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MarzipanShepherdess

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Posts posted by MarzipanShepherdess

  1. Went to today's Piano Concerto/Petite Mort/Etudes matinee. Very much prefer this as a program to what we've gotten in recent seasons past (please let the Jessica Lang ballets of yore be mothballed!) Thank you, Susan Jaffe.

    Etudes: This can be such a fun ballet, though I had mixed feelings about how ABT danced it today. Devon was wonderful, totally in command  Her turns were astonishing! Etudes is obviously one big over-stuffed extravaganza of tricksy technique, but I thought Devon also brought some real delicacy and poetry to the more restrained Romantic section. In lesser hands it could have been a "wake me up when the jetés start" moment, but she made it really compelling. This is a great showcase for her and I left with elevated appreciation for both her technique and how lyrical she can be.

    On one hand, I respect Herman Cornejo for taking on such a grueling and exposing debut 20+ years into his ABT career. Very brave! However, even though he brought the brio and charisma he always does, the technical demands of this are beyond what he can excel at today. It's such a shame Cornejo didn't get to dance this during his technical peak, he would have been incredible. I admired what he did in the context of where he is in his career now (to be fair, Joo Won Ahn didn't seem fully up to Etudes' demands either and he must be at least ten years younger) but felt disappointed as I couldn't help recall how much more thrilling the ballet's climax was when I saw Royal Danish Ballet perform it a decade or so ago on a US tour. 

    Petite Mort: My first time seeing this and I liked it a lot. I enjoyed its sensuality and wit and stagecraft (though the ending feels quite abrupt to me). James Whiteside was wonderful and very skilled and attentive in his partnering of Fangqi Li. She looked just gorgeous, such fluidity and beautiful extension. 

    Piano Concerto #1: Love the choreography, which is full of clever little unexpected moments. Catherine Hurlin seemed quite tentative at the beginning and gained confidence as the performance went on, it was as though she suddenly remembered how much she can do and went and did it (very well). I liked her with Jarod Curley. Hurlin, once she got going, was the highlight for me. Just coming off of seeing a lot of City Ballet, I couldn't help but feel aware of how much more compelling as a whole City Ballet looks in this kind of choreography. I know Ratmansky choreographed this for ABT, but many of the dancers didn't look fully at home in it: not dancing full out.

  2. 16 hours ago, pirouette said:

    If any of you remember, I had made a chart for the 2022-2023 season detailing the number of times each dancer danced in a featured role that season. Well, I made one for the Fall 2023 season!

    Such a cool resource!! Thank you, @pirouette for all the knowledge and time you put into doing this analysis. 
     

    I’m struck by how often Jules Mabie danced. Seems like one to watch—a friend told me he was really standing out to her this season. 
     

    I really hope Kikta gets her promotion. As this table makes clear, she’s dancing a lot and dancing very well. Agree with others that Emma VE will get promoted soon and deservedly so. I also think India Bradley will move up. 

  3. Really enjoyed the 75th anniversary celebration last night. I saw all three casts earlier in the week but it felt like everyone was giving it a little extra last night. 
     

    I don’t know that I will ever like Orpheus. It just feels so opaque to me. Apollo is also quite stylized but the choreography interests me more so it feels more substantial. Given the narrative, I feel like I should feel more emotion in response to Orpheus than I do but it never really gets beyond gesture and surface aesthetics for me. They did manage the white curtain much more adroitly than in the two prior performances I’d seen. However, some wheeled part of the set was loudly squeaking this time. I guess it’s always something with this one. 
     

    Symphony in C was just a joy. Megan sparkled; Sara danced as though in a deep languid dream, different than I’ve seen her dance this before, remote but lush; Emma and Roman were firecrackers of energy and Indiana was effervescent. 
     

    I really enjoyed the interplay between emilie and unity in a way I haven’t before. At one point Emilie was just beaming at Unity which was nice to see, both seemed to really be feeling it and enjoying it, dancing bigger than they had earlier in the week. 
     

    before the performances there was a nice little film with various people like alums including Eddie villella and Aesha Ash, current dancers and staff, and a few random commenters like Zac Posen and Jill Kargman talking up the company over archive footage. At the end, the whole symphony in c cast was on stage with Wendi and Jonathan while the orchestra played happy birthday. Lovely night. 

  4. Really interesting to see the responses to Tuesday night's Serenade/Orpheus/T&V program.

    I too just do not like Orpheus. I admire the sets and costumes, but I constantly find my attention drifting. The choreography feels repetitive and undifferentiated and moments that in retrospect I realize SHOULD feel big and impactful (like when Eurydice appears) just don't seem to land for me. The debacle with the curtain was just embarrassing, I hope they can get that sorted more smoothly for tonight at least. I'm not looking forward to seeing it again tonight.

    Serenade is my favorite Balanchine ballet, so I always am glad to have seen it, but I thought last night's was particularly stellar (partnering issues with Davide aside). Miriam Miller can leave me cold (like on Saturday in Prodigal Son) but last night she was lush, extending her phrases and letting the movements breathe. Indiana is a wonderful Russian girl: buoyant, bright, so much energy. And I have never left one of Sara's performances as Waltz Girl unmoved, but last night it was to tears. I love the emotion she imbues that role with (I think it's one of her best). I was completely captivated by her performance. 

    T&V: I enjoyed last night's performance more than others seem to have. I don't have the deep knowledge of ballet technique some other posters here do (which is one reason I love reading BalletAlert!) so I think sometimes technical bobbles don't detract from my enjoyment of a performance as much if the performers are charismatic. Megan and Anthony to me had that level of charisma last night: they managed to pull off the trick of making it LOOK like they were having a ball and sparkling along despite struggling with some of the choreography. I bought it! And was reflecting on how the leads in the performance of T&V I saw at English National Ballet a few weeks ago just didn't have the speed and lightness with how they approached it; it felt like a much fresher work last night to me.

  5. Also saw the Saturday night show of Concerto Barocco, Prodigal, and Symphony in C.

    Prodigal: very glad Danny is still doing this role. His ability to completely convincingly convey boyish enthusiasm and bravura despite now being one of the most established, long-standing company members is magic. He gives the Son this very winning, almost goofy sweetness in the beginning, and of course you know what he's about to endure so it's got a little tragedy to it right from the start. In his final scene he gets very "small", it's a quiet performance without some of the drama others inject there but I think it works and you feel like the character is truly humbled in contrast to the initial buoyancy Danny depicts so vividly.

    I found Miriam Miller to be quite flat as the Siren. I wanted more drama: icy and imperious like Maria Kowroski, maybe, or slinkily seductive like Tess Reichlen...this could be such a great role for Miller and perhaps she will inhabit it more fully in time. Chamblee was debuting as the father and he made him a bit more domineering and violent in how he forced the Son's head down than I've seen it done before. Striking.

    Concerto Barocco: I think this is one of Unity's best current roles. I don't find either her or Emilie thrilling in this, but I enjoy them in it and I think they enable you to see what a stunning ballet it is. They do it justice.

    Symphony in C : always a joy to see this and wow what a cast. Megan and Joe sparkled, and Emma and Roman were stupendous in their debuts. I really like them as a pair, they are both such powerhouses and have a similar energy and seem to bring out the best in each other. Sara and Indiana were both pushing through pain (Sara had a bruised ankle and Indiana had a big fall maybe 1/3 of the way through) but gave gorgeous, energetic performances. 

  6. Attended the Friday evening Apollo/La Sonambula/Ballet Imperial program and also the Sunday matinee one.

    La Sonambula: Count me in the La Sonambula fan club. I get why it's a polarizing ballet: the choreography up through the sleepwalker scene is nothing particularly special, and the whole thing really stands or falls on the ability of the dancers to act  (which not all City Ballet dancers are great at). The two performances I saw exemplified this. Ashley Laracey was fantastic as the Coquette on Friday, imbuing every moment of her performance with dramatic nuance, whereas on Sunday Brittany Pollack was quite flat in the same role. There's a sequence at the very beginning when the Coquette has glimpsed the Poet but is facing away from him: Laracey made this a moment of intense deliberation, showing us how powerfully the Coquette is drawn to the Poet against her rational judgment, subtly shifting her left hand back towards him as though being compelled by a greater force. 

    I thought Unity was fine as the Sleepwalker but Alexa outshone her. Alexa's bourrées were gorgeous, so tiny and fluid and powerfully conveying that this character is propelled by forces beyond her conscious control. Assume Alexa got to work with Allegra Kent on learning the role as well; to me she more so than Unity embodied what Unity spoke about in her NYT interview on working with Kent, that the sleepwalker is searching, not just wafting around. That searching makes the ballet more powerful, and more tragic, because of course whatever she is searching for she never really finds. I find the chain of unrequited loves so moving: the Baron loves the Coquette who loves the Poet who loves the Sleepwalker who loves someone or something we don't see. It's like an Isak Dinesen story from Winter Tales, an elegant yet deeply weird Gothic romantic tragedy. I love it.

    Must add that yesterday Cainan Weber got as high in the air as I've ever seen anyone leap in his first split jump as the Jester. WOW. (Of course on Friday Danny Ulbricht delighted as he always does in that role. He is pitch-perfect with the comedy and the jumps and tumbles). Sara Adams also made an impression in the divertissement pas de deux.

    Ballet Imperial: Incredible Tiler was able to articulate such a regal, polished performance given the strife she's going through with her father's illness. Joe Gordon was excellent, he has such a nobility to his epaulement and his control in rapidly shifting tempo was stunning. I do prefer Sara Mearns' freer, more emotive interpretation of the ballerina role. Her performance on Friday night will stay with me for a long time, particularly the little pause she took before rushing downstage to embrace the kneeling Tyler Angle in that deep penchée: she looked at him, flung her head back and came downstage with her back arched so that it was like her heart was pulling her towards her partner. And when she embraced him in the penchées she really clung to him, both palms open and pressed against his back. So moving. I love how she just goes for broke, like with those little side to side hops where she was taking them so fast and to such an extreme you weren't sure if she'd be able to stay on pointe but somehow of course she did. Echo those noting Olivia Mackinnon looked very fine on Sunday in the lead soloist role in Ballet Imperial: confident, clear. She made more of an impression on me than Kikta on Friday but maybe Friday all I could see was Sara. :)

    Apollo: I enjoyed Friday's performance but Sunday's really woke me up and wowed me. On Friday I felt like the dancers enabled you to see what a brilliant ballet Apollo is; on Sunday I was admiring the richness those individual dancers brought to the great work. I felt like more so than Adrian on Friday, Chun showed the evolution of Apollo from searching young god to grand deity (Adrian was grand all throughout). And wow, what a muse cast on Sunday: Nadon, Kikta, Lafreniere! All stunning and all registered as powerful beings in their own right, with more of a dynamic of exchange with Apollo: on Sunday that trio showed us how Apollo endows the muses with power but their power also inspires him. Such an exciting cast.

  7. Miriam Miller did get a major role in Copeland Dance Episodes earlier this year, so she seems to be in high favor with Justin Peck at least. Thought she was quite good in Copeland Dance Episodes and made the most of the opportunity.

    Agree with those saying Kikta is promotion-ready; I found the decision to promote Gerrity ahead of her puzzling. 

  8. Really great night.

    250 alumni dancers came out at the end together, while the orchestra played “pomp and circumstance” and confetti  rained down. The alums all had been given commemorative pins they were wearing. One women I couldn’t recognize was asking all her fellow dancers to autograph a white button down shirt, cool idea. 
     

    the rally beforehand was lively and a number of musicians from the philharmonic and the met orchestra were there in solidarity along with some SAG-AFTRA members. Heard a few people who were confused by the SAG-AFTRA signs and thought it was one of their own demonstrations. The City Ballet orchestra performed wearing black T-shirt’s with their Union logo. 

    I was sitting next to some SAB teachers in a very dancer-heavy section and heard lots of “WOW”s from them as Mira and Sara danced. Felt like they both were really going for broke and taking risks, thrilling performances! Very moving to see the emotion and rapport between Russell and Sara in one of their last performances together. And Anthony and Megan were fabulous in Rubies. Also thought Indiana was excellent in Emeralds, very lush and expansive. 
     

    wonderful start to the 75th anniversary season! 

     

  9. 51 minutes ago, pirouette said:I cannot imagine the show will proceed if the musicians walk out (as people have noted previously, dancers and stagehands are unlikely to cross picket lines). 

    And some audience members (like myself) won’t want to either. Arghhhhhh. The musicians’ asks sound completely reasonable and there was just that big NYT piece about how healthy ticket sales and audience development are. Do the right thing City Ballet! 

  10. 22 hours ago, California said:

    My disappointment was that Kochetkova never seemed to "push the envelope" and surprise us -- faster, higher, cleaner, etc.  "Workmanlike" is too harsh, but I always wished for more from her.

    I remember feeling the same. I was surprised because her social media presence shows her to be a very vibrant person with a quirky sense of style and an individual point of view, clearly someone engaging seriously with the arts in a variety of disciplines. Yet the handful of times I saw her perform (only with ABT) it felt a bit cookie-cutter: polished and capable but not particularly exciting. I too was left wanting more.

  11. 35 minutes ago, FauxPas said:

    Gabe has opened up on Instagram that he learned of his departure by reading the New York Times:

    "I’m saddened by the recent announcement of my departure from the American Ballet Theatre after 12 years of dedication and hard work. It’s especially disappointing to learn of my own dismissal through the media without any effort to contact me personally.

    That sounds shockingly unprofessional and callous of ABT management (not to mention, a pretty dumb move PR-wise). 

  12. 8 minutes ago, California said:

    At Segerstrom next April, they're doing Ballet Imperial and new commissions by Bond and Abraham. That might be a mixed bill for the Met, too, in 2024:

    https://www.scfta.org/events/2024/american-ballet-theatre

    Delighted to learn ABT’s got a commission with Kyle Abraham. His two works for City Ballet are, IMO, two of their very best new ballets in the last decade. And they’ve sold well there, too. 

  13. On 7/25/2023 at 4:54 PM, California said:

    If anybody is seeing Other Dances this week, please give us a report. 

    I saw Other Dances last night with Isabella and Joo. I'm not sure it was a great programming choice for BAAND. The other 4 companies chose high energy works that were more playful and exuberant, and I love Other Dances but it's a quiet, intimate work that felt like it got a bit lost in that outdoor festival setting. Muted audience reaction compared to the other works danced.

     I think of Other Dances as being a more natural fit for someone like Hee Seo who has a very fluid, expressive upper body, but Isabella looked very polished and confident.  She had a beautiful manège of turns and a big, gorgeous jump, and everything was clearly articulated.

    Joo seemed to have some trouble in his first solo, particularly with landing the turns cleanly. He did not seem to have Isabella's confidence but his partnering looked solid.

  14. I was impressed by Hurlin's debut. She came out very "Hurricane Hurlin" and I felt her entrance scene was overdone (it looked too manic), but her performance really grew on me. She gave her Juliet a fully realized arc from boisterous girl to smitten admirer to passionate lover and finally into deep grief. She acted "big": I could see some saying it was over-the-top (like when in her final scene she mimed screaming upon discovering Romeo's death, or sprang in a leap off the stairs in the balcony scene) but for me it worked and felt moving. Her scenes with Juliet's parents, Paris, and the nurse were particularly excellent (and heartbreaking). Hurlin has a real gift in how she interacts with everyone she's on stage with in a very precise and nuanced way, like how she moved through the crowd in her Giselle mad scene responding in different ways with Giselle's mother, Hilarion, Albrecht, etc. The way she recoiled from the nurse in Act III, the way she pleaded with Lady Capulet, the way she scrubbed Paris' touch off her skin with her hands...all very impactful. She really fully inhabited the role, in my eyes. And like @abattI found her lush backbends to be so gorgeous. 

    I think she and Calvin could be great together (they can both be so emotive) but he was really having an off day. I enjoyed his Romeo last year very much; in that performance all the emotional nuance and beauty he delivered in the role made up for the fact that he didn't nail all the technical elements. But yesterday was just a weaker performance all around, dramatically and technically. He seemed inhibited and unable to deliver what I know he's capable of. Low energy. Some of the jumps and swordplay, particularly, just looked really listless and sloppy. Hopefully he's back in the fall on his usual level, he can be a joy to watch.

    Roman Zhurbin as Tybalt was the other highlight for me. He should be the one teaching all the ABT guys how to wield those swords! He was such a menacing, potent Tybalt, my eyes were drawn to him in every scene he was in. 

    I'm so bummed to not have gotten to see Stella as Lady Capulet again, but Claire Davison was a fine, very imperious LC (her interpretation felt quite in line with how she danced Mama Elena in LWFC). 

  15. Love these videos and reminiscences of the glorious Purple Von Rothbarts of yesteryear. Marcelo just OWNED that role, seducing everyone on stage and in the audience. Hallberg was more imperious, icy, and sinister in how he danced it but also super-compelling. 

    Nina's farewell ABT Swan Lake remains one of the most wonderful ballet evenings I can remember. She repeated her famous rippling "swan arms" for her final exit after her many many curtain calls, a beautiful last image of her on stage to give to her fans. 

  16. Saw the Seo/Bell cast on Tuesday night. 

    Seo is a strong Odette. She made such beautiful use of her upper body at every moment: head, neck, hands, arms, shoulders, and back all so fluid and conveying such tender emotion. I have seen her in this role before and have always been impressed by her Odette, but since I last saw her she's refined her use of her upper body even further to have a really exquisite "melting" quality that I loved. Unfortunately her Odile really fell short for me last night as it has in the past. She never looked less than gorgeous with her lines and her fouettés were credible if not show-stopping, but her Odile felt far too close to her Odette and lacked any real verve, menace, or sex appeal. It was a shame because her act I, II, and IV were so accomplished. It's not a passionate portrayal, but it feels like a carefully honed one that is truly hers and is moving in its vulnerable beauty.

    Bell was excellent all the way through to his final leap, which was one of the boldest and most elegantly shaped I can recall. Technically stellar and thoroughly princely, though I look forward to seeing his characterization continuing to develop to become more individual.

    Joo Won Ahn was flat for me as ballroom Von Rothbart. I'd love to see Klein or Curley do that role. Or Carlos Gonzalez, after seeing him as Benno.

    It was a real treat to see three dancers (Gonzalez, Coker, and Granlund) who made the most of what can be wonderful chance to see rising dancers but is all too often a bit of a dull slog at ABT. Gonzalez danced big yet precise, nailing the sudden shift from high jumps and turns into tight landings. Coker went for broke all the way through: megawatt smile, every step clear and danced to the full. Granlund was lovely too but seemed to be flagging towards the end, especially in contrast to the indefatigable Coker in the final sequence.

    I felt lucky to be seeing such luxe casting for the small roles, as in addition to the excellent aforementioned trio we got Chloe Misseldine and Sunmi Park as the two swans. What gorgeous dancers they both are. Chloe, especially, has an authority and amplitude to her dancing (and of course her height) that reminds me a bit of much-missed Veronika Part.  Also was glad to see Roman Zhurbin leading an especially lively Czardas with Paulina Waski. The petulant peasant girl who flirts with the prince and upsets her beau made more of an impression than it usually does: I think it was Virginia Lensi, and Fanqi Li stood out amongst the aristocrats. 

  17. A lot to take in in that essay.

    As others have said, it does feel unkind and uncalled for to suggest that Calvin's very much deserved principal promotion came through because ABT was trying to tick a diversity box. 

    This seems like a more complex case of how racism can play out than one in which someone who was an undeniable star was passed over, but IMO that doesn't mean Shayer's claims that racism at ABT held him back are baseless. We talk on this board all the time about how there are many (mostly white) men in ABT's principals ranks who are pretty mediocre. And yet, they made it to principal. 

  18. 2 hours ago, WLH said:

    Totally agree. Even at the end of his career, I’d still much prefer to see Cornejo than a lot of the other ABT principal men, where you are often choosing between A) solid technician, or B) acting capability. I look forward to a retirement programme that honours his artistry. 

    Co-signed. So many of the current ABT principal men are SO boring to watch even though they've got the technical chops. I prefer to see Cornejo, or Royal, to a number of their peers who've got more formidable technique but less artistry. 

    I also don't feel Cornejo is guilty of hanging on so long that watching him leaves you sad and just thinking of what once was (which was how I felt watching Bolle in his final performing days). I still find Cornejo's performances to be a joy. 

  19. Saw this afternoon's matinee with Hurlin and Camargo and echo many of @ABT Fan's observations!

    It was a beautiful debut from Hurlin and I was impressed at how fully she was inhabiting the character in her first time on stage in the role. She was excellent in both major moments, like those Act II back-bending jumps and the big penchées (beautiful control, slowly unfurling), and made a lot of various small moments as well. I was particularly struck by how much emotion she radiated at the end of Act II as the chimes rang. At this point in the ballet Myrtha is center stage and I usually focus on Myrtha and Albrecht, who Myrtha is threatening with imminent death. Giselle is down in the corner of the stage, not dancing, but Hurlin completely held my attention because she was conveying such relief and gratitude with her upper body as she heard the chimes. Very impactful. 

    I also thought her mad scene was very well done in how clearly articulated it was and how it built. Some of Hurlin's ABT peers get so muddled in this scene and are just kind of rushing around flailing. Hurlin conveyed Giselle's panic and heartbreak but also shaped distinct emotional responses to the different characters she was interacting with as she moved through the crowd. 

    I really liked Jaron Curley as Hilarion. He made Hilarion someone your heart broke for. A promotion at the end of the season would be deserved, in my opinion, and for Coker as well who elevates even a small role like Zulma into one that holds your attention. 

    I love the suggestion upthread about bringing back Veronika Part to coach Myrtha: for me, she is supreme in the role and today Fangqi Li could have used some of the authority and power Veronika used to wield so chillingly. Li is a beautiful dancer, and I imagine with great coaching she could be a formidable Myrtha, but dramatically she was underpowered today.

    Like @ABT Fan, I found Camargo's finale very moving. He portrayed Albrecht's grief and devastation SO powerfully. I found him to be much less interesting in Act I, I didn't get a strong sense of his character until Act II. I prefer interpretations of Albrecht where he's a bit more of a cad, or a bit more of an innocent, or bit more oily: for me Camargo's Act I Albrecht was kind of here nor there. He has the dramatic chops, obviously, so perhaps in the future some of the color will come into his Act I Albrecht.

  20. 2 hours ago, abatt said:

    Did anyone notice either Blaine Hoven or J. Gorak cast in any minor roles in LWFC?  They are still listed on the website, but not listed for any upcoming assignments. 

     

    Neither was in the premiere (Cornejo/trenary) cast. 

     

  21. Saw the Trenary/Cornejo cast Saturday evening. I enjoyed this ballet and think it's a good addition to ABT's rep, despite its flaws. Give me this over "Of Love and Rage" any day.

    I too wish this ballet had more, well, full-on ballet--especially ensemble dances. It feels like a missed opportunity not to have had any dancing for the wedding guests in the first act, for example. Still, the roles are quite rich dramatically and this is a real opportunity for the company's dancers with acting chops to shine. Christine Shevchenko was a forceful and imperious Mama Elena, and Catherine Hurlin gave the finest dance-drama performance I've seen from her. I remember being struck when I saw her dance the lead in "Of Love and Rage" at how one-note she was; here she brought Gertrudis's full character arc to life very vividly (from sidelined middle child to wanton sexual awakening to proto-feminist leader boldly taking up space and claiming her place in the family on her own terms). Trenary is a dancer who has not made much of an impression on me as a principal but here she really delivered a nuanced, powerful characterization through her dancing that was genuinely moving. She has good chemistry with Herman, who is always a joy. The final pas de deux has many very tricky lifts that must require immense trust and seamless coordination to execute and she and Herman delivered them with aplomb. 

    The first act is long, but for me it didn't drag because so much was happening. Definitely read the plot synopsis ahead of time; my friend didn't and found herself squinting at it during the first act trying to make sense of what was happening on stage. I think they could have profitably cut the first act plot line about the baby, which takes up two whole scenes.  From a dance perspective, it was limiting (not much you can do dance-wise with a baby), and as they were already departing from the novel there I think they could have just streamlined things and created more room for "pure dance" moments by saying that Mama Elena ordered Dr John Brown to take Tita away to Texas to get her away from Pedro. 

    As far as sets/costumes/staging goes, this is far above almost everything else in ABT's rep (with the exception of Whipped Cream, which is visually quite delightful). The sets are creative and impactful: I'm thinking particularly of the moment at the end of the first act where the papel picado backdrop becomes a blanket that Dr John wraps around Tita's shoulders. I also loved the opening image of the row of bridal Catrinas who turn around to become old ladies in black knitting, and then settle in the back of the stage. And I loved the judicious use of stage magic in the ballets very last moments. I also enjoyed the score and thought the orchestra sounded great under the guest conductor. 

    Audience reaction seemed very positive; I imagine this will have good word of mouth. But it was noticeable to me from where I was sitting in the parterre that the parterre was VERY poorly sold (maybe half the boxes were totally empty). Orchestra looked reasonably full, though. 

    I'd like to see this one again, I'd enjoy seeing how different dancers interpret the characters. 

  22. 5 hours ago, abatt said:

     I wanted more actual dancing and less gesturing. 

    [...]

    Overall I felt that the choreography was more like something you would see at a Broadway show rather than the level of sophistication I have come to expect from a top tier ballet company.   One act of Don Q has more sophisticated and difficult choreography than 3 acts of LWFC.

     

    I'll see LWFC tomorrow evening, but your description makes me think of how I felt watching English National Ballet do Wheeldon's Cinderella last week. Which, FWIW, had sold very well at Royal Albert Hall which is a massive theater. I do think there's audience appetite for ballets that lean more dance-theater than "capital B" Ballet, but if I want that I prefer Matthew Bourne's more creative and inventive take on the genre it to Wheeldon's. 

  23. I could really see Isabella Boylston following a similar trajectory to Megan Fairchild at City Ballet. Both were promoted on the basis of sterling technique and work ethic but were often considered to be artistically limited. Then, Megan experienced a late-career artistic breakthrough. I used to avoid her performances and now I seek them out! It's been a real joy of the last few years of City Ballet-going for me to watch her evolution. Isabella seems deeply committed to ballet and to growing as an artist, I could see that happening for her too.

    Echo everyone highlighting Fleytoux, Coker, Curley, and Klein as ones to watch in the corps. On the principal front, I really like Calvin. Does he have the most gorgeous classical technique? No. Is he a compelling presence on stage who really shines as an artist? In my eyes, yes. I would rather watch him than most of the current roster.

    The problem for me at ABT today is that there aren't enough dancers in the company who can act, emote, and make interesting artistic choices in how they interpret their roles. When I watch them, I feel like I'm seeing someone execute the steps that, say, Giselle does. But I don't feel like I'm seeing Giselle. And I certainly don't have the thrill I used to have with Vishneva, of knowing that her interpretation of Giselle with ABT one season might shift into a different, equally glorious one the next. Given the core of ABT's rep, that's obviously a huge problem. 

    I worry that ABT has entered a kind of death spiral, where lower ticket sales mean even more limited budgets for coaching, hiring inspiring/exciting guest artists, and less general investment in the artists' development, and then it becomes harder to attract top-tier talent to the company, and then ticket sales go down further, and so on. But as someone pointed out upthread, ABT has been in tough spots before where it looked like the company was fading, and then they came roaring back. Hopefully that happens again.

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