cobweb

So glad!! I’ll hope for the best next time. Thanks for your report. Totally agree about Von Rothbart costumes etc. I look forward to more reports. Obviously this production has generated much interest. That’s terrific.

This is a disaster for the Met. I thank the stars that as bad as the situation is at NYCB (leaderless), it is not as bad as this. I have spent many, many transcendent hours at the opera house in the 16 years since I began attending opera, many with Maestro Levine himself. The Met has a real chance at revitalization with the dynamic incoming Yannick Nezet-Seguin. I will be tremendously relieved when that comes to pass.

I don’t find the landing page very fresh. I find it a jumble and it’s hard to find the links I want. They should also IMHO take new photos of the dancers with a consistent style. Last time I looked they had cropped all the photos into extreme close ups that looked odd.

The website I believe is just a year or so old, but it is a confusing, jumbled mess.

Totally agree with the assessment of the Tshai pas casting. Since all of the ladies are very likely to be excellent, and none of the men is a bravura dancer, I would go with the man who is the absolutely the best partner of the three - Tyler Angle. And definitely, the opportunity to see Ashley Laracey in Divertimento No. 15 should not be missed. I may be talking myself into a trip to DC...

Casting is up for the week at the Kennedy Center. Heavy use of the new sensation Roman Mejia and an exciting new cast of Fancy Free that could get me interested in seeing it again. I hope for many reports of these performances!

It’s not that there are no good dancers. I would LOVE to see the following: Cornejo, Simkin, Lendorf, Cirio, Abrera, Lane, Teuscher, Schevchenko, Trenary, Brandt, and I’m probably forgetting others. But certain other dancers are so grating that I can’t bear it. On close scrutiny of the schedule I have identified a few performances that may be dud-free. Will wait and see how the casting holds up.

... and they are the two dancers I LEAST want to see. The programming is so unimaginative, and the casting is so dominated by dancers I'm trying to avoid, and filled out with others who are just ho-hum, that I'm not sure I'll be seeing a single performance this season. I'd like to see the new principals, but trying to find interesting performances is a challenge. Sad!

I am encouraged that your experience was better than mine. After the matinee I was hoping it was just a fluke. After the evening I was really dismayed. But maybe it was two flukes. I hope so!!

I wrote my review before reading California's comments above, but I agree about the noisy set changes and hearing the stagehands. I also heard the stage manager calling places right before the curtain went up. Probably there isn't much they can do about the acoustics. I also agree about the embarrassing leaps into the lake. However it was set up, they all looked awkward and quite un-balletic as they got into place for the jump. And the mattress is not hidden enough. You can pretty much see the dancers' legs as they hit the mattress, and even glimpse them as they get up.

Great point, Helene!!

So I made a day trip to Philadelphia yesterday to see the matinee and evening performances of Swan Lake. Aside from getting home way, way too late (the time change didn’t help), it was a very worthwhile trip. This is my first-ever viewing of this company, but these are some initial impressions. First, the production. I liked it. Attractive sets and costumes, suitably “Middle Ages,” with a vivid yet gentle color palette. As someone who is used to the tired, wan production of ABT and the garish production at NYCB, it felt like a blessed relief when, after the familiar overture, the curtain came up on a fresh, appealing production. One exception was the costumes for Von Rothbart, which looked cartoonish, and cheap to boot. There was a “black demon” outfit that looked like a kid’s Halloween costume, and in Act III he sported a laughable curlicue moustache and goatee. Most jarring was the insertion of a variation for Rothbart - right in the middle of the Black Swan pas de deux. Really?? IMHO, this can’t be removed, or at least moved, soon enough. Otherwise, a thumbs up on the production. On to the dancing. The swans were fantastic. This alone made me glad I made the trip. Besides being marvelously in unison, with some beautifully executed “domino” effects, the entire flock gave off the impression of seriousness of purpose. They took pride in what they were doing. One detail I particularly appreciated was the commitment to eye positions when the swans are standing in formation along the sides. The uniformity of position, and the commitment to holding their eyes downcast, made their stillness very beautiful. At ABT, you don’t see the same unison or seriousness of purpose, and there are too many unfortunate wandering eyes. This was way better. Impressed! The principals were a more mixed bag. At the matinee, I saw Oksana Maslova and Jack Thomas. I found Maslova mannered and lacking in dramatic depth. She also had some technical issues. Her fouetté position looked awkward from the get-go, and she couldn’t seem to straighten up and get her working leg into the right form. Then she fell out with a few revolutions to go and stood there awkwardly for a second. And in the Odette variation, I couldn’t tell if she was having problems or just making some choices I didn’t understand. Her Siegfried, Jack Thomas, seemed (and is, I guess) very young. It’s easy to see why he was singled out for a principal role - he has a noble air and a noble line, and a princely, pouty face. He did well with the tours a la seconde in the black swan pdd. But the partnering had glitches and he had no acting range - just variations of a pout. I’d say he’s someone with a lot of potential, but maybe too inexperienced for this role. In the evening the leads were Yuka Iseda and Jermel Johnson. He was way better than Jack Thomas. Much better partner, a solid dancer, and just far more polished and professional. Also he has real acting range - his Siegfried had a searching, yearning air. He’s someone I’d be glad to see again. Yuka Iseda - I’m still trying to figure out what I think of her. I also saw her in the pas de trois at the matinee, where I was highly impressed by her buoyancy and fluid feet. In the evening I was ambivalent. In both performances she wore an excess of black eyeliner which bordered on the bizarre. It was hard to figure out her facial expressions. She is marvelous technically - but like Maslova, verges into being mannered. Fouetté report - excellent- many doubles, with varied arm positions in the second half. Traveled way downstage, but I’m assuming that was deliberate. Von Rothbart - in the matinee was James Ihde, who struggled with his variation. Evening was Sterling Baca. He was better, but it was hard to get a real sense in this one short variation. At the matinee, Benno was danced by Etienne Diaz. He looked too much like he was powering through the role. In the evening it was Federico d’Ortenzi. He had some trouble in the pdt, but did much better with his solo in Act III, and has an engaging, confident stage presence. In the pas de trois in the evening, I loved Sydney Dolan - an apprentice?? No way! Give this girl her corps contract now! She was fresh and lively, with a beautiful smile and a natural, unforced technique. At the matinee, Nayara Lopes was fresh and charming as the "peasant girl" who interacts with the Tutor. The folk dances were presented with care and vigor. A highlight of both performances was the Neapolitan, with its ebullience and laugh-out-loud charm. Love the tambourines! Overall I was impressed with the swans, the production, and how they manage to do so much with the number of dancers that they have. Given the principals, however, I was left wondering about what kind of dancing Corella is encouraging. My ideal is dancing that is refined, straightforward, and unmannered. I didn’t get the impression that is the kind of dancing that Corella is rewarding. A real damper on both performances came not from the dancing, but audience disruption. Talking, cell phone use, and more. Expectations of audience behavior seem to be very different in Philadelphia versus New York. (Although I was at the Philadelphia Orchestra recently and didn’t notice any problems.) At the matinee, in Act IV there were so many irritants I couldn’t wait for the performance to be over. Two kids a few rows in front of me were talking, standing, switching seats with someone in the row behind, waving their arms (as in “conducting”), and practicing their port de bras. The guy across the aisle was tapping his foot to the music. The trio on my right were conversing. And the woman in front of me was taking photos, then a video of much of Act IV. At the evening performance, the woman next to me texted throughout the entire folk dances, while her friend sipped a glass of wine. And there were conversations coming from multiple directions. This wasn’t even all the disruptions (there was also late seating), but you get the picture. It’s not that none of this happens in New York, but when it does it’s usually shushed down firmly by nearby audience members. I didn’t hear a single shusher (and not being in my home audience, I didn’t want to shush, not knowing local standards), leading me to believe others aren’t bothered by all this. Could I ever get used to this kind of disruption, and still be transported by a performance? I hope I never have to try.

Jared especially. For some years now he looks like he's been sampling the entire realm of sweets, or whatever it was. Doesn't stop me from enjoying the nobility of his dancing, but I think he'd have more spring and get more height if he reduced.

As audience members, we can't help but notice and respond to how the dancers look, i.e., their bodies. That's just part of the art form. It's not the most important aspect of dancing - I like what Kathleen said above, about power, musicality, and artistry. But inevitably, we have opinions about the dancers' bodies. I too noticed the extra weight on the two corps ladies mentioned, and Tiler Peck may have a pound or so more than she used to. I noticed, but I didn't find any of this especially distracting. I find Sterling Hyltin too thin and bony, whereas Maria Kowroski and Teresa Reichlen have been looking extremely svelte, but soft at the same time. Quite beautiful.

Abatt, is that the same show Brittany Pollack and Amar Ramasar are in? Same time frame for them too?

Wow, great pictures. Lowery must be the heaviest girl in the company, by some margin. She is tall and she often has a few extra pounds, but I think the main thing is that she is very, very big-boned. Even when she’s so skinny you can see her rib cage, she is big. It took me awhile to warm up to her but I like her sunniness and attack and have often seen her perform very well. Still, I have to say she does not look like these photos, especially the one from Rubies. Is she still doing Dewdrop?

I'm in a bit of Balanchine withdrawal! Mulling over the season, my mind keeps coming back to the charming, bright Emma Von Enck. I'd like to see her in some featured roles. I also wish they did a better job of getting pictures up on the website for new corps members, and maybe for apprentices too. I like to get to know the new ones, but it can be hard to figure out who they are unless I remember them from the SAB workshop (Mira Nadon) or there's something that makes them especially easy to recognize (like the very tall Christina Clark or the dark-skinned India Bradley).

She must be standing on something in this picture. When she is standing on the stage next to Janzen, the top of her head is at his shoulder.

Forgot to add - "See the Music" - just no!!

Reichlen and Finlay were much improved from last night, with the partnering mostly smooth, but were lacking in dramatic intensity. However, Joseph Gordon, Harrison Coll, and Ashly Isaacs were blazing in the second pas de trois. I can envision Isaacs in the main pdd, perhaps with Coll... one day. Peter Walker looked more at ease in the first pdt than he did last night. And with Unity Phelan out today (replaced by Lauren King), I was able to focus some attention on Ashley Hod (that was impossible last night when Phelan was on the stage). She has beautiful limbs and her dancing looked great, but to me she's lacking in something extra. Megan Fairchild and Russell Janzen were wonderful in Duo Concertant. I honestly don't think I've ever enjoyed Fairchild more. She had a perfect level of charm, subtlety, and inner drama, and the rapport between her and Janzen was touching. When I saw him with Sterling Hyltin the height differential looked awkward, but somehow, with the even shorter Fairchild, he looked just right. His dancing was beautiful; I could watch those long lines all day. Adrian Danchig-Waring looked great in Symphony in 3 Movements. He has been a powerhouse this season. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, since I have only seen the Balanchine programs, but it seems Veyette, Jared Angle, Tyler Angle, and Gonzalo Garcia are all out, and I haven't seen much of Catazaro either. I hope these guys are back for the Spring. And please, when is Ramasar coming back? IMO, it can't be soon enough. As for the unflattering leotard on Savannah Lowery... to me almost all the leos in Symphony in 3 are unflattering. The white leos are sexy, but they make some of the girls look flabby... which they are not. And maybe it's something about the lighting that's extra harsh?

Different casting made for a very different show in the Balanchine-Stravinsky program. Baiser de la Fee - As much as I love Tiler Peck and Anthony Huxley individually, as a pair they just didn't do it for me. She is too tall for him and there was no chemistry there. Agon - Reichlen and Finlay were not in the same class as Kowroski and Danchig-Waring. The audience went wild for them, so I'll have to go in with an open mind when I see the program again this afternoon. But the partnering showed bobbles and both of them looked like they were performing steps they learned... as opposed to Kowroski, on whom the role looks organic... as if it were made on her... as if she's discovering the movements as she goes along. In the pas de trois, Peter Walker looked uncomfortable, not completely in control of his very long limbs. But Unity Phelan was absolutely sizzling and stunning. Duo Concertant - just yesterday I posted a plea for this piece to be dialed back, but now I have to eat my words because I loved it last night. Russell Janzen was beautiful, and Megan Fairchild is my favorite of the three I've seen this season - she's more subtle than Ashley Bouder and more interesting than Sterling Hyltin. She made it seem like a narrative was happening, even if we didn't fully understand what it was - but she drew me in, left me wondering and curious about the story between the two dancers. Symphony in Three Movements - was electrifying once again. They need to step up the male pipeline. With Veyette out, and I don't think either of Angle brothers have been dancing this season (admittedly, I've only gone to the Balanchine programs, so maybe I missed something), I don't know what they would have done without Adrian Danchig-Waring. He is so tall and strong and carries himself with such authority. If he hadn't been there to dance with Kowroski, who would they have put? I could see a few of the current principals gaining that kind of gravitas -- Taylor Stanley first and foremost - but others are works in progress. Russell Janzen could get there with more confidence; Catazaro with more confidence and more technique; Finlay is close but needs I don't know what exactly. Anyway, they need to work fast on maximizing the potential of the male roster.

So far I've seen two performances of the Baiser de la Fee - Agon - Duo concertant - Symph in 3 Movements program. (off topic - I skipped Tuesday night to see Parsifal - totally worth it!). What a fantastic program. A few random comments. Symphony in 3 Movements has been electric. The diagonal that opens and closes the first movement is both blazing and satisfying. Taylor Stanley has really grown in this role. In the past I would get nervous when he picked up Tiler Peck in that overhead lift - now he seems solid and confident. I could watch him in anything. Maria Kowroski looks absolutely incredible - especially Thursday night, when she held the arabesque penchee longer than I think I have ever seen before. And she has a thrilling intensity. I love Adrian Danchig-Waring, and this seems so minor, but his skin has been orange all season. Especially noticeable in Apollo, when he clashed with his three porcelain muses, and now with Kowroski. Dancing, however, looks great. Anthony Huxley looking great in Agon. Such clean, pure, and committed dancing. Duo Concertant gets dull without the extroverted charm of Robert Fairchild. Chase Finlay looked fine, apart from stamina issues, and Russell Janzen deployed some truly beautiful lines, but enough of Duo Concertant, please. On to the two final performances of this great program. I look forward to the new castings, but I will sorely miss Maria Kowroski in Agon.

Thanks for the casting recommendations, Kaysta. I can't go that second weekend so unfortunately will have to miss Lillian Di Piazza, whose name I have heard a lot. Going back to the "New York Friends of Pennsylvania Ballet" and whether they can attract an audience from New York... my feeling is maybe. I know that I am open to it. I would be limited to weekend performances but I find Philly very do-able as a day trip (roundtrip bus fare is less than $25) and a very fun, arts-filled weekend trip. (There is so much to do in Philly and crowds at the Philadelphia Museum of Art are half of what they are at the Met.) And given the current state of ABT, I would definitely be receptive to a company that delivers solid performances of the classics, and that appears to be well-run, as evidenced by young dancers growing and thriving with the company... and beloved senior ballerinas not being pushed out in a public debacle. Now, all this is hypothetical as I have not yet seen any Pa Ballet performances, and I know Corella's tenure so far has been rocky. I'm just saying that - given the current condition of ABT and the proximity and attractiveness of Philly as a place to visit - they have an opportunity to lure in a New York audience.

I had been hoping to see Sleeping Beauty in the fall but the Harry Potter convention took up all the city's hotel rooms. Now I want to see Swan Lake but it's the flower show! ... and my favorite hotel is booked up. I will have to make it a day trip. I am considering the matinees on March 10 and 11, and possibly the evening show on March 10. Can those of you familiar with the company evaluate/recommend casting? I would be most interested in a lyrical, soulful Odette. Thanks for any comments! Also, is there standing room?

I'm not sure what the Tomasson/Yourth parts are, but the second couple listed (today, Pereira and Ulbricht) are the first to appear, with the all the big sideways leaps.