ABT Fan

Question about Met seating: In an attempt to change up where I usually sit and to save some money, I'm thinking about grabbing a Grand Tier box seat for a performance or two. Not the partial view ones, but one of the seats in the first row (i.e. Box 34-2 or Box 34-3) which according to the seating chart should be full view. Has anyone ever sat here for a ballet? What is the view like? Is it actually full view? Will I still be able to see facial expressions without opera glasses or is this too high and on the side? I would choose this seat for something like Tharp Trio or the Ratmansky Trio, not one my must-see's (i.e. Lane's Manon). Any advice would be appreciated!

I would love to see The Dream return. I can't help but wonder, with this new full-length by Ratmansky for next year, will they also re-program Whipped Cream AND Harlequinade AND Sleeping Beauty AND an evening of his repertory? Or, are they going to put away W.C. and/or Harlequinade for awhile? They just brought back SB so it's likely it'll repeat again next year. I love many of his ballets, but it's on the verge of becoming overkill. He dominates 4 out of 10 programs this year (that may be because they're celebrating his 10 yr anniv). We need an evening of Tudor. Bring back Paquita (they have the female talent) and there so many other ballets that need to come back. Mix it up people and honor your history!

I would also love to see Forster in this. I think he'd be amazing, but I wouldn't buy a ticket only to see him if the leads didn't entice me. And, right now there's only one O/O that I want to see (but, not her partner).

Nice to see Shayer back on the casting sheet, but, he's not been re-cast as The Boy in Whipped Cream. The two TBA's have now been filled by Klein (who just danced this on tour). I'm happy for Klein, though, as he's another corps dancer who deserves bigger opportunities. But, I'm curious why Shayer wasn't cast since he's obviously recovered from his injury. He stated on Instagram that he had torn his ACL dancing this part at the Met last season. Perhaps the part is deemed too taxing right after recovery. Hope he'll get a few Bluebirds. Now if only they'd release the Tharp casting. And, there is still one Ali up for grabs. I'm always impatient for Purple Von Rothbart and secondary "principal" roles like Bluebird/Princess Florine to be released, but they always wait until the 11th hour for those.

Wow, this is amazing news. Congratulations to her!

I wasn't either. Nor, did I know that he regularly taught ABT company class. He was a legend, though.

It's been discussed at length here:

I am happy they're bringing back Taylor's solo in Episodes. I think this is a tribute (even unintentionally) to Peter Frame, as well. I wonder who will be cast - Stanley, Danchig-Waring, Farley, Chamblee?

I just tried to view the casting, and I got this once I clicked on the link: We are experiencing high traffic. You are currently in a temporary waiting room to enter the Kennedy Center website. This waiting room is in place to manage the high traffic we are currently experiencing. From this waiting room page, you will be redirected to the Kennedy Center website, once traffic allows. When you are on the Kennedy Center website, you will be able to view and purchase tickets for all events taking place at the Kennedy Center. Thank you for your patience and your interest in the Kennedy Center. Your number in line: 3785 Number of users in line ahead of you: 735 My number in line is 3785?! I've never seen this before....I mean, I know it's probably because of the Mariinsky casting, but still, hilarious!

Catherine Hurlin of ABT and Siphesihle November of NBC won this year's prize! Kristian Lever of Hamburg won the Choreographic prize.

I love their photo on the beach! Very appropriate.

Yes, it was. https://www.abt.org/casting-announced-for-fifth-and-sixth-weeks-of-abts-2015-spring-season-at-metropolitan-opera-house/

Yes, same here!

Thanks for the update, mussel. So, obviously this means that ABT will run Giselle at the Met next year! And, how I wish they'd bring back Paquita. They have the female talent to do it, in spades.

Well, Copeland is still scheduled to dance this at the Met, like she did last year.

I received the latest Met brochure today (that has a newer, nicer format with some really gorgeous photos), and interestingly some of the TBA's are filled in along with other casting changes that aren't on the website. It's always the other way around. Since it seems like all of these changes are debuts, I think it will be less likely they'll change again, but who am I kidding, they probably will! According to the brochure: On the Dnieper is now Forster, Seo, Hurlin, Hammoudi and then Stearns, Teuscher, Shevchenko, Whiteside. Very disappointing because I wanted to see Shevchenko along with the first cast (she was originally cast as Natalia, Seo's role, but is now doing Olga). Le Corsaire's two Lankendem TBA's now go to Hoven, which will be a debut. Happy I should get to see that. The one Ali TBA on the 15th is still there. Manon's Lescaut TBA's go to Simkin (with the Lane cast). Whipped Cream's The Boy TBA's are still there. And, according to their Instagram's, corps dancers Alexandra Basmagy and Lauren Post are pregnant so they will miss the season along with Murphy.

Old habits die hard? Or, it could be so people don't think Robbie has returned (plenty of folks don't look at the website's roster....).

I think they're holding those TBA's (or at least one) at the Met for Shayer, who is still out injured. I think Klein was cast on tour because Shayer has still not recovered (Shayer was paired up w/ Trenary in prior W.C.'s). Per ABT's Instagram, Klein just recovered himself from a shoulder injury, so it's good to see him back. He's another corps dancer who seems to have a lot of potential and needs to be utilized more. Also, Luciana Paris is debuting Princess Praline in Iowa and Chicago, replacing Copeland (I have no idea why Copeland was replaced).

Well for one, NYCB's newly appointed AD, Jonathan Stafford, trained at her academy.

She recently posted on Instagram that she'll be returning to the stage on tour in DC, so since that precedes the Spring season I'd assume so.

They’ve brought in many Balanchine vets to coach this past season (under Stafford) so I don’t see why this would change. I’m curious why you think Balanchine ballets may take a back seat? Because Whelan is in charge of programming and her rep was mostly Robbins/new work? I’d certainly hope/expect she’d remember this is the house that Mr. B built.

Wow. I think this is a wise set up. Glad Whelan is part of this. I need to chew on the job descriptions a little more but it sounds very promising right now. Who will control hiring/promotions though, or will that be a joint decision? Makes more sense now that Stafford spoke out to the Times and what he said about Martins (really showing him who’s boss now). I wonder if we’ll see all (most) of Martin’s works go bye bye.

I was looking for casting today myself, but it’s still not released on their website. I have no idea why they wait so long.

It wasn't the best idea for Bouder to say such a thing about Hyltin, a fellow dancer/principal. Agree, it was smart of her not to comment. Stafford is caught in a terrible position, but I think he too should not have commented. The article in general wasn't necessary. I wish the Times would give it rest and stop rehashing the drama. Let it go until there's a new AD to announce and let it be at that.

I wonder if Gemma Bond will (finally) get the chance to choreograph a piece for the main company?