Josette

There was another powerful and moving performance at the Sunday matinee with Nikisha Fogo and Aaron Robison, who were compelling, passionate, and brilliant in all ways. And we also had the charismatic Cavan Conley as Mercutio, the fierce Alexander Reneff-Olson as Tybalt, the poignant Maggie Weirich as the Nurse, and Mingxuan Wang as Benvolio finally seen in a role where we can marvel at how accomplished he is. Overall and individually, it was a superb, unforgettable performance from everyone. The intertwined emotional chemistry between Nikisha and Aaron felt REAL - they were so deeply in love that the outcome was inevitable. The swordfight scene between Romeo-Aaron and Tybalt-Alexander was electrifying, followed by Romeo-Aaron's emotional despair. I cannot come up with enough superlatives about this Romeo and Juliet and would tell anyone to run to the Opera House and see it. I also have to say what a beautiful Act III Dores Andre gave us. She and Nikisha were the Juliets the most transformed by events leading up to Juliet's Act III. Having attended these first four performances, I felt that the energy level was palpably higher as a whole at the Saturday matinee in comparison with opening night (except for Max Cauthorn, who was outstandingly natural and likeable as Benvolio on Friday), and the energy level remained high in the performances on the Saturday matinee and evening and Sunday matinee performances.

This afternoon’s Romeo and Juliet was extraordinary, beautiful, emotional, one of the best performances overall I have ever seen of any Romeo and Juliet.

The matinee with Misa Kuranaga and Joseph Walsh is starting in 15 minutes. I agree that Jasmine Jamison gave an excellent portrayal of Juliet and was impressive and altogether touching in Act III. Congratulations to her!

Now we wait to see the company roster of dancers for next season.

Everyone loves Serenade. It is sublime.

At last! And we will undoubtedly have Yuan Yuan Tan as Marguerite! (Rojo was a noteworthy Marguerite.) I am thrilled about Song of the Earth, a ballet I love. No problems with the Lacroix costumes for Midsummer. Is Tiit Helimets returning in Madcap, as he should? Broken Wings will be interesting to compare with the Dutch National's full-length Frida being performed at the L.A. Music Center in mid-July 2023, which I am attending, as Broken Wings (premiered by ENB in 2016 with Rojo in the lead) was the springboard for the full-length work (2020). With Carmen, Broken Wings, Swan Lake, Marguerite and Armand, and The Song of the Earth, does it seems that Rojo is programming ballets she danced or would like to have danced (e.g., Carmen)? It is interesting that there is only one major classical ballet, Swan Lake, for the principal dancers for next year, unless the April Encore Program turns into a full-length work, which seems doubtful. I am looking forward to seeing all the new works.

I am going to the four shows this weekend. Jasmine should be lovely with Angelo, but I’m looking forward to seeing everyone. That same email also states that YY Tan created the role of Juliet. I love that she’s closing the season with Aaron Robison.

meunier fan, I saw announced on the British forum that NYCB will be performing at Sadler's Wells Theatre next season as part of celebrating NYCB's 75th season. The dates have not yet been made known. From https://www.balletnews.co.uk/new-york-city-ballet-announces-2023-24-season/?fbclid=IwAR2PbqP2-iCtuuW_LocoMOA9YbvosbOTWk1OfrT4Xrqkiv51UhwAHX1tmaM : "Touring Engagements at the Harris Theater in Chicago, Illinois, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Upstate New York, and Sadler’s Wells in London." (Emphasis added.) The Harris Theater engagement is March 21-23, 2024, according to the Harris Theater website.

I keep hoping for next season's announcement and then I saw that last year, this 2022-2023 season was announced on May 17, 2022. Wasn't that later than in previous years?

Yes, indeed!

PeggyTulle - That is certainly intriguing. I just checked the casting and there was no change. I would like to see Max Cauthorn as Romeo.

I saw all casts in Orange County two weeks ago and found that Teuscher gave the most detailed, thought-out, and nuanced performance of the three Titas, and her willowy, graceful dancing was a plus. Consequently, I thought she was amazing and watched her throughout and did not watch Ahn all that much. From the standpoint of the two leads, the Park/Carmago pairing was the most satisfying of the three, mainly because of Carmago's fully-engaged, emotional acting and superb dancing, and Park was lovely and her character developed in each act with great genuineness. Their final pas de deux was superb. Trenary's dancing was technically impressive but she does not have a pliable or expressive back, which, for me, greatly hampered her characterization; I was not affected emotionally by her performance and found myself evaluating why I was not affected (and figured it out). She mostly used her face for her characterization and not much else happened except for her executing the choreography more than capably from her neck down - which is not what I've seen from the other five dancers who have danced Tita. I was disappointed. I love the character of Dr. John Brown and was particularly taken with Calvin Royal III's compassion and warmth in the role; both he and Tom Forster danced their too-short solo in the opening of Act II beautifully and with great breadth of movement. (I saw Matthew Ball dance it in London three times and all he had to do was come on stage and I was distressed to tears about what Dr. John was going to suffer.) I preferred Skylar Brandt (warm personality and depth) to K. Hurlin (superficial and cute, but entertaining, given the role) as Gertrudis. As the oldest sister, Rosaura, both Hee Seo and Betsy McBride were excellent; in particular, McBride's characterization with her gorgeous smile was unlike anything I would have expected in this role and changed the dynamics of the ballet. I felt that Chloe Misseldine was miscast, given the talent in the company: she was stiff in her acting and in her dancing (another unexpressive back like a block of wood with appendages attached - at least at this point in her career) and she made the mistake of smiling out at the audience instead of at all times communicating with the other persons on stage. Christine Shevchenko and Zhong-Jing Fang were both excellent as Mama Elena. I preferred Shevchenko's brilliant and nuanced performance the three times I saw her, and she is the more beautiful dancer of the two, but Zhong-Jing Fang's Elena is definitely worth seeing. There seemed to be a few production changes from when I saw the ballet last June in London, but I haven't had time to compare it to The Royal Ballet's version which is streaming through the ROH.

pherank, did Max Cauthorn tell you that he "thought about [leaving the ballet world]for some time," as you say? Where did you get this information? Marston would have worked with Dores Andre in Marston's work, Mrs. Robinson, as Dores danced the role last year. Ballet Zurich has not hidden that it is looking for dancers, as quite a number are leaving at the end of this season.

I would have liked to have seen the Ratmansky Swan Lake in performance.

It does look like a big change in repertoire for them, suited to Dores André, who was so good in Marston’s Mrs. Robinson for SFB. I looked at Ballet Zurich’s 2023-2024 season and there are none of the “typical” classical ballets, which Max Cauthorn is so good in. ( He’s wonderful in all he dances.) Ben Freemantle left at the end of last season and now Max Cauthorn. Among the works for Ballet Zürich next season, Marston is premiering the ballet Atonement and there will also be her excellent work, The Cellist, which was created on The Royal Ballet and premiered in February of 2020. I saw it two weeks before the pandemic lockdown, paired with Dances at a Gathering. Wishing them both great success and fulfillment at Ballet Zürich!

SFB just announced that principal dancers Dores Andre and Max Cauthorn are leaving SFB at the end of this season to join Zurich Ballet, directed by Cathy Marston.

I attended the Tuesday night performance with Misa Kuranega and Isaac Hernandez and will see Isabella De Vivo and Joseph Walsh tonight. I found the whole production delightful and particularly loved that Esteban Hernandez was cast as Benjamin, and so we had the two Hernandez brothers onstage and interacting with each other. And what a beautiful dancer Misa is! I also greatly appreciated Steven Morse as Cinderella’s Father, giving a warm and detailed characterization that enriched the entire ballet.

If I were not going to be out of the country, I would fly up from LA to see the performance with YY, and all the more because she’s dancing with Aaron Robison. Every time she dances, it is a special occasion.

Wow! Yuan Yuan Tan as Juliet.

silvermash, thank you so much for the list with dates.

Always good to hear from you, Doug.

Ashton's Cinderella is beautiful. I am seeing three performances of the revived production in five weeks. Did the dancer who rolled his/her eyes ever see it?

Thanks so much, volcanohunter and Xiaoyi, for your replies!

Can anyone who has seen the company this season tell us how about the current level of principal male dancers? I was stunned to see that Evan McKie was no longer with the company.

Helene: Yes, yes, yes, yes.