Jayne

I believe by "struggle" one can interpret that La Scala has trouble keeping the Italian Stars in Milan. So it must import stars from elsewhere (Russia, etc) to attract star-hungry Italian audiences.  

Now, no one would say this about an opera company.  But a strong ballet company should also have a strong school and a strong star-making system.  Not just import a mercenary who was trained in another system.   Paris Opera Ballet, New York City Ballet  and Mariinsky are 3 examples of this type of company.  

Other companies (such as La Scala, American Ballet Theatre, and more recently Royal Ballet have imported stars).  

Some companies do both (San Francisco Ballet).  

Personally I would like to see more equal tradesvor exchanges to balance it out.  Roberto Bolle at ABT and in return an ABT principal at LS (but whom?)

It's also possible that selling off her tutus and some occasional guesting are part of transitioning.  Perhaps she will seek an entirely new path that does not include ballet?

Here is an oxford comma used most judiciously.  

Is there is a Childrens book illustrator with name recognition that they could hire as the designer?  Seems to be a successful approach. 

Either way, the dancing is the same.  

FWIW, languages, such as German, still use Peking spelling, etc.  A number of years ago I tried to learn Vietnamese, as I had numerous Vietnamese immigrant clients at the time.  Alas, the language was not surmountable, but the french romantic language translation to occidental letters did not help me a whit.   

Reading this thread, my mind wanders to Gershwin's "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off" and They Might Be Giants "Istanbul".  You're welcome for the ear worms.  

I think Yuri will forgive me if I like RaKu. 

I wonder if the recent attacks on Jewish sites and anti-semitic graffiti have spooked Florida, which has a vibrant Jewish comunity?  Many attend classical cultural events.  Perhaps a building named after a Jewish benefactor has received threats?

I think Possekhov has been done at PNB but not in a while.  Would have liked to see Swimmer at PNB.  I suspect the female lead in RaKu will go to Noelani  Pantastico.  Perhaps it will be performed without the cringe-worthy eye make up?

12 hours ago, doug said:

Jayne, just a note that the sets in Maillot's Romeo and Cendrilon are by Ernest Pignon-Ernest. Kaplan designed only costumes for these ballets.

Ah, right you are Doug!  I retract my comment above.  One must not offer critique to the wrong designer.  

Thank you for pointing out the correction.  

Budgets?

Wow just one story ballet, huh?  The rest looks intriguing, though I may go have a drink during One Flat Thing.  I was rather hoping for a reprise of Prodigal.

I am hoping for many debuts in O/O, but most particularly Sarah Ricard-Orza, who has the most delicate port de bras and is developing into an excellent dance-actress.  I shall perform many sacrifices to our Lady Terpsicore so she gets cast.  

Of course also hoping Elizabeth Murphy gets a go.  If Leta Biasucci and / or Angelica Generosa are cast I will be breaking my bank. But it would be worth it! 

A thought on Diamonds: would be lovely to have the PNBO play the first movement with the curtain closed.  Would be even better to have a slide show of pics of PNB dancers over the years rehearsing / dancing Diamonds during that first movement.    This would be a nice way to build anticipation for the new Diamonds costumes and show off the band.  Can anyone ever have too much Tchaikovsky? (Not me.)

Also excited that PNB is going to Paris for Les Etets de la Dans.  Now that POB is focusing on other creators, this will be Paris' best chance to see neo-classical danced as Balanchine taught it.  Plus PNB has 3 french dancers to show off.  

Here's hoping they can get back into the US when the company returns.  TSA / Customs are not terribly friendly (even to Americans) since Jan. 20.  

Welcome back Natasha, I've missed your passionate reviews.  

FWIW, most  the Kaplan sets seem to these big white "pieces", only the shapes vary.  R&J, Cendrillon, Taming of the Shrew, and now Fairy's Kiss.  He has done beautiful work too: PNB's Giselle sets were inspired by the Parisian origial set drawings.  

But it's eyebrow-raising that he keeps going back to these fabric boxes over and over.  I do not mind a stark / modern set if it works for the ballet (Prodigal Son, Apollo, etc).  But why hasn't Kaplan been called out on this, by professional reviewers?   He is not Van Gogh painting his Repetitions. 

I get forwarded to spam.  Can anyone post a translation? 

There is a big part of me that years for La Imler to continue on as a modern dancer.  Without the family ties I could easily see her in Mark Morris's Company.  

But perhaps she would consider dancing with Spectrum Dance Theatre?  Or Whim Whim?  Perhaps either one could dance The Green Table?  

I wonder if these competitions increasingly attract dancers from places that do not have many full time professional opportunities / fewer FT companies, etc.    This is a way to be "seen" for those who cannot afford to attend schools like JKOS, RBS, etc.  

The focus seems to be massively on traditional story ballets, as royalties / stagers don't need to be paid.  

Oh this is fun!  I always thought she would be great in Balanchine's Walpurgisnacht.  Would be amazing if it could be staged for her encore, then bring it back in the fall (as Carla Korbes danced The Calling at her encore).  Would also love to see La Imler in The Calling.  

She and Bold were both great as Mercedes / Espada so I'd like to see that again.  Kitri of course is a must.  Others:

Square Dance

Western Symphony

La Source (assuming she is cast) 

T&V

Sym in C (most likely, part of the season)

Emeralds

In The Middle

Jardi Tancat

At the Station

She will be very tired at the end.  

For Bold, I think he is best in the modern works: After the Rain, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Red Angels, 3 Movements, Dancing on the Front Porch, plus overlap of many listed above.  

Might be nice to see Kent Stowell revive a portion of his Firebird for Bold/Imler.  They were both Stowell-Russell hires, and bith danced it before, so would complete the circle.  

Also perhaps Robbins' In The Night. 

Oh wow, well brava to her!

Yay!  Promotions are just the thing in a dreary winter.

Maybe the fire department is cracking down?

I wonder if they will use the PNB orchestration?

Took a friend to see the Bolshoi reprise of Sean Lake with Zakharova / Rodkin.  Not sure what I can that is new, I agree with other posters that the music chops are awful, the joker isn't very funny, the sets/ costumes are very mid-century Soviet, and the company is wonderful.  I do like the evil genius.  

But this is my final Yuri ballet staging. I am not a fan, though much of the cinema audience clapped and spoke Russian at intermissions.  Still love the host, Ekaterina Novikova.  

Would love to add NY Export: Jazz to that "For Your Consideration" list.  At least for a Robbins night.  Glass Pieces would also be welcomed. 

Oh well that is quite a coup for Perm!  Wish I could've been there.  Perm often tours in western europe so perhaps you will have an opportunity to see this company.

Oooh, would love to see her finish strong elsewhere.  I wonder where she will end up?  The suspense is killing me, I hope it will last!

Just stopped at a cafe to report in after the matinee.  On a personal note, I stumbled quite badly 2 blocks from McCaw Hall and I'm not sure if I injured something in my calf or just swollen.   But I am limping quit badly.  I managed to limp to my seat in time, only because PNB started at 2:10 instead of on-time.  I was determined!  

At any rate I will rest a bit before limping to my car.  Hopefully some ice and rest is all that is needed.   It certainly put the extraordinary physical feats on stage in perspective. 

First and foremost, the PNB Orchestra sounded spectacular today.  They make me fall in love with Prokofiev every time I hear them.  Today our seats were toward the front orchestra, so we had none of the acoustical muffling that sitting in the Upper Tier suffers.  It was glorious and PNBO are glorious.  This music is a love letter to the brass section, and I can only wish for more Prokofiev for the PNBO to play in the future. 

Now, on to the performance.  Cinders was winningly danced by Elizabeth Murphy, and I think her gifts of plasticity were especially beautiful in this role.  Jerome Tisserand was her prince, but his is a minor role, he really doesn't get much stage time, other than two very pretty ppds with Murphy.  I think the Pleasure Superintendants get more stage time.  And they are the funniest people on the stage.  

Noelani Pantastico had the plum role of Fairy / Mother, and I enjoyed her Fairy very much.  She is Tinkerbell grown up, twinkly, spunky, humorous and gracious.  She had the best choreography, and the audience really responded to her.  I still think La Imler would have been spectacular in this role.  She has the acting chops, technique and panache to pull it off.  Alas the casting fairies did not agree. Tis a pity.  

Seth Orza was a fine father, but I did not find the Stepmother, Sarah Pasch, to be sensual, dangerous, or strong enough to be believable in the role.  I may go again to see what Leslie Rausch makes of it.  

Leta Biasucci and Angelica Generosa were appropriately humorous as the step sisters.  

As for the show itself, it had shining moments, but large sections of steps seemed to be repeats of R&J.  Even the play within a play was repeated (humorously and with double-role actors as mannequins instead of puppets).  I think Malliot was alluding to commedia della arte, and the kids particularly enjoyed it.  The costumes were fascinating, though clearly designed for white dancers.  The "flesh" colored wraps for wigs on some dancers blessed with melanin did not match.  This seems like an easy fix though.  

I didn't mind a no-pointe shoe ballet, and I was amenable to the double romance story-line (father-loves the dead mother who is now the fairy).  The waltz / ball section was well blocked to show the romance blossoming.  And there was an excellent allusion to modern royals in the public eye as the waltzers stopped to stare at the prince, act unnaturally before him, and later halt to watch him kiss Cinders.    

The lack of a clock and pumpkin made that narrative section blank.  There was no other consequence or rules to replace it when the tick-tock began in the music.  

At the end of it all, I did not have an emotional payoff.   And I did not think the humor for the step mother and step sisters was strong enough.  The end felt abrupt and  lacking.  This  was the smaller brother ballet to Malliot's R&J.  There was no standing O but there rarely is for a matinee.  Perhaps the Prokofiev music is so strong that no version can do it justice.   

Now I want to get the Ashton DVD at the library to see it again, it seems to come closest to the critics' expectations.  

For now, going to have another cuppajoe and then stretch the leg before limping to my car.