cobweb

There are definitely multiple Craig Halls. In fact, I think one of the dancers married someone by that name last year. If it were the Craig Hall on the interim team, that surely would have been noted prominently.

With all the sordid news coming out, I'm glad there's some good news. The casting does indeed look exciting. Glad Harrison Ball is back!

I guess I should read the complaint, but I'm wondering what liability NYCB will have. Miss Waterbury, I gather, is a former SAB student and unaffiliated with NYCB. Whatever Chase did with/to her would seem, from a legal standpoint, to be at a remove from NYCB. (And I assume that filming sexual activity with the knowledge of only one of the partners is a crime, but can anyone confirm that?) Even if there is a "fraternity-like" atmosphere at NYCB, can the organization be held liable for what an employee does on his own time?

I personally would have no trouble still seeing Ramasar's beauty. This is just depressing, though. Arts organizations are on shaky enough ground already, they can't afford to be fighting lawsuits like this, and neither can they afford to lose top talent.

So I returned for a final viewing of Carousel, a week ago tonight... the night when I got home excited to see Amar back at NYCB soon, and then the news about him, etc., came out. But a few final thoughts about Carousel. I have really loved this; it's left me a weepy mess each time. I'm hard-pressed to think of another work of art, in any format, that has such a direct and immediate impact on my emotions. I leave the theatre in a state of catharsis, having cried more or less for two and a half hours. In terms of singing, I especially love the rich, resonant voice of Joshua Henry - when he hits that high note "... or DIE!!!" at the end of the first act, I feel flung back against my seat. The reprise of "How I Loved You" - is this number not on the cast album?? (or is it just not on the version posted to YouTube?) Also loved the totally delightful Lindsay Mendez, who I would be happy to see again in anything. Also have to mention that I have enjoyed the sexy Andrei Chagas as the Fairground Boy. On to the plot points. Trying to figure out why this visually appealing, beautifully sung production is closing so early, I consider the abusive central relationship. But can't quite figure out why this is a problem. Sure, it doesn't fit in with the #metoo movement, but did the Billy-Julie relationship ever fit in with the times? When Carousel opened in 1945, I doubt that little girls in the audience were thinking, I want to marry a man like that when I grow up! The way the Billy-Julie relationship is presented, it's ugly. Very ugly. I notice that Julie is not presented as a passive victim. Again and again people around her confront her - "Julie, do you like him?" "There's some of them you just can't help." "Common sense may tell you that the ending may be sad." Etc. Every time, she definitely asserts herself to stay with him. Just rambling here. If anyone has any readings to suggest (that don't presume a background of musical training), I'd be interested to read about the genesis and psychology of this show. Just really glad I experienced this!!

Meunier fan, if you would care to elaborate on the pockets of concern that you saw in this summer's performances, I for one would find that very informative. I learn so much from the informed critiques I hear on this board.

The more I follow the discussion here (being newer to the NYCB scene than many of you), it sounds like Lourdes Lopez is obviously a top choice. But the delay has me puzzled. If they were going to hire someone like Lopez, it seems like they would have done so by now. Apparently the Board didn't have any notion of a succession plan, which as others have noted, given Martins' age, seems irresponsible. (McKenzie is younger, but let us hope that the situation is more planful over at ABT.) Even assuming there was no plan, the length of time it's taken to get things moving along in a serious way seems surprising. Does that mean that the obvious, most qualified candidates signalled they were not interested, leading the Board to plan on a longer, more comprehensive search? Just baffled about the delay.

Trying to recall who were last year’s apprentices. Is this the whole batch of them, or was there anyone not continuing on?

Whoops. I guess I didn’t read social media too closely!! Just hopeful?

Rehearsal videos, yes. Vacation frolicking, no. There was a trip that several of them took a few years ago that really pushed me to unfollow. Back to the topic.... who will replace Catazaro to partner Isabella laFreniere in Diamonds?

I agree about the use of social media being a mixed blessing. At one point I avidly followed a bunch of the NYCB dancers on Instagram, but ultimately I found it very unsatisfying. For one thing, you don’t know what’s really going on. What appears to be a beautiful relationship is actually far more complicated and/or troubled than depicted, as becomes evident in divorces and broken engagements, and even “team changing.” Also, scenes of dancers frolicking on vacation and backstage antics was really starting to dull the spell onstage. I unfollowed the whole lot of them some time ago. While it’s interesting to hear that Maxwell and Ramasar are still together, who knows what really may be going on there.

I'd love to see In the Upper Room and Symphonie Concertante, and I'm curious about the new Dorrance piece, but unfortunately, studying the casting and programming (since there is a dancer I absolutely must avoid), leaves me with not a single program to see. Sad!

With Catazaro out of the picture, I wonder what are the chances for an Isabella LaFreniere debut in Diamonds (since they were rehearsing it together). Maybe Silas Farley could do it? Also, I got served up an ad for Jewels. Looks like they are using a clip from Rubies with Emily Kikta. Hope we get to see her!

Still no subscription tickets!!! Is anyone else still waiting?

I thought the same thing, and Ramasar wasn’t planning to come back till January anyway. Finlay leaving - I will miss him - just think he must have had his own personal reasons for leaving in addition to whatever happened.

Great question FPF. I no longer have a NYT subscription so I can’t read the article. Is the phrase “code of conduct” actually used? Also, as to the social media policy my understanding (again, can’t read the article) is that emails and texts were involved. Not tweets or Facebook posts.

TOTALLY AGREE with everything abatt said! Troubling questions, indeed.

Okay, true. If it turns out not to be sexting, I would kind of be relieved. I feel like sex is getting a bad rap. Finlay is still so young. I guess it depends on what the offense is, but if he wants to continue his career, maybe he could thrive in a company with a less demanding schedule, which would be easier on his body.

I wonder if Finlay was ready to move on from ballet. He's had a hard time. Lots of early hype and pressure/expectations, followed by injuries and tons of criticism about his stamina, technique, and partnering skills. Despite those deficiencies, I will miss him. The nobility of his carriage is second to none, and when his technique is on, he’s beautiful. Now that his bio is down, I can't check on how long he's been with NYCB. Anyone know roughly what is his age and how long was he a principal?

Yeah. No way.

But what are “inappropriate communications”? It would seem apparent a desire for sexual contact with the recipient was featured, either via words or photos. Ok. Is that grounds for not having a job?

This is insane. I just saw Carousel tonight and kept thinking god I can’t wait to see Amar in ballet again. Then I check in on BA, and....???!

Thanks for that, Drew. Also to FPF for pointing out the disparity between male and female applicants.

For that matter, what about Ashley Bouder? She's also been pursuing her own projects, presenting, programming, and commissioning, and clearly has ambitions along these lines, as well as her own artistic vision which may appeal to the board as being the way of the future (e.g., more inclusion of women and people of color). I also don't hear much discussion of another obvious candidate, Jonathan Stafford. What do people think of him as a candidate?

I totally agree about the beautiful music of Monotones, and its unique fit with the ballet Ashton choreographed. I was interested that they hired NYCB pianist Cameron Grant for the engagement. Does he play for them in Sarasota, too? It can't have been cheap to engage him for the week of performances and whatever rehearsal period they had, but IMHO totally worth it. His playing (and, I'd add, the singers in the Wheeldon piece) was so beautiful - I've found segments of the music drifting through my mind for days now.