Jayne

Eduardo - that cast at BsAs Teatro Colon sounds superior than your ABT options. Good to learn Paloma can attract top talent. Addendum: skip ABT and go see New York City Ballet’s All Robbins program at 7:30pm. In G Major Afternoon of a Faun Antique Epigraphs The Concert (or, the perils of everybody)

We seriously need a “fantasy season” thread where we can design seasons and cast them.

I would very much like PNB to perform Dark Elegies (or invite NYDT to visit Seattle and perform it.)

I’m of two minds on Lanchberry: for lighter fare such as comedies or modern singbook arrangements his work is very charming. But he can teeter into the musical equivalent of interior design “twee”.

I’ve enjoyed his “Pacific”, “Drink to Me Only With Mine Eyes”, and “Sandpiper Ballet”. Wish PNB would do his “Sylvia”.

I just read that the director Kenneth Greve was dismissed for inappropriate comments towards dancers.

I saw the final performance. I enjoyed the Poulanc music, and the choreography was structured with similarity to Opus 19: The Dreamer. I didn’t love it, though I was prepared to. Angelica Generosa was effective, but it’s not a great work. It’s just not. I like Slingerland, and Laura Tisserand and Karel Cruz danced well. But the audience deserves live musicians. Red Angels was a mixed. The concert master performed the violin solo, and the opening couple danced a not-quite-fully-baked version. Sarah Pasch and Dammiel Cruz. Things were neither authoritative, snappy, or breathtaking enough. The second couple - Cecilia Iliesiu and Dylan Wald - were perfectly baked Red Angel cakes. Everything was spot on. The less said about the table writhing “ballet” the better. I will never sit through this ballet again.

I wonder what Bugaku would be like if it wasn’t costumed in a japanoise style? If it instead had mid-18th century powdered wigs and abbreviated costumes? Would it seem less racially tinged? Alien costumes? Giant eggheads?

The 34 week contracts do not help in a variety if ways: preparation time, income, and limited touring opportunities. If ABT could extend it’s season by an additional 10 weeks to 44 weeks total - 4 spent on domestic tours to allow upcoming dancers to try principal roles in theatres with supportive environments - that is the ideal. It might work for ABT have a fall season in Orange County with all their works. Then spend Jan - June in NYC.

That was really fun! Now I want to go watch some Fred Astaire movies.

Ah well I am glad they will not go to waste. At least you know what you like!

A very handsome production.

Can you exchange?

With the termination of the pension system for dancers, and poor handling of senior dancers — I wonder if we will see more defections to Western European companies. While the pay is not tremendously better by our standards, the healthcare, pension contributions and ruble-to-euro ratio make the opportunity tantalizing for Russian dancers. Especially if they can get coaching from a Russian AD and team.

Yes of course, it is a plum role that any actress would be thrilled to play. It won Catherine Zeta-Jones the Oscar.

Sandik -It’s difficult to say how the next year will go for politicians of all stripes — but I feel for Russians in the arts who feel their professions have become so politically entangled.

I don’t know if she can sing, but she has the perfect looks and body type to perform Velma Kelly in “Chicago”.

Sum Stravinsky excerpt:

I am pessimistic. Her last endeavor was a Wallis Simpson biopic that was a critical and commercial failure.

I wonder how much it would cost in reality? I mean the Russians are not in a wonderful financial position. Maybe they would be interested in trading sets for a desired Ashton production (who is very fashionsble in Russia at the moment)? Perhaps a 3 year trade of the RB Ondine, Month in the Country, and Two Pidgeon productions for the SB, Flora and Carnival productions? I know I am dreaming, and the current political environment does not support such artistic friendliness.

That’s a lot of name dropping, I am certain there will some gems in there.

Jacques D’Amboise mentioned in his autobiography some backstabbing regarding which Russian emigre got the POB AD job back in the 1930’s. “The Russians” he concluded, “were not very nice to one another.” I wonder how much of that hyper-critical culture from the Ballet Russe era was taken to new places by dancers who became teachers and ADs later on.

The only thing missing are the drawn over red arrows, indicating who is “hot” or “not”.

Perhaps this thread could be “unpinned” as no longer current?

I loved that Vanity Fair piece, that magazine is my guilty pleasure. Best $24 I spend on media every year.