Josette

I did not know that, AB'sMom. Thank you.

I'm trying to delete a repeat post. Helene, can you help?

Interesting about Kuranaga dancing Juliet in Denmark. Froustey posted that she was dancing two performances of Juliet including opening night, and Dores Andre has also danced Juliet.

Sasha Mukhamedov has already danced Cinderella in Wheeldon's production with The Dutch National Ballet. It is not a role debut for her.

Oh my God! Wonderful news about Forster!

I wonder why they left out the other principals in Emeralds, especially the second female lead who dances the beautiful solo and walking pas de deux - two of the most meaningful (to me) moments of Jewels. Kondaurova should be lustrous in Diamonds and I am happy to watch Batoeva in Rubies and anything she dances. She was my favorite Cinderella (Ratmansky) the last time the Mariinsky was in L.A., which she danced with the handsome and charismatic Shklyarkov in an altogether memorable, electric performance from everyone on stage.

Fantastic! I've been waiting for the casting and will buy my tickets to the Schevchenko-Forster performances tomorrow. They were terrific last year.

When I think back on David Lean's films, stillness is typical of his film "epics," as is character development.

I just came across the news here about Vitor Luiz's marriage last evening, though I had previously seen on his FB page that he had recently married with a lovely photo of them. On August 16, 2019, I saw Vitor and his wife, Tara Luiz Ghassemieh, dance Scheherazade pas de deux, stated in the program as choreographed by the two of them, at the 12th Annual Gala of The Stars put on by Festival Ballet Theatre at Segerstrom Concert Hall. I could see them in the wings afterwards and they looked overjoyed. Vitor also danced with more-beautiful-than-ever Yuan Yuan Tan in a pas de deux from the Rachmananov-Tomasson On A Theme of Paganini (breathtaking) and in a pas de deux from the Davis-Liang Infinite Ocean.

Thanks, cobweb! It must be the Calliope Rag!

What part did Trenary dance in Elite Syncopations? Was it a pas de deux or what was originally Monica Mason's role dancing the Calliope Rag?

Kathleen O'Connell, you expressed what I've been thinking about as to the opera administrators, staff, management, conductors.

Domingo is (or at least up till now) respected professionally here in L.A. He is supposed to sing in Roberto Devereux in the coming season. I can imagine that the L.A. Opera Board is reeling from the news.

I found the program online for the coming season, and it shows the Mariinsky performing The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, and Jewels during the week of Christmas. Also, Hamburg Ballet is performing in late September and early October of 2019.

What month is the Mariinsky there annually? Sounds like a nice trip.

This is wonderful.

My understanding, including at the time she was there, was that Sofiane Sylve was extremely well-regarded in NY and as a dancer with NYC. Ditto when she was with the Dutch National Ballet.

I agree as well, annaewgn. I don't find Khoreva interesting to watch at the present, but that is only from what I have seen posted online. I've seen ballerinas with artistry who were technically stunning and it was their artistry that infused their performances with substance and meaning. I am dreading seeing Khoreva in Diamonds, having watched a clip from her initial performance, and I hope that she has some charm, mystery, musical sensitivity or quality that comes across in person that I couldn't perceive from a filmed clip. I am delighted that Kondaurova, Batoeva, and Shklyarkov are performing. Kondaurova danced one of the best Swan Lakes I've seen, differentiating between the two roles beautifully, and dancing luxuriously. I adore Shklyarkov, who has great charisma. Batoeva is a personal favorite of mine. I haven't seen Somova dance since she did an empty , technically efficient, unmusical Odette-Odile several years ago in O.C. (she was alternating the role with Vishneva and Lopatkina, so deficiencies were striking), but I saw one of her first Auroras and liked her very much.

I was there for both performances in the front row and could watch Thomas Ades conducting the L.A. Philharmonic with great ebullience (I am a big Ades fan). For me, this evening of Ades-McGregor works was enthralling with exceptional dancing/performances from all the dancers. As for Inferno, let me just say that I am now planning a trip to see the whole of The Dante Project next season in London, and am now reading Dante's The Divine Comedy. I was thrilled with the work as it progressively unfolded, and the end was beautiful. I do not want to cut any of the work into little pieces because it progresses as a whole, despite there being moments which are extraordinary - such as that mentioned by Buddy above, and an incredible solo section by Calvin Richardson, after both of which the audience exploded into applause, as the audience did as well at the end. I have not seen The Royal Ballet live in performance in too, too long a time - the dancers are exceptional. The expressive, great Edward Watson dances the Poet, and Gary Avis is Virgil - each giving meaningful performances. Brilliant music, brilliant production values, brilliant dancing of brilliant choreography.

Great photo! Thanks for posting, pherank.

I read a biography of Empress Elisabeth in the mid-1970's, probably the same book referenced above by Mashinka as being read by MacMillan, as I was living in Amsterdam in the time and I regularly went over to London, where I would have bought the book. I recall reading that that she was extremely concerned with her body and looks, precisely as stated by Mashinka, which included her long beautiful hair reaching well below her waist, and that she took long walks in the Prater in Vienna. I was interested that in Act III, when she comes into Rudolph's room and orders Countess Larisch out, Empress Elisabeth's hair is down and it is waist-length, which is actually shorter than Empress Elisabeth's. Undoubtedly women had long hair at that time, but I felt it was a reference to her famous hair in the ballet. Consequently, it would have been wrong to give Empress Elisabeth grey hair just because people won't read or can't retain what is stated the program notes. I had a perfectly wonderful time at all the performances and loved the nuanced acting of everyone on stage. I have favorite performances and dancers, but the level of dancing and characterization was high across the board. I was also at the tech rehearsal on Friday. With each performance I saw more details and appreciated the ballet better on all levels. I would gladly have sat through another three performances. I will comment on Thiago Soares's heart-wrenching performance on Sunday, which had me and others around me wiping away tears as the final two scenes unfolded. One other comment about Soares: in the scene where he inadvertently shoots someone in Act III, there was complete silence through to the end of that scene. Not a cough was heard. I also have to mention the supreme grace of Lauren Cuthbertson and Sarah Lamb when they simply ran across the stage: you do not see this very often. And the beautiful port de bras of the dancers. What a great pleasure to see expressive hands that are not spiky-fingered and resembling a bird-of-paradise flower (though I certainly appreciate Osipova, having seen her many times, Osipova has this fault, especially the left hand, in all that she does). The Royal Ballet dancers' arms are devoid of tension and do not lock the elbow , which I see in so many companies, including my beloved SFB. Beautiful port de bras is alive and fully operating within The Royal Ballet. I am so looking forward to the coming performances of the Ades/McGregor premiere of Inferno this weekend.

She was no longer in the SFB roster when the company went back to work a few weeks ago. I wish her well as she is a beautiful dancer.

She is one of my favorites. The clips from the interview are terrific. Happy Birthday to Miss De Havilland!

I just went online to check casting and discovered that Mingxuan Wang is dancing Concerto Grosso this Friday. I'm glad to see him getting this opportunity. Wei Wang is no longer dancing Concerto Grosso, but he is dancing Grand Pas Classique, instead of Vito Luiz. Vitor Luiz is dancing The Fifth Season instead of Aaron Robison. Robison is still dancing Danielle Rowe's Unsaid with Sofiane Sylve. Principal dancer Jaime Garcia Castilla is no longer on the roster. I have not seen an "official" announcement, except now his name is no longer listed on the website, so I guess we can call that "official." I will never forget his brilliant performance in Eden Eden and was a devoted fan of his ever since. I'm so glad I saw him this past season in Appassionata Sonata. Wishing all the best to him in his new endeavors.

How about Shevchenko in Theme? That would be worth coming to NY to see.