cobweb

Renata Pavam will be very, very missed!

I was there last night for Cornejo and Kochetkova. Herman Cornejo -- wow. So beautiful and intense -- I can't even try to describe it, but if I can help it I'll never miss one of his performances again! I didn't find Maria Kochetkova very interesting. She didn't have any glow, she doesn't have Cornejo's charisma. He seemed to be looking at her very intently, trying to connect with her, but she stayed cool. I wish they had given this performance to Sarah Lane. Leann Underwood was replaced by Gemma Bond as one of the fairies, but I thought I spotted her amongst the corps in the vision scene. As for Vasiliev, I admire the energy and passion with which he throws himself into his roles. As Orion in Sylvia, and again as Bluebird, he seems to completely efface himself in the service of the role. So much so that I'm a little taken aback... but I love the energy he brings to the stage. Yuriko Kajiya is not my idea of the Lilac Fairy. Too thin and not authoritative. Give me Abrera or Part!

from atm711: "For the life of me I cannot understand why a dancer of Misty Copeland's prominence is cast in this production as a Cat (and one who does not dance, at that!!)---surely it would have been a prize spot for a corps dancer." I had the same thought when I saw Stella Abrera as one of Sylvia's attendants last week. It's just sad to see a dancer of Abrera's talent and seniority, in a role that could go to promising corps members. It's not good for her, and it's not good for the younger ones to have her taking that spot. Same thing with Misty Copeland. And I think it's not good for the audience, either. People who attend ballet regularly get invested in seeing favorite dancers rise through the ranks. There's a real pleasure in seeing someone you first noticed as one of a line of swans, get new roles roles and get promoted. But when I see dancers like Eric Tamm and Joseph Phillips languishing in the corps year after year, it gets demoralizing. As an audience member, I puzzle about what is going on. I can see why Simone Messmer and Maria Riccetto decided to go elsewhere. I find myself fervently hoping that current corps standouts, Joseph Gorak and Skylar Brandt, don't succumb to whatever is causing such stagnation. As for Hee Seo, I did not see her SB (or Swan Lake for that matter), but the reports are not good. I don't understand what happened to her. When I first noticed her in the corps, there were a couple of years in which I eagerly looked forward to her performances, where she seemed dazzling in every respect, obviously headed for promotion. Now so many poor reviews. What happened?

I will be very, very sorry not to be able to see Simone Messmer in New York any longer, but I have a feeling she's making a good move for her career. When she was promoted to soloist I was a little puzzled as to why -- she had never made an impression on me as a corps member as, to give two examples, Isabella Boylston and Leann Underwood did. However, as soon as I started paying attention to her in soloist roles I was totally won over. She is a beautiful, individual, and fascinating dancer, and she should be in an atmosphere where her talent is appreciated and used.

Wasn't Leann Underwood scheduled to do Lilac Fairy on July 2? Now Stella Abrera is listed. Also, has Yuriko Kajiya done Lilac Fairy before? She's listed to do two performances.

For corps promotions, I'm on the Skylar Brandt-Joseph Gorak bandwagon.

I was wondering about the protocol (if any?) when there is a mishap as there was at the Sunday matinee and something obviously hazardous ends up on the stage in the middle of a performance. When the mouthpiece fell off Savannah Lowery's bugle, who should have done what? I was thinking she should have just grabbed it and thrown it offstage, however out of character that might have looked. What would have happened if one of the corps girls hadn't taken it on herself to grab it as they exited the stage? Also, presumably they will be offering contracts to this year's apprentices soon. I'll be interested to hear when there is official news. Finally, I just had to add that Reichlen's "dark angel" arabesque on Sunday was one of the most beautiful I've ever seen.

Re Sara Mearns in Allegro Brillante on Saturday night... I had some misgivings about this casting. She is so intense and individual, I almost felt like this role needs someone who can stay a little more on the surface. She didn't look like she was leading an ensemble, but instead like she was having an intense, highly personal, experience. Even the peach dress, I felt, didn't quite suit her. On the other hand, her dramatic qualities are beautifully suited to Serenade, which I saw on Sunday. My current favorite cast of Serenade would be Mearns, Ashley Bouder, and Megan Le Crone. Tons of fun at the season closer, with crowd-pleasing performances of Serenade, Stravinsky Violin Concerto, and Stars and Stripes. One of my regrets of the season is that I didn't get to see Troy Schumacher leading the Third Regiment in Stars and Stripes. Daniel Ulbricht was amazing, of course, and Bouder and Veyette looked like they were having the time of their lives. I was too!!!

I don't think the replacement of "Purple" by "The Infernal Machine" means Somogyi's injured. I was also there when she danced on Friday night, looking great, and I noticed at that point the casting sheet already showed that "Purple" was replaced for Saturday. It's been a great season (that is, except for a week or so of programs of little interest...). I've attended a ton of performances and been dazzled again and again. So many dancers looking so great, expressing such beautiful pieces, it's hard to know where to start! One thing: of the new soloists, Ashley Laracey seems to be getting the most opportunities, and making the most of it. She has a captivating quality to her and I can't wait to see more.

Any reports? I was across the plaza tonight but I look forward to detailed reports!

Canbelto... They "jumped the shark"? I am not familiar with this term. I eagerly look forward to your report!

I was there last night. Drink to Me Only... I'm with the faction that likes this more on the big stage than the small City Center stage. It has more room to breathe naturally. I'm not crazy about it, but I liked it more than before, and as everyone has said, Joseph Gorak was truly beautiful. Symphony in C. As a big fan of this ballet and NYCB, I went in with interest and high hopes, especially since I read good things about the performance at the gala. I left disgusted. I found it sloppy and unfocused, lacking the energy, precision, angularity, musicality, and attack that NYCB brings. Polina Semionova was seamless in the adagio, but she had a cheerful smile on her face some of the time, totally at odds with the grandeur and solemnity of this movement. (Someone mentioned seeing Maria Kowroski in the audience and wondering what she thought: I hope she realized that she has nothing to fear from the empty Polina Semionova). Much as I admire Marcelo Gomes in virtually anything and everything, he seemed so wrong in this movement. In the third movement, Osipova and Vasiliev brought a welcome jolt of energy and vitality to the stage, although that only underlined the lack of overall cohesion, as they seemed to be dancing in a different piece from everyone else. Also Osipova was mugging for the audience, which I found disrespectful of the ballet, as if she can't submit herself to being a piece of something larger. The only positives were seeing some lovely ABT dancers including Stella Abrera. Also I hadn't seen Jared Matthews in some time, and was surprised to see him looking more confident and polished than I remembered.

Actually the house was packed tonight including the fourth ring. Very appreciative audience for many wonderful performances! The surprise for me was Red Angels. One of the few modern pieces that made sense to me. And if this is Jennie Somogyi's first week back, I'm impressed. She looked wonderful - in form, totally confident, and sassy!

Very welcome news and highly deserved for ALL of them! I'm surprised and gratified by the large number. It was clear that some of these people were on a direct path to the top (Finlay, Lovette, Stanley), and it has seemed recently like they were "auditioning" a number of possible additional soloists. Laracey, Pazcoguin, LeCrone, King, Pollack, and Peck all made outstanding impressions recently, and I was wondering which one or two might be plucked out for promotion, and sad at the idea that any would be left behind. What a great surprise that they just promoted the whole batch!! Megan LeCrone suddenly emerged as a very intriguing dancer in Serenade and Swan Lake. Ashley Laracey in that same solo in Swan Lake was lovely, and her gravity and seriousness of expression as slowly walked onto the stage during the second movement of Symphony in C were very moving. She just looks like a ballerina. Chase Finlay's catlike landings in Mozartiana are one of the indelible impressions I took from the season, along with Taylor Stanley's mesmerizing clarity in everything (esp Symphony in C, but really everything). Adrian Danchig-Waring is one of the most exciting dancers in a company where there is no shortage of terrific men, and Ask La Cour has long struck me as a very interesting dancer. The one dancer who wasn't included that I have to single out is the lovely Gwyneth Muller. I so appreciate her beautiful smile, expressive face, and the sheer graciousness of her dancing.

So bummed that I had to miss yesterday's multiple-debut cast of Nutcracker (Lauren King, Mary Elizabeth Sell, etc), not to mention today with Lauren Lovette. Any reports from those who attended would be very welcome!

Casting is up for the week of December 18. Lauren King and Lauren Lovette debut as the Sugar Plum Fairy. So so bummed I'm going to be out of town!! I hope that I can count on detailed reviews from BTers. Please!

Thank you ksk04 for the names of the dancers in the pas de trois and big swans. I completely agree with your comments, especially about the lovely Asian dancer in the pdt (now I know it was Yuhui Choe) and the very lovely big swan. I also found Yanowsky, who previously I had never heard of, unexpressive and uninteresting. As for the production.... not for me. The drunkenness, the floppy skirts for the swans, von Rothbart with mohawk... yech. I hope never to see a "concept" Swan Lake again.

What an unimaginative, uninteresting season and casting. I'm glad they're bringing Sylvia back, and I'll be curious to see how they manage Symphony in C, but otherwise there's not a whole lot that piques my interest. As for Kristi Boone, I don't know if she's been injured, but I kind of assumed that for whatever unknown reason, she is simply not favored by the artistic staff. Indeed amazing in Prodigal Son, she now seems relegated to roles like Bathilde in Giselle. Misty Copeland too would be great in so many things, but time is dragging on and it doesn't seem to be happening.

I so much appreciated Symphony in C tonight. What a great piece! I feel like I could watch it a thousand times and never get tired of it. I'm so aware of time passing while I'm watching it, because I know that every second brings it closer to being over, and I don't want it to end! Especially enjoyed Maria Kowroski and Tyler Angle. She has a special quality that's "star" and very warm both -- that and the amazing wingspan, in which I include the legs. She can take in so much space, and the arabesque penchee is iconic, in the sense that that the image lives on in my mind long after it's over. Tyler Angle conveys a serene confidence as he moves her about, then dazzles when he takes the stage on his own. Also I've enjoyed Andrew Veyette in the first movement (tonight with Megan Fairchild, and a few days ago with Ana Sophia Scheller). I love how he's so intensely focused on his partner, but then when he takes the stage, totally commanding. Sean Suozzi also impressed with razor-sharp precision in the 4th movement tonight and some other recent performance (exactly when escapes me), and also Anthony Huxley. Lauren King unfortunately has struggled with the demands of the choreography all three times I've seen her in the 4th movement. I'm assuming they wouldn't have given the part to her if her technique wasn't up to it, so I don't know -- is it just that she's dancing in every single performance and she's tired? I really miss Ashley Bouder this season, no time more so than the third movement of Symphony in C. She looked in fine, fine form in Justin Peck's piece the other night... so where is she otherwise? Seen quite a number of performances over the past few weeks (thank you Society NYCB!) A few other dancers who come to mind are Lauren Lovette, always drawing the eye; and Ashley Laracey and Faye Arthurs in the 2nd movement of Symphony in C (and Arthurs was wonderful, to go back a season, as Helena last June). Also Troy Schumacher always has a big grin like he's totally enjoying himself. Keep smiling, Troy, I'm enjoying it too!

Wow, thanks for pointing out that Lauren King is getting a major role. I look forward to it! There has been a rash of injuries and replacements this season. I'm glad to see Ashley Bouder scheduled for next week, I've missed her. It seems Sara Mearns is going to miss the whole season (although they haven't posted the final week of casting yet). I've seen several performances over the past few weeks. Will try to get it together to post some more comments. But I have to note the amazing Adrian Danchig-Waring, who I saw twice in Agon. Just amazing energy and form, every movement articulated to its absolute fullest with crispness and clarity, and jumps so effortless it almost looks like he's not even moving -- an uncanny effect. If this man isn't principal material, I don't know what is!

Casting is up for the first week. No Sara Mearns. Not good!

I did call and ask -- they said no decision had been made, couldn't say whether it would be renewed or not. I wondered if they might just let it die, with no announcement at all, but I'm still hoping for the best! Maybe you're right that renewal was in August. Hope so!

Still no word about Society NYCB!! Not knowing if it will be continued, I don't know whether to buy single tickets or not... ?? I guess it's looking like it's NOT going to be renewed, but I really wish they would announce either way.

On a different note, has anyone heard anything about the continuation, or lack thereof, of "Society NYCB" (former 4th Ring Society)? I was assuming it would be continued, but now I'm wondering...

The soloist I'd really like to see promoted is Simone Messmer, who I find a fascinating and powerful dancer. It doesn't seem like a promotion is in the cards for Maria Riccetto either. Lovely, lyrical, pristine dancing. I sure will miss her this coming year. I hope she returns!