26 replies to this topic

[nysusan]

I agree, Vishneva and Gomes were wonderful, Vishneva especially. What a contrast with Kent's Tatiana ( the only 2 I saw). It was as if they were dancing completely different versions of the choreography. Many of the lifts that looked awkward with the Kent/Bolle pairing were seamless and utter expressions of desperation and passion with V/G.

On the other hand, Bolle was a very dashing and movie star handsome Onegin. His dancing was beautiful, and his acting was great. In this role I thought he was even better than Gomes, though of course the V/G chemistry and partnering is beyond compare.

I'm afraid I can't really warm to this ballet - not even with such stellar performances.  I found the group choreography extremely boring and the story just didn't move me at all (unlike the opera).  So I concentrated on watching the marvelous performances.

[sidwich]

California, on 18 May 2013 - 05:13 AM, said:

Colleen Boresta, on 18 May 2013 - 04:32 AM, said:

mimsyb thank you for clairifying the fact that it is ABT's decision not to sell discounted tickets.  Again, the question is why?  It doesn't make a lot of sense.

Does ABT do a 1/2 price student/senior/military rush an hour before performance? Does NYCB? That's another great way to fill seats, get a little more $$, and open up the artform to people on very tight budgets, especially the young audiences that should be cultivated for the future of the artform.

Nobody has mentioned whether the house sold well for Vishneva-Gomes. That's the dream casting for balletomanes, but I wonder how many casual ballet goers or tourists knew that.

I can't speak to seniors or military, but ABT does do a student rush, and from what I remember, it's all day on performance day.  I was at a conference in NYC last summer, and had no problem getting a student rush ticket to one of last year's Vishneva-Gomes "Onegin" performances at lunchtime.  (I technically still had grad student status at the time).  NYCB also does student rush, but their student rush process is actually more complicated-I think you have to register for it ahead of time.

I am a little surprised that ABT doesn't do more to sell some of its more lightly-sold performances.  The Met is nearly impossible to sell out, and with the advent of internet marketing, I don't think it would be hard to do something with some of the weekday performances.  I've seen performances at the TKTS booth from time to time, but it's really been a once in a blue moon offering.  (Funds from the ticket booth goes to Broadway Care/Equity Fights AIDS, a worthy cause, but not the shows themselves).

[California]

sidwich, on 18 May 2013 - 03:07 PM, said:

I am a little surprised that ABT doesn't do more to sell some of its more lightly-sold performances.  The Met is nearly impossible to sell out, and with the advent of internet marketing, I don't think it would be hard to do something with some of the weekday performances.  I've seen performances at the TKTS booth from time to time, but it's really been a once in a blue moon offering.  (Funds from the ticket booth goes to Broadway Care/Equity Fights AIDS, a worthy cause, but not the shows themselves.

I don't know about the TKTS booth, but the TDF site (which often sells discounted NYCB tickets) seems to say that the revenue is funneled back to the theaters:

Quote

Created in 1968 to help an ailing New York theatre industry, TDF now provides support to more than 900 plays and musicals and returning upwards of $2 billion in revenue to thousands of Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway music and dance productions.

http://www.tdf.org/T...age.aspx?id=85 do=v

And it does seem that ABT could use the $$. I just assume they fear that if people know they can get cheap tickets that way, they'll never buy at list price from the Met. But it's a trade-off, I would think, of getting people into the theater who would not otherwise attend.

[angelica]

This is just to alert Ballet Alert members that some awesomely good seats have just been released by ABT for the Vishneva/Gomes Onegin on Monday night, including some in Center Orchestra and two in Row A Grand Tier. They're not discounted but they're available, and I would suggest that you snatch them up online (or at the box office if you're near there) asap if you'd like to see that performance.

[Mme. Hermine]

[Mme. Hermine]

[mimsyb]

Mme. Hermine, on 19 May 2013 - 01:49 AM, said:

Thanks for posting this.  I couldn't be there, but it looked as if Irina had a wonderful send off.  Her daughter looks to be a charmer. Thanks to Irina for many wonderful years at ABT.  Well done!

[canbelto]

Thanks for the videos. Noticed that Veronika Part and Diana Vishneva were onstage, usually two dancers who don't show up for farewells. Nice to see. The moment between Irina Kolpakova and Irina D. was sweet.

[Meow]

Thank you for posting the videos of Irina's ABT farewell.  I really wish that I could have gotten to NY to see her in Onegin.

This may be more appropriate in another conversation, but here is a lengthy and interesting interview with Irina, including some of her reasons for retirement:

http://www.timeout.c...1?intcid=leader

[Colleen Boresta]

Here are my thoughts on the May 18th matinee performance of 'Onegin".

John Cranko’s choreography for ‘Onegin’ thoroughly complements Tschaikovsky’s music.  The story told on the stage is very clear to the audience.  It doesn’t hurt to read the program notes before the ballet begins, but it is not needed for an understanding of the piece.  All of Cranko’s choreograpy for Onegin is goregeous, but the two pas de deux for Tatiana and Onegin at the end of Acts I and III are beyond compare.  The lifts and holds show the absolute beauty of ballet as an art form.

Since Pushkin’s long narrative poem is telescoped into a 90 minute work (not counting the two intermissions) certain events don’t make as much sense as they might.  The audience does not get to see Onegin’s struggles in the years between the duel and Prince Gremin’s ball.  Therefore, it is a bit hard to understand why Onegin has had a change of heart with regard to his feelings for Tatiana.

As Tatiana, Polina Semionova is a very believable young girl, with lovely extensions and a gorgeously pliable upper body.  Semionova’s Tatiana is so completely in love with Onegin that her reaction when he rips up her her letter breaks my heart.  Her transition from naïve young country girl to Prince Gremin’s adoring wife is beautifully seamless.  Semionova’s raw pain and anguish as she rejects Onegin forever brings tears to my eyes.

David Hallberg was born to play Onegin.  At the beginning of the ballet his acting is a bit understated, but it fits Onegin’s cold hauteur perfectly.  No ABT dancer does the “I am superior to everyone in the world” aristocrat quite like Hallberg.  Onegin’s character, however, begins to change when he kills his friend in a duel.  During Prince Gremin’s Act III ball, Hallberg’s Onegin is a lost soul whose only hope lies in reclaiming Tatiana’s love.  It is clear how the mighty have fallen as Onegin grovels before Tatiana in her boudoir, frantic to attain her.  When she finally rejects him, Hallberg displays Onegin’s desperate emotional state with every inch of his face and body.

Yuriko Kajiya’s Olga stands out for her delicately lyrical dancing and beautiful use of her hands.  Her character, however, is an enigma.  This is my fourth performance of Cranko’s ‘Onegin’ and I still can’t understand why Olga continues to flirt with Onegin when she sees how much it hurts Lensky.  Due to Joseph Gorak’s incredible portrayal I do understand Lensky.  Gorak’s poet is a truly noble young man who has been hurt deeply by both his fiancée and best friend.  He thrills the audience with his wonderfully light leaps and plush landings.  Gorak’s line is so perfect that his solo before the duel becomes a powerful soliloquy.  Roddy Doble is a caring and devoted Prince Gremin.  The audience can plainly see why Tatiana cares for him so deeply.

What a beautifully emotional afternoon at the ballet.  I only hope American Ballet Theatre keeps ‘Onegin’ in their repertoire for many years to come.

[abatt]

Tonight's performance was spectacular.  These are the types of performances that I will remember for years to come.  Vishneva and Gomes were even more brilliant than on Friday evening.  Gomes took his performance up a few notches compared to Friday, and Diana was right there with him.  It was seamless. The final scene was heart wrenching.

The opera house was pretty well sold in my section.  Vishneva-Gomes bring people to the theater.  It doesn't matter if it's a weekend or a weeknight.

[Batsuchan]

I totally agree with abatt!!  Tonight was one for the ages!!

I was in the orchestra, and it looked pretty packed.  Don't miss Vishneva & Gomes in Romeo & Juliet!  I can't wait!!