nanushka

Of course. I was just curious whether it was likely that most initial assignments (for significant roles) had been made.

This definitely makes more sense to me than the more general "too much Ratmansky" idea. I've quite enjoyed Whipped Cream the three times I've seen it, but I don't think it needed to come back for a third year in a row, and I'm skipping it this year. I felt exactly the same about Harlequinade. Not enough good non-corps dancing. I don't recall that being a particular criticism of his Sleeping Beauty reconstruction — and I don't recall it having any more mime than most typical "after Petipa" productions — though there were definitely divisions in its reception here on BA. (Thus, I wouldn't say there was a "consensus" in either direction.) I quite like it and definitely look forward to seeing it again. And I, too, would love to see his Nutcracker back in NYC with some regularity, but I doubt that would happen any time soon.

I would not be surprised if Ramasar, coming back on the very eve of the season, ends up not being cast much at all this spring. (And if that's the case, I wouldn't be inclined to view it as a meaningful snub on the part of the administration.) While I was really looking forward to seeing Peck in Sonatine, Lovette seems like a nice substitution. Janzen replaces la Cour in Stravinsky Violin Concerto; having seen the latter in it (and a few other things) recently, I'm not at all disappointed with that replacement.

I can sympathize with the feelings of Ratmansky overload in general, but Sleeping Beauty and Harlequinade, as reconstructions, seem to me Petipa ballets first and foremost, not Ratmansky ballets. Are there ways in which those two seem significantly similar to, say, Whipped Cream or Ratmansky's Nutcracker or others of his, such that they contribute to the overall fatigue?

I remember reading something about that too, but I thought what I read was that it was the male role that was the problem. (I'm writing this without taking the time to rewatch the video, which I've only watched once quite awhile ago, so this could very well be completely wrong!)

Having seen him perform the part numerous times before, for four and a half more minutes of Gomes' dancing I personally would not pay for and sit through a Seo, Copeland or Boylston Swan Lake. The memories are plenty good enough for me.

I would love to see Forster in the role. That said, I would never go to see a full performance of Swan Lake just for the Purple Rothbart. Even if Gomes were to return for a one-off performance.

Would it be a safe assumption that most of the major casting for the next 6 weeks — not necessarily all the specific dates and details, but the general "who's dancing what" — had already been at least informally assigned before the contract was reinstated?

I wouldn't say that. The union's statement made it sound like they were as concerned about precedent as about this individual case. It's not the union's job to make sure contracts are renewed, is it? Just to make sure they're fulfilled.

Thanks, @gallerina. That link wasn't working for me (redirects to this page), but I think this one is correct:

Has Ramasar every publicly expressed such things? (Genuine question, as I don't follow him on social media, etc.)

There are some additional posts in the Spring 2019 discussion.

Was Diamonds one of the ballets that was swapped into the upcoming season last spring, sometime after the schedule for this year initially came out? I remember some of us noting a few switches on here back then.

For me, it absolutely epitomizes Balanchine's treatment of music. It's not an inherently great piece, but it's dansante from first to last — and Balanchine captures it so perfectly in movement, making it seem to become essentially a better piece of music than it was before he touched it.

Ah yeah, I don't see that anywhere obvious on the website. I'd call the box office, if that's not too annoying.

If you do a Google image search for "Koch Theater seating chart" you can see the entire layout — not sure if that's what you meant.

I'm curious about the use of the title "Classic NYCB" to describe a program consisting of works by Balanchine, Robbins, Lovette and Liang (the latter two being premieres). Also, the title "Masters at Work": I'm not sure how that's meant to set those particular programs (one in fall, on in spring) apart.

Information in today's New York Times: https://nyti.ms/2TJsvC3

I wonder if this is also just in part a matter of staging traditions/conventions/habit/etc. In my recollections, daytime exterior scenes in conventional narrative ballet tend not to include a lot of expressive lighting effects. Obviously, there may be exceptions (and night scenes, dream scenes, etc. of course involve whole different set of conventions). But that seems to be the norm.

I really enjoyed the performance this afternoon, overall. I was worried going in that I've been so spoiled by seeing primarily the NYC companies and those visiting there that a lower-tier company would be too disappointing, and it certainly wasn't world-class, but it was a fine performance overall. Alexandra Hughes has little of the innate innocence or fragility that one would like to see in a very good Giselle, and yet she had some other strong qualities. Her dancing is large and energetic — she has lovely long legs and articulates them well. She and Ian Hussey were nicely matched in the opening sequence. Her pas seul had not much grace (the hops especially were rather labored) but much elan. Overall, her Act I was acceptable but not fully satisfying. The company as a whole could really use some good acting coaches. Federico D'Ortenzi as Hilarion was particularly trite and overdrawn. As he's the first onstage, this was not reassuring. Hughes and Hussey were better in this department, and definitely more convincing overall, but Hussey in particular was a bit over-indulgent at times (channeling David Hallberg in Act II, for instance). The peasant PDD was a mixed bag, and while Ana Calderon and Etienne Diaz looked at first well-matched, she was overall more impressive, while he was quite disappointing. She's something of a firecracker, but not at all ideally proportioned; his dancing was significantly less refined, both solo and in partnering. Act II was significantly more transporting. Alexandra Heier was a very good Myrtha. From the fast bourrees across stage and the utterly solid, smooth, swift 360 turns in arabesque, I knew from the start she had it down. (One rather off note was that her eyes were very darkly shadowed all around, in an oddly goth look. Also, while her acting was better than that of many others, I found her repeated turn of the head in rebuke, in response to every plea for mercy, to be a bit rote.) Misa Kasamatsu was a good Zulma, but she was completely overshadowed by So Jung Shin's Moyna. Shin is a gorgeous, soulful dancer, with exceptional stage presence even in her many moments of absolute stillness. I would love to see more of her. Hughes had a stronger Act II overall. Her opening turns were fast and solid, earning substantial applause — as did the first of the two overhead horizontal lifts, which also got some gasps. (The second was good as well, though she had to put her arm down on Hussey's shoulder to steady herself just before he lowered her.) Hussey is a good partner, though his solo dancing was kind of all over the place. Some moments (the first jeté en tournant, for example) were nice and clean, while others (the brisés, which looked rather unusual — with not much of a pronounced beat and with an odd position of the body) were underwhelming. The corps looked quite good throughout both acts, and especially in the second. I'm definitely grading everything on a curve, given my expectations going in. But on the whole I found it a satisfying performance.

Thanks, Kaysta, that's good to hear. I'll keep my hopes up and will report back! In any case, really looking forward to Giselle, since I missed ABT's last year and they're not doing it this coming spring.

Distressing to read these reports of Hughes, as I'll be seeing her Giselle on Saturday afternoon. (I chose based on convenience rather than cast, as I don't know the company at all, other than Corella and Baca from their ABT days.) I hope she can pull things together by then.

I had always assumed that was supplementary, not a substitute for at least fairly regular company class — but I don't know that I had any particular basis for that assumption.

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Based on that interview, it seems he has an adolescent mind.