Golden Idol

Can you just imagine Roxander as Ali? If only Jaffe weren't so stupidly PC. I am already in Bayadere and Corsaire withdrawal. As I haven't seen Woolf Works on any of my trips to London, I guess this is occasion to seize.

recruit Aran Bell from across the plaza God forbid! I want to see him in story ballets, thankyouverymuch.

Alas I already bought for the 4th. But thanks for the info!

Astonished ABT is not offering anything on TDF. For tonight and tomorrow's performances, the Orch is well sold (or perhaps papered) but other levels? Lots of available seats. Giselle, almost the same thing. Once again, they're shooting themselves in the slipper.

Glad to hear it! I didn't bring my binocs last night, so I couldn't tell. Maybe someone spoke to him about it!

Camargo was a brilliant Oberon--his landings were feather-light--very impressive--but he smiled far too much. An occasional haughty smirk is called for, as Oberon should be imperious and aloof, but not all that grinning over having bested Titania. This caveat aside, he is a great addition to the roster of principals and I hope he will remain with ABT for a long time.

I would be curious to learn if anyone knows anything about the status of Inn at the Opera. Their website says it's unavailable for months. Is it being rented out to a company that books all the rooms? Is it closed? I phoned, got the same information, and gave up. I finally booked myself at Inn San Francisco, a charming B&B in the Mission that's close to a bus line that takes you right to the War Memorial, so I'm all set, but still curious as to what gives with Inn at the Opera.

I know I'm in the minority here, as I rather liked seeing guest artists in ABT performances (though they really overdid it some seasons back, which created some bad morale within the company and among fans), but the recent resignation of Xander Parish from the Mariinsky makes me hope ABT might acquire his talents for a performance or two. It may be too late for the upcoming summer season, but if a cancellation opens up... And thank you for the info on Camargo, whom I'd love to see if he weren't partnering Boylston.

Eric Tamm has certainly turned his back on the ballet world and moved on. He's now a real estate agent in Jersey City. He seems to have found his second act and I hope he's flourishing.

Only just now reading your replies and thank you for them. Sandik, that was my thought, also--with all those clips it may have been just too much work (not to mention money) to get clearances for all those clips in a short amount of time, and I have the impression the program for the evening was assembled rather late in the season.

Very pleasantly surprised by Blaine's first-rate Bluebird. I always prefer a smaller danseur in this part, and he's a very big guy. Never you mind--birdlike arms, soft landings, excellent partnering. Bravo, Blaine.

A surreal moment when Christine Shevchenko appeared on stage. Lovely dancing in every way but in that blond wig with the hair pulled back tightly, I blanched: She looked just like Ivanka! Absolutely NOT the image I wanted to intrude on a lovely ballet.

Writing here from the States. Was the gala recorded for HD transmission or other distribution? Even with the various caveats expressed by those above, it had to have been an enviable program to see.

If we won't be seeing Paquita at ABT (conspicuously missing from their repertoire for decades now), at least we'll be seeing the Mariinsky's reconstruction at the Kennedy Center in October.

This is slightly off-topic, though apropos the matter of casting. I read the following in the Times' article on Taylor Stanley: "Craig Hall performed the role [Apollo] in 2011 as part of a Dancers’ Choice evening in which casting was not assigned by the artistic staff but by peers." (Emphasis mine.) Can you even imagine such a thing happening at ABT? I can't, but it sure would be interesting.

What can one say? It's their loss. I once overheard a young standee at the Met in New York drawl, "I really don't like Maria Callas." Folie de jeunesse.

Although I don't know for which performance that seat map is representative, it is absolutely shocking. But honestly, would you pay top orchestra price of $165 for some of the programs they've scheduled? I wouldn't and I'm not.

Given the immense number of unsold tickets for ABT this week and next, I'm astonished by their paltry offering on TDF, and nothing is available on the site as of today. Their marketing people must be in severe denial.

Would that NYCB dance Bourree Fantasque again! Why the neglect?

May it happen, please!

If any of you can tolerate Seo in Bayadere, I would urge you to attend only to see Kimin Kim. His Solor in DC a few months ago was outstanding.

Thank you all for doing all that work for me and finding out the on-sale date. I feel like a lazybones, but I'm grateful.

Does anyone know when single tix go on sale? I'm not renewing my subscription, no matter how many times ABT robocalls me, and I'll be in London the first week of the season anyway. Sorry to miss Hallberg in Giselle but McRae in Manon much more exciting.

You're quite right, California--I misremembered. It is indeed Manon, not Giselle, and it's two perfs, not one.

I don't know whether anyone has already commented on this, but I noticed on the Royal's website that Hallberg is guesting with them for one perf of Giselle next spring, opposite Osipova. It would seem to have been an artists' swap, with Osipova's guest appearance with ABT next summer.