76 replies to this topic

[Natalia]

We had mentioned the Corsaires and a general 'mixed bill' in the general thread about the complete 2012/13 KC ballet season. We now know the specifics of the three ballets, i.e., the 3rd ballet will be the new Ratmansky-Shostakovich work; the first two works still scheduled as Balanchine Symphony in C and Limon's The Moor's Pavane.

http://www.kennedy-c...ts/?event=BNBSE

[Natalia]

We now have casting for all programs, including Symphony in C in the 2 mixed-bill programs. Only 'tbd' is the female soloist for 1st movment on one of the nights.

http://www.kennedy-c...ts/?event=BNBSE

The all-important 2nd mvmt will be led by Seo/Gomes and Part/Hammoudi, on nights 1 & 2, respectively. Oh yeah!

I'm a bit surprised that Misty Copeland didn't get Bizet 3rd-movement lead, as it calls for an energetic jumper (one of her fortes); Boylston (another gt jumper) and Kajiya (???) named instead. Misty might yet get to dance Bizet 3rdmvt at one of the casts at the Met.

[Drew]

Natalia, on 06 February 2013 - 02:30 PM, said:

We now have casting for all programs, including Symphony in C in the 2 mixed-bill programs. Only 'tbd' is the female soloist for 1st movment on one of the nights.

http://www.kennedy-c...ts/?event=BNBSE

The all-important 2nd mvmt will be led by Seo/Gomes and Part/Hammoudi, on nights 1 & 2, respectively. Oh yeah!

I'm a bit surprised that Misty Copeland didn't get Bizet 3rd-movement lead, as it calls for an energetic jumper (one of her fortes); Boylston (another gt jumper) and Kajiya (???) named instead. Misty might yet get to dance Bizet 3rdmvt at one of the casts at the Met.

Unless i have misunderstood the cast listings, Copeland is down for first movement in Symphony in C in New York. (Same cast Osipova is dancing 3rd movement.)

[Natalia]

Thanks, Drew. I didn't realize that detailed casting of Bizet in NY was now out.  So maybe Misty will get the 'tbd' 1st Movement on the Wednesday cast in DC? Too bad that DC won't get to see Osipova in 3rd mvt. Another reason to hike up to NY, if work allows.

The Corsaire casts in DC look wonderful. I'm especially excited about seeing Joseph Phillips' Ali on Sat night.

Tickets just went on sale today to non-subscribers, by the way. The Sunday Osipova/Vasiliev Corsaire is selling quickly.

[Natalia]

Well, it now looks like Misty Copeland is out of the Kennedy Center tour, as Lane replaces her in the April 14 Corsaire.

April 10: Symphony in C - the 'TBD' 1st-mvt soloist is now revealed:  Abrera.

http://www.kennedy-c...ts/?event=BNBSE

[Natalia]

Drew, on 06 February 2013 - 02:57 PM, said:

.....Unless i have misunderstood the cast listings, Copeland is down for first movement in Symphony in C in New York. (Same cast Osipova is dancing 3rd movement.)

Misty is no longer shown in the Symphony in C castings in NY. As mentioned a couple of days ago, she is also out of the Kennedy Center tour. I hope that she is OK.

[abatt]

I just got an email with a discount code from the Kennedy Center for the ABT engagment.
$59 select orchestra seats for Apr 11, 12, and 13 mat only
$45 select orchestra seats for Apr 9 and 10

Code is 154109

Is it a mere coincidence that the only dates they are not discounting (and that are selling well) are ones where Osipova and/or Vasiliev are cast?

[Natalia]

Something odd. The Kennedy Center site now shows this casting for tomorrow night's opening Symphony in C:

http://www.kennedy-c...E#relatedEvents

It seems that "Matthews" replaces Paloma Herrera as the female lead in the first movement?!

...Symphony in in C (34 min.) - Matthews, Whiteside, Seo, Hammoudi, Boylston, Simkin, Lane, Matthews
The Moor's Pavane (21 min.) - Gomes, Stearns, Abrera, Kent
Symphony #9 (26 min.) - Part,...etc.

This at 4:45pm EST. Hopefully it's an error and they're in the midst of updating casting.

[abatt]

I don't know.  Jared might look good in a tutu.  LOL.

[cantdance]

I will be a super with ABT again.  We rehearsed with the company today and did costume fitting.  The costumes and scenery are from Teatro de Colon.   Had a great time watching a little bit of the company class.  Roberto Bolle, Julie Kent and Danil Simkin are a joy to watch.  The Class was taught by Nancy Raffa.  She and Anna Marie Holmes conducted the supers' rehearsal.   As a treat Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev were off to the side rehearsing.  Ivan was in blue jeans and street shoes, but when the music for Conrad's dance started Ivan jumped in and gave the supers a small performance.  We all clapped at the end.  Also Damian Woetzel was there visiting.

[SimonA]

All remaining orchestra seats are being discounted at $35 for today's and tomorrow's performances.  Offer number is: "154434"

[YouOverThere]

SimonA, on 09 April 2013 - 08:29 AM, said:

All remaining orchestra seats are being discounted at $35 for today's and tomorrow's performances.  Offer number is: "154434"

You got a different discount than I did. Mine is for $39, with a code of "154412".

[Alexandra]

I went tonight (Tuesday, for the opening) and thought it a very strong program. I'll be writing for danceviewtimes (probably tomorrow, as I'm going tonight as well). All the ballets were new to DC -- "Symphony in C," "Moor's Pavane" and Alexei Ratmansky's new "Symphony #9." The dancing was excellent across the board, I thought, and very heartfelt. I thought Ratmansky's ballet simply stunning. It's one of his not-pure-dance ballets, with a lot of emotional and, I think, historical undertones, and it's a whirlwind of movement. There's only one performancne of the mixed bill, and I hope people will go. Tonight was very well sold, but there were some seats available.

Hope others went and will report!

[YouOverThere]

Alexandra, on 09 April 2013 - 08:29 PM, said:

I went tonight (Tuesday, for the opening) and thought it a very strong program. I'll be writing for danceviewtimes (probably tomorrow, as I'm going tonight as well). All the ballets were new to DC -- "Symphony in C," "Moor's Pavane" and Alexei Ratmansky's new "Symphony #9." The dancing was excellent across the board, I thought, and very heartfelt. I thought Ratmansky's ballet simply stunning. It's one of his not-pure-dance ballets, with a lot of emotional and, I think, historical undertones, and it's a whirlwind of movement. There's only one performancne of the mixed bill, and I hope people will go. Tonight was very well sold, but there were some seats available.

Hope others went and will report!

I went, and really enjoyed the show. Their selections were much more to my liking than the NYCB's. My only gripe would be about the women's costumes for Symphony in C. - it made the dancers look too girlish  If it weren't so inconvenient and expensive to get to the Kennedy Center, I'd be tempted to go back tonight.

I sat in row CC, which was the last row that was full. Row DD was about half full and row EE was essentially empty.

[SimonA]

I attended last night’s performance, as well, and had a more mixed reaction.

I thought the men outshone the women in Symphony in C, which does not make for a great Symphony in C.  The performance got off to a bit of a rough beginning: the corps seemed to be off the music at the start, and I thought Paloma Herrera’s dancing in the first movement was stiff, unmusical, and almost ungainly.  Overall, ABT’s corps and demi-soloists were very polite and tended to soften Balanchine’s steps. I wished for more crispness and attack, particularly in the first movement.

This was my first time seeing Hee Seo dance, and I agree with the comments I’ve read here along the lines of: exquisite upper body, not-so-exquisite legs and feet.  In the second movement, she had some truly lovely, even breathtaking moments, such as her heartstopping falls into her partner’s arms.  Seo undoubtedly has beautifully expressive arms and a lovely, pliant back.  But I was less impressed with other aspects of her dancing, such as her batterie, and there were passages in her dancing that seemed slightly anonymous.  A promising performance, but Seo didn’t quite sustain the “hold-your-breath-for-the-entire-adagio-movement” quality that Nancy Reynolds writes about.

For me, Daniil Simkin stole the performance with his silky, effortless virtuosity and wonderful musicality in the third movement.  His partner, Isabella Boylston, was quite fine, but my eye was constantly being drawn to Simkin (and not through showboating but the rarified quality of his dancing).  Strong performances also from James Whiteside and Alexandre Hammoudi.  The finale was powerful and thrilling, as it should be.

The Moor’s Pavane wasn’t really my cup of tea, but there was some interesting dancing coming out of the male-male Moor-Iago pairing, with Gomes and Stearns.  Julie Kent looked lovely but didn't have much to do.

Ratmansky’s Symphony No. 9 was almost as scintillating on second viewing.  Veronika Part was wonderful and powerfully brought out the dramatic undercurrents of the piece.  I much preferred her to Semionova in the original cast.  It’s a shame Herman Cornejo had to pull out of the performance (hopefully it’s only precautionary?), but Jared Matthews was a dynamo in the virtuoso role.  Perhaps not quite as explosive as Cornejo, but still thrilling.  Craig Salstein was once again a delight.

But can I say that the Ratmansky suffered a bit in comparison to the Balanchine (not really fair, I know)?  Particularly in the choreography for the corps, which was full of energy but perhaps had a bit less to say than Ratmansky’s work for the soloists.

P.S. Orchestra seats for Thursday's Corsaire are being discounted for $35.  Code is: "154462."