ABT Fan

NY Times reviews the gala: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/28/arts/dance/american-ballet-theater-gala-christopher-rudd.html

Added: Camargo replaces Stearns again in The Dream tomorrow. This has been a difficult year for Stearns - whether injury or illness, he's missed most of it.

Camargo replaced Stearns in The Dream tonight. Stearns is still listed for Sunday afternoon's performance.

If anyone attends tonight, please share your review.

On 10/21/2022 at 11:15 PM, cobweb said:

I think this was a brilliant selection of dancers. in In the Upper Room, the grounded, buff Martha Graham guys contrast beautifully with the airy ballet guys, making everyone look just great. And I greatly appreciate the introduction to Julian MacKay and Benjamin Freemantle, like @nysusan says above, I would go see these guys in anything. Tharp's oversight significantly tightened up and brought out details we don't usually see, like Cassandra Trenary's repeatedly pushing her hands out to her side, pushing the guys away from her. Finally, like @vipa says above, I urge anyone who can get there to see this show. It is truly special. There was a very limited selection of seats available for tonight, so I busted my budget for a front-row grand tier seat, and oh my. Totally worth it!!!

I am still delirious from today's show - gosh I don't know why they didn't do more than what 4 or 5 shows? They could have done twice as many and it still would have sold out.

Cobweb, I completely agree re a brilliant selection of dancers and how the Graham dancers (and Ailey) contrasted wonderfully with the ballet guys. I am thrilled I finally got to see Lloyd Knight - wow! MacKay and Freemantle - two more wow's!

Daniel Ulbricht is a very special dancer; I've seen him not only at NYCB a few times but at some galas and specific performances, like today. But, in both pieces this afternoon he looked truly at home, tearing up the stage clearly in his "zone". Whether he was paired with Trenary or later with Delgado (fantastic partnering with both), or dancing solo, he was riveting. I have never understood why he's so underutilized at NYCB where he seems to be pigeonholed to the jester type of roles. Today, he was set free and he tore it up. It was something I won't forget.

Trenary was simply gorgeous, divine, sumptuous, exquisite - not enough adjectives to describe her today. I've seen her as one of the stompers at ABT and this was a debut role for her and she was magical. She and Freemantle had an unbelievable chemistry in Sinatra Songs. I would love to see them dance together again.

Villaverde and Memoli (my first time seeing both) were also knock-outs, especially paired in Sinatra.

The entire cast was amazing. I wish I could see it again.

1 hour ago, Kamicos said:

 However, I was a bit confused that Coker did not get  promoted to soloist last go round but now, I have to say I am completely baffled. Think there was a real injustice there! 

Happy to hear that Coker was so amazing in this. I really wanted to see her debut, but I just couldn't do 2 Whipped Cream's. And, agree, it's baffling why she wasn't promoted.

23 hours ago, laurel said:

Among their attendants there were two knockouts:  Chloe Misseldine and Jarod Curley.  As the attendants move about the stage in performance, frequently changing partners, these two more often than not ended up together, and they looked like an unbeatable team, the tallest dancers in the room.  Jarod Curley is ABT’s answer to Daniel Day-Lewis.  With each costume and wig change, he vanishes into his character.  He is tall and blonde, and last night, whirling around the pastry shop, he was unrecognizable as the dancer who performed Mithridates in Of Love and Rage.  I had one of my little fantasy moments at this point, and kept imagining him as Purple Rothbart in Swan Lake, entering the ballroom with Chloe Misseldine as Odile. 

That is a perfect analogy of Curley. When I saw him as a nobleman in R&J over the summer, it was hard to believe this was the same guy who played Mithridates and von Rothbardt just a week or so earlier. Tonight, I could barely keep my eyes off of him and Misseldine - what a perfect pair they will make. Those two have big futures ahead and like you laurel I can also see them paired as Odile and PVR. But, Curley also has the makings of a prince (tall, handsome, beautiful and strong technique) and would be a fantastic Siegfried. I don't think they'll run out of roles for him, he's so versatile. 

I don't love Whipped Cream - like some others, I find some of the choreography frenetic and just too busy, and this music is not very danceable. I also positively can't stand cutesiness, and this ballet flirts with it too frequently. I wish Ratmansky would do away with the twirling wrist embellishments that Princess Tea Flower, Prince Coffee and their attendants frequently do. I think the whipped cream section needs to be re-worked, starting with costumes. They look like ghosts and the choreography doesn't convey the swirling, lush, frothiness of how I'd imagine whipped cream to be.

Brandt and Shevchenko danced well, but they don't hold a candle to Lane and Abrera in this ballet. Both Lane and Abrera had a natural charm and loveliness, with exquisite port de bras, that Brandt and Shevchenko do not possess. Brandt's technique was beautiful and solid, as always, but I'm finding her more and more mannered, almost too well rehearsed - every single hair has it's place, so to speak, leaving no room for spontaneity. Shevchenko was also technically strong, but I don't think this role suits her well; she cannot pull off the goofiness like Abrera could.

Royal was a fantastic Prince Coffee, his effervescent personality in full bloom. Klein was an exceptional Boy, outshined only by Simkin, but that's not a fair comparison. Someone above noted how some of his partnering fell a bit short, and I also saw a few spots that didn't work too well, but as a corps dancer who's had very few opportunities I can cut him some slack until he gets more experience. His solo dancing was big, expressive, crisp and his character was spot on. He should have been promoted in September.

Gorak as Prince Cocoa was a bit off - leaden jumps and he seemed to be just going through the motions.

I am very much looking to next week's mixed rep programs where we'll see more opportunities and some big debuts for the up and comers. The company is bursting with talent and it's so exciting. New principals Camargo, Hurlin and Trenary (though Trenary is not new new); soloist Misseldine, and corps dancers Curley, Coker, Klein, Magbitang and Robare are the ones I'm most eager to see what they do next. Many other dancers to love as well and others whom I'm sure will surprise and rise to the top in no time.

Blair Witch Project is on Prime so I’ll probably watch it. But, only before the sun goes down cause it scares the beejesus out of me. Every time I see a pile of small branches tied up neatly on the curb I think of this movie… *shudder*…
 

The Conjuring is a Halloween fav so that’s also on my list.

1 hour ago, fondoffouettes said:

Wow! He's delightful in this role. I haven't been following the casting very closely -- who does he replace? 

He replaces Roxander once but also Maloney once. And, some of the other casting has been reshuffled too. Granlund originally had one PP, now she has two, replacing Coker at one. Coker and Maloney are still on for Sunday, we’ll see if that stands.

I’m going this weekend and cannot wait! In The Upper Room is one of my fav ballets ever, and can’t wait to see the fabulous dancers - an eclectic group for sure.

On 10/13/2022 at 11:17 AM, California said:

Camargo is still listed for Oberon on Sat evening 10/29 on the ABT site. Did that change? https://www.abt.org/performances/master-calendar/?start=2022-10-20

I haven't seen that change. I'm now wondering if the footage showing corps dancer Robare rehearsing Oberon was as an understudy, and maybe Camargo had to be out for unknown reasons but the rehearsals understandably needed to go on. There was video of Robare even rehearsing in a company run through, so it certainly looked he was stepping in.

53 minutes ago, angelica said:

TBH, I'm not sorry to see Shayer go. There has been a great deal of support for him on BA, but when I saw him dance Mercutio in the Summer I found his dancing extremely sloppy. I thought that he was hired originally because he had a huge jump, but I didn't see that anymore. I'd like to see him find a company where he is valued, but IMHO, ABT isn't it.

I have to agree with you. I was a big supporter of his for a long time - I thought he had a lot of potential, big jumps, promising technique - but his dancing is consistently sloppy and I haven't seen any progress over the years.

I haven't seen any official announcement yet, but if he is going to be just a guest artist with the company going forward (which his IG alludes to), I think this would be the first time I've seen a soloist at ABT become one. He has not performed any lead roles in the classical full lengths and historically guest artists are brought in for those roles (as far as other lead roles in other full lengths he has done Harlequin and The Boy, which he is oddly not dancing in this season). Would the company bring in a guest artist for peasant pas? Or, von Rothbardt? And, I agree with abatt - calling himself a principal guest artist is misleading.

If you check out his IG (I don't follow him but check it out once in awhile) he seems to have a very strong interest in fashion and other artistic mediums. Perhaps he will go that way. But, we'll just have to wait and see what the deal is and what the company says.

4 hours ago, California said:

Not entirely clear from this Instagram that OLAR will be programmed next Met season, but I would assume something by Ratmansky would be included. They do have a big investment in OLAR, which makes it seem likely.

Frenette states that OLAR is returning next Met season.

I had noticed that Shayer was missing from all Fall casting and thought that was odd, especially since he was previously listed in Lifted, but no longer. I thought maybe he was injured. I just looked him up on IG and his title in his bio now says “principal guest artist” at ABT. A post from Oct 3 says “news coming soon”. He’s still listed on ABT’s site as a soloist. 
 

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

4 weeks?!?! 

They're also doing R&J on tour so that's likely to be programmed as well.

Btw, On Point is a PITA to read - you have to magnify it like crazy to be able to read it, then the mouse gets stuck when you try to move the page left to right.....ugh.

Casting hasn’t been officially updated yet, but these rehearsal clips on Trenary’s and Robare’s IGs pretty much confirm Robare will be dancing Oberon with her instead of Camargo.
 

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

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

47 minutes ago, theo said:

I just checked the website.  Elwince Magbitang is now cast as Puck for the performance that had been "TBA".  

 

Yes!! I was really hoping for that. I’m there.

For that same performance, Daniel is still listed as Oberon. But Cassandra has had several IG stories showing her rehearsing with new corp dancer Andrew Robare. There’s another story today. I’m wondering if that casting will be updated soon.

Casting for The Boy is finalized: Tyler Maloney gets two and brand new corp dancer Jake Roxander gets one. This is in addition to Klein already having two shows.

Still waiting for that one Puck TBA to be decided.

1 hour ago, California said:

Not sure where to post this...Baryshnikov was having fun yesterday in Vogue's fashion walk in lower Manhattan. Everybody wants to see him move - so he moved! He's 74 years old -- he can goof around if he wants to!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cibg6Y0LOUb/

Haha, too funny. He’s more than earned his right to goof around…and he can still move!

2 hours ago, Becki Lee said:

How late do you think they will go on the last “The Boy” castings?

Good question. I've been checking a lot myself. I think a lot of it has to do with Tyler Maloney having been injured, he had surgery on his arm a few months ago (see his IG, link below; his last post talks rehab, surgery, etc). He has done The Boy and they probably need to see if he can recover in time. There are 3 TBA's so I see room for a debut (if Magbitang got one I'd be there in a heartbeat.)

https://www.instagram.com/tylerrrmaloney/?hl=en

Thank you Drew for leaving this post here as I missed the discussion on the other thread. Happy for Xander.

11 hours ago, California said:

And at the beginning of the Met season, his DonQ with Hurlin was cancelled and Ahn substituted. At the time, no explanation, but he was seen in rehearsal clips for Love and Rage, so the GUESS was to be safe and avoid injury for the premiere of Love/Rage. It's possible he's just been cast so much he needs a little rest or perhaps he has a slight injury that he doesn't want to take risks with. Pure speculation for all of this, but it does seem puzzling.

I completely forgot about that DQ cancellation. Well, I hope we’ll get to see him in Sinfonietta and/or learn that he has a guesting gig somewhere and is not out with an injury.

13 minutes ago, cobweb said:

I'm very undecided about what, if anything to see. Can anyone weigh in on the programming and what you would want to see? 

I will pass on Program 2 which has the new piece for Toogood and Cornejo, that premiered at Vail and was on their live stream. I didn't care for it at all, and in fact I skipped over the last 1/3 of it or so. (I positively hated the costumes which I thought resembled those of The Boy in Whipped Cream, and I thought the choreography was boring.)

If I see anything, it would probably be 3 (a Jamar Roberts piece and Robbins In the Night) or 5 (with the Graham co, whom I rarely get to see).

2 hours ago, vagansmom said:

Am I remembering correctly that he had an injury at the end of the season?

Not that we saw and nothing official was announced. He and Shevchenko had their T&V's removed, without explanation, but the following week he did his two Romeo's without incident.

Maybe he has some guesting gigs that conflict with part of the fall season (like Trenary). It's possible we could see him in Sinfonietta. But, it is odd that he's not cast in Seasons and I really thought we'd see him debut as Oberon.

Added: is anyone else curious about, or reading into, the programming of The Dream, which they haven't done for years? Which contains two of the best roles for Murphy and Cornejo, the most senior dancers on the roster.....?

1 hour ago, cobweb said:

Only three performances of The Dream. Trenary and Camargo should be great as Titania and Oberon. I wonder who will do that Puck. In any case, I'm there!!

Nice to see Trenary finally get some decent casting. She will be gorgeous as Titania.

I’m thrilled Coker gets a Princess Praline debut. Curious that several of The Boy and one Puck are TBA. I assumed Shayer would get those, as he’s done Boy before. Could we possibly get a debut by Magbitang, who I assume will be moved up to the corps for the season, for one of those??

Also agree that’s it’s strange Bell isn’t listed anywhere, not even for The Seasons.

44 minutes ago, DPell said:

I was thinking we’d get a PP debut from Misseldine. I’ll have to double check the dancer’s pages on the ABT website, but I think Brandt, Paris, and Trenary are the only dancers in the company at the moment that have danced the role. 

Yep, those are the only three current dancers who do that role. I agree with canbelto that Misseldine is too tall for it, and The Boy, her partner, is obviously short as well. I suspect we’ll have probably two debuts as PP.

13 hours ago, Becki Lee said:

Just to be clear, surprised about the timing for Cassie in the Tharp show. Not the casting! ☺️☺️

Ah, I see! Yes it completely overlaps with Whipped Cream. I thought maybe she could do both and toggle back and forth, but looking at the list of dancers for Twyla there isn’t enough for two casts so she must be doing every show. She’s so great as Princess Praline and I was looking forward to seeing her in that again, but I guess not. So there will have to be a PP debut for someone, maybe McBride or Coker.