batsuchan, on 25 June 2012 - 05:37 PM, said:

......I was at the dress rehearsal today and Act I was danced by Boylston & Simkin--if the p.d.t. cast is the same (sometimes they mix casts for the rehearsals) it will be Christine Shevchenko, Joseph Gorak, and Devon Teuscher.

I bought a ticket for the Boylston/Simkin matinee, so I guess I will look for you there, Natalia?
.....

Thanks for the insights on possible Wednesday-matinee pas de trois casting, Batsuchan. Those happen to be 3 of my favorite up-and-comers, so I'm hoping that it is indeed them. Yes, I plan to be there tomorrow so may be looking for you.

[mussel]

Whoever stagehand closed the curtain too early at the end of Act II should be fired.  It's the moment when Veronika's Odette turned her back against the audience en pointe and flipped her "wings" to "fly" away into wing.  It's one of the most pivotal moments of the ballet, Odile repeated the same move during Act III, it's that moment Siegfried being duped into believing that Odile was his true love.  What we needed was just another 10 sec.  I was robbed one of the most beautiful moments.  BTW, Veronika deserved a better partner.

[aurora]

mussel, on 26 June 2012 - 10:45 AM, said:

Whoever stagehand closed the curtain too early at the end of Act II should be fired.  It's the moment when Veronika's Odette turned her back against the audience en pointe and flipped her "wings" to "fly" away into wing.  It's one of the most pivotal moments of the ballet, Odile repeated the same move during Act III, it's that moment Siegfried being duped into believing that Odile was his true love.  What we needed was just another 10 sec.  I was robbed one of the most beautiful moments.  BTW, Veronika deserved a better partner.

While I agree on your point about Stearns, I actually think he partnered her well. I just don't think he has much emotional range or register. And his solos are...fine. Not bad. Not good though.

He was attentive and there were no bobbles or difficulties from where I sat (unlike some previous times Ive seen them together).

No time for a review now, but she was confident and beautiful. Beginning with an exquisite balance upon her entrance and going forward from there.

Everyone was in good form. The pas-de-trois was fantastic--best I've seen it in a long time. The cygnets were excellent.
And GOMES as Purple Rothbart. Really, nothing more needs to say about that. He owns that part and is the only man who can look sexy in that ridiculous costume.

Really a very good night.

[abatt]

<sup>I thought Veronika was radiant last night, although it did not match her epic performance in 2009 w. Roberto Bolle.  She certainly deserves a better partner than Stearns, but she is learning to make do with the cards she is dealt at ABT.   Cory is improving a bit each year.  However, I felt he was mostly blank last night. The pas de trois dancers were Lane, Kajiya and Simkin. They were wonderful.  The two big swans were Abrera and Seo.   Marcelo nearly stole the show as Purple Rothbart.  He was magnetic and he generated such excitement from the audience.  Sadly, I'm not looking forward to seeing any of the other Rothbarts this season.

It was very well sold, and I think every youngster in the tri state area must have been seated in the balcony/family circle.  Disaster struck in the final moments of the ballet, when a youngster decided to scream at the top of his lungs during the most hushed moments of the final act, disturbing 3,800 people.  I believe the screamer and his parents were escorted out, but the incident already ruined the magic. Oh well.</sup>

[aurora]

abatt, on 26 June 2012 - 11:36 AM, said:

<sup>I thought Veronika was radiant last night, although it did not match her epic performance in 2009 w. Roberto Bolle.  She certainly deserves a better partner than Stearns, but she is learning to make do with the cards she is dealt at ABT.   Cory is improving a bit each year.  However, I felt he was mostly blank last night. The pas de trois dancers were Lane, Kajiya and Simkin. They were wonderful.  The two big swans were Abrera and Seo.   Marcelo nearly stole the show as Purple Rothbart.  He was magnetic and he generated such excitement from the audience.  Sadly, I'm not looking forward to seeing any of the other Rothbarts this season.

It was very well sold, and I think every youngster in the tri state area must have been seated in the balcony/family circle.  Disaster struck in the final moments of the ballet, when a youngster decided to scream at the top of his lungs during the most hushed moments of the final act, disturbing 3,800 people.  I believe the screamer and his parents were escorted out, but the incident already ruined the magic. Oh well.</sup>

Thanks! I didn't have my program and I knew I was going to mangle the spelling of Kajiya's name. She was astonishingly good and didn't deserve that from me

While I hate screaming children and it *was* disturbing, the fact that the screaming child started, as if on cue, with the appearance of swamp-thing Rothbart was actually rather hilarious. Someone did NOT LIKE the swamp creature!!

(It didn't ruin the magic for me, I found it pretty easy to get back into the last moments, fortunately!)

[abatt]

I wasn't sure if the Swamp Thing was the cause of the outburst,  SL should have a ratings system like the movies, like not appropriate for children under age--------.