ABT Fan

I’d be thrilled if they’re (finally) bringing back Etudes and Petit Mort!

6 hours ago, abatt said:

ABT, please offer Simkin an opportunity to return to the Company.  He is needed.

Maybe Jaffe will offer him better casting than McKenzie gave him.

14 hours ago, aurora said:

Honestly it was pretty ridiculous. Misseldine was by far the best female dancer. Ikarashi's award was well deserved.

12 hours ago, Wonders said:

Agreed, Aurora. We didn't think it was even close. We were shocked when Misseldine didn't win. We also thought Lauren Lovette's piece was by far the best for choreography.

I'm dumbfounded that Misseldine did not win. Her technique, command, stage presence and grandeur was far superior.

Ikarashi absolutely deserved that win - glad they got that one right.

23 minutes ago, Becki Lee said:

Sorry, one more gala question. (Not my world.)

I think last year it was Don Quixote and a different cast for every act? Is that typical for gala night? Would they do that with a new ballet? 

No, not typical.

Gala night is rarely a full length. Usually excerpts or shorter ballets.

38 minutes ago, miliosr said:

Apart from the logistical difficulties and potential financial penalties involved with changing the Met schedule at this point, no way would ABT management humiliate a 'name' choreographer like Wheeldon by reducing the number of shows. It's not even about Wheeldon himself, who is irrelevant to ABT's past, present and future. Cutting off a choreographer of Wheeldon's stature (overrated as that stature may be) at the knees would really cast ABT in a bad light within the industry.

This makes sense. I had also never considered that there could be financial penalties to revising the number of performances. It's all really unfortunate. Even before we saw the dismal sales in CA, many of us could not fathom a week and a half of a new ballet at the Met. I hope Jaffe will make better programming decisions for next year than McKenzie has saddled us with.

It wouldn’t be original or even ideal, but they could absolutely cut Chocolate down to one week and just add 4 or so more SL performances. We all know SL sells and at this late stage they probably don’t have time to start rehearsing a different ballet (or ballets) to add. This would also give dancers more than one shot in SL and/or they could throw in some much needed debuts (Trenary for one).

1 hour ago, DPell said:

I think they’re doing one of the Swan Lake Pas as part of the mixed rep bill in Chicago. I don’t remember if it’s the White or the Black

Black. Trenary has posted rehearsal footage of her as O/O before. I would love to see her actually be cast.

1 hour ago, Becki Lee said:

More Midwest casting… at the Auditorium in Chicago!

 

Zimmi and Jonathan Klein get a Some Assembly Required.
 

Jose and Blaine get a Touché.

Also, Daniel (with Isabella) and Cate (with Blaine) in Songs of Bukovina. 

Happy to see that casting for Zimmi and Jonathan.

21 minutes ago, abatt said:

Misty's partner of choice is usually Cornejo, although I think she was scheduled to dance R&J with Royal before the pandemic. How much longer do we think Cornejo can hang on as a principal?

I can't even imagine how Misty could dance Giselle in 2024 after having been off the stage for this many years.

How much longer can Murphy hang on as a principal? It’s possible she could retire before Copeland returns, which would open up a Juliet spot (&O/O, Giselle, etc). But, the partner issue remains. Copeland was scheduled to dance R&J with Royal pre-covid. I don’t know if Cornejo can hang on long enough for her return, although he has been having a great run lately. I think the reason Brandt hasn’t been given a Juliet yet is a lack of suitable partners to go around. 

51 minutes ago, nanushka said:

They can't possibly be planning to do R&J and Giselle again in NYC in 2024, can they? After this summer, they'll have done both ballets twice already in the preceding two years. Especially for R&J, that is way too much.

Absolutely, way too much and I'll be extremely disappointed if that's the case. Maybe that was more of her wish (or assumed) list and not guaranteed programming. Also, it'll be interesting to see how they navigate casting when she returns. Nine principal women including her. And, she usually dances with Cornejo. So, what does that mean for Brandt and Trenary?

21 hours ago, DPell said:

It looks like Jake Roxander is covering Mercutio in the DC Romeo. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CopOz2NALEY/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

He’s not listed on the casting. Maybe he’s an understudy.

1 hour ago, Becki Lee said:

Saw some tour casting for the Stonybrook stop on Instagram. Mostly typical but thought this one was interesting:

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

Principals: Katherine Williams, Jarod Curley

That's very interesting - happy to see that opportunity for both of them.

And, here's another interesting casting announcement: Hee Seo is debuting as Myrtha April 22. https://www.abt.org/performances/master-calendar/

1 hour ago, angelica said:

I saw Shayer dance Mercutio last summer and he was extremely sloppy in the role. 

Agree. Same with his Espada.

Mercutio casting has been posted: Klein gets opening night and 3 performances total and Maloney and Gonzalez both get debuts and 2 performances each (all 3 are so deserving, and Klein had better be promoted this year).

Pogossian debuted the role at the Met last summer, so I wonder why he's not cast (injury, illness?). Neither is Shayer, who has done Mercutio several times - still on the roster, but hasn't performed since I believe last summer. I haven't seen any announcement but he had alluded on his IG to being a guest artist now (but, again, still not dancing).

Wow. In the article he says he needed a change and there was the danger of knowing the dancers too well, they’d know what to expect of him. But, he’s been choreographing at NYCB during his entire time with ABT and for longer, in fact, so he would know the City ballet dancers even better than ABT’s. Hmmm.

This news isn’t too surprising, given the changes in artistic leadership and the continual economic free fall. Whatever the exact reason though, it’s indeed unfortunate, but for me it’s less about losing his choreographic contributions and instead his identifying and fostering young talent by giving them ample opportunities to develop and shine. We don’t know how Jaffe will lead so she may do a much better job than McKenzie in that area. 

9 hours ago, balletlover08 said:

Well, casting for Giselle on the Duke tour has been announced and you got your wish, Misseldine is debuting as Myrtha in the Boylston/Ahn cast Saturday matinee. Here's the link https://dukeperformances.duke.edu/events/abt-american-ballet-theatre-giselle-2/. No other Myrtha debuts I think (Hurlin was injured last time when she was supposed to do Myrtha so maybe technically her). There is a TBD for Brandt/Cornejo's cast but that might be filled by Trenary? 

Fantastic! I doubt Trenary would debut Myrtha, imo I don’t see her in that role and she does Giselle now. Thank you for sharing.

The saga continues. This time Olga Smirnova makes a guest appearance. I’m in tears this is so funny!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CltcczeIuod/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Connor Holloway has more tidbits on an IG story of his. Priceless. Not sure how long that’ll stay up:

https://instagram.com/conholl?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

ABT and Dutch National Ballet have an IG battle going on, and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever seen. Major props for the creative and hilarious videos. The second one has a cameo by Tiler Peck. I hope they keep this going…

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ck0VSrKoMaL/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClM2SvGq_nM/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

10 minutes ago, abatt said:

 

Why does McKenzie  refuse to put Bell with Hurlin in a classical ballet?  Ratmansky had the good sense to pair them together.  

Susan Jaffe probably decided the Met casting. But, agree that Hurlin/Bell should be cast together.

I'm so perplexed: 12 performances of Like Water?? No Ratmansky? No retirement announcements? I'm disappointed Seo/Camargo aren't paired together in R&J again, though I know that only happened because Stearns had to bow out last summer.

Trenary is debuting in Like Water, so assuming Brandt will be too (I really thought she'd get a Juliet this year).

One hope: with the Giselle debuts of Teuscher and Hurlin, that means both of them will most likely only do one Myrtha, leaving room for Myrtha debuts. Fingers crossed for Misseldine.

Well, no surprises really, but all full lengths? No rep at all? Such unoriginal programming but with the (yet again) shortened season and previously discussed licensing issues, I guess this is the best they could do.

I can’t for anything imagine Teuscher as Giselle.

8 hours ago, MoMo said:

Seeing this performance I am reminded that Stella Abrera never had the opportunity for a farewell performance. Her Lady Capulet is exquisite, and should be remembered. How about a final Lady Capulet for her next Spring? 

I would love that. I had hoped that would have happened this past summer. 

28 minutes ago, NinaFan said:

I am absolutely kicking myself.  I completely forgot about the time, and missed all but the end of the ballet.  Next time I'll have to tape a reminder to my head!   Yes, Cornejo is not dancing like a forty something.  He was really amazing as Puck last week.  

At first it looked like I could replay the ballet as I was able to start from beginning, but it has now frozen me out.     Maybe they just need time to post it?  I'll keep trying......

Glad you both enjoyed it.

I would keep checking. They might post it on their YouTube channel, maybe give it 24 hours or something. Yeah, it's hard to believe he's in his 40's.

I'm so glad I saw this mentioned on Cornejo's IG! He is a complete and rare artist. Fantastic performance by Cornejo, and such a treat to catch this especially since he had to bow out of his R&J at the Met this year. California, yes, I wonder too if he'll hang on a bit longer. Whenever he does choose to retire, come h*ll or high-water I'll be there.

The last time I saw Boylston as Juliet was several years ago, and unfortunately I don't see any progress. Her dancing is gorgeous, she's a magnificent technician, but her dramatic abilities have rarely impressed me (although she was perfect as Jane Eyre). 

The rest of the cast was fairly mediocre. I kept thinking of Klein and Cirio as Mercutio, Royal and Ribagorda as Benvolio, and Zhurbin, Forster, Ahn as Tibalt.

Regardless, seeing Cornejo was more than worth it.