Natalia

33 minutes ago, nanushka said:

 

She's been reported in the press as being 5'8. 

It's  not just the height but the width (large bone structure). It was a problem with partners at the Mariinsky too. That's why she excelled in light-partnering "decorative" roles like Lilac Fairy...the Marie Petipa type. Very few stabs at O-O and other pure-classical roles.

Isn't David Hallberg going to be splitting his time between ABT & Australian Ballet? He'll likely be transferring to a Vishneva-style "periodic Principal" deal. 

Lendorf may already have this sort of deal, since he splits time between the US & Denmark...although he seems to have been quite active this season. Definitely has pulled his weight.

Lots of positives:

Kim Kimin is "in"! Opening night with Tereshkina, no less.

Lovely Batoeva as Gamzatti for 2 shows. Definite up-and-comer who just debuted as Giselle today.

USA-favorite "Big Red" Kondaurova is Nikiya to Batoeva's Gamzatti. So we can still enjoy "Big Red" after "Big Brunette" was fired from ABT....grrrr. 

Happy that Yermakov is coming but..."guess who" is his Nikiya. Oi! (Maybe "Big Brunette" can stand by in the wings in case Yermakov's Nikiya doesn't appear? Sorry!!!)

On the other hand...

No Schklyarov; still in Munich? But he'll be on the London tour next month.

Yet again the two most precious First Soloists are left off tours to DC: Osmolkina & Novikova...never to be Principals? But they will be in London (assuming that London assignments haven't changed).

Despite having been cast as Nikiya at home recently, "Project Chebykina" isn't happening. Not winning a medal at last month's Moscow IBC may have hurt. She shared a non-laureate "diploma" with Joy Womack. (I recall that when Obraztsova won the gold medal in 2005, she said that Mariinsky management had told her that she was expected to win gold "or else"...)

Gillian shouldn't rest. Julie Kent most likely was allowed to stay on because her husband, Barbee, was a key staffer. My guess.

2 hours ago, sandik said:

 

He doesn't seem to have a program-length work of his own choreography in their repertory (he staged their Don Q, but that's a different kind of project). 

 

(the company is reworking the website, and their "repertory archive" seems mighty thin to me, so he may have made work in the past that they're not currently listing...)

I'm trying to remember...Was The Swimmer a full-length work for San Fco?

As someone with dual citizenship, and a conservative Orthodox Xtan, I can understand how the general Russian populace  - those living in rural areas especially...much like "middle America" here - would be upset with a ballet about Nureyev or anything that opens with "full frontal display"...especially in a state-funded opera house. THAT SAID, it's  just as bad for the Bolshoi to have allowed the creative process to continue this long to then have the plug pulled a couple of days before opening night. This sounds like Soviet-era shenanigans.

I feel bad for the creators and dancers, regardless of the work's topic. The uncensored ballet should see the light of day in a private theater in Moscow and/or at a friendly foreign theater, such as the above San Fco suggestion. The same creative team did an amazing job with Hero of Our Time, which also had a risqué edge but done in a tasteful & inoffensive manner.

If, in the end, neither Bolle nor Kochetkova are renewed, then they will have left without farewells. At least Part got her "farewell moment" with the bouquets & confetti, albeit low key.

2 minutes ago, nanushka said:

 

I don't recall ever having seen this remarked upon as a criticism of her. (It's something I've heard said about Sarah Lane at times, but this was not a problem in her Swan Lake.)

Ive seen less constant smiling from Sarah...but definitely CS since her (very successful) competition days.,, ooh la la! 

4 hours ago, aurora said:

 

I thought she was less smiley than Shevchenko on Weds.

Thats not saying much, as Schevchenko is ABT's "Queen of Perpetual Smile"...with the exception of her recent Myrtha in Giselle. (Thank goodness for that.)

This sounds like a great ballet for Possokhov's home troupe, San Francisco Ballet! Hopefully it may transfer there, eventually.

10 hours ago, nanushka said:

 

The website did say the above, though. That seems to state that both of Nijinska's actual dances would be performed.

 

[edited, sorry]

Absolutely. Stop B.S.ing us, People connected with ABT! 

Quote from the third paragraph on page 8 of the current (ABT 2017 Met season)  Playbill article by Mario R. Mercado titled A Tchaikovsky Spectacular:

"This season, Ratmansky's staging of the third act, Aurora's Wedding, includes divertissements by Bronislava Nijinska created for Diaghilev's Ballets Russes 1921 production of The Sleeping Princess. The Nijinska dances comprise the Porcelain Trio, for two women dancers and one man, and the Three Ivans."

This is above and beyond what was written in the various versions of the Spring 2017 Met Season Brochures that were mailed to my home...on which I based my decision to travel to NY to see this particular production - bus & hotel costs + performance tix...especially to see these two Nijinska nuggets. I also spent a full day at the Library of Congress examining the Nijinska Collection's materials on these dances, as well as examining a numbered copy of the precious folio with full-color plates of Bakst's designs...much more vivid costumes than the ABT production, overall!

p.s. As you can see, Aurora's Wedding - especially seeing the two (2) promised Nijinska pieces - was the main reason for this trip, not Veronika Part. 

5 hours ago, nanushka said:

 

I noticed this somewhat at Monday's performance –– see my review on p. 4 of the Tchaikovsky Spectacular thread. But certainly nothing like a "frozen toothy grin." That sounds rather ghastly.

Yes, it was very obvious even from way up in Row A of the Balcony. Maybe the stress of the afternoon was affecting her.

The dancing itself went beautifully; just one small misstep in the finish of the 2nd of two slow pirouettes en dedans in the "flute variation" in the Tema e Variazioni, which she corrected awkwardly but quickly. All else went well. The seven quick lifts with Blaine went well.

38 minutes ago, canbelto said:

 

Hmm at NYCB the Theme and Variations part is also very "smiley." Not the big broad toothy smile but definitely a pleasant, happy face. Certainly Maria K, Sterling Hyltin, and Sara Mearns all smiled. I think that section of the ballet is meant to be very playful and Mozartean. 

Yes, casual occasional smiles at NYCB but not the frozen toothy grin. Veronika was probably nervous given the circumstances of yesterday. The actual dancing was gorgeous, as I noted elsewhere.

Nobody else seems to have noticed how much Veronika smiled with full teeth during the performance, except for the opening prayer section, when she was appropriately stoic. Throughout the Tema e Variazioni and the end she was mostly all smiles. Reminded me of her bright smile in Apollo with the Mariinsky.

I attended both of yesterday's "Tchaikovsky Spectcular" performances. My main wish in planning this last ballet trip of the season was the chance to finally see Nijinska's dances for Sleeping Beauty. We were promised two of these 1921 interpolations: Chinese (Porcelain Princesses & Mandarin trio) and the celebrated Three Ivans. Uh...we got one - Chinese (an adorable piece in which the Mandarin flirts with the princesses by "puffing" them with his parasol). Imagine my disappointment when, instead of the Nijinska Ivans, we got Ninette de Valois' 1940s version for the Royal Ballet, which all can already see on video.

Sorry but....What the crap? Did the money run out for Ratmansky's reconstruction-time fee? Was a trip to the Library of Congress in DC to review Nijinska's copious notes and sketches -- which I saw last month and even posted on my FB, in anticipation of this trip -- not budgeted? And why clothe the Ivans in the costumes from Ratmansky's Nut? I was anxiously awaiting the opportunity to see Bakst's outfits with the satin gold-sleeved tunics and big blue pantaloons w/ red boots in motion!

Has ABT explained this major change to what it had publicized for Aurora's Wedding?

She's saying goodbye to the art form? So not even teaching? 

5 hours ago, sandik said:

 

And there wasn't the tradition of significant farewell performances at that time. 

 

If you haven't read it, look for Franklin Stevens' "Dance as Life" -- he did much the same gig as Mazo did for "Dance as a Contact Sport", only with ABT.  He was there when Makarova was staging Bayadere Shades, and when Baryshnikov arrived, and had some cogent things to say about d'Antuono, Gregory, Kivitt, and Bujones.

I have & love it but thanks for pointing it out. Fascinating little book. Covers a season in the early 70s...73/74 or thereabouts. I still have the pocket-size soft cover edition with a "swan" on the cover.

Just back to hotel from the show:

Sublime Veronika Part danced an extraordinarily touching MOZARTIANA and was cheered to the rafters! Bravissima! Lots of bouquets, including huge one from AD Kevin M. And I believe that I saw Ratmansky following KMc. Entire company stood at back of stage and cheered.

If there were protests, I missed them. 

More later...meeting pals for dinner before evening's season finale. I'll report when get back to DC.

Hopefully Bolle will soon move on to be AD of La Scala, as heavily rumored & wished.

And Yuriko Kajija & her husband Jared Matthews,  both now thriving at Houston Ballet.

1 hour ago, miliosr said:

With Royal's promotion, there are 8 male soloists -- Forster, Gorak, Hammoudi, Hoven, Royal, Salstein, Scott and Zhurbin. Shayer's promotion would have made it 9, which would have been a lot for a company where the recent historical norm has hovered around 6.

 

I would imagine the race is now between Forster, Gorak, Hammoudi and Hoven to eke out that promotion to principal.

I would look at overall budget (principal salary pot of money), rather than # of slots. With Vishneva gone, only two expensive half-baked quasi-guest "permanent" Principals remain, Bolle and Kochetkova. I sincerely hope that ABT is getting rid of both of them in this half-baked capacity. Not that they couldn't return as true guests, once or twice a year, if warranted. But please stop draining the Principals fund with this half-baked fake Principals  arrangement.

16 hours ago, Kaysta said:

I can't wait to see Calvin tackle some "princely" roles.  He has such beautiful lines and charisma on stage.

Of course. He is, after all, our Royal King Calvin...The Third, no less!

On my way to NY in an hour! Looking forward to a happy celebration...not a Pity Party.

Fang way before Hurlin or Waski, although both have great possibilities in 3-4 years...paying their dues.

Definitely Shayer. Maybe Zhang.

Thanks! I saw the "Makenzie Out!" level but didn't dig down. Oh dear...because Alovert is a long-time supporter of Vishneva? Sounds like certain sectors of the Russian community don't think it's possible to love more than one a Russian ballerina at the same time.

1 hour ago, canbelto said:

I just saw that they plan on booing "before the lights go down." That's awful. Mozartiana should be Veronika's moment and Veronika's alone. Any disruption will only take away from her rendition of one of the most beautiful ballets ever made. 

In effect, they would appear to be booing the conductor and orchestra, who usually have their moment as the lights dim prior to the final act of a performance. Stupid. I hope that security will be in full force, with a paddy wagon standing by.