2018 Met Season

[Golden Idol]

You're quite right, California--I misremembered. It is indeed Manon, not Giselle, and it's two perfs, not one.

[londoner]

It's both - two of each! 

[yukionna4869]

On 11/29/2017 at 2:00 AM, LadyBubbles said:

I wish they had given Lane another chance instead of having Copeland do 2 O/O's with two different partners, but we all know that ABT is driven by the "show me the money baby" movement.

I don’t understand why Copeland is getting two O/Os.  Does ABT really have that much trouble selling Swan Lake tickets?

[ABT Fan]

11 hours ago, yukionna4869 said:

I don’t understand why Copeland is getting two O/Os.  Does ABT really have that much trouble selling Swan Lake tickets?

Copeland is the only principal who sells out the house w/ her "star" power. SL sells with other casts, but she sells it out.

[ABT Fan]

A sneak peek of Lane rehearsing Nikiya:

 

[canbelto]

There's been some schedule reshuffling. The SuperGiselle with Ospiova/Hallberg is now May 18 instead of May 19. 

http://www.abt.org/calendar.aspx?startdate=5/1/2018

[California]

29 minutes ago, canbelto said:

There's been some schedule reshuffling. The SuperGiselle with Ospiova/Hallberg is now May 18 instead of May 19. 

http://www.abt.org/calendar.aspx?startdate=5/1/2018

I actually had May 18 on my personal calendar for this from as soon as the season was announced, so I don't think that's a change.

[canbelto]

Oh well I feel dumb. I just had to re-exchange back to May 19 for NYCB.

[ABT Fan]

That performance was always on the 18th.

[fondoffouettes]

Why are we not seeing this pairing at the Met? 

ABT posted these photos as part of an Instagram story showing the promo photoshoot for its spring season. (Swoon is right!)

If the ballet gods are listening --- please, please, please let Whiteside partner his fellow "Cindy" and reassign Hallberg to Stella!

[Broken links removed]

 

Edited January 9, 2018 by fondoffouettes

[ABT Fan]

fondoffouettes: what ballet were you referencing in your post? It looks like an image or two didn't copy well.

[fondoffouettes]

1 hour ago, ABT Fan said:

fondoffouettes: what ballet were you referencing in your post? It looks like an image or two didn't copy well.

Ah, they were screenshots showing Hallberg and Abrera posing for photos as Romeo and Juliet. It should still be up on ABT's Instagram, if you click on their stories.

[ABT Fan]

Wow, R&J? I don't know how to view "stories". Do you have to have an Instagram account to view those? I can view regular posts but I don't understand how to see the stories.....

I agree, though. Hallberg/Abrera would be lovely in R&J.

[fondoffouettes]

9 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

Wow, R&J? I don't know how to view "stories". Do you have to have an Instagram account to view those? I can view regular posts but I don't understand how to see the stories.....

I agree, though. Hallberg/Abrera would be lovely in R&J.

Here, I think this should make them viewable to you. And yes, you need to have an Instagram account to view the stories, unlike the regular posts that you can access from any web browser.

Edited January 9, 2018 by fondoffouettes

[fondoffouettes]

 

Edited January 9, 2018 by fondoffouettes

[ABT Fan]

Thank you, fondoffouettes. That first photo is to die for!

[ABT Fan]

While the TBA's left by Gomes' resignation are the most anticipated casting news yet to come, I'm also very much interested in some of the other TBA's that are left to be filled, hoping that we'll see some more debuts by up-and-coming corps and soloist dancers.

- Two Lead Maiden TBA's in Firebird, but that seems like they'll both go to Brandt since according to several Instagram accounts she was photographed along w/ Trenary (already cast) in that costume for the upcoming Spring ads.

- Two Mercutio's. Perhaps Scott and Shayer (each already cast in one) will get a second.

- Two Mercedes/Queen of the Dryads. I don't know if Paris will be back from maternity in time for the Met season, or perhaps Brandt/Trenary will get a debut (or Waski, Hurlin?).

Gomes was also (I suppose, arguably) their best Purple von Rothbart (*sigh*), so while that role isn't a TBA since they take forever to announce that casting, that role is another possible opening. Or, they may just spread it out amongst the current 6 guys who perform that role (four of them - Lendorf, Stearns, Whiteside and Hammoudi are also cast as Siegfried, so they'll probably only do one PR; the other two - Forster and Royal - could take two each, which would complete the casting for 8 shows).

And, of course, Harlequinade has not been cast at all. Eagerly awaiting that.

[vipa]

At the moment there are too few opportunities to see Lane IMO

 

[LadyBubbles]

Agreed re: Lane. I plan to watch her Giselle (along with Murphy's because I missed both debuts last year + Bolle because I don't know when his last dance will be). But then I have to wait two full weeks to catch her Nikiya and hopefully she gets something in Harlequinade. I don't think I can stay to catch her Kitri debut, so I'm hoping you guys will tell us everything

All I know is that it's gonna be a pricey vacation this year. Accommodation is not cheap. But hey, I was able to save money by not taking a vacation last year so it's ok.

[ABT Fan]

13 hours ago, vipa said:

At the moment there are too few opportunities to see Lane IMO

 

Agreed. I'll be taking the day off from work to see her Giselle, which is a must-see. I enjoyed Whipped Cream, but didn't love it, so I highly doubt I'll be going to that again, when she's cast twice.

[LadyBubbles]

Some cast updates.

Hallberg has been pulled from La Bayadere and Whipped Cream. Replacement still TBA.

Stearn replaces Gomes in Giselle, R&J, and Swan Lake. Whiteside will take Stearn's original SL show with Hee Seo.

Still no news on Harlequinade or any of the unfilled roles previously mentioned.

[ABT Fan]

9 minutes ago, LadyBubbles said:

Some cast updates.

Hallberg has been pulled from La Bayadere and Whipped Cream. Replacement still TBA.

Stearn replaces Gomes in Giselle, R&J, and Swan Lake. Whiteside will take Stearn's original SL show with Hee Seo.

Still no news on Harlequinade or any of the unfilled roles previously mentioned.

I just saw this. I can't believe they're having Stearns take on so many replacements. That's ludicrous. Maybe it's a mistake. Why don't they just give him the TBA's now vacated by Hallberg. No debuts for a deserving soloist? No guest artist(s)?

Edited January 22, 2018 by ABT Fan

[abatt]

I'm not surprised at all.  I assumed they would just reassign everything to Whiteside and Stearns.  What is going on with David Hallberg.  If he can't handle a full schedule, he should just retire.   What a dismal season.

 

Added:  Is  Hallberg still scheduled for all of hir Royal Ballet engagements, or does he only cancel his ABT engagements?

 

I've answered my own question. David is indeed listed for his two spring Manons and his two spring Giselles at RB.  He must have gotten a better offer that conflicts with the ABT season.  Really disappointing that he thinks so little of his fan base in NYC.

Edited January 22, 2018 by abatt

[California]

13 minutes ago, abatt said:

Is  Hallberg still scheduled for all of hir Royal Ballet engagements, or does he only cancel his ABT engagements?

He's been posting a flurry of Instagram photos at the Royal Opera House in recent days. He's still listed with Osipova for Giselle on March 1 & 9 (both sold out) and for Manon on April 5 & 13 (not yet on sale). I think that was all he was originally scheduled for.

 

 

[nanushka]

38 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

I can't believe they're having Stearns take on so many replacements. That's ludicrous. Maybe it's a mistake.

I wouldn't count on it. It's ABT. Remember what they did with Hee Seo for a few years, a few years back? At least Stearns can probably handle it, mostly, in terms of technique, which she could not. But he's sadly lacking in terms of artistry.