NinaFan

On 2/10/2024 at 2:31 PM, DPell said:

Carlos just  posted a story a of Daniil in the studio.

Do you have a link to Gonzalez's story about Simkin?  Thanks.

I loved yesterday's matinee.  Peck and Gordon were superb in Ballo.  So sorry to hear that Tiler was hurt during the performance.  I hope she won't be out for long.

While the second act was my least favorite of the acts, I still enjoyed both ballets.  Both dancer’s really poured their hearts out in Evan’s pdd with some really inventive moves.  And Gabriel blew me away in Hallelujah Junction with his high energy and beautiful jumps and height. 

I always love The Concert and yesterday did not disappoint.  Mira was hysterical as well as charming, and Veyette played the role as hilariously as always.

On 12/15/2023 at 4:27 PM, Drew said:

...... I don't think it's fair to compare video performances to the ones I saw on stage since video fails to capture much of the visceral excitement of dance/mime performances even as it sometimes heightens the impact of facial expressions and gestures captured in close up.....

I agree.  Nothing compares to seeing a ballet on stage and a live performance should never be compared to video/streaming.  It's just not the same.  I've even seen video of an actual performance I've seen onstage, and it was not even close to what I saw and felt in the theater.  When you are in the audience you can appreciate every little nuance as well as focus on what you want to focus on, as opposed to just seeing the sections that have been presented/filmed.

Agreed.  I can't imagine Unity being a big ticket seller either, but I do like her.   For the most part, the ballets sell the tickets at NYCB, not the other way round.  NYCB has an incredible pool of talent right now and most programs are packed full of world class dancers from corps to principal.  

I still have my favorite dancers, but I buy most of my NYCB tickets based on programs well before casting is announced.  It's the other way round for me at ABT.

I just noticed that the casting sheet for the first week just has Walker, but the casting sheet for week 2 has P. Walker.  NYCB must have realized their omission and included the P moving forward.  

On 9/14/2023 at 7:25 PM, FPF said:

I was confused to see P. Walker in the cast list and checked the NYCB website to see who the other Walker was--there isn't one.

Wouldn't P. Walker still be Peter Walker?   I know a lot of dancers have been retiring, but I don't remember Walker retiring.  The updated NYCB roster I received from NYCB about a week ago still includes him.

3 minutes ago, Novice123 said:

correction. NYCB followed up and they did send notification but my Yahoo search function is buggy and won't show more recent emails.  Not spam but won't show up in search.  This is a yahoo mail issue.

At least you know you can get your tickets during the priority sales tomorrow.  I hope things work out with yahoo mail though.  I've had so many issues with my provider dumping mail into a spam folder, so I know how aggravating it is!  Anyway, glad things worked out.

5 hours ago, Novice123 said:

I called NYCB ticketing office and ask them when I will be able to buy early single tickets and Nutcracker.  I purchased a Flex 6 shows and was expecting to be able to purchase additional single tickets.  The ticketing person said that this coming Thursday at noon was when I can start purchasing additional single tickets, as well as, Nutcracker.  She said that I should have received email notification by now. I checked my Inbox and the last email from NYCB was back in May, a reminder about the upcoming performance.  Has anyone received email notification from NYCB recently regarding "anything".  

I'm a standard subscriber and donor.  Yes, like others on here, I have received a number of e-mails reminding me that I should receive another e-mail on July 27 with a link to access priority tickets.  I also received a post card in the mail.   I have not received that e-mail yet, but I believe it is only needed if ordering online.

Maybe contact them again, and make sure your e-mail is correct in their system?  

4 hours ago, bingham said:

Program 3 seems to be the least interesting of the fall schedule.Maybe, they can add a PDD or two for the younger promising member of the corps. Le Corsaire or Diana and Acteon would be a showcase for J Roxander/Cooker. Just a thought.

Yes, the program is much too light, and one I'll be skipping unless they add something like a couple of exciting PDDs.   And I'd be very pleased to see the PDDs you've mentioned!

1 hour ago, rubies18 said:

Posting here since I don't see a thread for R+J yet.

Between Murphy and Shevchenko, which one would you recommend seeing as Juliet? 

I have never seen either, and know that Murphy is likely to retire soon, so I'm weighing that too. And I'm attending with a friend who is new to ballet.

I'd recommend Shevchenko.  Whichever you choose, I hope you enjoy the performance!

Early 90’sish I remember watching a lovely ABT soloist having a lot of difficulty performing the Italian fouettes at rehearsal.   I felt so sorry for her as she was beautiful in everything else.  But the role required the Italian fouettes.  As is common at rehearsals, the ballet mistress continued to work with the dancer during the break (and likely continued to do so before her actual performance).  I saw her debut a day or so after rehearsal and she was terrific.   She obviously worked on the Italian fouettes and by the time her performance rolled around she absolutely nailed it.   Had she not been able to do the choreography I would have hoped that ABT would not have continued to cast her in the role.  There were other ballets where she could (and did) shine.  She went on to become a much beloved principal at ABT (now retired).  I never felt she was very strong technically, but she was indeed a lovely dancer.   (I purposely left her name out so as not to cause issues with any of her fans)

Whether it be hops on pointe, fouettes, entrechat sixes, brises, etc, if I don’t see a ballet danced as it supposed to be danced, I feel cheated.   Too many changes to simplified choreography weakens the product.

16 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

I’m so surprised to read all of this about Trenary’s technique. I wasn’t there yesterday so I cannot comment. In fact, I’ve never seen her Giselle. I did see her Juliet last year, plus her Titania, among other roles and I never thought her technique was lacking, quite the opposite. Perhaps Giselle is not her forte. But, generally speaking I’m of the camp wanting BOTH technical and artistic excellence. 

I agree, she is terrific in many roles.   I hope she will get any difficulties ironed out in Giselle.   She is obviously working very hard. 

And yes, I too want both technical and artistic excellence.  The complete package is what works.

1 hour ago, stuben said:

......if we are going to watch acting then I would go to the movies and perhaps they should do a Giselle movie. This is a classic and I would hope a principal can deliver all, the techniques and act as Lane, Gomes, etc. .....

 

I'm with you. 

I was reading some of the posts above with regard to acting vs technique with much surprise.   Yes, acting is very important, but it is never a substitute for ballet technique. 

I go to the ballet for ballet and at a company such as ABT, I expect the classics to be danced without major flubs or glaring omissions.  It seems like this has been going on for a while.  When did such a practice ever become the acceptable norm at ABT?   It was always assumed that one could see a ballet danced cleanly and in it’s entirety regardless of cast.    The stage is not a rehearsal space.

1 hour ago, ABT Fan said:

Only Seo/Stearns and Brandt/Cornejo are regularly paired together. 

Good point.  Because of his height, Cornjeo's partnering options are limited unless they go below principal level.   Loved him with Reyes and Lane.  As much as I like Boylston and Cornejo separately, I am not crazy about them together as I find her too tall for him. 

4 minutes ago, Marta said:

I have also been thinking of Lane's [last at ABT?] Giselle, with Simkin.  She was so wonderful; nothing was lacking. 

Yes, that Lane/Simkin Giselle was positively gorgeous. 

8 minutes ago, abatt said:

Shevchenko should have been with Bell, as the last time ABT performed this.  But Bell is the only guy apparently who is tall and big enough to partner Teuscher as Giselle.  This is the partner shuffle problem at ABT.  

Exactly

4 hours ago, abatt said:

One thing that must be noted is that apart from whether a dancer has skill on his own merit, it takes a period of working together to establish chemistry.  The above greats regularly worked together over a period of years or decades.  However, in the current company there is a regular shuffling of partners, which hinders the development of a meaningful partnership.

I agree.  Those partnerships seem to be a thing of the past.  On top of that, for the most part they don't seem to partner dancers with those of  equal technical and artistic ability.  What I mean to say is that when they partner one of their best dancers (of which there are too few these days) with a lackluster partner then the overall performance suffers.    

On 6/30/2023 at 8:47 AM, matilda said:

 Side note: I knew the ballet would be a little racy but wasn't expecting clothes to come off, lol. Have Tita's breasts been briefly exposed in all of the shows? (at the end of the steamy Act II pas de deux). I wasn't 100% sure if I was seeing a wardrobe malfunction or if it was choreographed that way.

Tita's breasts were not exposed when I saw the ballet last week.  Her top was pulled off as she melted into Pedro's arms, but you could only see her bare back. 

7 minutes ago, lacdescygnes said:

He danced Mercutio at the Kennedy Center and I was impressed. Not up to my gold standard (Cornejo in his younger days) but very good technique and presence. Miles above Gorak or Shayer - glad he got cast in the role.

Thanks, impressive works for me!  

20 hours ago, TheAccidentalBalletomane said:

....But congratulations to Gonzales for a great debut of a huge role for him as a core member (I don't believe he is a soloist).. 

Yes, Gonzalez is in the corps.   I didn't see him in LWFC, but based on your review I am really looking forward to his Mercutio!

4 hours ago, Becki Lee said:

Christine just posted that she is out for remaining LWFC performances “due to a fall.” 

Thanks for updating us all.  I hope she's okay and that the fall was not serious enough to keep her from dancing in the other ballets.  

I attended the Saturday matinee and thoroughly enjoyed the performance.  The passion the cast brought to all of their roles was outstanding.  Dancing was solid and I particularly enjoyed the frenzy of exciting dance in the campfire scene.   

Lincoln Center went full out by providing a very enjoyable Mariachi band outdoors (next to the MET) prior to the performance.  A very nice touch.

Like some others on BA, I felt Act I was a little too long and there could have been more dancing throughout, however on a whole I thought it was done very well.   

As some others have already mentioned, perhaps Mr. Wheeldon was successful in bringing in some new audiences as I also heard a lot of Spanish being spoken.

2 hours ago, abatt said:

Last night it was 3 hours, but it was a "gala" night so maybe the intermissions will be a little shorter for the rest of the run.

Thank you!

5 hours ago, abatt said:

The work held my attention and I enjoyed it, but I wanted more actual dancing and less gesturing.  The choreography for the group dances is relatively simplistic and not technically challenging.   The final pas was very well done, until Wheeldon decided to add that little bit of kitsch at the very end, which I will not reveal so as not to spoil it for others.   

I think this work would have benefitted from an editor who was willing to slash scenes from the ballet that were not essential to the basic outlines of the story.   One thing that distinguishes the classics is that each act has a major dance divertissement of the leads.  I thought there just wasn't enough impressive choreography in this to justify a nearly 3 hour run time. 

 

ABT has apparently stopped the ticket giveaways in the upper levels to fill the house for the gala.  Lots of empty seats in the balcony and family circle. 

MacMillan didn't need fake fire effects to convey passion.  I realize that fire is part of the book, but it says a lot that Wheeldon frequently relies on scenic gimmicks to substitute for quality choreography.  Couldn't the spirit of the mother deliver her warnings with good mime and acting or dancing.  Instead he gives her this outlandish wig and she is  hidden under tons of fabric as she is carted around the stage.  When Shevchenko smushed her hand down on Cornejo's head I busted out laughing.  I don't think that was the intended effect.  

Overall I felt that the choreography was more like something you would see at a Broadway show rather than the level of sophistication I have come to expect from a top tier ballet company.   One act of Don Q has more sophisticated and difficult choreography than 3 acts of LWFC.

 

Thank you for the review and for not giving the ending away as I’m looking forward to seeing the ballet. 

The fake fire sounds interesting, but then I’m a sucker for special effects anyway.  Perhaps he felt it helped to create the mood, especially if the fire was also in the book.   But I obviously can’t really comment until I’ve seen the ballet.

Would you say the ballet was closer to 2:45 hours or more like 3 hours?  I am trying to get all my ducks in a row timewise.  Thanks.

I read the LWFC article in the Times, and I can’t understand why anyone would have a problem with Wheeldon’s comments.  I certainly do not consider them to be patronizing and nowhere in the article does it say that the target audience is children.

I take his comments to mean that he is seeking out the Broadway crowd who may have had limited or no exposure to ballet.  He is not saying they are stupid.  The article clearly says “The hope is that it will attract new audiences, less familiar with ballet.”  I take that to mean that perhaps some theatergoers are willing to try a ballet that is more aligned with a Broadway musical.  

I didn’t know what ballet was until I started going to the ballet.  I do not count the fact that I took ballet briefly as a kid as I didn’t see a “real” ballet for years. 

I can’t tell you how many times I had to explain to friends what I was going to see.  Don Quixote?  How can that be a ballet?  Stravinsky Violin Concerto?  What’s that about?  About eight years ago, my cousin asked me if I was going to see the Black and White ballet.  As far as I know she has never seen a ballet, so I assume she saw the NYCB ad for the twelve magnificent Balanchine black and white leotard ballets they were performing that season.  She thought it was a particular ballet.  I set her straight. 

People who are not familiar with ballet usually know the names Nutcracker and Swan Lake, and often think that every ballet is a tutu ballet.  I remember treating a friend to a ballet a number of years ago and the reaction was what I had hoped.  It opened up a whole new world for someone who only attended Broadway and opera. 

And like Mr. Wheeldon, I hope LWFC brings in new audiences.  Ballet companies will not survive if the general masses only attend Nutcracker and Swan Lake.