cobweb

Thank you, Susu_nyc! I kept thinking it didn't quite look like LaFreniere but it never occurred to me it was actually Emilie Gerrity. I would love to see Gerrity take on the first movement of Symphony in C.

Agree, Papagena! I was very impressed with the Don's destruction into hellfire. P.S. I'm sure you must have enjoyed Zauberflote too!

I wanted to add, that I also found Homans' descriptions of the ballets to be tedious. I tried to read, but wound up doing a lot of skipping, the sections where she dissects Agon, Serenade, Don Quixote, etc. Maybe it's just that dance is hard to write about, I don't know, but I found her analyses ponderous and not adding anything to what I already know of these pieces. Balanchine Variations is way better as an introduction to the ballets. It happens that the next book on my pile of books to read was Witold Rybczynski's biography of Frederick Law Olmsted, A Clearing in the Distance. Totally excellent. He has control of the material, is easy to read, and makes the past come alive. In And rather than write "Olmsted knew he wasn't coming back," he makes it clear this is his impression -- he writes, "Olmsted knew -- so I believe -- that he wasn't coming back." Highly recommend this book!

After delaying for months and months, I finally forced myself to get through the entirety of Mr. B. Given my intense interest in the subject matter, and the fact that I'm a reader in general, it was striking how difficult I found this book to get through. On the positive side, it was informative about Balanchine and New York City Ballet, and I appreciate that. That's what got me through, the feeling that I was learning about someone important to me. There were many down sides. I found the tone uneven and baffling. She never finds her particular voice, or a consistent stance toward her subject. There were endless statements like (I paraphrase): "Balanchine's artistic integrity was in danger, and he knew it." "He knew that Tanny was the only real wife he ever had." "Jerry knew..." & etc. Since these are not footnoted (from a letter or interview or something), I assume it's Homans' interpolation. Endless referring to people by their first name: "George," "Georgi," "Tanny," "Jerry," "Milly," even "Jack" for President Kennedy! What in the world. Someone up-thread said she mainly did this to women, but I don't think that's so. Instead, I wonder (haven't read enough current biography to know) if it's mainly women authors who refer to people by their first name. More generally, I had the feeling that Homans didn't entirely have control of the material, but that she was including topics or incidents because she happened to have the material at hand. A difficult book. She's more a historian than a writer.

What a fascinating idea, Papagena! I would be very intrigued to see this. I'm out of town for the summer, so LWFC is moot, although I wouldn't be eager to see it anyway (unless it turns out to dazzle all my BA friends). The description of it as intensely storytelling, with little to no pure-dance sections, is a total turnoff to me. I like story ballets just fine, as long as there IS a lot of pure dance. IMHO, the main function of the plot of a story ballet is to provide plenty of pretexts for dancing -- wedding festivities, friends cavorting happily, forbidden lovers coming together, vengeful wisps in the woods, etc. If it's the other way around, where the dancing merely serves to advance the story, my interest flags.

Thank you, @matilda and @OnPointe! This can't be good for ABT. I hope they can turn things around.

I can’t get past the paywall to read the article. Does it not give a reason for her departure, or is it just anodyne like wanting to spend more time with her family?

Drew, I have the same feeling about the Fall programming. An all-Balanchine season ought to be an occasion for joy. But when I take a look at the actual programs, my heart doesn't sing like it should. Instead I feel let down. I know we've hashed this out on this board, but I don't understand how they could program a 75th anniversary season without several of Balanchine's most beautiful, joyous pure-dance pieces, such as: Chaconne, Divertimento No 15, Mozartiana, or Square Dance. A program combining a couple of these pieces would leave me delirious. Also i asked up-thread and no one answered, what about Glinka pas de trois? Does NYCB never do this? I saw Miami City Ballet do it at City Center a few years ago and am baffled why it's not in the NYCB rep.

What a lovely thought, Angelica. I have the same feeling about Ashley Laracey. Her carriage is so beautiful that watching her walk on for her solo in Divertimento No 15, on demi-pointe and with her ultra refined entire upper body and arms, was a real highlight for me.

My guess is that there may be more apprentices, we just have to wait for the announcement.

Thanks all for these reports, I wish I could have been there! I wonder, are Mia and Oscar the only two apprentices? Usually they take more. I guess we'll find out in due time. I've said this before, but I wish they would post PICTURES of the new dancers on the NYCB website. I'm still trying to get to know the apprentice/ corps dancers from the past few years, and it's hard without pictures to go by.

If you "can't think of many," you're ahead of me because I can't think of ANY. I'm sorry to be so harsh. But while Pereira has never been exciting, she at least had some moderate sparkle, airy floatiness, and technical facility. Based on recent performances, I'd say whatever strengths she had are fading. As a ticket buyer eager to see certain ballets like Square Dance, I resent having to see her. I know this is harsh, and I don't say it lightly, but the Square Dance that I saw was the most lackluster principal performance I have seen in 12 years of very frequent NYCB attendance.

So... was anyone there at either performance??

I look forward to any reports from the workshop performances. I have enjoyed attending for a few years now, but sadly have to miss this year as I’m out of town for a family graduation. Please report!

I absolutely love Square Dance and was very much looking forward to it. Erica Pereira was a real letdown, sucking the energy out of it. I kind of feel bad for her, but kind of not. The directors should not put her up for roles she cannot to justice to.

I was also at yesterday's matinee, and agree with much of @vipa's comments (and good to see you & co. again too, vipa!). Fancy Free is a great piece of theater and storytelling, and while it may be out of touch with the zeitgeist, I find the themes pretty timeless - friendship and buddyhood, flirtation and fun, being young, in the city, and looking for adventure. I love that the women can handle themselves and are more clear-eyed than the hapless men. But however great a piece Fancy Free may be, as others have commented, I have seen this a LOT over the years and it's not high on my list to see again. I found Lauren Collett, as the red-purse girl, makes a very good impression, but Indiana Woodward in the purple dress was more lackluster than I've usually seen her. Agree that Peter Walker was lacking, although he had a delightfully goofy smile. It was great to see Agon, and as many times as I've seen it too, I feel I could see it forever. What a striking, but so simple, device to start and open the ballet -- four men at the back of the stage, with their backs to the audience. Isabella LaFreniere looked great in the bransle gay section. Anything with large, bold movement suits her extremely well. (For this reason she was very miscast in Sleeping Beauty, IMHO.) And Miriam Miller has really upped her authority, and she and Russell Janzen danced beautifully in the pdd. Finally, Brandenburg. I don't love Robbins' tendency to cutesey elements, and it especially seemed out of place with the august Bach. Overall I would definitely see this piece again but it would wear thin soon. Emma von Enck looked terrific. The corps needed more rehearsal, it was pretty ragged at times.

Not so, Royal Blue! I remember vividly your comments about my reaction to the sublime marching section of Union Jack. You said, roughly quoting, "I do not share your admiration for Union Jack, cobweb, but I admire your enthusiasm." I appreciate your appreciation!

It is great to hear all these glowing reviews of Brandenburg! I look forward to seeing it on Saturday. Seems a shame they aren't bringing it back next year!

Thanks too, cargill! I had no idea who this young man was, and now I look forward to seeing him!

Agree, interested to hear any reports from tonight! I have a ticket for the matinee on Saturday, and highly tempted to add in the evening too. I am looking forward to seeing Brandenburg, about which I know nothing, aside from the music.

Thank you for these detailed critiques, @FauxPas! As someone who only attends ABT approx 5x/yr now (like so many others, that's down from close to 5x/WK back in the day), I agree with much of what you say. In the corps, Zimmi Coker, and to a lesser extent (that is, I've seen them on fewer occasions), Lea Fleytoux and Fangqi Li have caught my eye as having special qualities and potential. I have really loved Patrick Frenette in a few things, except for his exaggerated, tense facial expressions. And agree that it is sadly time for Gorak, Shayer, and Hoven to move towards retirement. That should open up a lot of spaces to move up some of the men. I saw Elwince Magbitang as Puck and was impressed with his technical facility but not much else, ie, little presence or artistry... but he has time for that. Anyway, I probably won't be around to see the summer season (again, back in the day I NEVER would have made travel plans to be away so long during the season) but I look forward to reports on here and seeing how things develop. Hoping for a real turnaround, it seems like there is talent there. Oh, and a big thumbs' up to bringing back Daniil Simkin!!!

Thank you for your critique of the principal roster, FauxPas! I look forward to hearing your analysis of the soloists. Perhaps also any corps that you find noteworthy?

I was very surprised when I tried to get tickets to last night's performance, and found it was sold out - all the Swan Lake performances are completely sold!! Good for them. I went with standing room, which is about a quarter mile away from the stage, but the price is right ($25). I'm sure I've seen Pictures at an Exhibition before, but had little memory of it, and like @nysusan above, I didn't love it. Too much running around, without much distinction between the variations. So it seemed to me. I don't love this Swan Lake either, and I think the audience should be warned this isn't really Swan Lake -- just a cut-up version of the second and fourth acts. But, it's a sellout and the audience was very enthusiastic, so who am I to say? Given how well Swan Lake sells, this seems like an excellent opportunity to introduce audiences to the company and present other works they may like on the other half of the program. I'm not sure Pictures at an Exhibition was great for that. For something similar but way better, how about Dances at a Gathering? As for the dancing, Sara looked great, although it's interesting @nysusan loved her epaulement, because on the contrary, I kept thinking about the Studio 5 presentation of Nina Ananiashvili coaching Sara on her epaulement, and wishing Sara could take that more to heart. Emma von Enck looked terrific in the Valse Bluette. She has her own distinct individuality, and I especially love the marvelous expressiveness in her upper body. Glad I saw this program, but I won't be seeing it again.

All very unfortunate!

Last night I attended the "Inside NYCB" presentation on The Balanchine Pas de Deux. This was a very fun and informative presentation, hosted by Sterling Hyltin and Russell Janzen. It seems a shame they are only doing it the once! We saw excerpts from several ballets, along with commentary by Hyltin and Janzen, and some comments from the dancers. First they did excerpts showing Balanchine's range and different kinds of male-female relationships: the pdd from La Source (Indiana Woodward and Anthony Huxley), central pdd from Agon (Miriam Miller and Peter Walker), Terpsichore and Apollo (Unity Phelan and Taylor Stanley), and Kammermusik (Miller and Walker again). Then they showed two beautifully contrasting pieces of same-sex duets, and while it was all done to piano we were meant to envision the two trumpets of Agon (Sebastian Villarini-Velez and Andres Zuniga) and two violins of Concerto Barocco (Unity and corps member Rommie Tomasini). Finally, we concluded with the first movement of Duo Concertant (Woodward and Taylor Stanley). Hyltin and Janzen were personable, charming hosts, although both seemed a little nervous with public speaking and need to get more comfortable with this. The real surprise for me was hearing from Miriam MIller, talking about her role in Agon. In speaking, she comes across as warm, vigorous, and humorous. By contrast, I often find her dancing remote. I hope she can find a way to bring some of that warmth, vigor, and humor into her dancing! I would love to see more programs like this. Well done.