ABT Fan

12 hours ago, vipa said:

The question for me is, is it wiser for an AD to give a 40 year old ballerina coming back from maternity leave another shot at Giselle, or should he give another shot to Lane (a natural Giselle in her prime in the role) or first shots to Brandt or Trenary. There are winners and losers, but I come down on the side of not giving Murphy the role, and going with one of the other possibilities. Murphy has had a long career and has danced both Myrtha and Giselle.

I agree. Murphy has been a principal for 17 years (!), although the role of Giselle came late to her. It’s time to retire a role or two.

For the DC run, I’d rather see Lane/Simkin get a second performance (Murphy’s show), and give the Sunday TBA to Brandt or Trenary.

28 minutes ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

I'm not a parent, but I have to admit that I'm fretting about all these lovely young people leaping about on a hard, paved surface in the functional equivalent of bare feet. I think I got shin splints just looking at this post.

So I wasn’t the only one grimacing, then!

At least most of them were wearing sneakers. But, still.

Gia Kourlas weighs in. 

It’s not just Spencer who bullied and disrespected a child and an art form, her  on-air colleagues also laughed away (including George Stephanopoulos) as well as the audience. She needs to issue a proper apology as well as GMA and should spend some time educating herself in the arts and in how to behave like a mature adult.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/23/arts/dance/lara-spencer-ballet.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

Assuming Brandt is cast as Giselle (which, judging by the amount of rehearsal footage she’s posted to her Instagram, looks like a strong possibility), who do we suppose (or wish) may be her Albrecht? It would have to be another soloist as the principal men (excluding Hallberg) have already been cast. Hoven? Forster (I think he’d be too tall for her)? A corps dancer? Is Mack coming back as a guest artist or has he been left on the roster in error? Hmmmmm....

Also, for the past few years, a Giselle debut has been followed by a principal promotion at the end of the season (Boylston, Abrera, Lane). Not a guarantee of course, but something to think about.

2 minutes ago, lacdescygnes said:

I'm very curious who will get the TBA opposite Murphy for her return - Stearns and Whiteside are both already dancing, so I guess a guest artist. Unless they're keeping the slot warm for Hallberg?

I really hope no guest artists, which would be unusual on a tour anyway.

Never considered Hallberg, but when was the last time he joined the company on a tour?

I am still praying to the ballet gods that Forster is given a debut. I don't see him with Murphy, though. He'd be better with Boylston. It's early though, so casting can certainly shuffle.

Casting is up!

Hurlin debuts as Myrtha opposite Lane/Simkin. Hurlin should be incredible.

Bell debuts as Albrecht opposite Boylston.

Murphy is scheduled as Giselle with her Albrecht as TBA.

The last performance on Sunday is TBA for all 3 principal roles. Brandt has recently posted on her Instagram rehearsal footage of her rehearsing Giselle w/ Irina/Max. Will she get a debut? However, she frequently posts rehearsal footage of her in principal roles that she isn't currently cast in, like during the Met season (maybe she was an understudy, or just working on it for herself). Honestly, I'd rather see Trenary in Giselle at this point.

https://www.abt.org/performances/master-calendar/

Thanks, Dale. Casting is still not listed on their website. I LOVE how they release this the day AFTER their special ticket sale is over.

Mostly pleased with this. Glad Lane and Gorak got T&V. Nicely surprised that Ahn gets Apollo and T&V, but shocked that Bell didn’t get one of those because I thought that was a no-brainer. 

6 hours ago, soubrette_fan said:

Tickets are on sale!  Wish I could look into a crystal ball and see which performances are most likely to feature Teuscher or Schevchenko.  I'm leaning towards opening night.  This will be my 1st trip to the Michigan Opera Theatre - anyone know how liberal of an exchange policy they have?

If I remember correctly, last year in Detroit for SL Copeland both opened and closed the run. Of course, this year could be different, but you may want to hold off if you can. 

Wow, congratulations to them both!

2 hours ago, CTballetfan said:

Lovely article about Sara Mearns by Gia Kourlas in today’s NYTimes. Sorry I don’t know how to insert the link. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/09/arts/dance/sara-mearns-jacobs-pillow.html

Programming change. Michelle Dorrance's piece, Dream within a Dream (deferred), has been dropped from the schedule and has been replaced by James Whiteside's piece, New American Romance, which just debuted at Vail. And, the Women's Movement program is now called The New Romantics (which is comprised of Whiteside's piece along with Garden Blue by Lang and Gemma Bond's premiere. I wonder what happened?

https://www.abt.org/events/2019-fall-repertory-new-romantics/

ABT has updated their roster online, and Lendorf is now gone despite being included in the Fall season announcement. I'd guess someone added him to that announcement in error. So, we have 3 principal men and 7 principal women for the Fall. 

All of the other expected (or announced) departures seem to have been removed, too. Strangely, Mack is still listed as a guest artist. Another error?

Ahn and Bell are now listed with the soloists, ahead of Sept 1.

I just noticed that on ABT's homepage, in the lower right corner under ABT Highlights "Fall Season Announced" it states that casting will be announced in late August.

However, in true ABT form, I'm sure that announcement will contain only a partial casting list (which will undoubtedly change anyway 😐). Granted, for the premiers they need ample rehearsal time before deciding on the casts, but I find the dribbling out of the cast lists to be annoying. I'd rather they wait till they have everything sorted out.

They're currently filming all over Harlem, and you can see several photos and videos of the action below:

https://gothamist.com/2019/07/30/west_side_story_spielberg_videos.php

29 minutes ago, nanushka said:

From the original season announcement:

 

That was my point! 😊 (Since others were wondering whether or not Cornejo would be cast as Apollo...).

Since Apollo is programmed the night of Cornejo’s 20th anniversary celebration, I’d expect him to be cast. He debuted this role at Vail a year or two ago.

And, yes Lane has done T&V before, many times. Her photo in the lead role is on both the ABT and the Koch sites for the fall season.

Wow, what fabulous news!

The 2019 Honors were awarded to:

Earth, Wind & Fire
Sally Field
LInda Ronstadt
Michael Tilson Thomas
And, Sesame Street

No dancers/choreographers

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/18/arts/kennedy-center-honors.html?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage

8 minutes ago, mille-feuille said:

I'd go out of my way to see that! Of the ABT dancers, Brandt is the first to come to mind for Tschai Pas. I'd also be interested to see what Hurlin could do with it, and Lane.

Yes to all of those ladies. Also Shevchenko.

20 minutes ago, abatt said:

Or Brandt /Simkin.

I’d be biting my nails before the flying fish dives. His partnering has improved but I’d be nervous watching that part. Unless they simplified it.

2 hours ago, fondoffouettes said:

That's very sad. I remember her detailing her leg surgery on Instagram. She seemed to be one of the most promising corps dancers. 

I thought she had potential to move up to a soloist. This is too bad indeed.

Cobweb, I’m in the same boat. My designated drawer for my programs is bursting, so my current ones are just sitting on a counter. I guess I need to clear out another drawer. I also can’t bring myself to tearing them apart. 

55 minutes ago, aurora said:

In my opinion, you are missing out by not seeing Shevchenko in the role! (Not that Sarah wouldn't be reason to come back too, but there are other good reasons to see it)

Shevchenko and Lane are the only O/O I would see (again). Although, next year I might see Teuscher again only to see Bell as Siegfried. 

1 hour ago, nanushka said:

@scoutforsythe

Thanks. Apparently, Bond is leaving, per Forsythe’s Instagram. She shows two images in her story and one says goodbye to Bond and Waski in a “swan hug”.

12 hours ago, AB'sMom said:

An ABT dancer’s Instagram story today said, “Congratulations on a great career at ABT, Gemma Bond,” and showed Gemma standing at the front of the room reading something and the whole company applauding. Is she officially retiring?

Whose Instagram was that?