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World Premiere of Whipped Cream by Ratmansky


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Hopefully reviews will help ABT fill seats because sales look pretty dismal at the moment. Each performance has somewhere between 600 to 1,400 unsold seats, and the balcony has only been opened for the Sunday matinee. This isn't super surprising for a work doesn't really have name recognition, but it must still be distressing for the company. Perhaps families that had just bought Nutcracker tickets three months ago simply weren't willing to shell out money on another ballet so soon. Or maybe the subject matter of Whipped Cream seemed too similar to The Nutcracker. I'm guessing ABT was hoping to convert those Nutcracker attendees into ticket-buyers for Whipped Cream, but perhaps the market in Southern California can't support so many family-friendly productions from ABT within the span of a few months. 

 

I'm still very much looking forward to seeing this work at the Met. I just hope for the sake of the company it isn't another Golden Cockrel that leaves the Met half-empty.

Edited by fondoffouettes
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21 hours ago, canbelto said:

 

 

From what I see the costumes actually look rather overwhelming. 

 

So I can leave my "Cheapo Meter" at home? Ha! There's no doubt that this one will have substantial designs, looking at the photos and above film. We can usually count on great choreography from Ratmansky. Music? I'm hoping for a miracle. It doesn't sound any more "dansant" with each listening. Maybe they'll interpolate other, more dancey R. Strauss tunes, such as that from an earlier AR ballet, CHARMS OF MANNERISM? Or a little TYL EULENSPIEGEL for the Boy, who danced very little, if any, in the original 1924 scenario? 

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8 hours ago, fondoffouettes said:

Hopefully reviews will help ABT fill seats because sales look pretty dismal at the moment. Each performance has somewhere between 600 to 1,400 unsold seats, and the balcony has only been opened for the Sunday matinee. This isn't super surprising for a work doesn't really have name recognition, but it must still be distressing for the company. Perhaps families that had just bought Nutcracker tickets three months ago simply weren't willing to shell out money on another ballet so soon. Or maybe the subject matter of Whipped Cream seemed too similar to The Nutcracker. I'm guessing ABT was hoping to convert those Nutcracker attendees into ticket-buyers for Whipped Cream, but perhaps the market in Southern California can't support so many family-friendly productions from ABT within the span of a few months. 

 

I'm still very much looking forward to seeing this work at the Met. I just hope for the sake of the company it isn't another Golden Cockrel that leaves the Met half-empty.

 

Tickets are fairly pricey, honestly and pricier on weekends when there might be more families. Would have been nice to see a promotion like "Enjoy the Nutcracker? Come back for <some deal> to see Whipped Cream." I've held off on buying tickets to a third show to see if any late offers appear...

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I'm going closing night. I always wonder why they price tickets so high and then end up dumping a lot of them on Goldstar. Wouldn't it make more sense to just price them lower to begin with? Or offer previous patrons a discount?

 

I do know multiple people who have never attended a ballet before that are coming to see Whipped Cream just because they love Mark Ryden. I'm so glad that he his promoting the production on his social media accounts. Perhaps some of those attending will discover that they really enjoy ballet. 

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I agree, AB'sMom, but I guess they don't want to set the expectation that ticket prices are always low (though the worse expectation is set that they always get discounted, so why buy early)?

 

I am a member of SCFTA's Center Access (a paid membership for students/teachers/educators. Depending on the kind of show--and recently for very few shows, used to be much better both variety and cost wise--they release discounted tickets without the option of choosing seats). They just sent out one for Whipped Cream and either ABT or SCFTA must feel like they are going to fill up Friday-Sunday, because they are only offering discounted options for Wednesday and Thursday. Unfortunately, those are the two nights I already have tickets. Oh well.

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I just received an email from Segerstrom Hall, where Whipped Cream will be performed next week, stating that Misty Copeland is injured and Skylar Brandt will take over the role of Princess Praline on March 17 and the March 19 matinee. 

 

Edited by Josette
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I'm a season subscriber and also purchased extra tickets, so I don't have an answer to your question, ksk04. My subscription series falls on Friday the 17th, which is one of the affected shows. 

Edited by Josette
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I wonder if this is the same injury that caused Copeland to cancel her performance in January in Washington DC, or is this a different injury. 

Just looked at Copeland's website and twitter page, and there is no info from her on this development.  Her "schedule" link on her website continues to list her as appearing in Whipped Cream next week at Sergerstrom.

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On 3/4/2017 at 2:37 AM, Natalia said:

Also, I read that Ratmansky first choreographed this in 1994 (for Winnipeg Ballet or Kyev?), about the time that he first choreographed FAIRY's KISS for Kyev. So 2017 sees the revivals or modifications of two older Ratmansky ballets, with all-new decors. If someone could point me to photos of Ratmansky's 1994 WHIPPED CREAM, I'd appreciate it!

 

According to Ratmansky' interview in Dance Magazine, he only choreographed a short piece to the music of pas de deux for himself, his wife and two other dancers at Winnipeg Ballet.  I don't bellieve he ever made a full length Whipped Cream before.

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On March 8, 2017 at 6:21 PM, Josette said:

I just received an email from Segerstrom Hall, where Whipped Cream will be performed next week, stating that Misty Copeland is injured and Skylar Brandt will take over the role of Princess Praline on March 17 and the March 19 matinee. 

 

 

 

I originally wasn't going to this cast but have just added March 17 because of Skylar Brandt (AND Cirio, Boylston & Lendorf)!

 

So Ratmansky only choreographed part of WHIPPED CREAM for Winnipeg?  Maybe it should have been titled "Whipped Lite" or "Ready Whip"? 

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Just now, Natalia said:

 

So Ratmansky only choreographed part of WHIPPED CREAM for Winnipeg?  Maybe it should have been titled "Whipped Lite" or "Ready Whip"? 

 

lol Natalia!

 

I would so appreciate it if you'd share your thoughts about this new production as soon as possible after you've seen it. 


I'm waiting to hear what Ballet Alert peeps think before deciding whether to dump my expensive ABT subscription ticket & pick up a cheapo cheapo nose bleed seat during exchange week (this starts on 3/18, right after the SoCal run). I was so disappointed with last year's Golden Cockeral, I really felt like I threw my money away on it and I don't want to do that again.  

 

A preview in the OC Register http://www.ocregister.com/articles/ballet-746176-whipped-cream.html talks about its similarities to the Nutcracker, and that's just fueling my apprehension:

 

These (Ryden) design details helped Ratmanksy shape his choreography and they are also what will hopefully set the new ballet apart from the well-known “Nutcracker” story line which even Ratmansky admits bears a striking resemblance to “Whipped Cream.”

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Yes, awaiting reports of the press and of ballet alert posters on Whipped Cream before I decide whether to dump my Whipped Cream subscription tickets during subscriber exchange week.  Have a fun trip, Natalia.

 

 

Edited by abatt
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"The Golden Cockerel" was made for Royal Danish Ballet, a company with a deep but very different mime tradition.  It was made for the great Thomas Lund, the last role made for him in his dancing career, and Gudrun Bojesen.

 

From all descriptions, "Whipped Cream" is a very different kettle of fish.

 

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19 minutes ago, abatt said:

Thank you--I notice he speaks to the problem (raised by Natalia) of portions of the score not being that dance-able:

 

"Mr. Ryden’s fantastical designs, he added, had been a great help to him in creating the piece. 'The score is wonderful, and there are amazing waltzes, gallops, polkas and a beautiful violin adagio, but it’s challenging because not all of it is danceable,' he said. 'Parts are very symphonic, and when the music is saying something that I perhaps can’t translate into movement, we have these huge heads and amazing backdrops to balance things.'"

 

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I recently saw the European telecast of the Mariinsky's revival of the Zakharov-Smekalov/Gliere BRONZE HORSEMAN. At least 50% of the music of the final act is symphonic...mood music for a devastating flood (no dance beat). But the "visuals" made it interesting and beautiful. Undanceable music became a poetic backdrop to walking, posing, then running, waving of silk scarves by Loie Fuller look-alikes depicting waves, etc. The  finale - a reawakening of St. Petersburg after the flood and homage to ghosts of the past - is one of the loveliest pieces of theatre I've seen...as the trumpet blares the famous hymn to the city, nary a step is danced but the effect induces goosebumps.

 

Sometimes one must stop and allow the music &/or designs to take over. Maybe Ratmansky & team are creating such magical moments of stillness? But Gliere was ultra-melodious in a 19th-C manner; R. Strauss was so 20th-C "new," that I'm wondering if the "Nutcracker crowd" will love just listening to it. Again -- those familiar with the Rosenkavalier segment of Balanchine's VIENNA WALTZES, will remember the long (10+) minutes of couples walking slowly across the stage before the leads come onto the scene to commence the waltz. That "long walk" music is what half of WHIPPED CREAM sounds like to me. But I'm willing to give ABT a chance. Ready to be pleasantly surprised.

 

ps - COQ D'OR worked for me in Copenhagen because of the compelling mimes at RDB (Amy Watson's slinky nasty queen!), along with music and the extraordinary designs.  I wasn't around for the ABT version, so can't compare.

 

 

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31 minutes ago, DeCoster said:

It seems that Ratmansky is fairly fond of Lane, as he created the role of Miranda in the Tempest on her and also cast her as Aurora and the Golden Cockerel.  I hope this bodes well for her promotion at the end of the season.

 

Agree. She's also done his Seven Sonatas and Clara in his Nutcracker.

 

And, since she's finally being given Giselle this season, I have my fingers crossed too.

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2 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

 

Agree. She's also done his Seven Sonatas and Clara in his Nutcracker.

 

And, since she's finally being given Giselle this season, I have my fingers crossed too.

 

I'm a fan of Sarah Lane also, and would love to see her promoted to Principal.

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