California

That's also my memory - that Lincoln Center owned several things that were released. Also, for many of the things released during that time, including NYCB, Pennsylvania, and PNB, they typically thanked the many unions who waived rights so they could be streamed during the lockdown. Everyone seemed to understand the importance of keeping audiences interested in their product. And they almost always asked for donations, which was fine.

ABT has something called On Demand for members: https://www.abt.org/support/abt-on-demand/ Periodically I get email that they will live stream a rehearsal or do an interview with a dancer. During the worst of the lock-down, they released several things (like the Live from Lincoln Center in 1978 with the Kirkland-Baryshnikov T&V and Manon with Bolle and Ferri). But I've always understood that they have problems with the rights. The things that exist on tape often are owned by somebody else. Still, their promotion via free, public clips is very limited and part of their problem. Several dancers post extensive rehearsal clips on social media (especially Instagram) -- Aran Bell, Herman Cornejo, Skylar Brandt -- all worth following. And "ABT Official" on Instagram posts a lot that way.

If you're looking for an easy-to-read calendar in PDF showing each season on single pages, scroll down to 23-24 season materials: https://www.nycballet.com/season-and-tickets/subscribe/23-24-subscription-packages/

I just saw all four performances this weekend of the Colorado Ballet's final program of the season, MasterWorks. (I'm out of town next weekend, so I'll miss those.) This is always the best program of the season for serious ballet lovers and they didn't disappoint. (For all three ballets, they used sets/costumes from ABT.) Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1: They perform this every few years and it still works for me. Some of the partnering feels a little gimmicky (especially some of the extended overhead lifts in odd positions), but his choreography for the eight pairs of corps/soloists is very effective. Tippet was good at moving groups around stage in interesting ways. And with four pairs of leads, there is plenty of interesting choreography, well-performed. Prodigal Son: I haven't seen this performed by this company and they rose magnificently to the challenge. I remain fascinated by this early Balanchine, chock full of imaginative choreography, especially to capture the drinking scenes and the seduction of the Son. And that magnificent Prokofiev score -- several passages swell with emotion that never gets old. The gold standard for this ballet (or at least the one most are likely to remember) is the Baryshnikov recording in1978 for Dance in America. Several dancers stood out this weekend: Prodigal Son: Yosvani Ramos performed opening night and brought the requisite energy and drama to the piece. He will perform this for his retirement on April 23, which I'll miss. Jonnathan Ramirez (newly hired two years ago) was magnificent in clearly capturing the range of emotions. He performed at both the Saturday and Sunday matinees. Sean Omandam (long-time demi-soloist) was the big surprise, in a good way. He was a substitute for Ramos Saturday night, announced right before the performance. A few days earlier he had posted on Facebook in costume that he was grateful for the opportunity. I assumed he was the understudy and was going to perform at the schools' matinee on Thursday. He looks younger than he is and brought the awe and surprise of a teenager to the role, which worked well. (Ramos was in the Bruch on Sunday, and there was no explanation for the substitution Saturday.) The Siren: Jennifer Grace (also newly hired two years ago) has the stature and presence to make this role work well for her, partnering Ramirez. I was surprised to see principal Asuka Saski (with Ramos) and demi-soloist Ariel McCarty (with Omandan) cast in this role. Both are very petite dancers, but both brought a haughtiness and command to the role to make it work well. That hat and pointe shoes helped, but their dagger looks carried the day! Sinfonietta: I saw ABT do this last October at the Koch and just love this ballet, as I love most Kylian. The performances in Denver were full out with the brass choir and orchestra, and the dancers seemed so joyful. I can't wait until they bring this one back. The biggest disappointment was the audience size. The Ellie Caulkins opera house, holding 2,225, was barely half full. They did have stiff competition at the performing arts center (Pink Floyd at the Colorado Symphony and Anastasia). Dracula, Nutcracker, and Cinderella sold out, but this was by far the best program of the year. I read with disappointment reports on this site that Balanchine and classic opera don't seem to be selling as well as more contemporary things. Is this a fluke or are we entering a period when younger audiences just don't appreciate the real masterpieces?

Ha! Well, we know they have a schedule. They just need to post it - so we can all see. In the meantime, thanks to all of you who gave us some info on what to expect!

Errante was formerly called Tzigane, a ballet Balanchine made for Farrell when she returned to NYCB. She will return next year to stage it after a 30-year absence. https://www.nycballet.com/discover/ballet-repertory/errante-formerly-titled-tzigane/ Thanks for all these lists, everybody. Time for NYCB to post the entire schedule for all of us to see! Why the wait?

Any way for nonsubscribers to see these listings? I'm guessing it will all be posted soon. Given the disappointing KenCen series, I'm hoping to make up for it with NYCB. (Also hoping for something interesting at Boston, Washington, and San Francisco.)

Sarasota Ballet has announced their 2023-2024 season: https://www.sarasotaballet.org/2023-2024-season Impressive! Program 1 | October 20 – 22, 2023 FSU Center for the Performing Arts World Premiere Choreography by Gemma Bond Music to be announced Varii Capricci Choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton Music by Sir William Walton Salute Choreography by Johan Kobborg Music by Hans Christian Lumbye Program 2 | November 17 – 18, 2023 Sarasota Opera House The Art of War (Company Premiere) Choreography by Edwaard Liang Music by Michael Torke Dante Sonata Choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton Music by Franz Liszt Company B Choreography by Paul Taylor Music by The Andrews Sisters Program 3 | December 15 – 16, 2023 Sarasota Opera House Accompanied by the Sarasota Orchestra Theme and Variations Choreography by George Balanchine Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Divertissements Including: Les Lutins Choreography by Johan Kobborg Music by Henryk Wieniawski and Antonio Bazzini In the Upper Room Choreography by Twyla Tharp Music by Philip Glass Program 4 | January 26 – 29, 2024 FSU Center for the Performing Arts Sonatina Choreography by Ricardo Graziano Music by Antonín Dvořák World Premiere Choreography by Ricardo Graziano Music to be announced In a State of Weightlessness Choreographed by Ricardo Graziano Music by Philip Glass Program 5 | March 8 – 11, 2024 FSU Center for the Performing Arts The Sarasota Ballet Presents Guest Company soon to be announced Program 6 | April 5 – 6, 2024 Sarasota Opera House Accompanied by the Sarasota Orchestra Emeralds Choreography by George Balanchine Music by Gabriel Fauré Las Hermanas Choreography by Sir Kenneth MacMillan Music by Frank Martin Who Cares? Choreography by George Balanchine Music by George Gershwin Music arrangement by Hershy Kay Program 7 | April 26 – 27, 2024 Sarasota Opera House The American Choreography by Christopher Wheeldon Music by Antonín Dvořák Ballet to be announced Choreography by Jessica Lang Sinfonietta Choreography by Sir Frederick Ashton Music by Malcolm Williamson

Are you seeing the 2023-24 schedule for NYCB anywhere? Isn't it usually announced before the current spring season ends?

Colorado Ballet just posted the program (including all casting) for the final programs April 14-16 and 21-23. Sunday, April 23, is Yosvani Ramos' retirement performance, in Prodigal Son. He's also doing the Bruch Violin concerto, but not on the final Sunday. https://coloradoballet.org/files/galleries/CB_SPR_WRAP_23_MASTERWORKS_FOR_ISSUU.pdf (casting: pp. 18-21) Dana Benton had her retirement performance in Cinderella last month, but she's actually dancing in the Bruch, partnering Yosvani. Dana is also doing the Kylian Sinfonietta.

I recall hearing similar sentiments from Germans: How could a culture that produced Goethe, Bach, and Beethoven also produce Hitler? I won't venture into analogous situations in the US, but you can fill in the blanks yourself...

Devastating news! I wrote for Washington DanceView from about 1980-1985 (when I left DC and headed to California) and wrote a handful of things after that. She was very generous in providing space, time, and encouragement to write at length in ways that were not possible in other venues. No compensation other than free tickets to performances, but space and time are priceless, as all writers know. She will be sorely missed.

I have only seen Kim once in the theater -- partnering Tereshkina in Bayadere at the Kennedy Center in 2017. I saw two other casts and they just blew the others away. Stunning. I agree with you on the choices he has made. We don't know if he has family in Russia who might be penalized if he defected. (I don't actually know). (I rationalize that explanation for others who have stayed.) https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_danc/the-ballerina-who-fights-back-in-la-bayadere-she-wont-be-manhandled/2017/10/18/fc0ee978-b41d-11e7-99c6-46bdf7f6f8ba_story.html

Very interesting! Thanks! I'm guessing, but with her Danish heritage I have to think that giving new permission to Russian companies is off the table for the time being.

Interesting! Too bad we won't see wonderful dancers like Kimin Kim in Etudes anytime soon, if ever. I wonder who controls the rights to Etudes, as there doesn't seem to be a Landers Trust. Anybody know?

Can you say more about how Mariinsky was "defeated" by Etudes? One of my favorite short clips on YouTube is the finale with Tereshkina, Sarafanov, Sklyarov (despite awful video quality). PS. I adore Etudes and travelled to San Francisco in February 2020 to see SFBallet do this - one of the last things I saw in the theater before the COVID shut-down. ABT did Etudes long ago (a miniscule clip is included in The Turning Point) - wonder if they could bring it back.

The Stevenson Cinderella uses the same Prokofiev score everybody else uses. It's been performed by many companies, including Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Oregon, Norway, Colorado, San Jose, Ballet West. I saw it again in March in Colorado. The choreography is serviceable, workmanlike, acceptable. It sells well for families with kids. https://philadelphiaballet.org/past-performances/cinderella-2022-23/ The unicorns (if that's what they are):

Ironically, perhaps, Ratmansky's reconstruction of Swan Lake was originally a co-production of Ballet Zurich and La Scala. (2016) https://www.classicalsource.com/concert/ballett-zurich-swan-lake-alexei-ratmanskys-reconstruction-of-the-1895-petipa-ivanov-version/ https://www.gramilano.com/2016/06/ratmanskys-swan-lake-arrives-bigger-better-la-scala/ Looks like the only company still performing it is Miami City Ballet!

I don't want to take this too far afield, but Amazon Prime has a film called "Taking Sides," about Wilhelm Furtwängler, conductor of the Berlin Symphony, accused of Nazi sympathies and more. Interesting discussions of those who left and those who stayed, insisting that art was separate from politics. Although acquitted of crimes, he was never allowed to conduct in the United States. Will the Bolshoi and Mariinsky ever be allowed to perform again in the UK or US? https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Sides-Harvey-Keitel/dp/B09TFBCL1J/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0260414/ https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/14/arts/music/wilhelm-furtwangler-classical-music.html

Olshanskyi is, indeed, a principal now with Miami City Ballet: https://www.miamicityballet.org/portfolio/stanislav-olshanskyi He also danced Ratmansky's Giselle with the United Ukrainian Ballet: https://unitedukrainianballet.com/foundation-2/

Ha! I saw the Paris Opera schedule after I posted my comment. Well, good for them. They really work well together.

Ugh. Ratmansky is on record (in 2019) that it's time to drop blackface. I have to think he's spent enough time in the US to understand why it's such a problem for us. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/23/arts/dance/blackface-ballet-bolshoi-misty-copeland.html And not all Russians have taken the Bolshoi’s side. Alexei Ratmansky, a former director of the company, now an artist in residence at American Ballet Theater, wrote on Facebook that it was time to drop blackface. “What is the artistic value in black makeup, under which you can’t even recognize an artist?” he wrote. “Why provoke?”

One disappointment in their 23-24 season: for many years, they have offered an all-Balanchine program, usually three one-acts. Next year, just Prodigal Son (and Nutcracker) - a decided move away from their early founding. The company had been "fostered and encouraged by the great George Balanchine." https://philadelphiaballet.org/our-history/

Philadelphia Ballet has announced their 2023-2024 season: https://philadelphiaballet.org/23-24-season/ Carmen October 5-15, 2023 Carmen brings us bullfights, bandits, and lovers, whose passion burns as bright as the sun in southern Spain. Artistic Director Angel Corella’s captivating and innovative choreography combines traditional Spanish dance and classical ballet to tell this tragic story set to Bizet’s indelible music. Giselle Feb 29 - March 10, 2024 Perhaps the most beloved early Romantic ballet, Giselle returns to Philadelphia Ballet. Set in the forests of the Rhineland, it is the story of true love, real heartbreak, and the awesome power of forgiveness. Artistic Director Angel Corella’s elegant choreography breathes new life into a timeless tale told on both sides of the grave. Dance Masterpieces March 14-16, 2024 Experience the work of three of the most inspiring and influential choreographers of the 20th Century. Featuring iconic works—Alvin Ailey’s The River, William Forsythe’s In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated, and Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room—it is a portrait of modern dance genius. The Dream May 9-12, 2024 Frederick Ashton’s take on Shakespeare’s timeless and hilarious comedy will dazzle Philadelphia audiences. Hapless lovers, dancing fairies, a braying donkey, and Mendelssohn’s incandescent music make for a magical evening. This dream world is paired with the powerful realism of Balanchine’s Prodigal Son, which showcases some of Balanchine’s most daring choreography, set to equally daring music by Prokofiev and astonishing sets by the great painter, Georges Rouault. Add-on: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® December 8-30, 2023 The Nutcracker leaps from the stage with prize-fighting mice, gallant toy soldiers, dancing candy canes, and waltzing flowers. Tchaikovsky’s glorious score guides young Marie and her Prince through a fantastical dreamworld in this beloved holiday tradition.

Berlin State Opera Ballet has announced their 2023-2024 season: https://www.staatsballett-berlin.de/uploads/content/download/Staatsballett-Berlin_23-24.pdf I was hoping they would bring back Ratmansky's reconstruction of La Bayadere, which premiered in 2018, but not this year.