CTballetfan

I am so sorry to hear this. I have fond memories of them dancing together in romantic ballets, very special moments they allowed the audience to share. Tiler is always so ebullient in her dancing, I hope she will be able to continue to be so as she works through this stage in her life. For me, she is the quintessential ballerina dancing today. 

I was interested in the mixed reactions to Semionova asO/O. I saw her perform this with Hallberg in June 2013 and I remember thinking her too mannered, her very long arms fluttering almost self-consciously. I decided after this performance that she was not my cup of tea and avoided her subsequent performances. But I recognize that everyone has their own favorite dancers. I agree that it took Murphy a while to develop dramatic skills to go with her superb technique, but she did and now she is the complete package, but sorry I am that she has had to miss almost the entire season. I hope she will be able to dance the last week. I have a ticket and am hoping to see her.

I saw Vishneva/Gomes the last time Onegin was performed by ABT at the Met--I think 2013. There is not much memorable dancing. It's all about the intensity and drama of the relationship between the two principals. Lots of backbends, twists and turns in each other's arms, much emoting. V and G were perfect together. I don't see Cory Stearns capable of that much expressed emotion, although I expect Abrera will be able to emote her role well. Because I can get to NY for only a couple of performances this spring, I decided against Onegin b/c I had already seen the best a few years ago. So my advice echoes others who have responded--try to see V and G if you can b/c it's all about the emotion and connection between the two, not the dancing. 

Thank you, thank you to all of you who witnessed and compared all the performances of SL. I read and absorbed them all. At times I felt like a bouncing ball hopping from one point of view to the next as the posts kept coming, furiously last night, even at intermission! My knowledge of ballet vocabulary is limited to my ballet lessons as a girl and young teen, so I would love to see each of the important steps you comment on--maybe a quick video. Of course I am familiar with the fouettés and have counted them myself in other SLs, most memorably Michele Wiles and Gillian. I know Gillian was missed this week--O/O is one of her greatest roles. But I am heartened that ABT has a cadre of up and coming leading ladies--this is exciting. I have a ticket for Tchaikovsky Spectacular and hope to see many of them dance that evening.

 I would just like to comment that for me, what I want to see in a full-length romantic ballet is a performance that transports and enthralls me, takes me out of the everyday world to a magical place. I don't really care how many fouettes the ballerina does, but I do care about her artistry, fluidity, and immersion in the role and her chemistry with her partner. I want to feel that they too are transported by the roles they are playing and that the line between technical perfection and artistry disappears. For those qualities I am willing to take a long, stop and go train ride from the boonies of Connecticut, as I know many of you have done from DC, Florida, and parts beyond. We go because we want to be transported into the portal of art, a sublime experience. For this we thank not only the dancers, who want to take us to this magical place, but all those behind the stage--the teachers and directors, orchestra, crew, costume and set designers--who help to create the magic of art. Where would we be without it? 

Thanks to all the posters on this topic--you are all much better critics than the NYTimes critics. I have benefitted from all your posts here, and from reading Fondoffouttes' and Aurora's comments on this afternoon's performance, I am glad I didn't try to move heaven and earth to get there. I had a feeling Hammoudi might not give a great performance based on other less than stellar performances he gave in spring 2016, and it is too bad that he seems not to have improved. I am not able to go tomorrow to see Sarah, but I look forward to your posts afterward. 

Just checked casting for SL on the calendar. Hee Seo replaces Murphy for Wed eve's performances. So far no other changes.

Is there any update on lead casting for Swan Lake? Both Boylston and Murphy have been injured and I would like to see one of them but I don't want to buy a ticket if they may be replaced. That happened to me once a few seasons ago when Murphy was injured in Act I and Hee Seo completed the performance. After all the cast changes this week I am skittish! Thank you for any inside info you have.

I saw this afternoon's Allegro Brillante, 4Ts, and Symphony in C. What to add to the superlatives about Tiler Peck in Allegro Brillante? I don't have the words but I can think of no better performance by a ballerina that I have ever seen. At the end she even playfully nodded her head to the audience. I'll always remember this performance. Andrew Veyette seemed to have to work very hard--noticeable, as I was sitting close to the stage. I thought I would not like 4 Ts but was so surprised to be entranced by it and would like to see it again. Each movement was perfection, even by dancers I did not expect to be terrific, like Gonzalo Garcia, who really conveyed the melancholic mood, and Ask la Cour, so much more graceful, fluid, and mesmerizing than I expected. Sara Mearns and Tess Reichlen were both excellent as usual. Symphony in C flowed so effortlessly from movement to movement. Megan Fairchild showed the expressiveness she learned on Broadway and Chase Finlay had great energy and beauty of line--they were the perfect pair. Sad to say that Maria Kowroski seemed to lack sufficient energy to make it through the whole ballet, although her extensions were of course beautiful, but by the finale she seemed to drag. Tyler Angle was a supportive partner and beautiful in his solos. Very impressed with the lightness and effervescence of Harrison Ball--he is a comer, hopefully a promotion to principal is in his future. Alston Macgill, his partner, has the steps and grace, and hopefully will add presence and pizzazz as she matures. Brittany Pollack and Taylor Stanley kept up the excellence in the fourth movement. I'd like to see him get more solos--he has all the goods and more. In both 4Ts and Symphony in C the corps were excellent and added to the excitement of the afternoon. When 14 principals dance in a single afternoon and the program is chosen to showcase and contrast three quintessential Balanchine ballets, what more can you ask for? I was in heaven.

Thank you, Kaysta, for your on-the-spot reviews of tonight's performance. I'm going to see the same program tomorrow--slightly different cast--and can't wait, especially to see Tiler Peck in Allegro Brilliante. I hope she still has plenty of energy after dancing it so many times this week--her own performances and subbing for Megan Fairchild. I rarely get to the ballet and chose this program because I love all ballets Balanchine. Enjoy the rest of your evening and day in NYC, Kaysta.

Good idea, mimsyb. Thanks. I always bring opera glasses so I can see the dancers' expressions. Watching them interact with their coaches will give a "behind the scenes" view of the creation of the dance.

Thank you Olga, California, and RUKen, for your elucidations and advice. I'm looking forward to a different and exciting afternoon! 

I seek your advice. As part of my membership in ABT I signed up for the dress rehearsal for Giselle. I've never been to a dress rehearsal before. What is it like? How does it work? Do you see multiple casts? Does the director frequently stop the flow? Would I get enough of the performance so that I don't need to buy a ticket for another performance of Giselle? I have seen ABT's Giselle many, many times over the years and love it. Thank you for your input.

Thank you, Josette and KSK, for your thorough reports. From your description of the "plot," and the many photos available of the over-the-top costumes, I think this one is not for me. I'll stick with the classics this spring season. Hope to see Vishneva and Gomes in Onegin and maybe a debut or two in Giselle and Swan Lake. 

Great updated website for the spring season! Makes me want to buy many, many tickets. Check it out.

Yes, Allegra was otherworldly. She floated. When I was a teenager in the 1960s she was my favorite. I felt her quintessential role was the sleepwalker in La Sonnambula. I have never forgotten that performance. A few years ago I saw Janie Taylor perform the role beautifully with New York City Ballet and at intermission I noticed Jacques D'Amboise sitting a few rows in front of me. I loved his dancing and had read his recent memoir so I asked him if I might say hello. He was very gracious and we reminisced about those days and about Allegra in La Sonnambula and he too agreed with me about her performance in that role. For me the ballerina who comes closest to Allegra's qualities today is Sterling Hyltin--her delicacy, fluidity, and submersion in a role. Thanks for the look back. 

Yes, I agree NYCB has a wealth of principal-level female soloists now. How lucky for us. And there is a group of talented young corps members breathing down their necks. I have always been taken with Ashley Laracey, so I hope she is promoted to principal soon. I wonder if Georgina will return. Is she still in Cats? Some performers have spent their entire careers in that show. I'm not familiar with all the newly promoted soloists, but I saw Joseph Gordon yesterday as Gold in Sleeping Beauty and felt his performance was wooden, without characterization or drama, and his face lacked all expression. He needs to complement his technical competence with dramatic skills.

Well, I loved the first half of the program and can't wait for the second half. I had no trouble seeing the dancers' feet and I thought the camera work excellent. I have seen La Valse a number of times but appreciated it so much more on the TV screen. The camera seemed to capture the tension between the lyricism of the whirling dancers and the menace lurking there. I had not seen Walpurgisnacht Ballet before and it's now top of my list to see when next it is revived. Thank you, NYCB and PBS. My membership fees to both organizations were well spent on this program.

I don't know what happened to this thread but I wanted to post to the winter season topic so I hope this is the right place. I attended this afternoon's Sleeping Beauty performance. Overall, wonderful and exhilarating. Very impressed with the speed, energy, and perfection of the configurations of so many dancers on stage. As others have commented, the music was fast and there were a couple of times when the dancers had to speed up to keep up. I would have liked them to hold their positions just a little longer. I haven't seen the NYCB version of this ballet in a few years, but I saw ABT's last spring. Did ABT have such a long first act? I don't remember. My impressions of the individual dancers: Sterling Hyltin was exquisite--delicate yet effervescent, projecting and connecting with the audience, a memorable Aurora. Chase Finlay has a beautiful line and executed his solos well, but I somehow felt he did not project the essence of the prince as well as I would have liked. BUT they did the one-armed fish dive beautifully and I was waiting for that after reading so many posts about the dive on this thread. It was thrilling. Another BUT--Megan Fairchild and Spartak Hoxha stole the show as Princess Florine and the Bluebird. Megan was both technically perfect and musically expressive, full of joy. It was such a pleasure to see how much she has improved her expansiveness after her Broadway run. Hoxha drew gasps and cheers in his solos. More of him please! The jewels (especially Alexa Maxwell) and the court jesters were exciting and full of pizzazz and energy. The only role that disappointed me was Savannah Lowery as Lilac Fairy. For me, she didn't capture the character of the role. There was a heaviness to her studied movements. When I saw the ABT version, Stella Abrera breathed life and compassion into the role. One more impression--I had not seen Joseph Gordon in a solo role before and although he executed competently, I hope he will take some acting lessons to bring some expression to his face and his performance. Anyway, I rarely post because I don't get many opportunities to come to a performance, but I wanted to share my impressions and thank you all for your posts, which I read faithfully.  

When can we expect casting for the first two weeks of the winter season?

Article on Corella just up on NYTimes website. Lots of new dancers hired and others fired or otherwise left.

Well, I must be oblivious. Thanks for the info. I don't do Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, but I should have noticed it on the ABT web page.

Have I been sleeping and had no idea ABT was bringing Sleeping Beauty to Paris in September--or was this just announced? Does anyone know anything about this tour?

Yes, I agree with you, FauxPas, based on this clip her movements seem staccato and studied, not flowing and musical. Just wondering, what would be her chances of making soloist after being in the corps for 12 years? Have other women been promoted after so long in the corps?

I clicked on the link and it says in French that the program will not be viewable in my country. Guess they can locate where your device is. If anyone figures out how to watch it in the US, please let us know.

There is a clip of Millepied's Daphne and Chloe on YouTube. What ballets are not to be missed?