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Wish List/Predictions for the 2016 Season


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The 2015 season will be over in 3 weeks. Maybe, it's time to think of next year's wishes/predictions. After the success of A Ratmansky's SB, i wish for his Munich production of Paquita. Also Ashton's La Fille, Rhapsody and/or Two Pigeons.

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More Ratmansky reconstructions of Petipa-era ballets, using the N. Sergeyev Stepanov notations. My two greatest wishes: Ivanov's Enchanted G

Forest (short ballet to gorgeous Drigo score) and the complete traditional Pugni-scored Little Humpbacked Horse...so Ratmansky can make up for having choreographed that El Cheapo version for the Mariinsky, with horrible Schedrin score. :)

Rare Tudor ballets, such as Gala Performance, Dim Lustre, Undertow!

Promotions to principal for Abrera, Copeland, Lane and Gorak. Promos to Soloist for current corps Trenary, Royal, Shayer, Giangeruso.

More opportunities for the homegrown principals. Fewer "Ardani Ballet Theatre" evenings!

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And a season that's finally free of the floopity-flopity Julie-Kent-vehicle drivel (i.e. Othello, Lady of the Camellias, Onegin, Merry Widow, etc.)!

I would like to see Manon, Onegin, or Lady of the Camellias b/c IMO they are great dance drama when led by a superb dramatic dancer like Julie Kent in her prime. Usually there is one such ballet during the season. I have seen them all, some multiple times with different leads. Who will be the next Alessandra Ferri to perform Manon? Certainly not a rent-a-Russian ballerina. I think they need to start training some of their promising young dancers to be able to interpret these roles. It will take time and effort but down the line it will be worth it.

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Yes to Paquita and to Raymonda (though no new production needed, the old one is just fine, thank you); a resounding NO to Flames of Paris. Having seen the Mikhailovsky production last year I can say: Glad I've finally seen it but never again. Wretched story, one-dimensional (at best) characters, ridiculous Soviet propagandistic theme, forgettable music. Only the bravura variations in the third act are worth staging; if ABT's dancers are equal to the challenge, the last act can be entertaining. The rest of it can go to the ballet graveyard. Oh, and I wouldn't mind reviving Company B on a mixed bill. Ironically, even though it's Taylor's creation, and his dancers are no slouches, ABT's dancers perform it better!

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a resounding NO to Flames of Paris. Having seen the Mikhailovsky production last year I can say: Glad I've finally seen it but never again. Wretched story, one-dimensional (at best) characters, ridiculous Soviet propagandistic theme, forgettable music.

As it happens, Ratmansky's version turns the agitprop element on its head. But I would also vote against acquiring it, because I can't see ABT performing it well.

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Would love to see more Ashton. Also, if financially possible, one or two more mixed rep programs than usual with some aggressive promotion/packaging attached.

I liked the Ratmansky Sleeping Beauty, but would not want to see ABT become a reconstruction specialty company. I would though welcome the Ratmansky Pacquita since it is a rarity in any case (or, maybe, an Act III divertissement staged by someone with experience of the Kirov/Mariinsky version) and, in the coming years would love to see a new Swan Lake somewhat more respectful of its traditions than the current version (including Act IV) perhaps in the spirit of David Blair's.

Ratmansky's Flames of Paris is very different from Messerer's; I still would dislike it a lot as a choice for ABT. A new Ratmansky ballet would be very welcome.

Still think a full length Napoli might be an interesting experiment for the company and it might complement without repeating the work done with Sleeping Beauty in forging a company spirit and bringing out subtler pleasures in 19th-century rep.

Happy to see fewer potboiler full lengths such as Manon-or none- but in view of skepticism expressed about 'rent a Russian' ballerinas in these ballets note that Vishneva has had spectacular success in this rep (she is an ABT principal but some seasons has danced only a role or two) and Osipova was much praised in Manon by British critics and fans. I read wonderful things about Obratzsova's Juliet and obviously Osipova has admirers in the role to say the least. New York is scheduled to see the former next week. One can be opposed to having guest artists or Russian stars, but they hardly have been failures in this rep even if not everyone likes them. In fact these ballets need charisma almost more than they need anything else. I can't imagine sitting through most if them without a major star--Russian or otherwise. (Though hardly then either.)

Completely agree with what has been said re the company having more coaching and rehearsal time for dancers at all levels. I recognize that takes money and may be easier said than done.

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A complete, new production of Raymonda, staged by Kolpakova (assuming that Ratmansky won't want to do another full-length quite so soon), and featuring the Raymondas of Veronika Part, Gillian Murphy, and Isabella Boylston.

Yes, this would be at the top of my list. The fact that the current production has not been revived for eight years or so is a pretty clear indicator, I believe, that KM would most likely scrap that production in favor of a new one. However, I suspect it would be a much tougher sell at the box office than, say, a new Sleeping Beauty. I'd love to see Sylvia again while Gillian Murphy is still in her prime and while Veronika Part is hopefully still dancing the role, but that one is not a huge seller, either.

Please, please, please no more than one period-piece bodice-ripper (Onegin, Lady of the Camellias, etc.) per season.

I wish ABT would revive their practice of inserting one or two pas de deux into their mixed programs. The mixed programs at the Met this season were very short, and how nice would it have been to see Herrera dance the Don Quixote pas de deux one last time? Or a Corsaire pas de trois just for the fun of it? I consider myself a serious dance fan, but sometimes I like the instant gratification of an excerpted pas de deux (if danced well).

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This is a forlorn hope but I vote for the Antony Tudor Romeo&Juliet. It may already be too late. It has been 38 years since it was last performed and some of the cast members from the 70s (Fernando Bujones, Ivan Nagy) who could have helped with a reconstruction are now lost to us. But Carla Fracci, Natalia Makharova and John Prinz are still with us so I still hold out hope (however diminishing).

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This is a forlorn hope but I vote for the Antony Tudor Romeo&Juliet. It may already be too late. It has been 38 years since it was last performed and some of the cast members from the 70s (Fernando Bujones, Ivan Nagy) who could have helped with a reconstruction are now lost to us. But Carla Fracci, Natalia Makharova and John Prinz are still with us so I still hold out hope (however diminishing).

It's a great shame this hasn't been done sooner. Like the company's failure to record any of the past decade plus's best performances (so many fine dancers with next to nothing on video available to the public), this demonstrates a real neglect of the legacy.

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Like the company's failure to record any of the past decade plus's best performances (so many fine dancers with next to nothing on video available to the public), this demonstrates a real neglect of the legacy.

I always wondered why there's so little video of ABT in recent years. Is this a decision on the part of the AD once again?

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I sincerely doubt it. I'm sure it comes down to money and a lack thereof.

I can't imagine David Koch wouldn't love the opportunity to get his name out there to all of America as a supporter of the arts by funding telecasts on PBS and subsequent DVD releases. He's put up the money for ABT productions, wouldn't this be an obvious opportunity for him as well? A way to reach a LOT more people, for one thing.

I'm happy to have ABT dance with the devil if it means there's some record of this company's performances!

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I can't imagine David Koch wouldn't love the opportunity to get his name out there to all of America as a supporter of the arts by funding telecasts on PBS and subsequent DVD releases. He's put up the money for ABT productions, wouldn't this be an obvious opportunity for him as well? A way to reach a LOT more people, for one thing.

I'm happy to have ABT dance with the devil if it means there's some record of this company's performances!

I would even let him change ABT to Koch Ballet Theatre, if he would change AD and hire 2-3 coaches/ teachers/stagers to coach the entire company.FIREdevil.gif

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I would even let him change ABT to Koch Ballet Theatre, if he would change AD and hire 2-3 coaches/ teachers/stagers to coach the entire company.FIREdevil.gif

biggrin.pngbiggrin.pngbiggrin.png In agreement completely, he's named everything else so this would be an easy switch LOL. Definitely great to wish for more coaches as suggested by bingham! In regard to comments on videos, I would think it would be wise to film these shows, even for record keeping or reviewing choreography, so it shouldn't be hard to release a few for the general public, I love being able to see the Bolshoi as I don't have the luxury to get to Russia myself, and I am sure many outside the US would feel likewise about getting to their local theatres to see a ballet. Revenue and wider audience around the world.

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