Kaysta

We'll, all I can say is I do plan on seeing it again, I loved it that much.

And I disagree that no one nailed the balances--both Murphy and Vishneva were perfect at the end of the run.

But yes, it has gotten people talking, which is a win for ABT.

I would just like to add that anyone who thinks Gillian Murphy dances harshly and not soft, should have seen this performance of Juliet. I have not been so moved and invested in a performance since Vishneva's Manon. Stunningly beautiful dancing and acting.

I think Gillian has become my favorite ABT dancer

Also hats off to Isadora Loyola, who really shone as one of the harlots.

First act done of R&J matinee. Absolutely beautiful and breathtaking balcony pas by Whiteside and Gillian. I love these two dancing together, they compliment each other.

Two other things that standout: Calvin Royal anytime he takes the stage. And Roman Zhurbin as Tybalt--he's quite menacing in the role.

Looking forward to the rest.

On ‎6‎/‎16‎/‎2015 at 8:42 PM, vipa said:

buff (notice I didn't say nerd)

Oh, and I use the term "nerd" endearingly.I'm proud of my nerdiness!

Kaysta I'm glad you also find this interesting. Maybe as a history buff (notice I didn't say nerd) you might know if people in Petipa's day were allowed to change choreography to suit their strengths. I'm thinking of Tchaikovsky pas de deus. Balanchine was still alive when there were many different versions of the man's variation, all were done with his suggestions and blessing.

I'm not sure. It's been documented (in this thread and by Ratmansky) that Petipa choreographed two different lilac solos (one more difficult than the other), but that was still Petipa's own choreography. Whether he allowed others to change his own work is a good question, which I don't know the answer to.

I know from reading, Tchaikovsky had major issues with the changes done to Swan Lake. Wasn't it Minkus who tried to compose a new pas for Anna Sobeshchanskaya and it pissed Tchaikovsky off, hence the PDD? Petipa did supposedly change the choreography for Sobeshchanskaya, so obviously he must have been a bit flexible.

I'm just really curious where the currently favored Desire's variation came from (non-Ratmansky/Petipa version)? Anyone have a clue when it was changed? I don't, but I'm really curious to know.

I find thinking about and discussing this sort of thing fascinating. Take a Bach as an example. Unless we go to a concert in which period instruments are used and players have made a study of baroque playing, we hear the notes that Bach wrote played on modern instruments with a wide variety of interpretations that differ greatly in terms of tempo, dynamics, phrasing etc. Another thing is audience. We can never see Petipa's choreography the way the audience he was trying to entertain did.

It is an interesting idea to mull over. One thing I thought of recently was that Ratmansky let the dancers wear modern pointe shoes. They look very different from the ones worn in Petipa's day. The demi-pointe chaines may have worked better in oid style shoes but the rest I strongly suspect wouldn't have worked.

I find it fascinating as well! I admit I'm a bit of a history nerd, so that may add to my love for this production. Good point about Bach regarding tempo and phrasing and such. I have a couple of CDs of Bach's violin concertos and they often sound a bit different just from having different conductors. So obviously it would be impossible for an exact replication of what the geniuses of the past truly had in mind.

But it does bother me to see it changed so completely in some areas. Take Desire's variation as an example. The variation most companies dance is so completely different from the Ratmansky reconstruction. How did that happen, they are not at all similar?!? It almost seems like an insult to Petipa that someone would so completely change his work into something he never intended.

It has made me totally rethink what I thought was Petipa choreography in all of his ballets. Maybe those programs should say "based off of Petipa" instead of listing Petipa as the choreographer.

Very interesting, and whether folks love this SB or not at least it has people talking.

Why would ABT want to do that given how oft-criticized it is for being a pale imitation of the great Russian companies? It seems to me that ABT will lose every . . . single . . . time . . . if it tries to emulate contemporary Russian productions of Sleeping Beauty.

The beauty (hohoho) of ABT's new Sleeping Beauty production is that it is something unique in the world. It owes nothing to any contemporaneous productions and everything to those of 1890 and 1921. At a time where the international repertory is coalescing more and more around a mean (see Millepied, Benjamin), I think that's a wonderful thing.

Completely agree!

Frankly, I think it's wonderful that Petipa is being danced as Petipa imagined it. It's Petipa's choreography, and maybe the man would be rolling in his grave if he saw the super high extensions and changes made to his works if he were alive today. Yes, I realize dancers (and probably point shoe technology) has changed since the 1890's, but that doesn't mean the choreography should have been altered to the point that it isn't even recognizable as Petipa anymore.

You don't take a painting by Caravaggio and paint over it to make it more modern.

You don't take Bach's violin concertos and change notes around.

If someone is able to interpret Petipa's true choreography and put that on the stage, then it should and deserves to be done. (I'm not saying other "based off of Petipa's works" can't be done, but if it's been changed to the point it's no longer recognizable, that's wrong to me)

In one of his interviews, Ratmansky once made a comment how it's hard for him to see his work done if he's been away from the company presenting his work. That sometimes it can look sloppy and different, and not like his anymore. Imagine how Petipa would feel if he saw half the stuff that is now attributable to him.

I have so much admiration for the respect that Ratmansky shows for Petipa's true choreographic intentions. It's the work as it was intended to be. And that is something special, and I feel honored that I had a chance to see it.

Ratmansky's Flames of Paris.

That would be awesome!

I'd love to see La Fille, and I hope Pillar of Fire again for the fall season. I am obsessed with Pillar of Fire!

Ok then looking at full-lengths I'd never recommend Raymonda to a first timer -- too little storyline, and the parts of the storyline they do get might seem very offensive. But it's an important ballet and ABT's attempt to water it down did not end well. People also criticized Makarova's Bayadere -- why do it? why not just do the Shades scene.

And if we were to make an opera analogy, there's a certain type of opera fan that only goes to La Bohemes and La Traviatas. In fact, I'd say a huge portion of the "opera audience" really only likes maybe 10 operas at most. But that doesn't mean works like Lulu, Pelleas et Melisande, or Khovantshina shouldn't be done.

I guess my point is the Ratmansky SB is not a watered down production. It requires patience on the part of the audience, and also probably a certain background knowledge. But I think this is good for ABT -- to give the audience more than instant gratification classics or watered down "classics."

If I could like this post a thousand times I would.

This Sleeping Beauty is a classical work of art and I'm proud that ABT and Ratmansky had the guts to do it. Who knows how well it will do in subsequent years (although all three of the performances I went to sold VERY well), but sometimes it isn't about the money, it's about the art.

I'm not sure, but I think that balletomanes are giving the general (non-ballet) watching public too much credit. They don't stare at the feet the whole time, and don't know the difference between demi-pointe and full pointe when the dancer is turning so fast. My best friend had no clue that this wasn't how every company danced SB. She was just wowed by the scenery and costumes. She did get a bit bored by the third act, but the first time I saw SB three years ago (before my ballet obsession started), I was bored, too. It took me time to appreciate what I was seeing.

I feel exactly the opposite. I saw it twice and even though I think the first cast was better on the whole, I enjoyed it more the second time and look forward to seeing it many more times to come. Critics also thought the company looked energized and excellent performing it on the whole...

Then again I love Ratmansky's Nutcracker as do many others I know, including dance critics and former dancers. And the fact that it couldn't make a major hit of it for multiple years when up against the institution of NYCBs when that one IS a longstanding institution and is located at Lincoln Center, vs what so many clearly considered the wilds of Brooklyn hardly seems a condemnation of Ratmansky's Nutcracker.

I thought it (SB) was better each time I saw it as well (three times). I only saw Ratmansky's Nutcracker once (and thought it was just ok), but I honestly wish I could see it again. At the time I saw it, I had the Balanchine version in my head. I'd like to see it again now that I know it's completely different. I feel like I may have a greater appreciation for it.

Just saw the Vishneva cast. I preferred the matinee to be honest. Will type more later, but my main complaint is with Veronica Part.

If she can't dance the role, and they have to water it down to a few jumps here and there, she shouldn't be cast. Day and night between her Lilac and Stella's. I am so utterly disappointed with what I saw from Part.

I completely agree with you about Lane's Florine. I was not impressed. The partnering between Zhang and Lane was a bit sloppy. Zhang's solo was nice though.

Today was amazing! I absolutely am in love with this production. Gillian was better today than opening night. The rose adagio was truly perfection. She had a little bobble during the vision scene with the seashell contraption, but otherwise was stunning. One of the best performances I've seen from her.

I feel like I've just seen James Whiteside for the first time. His acting--spot on. The footwork in his solo--lovely. His partnering--perfect one handed fish dives. For the first time, I really felt something watching him.

Already mentioned Stella. Best lilac solo I've seen this year. Please promote her KM, please!

There were some minor mistakes in other areas, but overall it was a really good performance. I'm enjoying this ballet more each time I see it. I even loved the garland dance this time, it seemed cleaner than the earlier performances.

Now I get to see Vishneva tonight!

Gillian nailed her Rose Adagio! And Stella's lilac solo was stellar. Very good first act and prologue.

There is a faint note on my ipad browser (I tried both safari and chrome) saying " mobile- best available" and i found no way to override it. Will call tomorrow.

Thanks everyone for your help! ...and sympathy....

I had problems when I used my ipad as well. Had to go to the laptop and then it worked.

Just announced on the ABT calendar page: Seo is the sub for Osipova. At least Gomes is still on the schedule:

http://www.abt.org/calendar.aspx

I'm mad! I thought I was safe from Seo, given she was performing on Monday and Tuesday.

Perhaps not: The gentleman is Joan Boada of San Francisco Ballet and the locale doesn't appear to be NYC (at least, I don't recognize the set in the background from any of ABT's productions.)

Thanks! I couldn't recognize the gentleman, so maybe it is just an older picture (as I believe she is still in NY or at least was on Sunday). Guess I should just wait to see whom the replacement will be instead of trying to figure it out!

I am merely guessing, but I have a feeling it's going to be Kochetkova replacing Osipova. She put up two pictures on Instagram in a very Juliet looking dress with the caption "rehearsing". Not sure who the guy (pic from the side) is though.

She couldn't possibly dance with Marcelo? It really would look like Romeo and his daughter.

It's really slow and has a lot of kinks. You'd think they'd wait till after the season is over to unveil it. I had a really hard time trying to buy tickets earlier.

If they do, they should make it clear from what seat the photo is taken. It is misleading unless they make this clear, if they are using a photo or a couple of photos that are either prime or average and displayed when seats with obscured views are selected.

Just looked at it. They do indeed use the same picture for both the front row and the upper back row. I think they'll get some complaints from folks, because you really can't see half the stage from those back seats.

The old system had an absence of info: ie that views are obscured and difficult from seats. If the view in the new site isn't accurate, that's even worse, since people will count on information provided actively.

I'll have to check it out again to see if they use just one picture for the dress circle box instead of one for the lower level and one for the back level. But the link I looked at did not look accurate for the back row.

I just went to see what seats are left for Vishneva's Aurora this Saturday and the ticket ordering website is completely different.

Looks improved to me, they now give you a "view" from the seat you are choosing, similar to the Royal Opera House website. I don't quite believe some of the pictures they use, as they have the entire stage showing for the dress circle back seats, and I know from experience you can't see half the stage from those seats, but still an improvement from what they used to have.

I would pick Gillian over Part, but no disrespect intended to Part, who is a dancer I quite enjoy. I just think Gillian is at the top of her game right now and prefer her.

Watching the two Bayaderes back to back today, I have to say that Kochetkova was heads and tails better than Seo, both technically and artistically. I was impressed with Kochetkova and I look forward to her coming back.

Nanushka, we have opposite opinions regarding Murphy and Boylston. I enjoyed them both and while I thought Murphy was better technically, I enjoyed Boylston's characterization a bit better. Boylston's act 3 solo was SUPERB.

Kim and Safranov were both awesome.

Kochetkova is fantastic!