Drew Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 Without having all the familiarity with the corps de ballet that others do, I also think ABT has outstanding talent in the pipeline. And I am also strongly inclined to agree that coaching could make a huge difference to what happens with these dancers. (I am always struck when ABT dancers who win various fellowships and prizes use the money to hire additional coaches.) Perhaps one can hope that some donor will consider making support for coaches and teachers a priority. But I do think boards of directors would (and should) be extremely wary of ABT drawing talent from NYCB for guest performances especially now that NYCB has its own storehouse of nineteenth-century classics. (I know it happened with Veyette in Theme and Variations.) For myself, I have to admit, too, I don't favor moves in any direction that would homogenize the two companies . . . and don't know that I think the results would be artistically convincing. (I wouldn't mind seeing Mearns or Peck or Bouder do ANYTHING, but I think in less neo-classically inflected versions of the classics performed in a theater considerably larger than the Koch they would not necessarily look the way they look at NYCB. They would likely need multiple performances to make the experiment a success. And that hardly serves ABT.) At NYCB, I have sat next to (quite nice) fans of the company who were adamant ABT was just dancers "walking around" in fancy costumes; they would not even entertain the possibility of going to see them. This attitude would not have surprised me except that we were at a performance of Martins' Swan Lake. They had no problem with NYCB dancing a full length Swan Lake or with Martins' production, but had no interest in seeing ABT's version (and even repeated the "walking around" business several times when I asked about it). This was 8-9 years ago, and they may not have been altogether typical, but the conversation did make an impression on me. Re ABT's Swan Lake...Do people think Teuscher might have Odette-Odile potential? I was wondering about that after watching her this season in the Shostakovich Trilogy. And last year, in the Ratmansky Sleeping Beauty, I thought she carried off the huge Lilac Fairy headdress very well. That's a minor thing perhaps, but speaks to stage carriage and presence. (I don't know her exact height, but she has lovely legs.) Link to comment
Kaysta Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 I know this has been discussed before (and maybe this isn't the thread, so I'm sorry in advance) but ABT should really think about whether the Metropolitan Opera House is the right location for them. Not that I have a clue where they should move to (and not that I want them to move). And I also think that if they had a more traditional season like other companies, where the works are interspersed over time, that maybe that would bring more folks in? Besides the hardcore balletomanes, do most folks want to go to the ballet every week (or multiple times per week) for 8 weeks straight? It probably can't be done at the Met, but if their season was more interspersed with the Met Opera, would that bring in more people or do the two audiences overlap and it would end up diminishing ABT's audience? Link to comment
choriamb Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 Seems like they've given up on grooming the next great Swan Queen... I believe this is one role that requires tall pricipal dancers... or maybe that's just my preference. However, they will have many promising Kitris in near future! I also hope they can renew their DonQ production. I have a question unrelated to this subject-didn't ABT perform Jewels many many years ago? It's not on my wishlist because I'm happy with NYCB's performace but I just want to know whether my memory is correct... I am pretty sure that ABT performed it about 8 yrs ago or something... or not. Maybe I'm mistaken! Don't get me wrong, I like taller ballerinas and think there are several interesting ones VERY early in their careers in ABT's corps (I'll add Giangeruso to the list of favorites). But it's good that they're on the younger side, given the lack of taller mid-to-late career men to partner them.alexL, I suspect you're thinking of either the Mariinsky's Lincoln Center Festival residency a few years ago (they performed Jewels along with Carmen Suite) or perhaps ABT's performance of Symphony in C which occurred around that same year. Link to comment
stuben Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 Waski stands out to me even when she's standing on the background and I hope she gets more soloist opportunity. She also seems quite tall! The current soloists can be great in roles like Aurora, Giselle, Nikiya, or Juliet but just not as Odette. Don't get me wrong, I like taller ballerinas and think there are several interesting ones VERY early in their careers in ABT's corps (I'll add Giangeruso to the list of favorites). But it's good that they're on the younger side, given the lack of taller mid-to-late career men to partner them. alexL, I suspect you're thinking of either the Mariinsky's Lincoln Center Festival residency a few years ago (they performed Jewels along with Carmen Suite) or perhaps ABT's performance of Symphony in C which occurred around that same year. I saw these two lovely dancers this past Thursday when they did Big Swans and Princesses, I second alexL and chorlamb, as I feel they looked very tight as a pair and perhaps I am partial to long and lean dancers. Waski was the Hungarian princess in this particular show and IMO did a splendid job alongside Giangeruso. Does anyone know if they did the PDT in another show? I would have liked to see them paired with the likes of Forster who is one of the tall men I do admire. As many have suggested here, I too, hope that they nurture these talents to be ready for stepping in as the new generation! At the least I do look forward to seeing them as soloists Link to comment
mimsyb Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 Without having all the familiarity with the corps de ballet that others do, I also think ABT has outstanding talent in the pipeline. And I am also strongly inclined to agree that coaching could make a huge difference to what happens with these dancers. (I am always struck when ABT dancers who win various fellowships and prizes use the money to hire additional coaches.) Perhaps one can hope that some donor will consider making support for coaches and teachers a priority. But I do think boards of directors would (and should) be extremely wary of ABT drawing talent from NYCB for guest performances especially now that NYCB has its own storehouse of nineteenth-century classics. (I know it happened with Veyette in Theme and Variations.) For myself, I have to admit, too, I don't favor moves in any direction that would homogenize the two companies . . . and don't know that I think the results would be artistically convincing. (I wouldn't mind seeing Mearns or Peck or Bouder do ANYTHING, but I think in less neo-classically inflected versions of the classics performed in a theater considerably larger than the Koch they would not necessarily look the way they look at NYCB. They would likely need multiple performances to make the experiment a success. And that hardly serves ABT.) At NYCB, I have sat next to (quite nice) fans of the company who were adamant ABT was just dancers "walking around" in fancy costumes; they would not even entertain the possibility of going to see them. This attitude would not have surprised me except that we were at a performance of Martins' Swan Lake. They had no problem with NYCB dancing a full length Swan Lake or with Martins' production, but had no interest in seeing ABT's version (and even repeated the "walking around" business several times when I asked about it). This was 8-9 years ago, and they may not have been altogether typical, but the conversation did make an impression on me. Re ABT's Swan Lake...Do people think Teuscher might have Odette-Odile potential? I was wondering about that after watching her this season in the Shostakovich Trilogy. And last year, in the Ratmansky Sleeping Beauty, I thought she carried off the huge Lilac Fairy headdress very well. That's a minor thing perhaps, but speaks to stage carriage and presence. (I don't know her exact height, but she has lovely legs.) Another potential O/O (for me, at any rate) would be Christine Shevchenko. She too has lovely line and extension and when given the right role always brings a warmth and intelligence to that role. On someone's opinion of doing "SL" over a longer period of time, it could be done certainly. Many companies (ABT included and of course NYCB ) already do that sort of thing with "Nutcracker, and in City Ballet's case, every Spring they seem to do quite well with "Mid-Summer's Night Dream". "Swan Lake" is one of those ballets that has numerous opportunities for dancers to do small and not so small roles, so it offers more dancing to more of the dancers. I know it would cut into perhaps doing other, more experimental works, but this year's "Golden Cockeral" didn't do all that well with ticket sales. I wish that on a few of the rep nights, they would insert a ballet that always sells tickets, such as "Upper Room". Also, ballets such as "Rodeo" and "Fancy Free" usually brings in audience. I think "Les Patineurs" could become that type of ballet also. The list of ballets from ABT's rep is very long, but we so seldom get a chance to see them. I'd also like to see an extra week done at the State Theater in the Fall, so to offer more opportunities for the dancers to perform works. New works, revivals, even perhaps trying something like "Bright Stream". It's such a superior venue for dance than the Met stage. Link to comment
sandik Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 I think if/when ABT redoes their current production of Swan Lake, which I don't think is that far off, they should run it for a week and a half. Oh, I disagree. A new production of SL is a much bigger draw than a revival of a familiar production. And if the new version makes anything like significant changes in the logistics of the choreography, it would benefit by as many performances as possible. Link to comment
bingham Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 I would love to see Part at Tatiana and as Giselle, but I don't think it's going happen. I think we may get Kochetkova as Giselle. She is now Herman's "go to" partner. Since Boylston now dominates the rep, I think she may get a Giselle. Wait, just remembered she already has done Giselle at ABT, so Boylston will definitely get one. Hoping that Lendorf can actually appear with the company sometime soon. Lendorf just did his 1st performance since his injury with the RDB China tour. Link to comment
its the mom Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Lendorf just did his 1st performance since his injury with the RDB China tour. Interesting, bingham. So, is Lendorf doing a dual contract, like Masha? He was slated to dance with ABT for the Met season, was he not? Link to comment
FauxPas Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 I would love to see Part at Tatiana and as Giselle, but I don't think it's going happen. I think we may get Kochetkova as Giselle. She is now Herman's "go to" partner. Boylston will definitely get one. Hoping that Lendorf can actually appear with the company sometime soon. Well the Tatianas still on the roster are Hee Seo and Diana Vishneva (Kent and Dvorovenko are retired). Polina Semionova danced it too but she may not be back from maternity leave. Actually, Gillian could be an interesting choice since she is a fine Juliet. Part would have partnering problems and Kochetkova seems like an overqualified Olga in the Osipova tradition. The best choice for Tatiana: Stella Abrera - perfection. However one former ABT Tatiana has reemerged from retirement - Alessandra Ferri. As for Giselle there is Abrera, Boylston, Seo. I think that Kochetkova definitely will add Giselle as per Abatt and also Misty Copeland. However, that might be the season Gillian Murphy finally gets a Giselle. (Martine Van Hamel danced Giselle at ABT though she was the perfect Myrtha). Also Diana Vishneva I suspect might drop Giselle from her repertory next season. Semionova is also a dicey proposition - she may not even rejoin ABT if she wants to keep her family in Europe in the child's first years. Link to comment
Mme. Hermine Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 Well Anna-Marie Holmes staged Swan Lake in Boston with Dudinskaya and Sergeyev and reviews were amazing, just saying... Link to comment
choriamb Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 Interesting, bingham. So, is Lendorf doing a dual contract, like Masha? He was slated to dance with ABT for the Met season, was he not? Yes, according to ABT's Web site, he's shared with RDB through the 2015-2016 season. (I'm assuming that he's ABT's exclusively next season, but I don't know how his injury might affect that.) Link to comment
Syrene Hvid Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 About Lendorf, I think I recall him saying in an interview about his engagement with the ABT that he had no plans of leaving the RDB completely in the future either, but I may be wrong or it was a matter of company politics at the time. Link to comment
its the mom Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 I wonder if his "comeback" having been with RDB (instead of ABT's Met season as planned) is a signal that he will be staying at RDB. Link to comment
Natalia Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 Well Anna-Marie Holmes staged Swan Lake in Boston with Dudinskaya and Sergeyev and reviews were amazing, just saying... I *do* remember that and it was a winner. Gorgeous! Link to comment
Syrene Hvid Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 It's the mom - His comeback was a variation from the third act in Napoli, not the lead, so I think it has more to do with the RDB China Tour being a good opportunity for him to return to the stage slowly and safely. He might either not be fully recovered yet or not in perfect shape... I'm sure Hübbe would have cast him as Gennaro in a heart beat instead of teaching the role to a soloist, had they thought he was ready. Link to comment
its the mom Posted June 24, 2016 Share Posted June 24, 2016 Thanks, Syrene. I did notice that he was "just" doing a variation in Napoli, and that thought had occurred to me. Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 2017 will be Marcelo Gomes' 20th anniversary with the company. I wonder what he'll dance for that celebration, and with whom? Onegin (if it comes back) with Vishneva? Whatever it is, that's one ticket I won't procrastinate on buying. Link to comment
Natalia Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I listened to my just-received CD of R. Strauss' Schlagobers interpreted by the Tokyo Symphony. Sweet - a couple of nice waltzes - but no great shakes. The CD's booklet includes lots of great background materials, including a detailed scenario. I wonder how ABT/Ratmansky will handle the scenes with "Mme Praline and her four little negroes"? Just quoting the words in the booklet. Link to comment
abatt Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 I'm not sure that they announce when someone's anniversary celebration will be until well after the subscriptions go on sale. I don't think I knew when either Stella's or Gillian's anniversary performances were until a few weeks before the season, when they noted it on the online performance calendar. It's virtually a certainty that Gomes will dance w. Vishneva for his anniversary, so I'm sure it will not be too difficult to figure out the date since Vishneva generally is doing only 2 or 3 shows per season w. ABT. Link to comment
naomikage Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 From Yuriko Kajiya's instagram, here is a photo of David Hallberg reunited with Yuriko and Jared Matthews in Melbourne. (Houston Ballet was on tour in Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/BH2I9ALgNZt/ Link to comment
angelica Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 From Yuriko Kajiya's instagram, here is a photo of David Hallberg reunited with Yuriko and Jared Matthews in Melbourne. (Houston Ballet was on tour in Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/BH2I9ALgNZt/ Wish we had all three of them back at ABT! Link to comment
cobweb Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 What a terrific photo! I feel like I'm looking at three of my long-lost friends... and I've never even met any of them! But I sure do miss them. Link to comment
naomikage Posted July 15, 2016 Share Posted July 15, 2016 Yes I also miss the 3 of them....This is a lovely photo. And am glad David looks fine. Link to comment
Fleurfairy Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 I would love to see Sarah Lane as Giselle. I know if will probably be a cold day in you-know-what before that happens, but hope is all we've got. I can't imagine Gillian Murphy as Giselle. I don't think her feet are malleable enough- I grew up watching Alessandra Ferri's Giselle on a loop so I'm a bit biased. And I think she's too tall to convey that fragile look essential to the role. Link to comment
angelica Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 49 minutes ago, Fleurfairy said: I would love to see Sarah Lane as Giselle. I know if will probably be a cold day in you-know-what before that happens, but hope is all we've got. I can't imagine Gillian Murphy as Giselle. I don't think her feet are malleable enough- I grew up watching Alessandra Ferri's Giselle on a loop so I'm a bit biased. And I think she's too tall to convey that fragile look essential to the role. On the other hand, there is a film of Gillian Murphy dancing Giselle with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, made a couple of years ago when Ethan Steifel was still there, and she is exquisite. She is every bit as fragile as one might wish. The corps de ballet, however, isn't up to the standard we expect. The film is definitely worth seeing. Link to comment
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