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Kaysta

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Posts posted by Kaysta

  1. This will be my first time seeing Onegin, and I will also be seeing Stearns/Abrera on Saturday.  I was supposed to see Vishneva/Gomes but I got stuck covering call.  Now I'm wondering if I should find someone to cover me so I can see Vishneva/Gomes.  I don't want to make the trip in twice in such a short period though, so that would mean missing Abrera.

  2. I don't think the pricing has been this high in the past?  When they performed Swan Lake, I remember purchasing a 30 dollar 2nd tier side seat (pretty far forward towards the stage, where a good bit of the stage is cut off), that same ticket this year is now 90 dollars.  And if you want to sit in the back side of 2nd tier it's 175 dollars (it's normally 90 dollars for NYCB tickets).  Add in a ballet I'm not so sure I'd like, and there is NO way I'll pay for that.  

     

    If the tickets were more reasonably priced, I'd gladly see more than one performance of Jewels, but 150 for my first ticket is enough money for me to spend.

  3. Unfortunately, I am on call until 5:30 on Friday, so I won't have enough time to see this performance.  I have a grand tier side box seat (I believe its box 37, seat 1, but I will doublecheck tonight) that is FREE if any regular (non-lurking) BA participant would like it.   I prefer to give it to a non-lurker because I've learned so much by reading posts from everyone on this site, so I'd like to pay it forward.  So if anyone is interested, shoot me a message.

  4. Just got back to Philly.  I loved loved loved Sarah tonight.  I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said.  I agree that there were a few technical miscues (ahh..those fouettes!) however if I could describe her Odile in one word it would be S E X Y (and I'm a straight woman)!  She toyed with poor Siegfried's heart like a cat about to pounce on a defenseless mouse.  It was stunning to watch.  I wish she could have capped it off with a strong coda, because it would have been the cherry on the sundae.  As mentioned by others, her Odette was beautiful.  She has such a lovely back and arms.  Like everyone else, I hope for two things:  1) That she dances this role again and 2) that she is promoted to principal, because she deserves it.

     

    The only other person I want to mention is Alban Lendorf.  During the Ken Center run, I wasn't that impressed with him, but he surprised me tonight.  I thought he was a perfect Rothbart.  I didn't know he had that in him, but he owned the stage tonight.

     

    On a sour note, there was a really smelly person sitting a few seats away from me.  It was nearly killing me.  I also saw one girl wearing the shortest shorts I've ever seen.  I'm going to sound like an old curmudgeon, but why can't people at least look presentable when they go to someplace as cool as the Met Opera House?  I"m not expecting gowns and suits, just clean pants and a shower.

  5. 5 minutes ago, cubanmiamiboy said:

    Abbat...you have made a great point about the possibility of the problem not being the ballerinas themselves but McKenzie' judgement at casting. But I can't still pass the point of...how did Seo and Copeland even got promoted if they did something like this in their debuts...? In fact...does anybody remember Copeland's and Seo's debut in either Giselle, SL or DQ...? Did both Giselles completed the sautes...? Did both Kitries/Odiles completed the fouettes...? And if not...then how the hell they still got promoted..?!?

    I think McKenzie's reliance on guest artists is the reason for the current issues with the principal core.  ABT wasted many years in developing their dancers by giving all of the spots to guest artists.  This allowed subpar dancers to be promoted and filled into the less desirable time slots.  I do believe this is changing with the current crop of soloists.

  6. 53 minutes ago, Balanchinomane said:

    All very good points. Variety in performance is OK  if it

    influences a new audience who will want to return and see something

    else. I worry about the kids working in the studios who see an

    easier way to get ahead. Bare legs and sneakers does not require

    professional ballet training. In any endeavor of life it's the long game

    that's most rewarding. Sorry for standing on a soapbox!

    I didn't think you were standing on a soapbox and I respect and understand your opinion! :)

     

    I think Misty's popularity (with her technical shortcomings) bothered me more in the past, because it felt like she was taking away opportunities from the soloists who could handle the technical aspects of the roles.  But now that ABT has ditched the guest artist rent-a-thon, it doesn't bother me so much.  Misty will bring in her fans and the money,  I can see the artists I appreciate, and ABT can make money and grow their own talent.

     

  7. 19 minutes ago, Balanchinomane said:

    Most of us don't like to see performance standards lowered

    for financial gain. It fits with the dumbing down of culture in

    arts and letters, so prevalent today. When an art form crosses

    the line to pop culture, everybody loses.

    While I don't like to see performance standards lowered either, I somewhat agree and disagree with your statement for two reasons:

     

    1)  As has been discussed elsewhere on BA, Misty selling out shows may be one of the reasons ABT has not reverted back to filling all of their spots with guest artists.  So indirectly, Misty may be responsible for Sarah Lane finally dancing Giselle, which in my eyes, was one of the purest, most heartfelt performances I have seen in a long time.  All of ABTs soloists getting opportunities this Met season?  We may need to thank Misty for that (and some unfortunate injuries).

     

    2)  Popular culture is obviously very accessible to many people, which can then lead them to have a greater appreciation of the arts.  If even a few of the people who came out to the ballet for Misty Copeland only, then go ahead and develop an appreciation for the art form and seek out non-Misty performances, than she has done good for this art form.   I know that as someone who grew up in the suburbs and never had an opportunity to attend a ballet until my late thirties, I would not have been exposed without so called "pop culture."  I was introduced to the art form by a TV show that some outright ridicule on these boards.  But if it wasn't for that television show, I would have never been exposed to ballet.  Ballet needs more than just hardcore balletomanes to survive.  It's the reason the Nutcracker is performed by every company large and small.

     

    I apologize for getting off topic though.

  8. 25 minutes ago, cubanmiamiboy said:

    Well...then they might come with the bright idea of rising the tickets price of her performances as she learns how to throw another fouette in her SL and DQ. Who knows...if she ever completes the 32 at some point of her career ABT might be out of debt, just thanks to her..!

     

    Her performances are already dynamically priced.  If you buy too late (once the show starts to sell), the price goes up.  When she performed in the Ken Center, even 2nd tier prices were over a hundred dollars.  I don't think the dynamic pricing was as bad this year at the Met, but it was still in effect.  I saw a rear side orchestra ticket for 90 dollars for her SL performance, it's normally 55 or 65.

  9. 1 hour ago, ABT Fan said:

    It's possible that Copeland will still do Whipped Cream and that it hasn't been decided yet. She was still dealing w/ an injury during the first run following DQ so it seemed she pulled out so she could heal and be ready for Giselle. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if she canceled.

     

     

    I hope they pull her out of Whipped Cream.  I don't mind Copeland in many things, but this is not a role I'd like to see her in.

     

    Can't wait to hear everyone's thoughts on Devon today!

  10. I find it annoying that she's too prideful to do something else in place of the fouettés.  From my knowledge, correct me if I'm wrong, she's never completed all 32.  Enough is enough.  Swallow your pride and do something else to make the performance flow better.   Because whether one likes them or not, I think we can all admit that botching them takes away from a very important dramatic moment.  ABT isn't going to stop scheduling her, so they should at least have the courage to nix them from being performed sloppily.

  11. Boylston can definitely do the fouettes, so I'm sure it was because of the injury.  I've seen Boylston's O/O at least three times now, and she is usually very technically secure.  In fact, now that Gillian is getting older (but still lovely), Boylston is probably the most technically secure of the principal dancers (though I agree her upper body needs work).  

  12. 46 minutes ago, cubanmiamiboy said:

     

    All I can say is...Teuscher is on her way to greatness!!

    Agreed!  Her O/O at the Kennedy Center was gorgeous!  My second favorite behind Part.

     

    I am so hoping that I have to rearrange my work schedule this week if last minute substitutions happen!

  13. 1 hour ago, angelica said:

     

    Yes, that's true, ABT Fan, although experience does refine the technique and raises the star power (although if Skylar raises it anymore the Met ceiling will have to be raised as well). Do you think any other soloists have that star power? I believe that Sarah Lane showed it in her performance of Giselle with Cornejo, and that Cassandra Trenary and Christine Shevchenko may have it too. Need to see them in full-length ballets. Will be seeing Teuscher on Wednesday. 

     

    I think Teuscher has IT as well.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts after Wednesday's matinee.

     

  14. Well, I hope Part is ok for next Saturday, but I wouldn't be sad at seeing Teuscher dance O/O again.  I saw her twice at the Kennedy Center and thought she was fantastic.

     

    I wonder how Kochetkova is coming along.  It seems Swan Lake is her last scheduled performance for the year.  If she can't dance, I think it'll be interesting to see who they stick in that performance, especially if they also have to replace Part.

  15.  ABT is not the Bolshoi or Marinsky touring company.  They are ABT, and should be promoting ABT dancers (I don't care what country the ABT dancers come from, just that they are actual regular ABT dancers).  You want to bring in Obratzova or Smirnova for an occasional performance, that is fine, I would enjoy that.  But not seeing non-ABT dancers dance every night.  

  16. 34 minutes ago, angelica said:

     

    It was KMcK who chose this casting, not Hee herself. Maybe that's something we can agree on?

    I was the other person who mentioned her and I agree with you.   I do like Hee Seo (I think her Juliet is quite stunning), but it was frustrating for us (and probably her as well) last year when she was made to cover for multiple injured dancers.  Honestly, I mean no disrespect to Hee.  Even if she isn't my cup of tea in every role, she is obviously a beautiful and talented dancer.

  17. I'm going to write a letter to ABT to let them know how pleased I am with their soloists.    Probably won't matter to them, but I find these debuts so exciting!   It's so wonderful to see their own talent being given opportunities.

  18. 1 hour ago, ABT Fan said:

    Boy, do I wish I could have been there! Thanks for the great reviews.

     

    And, how about this - she was asked to learn the role last Friday!

     

     

     

    Exactly!  So last year when some were defending KM's decision to fill in Seo (or guest artists) for every injured dancer, IT IS possible for their own dancers to step up in emergencies.  I don't know Skylar personally, but I'm sure (as stressful as it may have been) that she was thrilled to have the opportunity to dance Medora.   Congrats to ABT for promoting their young dancers and giving them opportunities to be seen.   I wish I could see this cast, but it's too hard to get there on a work week.

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