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La Bayadere


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Any recommendations for which cast to see? The Friday and Saturday nights are out. Are any of the guest artists worth seeing? Otherwise, I'm leaning toward the Part matinee.

I love Part and if I weren't working during the day, would definitely go see her Nikiya.

Tereshkina and Shklyarov should be exquisite, and Smirnova/Muntagirov - at the very least intriguing.

Those would be my top three choices

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Any recommendations for which cast to see? The Friday and Saturday nights are out. Are any of the guest artists worth seeing? Otherwise, I'm leaning toward the Part matinee.

Bayadere is one of Part's best roles, if not her best. She's always gorgeous in it, and it sounds like her partnership with Whiteside has really blossomed. I'd strongly recommend that one!

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I saw Part dance Nikiya twice, both times with Gomes and they were both spectacular. I've never seen Whiteside as the lead in a full length ballet. I did see him dance (with Herrera) in Theme and Variations last November and I was very impressed with Whiteside. I'm really looking forward to his Solor.

I saw Tereshkina dance the Russian girl in Serenade in 2008 and she was really lovely. I saw Shkyarov dance in Rubies and Etudes in 2008 and as the lead in The Little Humpbacked Horse in 2011. He was not only a sensational dancer but a very good actor. I don't think you can miss seeing both of them. If I could get to Manhattan (from Staten Island) on a weekday evening I would certainly see their performance in La Bayadere.

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Part it is!

I know this has been asked many times before, and I myself have asked it, but: Right now, there is the choice of Orchestra Row H on the center aisle or Grand Tier Row A in the center. Which would you choose?

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In my opinion, orchestra Row H is too close for viewing any ballet at the Met, especially La Bayadere and the glorious kingdom of the shade segment (this has already been said). I think you have to be in row L or further back at the Metropolitan Opera House to really enjoy a ballet at the Metropolitan Opera House. The David Koch Theater is quite a different story. Orchestra row H is very good viewing at the Koch . But then I think practically any orchestra seat at the Koch Theater is good for watching ballets. From what I have read and heard, we have Mr. Balanchine to thank for this.

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I've tried several different locations and they all have their pluses and minuses. I was in Row J on the center aisle two nights ago, which in a Broadway theater would be perfect, but at the MET is still seemed far away and I needed my glasses to see clearly.

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At the risk of repeating myself, IMHO every seat at the Met is a compromise for ballet. My first choice is Orchestra Row J on the center aisle, but my second choice is Orchestra Row A. Even though you miss the very bottoms of the dancers' feet, you see their facial expressions and the details of their dancing with magnificent clarity. Row A in the Grand Tier is way too far back for me.

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It is after midnight - I will write more tomorrow, but just have to post that it was a magical Bayadere last night. All three leads were at their absolute best.

One funny thing - when they moved Solor's divan/couch in Act II, something dropped on the floor that sent a couple of sparks flying. As the Shades were entering, a visible hand came out from behind the curtain to clean up whatever that was.

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I'm off to the Part/Whiteside/Abrera La Bayadere. I will post more later. To those who were at Friday's performance just one question. Who danced the Bronze Idol (why he's called bronze I don't know because every time I've seen La Bayadere the idol looked like he was painted gold. Why not the Golden Idol?) and how was he? I remember reading an online review a few years ago (I can't remember who but it was someone who use to post on Ballet Alert but then got a blog.) Anyway the reviewer said something like everyone who had ever seen Corella or Cornejo dance the Bronze Idol had to die before a new Bronze Idol could be appreciated.) So far I've found this to be true. No Bronze Idol has lived up to my memories of Corella and Cornejo. But I keep living in hope. Maybe today the Bronze Idol's performance will blow me away. I'll let you know.

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Yesterday's performance was magnificent. Vishneva, Gomes & Murphy all wove a magic spell. Murphy showed no sign of her recent injury, Vishneva was mesmerizing and Marcelo, well - he was Marcelo!

All of the soloists were good, too - Agoudine, Lane, Copeland, Teuscher, Kajiya. Craig Salstein danced Bronze idol. He was good, but nowhere near Simkin's level - let alone Corella and Cornejo.

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After watching last night's performance, I am having a hard time getting as excited about the casts for the rest of the week. As amazing as the guest artists may be, I don't have an emotional connection to them as I do with Gomes, Vishneva, and Murphy. How cruel for ABT to start the La Bayadere run with pinnacle cast. The bar has been set astronomically high for the rest of the week.

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After watching last night's performance, I am having a hard time getting as excited about the casts for the rest of the week. As amazing as the guest artists may be, I don't have an emotional connection to them as I do with Gomes, Vishneva, and Murphy. How cruel for ABT to start the La Bayadere run with pinnacle cast. The bar has been set astronomically high for the rest of the week.

I agree with you, although I am looking forward to Tereshkina/Shklyarov. I saw Tereshkina dance Gamzatti (with Vishneva as Nikiya) when the Mariinsky was in DC in the winter of 2008.

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If you have not yet seen Olga Smirnova get thee to the Met on Wednesday. Vaganova trained, immediately taken into Bolshoi as soloist, still only 22. Some faults but always improving and definitely on the path of greatness. A marvel in all that she does.

Muntagirov, to me at least, runs hot and cold, but is always an excellent partner. Act II should be brilliant..her Nikya in London was extraordinary. Copeland is, well, Copeland, Not my cup of tea but possibly yours.

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Saw the matinee today.

Thought both Part and Whiteside were fantastic, much better than last weeks Don Q. I feel like Part is made to play Nikiya, her arms are so long and her lines are gorgeous. Whiteside was much steadier lifting her, and the two had very believable chemistry. I loved them both.

Stella was Gamzatti, and I enjoyed her performance. She fell out of her fouettes in act one, but that was the only mistake I noticed (with my beginners eyes). I liked the way she played Gamzatti, she seemed to have almost a sinister quality. The act 3 solo was fabulous.

The only other time I saw La Bayadere is the Royal Ballet video. Seeing act two in person will probably be the highlight of the met season for me. The corps was fantastic, and the room was so quiet at times, you could hear a pin drop. The three solos were all outstanding.

In case you can't tell, I enjoyed this way more than Don Q!!!

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I will second the review above. Stella was great. Someone in the audience commented that Veronika was "stiff". I can't say I agree, though admittedly she was better in Swan Lake last year.

Act II was a thrill to watch and I fully concur on the soloists and the corps. And this was the first time I've seen something at ABT in which the scenery and costumes actually impressed me.

Joseph Gorak was the Bronze Idol and did a fine job. That scene felt a bit out of place to me - as if they just threw it in there because the audience wants to see it.

I took everyone's advice and chose Grand Tier Row A. It is great having no one in front of you and great to see the patterns. But you cannot see the faces, although I couldn't see the faces very well from Orchestra Row J either.

I am not easily impressed, but I really enjoyed this one. It wowed me in a way that Don Q sadly did not. This was my first time seeing Whiteside in anything and he was a treat to watch. Watching him lift Veronika and carrying her around the stage - OMG. Now, I can look forward to him in Cinderella.

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I definitely agree with Kaysta and ord7916 about the Saturday matinee. I will post more in a day or so but it was so beautiful and many of the performances (especially Part and Whiteside) are still playing in my head. Having seen Part dance the role twice with Gomes, I knew what a perfect Nikiya she would be. Whiteside was the revelation. Great dancing, great acting, palpable chemistry with Part. I loved the Part/Gomes partnership but now I'm looking forward to a new partnership with Part and Whiteside.

The shades were much better than when I saw them two years ago. Just a tiny bobble or two when they reached the stage. Joseph Gorak was the Bronze Idol. I don't think he's quite up to the level of Corella or Cornejo in the role but he was very close. Definitely the best Bronze Idol I've seen since Cornejo. Why isn't Gorak a soloist? Maybe at the end of the season after he dances Frantz in Coppelia he'll be promoted. I truly hope so.

ord7916 brings up an interesting point about the placement of the Bronze Idol solo in La Bayadere. Overall I prefer Makarova's version of the ballet, but in the Bolshoi version for example (I've been watching the dvd) the Bronze Idol solo is part of the divertisements at Gamzatti and Solor's betrothal ceremony. I think this solo fits better there.

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