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2018 Met Season


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4 minutes ago, NinaFan said:

Sarah did dance O/O with ABT.  I saw her last year when she was a last minute sub for Maria Kochetkova last Spring at the MET.  She was breathtaking.  What I don’t understand, is why she is not being cast again this year either on tour or at the MET.

Agreed.

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9 minutes ago, its the mom said:

Agreed.

They've had up to eight swan queens in a single run of Swan Lake at the Met; this year, just six. There's no reason Lane couldn't have been given a second shot. It would mean bringing Teuscher down to just one performance (since obviously they won't do that to Misty, who rakes in the dough for ABT). 

IMHO, the role should be removed from Boylston's rep. I've given up on her progressing artistically. 

Edited by fondoffouettes
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42 minutes ago, its the mom said:

At the same time Cirio was hired, Lendorf was hired as a principal, which took away any chances of the "crumbs" Gorak may have gotten in casting.  Lendorf is the one that has been cast in potential roles for Gorak.

Yes, good point. With those two being brought in as shorter male principal and soon-to-be-principal in 2015, just as Gorak was really looking like he might be on the way up (even his partnering had gotten a bit better at that time), the latter was shuffled aside, likely for good. He probably should have seen the writing on the wall and gone elsewhere.

Edited by nanushka
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35 minutes ago, abatt said:

I hadn't thought about it before, but I guess Lendorf did take the roles that Gorak theoretically might have danced. Gorak has had a lot of difficulty with complex partnering assignments, and I think that's a substantial reason why he never made any progress in getting more roles.  Lendorf in my opinion is a joy to watch in almost everything.  He does not have the perfect ballet body like Hallberg.  However, he is very talented in both technique and dramatic presence.  My only reservation is that he does not seem to be suited to comedic roles like Don Q. 

I agree with everything you said about Gorak and Lendorf.    I find Lendorf a delight to watch, but like you, I thought he was a little bit off on the comedic panache in Don Q last year.   I think Don Q was the first week of performances, which may have had something to do with it.  When I saw him about a week or so later in Corsaire (which is total fun and is as silly as Don Q), I thought he was a perfect fit.  He totally redeemed himself.  Fingers crossed that we get to see him in everything he is cast in this year.

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2 minutes ago, nanushka said:

Yes, good point. With those two being brought in as shorter male principals or soon-to-be-principals in 2015, just as Gorak was really looking like he might be on the way up (even his partnering had gotten a bit better at that time), the latter was shuffled aside, likely for good. He probably should have seen the writing on the wall and gone elsewhere.

I loved Gorak in his first Cinderella (was that with Reyes?), and I had had high hopes for him.  But then everything just fizzled out and he never seemed to grow out of being a light weight.

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7 minutes ago, NinaFan said:

I loved Gorak in his first Cinderella (was that with Reyes?), and I had had high hopes for him.  But then everything just fizzled out and he never seemed to grow out of being a light weight.

Yes, it was with Reyes — a surprise debut. That was the year before, 2014. He talked about learning it in an interview with Gia Kourlas in Time Out:

Quote

Oh my gosh. That was a dream too. That was really exciting, because I wasn’t cast. I had two weeks before the shows to learn it. Cory Stearns got injured, so James Whiteside had to go in for him, which meant that Xiomara Reyes needed a partner. The two women setting Cinderella wanted me. It was Saturday night, and I got the call from Kevin McKenzie. He said, “We’re going to send you the video. Could you learn the ballet?” I learned it on Sunday in my tiny apartment. 

 

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6 minutes ago, NinaFan said:

I loved Gorak in his first Cinderella (was that with Reyes?), and I had had high hopes for him.  But then everything just fizzled out and he never seemed to grow out of being a light weight.

Yes, he was gorgeous in that first Cinderella with Reyes. They modified the pdd so that he didn't walk down the stairs with Reyes overhead, but it didn't detract from the performance. If I remember correctly, he danced it the following year with Stella, and it was just as beautiful, if not moreso. I believe he did the lift, including walking down the stairs, that year. 

He's been great in Sleeping Beauty, if iffy in some of the parthering, so it will be interesting to see if he's cast the next time they bring back the Ratmansky version. I never saw him as Romeo (since I avoid Copeland). 

I thought he had a shot at getting cast in Harlequinade...

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12 minutes ago, Olga said:

It’s one thing to have them bring in an RDB dancer of Lendorf’s experience, standing and talent. But Cirio was in a different category, imo.

Re: Cirio, I remember thinking, "What does the company need him for?" (As it turns out, not much. He doesn't get cast much in leading roles, as noted above.)

If they'd brought in a tall male principal or senior soloist, sure, that would have made sense to me. There's been a need for that for quite some time.

But then for ABT to start making sense now would itself come as a surprise.

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Just now, fondoffouettes said:

Yes, he was gorgeous in that first Cinderella with Reyes. They modified the pdd so that he didn't walk down the stairs with Reyes overhead, but it didn't detract from the performance. If I remember correctly, he danced it the following year with Stella, and it was just as beautiful, if not moreso. I believe he did the lift, including walking down the stairs, that year. 

He's been great in Sleeping Beauty, if iffy in some of the parthering, so it will be interesting to see if he's cast the next time they bring back the Ratmansky version. I never saw him as Romeo (since I avoid Copeland). 

I thought he had a shot at getting cast in Harlequinade...

Yes, I saw him with Abrera the following year too!  I believe he did the lift including walking down the stairs as well.

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1 minute ago, nanushka said:

Re: Cirio, I remember thinking, "What does the company need him for?" (As it turns out, not much. He doesn't get cast much in leading roles, as noted above.)

If they'd brought in a tall male principal or senior soloist, sure, that would have made sense to me. There's been a need for that for quite some time.

But then for ABT to start making sense now would itself come as a surprise.

I thought the same when he was brought in.   Why did they even bother.......

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38 minutes ago, fondoffouettes said:

They've had up to eight swan queens in a single run of Swan Lake at the Met; this year, just six. There's no reason Lane couldn't have been given a second shot. It would mean bringing Teuscher down to just one performance (since obviously they won't do that to Misty, who rakes in the dough for ABT). 

IMHO, the role should be removed from Boylston's rep. I've given up on her progressing artistically. 

I totally agree that Sarah should get one of Teuscher's Swan Lakes.  It's only fair!  As far as Bolyston, I guess I am in the minority here, as I enjoy her dancing.  She is a very strong dancer with an incredible jump.   Swan Lake may not be her best role, but her Odile continues to very exciting (I am not counting when she danced it injured last year). 

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I think it's going to make sense for Cirio to be on the principal payroll when Simkin decamps to Berlin next year and won't be performing w/ ABT so much, presumably. And, Cornejo is 37 and frequently injured. They will need a short principal to dance w/ Copeland, Lane, Brandt, Trenary. Of course, in the meantime, he's twiddling his thumbs.

I believe the reason Teuscher has been cast so much this year (and twice in some roles) is because McKenzie sees her as Murphy's replacement, the female technical stalwart who can do nearly every role. He's getting her up to speed. We all know that Murphy gets injured a lot and is nearing 40. Teuscher is very talented and I do like her a lot, so I'm not saying she doesn't deserve her status or the opportunities. I just don't agree that she should be doing as much when you have other dancers who aren't doing a lot. But, I do believe (going by my gut) that this is the AD's intention.

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I'm afraid I wasn't very enthusiastic about Lane's Swan Lake. I can understand them not giving an O/O. However giving her a Wed matinee Giselle is incomprehensible -- she was one of the finest Giselles I ever saw, period. And Juliet is a role that's practically screaming her name. 

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15 minutes ago, NinaFan said:

I thought the same when he was brought in.   Why did they even bother.......

Maybe, for once, Kevin saw into the future.  With Cornejo winding down and three smaller women on the rise (Lane, Trenary and Brandt), they can use him.  Who knows if he will stay long enough for us to find out.  He danced a lot more in Boston and at ENB.

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18 minutes ago, NinaFan said:

 As far as Bolyston, I guess I am in the minority here, as I enjoy her dancing.  She is a very strong dancer with an incredible jump. 

I've sometimes found her characterization unconvincing in the full-lengths, and she can lack delicacy and grace when it's needed. But yes, she's certainly a dancer with strong technique in many ways. I remember once when she was dancing the jumpy flower girl variation in an Osipova Don Q, and I thought -- wow -- she's showing Osipova "I have great ballon, too!" 

I've liked Boylston best in plotless contemporary works, and I also think she's been quite good Sleeping Beauty. I've often wondered what she'd be like if she had pursued the SAB/NYCB route. She certainly has lots of speed, attack and strength. 

In other news, Hallberg appears headed to Australia (I presume for rehab). I guess I'll still buy a ticket for his Giselle and hope for the best...

Hallberg.jpg

Edited by fondoffouettes
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12 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

I think it's going to make sense for Cirio to be on the principal payroll when Simkin decamps to Berlin next year and won't be performing w/ ABT so much, presumably. And, Cornejo is 37 and frequently injured. They will need a short principal to dance w/ Copeland, Lane, Brandt, Trenary. Of course, in the meantime, he's twiddling his thumbs.

Definitely. I would not have wondered why the company might have a use for him if 2015 had been 2018. Simkin's decampment opens things up considerably for a dancer like Cirio.

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4 hours ago, canbelto said:

The coaching staff has gotten really depleted as well. Irina Kolpakova seems to be an 84 year old energizer bunny, but Victor Barbee left along with Julie Kent, and Alexei Ratmansky closely supervises his own ballets and does intensive coaching with them but for the regular bread-and-butter repertoire who is there to coach the dancers? One wonders.

Irina can't last forever and the ABT ladies need help. Isabelle Guerin, a former Etoile of the POB lives in NYC and ,if she is willing, would be a great addition to the coaching team at ABT.  She did staged Other Dances for ABT and from the dancers comments in Instagram, was a marvelous coach/teacher. Just a thought.

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21 minutes ago, nanushka said:

Definitely. I would not have wondered why the company might have a use for him if 2015 had been 2018. Simkin's decampment opens things up considerably for a dancer like Cirio.

That totally makes sense.  He is going to be in the right place at the right time.  

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48 minutes ago, canbelto said:

However giving her a Wed matinee Giselle is incomprehensible -- she was one of the finest Giselles I ever saw, period. And Juliet is a role that's practically screaming her name. 

Sarah’s Giselle was one of the finest Giselles I've ever seen as well,  which makes it all the more absurd to give her a Wednesday matinee.  I remember when Nina Ananiashvili was given a Wednesday matinee for her one and only Juliet.  What was Kevin thinking?  Needless to say, I took the day off from work to see my cherished Nina, Nina, Ballerina.

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1 hour ago, canbelto said:

I'm afraid I wasn't very enthusiastic about Lane's Swan Lake. I can understand them not giving an O/O. However giving her a Wed matinee Giselle is incomprehensible -- she was one of the finest Giselles I ever saw, period. 

Well, it's a very lovely thing for those of us who, for personal and professional reasons, have to opt for the matinees. I may have mentioned this before, but we are not chopped liver.

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I remember in an interview Carrie Imler was asked about being cast, for example, on Saturday matinees instead of more prestigious Opening Nights or first Saturday, and she said (paraphrase) that those audiences are buying tickets and deserve a good show, too.  And she's the greatest ballerina I've ever seen live.

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2 minutes ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

Well, it's a very lovely thing for those of us who, for personal and professional reasons, have to opt for the matinees. I may have mentioned this before, but we are not chopped liver.

Unfortunately,  ABT seems to reserve the Wednesday matinee slot for up and coming dancers, or less popular dancers.    I don't see that with the Saturday matinee castings at the MET.  However a friend of mine in DC says she always gets the third or fourth cast at Saturday matinees at KC.

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8 minutes ago, Helene said:

I remember in an interview Carrie Imler was asked about being cast, for example, on Saturday matinees instead of more prestigious Opening Nights or first Saturday, and she said (paraphrase) that those audiences are buying tickets and deserve a good show, too.  And she's the greatest ballerina I've ever seen live.

To me it would seem ill-advised for a dancer to make any public statement much different from that one.

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4 minutes ago, NinaFan said:

Unfortunately,  ABT seems to reserve the Wednesday matinee slot for up and coming dancers, or less popular dancers.    I don't see that with the Saturday matinee castings at the MET.  However a friend of mine in DC says she always gets the third or fourth cast at Saturday matinees at KC.

Yes, I don't get a sense that those on here who've complained (other than just personally, because they can't attend the performance) about dancer X or dancer Y getting assigned the Wednesday matinee slot are suggesting anything negative about the audiences at those performances — just that, in the context of this particular company's casting tendencies, it may seem to send a certain message to the dancer and to the public about how that dancer is viewed by the company's administration.

Edited by nanushka
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