ABT Fan

That is a great photo and a wonderful message from Fairchild.

They used to insert these types of one-off's back in the day, and also not so long ago. But, for this fall season I can't imagine them doing so, especially given the rest of the rep that's programmed. That's why I find the TBA so odd.

I just noticed that Le Jeune, by Lovette for the Studio Company, is being performed twice - once at the gala, which I could understand, and at the matinee on Oct 27. I don't think they've ever had their second company perform a piece on their own during any of the main company's seasons besides the gala. And, those matinee tickets aren't any cheaper despite a third of the program being danced by pre-professionals. I also find it odd that the third ballet on the program is a pas de deux TBA. The only pas of the season is Other Dances. Why would it not be that? Would they really insert a one-off like Don Q grand pas or the White Swan from ACT II? 

Yes, I was wondering about Bolle too. And, Abrera/Murphy (as much as I don't want either to retire...).

It's a bit early for this thread, but ABT has posted some 2019 tour dates on their website and they're doing Harlequinade in CA and DC and Whipped Cream in Iowa and Chicago. So, it's safe to assume that they'll be doing both at the Met next year (to be expected for Harlequinade, but a bit surprising for WC since it didn't seem to sell well this year).

Hopefully, Giselle will return and I'd expect Bayadere as well. They need to throw in a new ballet and/or a revival or two. Will Ratmansky do yet another new ballet? How about Ashton's Cinderella? And, some Tudor, please? I keep hoping for Leaves are Fading, On the Dnieper and Paquita (especially) to make a comeback. 

https://www.abt.org/performances/abt-on-tour/

I'm going to wait till casting is announced before I buy any tickets, though I suspect that won't happen till September when I believe they'll start rehearsals. 

I saw this on Instagram earlier. How tragic.

I loved Murphy’s beautiful cat and was so sad when she passed away. Her tributes to her were so sweet and heartbreaking.

I'd recommend the Makarova/Dowell Swan Lake with the Royal Ballet. Makarova is the opitome of O/O (especially her Odile). I nearly wore out my VHS tape of this production when I was a young ballet student. 

2 hours ago, fondoffouettes said:

I look forward to reports and am curious who will be dancing some of the soloist roles. Sarah Lane has indicated on Instagram that she's traveling to LA, so I wonder if she and Shevchenko will be dancing Lead Shades again. (I'm sure having a dancer on hand who can dance Nikiya, if need be, is also helpful.)

One of Lane's Instagram stories showed her rehearsing one of the Shades solos. 

Yep, prices are high, but I expected that. I’m also not seeing ABT or NYCB for the same reasons as cobweb. Looking forward to this and to being in the gorgeous City Center theatre again!

I agree, but only two intermissions?! 

15 hours ago, canbelto said:

I saw this last year and really didn't like it. I wnet back this afternoon and while I appreciated certain things more (for instance the pas de deux between Boy and Princess Praline) and the ending as well as the whipped creams rolling down the ramp (a great parody of the Kingdom of the Shades) the things that bothered me the first time still bother me: 

1) The Coffee and Tea duet. Goes on for way too long, and made me fall asleep. A duet between two caffeinated drinks put me to sleep ...

2) The music. It just isn't a very danceable score. It's a lot of waltz but so even keeled. If R. Strauss ever wrote muzak this would be it. Hard to believe this same composer wrote Salome or Elektra.

3) The total lack of a storyline. Even less so than Nutcracker.

The dancing was great though. Stella Abrera in particular was delightful as Tea. Simkin - hope he comes back often from Berlin. And his partnership with Lane was wonderful. You could tell how much fun they were having together onstage.

I very much agree with your first two points. I saw this last year and though there were parts that I absolutely loved (the sets, most of the costumes, the crazy/funny characters, exquisite dancing) I decided to pass this year. Despite Abrera's and Gomes' wonderful dancing, their duet was a very long snooze fest that I thought would never end and the music just doesn't work for ballet. The lack of a story line didn't bother me as much, maybe because I knew it would be "fluff" and there was so much going on visually to keep me "occupied". 

According to Lane's Instagram below, The Boy was supposed to wear a wig originally. Thank goodness that was scraped because he looks like he belongs in a Sia music video (costume aside)! 

Oh no. I sure hope Shayer is ok. 

Oh boy, this brings back memories. Nanushka, sounds like we both grew up close to each other - me, closer to Akron. I knew Cleveland Ballet well (Ohio Ballet even better). I remember Karen Gabay and her husband, Raymond Rodriguez. They were stars. I never saw their Nutcracker (I'll have to watch your video later), but I did see their Swan Lake with Cynthia Gregory. Me and a bunch of my fellow ballet students took a road trip to see it and that was our first experience seeing a full-length and a true prima ballerina live. I was blown away. I know I saw them in other productions (mixed rep, perhaps, but I think Romeo and Juliet too w/ Gabay). There's another Cleveland dancer I'm trying to remember. After she retired, she came to NYC and taught ballet at Steps for several years. She had a "Gillian Murphy" quality about her but her name escapes me.

36 minutes ago, nanushka said:

Macaulay's annual season recap has arrived.

I'm struck first by the impression that he has soured a bit on Hallberg:

He "didn't grace those ballets...with his presence" — ouch.

Finally, I knew that Makarova had rehearsed the dancers for Bayadère this year, but Macaulay also writes this:

Does anyone know what specific "improvements" he's referencing?

He "didn't grace those ballets...with his presence". Well, he certainly said what many of us were already saying (or thinking), along with calling him a "guest star". 

I wonder what "improvements" he's referencing in Bayadere as well? 

1 minute ago, nanushka said:

I completely agree. What do people imagine could be his breakout role? Siegfried or Albrecht, perhaps?

I used to think Siegfried, but after watching his Tybalt and Espada, I really think he could make an excellent Albrecht. Not that I don't think he could do a great Siegfried, I just think acting-wise Albrecht could be his game-changer. BUT, he'd need to up-the-ante on his stamina to pull off those solos. If he had the proper amount of time to rehearse and got the right coaching, I think he could be really something.

This is so great! Congrats to him! He's really flourished following his retirement from the stage. Can we expect him to join the main company's administration in few/several years? (Beyond being a company teacher...)

1 hour ago, fondoffouettes said:

"Because he gets the job done" has been good enough for ABT for years, sadly. He's dependable, yet boring. I've also seen him close-up in person and he's as handsome as can be, but his face doesn't do him any favors onstage. If there's one thing that I think should define ABT, it's the Theatre in their name; they have a long tradition of great dramatic dancers, and a few can be found in the current crop of dancers. It sounds like the dancers often look outside the company to get the dramatic training they need, though. 

I've seen some very good performances from Whiteside. I wouldn't seek him out, but I wouldn't avoid him either, if he's paired with a ballerina I like. He's probably best in comedic roles, like Espada and Colas (I didn't see his Harlequin). Given that he also does drag, I imagine hamming it up in comedic roles may come more naturally to him than portraying a love-lorn prince. But I at least appreciate that he's always much more of a presence onstage than Stearns. 

I hope that any roles ABT was thinking of giving to Hammoudi next year will go to Forster instead. His presence onstage as Espada blew me away, and it's not exactly a role I'm usually that invested in. By the time the tavern scene comes around, I'm often more than ready for intermission. But Forster actually made me enjoy that scene. 

Stearns was utterly fantastic as His Friend in The Moor's Pavane years ago. He was paired opposite Zhurbin as The Moor. Their sparing was electric and I was shocked at how good he was. That was the only time I saw him come alive and actually inhabit a character, with real visible emotion. So, he's obviously got it in him. Why can't/doesn't he harness that for everything else that he does? He shouldn't need someone like Zhurbin to play off of.

Whiteside is very good in non-story ballets, and at times, even excellent; he can dance, and has very good technique. But, after seeing him with Part in SL a few years ago, and being so utterly bored and disappointed with his interpretation, I vowed never again. I've missed out seeing some women I'd like to see as a result, but I can't come to terms with paying good money for a good seat to see someone I really don't want to see. 

That said, I do appreciate the fact that they've both been reliable and dependable and are the MVP's for this season. With the male principal situation being that it is that many of us have written about ad nauseum, imagine if even one of them hadn't been around? I don't think that would necessarily have translated into ABT giving Forster or Hoven a chance at a leading role (or maybe it would have if Stearns/Whiteside had gotten injured at the last minute, but then how much rehearsal time would they have had, and they'd still be judged on a less-than-great performance?). Sure, many of us may have preferred that, or even a guest artist, but nevertheless, they've been full-time principals, unlike a few others, and have stepped up to the plate. Lastly, I'm trying to give the AD a slight benefit of the doubt here: Lendorf's continued absence/injury probably took him off guard. He just had knee surgery but maybe he tried other non-invasive procedures first before it became evident that he had to have surgery. McKenzie also expected Hallberg to dance more initially, until one by one his name was taken off of the casting for Bayadere, Whipped Cream, and I forget what else. By that point, it may have been too late to line up any guest artists to fill in for Hallberg and Lendorf (or to prepare Forster/Hoven to take over). And, as much as I wanted to see Cirio given more, and he should have been, he is limited in who he can partner due to his height. So, he could not have done SL with Seo or Murphy, for example, relieving Whiteside.

And, I couldn't agree more that I hope they give Forster a leading role in one of the full-lengths next year. I'm still thinking about how good his Espada was. It's time to see if he's capable and we won't know until he's truly tested. He's 32, so it's now or never and I think he deserves a chance. My one complaint about Forster (which I forgot to include in my previous review) is that he raises his shoulders a lot. That's usually due to stamina, so I hope he can work on that.

1 minute ago, aurora said:

She did one of the three shades earlier this season. So she's actually had a couple of opportunities this season (and done well both times I saw her)!

I missed that. That's great to hear!

Overall, yesterday's matinee cast was better than the evening, from the principals down to the corps and purely character roles. However, Murphy was astonishing last night! The technical decline and muscling-through that I saw in her Gamzatti was not evident last night (maybe she was having an off night then?). She did not do the Plisetskaya jumps but it didn't matter. Instead, she did one amazing grand jete followed by a quick series of steps, all done with great speed and flair. From there I'll jump to her incredible and mind-blowing fouettes! She entered the stage with an attitude of "I'm going to show you all how it's done!" and did she ever! She started with doubles alternating with holding the fan above her head and then casually fanning herself. Then she kept her arms in first position doing doubles and singles until she finished with four, or was it five pirouettes? Oh, and she had the tempo sped up for the entirety of them to a lightening speed. The audience went crazy. Other than that, some of her balances were short and wobbly but the beauty of her experience and confidence lets her adjust quickly with no hint of disappointment or loss in grandeur. Technically she was in top form and untouchable. Her characterization, though, is her weak point. She cannot pull off the necessary girlish charm or innocence and her attempts at being funny or coy fell flat. The interactions with her father were not believable. 

Stearns was bland, as expected. His face held the same expression for 99% of the ballet. He danced well, without excitement or panache, but he did partner Murphy with ease. 

Shevchenko replaced Teuscher as Mercedes and QofD. She and Royal, as Espada, came charging out like they were on fire! She was technically terrific. Her very first Italian fouette was wobbly and almost got away from her but she regrouped quickly and finished the rest with ease. She was regal, gorgeous, in command, but a few times as Mercedes her face went strangely blank like she was trying to remember the choreography. But, overall she was fantastic. What a Kitri she must be. Royal held the stage with great presence and energy and fine dancing. He needs to channel that same approach for his Purple Von Rothbart. As great as those two were, Abrera and Forster were better in the matinee. Abrera's beauty, glamour and style hold the standard here, and Forster's great comic acting and flair was superior to Royal's.

K Williams and Giangeruso were the flower girls and they were beautiful. I think this was the best I've seen of Giangeruso, though her upper body weakness is still an issue. Brandt and McBride were more technically secure, and impressive, at the matinee.

Katsnelson, who hasn't had any demi or soloist roles that I'm aware of, was a wonderful and technically pristine Amour. She has gorgeous feet and legs and high split grand jetes. Very cute in this role too. Glad to see she was plucked from the "back row" for this opportunity. Shayer replaced Klein as the lead gypsy and he was again a bravado high-flying character. Agoudine replaced Hammoudi as Gamache but he was not nearly as funny as Ribagorda in the matinee. Forster as Lorenzo was a bit flat, but it's hard to compete with Zhurbin's portrayal. Lyle and Ribagorda were terrific Torreadors. Bell and Shayer showed off some impressive jumps, but they had no Spanish flair.

A great double-hitter day. 

A few more thoughts between dinner and the 8pm show.

As wonderful as Lane was, she does show her nervousness (and she’s spoken about this a lot). It was quite evident in the last act. Her fouettés were terrific, but a few of her balances were very short and a bit precarious. She has control and long balances in her, we see this often, unless her nerves get the best of her. I think she needs to conquer this in order to fulfill her true potential.

Our 3 new soloists were dancing as Dream Maidens, and Hurlin had an unusually sullen expression though her dancing was excellent. I wanted to shout “honey, you just got promoted, smile!” Fang was ok, but as before I saw nothing special there. She doesn’t shine, as others have noted. Her promotion befuddles me. McBride is a better candidate for soloist, even though she’s only been with the company three years.

Abrera was a gorgeous Merdedes. In certain places her decreasing flexibility was evident, but her charm, wit, and personality make up for it. If only she’d been cast as Kitri five or so years ago. What a lost opportunity. 

Shayer was a high-flying Lead Gypsy. I felt sad watching him as I think he was robbed of a much-deserved promotion. Salstein retired. They could have made room for him.

Agree with alexL that Lane/Cornejo were magnificent! I was nervous for her before the fouettés, but she knocked those out without any problem! Also agree that the dream sequence was her strongest act. Lane’s acting was spot on throughout and so natural and funny. Her husband, Ribagorda, was Gamache and he’s such an excellent actor. He got lots of laughs as did Zhurbin as Lorenzo. Zhurbin is such an extraordinary dancer-actor in everything he does. Flower girls were Brandt (who did some incredible turns) and McBride (who more than held her own next to Brandt). Frenette was the only Toreador who had style and Spanish flair. A really terrific afternoon! Now, onto Murphy tonight. A double-hitter day. 

Second intermission: Lane a dream in the Dream sequence. Held some balances really long; expansive dancing. Hops on pointe were easy, fluid, traveled the entire diagnoal. I was wrong - she's a more natural Kitri than I imagined she’d be (she’s very funny too). Trenary was grand, regal as Queen of the Dryads, though her upper body not as lush as I would have liked. Cornejo, so charming and though he doesn’t have the pyrotechnics like Simkin, his dancing is still amazing. He and Lane have the best partnership at ABT right now; so much chemistry and passion. Cupid was a well-danced, adorable, spritely Richardson. 

First intermission: Lane, gorgeous! High exquisite grand jetes, lovely, natural acting. She and Cornejo are so great together!! Her Plisetskaya jumps were not as “split” as some others, but still very good. Forster replaced Hammoudi as Espada, and wow is he “on”! Abrera a fiery Mercedes. She would have made a terrific Kitri years ago.