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I just love Debra Austin in that video (on youtube) of Ballo della Regina!

I am astonished they are selling out, especially at those ticket prices! I do wonder where this high demand is coming from, since I've heard performing arts ticket sales are down generally post-pandemic... but good for them! Looking ahead to the Winter season. I see that Ashley Bouder was not cast at all in Nutcracker. I wonder if we will see a retirement from her. The program I'm most looking forward to for Winter is Four Temperaments/Liebeslieder Walzer. She has roles in both of those, but obviously Liebeslieder would be more likely for Bouder. While I hope she gets a great send-off (whenever that may be, Winter or otherwise), I would rather see some fresh casting in Liebeslider. I'm trying to recall who did which roles last time around, does anyone recall or have old programs handy? Lovette, Hyltin, and Reichlen all had roles.

There are partial-view seats on all the balconies, running along the sides of the house. In other words, just like the Fifth Ring, on every level except Orchestra.

Thank you for this report! As Ashley Laracey's #1 fan (in my own mind, anyway), I was tempted to do another standing room visit to see Laracey and Riccardo. Sorry I missed it!

That's right. If it's a sellout, and you buy them in person, day of the performance, at the box office. It makes sense to call first and see if standing room is open. I found that even when it looked online like there were a few random partial-view seats left, it was considered a sellout and they opened standing room. Terrific to hear! Did it say which performance? She wasn't on the casting sheet, so I wonder who she replaced.

I guess many of us here are NOT attending multiple Nutcrackers. But, if anyone was there tonight, I would love a report on Ashley Laracey's Surgarplum and Davide Riccardo's Cavalier debut.

Me too! The whole section from the end of the party through the waltz of the snowflakes is just my favorite. The beautiful violin solo, the dark wintery house, the grand transformation scene, the battle (I love that the heroine saves her own prince!), the bed sailing along through the snow, and finally the mesmerizing snowflakes. Magical storytelling, beautiful grand music, and surprisingly deeply moving.

I went for standing room last night. $44, so the price is right, even if it's a mile from the stage. Emma Von Enck was absolutely lovely, radiant and authoritative. Roman Mejia looked fabulous also, technically brilliant of course and I loved his restrained but proud nobility. Tiler Peck was spectacular. Also Miriam Miller went for all-out sultriness as Coffee, using those long long limbs to mesmerizing effect. KJ Takahashi was excellent as the Soldier. I notice they have altered the part where he mock-shoots towards the kids and they all laughingly tumble over -- instead, he shoots up into the air. Agree the violin solo was screechy. In addition, they use that time for late seating. There was a LOT of people coming in late, it was very very distracting. I usually really love that plaintive, wintery solo -- the effect was completely lost last night.

Curious for any reports! I'm glad it's selling so well, but for me, the ticket prices are forbidding, and I suspect for many of us here as well. I see Olivia MacKinnon did Dewdrop tonight. Not a debut, but I am curious to hear how she does in this role, as I've had my doubts about her promotion to soloist but occasionally have gotten a glimmer of why she was promoted. Also, how about Ashley Hod last night?

Ava Sautter seems like an obvious choice for Sugarplum! I would love to see a whole slew of debuts for the final week.

Nothing for Alexa Maxwell this season except for Coffee and Flowers? Baffling.

Just watching the old video of Ashley Bouder as Dewdrop, and wow does she look amazing! Not sure when that video was taken, but the Flowers look like Rebecca Krohn and Lauren King, and I think I see a young Emily Kikta and Emilie Gerrity in the corps. I hope to see, or had hoped to see, a performance or two this week, but it looks totally sold!! Do they ever open standing room for Nut, does anyone know?

If anyone sees LaFreniere's Sugarplum debut this afternoon, please report! I am also excited to see Aaron Sanz is dancing again and would love to hear how he looks as well. Wish I could have attended this performance, but we already had other plans when the casting came out. Still mulling this week's casting and a possible performance or two. I do wish for more exciting casting and debuts.

I so, so agree with this. Nutcracker is such an obvious time to give promising corps dancers many opportunities. It's good for them to develop, and great for the company to see how they do in big roles. In addition to the speculation above about Dewdrop, I could see the following corps ladies as Sugarplum: Ava Sautter, Olivia Boisson, and Dominika Afanesenkov. Also of course, Alexa Maxwell would be great as Sugarplum or Dewdrop.

... and Emily Kikta!!

Wow, I missed that. Not sure how I feel about this. I like the NYCB dancers I know and love! Why do we need these guest artists when we already have an entire company of great dancers? On the other hand, Chun Wai Chan and Jovani Furlan have turned out to be thrilling additions to the company. For the guest Dewdrop, best case scenario is that she's really, really good. But how about the following as Dewdrop: Corti, MT MacKinnon, Afanasenkov, Sautter, Collett, or getting into very new corps members, Allegra Inch?

How odd! Has this ever been done before, to anyone's memory? I does seem disappointing, when there are so many corps ladies already who we would love to see as Dewdrop.

I was wondering the same! Also, has she done Dewdrop? I can see her being wonderful in both.

I look forward to reports from anyone there tonight, or any and all Nutcracker reports! I may get to one or two performances, I'm especially looking at the LaFreniere Sugarplum (and would be thrilled to see Aaron Sanz back in action!!), the Von Enck-Mejia-Peck cast, Peck-Mejia-Miller, or Laracey-Riccardo-Woodward. Several other casts appeal as well. After the 3rd week, I'm out of NYC for the season, so I hope for many reports.

I don't have a good answer, given the rep they are doing. I know there are many many considerations in planning programming, but I would think/hope that finding a suitable vehicle for him, given his promise and the sensational publicity he's been getting, would be a priority. And I don't think Romeo is such a stretch. He did a bang-up job with the huge role of Puck (so I hear, I didn't see it), so taking on Romeo doesn't seem too too far a stretch.

By not putting Roxander in something big, they 1) risk losing him to greener pastures with more performing opportunities; and 2) miss capitalizing on the sensational publicity he got during the Fall season.

Week 2 casting is up. LaFreniere debuts Sugarplum. Surprised she hasn’t done it before. Also Brittany Pollack is back in action with a couple of Sugarplums. Aaron Sanz is back in action too. Great!!

This looks extremely boring. Same old, same old.

Interesting clip! Tiler says "my body tells me how I should feel," but what if your body is nervous? You can't let that show in your facial expression if you're a professional. You're moving the rest of your body according to what you've learned in training and rehearsal, but it sounds like the hope is just that the facial muscles will somehow know what to do.

Hi @Drew! If you ever get to reading Robert Garis, I would love to hear your thoughts. Toni Bentley's Serenade is pretty easy reading, and fun too!