32 replies to this topic

[Alexandra]

What would you like to see in the ABT rep?

Which new choreographers?

Which revivals -- of old ABT works, or those from other companies?

Any ballets not done by the company that seem "perfect" for this or that dancer?

Which classics/full-lengths, and in which versions?


What, if anything, would you toss out?

[Calliope]

I'd like to see more Ashton (and I'm thrilled they're doing La Fille)

I wish they'd get rid of Corsaire. Keep Bayadere and Romeo & Juliet as permanent!

I haven't seen The Dream (and can't find my program here, so I'm not sure if it's new)

And I just love Rodeo and Etudes.

I just looked at their rep listing on their website. I'm embarassed to admit that I didn't realize how big of a rep they had! I've never heard of half of them. :eek:

Having seen that. I'd like to see the next City Center dedicated to ballets that haven't been performed in the last 5 years!

[Manhattnik]

Well, Corsaire sells tickets. Sigh.

I'd like to see Tudor's Romeo and Juliet. I don't care what it costs.

Les Sylphides as a curtain-raiser.

Gaite Parisienne (LOVE the new costumes).

While we're at it, let's have them restore the Berman Giselle.

Oh, yeah, and the David Blair Swan Lake.

And let's have them drag Makarova and Baryshnikov out of retirement, while we're at it....

[bobbi]

Hi All:

I am delighted that ABT has added some new Ashton to its rep and am very much looking forward to seeing The Dream and La Fille again. But what about Monotones? The last time I saw that ballet it was done either by the Royal and/or Jeoffrey and it seems ages ago.

So that's my wish list ballet. Anybody know why that lovely work has seemingly disappeared from view?

[Alexandra]

Hi, Bobbi, welcome to Ballet Alert! I like your wish list

The current direction of the Royal doesn't seem all that interested in Ashton at the moment. It also may be that "Monotones" is so hard to dance and hard to cast (?). And it may just be that, alas for those who love Ashton, he seems to be raidly falling out of fashion.

[cargill]

I wish ABT would do decent versions of Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty. The new Swan Lake is just hash and their Sleeping Beauty is so badly designed. I would also love to see more ballets where they could develop some characterizations, not just this endless jumping (so that lets out Corsaire!). They did do Symphonic Variations several years ago for a very short time, and it would be wonderful to see it again. And Les Patineurs. I would love to see things from the Diaghilev era, including of course Les Sylphides. If they are so into jumping, they could do the Polovitsian Dances, and work on their character dancing.

[Dale]

More Tudor, Fokine, Massine and Ashton. And, yes, a new, classic Sleeping Beauty to replace that monstrosity by McMillian. I'd love them to reclaim the one-act demi-character ballets that were once a staple of their rep. Or a rivival of some of the tippet and tharp ballets made more recently.

[Alexandra]

I second everything Dale wrote

[Lolly]

Monotones was performed just last season by RB, in August. I saw Zenaida Yanowsky, Alastair Marriot and Maurice Vodegel-Matzen (he has left the company now),and Christina Arestis, Joshua Tuifua and Thomas Whitehead. From the cast sheet I see that Chloe Davies and Edward Watson were cast but didn't dance because of injuries, but I'm afraid I can't remember any more castings. I absolutely loved this ballet. Christina and Zenaida were brilliantly cast, I'd also like to see Leire Ortueta and Darcey Bussell in it, not sure about the boys although it was a shame Edward didn't dance as he would be superb. It was performed 5 times.

In the Times today (could have been the Independent actually) there was a short article about RB's announcement of next season's rep with Ross Stretton's comments. He seemed to be saying that although next season has a lot of MacMillan and only one Ashton, the year after is Ashton's centenery so his works would be better represented in that season. I wonder what they are planning?

There is still A Month in the Country left to go this season though!

[bobbi]

So glad to hear that Monotones was recently done by the Royal. There is hope then that some day the Royal may travel with it to the U.S.

I very much agree that casting is a challenge for this ballet. But certainly ABT now has the depth of casting -- both for Monotones I and II -- for the men. Corella, Carreno, Malakahov and Stieffel would all do very well indeed.

But who among ABT's women are strong enough to do the female lead? (I know ABT has good "turners," but sustained legato is quite another matter.) If my memory serves, the arabesques in Monotones (and one of its glories) seemed to go forever!! Any suggestions who would be strong enough?

[Ari]

Bobbi, the Royal is scheduled to do one of the Monotones trios (I don't remember which one) at the Kennedy Center next March. Let's hope they add the second trio, too.

[glebb]

Having worked on Monotones I & II, it is my understanding that Monotones II can be performed without Monotones I, but Monotones I cannot be performed alone.

[Alexandra]

Thank you for that, Glebb -- IMO, a very sensible policy!

[Lolly]

Sorry, I didn't specify which Monotones RB did! It was II, so I expect that is the one they are touring. I'm dying to know who they have cast in it now, you will have to keep us updated! I must say I didn't know they were touring in March... haven't heard anything this end!

I expect Ethan Stiefel would do well in it, he is very similar in build to Tom Whitehead who I saw dance it, not too tall, with broad shoulders. (And blond too! ;) ) The girls who did it at RB are the tall slender ones, who look very serene and a bit "cool". The boys were the ones who now seem to be getting character-ish parts rather than pure classical - peculiar.