ABT in Berkeley - Program 2

[ggobob]

ABT's Program 2 at Zellerbach UC Berkeley included Tharp's "Baker's Dozen" and "Sinatra Suite", Jorma Elo's "C. to C.", and Millepied's From "Here on Out". everything was incredibly well danced - which shows that the rehearsal period at City Center was a wise investment for Berkeley.

Lots of insouciant charm in Baker's Dozen with Craig Salstein, Michele Wiles, Misty Copeland, Stella Abrera, Blaine Hoven, and Isaac Stappas stepping out in catching the audience, as well as one another. Sinatra Suite, while well done by Marcelo Gomes and Luciana Paris, seemed to an audience one week out from Miami City Ballet's "9 Sinatra Songs"to be something of an appetizer for a meal already finished.

I found myself captured by "C. to C." - the silences, the connectivity to Chuck Close's artistry, and the total involvement of the dancers (Gomes, Cornejo, Matthews + Kent, Copeland, and Boone) held the audience close (no pun intended). Well deserved applause, much of it standing. Incredible positive buzz during the interval. (This is a house that is in thrall to Mark Morris and loves its Forsythe and Bausch seasons).

Bruce Levingston played the commissioned Glass score with grace and some physical charm - the score more underscoring to the movement than a piece of its own.

That said, Nico Muhly's score for "From Here on Out" was the better part of the closing third of the evening. Millepied's choreography is interesting but not very nourishing. I kept thinking of other pieces by multi-various others that seemed similar. David Hallberg and Gillian Murphy and everyone else worked very hard.

Saturday's matinee is promising with Cornejo and Copeland in Sinatra; Radetsky, Salstein, and Hoven + Riccetto, Jacquelyn Reyes, and Abrea in "C. to C."; and Herrera and Gomes as the lead couple in "From Here on Out"

Overall, ABT is dancing better, with an incredibly strong group of soloists and corps members; principals - even the limited number here - are tops with awards to Kent, Gomes, Reyes, and Cornejo.

House was pretty much full...no rush tickets were available...today is the big football game, rain is promised, sources tell me sales are weak as folks want to avoid the football crowds. On the other hand, reviews from Program I were very good and Sunday's matinee is pretty well sold. Why do I mention this when I post?...because Cal Performances looks at its box office when booking dance companies. Thus Miami City Ballet comes once a decade, ABT every six years, NYCB once in 15, and the Perm Ballet is returning for a second straight year with the same Swan Lake.

[zerbinetta]

Ggobob, I envy you seeing Misty Copeland in the Sinatra piece. Cornejo is fabulous in the solo (except for the slides) and under most other circumstances steals the eye.

But not with our Misty out there. A revelation!!!

[dirac]

Ggobob, I envy you seeing Misty Copeland in the Sinatra piece. Cornejo is fabulous in the solo (except for the slides) and under most other circumstances steals the eye.

But not with our Misty out there. A revelation!!!

I really liked Copeland in Berkeley. Cornejo didn't do much for me - maybe he's a little young for the role -- and you are correct about the slides. Also, you could see Copeland's jump coming from a mile away, and Cornejo had his jacket well on.

[iwatchthecorps]

Why do I mention this when I post?...because Cal Performances looks at its box office when booking dance companies. Thus Miami City Ballet comes once a decade, ABT every six years, NYCB once in 15, and the Perm Ballet is returning for a second straight year with the same Swan Lake.

I am quite interested in knowing how box box office at Zellerbach correlates with bookings. It seems to be inversely related from the post above. Any further details would be greatly appreciated.