ABT Fan

Nice article in The NY Times on Irina Kolpakova that mentions her coaching soloist Park with Stearns in Ratmansky's Nutcracker. So, we expect to see Park's name on the casting shortly; it would be her debut. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/14/arts/dance/irina-kolpakova-90-american-ballet-theater.html https://www.abt.org/performances/master-calendar/

Curley now replaces Bell as Sergiy in On the Dnipro on October 29. https://www.abt.org/events/on-the-dnipro/

No, we aren’t. I’m sure we all wish Bell well, whatever the reason for him withdrawing. It’s still a disappointment to not see him dance in the Fall season, and that is an indication of how much many of us admire his dancing.

Curley has now replaced Bell in Piano Concerto on the China tour. That doesn't bode well for his Albrecht with Teuscher, and I suspect we'll see the rest of his fall shows (the gala and Dnipro) be substituted as well. I hope he'll be ok.

Geez, I forgot about that. Yeah, poor timing.

Sarah Lane was great in this. But, her last performance of this at ABT was with Gorak, which was shy of a disaster. With Cornejo it was pretty magnificent.

Agree completely! Added: After Stearns/Whiteside, came Bell and then Camargo as season workhorses. Hopefully under Jaffe that over-reliance on one/two male principals will cease. It will take time as new blood is needed first, either from within or hired.

Well, this could explain a lot.

I’m very sorry to hear Bell is out, but I’m thrilled that Curley is the replacement. I hope Bell can make the China tour. Bell only has the gala and Dnipro left. Forster will probably replace him in the later.

Misseldine has some gorgeous footage on her IG stories of her and the company rehearsing Ballet Imperial. She’s partnered by Han and Frenette. https://instagram.com/chloemisseldine?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Thank you, Matilda. I’ve been watching for that. So, given Bell is cast for this tour in Piano Concerto and Giselle, with performances less than a month away, seems he is not injured or sick. And, he’s still cast in Piano Concerto, the gala and On the Dnipro starting next week. So, was he considered a poor fit for Etudes and The Dream after being initially cast? I would find that hard to believe. What gives ABT?

The fall season starts next week (!) and Bell is still listed for Piano Concerto, the gala and On the Dnipro. If he’s injured/sick are his replacements for these ballets still being sorted or was he pulled from Etudes and The Dream for other reasons? (I’m throwing this question out into the universe because I don’t think any of us have seen an official post on any of this. He’s silent on IG. It’s all just odd and frustrating.)

Wow. Huge news for Misseldine! To accommodate, either all O/O’s will only get one show at the Met (Seo or Teuscher usually get two) or they’ll do more than their normal 8 shows. Hopefully when Ferri is in town, she will do some coaching as well.

Sorry, brain fart. Balanchine vs Ashton.

Yes! I saw the clip on IG. I think he’s too untested for a major role at this point though, so to beat a dead horse: give it to Curley! I sure do. I suppose we should be grateful that ABT hasn’t recruited Veyette again, or Gordon, Huxley or any other NYCB guy to take Oberon (despite it being Balanchine vs MacMillan).

More casting changes have been posted. In Etudes, Camargo is now out. Ann now has 3 shows, and soloist Han now has the 20th slot with Hurlin.

Murphy and Trenary are now doing their Titania’s back to back; previously they alternated. So, it’s possible one of them had something come up and needed the change. Doesn’t help my frustration though. But, my other frustration, and some others’ too, is that for whatever reason Bell was withdrawn the only solution they came up was giving Camargo all four shows. I positively love Camargo! His Oberon last Fall was sublime. So was his Romeo. But, despite how much I adore him, or any dancer, other dancers (especially the ones who need and are ready for more) need to be cast as well. Having one dancer carry a ballet for all performances cannot be the answer when someone gets injured. And, heaven forbid Camargo gets sick or injured, what will they do then? You have Curley, who would be fab as Oberon. And, I’m sure others. Anyway, rant over. 😊

Yeah it makes no sense why they shuffled Titania. Trenary did Titania last Fall with Camargo (they were great together) so she’ll be fine. I’m just annoyed. I know Murphy still has lots of fans, and on this board, but despite her long career and stardom she is no longer up to snuff in my opinion, so I’m disappointed that she’ll be dancing the day I’m going instead of Trenary.

No, it’s not you. I’ve never understood it either and agree that it’s intrusive. If I was still dancing I wouldn’t be happy with hundreds of people watching me take class.

Yeah. They could be working their way through replacements for his casting. Roxander isn’t tall enough to partner Hurlin anyway, Bell’s partner in Piano Concerto. I’ll be refreshing the casting page often.

Ugh! I was so looking forward to seeing Bell in this! Carmago was beautiful in this last year, so no complaints seeing him again, I just wanted to see Bell’s debut. But now Camargo has all four?! Guess they don’t have an understudy, so what’s the plan if Camargo gets sick or injured. Curley would be a great Oberon. But why the Titania switch? I wanted to see Trenary again.

For anyone who isn't aware, ABT's YouTube channel has been putting out "Behind the Ballet with Elizabeth Kaye" videos on the upcoming ballets for the Fall season. They did this for the past Met season as well. I did not see Alonzo King's Single Eye last year when it premiered, but after seeing Kaye's Behind the Ballet on that piece I'm looking forward to seeing it with her comments in mind. She also talked at length on Ratmansky's childhood and gave some insight on his specific choreography that I wasn't aware of. https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanBalletTheatre

I wonder if it was deemed that Bell had too much? I hope he remains cast as Oberon. I cannot wait to see him in that.

Same! Hands off.

How was Janzen's retirement performance this afternoon?