California

I decided long ago that I wouldn't bother travelling to NYC to see Like Water for Chocolate -- just too high-risk! I did watch the entire ballet on the Royal Ballet stream a few weeks ago and have to agree with the complexity of the plot, especially if you haven't read the book. But I'm very hopeful that the fall season at the State Theatre will be worthwhile, from the hints we've picked up from Instagram! And I'll be very interested in reports from the New Yorkers about the performances in LWFC.

Ha! Compared to Kirkland, all the other cancellations pale in comparison! I too consider her my all-time favorite ballerina. I wish we had more recordings of her in her prime.

Alas, in the ballet world, we all have our share of memories of painful last-minute cancellations. I saw Baryshnikov and McBride do Coppelia at the Kennedy Center on October 6, 1979. But I went back on Tuesday, October 9 expecting to see him in Dances at a Gathering. In those pre-internet days, we dreaded the pre-curtain announcement as they too often announced last-minute cancellations and Baryshnikov did cancel that night. Reports at the time were tendonitis. A few days later, the news came out that he was resigning from the company, although he did do a few more performances with them. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1979/10/16/baryshnikov-bows-out-early/e15c5798-f297-4ba5-8a57-29f8be39e0c4/ Those of us old enough to remember Gelsey Kirkland in her prime lived through many agonizing cancellation announcements, especially after she was fired by Baryshnikov. Many of us drove up to Baltimore to see her do some pas de deux from Giselle with Patrick Bissell, only to learn she had cancelled at the last minute. He danced. Kirkland was the worst, by far, in that generation, but last-minute cancellations due to illness/injury are a sad fact of life with this artform. More recently, I can remember cancellations due to injury by Simkin, Cornejo, Hallberg, so many, alas. And there are a few bright spots: Stella Abrera's long-awaited debut in Giselle at the Met came after a cancellation just a few weeks (days?) earlier.

I hope nobody on this site is flying to Houston, hoping to see Sarah Lane in Swan Lake on Sunday. She just cancelled, as per Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/sarahlaneofficial

I had the same reaction. Ballet Colorado and Opera Colorado have done well since reopening in fall 2021, as have the NYC performances I've been able to attend since NYCB reopened in September 2021. It was very difficult to get tickets for Hamilton and Les Mis in Denver in the past year. What audience data is Jaffe looking at?

Ratmansky posted a picture of that bomb with the inscription in Russian on his Instagram account - sickening: https://www.instagram.com/p/CtS7vksNkF5/

They're also offering $30 for anybody under 30 for much of the season. This appeared on Facebook. The code: ABT30 https://www.metopera.org/season/tickets/check-promo-page/?promo=ABT30&utm_source=meta&utm_medium=social+media&utm_campaign=MET23&fbclid=IwAR199ONWWs13GZ5rghqsXbCxUs1Bx-hCN-RmBYD0eXR1KJHzdv_-fB_Vj9w

This does not bode well for the Met season: ABT just sent email to Friends with an offer of 50% off for orchestra prime and sides for June 23-30 -- looks like everything except opening night.

Gottlieb was one of my favorite dance writers. He will be missed! I remember reading that in the 50s he actually did programming for NYCB! They could use him now.

Yikes is right! But when there's a change at the very top of a big organization, it's not unusual for there to be a string of departures. There has been enough time for her to get to know Jaffe and her vision and perhaps conclude...well...conclude that leaving might be a good idea. It does seem odd that Jaffe will be interim ED -- isn't there an administrator somewhere in the top ranks who could handle that, especially with the new season upon them?

What a treat to be able to take a second look. I especially enjoyed the film near the end with glimpses of her many roles - a reminder of the very rich and diverse rep of this company. Finishing with Act II of Swan Lake struck me at first as an odd choice, but that ballet is such a touchstone for so many of us, I liked it. It also brought in many company members, which was nice.

Although I usually get a flex subscription, I didn't get the 75th anniversary packet you cite. Any info on how to get tickets for October 11? I saw a hint that preference will go to subscribers, and I wonder if they'll prioritize somehow or also give some preference to donors (perhaps above a certain level). They don't seem to have designated that performance as a gala, but it will be in such demand that I'm guessing prices will be higher than usual.

Sad to see all the discounting at the Kennedy Center! Joseph Gordon made his debut in Square Dance Tuesday, after four days learning the role (as per his social media). Did anybody see it?

Dance Magazine ran a story on this. He wanted to perform more contemporary works, among other things: https://www.dancemagazine.com/daniil-simkin-staatsballett-berlin-principal-dancer/

Daniil Simkin has been taunting us for days with photos of Manhattan on Instagram stories. Today, a shot of the ABT studios on Broadway. Is he in town for photo shots and rehearsals for fall? Subbing for something at the Met this summer? Let's hope he's guesting with ABT now and in the future, now that he's completed his stint with Berlin.

I hope this is a good sign that Etudes will be on the fall 2023 program: On Facebook Reels/Kaatsaban, the ABT studio company is rehearsing Etudes! Perhaps to have a few back-ups/understudies for fall?

According to Kisselgoff, in 1976, ABT performed three weeks at the Met and then six weeks at the State Theater: https://www.nytimes.com/1976/06/30/archives/the-dance-swan-lake-ballet-theater-opens-6week-season-makarova-and.html The premiere of Sleeping Beauty with Makarova was at the Met Opera House on June 15, 1976: https://www.abt.org/ballet/the-sleeping-beauty-skeaping/ The 1976 Swan Lake was taped June 30 at the State Theater, according to the credits on the VHS: https://www.amazon.com/Tchaikovsky-Swan-Lake-Natalia-Makarova/dp/6301392221 The theater isn't named in the opening (or closing) on the tape, but it does seem like the smaller State Theater referenced by Ksselgoff. The June 2,1977 Giselle with Baryshnikov and Makarova was at the Met Opera House:

The Ratmansky Symphony #9 premiered at City Center in fall 2012. I believe they also did Rodeo. Don't remember the rest of the programs. Didn't they move to the State Theatre when the NYC Opera folded on 2013 and freed up space in the fall?

Time for a new topic on ABT Fall 2023! Here's what we "know" so far: Other Dances (from Gillian Murphy's Instagram story) Piano Concerto No. 1 (from Skylar Brandt's Instagram story) Etudes, Petit Morte, The Dream (from photo shoots) Anything else?

Another tidbit on the fall ABT season: Gillian Murphy will be doing "Other Dances." She's standing in front of a poster "two weeks only." It's in her Instagram stories, so no way to link. Not clear who will partner in this, but names of Boylston, Bell, and Ahn are shown near the bottom of her image. Time to start a new chain for fall?

At least on Skylar Brandt's Instagram story, she's rehearsing Piano Concerto #1, not Symphony #9, although I would much prefer the Symphony. Still, good to see Ratmansky on the program.

That's all I could find on YouTube. This ballet is not included in the Royal Opera House Stream either. Not seeing it in Medici or Marquee. Perhaps a little too obscure for those sites.

It's going to be interesting to see what choices ABT makes! Miami City Ballet uses chiffon dresses and tiaras: Mariinsky uses chiffon dresses and very small tiaras/head pieces: Perm uses chiffon dresses and tiaras: Royal Ballet uses tutus, tiaras, and an elaborate scenery backdrop:

As I've done before, I recommend Nancy Goldner's discussion of Ballet Imperial and Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 (More Balanchine Variations, pp. 5-13). BI was made in 1941 for the South American tour (the same tour when Concerto Barocco premiered). Balanchine thought the conservative audiences would expect something in the traditional imperial style, with tutus, mime, and a bit of a narrative. NYCB performed BI starting in 1964. In 1973, the name was changed to Tchai Piano Concerto No. 2, the tutus were dropped in favor of chiffon dresses, and the mime was eliminated. The set that placed them in St. Petersburg was dropped. Many changes in the choreography have also been made over the years. Goldner quotes Balanchine on modernizing: "There isn't imperial anymore. Only the Empire Hotel." Now I have to wonder just what version ABT will be reviving next year!

I'd also be very interested in differences between Ballet Imperial and Tsch Piano Concerto 2. Interesting that NYCB has the Piano Concerto on its fall schedule under All Balanchine III (October 4-6-7-8) -- so there will be an opportunity to compare with ABT's BI, if not this fall then next year at the Met. In the ABT archive, they list BI, but not Piano Concerto. So perhaps this is a way to distinguish itself from NYCB? https://www.abt.org/people/george-balanchine/?type=archive