NinaFan

45 minutes ago, Balletwannabe said:

That's why I'm interested to see if they dance together again.  

Sure, that makes sense. 

2 hours ago, nysusan said:

 

And as to exciting debuts in Swan Lake - I haven't seen Shevchenko yet (hoping to see her this season, another compromise since she's dancing with Whiteside) but I would definitely not consider Teuscher's O/O exciting. I thought she showed a lot of promise in her debut but last year with Stearns she was just awful. Her Odette had a stiff back, low arabesques, unstretched and unheld positions and was boring, boring, boring!

I hope you get to see Shevchenko's O/O this year as she is positively breathtaking.  And I thought Whiteside partnered her well and did himself proud.

I didn't see Teuscher's Swan Lake last year.  I saw her debut of the role two years ago, and like you, I thought she showed great promise.  Having said that, I felt she needed a stronger partner.  I’m absolutely thrilled that she’s going to dance SL with Bell this year, especially since they were so beautiful in R&J last season. 

4 minutes ago, Helene said:

I remember reading a theory that Balanchine's dropped the Scherzo because it was too technically challenging, as many of roles for Wilde were, but not the context, ie. whether it was in response to a temporary situation, like a series of injuries and who was left standing, or if it was a decision about how it was being performed at the time the decision was made.

@rg posted above that the Scherzo was reinstated for the American Music Festival in 1988, and it looks like this was either extended to the Winter 1989 season (unless I made a transcription error) or was part of the Dancers Emergency Fund Benefit if it happened in 1989, although 2/19 seems like a week early for the end of a Winter season, and the benefit was typically the last Sunday evening of the season.

Thank you Helene.  I just watched the Scherzo in the link above (thank you canbelto!) and I can see what you're talking about.  It is definitely technically demanding.    I wonder if today's dancer's are up to the challenge.  I'd love to see it in performance.

37 minutes ago, Golden Idol said:

If we won't be seeing Paquita at ABT (conspicuously missing from their repertoire for decades now), at least we'll be seeing the Mariinsky's reconstruction at the Kennedy Center in October.

I know, why hasn't ABT performed it for so long?  The audience always seems to enjoy it.  It's unlikely I will make it to DC in October, but it is very tempting.   At least I made it to two Mariinsky Corsaires a couple of weeks ago. 

Gorgeous review!

10 hours ago, Helene said:

I saw the Western Symphony "Scherzo" performed once, on 2/19/89, with Katrina Killian and Gen Horiuchi.  (Valentina Kozlova and Jock Soto danced 1st Movement, Kelly Cass and Jean-Pierre Frolich 2nd, and Helene Alexopoulos and Phillip Neal 4th.)  But it would make sense if Killian was a subsequent cast, and I wish I had seen Nichols in it.

I never even realized that one of the movements was removed, but perhaps I've never seen it.  Do you know if that performance in 1989 was a one off, or were they including the Scherzo at that time?  The first time I saw Western Symphony could have been about that time, but it may have been the early 90's.   I started attending NYCB in 1988.

9 hours ago, morningside said:

This Met season is shaping up to be such a dud. Both programming and casting is uninspiring-- normally each year I see each ballet at least twice that week but this time around I can barely cobble together 3 programs that interest me for the entire season. I know he's supposed to be a genius, but too much Ratmansky!

What a shame that you can't find anything that you like.  I already have a stupid amount of performances and I'm trying to resist buying additional tickets until we get closer to performances (because of casting changes).    So far, only one of my ballets is Ratmansky (Sleeping Beauty), but I'll probably add Harlequinade and/or Whipped Cream as the mood strikes me.  Yes, I've seen them a bunch of times but this is the next to last eight week season for ABT, and I plan to get my fill.  And of course part of the ABT season is wedged in with my NYCB performances, but I love ballet overload in the spring!    Hope you can find something that you'll enjoy!

On 4/21/2019 at 9:16 PM, Balletwannabe said:

He was most often partnered with Mearns, I think?  It will be interesting to see if they end up on stage again.  As far as I remember I don't believe she has shown him any public support.

Mearns not commenting on social media is not indicative of a position one way or the other.

Wow, she had me almost in tears.  Congrats to a beautiful dancer. 

1 hour ago, abatt said:

McKenzie has never given Lane an opportunity for a second chance in SL.  One and done.  

Shame on him for wasting such wonderful talent, especially since she had such a lovely debut...hiccups and all.  She certainly deserves a second chance.   I especially loved her Odette.  The longer he keeps her out of the role, the less likely she is to return to it.  

48 minutes ago, canbelto said:

I decided a long time ago that I wasn't going to return to ABT's Swan Lake. Just find it a pretty awful production. And Purple Rothbart is one of the reasons why. A totally jarring, cheap (IMO) interruption in Act 3. 

While ABT's production is not a particularly good,  there have been some very exciting O/O debuts in the last couple of years.  Most notably Shevchenko and Teuscher.    Both are great, but Shevchenko leaves me totally drained from screaming so much.

3 hours ago, miliosr said:

This is a telling detail. Ramasar will be 39 this year. Regardless of whether City Ballet cuts him loose at the first contractually feasible time or sticks with him to the end (however awkward that may be), he's going to age out sooner rather later.

For what it's worth, Wikipedia has Ramasar as being born 1981/1982.  Elsewhere I have seen an exact birth date of 12/9/81.  Either way he is no older than 37 right now.  Interesting that in an ABT thread everyone wants to see Gomes dance again (me included).  Gomes was born 9/26/79 and will be 40 this year.  So why is Ramasar aging out, while someone two years his senior not?  By the way, I am huge fan of both dancers, and it was a joy to see Gomes dance with Sarasota Ballet.  It left me wanting for more.  As an aside, De Luz was in his 40's when he retired.

27 minutes ago, Fleurfairy said:

I’d rather see a return of Cinderella and The Dream. Getting burnt out on the Ratmansky to be honest...

There is always NYCB which is doing Midsummer Night's Dream this spring and next spring.  I've always loved their version.

3 hours ago, Drew said:

I am having to cut back on ballet travels==and always have to think very carefully about what I can and can't see--and  this is pretty much at top of my list to try to see next year (probably in New York). 

NY gives you the added advantage of seeing an additional ballet either before or after this new Ratmansky piece.   But we'll have to wait until October/November for the detailed MET schedule.

33 minutes ago, NYCgirl said:

Ramasar is back on the NYCB website. Nice video of him talking about 'Pictures at an Exhibition'. I do wish he was dancing in his originated role this week!

https://www.nycballet.com/Dancers/Dancers-Bios/Amar-Ramasar.aspx

Yay!  The last time I checked the website was yesterday, and he still wasn't listed! 

Welcome to Ballet Alert NYCgirl!

I love Khachaturian!   Looking forward to it's run in NY next year.

14 hours ago, Balletwannabe said:

He was most often partnered with Mearns, I think?  It will be interesting to see if they end up on stage again.  As far as I remember I don't believe she has shown him any public support.

Megan Fairchild has made it clear on social media (see link below) how painful it was to dance with her ex-husband.  The point I am trying to make is that there are dancers who have difficulties/issues dancing with certain partners. 

With the exception of two “anonymous” women cited in the NYTimes, I am hoping that Ramasar is welcomed back with open arms.    I honestly don’t believe that anyone is actually in fear of him.  If so, I hope his “counseling” alleviates anyone’s concerns. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPtYeRQBUqp/?hl=en&taken-by=mfairchild17

4 minutes ago, miliosr said:

Based on the photos I've seen, Catazaro cut an impressive figure in Onegin. Just because he came up through the New York City Ballet system doesn't mean he was born to be a City Ballet dancer. The European "bodice rippers" - La Dame au camelias, Manon, Marguerite and Armand, Onegin - may prove to be a very congenial home for him.

Exactly, which is why Catazaro may be making the smarter play.

I think Catazaro did what is right for him.  And for selfish reasons, I'm glad Ramasar chose to return to NYCB.   

51 minutes ago, Villette said:

The company has no obligation to cast Ramasar and no obligation to renew his contract after this season. They only have to reinstate him for the remainder of the season in name and pay. 

I hope you're wrong.  If so, the union accomplished nothing.

12 hours ago, abatt said:

If Finlay had waited to be fired like the other two rather than resign, I think there would have been a pretty good chance that he would have been reinstated too.  

I disagree.  I can't imagine that they would have even considered reinstating him.  

WOW!  I am so excited to hear that Ramasar will be returning to NYCB!

I saw the Friday night and Saturday matinee performances.  I’ll try not to repeat too much of what everyone else has been saying. 

While I enjoyed both performances , Friday night was the absolute highlight for me.  It was my first time seeing Khoreva and she blew me away as Medora.   Zverev was wonderful as Conrad, and as most have noted on here, Batoeva made for a gorgeous Gulnare.   Needless to say, Kim's Ali was breathtaking.  Not only does he get incredible height and hang time, but he has such beautiful and soft landings.   They made a replacement announcement at the start of the performance, so I’m not sure who I saw as Lankedem. 

Saturday matinee was just as energetic with Chebykina as a lovely Medora, Parish made for a fine Conrad, as did Askerov’s Ali and Stepin’s Lankedem. 

And kudos to the rest of the cast and corps on both days.  What a fun visit to DC!

Congrats to Morgan!  I loved her when she was with NYCB.  MCB is lucky to have her! 

12 hours ago, Drew said:

Edited because there is no point in worrying about Mariinsky casting until one is in the theater and the curtain up. So I will stick to worrying about my travel plans going smoothly.

Ditto, and the best way to look at it.

I just got into the casting the usual way (via KC main page), so any issues they were having are hopefully resolved.