MarzipanShepherdess

On 7/18/2022 at 10:49 AM, Roberta said:

I recall an amazing ABT Facebook post a while ago, featuring Sun Mi Park rehearsing Kitri in Don Q pdd's balances. OMG! Just found the link. Hope it works:

Facebook Watch

WOW. Thanks for sharing this. I wonder if she was being courted by another company and that sped up her promotion. She is certainly a talent. 

VERY excited for this fall season. I really enjoy Whipped Cream, and have found it to be a great ballet to invite friends who aren't die-hard balletomanes to see. It's a very visually engaging ballet with the sets and costumes, but also has real choreographic substance. And it has lots of wonderful roles for corps dancers to sparkle in (I'm thinking the liquors trio, for example, which was the first time Catherine Hurlin registered to me as a major talent to watch). Would love to see Jonathan Klein as The Boy, and Léa Fleytoux as the dancing champagne bottle. 

Also thrilled for the return of Ashton, a choreographer I wish ABT would program more of, and echo the prayers for a Cornejo Puck. Will be glad to have the chance to enjoy The Seasons again, and to see Sinfonietta and Lifted for the first time. I don't see anything exclusionary about Lifted having an all-Black creative team, it's way to put a spotlight on Black talent in ballet. The only ballet I'm not excited about is the Jessica Lang, as she's responsible for the piece of ABT rep I loath most (ZigZag) but...at least they're not programming ZigZag again? 

7 hours ago, choriamb said:

I'm surprised that Coker, Clerico, and Ishchuk weren't elevated in this round, because I've seen all three carry off performances with more elan than some current principals at a comparable stage in their careers. So, I rather wonder if they're simply waiting for them to season as classical dancers first. Or maybe McKenzie thought it was wiser to elevate some less-publicized dancers first lest their gifts go unnoticed by the new AD:  a lot of people can maintain a classical line or act in the studio...knowing who can maintain those things consistently on stage is very different.

Your reasoning here makes a great deal of sense to me as an explanation for why Kevin chose SunMi, Betsy, Chloe, and Breanne for his last round of promotions over Zimmi, the corps dancer everyone seems to have felt surest was going to get promoted. And Sung Woo Han over someone like Andrii Ishchuk. He does seem to have gone with less obvious candidates.

8 hours ago, balletlover08 said:

Waski was at Boston previously and did their whole season before coming to ABT and doing all of the Met season. So she probably was just exhausted. She will hopefully be in better form after some rest. On one of her instagram captions she said she did 25 shows of Swan Lake in 2 months which seems like a lot. 

That explains a lot, thanks for this context! I recalled posters here admiring Paulina and was surprised at feeling underwhelmed when I saw her in solos this season. But oof, doing a full Boston Ballet season and then a full ABT season in the corps would exhaust anyone. I look forward to seeing her when she's recharged.

Today's matinee was a great end to the season! My favorite ABT performance this year.

Calvin Royal stepped in for Herman and delivered a wonderful performance. I know it was Cassandra's day, but he was really the highlight for me. Calvin's Romeo shares some qualities with his Siegfried: this is a youthful, innocent Romeo (very different from Herman who dances Romeo with more flirtatiousness, confidence, and all-around swagger), giddy with first love. He really captured the heady, destabilizing, even slightly goofy energy of teen love. The ballroom moment where he first sees Juliet was great, he played it like he was so surprised that someone so gorgeous could exist. It was particularly moving to see Calvin's Romeo blossom in the Act I balcony pas de deux. His exuberant manège felt like such a pure expression of joy at feeling his love reciprocated, and as soon as he finished it his face broke into this huge smile which projected not bravado but rapturous adoration for Juliet ("I did this for YOU!"). He brought out the best in Cassandra: I enjoyed her performance most when she was playing off him and least in her solos. Some of the more bravura moments in his Act II solo did not look great (particularly the jumps where he was reversing his torso orientation in the air, I don't know the name of this step), but I can overlook that when the overall performance is as strongly felt and beautifully articulated as his was.

It was a solid debut for Cassandra but I wouldn't race to see her in this role again for another season or two as I'm sure she'll develop more from here. She looked beautiful and I especially admired her elevation and jump. But to me she is still figuring out the dramatic side of this role. This was particularly apparent in her Act III bedroom scene after Calvin exited. This is such a juicy scene for a ballerina, who can choose to dance it with gentle sweetness, or heartbreak, or even rage or insanity (as Diana Vishneva used to, bringing it into full-on mad scene territory). Cassandra didn't seem to know quite what she was going for here and there were some awkward moments, like when she was sitting on the floor and then later sitting on the bed, and not really projecting any emotion in particular or using her body to convey anything. It felt like she was just waiting for the music to pass by. I do think she has chemistry with Calvin, and she gave a much stronger performance when she was reacting to him like in the balcony scene where she was particularly lovely and lyrical. It was sweet to see her being showered with flowers at her curtain call.

Jonathan Klein debuted earlier this week as Mercutio, and he already radiates confidence and ease in the role and is giving richly detailed performances. He delivers the whole arc, from the machismo acrobatics to the tragic panic of his death scene. Really, really excellent. A soloist promotion is not far off for him, I imagine. Big big applause from the audience.

Another highlight for me: Zhong-Jing Fong as Lady Capulet. This is a role that the right ballerina can really do something with (like Veronika Part and Stella Abrera used to), and Zhong-Jing was the most imperious, most icily elegant lady Capulet I can recall...which made her final breakdown in Juliet's tomb all the more heartbreaking. Beyond her dance talents, Fong is really a fabulous character artist and I hope she has a long career in these kinds of roles with ABT like Roman has had. Would LOVE to see her Carabosse after this performance. 

9 hours ago, nycvillager said:

Oh no, I had specifically gotten a ticket to see Cornejo with Trenary too. I was really looking forward to it, as he was still in fine form this season and didn't expect that this past weekend would be the last time I'd see him this season. I'll probably still go to see Trenary as I didn't get to see much of her this season, but not particularly excited about Royal. 

Oh no! I also got a ticket for Saturday specifically to see Cornejo. Disappointing. After seeing his Siegfried debut, though, I'm looking forward to seeing Calvin as Romeo. 

18 hours ago, abatt said:

She was with Texas Ballet Theater, not Houston Ballet.   Is Houston Ballet the same thing as Texas Ballet Theater?   

Apologies, I mixed up the two companies in my earlier post! Nonetheless, I do admire McBride leaving a principal contract, even one with a less prestigious company, to dance in the corps at ABT.

Agree with everyone yearning for the return of Ashton's Cinderella. I enjoyed the aesthetic of the Kudelka production, with its gorgeous Art Deco sets and soigné costumes, but I love the Ashton production in its entirety. And the performances I remember attending seemed reasonably well sold.

I'm surprised Zimmi Coker wasn't promoted. While younger and newer to the corps than some of the others promoted to soloist, she has certainly been dancing a soloist's workload successfully for some time now and it would seem appropriate to recognize that. In the next cycle, hopefully! She certainly deserves it.

I'll be glad for more opportunities to see Daniel Camargo. He was definitely one of the brighter spots in "Of Love and Rage" for me. Real dramatic ability and stage presence, which IMO a number of the male principals at ABT currently lack. 

It's good to see Betsey McBride promoted. I admire immensely the risk she took in leaving a principal contract with Houston Ballet to come in as a corps dancer with ABT and work her way back up again. 

Roman's promotion surprises me. He doesn't dance roles I think of as principal roles, though obviously he is a valued and longstanding member of the company. I wonder if his repertoire will change now, though that seems unlikely given how relatively late in his career he is. I wonder if Kevin wanted to make the promotion knowing it wouldn't happen under the new leadership?

14 hours ago, Drew said:

Very happy to read about Seo's performance. In the right role (and/or on the right night) I have found her a beautiful classical dancer.

I agree! There were a few years (2018 and 2019, certainly)  where she was CONSTANTLY being pulled in when other ballerinas were out, and was dancing a huge load already, and I think some people now underestimate her after seeing her when she was really overstretched or just miscast. But I’ve seen her do really lovely Juliets, Lilac Fairies, and Nikiyas. I think she’s one of the most lyrical dancers in the current company. There’s depth there. 

38 minutes ago, FauxPas said:

I am seeing Gillian and Robert Forster tonight. 

Let me rush in to defend Irina Dvorovenko's acting - I actually saw her act onstage in an adaptation of Henry James' "The Beast in the Jungle".  She also was wildly funny and childishly temperamental in Encores' "On Your Toes".  There's a lot going on behind those eyes onstage and onscreen these days. 

I found Irina particularly delicious in comedy.  She was fabulous as "The Merry Widow" in Ronald Hynd's ballet version and a charmer as the Operetta Star in Antony Tudor's derivative "Offenbach in the Underworld".  Irina did period style very well.  She also was a delicious Kitri in "Don Q" opening and closing her fan over her head while knocking out fouettes.  I didn't see it but her comedy in Le Grand Pas de Deux by Christian Spuck as a bespectacled ballerina klutz was evidently priceless.

I had less luck with her big classical roles where I often got her on a bad night where she had onstage bobbles.  Her Gamzatti however was always spot on and there was lots of evil going on behind those eyes.

 

Agree, justice for Irina! I thought she was a great Odile as well: sexy, vampy, self-possessed, always looked like she was having a ball. Total femme fatale energy.  As you did, I also enjoyed her in "The Merry Widow" and as Kitri. She didn't do "soft", romantic roles as well--I never liked her Odette--but she could be great in roles that drew on her excellent comic timing and flair.

Saw Christine and Calvin yesterday afternoon for Calvin's debut, which I think was also Andrii Ischuk's debut as Purple Von Rothbart. Seeing ABT now makes me feel so OLD: I feel like such a granny pining for the "good old days", but that's really the primary feeling I had yesterday seeing this Swan Lake. I miss Marcelo! I miss Diana, Veronika, and Nina! I miss Irina vamping it up as Odile! 

Christine is a very polished, technically assured Odette and Odile but she just doesn't make me FEEL anything when I watch her in the role. She hits the marks, but I don't get the heartbreak, ardor, or tenderness my favorites brought to Odette or the wicked glee or sensuality they delivered as Odile. I found her interpretation to be a bit cool. An imperious Odile, a crystalline Odette. Would not want to see her again in this role.

Calvin, I would want to see again. I think it was a very promising debut. He is really an interesting dancer, as @Buddydescribed him, with a unique presence, depth, and a feel for character. It wasn't a fully formed interpretation, but one is emerging. His Siegfried is young and shy, not fully at ease with himself, rushing into love, and he conveyed that innocence beautifully. There were moments where he got a bit lost on stage, I think he's still figuring out how to convey that shy innocence AND hold the stage. The moment when he realizes he's been tricked by Odile and Von Rothbart was particularly heartbreaking. There were moments where his characterization faltered, but then he'd do something really beautiful and emotive a few movements later. An example being his final moments on stage: his rush up the rocks was kind of half-baked, he was trying to grab at the rocks but it didn't really look convincing, but then he did one of the most beautiful final leaps I've ever seen a Siegfried deliver. Just glorious. Even though his technique can be uneven (great elevation, sometimes unpolished on the landings, for example), I found him more compelling to watch than Christine who, objectively has better technique. 

Not much to report on Ischuk's debut as PVR. Nice jumps but did not project the authority or sexy sleaze that can make this such a great role. I'm still waiting for someone worthy to walk in Marcelo's purple suede thigh-highs. 

I echo the frustrations of everyone saying increasingly at ABT, and especially for Swan Lake, they can rarely find casting where they like BOTH principals performing. After seeing Camargo in "Of Love and Rage" (where he really stood out dramatically) I'd love to see his Siegfried, but I would not want to see Isabella's Odette. I settled on Christine and Calvin in the end, after hearing good reviews of her O/O here and being curious about Royal as Siegfried. I think he's a very elegant dancer with a princely mien, I'm optimistic it will be a compelling debut even if not the most technically polished or bravura. Also interested to see how Andrii does as Purple Von Rothbart. 

Well, I won’t be seeing this one again. 

The choreography has interest, particularly where Ratmansky takes inspiration from classical friezes with the corps dancing in profile, and references Greek folk dancing with some of the choreography for the corps men. Some lovely lifts. 

But oof, the plot. There are three or four pas de deux where the heroine is being literally dragged around the stage by yet another man who’s enslaved her, sometimes seemingly unconscious, or going in and out of consciousness. I think there are ballerinas who could have brought some anguish or rage to those pas de deux, but Hurlin dances Callirhoe very sweetly and girlishly pretty much all the way through. It’s a one-note characterization. There are points where she’s clearly conveying that Callirhoe is -uncomfortable-, but I did not get the “strong woman using her brains and beauty” vibe that Ratmansky claims this role represents. 

We’re supposed to feel delighted when Chareas and Callirhoe reunite in the end, but, seriously? He almost murdered her in Act I! I could not feel any emotional investment in this couple’s story together, so the ending fell really flat for me. 

Bell has some bravado moments, which he did quite well, and he and Hurlin of course have chemistry. She is very pretty in this role, and technically accomplished, but one-note in her characterization. 

l think this was misstep for ABT. The subject matter, in 2022, feels thoughtless and in poor taste. And even putting that aside, the plot is incredibly repetitive. Man wants Callirhoe, she’s kidnapped by another man, rinse and repeat three times. It’s also a very similar story to Le Corsaire. All for new work at ABT, but not like this. 
 

19 hours ago, Papagena said:

They definitely need a new marketing team or agency. Boylston has a pretty big following and is quite marketable, but it's odd they didn't capitalize on the signature joy and fullness of her dancing (thinking of the iconic Herrera Don Q shots). 

But I'm wondering if there even is a good way to market Of Love and Rage? A convoluted storyline where the female lead is the 'most beautiful woman in the world' trope, tossed around by men, and story's hero almost kills her in a fit of rage? I just don't know what the draw is here besides my enjoyment of watching Ratmansky's choreography and how difference dancers adapt to it (which could even get me through multiple showings of Harlequinade).  

I know opera is more popular than ballet so it's not a fair comparison, but even the undersold week nights at the opera are about as full as the better sold weekends at ABT. Akhenaten sold out on both runs with tons of first-time opera goers and people begging for tickets outside. The production had a strong identity and felt glamorous and fascinating, weird and moving. If ABT could harness just a fraction of that energy ... 

Anyway, still looking forward to the premier on Monday! I am, however, having a very hard time convincing people to come with me (even on rush tickets). 

Agree with so many of the points you make here. Or think of BAM's recent very successful run of Akram Khan's Giselle with English National Ballet, which attracted a young, diverse audience beyond die-hard balletomanes even though it's a reworked 19th century classic, ENB hasn't toured here in 30 years, and none of the dancers in the company are well-known in the states. It can be done!

ABT has a marketing problem, but also a programming problem. I love Ratamansky's work and will buy tickets to anything he does, but in reading his interview about 'Of Love and Rage' in the program last night I was really struck by how completely out of touch he sounded when talking about what a beautiful love story Callirhoe (the source text) is because the heroine forgives the hero after he almost murders her in a fit of rage. In 2022, those sentiments do not fly with many prospective audience members. They make ME queasy, but I am so interested in Ratmansky's choreography that I'll still show up. But yes, similar to you I am finding none of my friends have any interest in the production given the subject. It sounds like Susan Jaffe is a bit more enlightened in this area than some of her predecessors, so hopefully under her leadership ABT will do better.

What a gift to have been able to see Simkin last night! His technical level has been world-class for a long time, but what struck me seeing him last night was how he's now reaching even further heights than just a few years ago, when he was obviously already a well-established international star. The last thing I saw him in was ABT's 2019 Le Corsaire, where he did jawdropping 540s. Last night, he did jawdropping 540s AND THEN, at the end of his final 540 manège, what I can only describe as three "540+" leaps. He did something that felt similar in spirit with some of his turns: super-fast, then decelerating into what you thought would be the end of the turn but instead actually picking up speed again to do another series of fast revolutions before ending with perfect control. He always goes for MORE but you never see the effort and it always look superbly beautiful and precise. I so admire how he continues to push himself as an artist. PLEASE do whatever it takes to bring him back, Susan!

 I agree with others here who say Kitri is Boylston's best role. She nails all the acting and brings a lot of fun, vivacious energy, and has the big jump and fast fouettés. Great hops, all across the stage. I noticed, like others, that there was visible effort in the balances, but I admired how she really went for them full out even though they were obviously challenging her: choosing to transition into doing them unsupported and holding them for quite a while. I'd rather see that in a Kitri than see a ballerina just do a brief, wobble-free balance. To me, Isabella got stronger as the evening went on. In Act I, I was disappointed in her Plisetskaya jumps. She doesn't seem to have the flexibility in her back to really bend to create that iconic shape. 

I appreciate how Don Q, more so than a lot of ABT's rep, has juicy roles for lots of dancers including soloists and people in the corps. Of these, Léa Fleytoux stood out to me as a gorgeous, crystalline Amour. Very precise, very spritely, very charming. One to watch, who definitely seems like a good candidate to fill out the thin soloist ranks. I was also impressed by Jonathan Klein as the gypsy king: big jumps, big presence. Don't think I've ever seen him in a featured role before. Luciana Paris had just a few minutes as the gypsy queen, but threw herself into it 110%. And Sung Woo Han was excellent as Gamache, great comic timing, great mime, drew your eye. 

Thomas Forster and Devon were solid as Mercedes and Espada but just didn't quite have the oomph or flair I wanted. It wasn't lack of technique: I kept thinking of how much I enjoyed Stella Abrera as Mercedes (who Devon certainly outshines as a technician); Stella just had this sparkle and verve and playfulness as Mercedes that I wanted more of from Devon. 

A promising start to the season, though the number of empty orchestra seats for a Saturday night with an A list guest artist did not seem to bode well ticket sales-wise.

Lovely performance last night all around. I hope the company is sending Unity on some kind of spa retreat after dancing all three Titania's her debut weekend. She looked great last night, very elegant, very delicate and ethereal. I think I personally prefer a bit of a stronger, more commanding Titania (I'm thinking of how Tess Reichlen danced it) but Unity's interpretation is a lovely one.

I echo @cobweb's praise for Harrison, Anthony, and Tiler and Tyler. Claire Kretzchsmar also stood out to me amongst the lover quartet, and as did Alexa Maxwell as the Butterfly. I was enjoying imagining a narrative link between her stunning debut in The Cage earlier this season and her Butterfly role: maybe she takes down The Queen after the events of The Cage and she leads her fearsome troupe off to the Athenian woods, where they grow wings and mellow out and float around with Puck.

I'm already sad City Ballet isn't dancing Midsummer next season. It's just such a gorgeous, joyful, fun ballet on every level and it gives so many generous opportunities to see dancers from all ranks of the company shine. And I enjoy it as something I can invite people in my life who are ballet-curious to see that they'll reliably enjoy. 

I must vent about a new low in bad ballet audience behavior: last night someone seated near me in the first ring not only had their phone ring and ring and ring TWICE, once in each act, but the first time it was a face time call which they proceeded to answer and started chatting away before being hissed into silence by fellow audience members. I truly cannot fathom how someone would think that was okay to do!

1 minute ago, cobweb said:

I imagine Phelan and Gerrity will take up some of those slots. Also I vote for Isabella LaFreniere. 

I’d love to see LaFreniere get a Titania. She’s been stunning this season. 

1 hour ago, FayBallet said:

I'm not familiar with Piano Pieces at all. The beginning seemed especially sloppy to me, but I couldn't tell if it was the dancers, the choreography (folksy ease?), or both. Did anyone else get that impression? 

Yes, agree the corps looked under-rehearsed in piano pieces. 

I had never seen piano pieces before and quite enjoyed it. I appreciate the generous scope of it: we get languid pdd, tender pdd, bravura solos, big group dances, folksy bits…lots of opportunities for different dancers to shine in different ways. 

roman Meija was the standout to me: exciting presence, big big jumps, fast and precise footwork. Tiler also was fabulous.

sara mearns was originally cast in the role emilie Gerrity danced, and emilie was lovely but I couldn’t help but yearn for some of the intensity and “go for broke” energy Sara brings to her dancing. Emilie, both in piano pieces and again in four seasons, is a bit careful and mannered to me. As Balanchine used to say: “what are you saving it for?” Which was a thought I had watching Indiana in the spring pdd, as well. Chun Wai Chan brought more of the presence I was looking for in his role. 
 

Danny Ulbricht was having a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed Unity in autumn. Just gorgeous. After seeing her last night, I lean towards seeing her Titania over Emilie’s. 

7 hours ago, tutu said:

Any reports from Maxwell’s Cage debut?

Got to see her both in her debut Friday night, and then again today when she subbed in for Sterling. Alexa was absolutely thrilling in both performances. She really, already, nails the full arc of the Novice: from cringing neophyte to powerful killer, with all the shadings of uncertainty, sensual pleasure, and guilt along the way. Very rich interpretation of the role. Isabella was also excellent in her debut as the Queen, right from her very first entrance. Gorgeous, impossibly high extensions, so commanding and intimidating. 

I enjoyed having the opportunity to see two casts of Rubies, La Baiser, and Duo Concertant in such close proximity. For me, La Baiser is one of those ballets that falls a bit flat with certain dancers. Didn't love it with Erica Peirera and Anthony Huxley, but found it quite engaging with Tiler and Joseph Gordon today. With the right dancers, I find the pas de deux (especially the final segment where the corps dancers come on and separate the principals, shades of the final act of Swan Lake) quite beautiful and moving. Their partnering had a lot more excitement, and Tiler's superlative turns were in thrilling evidence. And Joseph emoted quite a bit more than Anthony, which brought more depth for the final pas de deux.

Duo Concertant: Indiana was lovely in both performances, but her partnership with Taylor Stanley has more depth to me than when she dances with Anthony. Anthony looked great in his solos, but the heart of Duo Concertant of course is the partnering which becomes so tender and emotional in the final movement and Taylor did that section superlatively in his debut Friday. And he has such expressive port de bras, which made the kissing-the-hand-and-kneeling sequence so gorgeous.

Rubies: I'm with those who find Erica hitting all the marks in Rubies but lacking the bold verve and playfulness that great interpreters of the role like Sterling bring to it. Sterling just owns that role, for me, I will miss her in it SO much. She looks like she's having the absolute time of her life every time she does it, there's such a sense of ease and joy even as she does quite technically demanding things. I really enjoy Mira as Tall Girl, but it felt like she didn't have quite the attack and confidence these last two days that she had winter season, which is only to be expected as she's JUST coming back from being out for several weeks with a COVID infection. Still, she is so exciting in this role and I look forward to seeing her grow in it for years to come. 

Edited to add: Roman Meija was superb in Rubies. Big, bold, exciting dancing all the way through. He really went for it--in one of his final series of turns you could see the sweat flying off of him as he spun into the wings. Just fantastic.

38 minutes ago, BalanchineFan said:

I think Orpheus is a ballet that could use additional coaching. Many writers have commented on how its impact is not what it was in other decades. I've often found Euridice's death mishandled by the way things work with the curtain. I remember seeing it in the 80's and it was like the curtain billowed and she disappeared suddenly, tragically.  Recent viewings have been less dramatic (once I could even see the people pull her under the curtain) and it makes me question whether other... nuances, shall we say, have been lost. I'n not sure i've seen the ballet since the pandemic, but I'm looking forward to seeing it this weekend.

Thank you for this perspective! That's interesting, last night Eurydice's death registered to me as more of a slow pull under the curtain versus a sudden disappearance, and I did feel like we were seeing the "behind the scenes" a little more than we should have. The parts that felt like they weren't quite landing for me were mostly the parts that made the heaviest use of props (like the sequence where Apollo comes on with the bow and the other mythological figures come out with their own corresponding props, and they assemble a figure out of all the props which Orpheus then dances before).  The final moments, with Apollo dancing with the mask representing the now-dead Orpheus, didn't feel like they had the emotional impact they should have, it felt like the dancer was really relying on the presence of the prop to communicate everything and not projecting much himself. 

37 minutes ago, BalanchineFan said:

Any thoughts on Unity and Amar in Agon?  Wasn't it her debut in that role? 

Has Joseph Gordon danced Apollo yet? He would be my next pick!

I thought it was a very strong debut by Unity. Lots of enthusiastic applause and cheers for her (and Amar) both right after their pas de deux and during the curtain calls. Apollo and Orpheus were great, but Agon was the piece of the program that got the most enthusiastic audience reaction.

I feel awful for Ashley Laracey, who has been dancing so well this season and getting so many great and well-deserved opportunities--hopefully she at least gets to have her Apollo debut in the fall as it seems unlikely she'll be back on stage this spring. Not sure how City Ballet is determining when dancers down with COVID can return to performing, but it seems like people are out for two weeks or so?

Still, I was glad to have the chance to see Sterling dance Eurydice since it's not one that will come again. She was, predictably, glorious. I'd never seen Orpheus before and loved the sets and costumes, but had mixed feelings about the ballet as a whole. It reminded me of Balanchine's Firebird, in some ways: visually, it's so striking but I'm left hungry for more dance-wise (even though it has more exciting choreography than Firebird). Sterling was definitely the highlight for me. 

21 hours ago, BalanchineFan said:

I thought Erica Pereira looked good, sharp, clear, energy out her toes. Something weird happened on her first entrance. Did anyone else notice? She seemed to get lost in a crowd of the white leotard girls, but she got out quickly.

I noticed, something weird definitely did happen--it looked to me like she actually briefly collided with one of the corps girls as she was coming onstage from the wings and they were rushing en masse to stage left. But everyone recovered gracefully.

I love Symphony in Three Movements and wish City Ballet staged it more. From the opening diagonal of corps dancers doing those lunging movements and oh-so-dramatic ponytail flips to the sinuous, sharp yet sharp second movement pas de deux to the big energetic finale with so many dancers on stage, it's such a feast. Ashley Laracey was the highlight for me, I thought she was very precise and had the quickness and jump the role needs. I had never really been particularly struck by her before this season, but she also stood out to me last week in her Goldberg Variations solo and partnering. She seems to be bringing her dancing up to new heights this spring.

I echo everyone else who was lukewarm on Scherzo Fantastique. It was a nice chance to see some dancers I enjoy (Taylor Stanley and Miriam Miller especially) but it is not a standout ballet for me, choreography-wise. 

Firebird: I went in feeling bummed knowing I wouldn't be seeing Sara Mearns, but I was really wowed by Isabella LaFreniere. As@BalanchineFan and @cobweb said, the Balanchine Firebird isn't exactly the meatiest role dance-wise but Isabella absolutely made the most of every single second she had! In her final solo, she really brought a pathos to the role that was for me unexpected, evoking how the Firebird is a powerful creature but also very much constrained by the magic that governs her existence. I don't love the Martins Swan Lake but I'd really love to see Isabella do Odette/Odile, after that performance. 

14 hours ago, cobweb said:

Gotta agree with that!

Same, as someone who had tickets to see Sara in Firebird on Friday and is sad to hear she won't be gracing us with performances for a while. Kikta is the replacement casting I'd be most excited to see.

Such a loss that the Tanowitzs won't be performed the rest of the season, I'm really glad I had the opportunity to see them before the cast got so winnowed by COVID. I wonder if they'll alter the fall programming to make room for them given that they weren't able to have their full run this spring and seemed to be well-received.

1 hour ago, cobweb said:

I know this comes up from time to time, but can anyone recommend a reasonably priced restaurant, close to the theatre, for a sit-down dinner before the show on a weeknight? I could go with Le Pain Quotidien, but was wondering about other options. 

The Smith (which is right across the street) is my reasonably priced pre-ballet go-to. For meat eaters, Bar Boulud also has entrees under $30. 

Also attended the Saturday Serenade/Goldberg Variations matinee and felt it was a wonderful afternoon. I really liked the duo of Serenade and Goldberg Variations and felt they balanced each other well. Serenade is such a lush, profoundly emotional, intense 30 minutes, and GV to me feels more playful, less emotional weighty but lots of intellectual interest and beauty. Each great in its own way.

Agree with @abattand @JuliaJthat Miriam Miller is a fantastic new Dark Angel, her gorgeous lines, port de bras, and arabesque all on show to great effect. IMO Hod's made a fine debut with room to grow--hopefully she will dance Russian Girl bigger and with some more fire as she gains confidence in the role (and I recognize it was no mean feat to even make the debut given her recent recovery from COVID). I was just blown away by Sara's Waltz Girl; I've seen her dance this role a number of times but it really feels like she continues to evolve it in such moving ways. On Saturday, I was particularly struck by the intensity with which she clung to Aaron Sanz's hand as Miriam was leading him offstage, really trying to pull him back towards her: this Waltz Girl was not going to just accept that parting peacefully. That moment really informed the ending sequence for me, making the final resignation to fate that Sara projected while kneeling before the final lift, and the sense of transcendent acceptance in her final backbend, that much more moving.

Thought the whole GV cast looked great and will add to the praise for Isabella and Sterling that I was especially struck by Miriam and Preston as the opening and closing pas de deux couple (such gravity and elegance), Chun Wai Chan in the second part knocking out some amazing turns, and Ashley Laracey who was lovely and light in her part I solo.