RUKen

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I think that you would also enjoy the Royal Ballet DVD, filmed in 2000, with Carlos Acosta as Franz and Leanne Benjamin as Swanilda, and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. The choreography is by Ninette de Valois.

May be ABT will move its fall season from City Center to State? May be it'll take up full time residency at LC and become a full-fledged constituent of LC? Don't know how the sets of their full lengths going to fit the State stage.

ABT could certainly have a fall season at the venue formerly called State Theatre, after the mid-October conclusion of NYCB's season. In the fall, ABT has performed repertory pieces with minimal or no scenery.

In my opinion, it is very unlikely that ABT would also consider moving there for the spring. The ABT and NYCB spring seasons currently overlap by about four weeks, and I'm pretty sure that the Met stage is significantly larger, which would mean (as you had supposed) that ABT would have to create all new sets for the story ballets, and probably some new choreography to fit the smaller stage.

I know we shouldn't be focusing on dancers' personal lives on this board, but seeing as they sometimes affect their professional live...he did (finally) propose to Gillian on Monday night at the Gala (link here)...which means that it appears as though Gillian and Ethan will really have to treated as "one unit" now.

Maybe... the article doesn't say that she accepted, only that she "got flustered when her boyfriend proposed to her seconds after she danced to Tchaikovsky."

Steifel's exit leaves lots of openings on the schedule. I guess we'll be seeing a lot more of Cory.

The casting changes have been posted on the ABT website:

May 21 - Don Quixote: Cory Stearns (with Gillian Murphy)

May 28 - Giselle: David Hallberg (with Alina Cojocaru)

June 11 and 20 - Coppelia: Daniil Simkin (with Natalia Osipova)

June 29 - Swan Lake: Marcelo Gomes (with Paloma Herrera)

July 9 - The Sleeping Beauty: Marcelo Gomes (with Gillian Murphy)

ETA: After posting the above message, I saw that abatt had posted these changes yesterday on another thread in the ABT folder.

On TCM tonight (April 17, 2011), "The Mysterious House of Dr. C" will be followed immediately (at 7:45 PM EDT) by "The Tales of Hoffmann," featuring Moira Shearer and Robert Helpmann (among many wonderful dancers).

That should be 9:45 pm EDST for the start of Tales of Hoffman.

TCM (Turner Classic Movies) will be showing a 1966 ballet film "The Mysterious House of Dr. C." Date and time are: May 13, 6:15 pm.

This is also scheduled on TCM on Sunday, April 17th, at 8:00 pm.

I copied the following from answers.com:

Walter Slezak plays Dr. Coppelius in this misleading titled fantasy feature. Not a horror flick as one might assume, The Mysterious House of Dr. C is a respectable adaptation of Ted and JoAnna Kneeland's ballet Coppelia. The non-dancing Slezak plays a daffy but essentially decent inventor who creates a "clockwork girl," who comes to life in the form of lovely American ballet star Claudia Corday. As the life-sized doll Swanilda, Corday is paired with Caj Selling of the Royal Swedish Ballet. A few beguiling animated sequences add icing to this spooky but nonthreatening confection. Mysterious House of Dr. C was one of a handful of films produced by Samuel Bronston after his fall from grace as King of the Historical Epics (El Cid, Fall of the Roman Empire, et. al.)

Regarding casting, an ad in the NY Times about 2 weeks ago indicates that Reyes' partner for SB on July 6 is Cornejo. The ABT website was not updated to reflect that info.

This is confirmed in the brochure that was recently mailed for ordering individual tickets. (They are not yet available online.)

How often does NYCB perform Vienna Waltzes in New York?

I don't know how frequently it is on the schedule year-to-year, but it is on the upcoming spring season schedule, each day May 11th-15th.

Why do you think you won't have many more opportunities to see Cojocaru? Too many injuries? Impending retirement? Dissociation from ABT?

Any information announced yet on the new ballets? I haven't seen news releases anywhere about casting for any of them.

Alina Cojocaru is appearing as a guest artist with ABT this year in just a few performances. There is no way of knowing whether she'll return in future years.

The casting for the lead parts in ABT's spring schedule is available on their website:

http://www.abt.org/calendar.aspx?startdate=5/1/2011

Only the Koch Theater in New York is keeping us in suspense regarding the performances.

Finally, the performances at Lincoln Center have been announced:

Tues. June 14 and Wed. June 15: Bournonville Variations, Lost on Slow, The Lesson, + Napoli, ACT III

Fri. June 17 and Sun. June 19: The Lesson and La Sylphide

Sat. June 18 matinee and evening: La Sylphide and Napoli, Act III

They'll be at the Koch Theatre (aka-NY State Theatre) June 14-19, 2011:

http://www.davidhkochtheater.org/events.html

This site also sold tickets when the Chinese group was at the Koch, so I'm guessing sales will be from this site for the Danish Ballet as well. I can't find any information on when tickets go on sale, other than "soon."

There is also no indication about what the RDB will be performing in New York. The websites for the other three locations in the U.S. had this information available last summer.

Injuries are one and only one reason. At the Mariinsky, last-minute, unannounced switches rarely have to do with injuries.

That may be true, but I was responding to someone asking about getting tickets to see ABT. (Yes, I know this is the wrong forum for that.) My perception has been that ABT is less likely than, perhaps, Mariinsky to make last-minute switches that are not due to injury.

I wanted to buy tickets to see Roberto Bolle at the ABT, but feared changes in scheduled performers due to injury or other issues. The posts on this topic discuss "bait and switch ticketing." ...Does anyone have any advice regarding how to approach purchasing tickets?

If you don't mind sitting in the Family Circle (the rear part of the highest balcony), you can usually get tickets as late as the day of performance. Most of the other sections sell out, though if you are going alone you may find a single seat available somewhere.

The switches are often the result of injuries, so trying to predict when they will occur is difficult.

ETA: This post and the last two should be moved to the ABT folder.

I think there should be a certain alertness to not giving less tall ballerinas opportunities just because there is a less tall male soloist or male principal who need partners (ie Simkins and Cornejo). That was how ABT ended up with a Reyes who doesn't dance material roles, in many instances, with anybody other than Cornejo and who, in my mind, falls somewhat below the standard for an ABT principal ballerina...

My recollection is that Xiomara Reyes was already dancing lead roles when Herman Cornejo was still relegated to supporting roles. (Someone with access to the casting during the mid-2000's can check on this.) Regardless, your points are good ones. For the past decade, one of ABT's perceived selling points has been its male principals. Their strategy may be to build on their strength from within while addressing their weakness with guest performers.

I can't find dates for the Kirov visit to the Met on-line. Are those available somewhere?

Have a look at the Mariinsky forum on this site. Apparently the tour has been modified to exclude New York.

Deleted--Bingham spotted the typo before me regarding Cornejo/Carreño. (I should finish reading all the posts in a thread before I reply to one of them.)

The 2011 spring season calendar has now been posted:

http://www.abt.org/performances/calendar_index1.asp

Edited to add:

Cojocaru:

Don Quixote (May 20), Giselle (May 28 evening), The Sleeping Beauty (July 8)

Osipova:

The Bright Stream (June 11 and 14), Coppelia (June 17 and 20), The Sleeping Beauty (July 6)

I was referring to this NYT article, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/17/arts/dance/17ballet.html?scp=2&sq=new%20york%20city%20ballet&st=cse, which says that "At Tuesday and Wednesday performances, for instance, the number of intermissions will generally drop from two to one and the shows will start a half-hour earlier." I certainly hope they're referring to opening the house as opposed to beginning showtimes, because I will not be able to leave work early enough for a 7pm curtain.

The Times article is mistaken, or at least misleading. The schedules for the fall, winter, and spring seasons indicate that the Tuesday and Wednesday performances will begin at 7:30 pm, as always.

News from the RDB press conference: the company will visit the USA in 2011:

Orange County 23 - 29 May

Berkeley, San Francisco 30 May - 5 June

Washington 6 June - 12 June

New York 13 June - 19 June

Limited information is available about their performances in Orange County (Southern California), Berkeley (northern California), and Washington, DC:

Orange County Performing Arts Center

http://www.ocpac.org/home/Events/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1062&NavID=86

They will perform the Nordic Choreography Project (short pieces) and Napoli

Zellerbach Hall, University of California, Berkeley

http://www.calperfs.berkeley.edu/performances/2010-11/dance/rdb.php

They will perform La Sylphide and The Lesson the first two evenings and Nordic Modern Choreography (three short pieces) during the weekend

Kennedy Center

http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/index.cfm?fuseaction=showEvent&event=BLBSH

They will perform Napoli and A Folk Tale

Only the Koch Theater in New York is keeping us in suspense regarding the performances.

Every summer we can rent a cottage

In the Isle of Wight if it's not to, dear

That should read "if it's not too dear", meaning if it's not too expensive. My grandmother (who was not British) used to use "dear" this way.

ARB eliminated the position of Artistic Director, and created the new position of Company Director. The new position has less autonomy than the old. Graham Lustig turned down the opportunity to continue with the company in the new position.

Mr. Lustig created many new works during his tenure as Artistic Director, but I infer from the Board's actions that he did not develop a sufficiently large audience in north-central New Jersey for the situation to be sustainable. (ARB is based in New Brunswick and Princeton, New Jersey.)

ARB has hired Douglas Martin to be the new Company Director. Mr. Martin is a former dancer with ARB who has been a teacher with ARB's Princeton Ballet School for many years. I have copied below the press release that announced his hiring.

June 7, 2010

American Repertory Ballet Announces new Company Director

Douglas Martin, former principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet, has been named Company Director of American Repertory Ballets professional dance company. Martin succeeds former Artistic Director Graham Lustig, who chose not to renegotiate his contract with the organization after its recent restructuring. Martin has a rich history with ARB as a former Company Dancer, Ballet Master and beloved faculty member at the organizations esteemed Princeton Ballet School. Martin will program the Companys 2010-2011 Season, which will include the organizations 47th annual presentation of The Nutcracker this holiday season at venues around the area including McCarter Theater in Princeton, Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in Trenton, and The State Theatre in New Brunswick.

Im very excited to have the opportunity to shape the artistic vision for ARB, says Mr. Martin. My desire is to present a large array of dance, ranging from 19th and 20th century classics to contemporary works. Martin believes that, by presenting this variety of dance and theater works, he will be able to reach out to a broader audience and bring them into the theater.

Martin also intends to enhance the ties between the professional company and the school. Because of his history with both the Company and the School, Martin is in the unique position to achieve this goal. It is also my dream to further the training of Princeton Ballet School students by creating a true training ground for budding professionals. This training program will allow our graduates to continue to strengthen their technique, develop artistry and gain the professional experience they need to have a successful career in the field.

Mr. Martin began his ballet training with Dimitri Romanoff at the San Jose Ballet School and was one of six dancers selected to study in the newly formed American Ballet Theatre School formed by Mikhail Baryshnikov. He was invited to join the Joffrey Ballet in 1984 where, as a principal dancer, he performed roles in ballets by Ashton, Arpino, Cranko, Balanchine, Joffrey, Taylor, Pendleton, Kudelka and many other great 20th century choreographers. Mr. Martin was featured in performances of Dance in America on PBS and was an original cast member of the historic recreation of Nijinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps. He was among the last dancers of the Joffrey Ballet to spend the majority of his career in the company working under founder Robert Joffrey. Martin joined the Cleveland Ballet in 1991, and danced an array of principle roles including the Minister in Agnes deMille's Fall River Legend.

In 1993, Mr. Martin was invited to join the American Repertory Ballet. As leading dancer and Ballet Master for ARB, Mr. Martin collaborated with directors in creating ballets, including productions as the original cast lead in Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, The Dream and The Nutcracker. Mr. Martin continued to be a principal dancer in the company as well as Ballet Master for ARB, the Schools pre-professional division, and Principal Faculty for the PBS Summer Intensive until his retirement from performing in 2002.

After retiring from ARB as a performer, Mr. Martin expanded his teaching, production and choreographic work. Martin has been an integral part of the teaching staff at the Princeton Ballet School, Rutgers University and Westminster Choir College, and has also served as the School's Music Director and Ballet Master for the pre-professional division. He has staged full length and repertory ballets for several companies, including Romeo and Juliet and Philip Jerry's Our Town. Additionally, Mr. Martin has choreographed for several Princeton Ballet School productions, including the School's Summer Intensive program.

About American Repertory Ballet

American Repertory Ballet (ARB) was founded in 1954 as the Princeton Ballet Society and is now under the artistic leadership of Douglas Martin. Designated a Major Arts Institution by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for two decades and repeatedly awarded a Citation of Excellence, American Repertory Ballet plays a leadership role in the dance community with significant outreach and educational programming. American Repertory Ballet has developed Education and Outreach programs that reflect include Curriculum-based residencies; Educational Assemblies; DANCE POWER, a 25-year partnership with the New Brunswick Board of Education, and DANCE POWER II, an after-school program modeled after DANCE POWER. Princeton Ballet School, founded in 1954, has studios in Princeton, Cranbury, and New Brunswick, New Jersey. The school provides a complete curriculum in ballet for children and adults, including special class sections for young boys. In addition, Princeton Ballet School offers a Professional Training Program, an internationally respected Summer Intensive program for emerging talent, and a large Open Enrollment Division, featuring classes in a wide variety of dance styles.

I wonder how well, in your opinions, the inclusion of the ghost figures of Manon and Des Grieux work in this ballet. Greskovic, in the online edition of the Wall Street Journal, writes:

.As audience members take their seats, the house curtain is already raised. The setting is an auction; a placard announces the sale as taking place on March 16, 1847. Program notes to the ballet's prologue and three acts are printed in a mix of italics and Roman type to help the audience grasp what is happening onstage. Notes in italics describe the auction; Roman type explains when the ballet's action moves back in time to depict the life of Marguerite, whose early death led to the sale.

Is all of this clear on stage, without the program? Is it effective dramatically? In dance terms?

My wife and I attended a dress rehearsal on May 25th, and they did not hand out any programs, not even in the abbreviated format that they had used for previous dress rehearsals that we had attended. We also had not read a synopsis of the ballet before going, though we knew the basic outline of the story from having been supernumeraries in a production of La Traviata. To answer your question--we didn't understand the story within a story being told by Manon and Des Grieux. We just saw them as ballet dancers performing for the other characters on stage. Even without that level of understanding, we were able to follow the story of the two main characters (and the father), and the shifts from the time of the auction to the memories of the love affair, and we enjoyed the ballet (though we thought that Armand was reading Marguerite's diary at the end, rather than Manon).

The fall schedule can now be viewed (month by month) in the Calendar section of the NYCB website.

(Remainder of post deleted in favor of much better information offered in the next post by California.)

The concept of seven deadly sins as a ballet sounds interesting -- especially how gluttony will be portrayed. I looked on the Lincoln Center website, and did not see this performance on the NYC Ballet calendar. Can somebody help me figure out when individual tickets to the seven deadly sins performance would become available, and why the performance does not seem to be on the spring NYC Ballet calendar?

The performances are planned for the Spring 2011 season.