ABT Fan

Well, this made me gasp. We all knew it was coming, but I hate the thought of it. She hasn’t been cast much lately (not much this summer and fall and no Nutcracker) so I wondered if this could be her last year. Still, a shock. Abrera is pure class, grace, and sophistication. I’ll be at her last Giselle with bells and tears. Wonder who her Albrecht will be? Whiteside? Will Murphy be her Myrta?

I agree with this. And if she had a better partner, I think her overall performance would have been better (though I think she did really well anyway).

I thought Lane was gorgeous in T&V tonight, but I wish she had a better partner. As nanushka said, Gorak lacked gusto. Lane couldn’t luxuriate in some areas since Gorak seemed to pull her back or off of her leg. His tours weren’t really there. Trenary made an impact as one of the soloists. She’ll be grand in the lead one day. And, I thought the corps looked great. Someone wrote that Cornejo deserved a better piece than the new Tharp for his anniversary and I couldn’t agree more. What a mess. He looked great and at least his choreography was catered to his strengths. But, I never need to see this again. The characters’ names made no sense and the choreography was only so-so. At least half of the costumes need a do-over: Hoven’s dress (yikes) and Williams’ fluffy skirt were just in the way; Bell’s bike shorts and Cornejo’s cape at the end. However, Royal looked fabulous in his silver jacket and Shevchenko as well in her bell-bottomed unitard. The music was dreadful and didn’t work at all. It would have been so much better with a more powerful score. Imagine Upper Room to Brahms. Not saying this needed a pounding Philip Glass score, but this was all wrong. The Seasons was as wonderful as at the Met’s debut. I still wish there was a backdrop to tie everything together, including the costumes. Coker as the Rose is one to watch. She has a big future ahead of her. She doesn’t dance like a new corps member.

What am I missing here? (Honest question.) I don't read anything here that points to Lane having a bad night. The music was slowed down, not in her control, and Gorak flubbed a lift (typical of him). Her turns were too slow at the end, is that it? I don't understand why Gorak was cast in this. There's a reason he's had a lot of roles taken away from him and opportunities have dried up. He's brilliant in some things (the Golden Idol is one), but is a consistently unreliable partner who can't lift the smallest dancers. Lane should have been paired with Whiteside, who has danced this role before, and who is a very strong and capable partner. It's not like he has a heavy load this season. Or, they could have paired Ahn with Lane instead of with Boylston (Ahn and Lane have danced together before and are doing Nutcracker), and paired up Boylston/Whiteside.

The Times review from last night: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/17/arts/dance/american-ballet-theater-review.html

In light of Alicia Alonso’s passing today, and the fact that she not only danced at ABT for many years but performed in the world premiere of T&V, I would HOPE that ABT announces pre-curtain that they’re dedicating tonight’s performance of T&V to her (Lane/Gorak are dancing). If anyone is there, please let us know if they do (and about the rest of the evening).

An article in the Times about Cornejo's career and upcoming anniversary performance: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/17/arts/dance/herman-cornejo-20th-anniversary-abt.html

Since this is for Cornejo’s anniversary, there aren’t a lot of seats left as it is (I just checked). I’d be thrilled if Lane was put in. She should have been cast all along. Duh. I’m really tired of seeing her being relegated to a second class principal aka understudy to Copeland. Yep. She was just in Fall for Dance at City Center in a piece by Kyle Abraham. I didn’t see it so I don’t know how demanding it was.

I agree. Lane posted on her Instagram a list of her upcoming performances and Gathering of Ghosts was not one of them.

Didn’t basically the same thing happen to Paloma? Julie Kent was the only woman of that generation who seemed able to retire on her terms (and way too late).

I agree, but I find it odd that that slot is still TBA and not filed in with Forster since he’s performing this the following month with Murphy. That’s why I think they’re holding it for someone. Maybe not.

I missed the “more” section. Maybe this will finally be Forster’s year.

Yeah, I don't think that's possible. This explains why ABT has cast Forster alongside Murphy in Giselle March 29 (since Hallberg is doing SL w/ the Royal March 11). They're still holding a TBA Feb 15 in DC w/ Murphy (for Hallberg? Unless he finds a more preferable performance/partner somewhere else?).

I would LOVE that.

Casting has not yet been announced on ABT's site, but the Michigan Opera website lists the "artists" but not for specific dates. No Copeland. And, of course no Lane. The order in which they're listed: Bell Shevchenko Stearns Teuscher Murphy Seo Boylston Whiteside Two more guys are needed, unless they're going to have one or two of the three do more than one performance. https://michiganopera.org/season-schedule/abt-swan-lake/

Domingo now leaves L.A Opera as its general director. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/02/arts/music/placido-domingo-la-opera-sexual-harassment.html?action=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage

That was quite interesting, thank you

More casting has been released - for the new Bond and Whiteside pieces. And, Tharp's new ballet is now titled "A Gathering of Ghosts". https://www.abt.org/performances/master-calendar/

Domingo has left the Met Opera. According to the article, “The Met and Mr. Domingo are in agreement that he needed to step down.” https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/24/arts/music/placido-domingo-met-opera-harassment.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Farts&action=click&contentCollection=arts&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront

Sarah Lane has been replaced as The Rose in The Seasons by Zimmi Coker (for both of Lane's previously scheduled performances). These are on the same programs that Lane is cast in T&V, so perhaps it was thought it would be too much in one performance. Good for Coker, who keeps getting bigger roles, and it'll be great to see her in this, but I'll be disappointed to not see Lane. https://www.abt.org/performances/master-calendar/

She is also rehearsing in a video or two with Hammoudi. And, she posted publicly that she was hoping to be cast next year, in a response to someone asking her when she’d perform the role. Both of these things make a scheduled gala/performance unlikely.

Same here. Especially regarding a role that would be a debut. I like her dancing very much, but I find her (in my view) very public campaign on Instagram for the role to be in poor taste. She's posted a lot of videos of herself before, and rehearsing roles that she wasn't cast in (perhaps she was an understudy), but not to such a degree as with her rehearsing Giselle. These videos didn't appear until the casting was released along with the TBA's and now she's publicly commented that she hopes to be cast. I don't think I've ever seen a dancer do this before, which in and of itself doesn't mean that what Brandt is doing is right or wrong. But, it certainly took me by surprise. I realize self-promotion is the name of the game on Instagram, but for a particular role? I just find it really tacky.

There’s a more thorough description of the New Ratmansky on ABT’s website. And, we have a separate thread on here about it for those who want to know more.

Casting has been announced. Ahn gets a Prince debut opposite Lane. Bell also gets his Prince debut opposite Boylston (he has only done the pas de deux previously). Cornejo and Whiteside are not cast (I imagine they have other commitments or plans). https://www.abt.org/events/the-nutcracker/

I see your point, and it's possible (please no), but Osipova could also make a guest appearance, per usual, to dance with Hallberg, leaving Murphy with need of a partner. Or, if Osipova doesn't guest, there are only 6 principal women (and no soloists) who currently dance Giselle, and there are usually 8 shows (frequently Seo gets two...). So, there is room for a Giselle debut and she'll need a partner. The current pairings could get switched up by then anyway, but at the moment I still see room for Forster. I'm cautiously optimistic (fingers and toes double-crossed!).