maps

How ballet companies adapt classic novels for the stage - The Washington Post

Wheater on Joffrey's Anna Karenina and Pickett on The Crucible.   There were no protests at the Kennedy Center for Anna Karenina. 

Very sad.  We had the pleasure and privilege of meeting Alexandra Tomalonis at the Kennedy Center. 

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On 1/13/2023 at 9:27 AM, BalanchineFan said:

One the other hand, if you always play to your strongest audience (and only to them) what does an art institution do when that audience dies off? How do they get younger people or new people in the seats? I imagine an institution’s strongest audience is going to show up regardless of advertising. That’s how I am as a balletomane. I know what I want to see and adverts aren’t going to change my mind or exert much influence. The advertising is for the newbies. 

The Kennedy Center recently posted the content for 1 of the 2023 NYCB mixed bills, 3 shows. It was Ratmansky's Pictures at an Exhibition (35 min)plus Peck's Solo (7 minutes) and TBA for 1 year. Added were a new Pires and Abraham's Love Letter (on shuffle} (38 minutes).  That work by Pires premiers in NYC this spring.  Complete unknown ...

No Reisen-Knowles Playtime -16 minutes and a proven winner for the audience and the box office.  

On 3/18/2023 at 12:28 AM, Josette said:

That video of her in the Act Ii pas de deux with Cornejo is beautiful.  Trenary is so expressive.  

Perhaps Jaffe found magic from the audience at the KC in the R&J pairing.  Sadly  I didn't see their show but would love SL 's with Trenary-Cornejo and Boylston-Camargo.  Purples-Zhurbin or Curley.  Zhurbin [no Whiteside] is listed on Segerstrom digital program as a principal on the tour so maybe he's pairing with a Hurlin Gertrudis.

@Josette Skevchenko has great technique.  She's cast as Elena in 4 of 6 LA LWFC.  2 are Fang [Zulma not Myrta in rep). 

18 hours ago, abatt said:

No Aran Bell in any of this casting.  No Boylston. No Murphy.  

There is a rapid succession in which the same casts appear repeatedly...

 

Perhaps Bell will be cast as Juan Alejandrez Like-Water-For-Chocolate-Cast-Sheet-02-06-22.pdf (roh.org.uk)   Revolutionary party, Act II, Like Water for Chocolate - YouTube

19 hours ago, nysusan said:

Jarod Curley is absolutely fabulous in every way - technique, acting, partnering & versatility. I was surprised that he wasn't included in the last batch of promotions.

Jaffe gave Jarod Curley 1 Lord Montague at the KC.  No Paris or Benvolio or Tybalt.  1 of 4 male soloists is a complete package-Hoven.  Klein was not listed on the final digital casting sheets as Mercutio but was listed as Mandolin in 3 shows.  ABT should have updated. Boylston-Camargo made magic.  Forster was great.  Shevchenko  had an annoying clacque with multiple disruptions in the balcony scene.    

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No Late Seating: American Ballet Theatre is the subject line of a 2/14/23 "Valentine" from the KC.   The full digital programs were posted yesterday ABT: Romeo & Juliet Feb. 15, 2023 Digital Program | Kennedy Center (kennedy-center.org)

On 2/4/2023 at 8:51 AM, maps said:

Our first impression, which lasted throughout the performance, was the magic woven by  casting Iriyna Zhalovska and Denys Nedak.  Giselle is sold out for Sun matinee and approaching sell out for all weekend shows.   The WaPo is not ceasing ballet coverage so  assume it was decided not to do a story on this program.  New York City Ballet premiere by Thai American dancemaker is milestone - The Washington Post 

 

 

 

Same casting magic with Shevshenko and Tiutiunnyk. This lovely video was posted yesterday morning and I assume filmed Wed eve.  Instagram pic is the ale cask:

https://www.facebook.com/KennedyCenter/videos/3516241138658229/

Ratmansky Giselle- no point where a viewer would logically question who is primary in the emotional queue for the leads based on casting or choreography.   Marvelous shows and we hope the KC programs this company for the 2023-24 season.  

As a venue, the KC did not do dynamic pricing on this run despite at or approaching sell-out.  It changed scheduling on programmed runs with 7 shows- T-Sun, 5 eve and 2 matinees W-Sun with a matinee added on Friday.  The KC went digital on the large posters outside with a slow rotation.  Cast lists could be on digital screens in the lobby. There were printed programs for Sunset Boulevard which played concurrently in the smaller Eisenhower Theatre.  

Late seating is problematical.  The KC sells full house unlike the Koch. Hold back no impact seats for late arrivals?  If needed based on sales, release the seats and use standing room and lobby feeds.  Opera House is the only KC venue with standing room. 

On 2/2/2023 at 9:33 AM, California said:

I was at opening night at the Kennedy Center of the United Ukrainian Ballet. (So were some other BalletAlerters and I'll be interested in their first impressions.) My biggest disappointment: the fact that there is nothing in the Washington Post (as of 9 am) about an important event, both artistically and politically...

https://www.instagram.com/p/CoKsXV3IsSL/

 

Our first impression, which lasted throughout the performance, was the magic woven by  casting Iriyna Zhalovska and Denys Nedak.  Giselle is sold out for Sun matinee and approaching sell out for all weekend shows.   The WaPo is not ceasing ballet coverage so  assume it was decided not to do a story on this program.  New York City Ballet premiere by Thai American dancemaker is milestone - The Washington Post 

On 12/2/2022 at 10:29 AM, California said:

Devastating news! Sarah Kaufman laid off by the Washington Post. I assume they'll rely on some free-lancers receiving token compensation, but still...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2022/12/01/sarah-kaufman-laid-off/

On 12/2/2022 at 12:09 PM, abatt said:

I wish the NY Times would hire her.  The folks they have writing dance reviews at NY Times now are unimpressive.

Cancelling Kauffman and the Sunday magazine could impact subscriptions-digital only locals M-Sat cancelling Sunday delivery?    The Washington Post will end its Sunday magazine, eliminate positions - The Washington Post 

Since it's the 2022-23 season here's an oddity that seems to have escaped the attention of WaPo, NYT, etc.  United Ukrainian Ballet to make U.S. debut at Kennedy Center in February - The Washington Post  The Kennedy   Center video banner for what's on-genre-ballet needs to be changed.  Mariinsky Paquita. Ballet at the Kennedy Center (kennedy-center.org) 

On 10/21/2022 at 7:15 PM, On Pointe said:

...What is the lesson of the "Solange effect"?  You can attract new audiences if you provide an incentive for them to show up.  It's not just Ms. Knowles' music,  or her proximity to Beyoncé,  although that counts.  Young people,  especially young Black people in NYC,   tend to be heavily invested in fashion and art.  They like dressing up for an occasion. ..

The program Visionary Voices NYCB-Kennedy Center 2023 has an open programming slot and the Reisen-Solange should be added to the mixed bill.  Plus I like the music and the few clips available online. NYT compared the ticket sales to box office generated for a Swan Lake.  

Can't see NYCB on the page - calender link  New York City Ballet | Kennedy Center (kennedy-center.org)

Maevsky (Ukraine, formerly with the Mariinsky), was a Mariinsky Princeling prominently featured in WB Day 2021 rising star panel and Feb 2022 Tereshkina class.  Now at Semperop MAIEVSKYI VSEVOLOD (@vsevolod_maievskyi) • Instagram photos and videos   Nagahisi (Japan} returned Мариинский театр / Mariinsky (@mariinsky) • Instagram photos and videos

I wish the Kennedy Center would have Parish put together programs.  

2 hours ago, Wonders said:

I came across this post from 2017 and looked these dancers up and WOW! Where are they now?

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Helga Paris-Morales—Washington Ballet

Helga Paris-Morales/TWB's Center Stage during the major lockdown at about 44.  Filmed in a DC parking garage, choreographed remotely from Puerto Rico:  

On 7/19/2022 at 7:07 PM, California said:

ABT first did Sinfonietta in 1991: https://www.abt.org/ballet/sinfonietta/

I saw this a zillion years ago at the Kennedy Center...

How long is Children's Song Dance by Lang? Sinfionetta is 22 minutes.  LIFTED, limited to about 6 dancers,  estimated run time?   

On 7/22/2022 at 11:23 AM, naomikage said:

A beautiful but tragic trailer of the performance, dancers dancing in the ruins of Ukraine. 

https://cloudflarestream.com/564171df138fa4e77fb6ac7023b547d8/watch

Thank you for posting the trailer.  In a few months :

• The United Ukrainian Ballet | Ballet and Culture
• The United Ukrainian Ballet brings Swan Lake to Australia (limelightmagazine.com.au)
• Ratmansky -Tchaikovsky- Remembrance of a dear place, Kylian, Zvereva 

On 5/30/2022 at 1:13 PM, California said:

The ABT site actually lists five versions of Raymonda:

• ...
• Raymonda Divertissements (Kolpakova/McKenzie)

I hope Jaffe pulls a Raymonda out of the vault.  This morning I watched some Ailey videos - one was The River and I thought a pdd would have looked great on pointe.  Upon reflection confirmed by research it was on pointe at ABT;

•  ELLINGTON's "The River" danced by ABT (ALVIN AILEY choreography) - YouTube
•  https://www.abt.org/ballet/the-river/

Plus Paquita grand pas and Grand Pas Classique [recently done by the Studio company -Part].   New short pdd that would be fun to see-the Duke [Bridgerton the Unofficial Musical].  

On 6/11/2022 at 12:14 PM, California said:

ABT opened their KC run with two nights of a so-so mixed bill, followed by five Don Qs. Is it a coincidence that NYCB opened with two nights of a disappointing mixed bill followed by MSND? I'm wondering if the KC management had something to do with this. Quite a coincidence otherwise.

It's one week for the DMV locals not another 7 shows out of 3 multi week seasons at the Koch in NYC. KC NYCB programming should be like Battle and Ailey- a mix of American classics with new and tight quality control.   It was highly unusual for the KC to program NYCB in MSND [more likely clamshell carters would have been MCB if programmed or Fatayeev]. 

The KC paid for a Tanowitz, Gustave Gray, done on DTH and MCB. Did either ever perform it again? Somehow it's migrated to NYCB.

Summerspace and Firebird were on NYCB Kennedy Center covid cancelled programs and never reappeared and should have been reprogrammed.    I saw Summerspace on pointe with NYCB a very long time ago.  Loved it and comparing my memories plus any video with/out pointe confirmed my preference for pointe extending the line and not grounding the birds.   

On 7/5/2022 at 10:35 AM, abatt said:

Good point.  I think the company gets a tax deduction if it gives away tickets for educational purposes.   The family circle and certain parts of the balcony seemed to have a lot of kids.

Did ABT close the Family Circle for the 7/6/22 matinee?  It was NA online like frequent NYCBs with closures at it's Koch theatre.  PNB presented by Joyce at Koch closed rings from 3rd on up. 

After reading the great posts on ABT, I'd love it if they did Paquita Grand Pas on a mixed bill-bravura and great opportunities for soloists. 

Met 2641=3977-standing room, partial view, circle+balcony. Est over1800  sold for Sat 6/25/22 matinee Other capacities:

• Koch=total 2550 -5th -4rth =1828.  Remove 3rd=1522.  ABT sells full at the Koch-how were sales on Giselle 2021?  
• BAM's cap is 2100
• Kennedy Center sells full house: Opera House=2198, Eisenhower=1164[small pit for 35]. 
• Australia=2079. Ratmansky Harlequinade- near sell out for 6/25/22 matinee. 
• https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/cart/choose-your-own-seat?perf_no=68113&prodseasonid=68063&layer=Stalls&perf_no=68113&facility_no=6&session_key=75b628c5f22511ecb824005056a2cc1200000000000000000000000000000000&source_code=582