nanushka

Perhaps. Or perhaps that was just another reason why.

Wasn't the series already started, last night? (Sorry, I may be missing what you meant.)

Same here.

It would certainly seem odd if the sole reason for a Monday cancellation were a Tuesday blackout. But again, the statement from SAB directly (at least I assume the above statement, posted by @mussel, was from SAB directly) makes it clear that their concerns are broader than just the Tuesday blackout. This is a time of massive unrest across the nation. SAB is choosing not to stream their workshop during that.

"An issue" in what sense? The institution has made a decision to "stand against all forms of racism, violence, and discrimination." What's the issue? That viewers need to wait four more days to see a ballet (or an unspecified amount of time longer to see the workshop)?

Is Ballet Arizona an affiliated institution? I assume each independent institution is making its own decision, on its own timeline. (And those decisions may differ.)

Well, as @mussel quoted above (in part): So it's (understandably) not exclusively about the designation "Blackout Tuesday."

Certainly, there is disagreement. Implicit in my statement was not "As everyone knows..." but rather "I strongly believe..."

I thought it was particularly good that she used that story not only to acknowledge her mistake but also to share an explanation of why #blacklivesmatter needs to be said and why #alllivesmatter is not an acceptable substitute. I wish that explanation weren't necessary, but unfortunately it is.

I keep getting a message that says: I know. Ugh.

Is anyone having luck getting the Lincoln Center stream of ABT to work right now?

A Figaro from Glyndebourne (available until May 31): https://youtu.be/kOqn3XW737E

I've really been appreciating all the notices on this site of free ballet streams, many of which I wouldn't have found on my own. I know there are a number of opera fans here, so I thought an opera-specific thread would allow us to pool our knowledge without cluttering the main thread. As many have doubtless seen, the Mariinsky, the Bolshoi and a number of other institutions are streaming a lot of opera alongside their ballet offerings. Dutch National Opera currently has the complete Ring cycle up. I'll add just the links for the 2nd-4th installments below, so as not to make this overly long. Die Walküre: https://youtu.be/WsQz8iYlYjU Siegfried: https://youtu.be/SCbKR96jtNg Götterdämmerung: https://youtu.be/2TwFZgYVid4

I can't say I think it's a great idea for ABT to be so heavily focused on memorializing this phantom season that's not really happening.

Here's the video:

"Winter Dreams" seems to be the name of the program as a whole, which consists of three ballets: Les Patineurs, When the Snow Was Falling, and Winter Dreams. Casting credits, etc. are given for all three ballets in English on the YouTube stream, which is currently live:

I’ve been really liking the synchronous aspect of the NYCB streams. Even though I can easily watch them later with much better video quality, there’s something really enjoyable and engaging about watching them “live.”

I’m not sure that’s a sufficient excuse. I’m not a videographer, but a single lens placed on the front of parterre level and skillfully deployed could capture quite a lot (and wouldn’t necessarily impact sales of those seats), I think, as tonight’s NYCB stream of Diamonds suggests. Granted, the Koch is smaller than the Met, but with modern cameras I think much could be accomplished. And ABT also performs a lot at the Segerstrom, where presumably the recently (but distortedly) aired Of Love and Rage footage was shot.

I certainly didn't mean to imply that it was, in bringing up the additional detail — rather, to emphasize that Farrell's ultimatum wasn't merely a rash or unwise decision on her part (even if she didn't really think Balanchine would take her up on it). Her employer, due to his romantic/sexual interest in her, and due to his subsequent actions when she refused his advances, had arguably made the situation untenable for everyone. I have immense respect for Balanchine as a choreographer, but as a boss his actions — even for their time (which is no excuse, of course) — left a lot to be desired.

Robert Gottlieb (in George Balanchine: The Ballet Maker, p. 133), for one, strongly suggests that that was all after Balanchine "took roles away from Mejia" in retaliation for Farrell's having married him.

I agree! The cancellation of this season hit me especially hard because it was a season I was really looking forward to, to a degree that I haven't with ABT for a number of years. All of Tom Forster's debuts, the numerous other exciting debuts, the strong reviews of Of Love and Rage, the overall large number of good casts — all of that made me very excited (and promised to be very expensive for me!).

I've long wanted to see this as well. I don't know of any online source, but there are now some used copies on Amazon for ~$50. I don't recall that being the case the last time I checked there. (They've more often been in the >$150 range.) As I'm saving a whole lot of money right now on tickets, I think I may finally grab a copy.

Before fast negotiations, it takes a desire to negotiate. I see little evidence that this is a union issue and increasing evidence that this is a committed stance on the part of ABT management.

I don't think it's that they truly aren't able to. I think they have recorded material, and they could make it happen by some means if they really wanted to. The fact that they made the gala available on YouTube for only 24 hours is very revealing of their attitude toward digital content distribution. (It's almost funny. But sad and disappointing, mostly.)

Yes, the Of Love and Rage footage (which they manipulated so as to show no truly watchable dance content, but which looked to be of quite decent quality) belies the idea that they have nothing to share. I see no reason to think that footage was a major exception. They likely have a lot on private video. The whole thing seemed designed to tug at the heart-strings of wealthy donors looking for ways to feel better while cooped up in their penthouses, toasting each other and dreaming of dancers waving at them from the park below.