Rosalie

If you don't understand why it's critical, you don't understand. It's a master of taste instead of "points". It's purely personal. I hope every balletomane enjoy his/her own favorites, and will have many more cherished ballet going experiences to come. I'll rest my case.

Yes, Mashinka! I know I am far from alone. I think it's not an issue to "discuss". People who get it, get it immediately. People who don't, won't get it even if I explain it in the best way possible.

I am happy for you that you enjoyed the gala and Ms Skorik's performance. However, there's no shame for being a naysayer of Skorik. People with different tastes and standards go to ballet for different reasons. As for me, Mariinsky is not just one "prestigious" ballet company in the world. It is Mariinsky. It hurts me to see Skorik dancing on its stage as a principal. But I won't press my opinions on anyone else.

I suspect whoever responsible to casting in POB has some misunderstanding on the story and its spirit.

My comments on Marcelo Gomes casting were intended to be sarcastic, despite my tremendous respect towards him. What I meant to say was that the NYCB ballerinas were not more of Swan Queen materials than Marcelo Gomes was. You see, there's no fun to say everything explicitly.

The same reason some people in this forum went to the Jewels this past summer, ended up complaining about Emeralds performed by POB, I assume? All right, my above remark was sarcastic. But a die hard Russian ballet fan has every right to attend and may also enjoy non-Russian school ballet (and Russian schooling is much more than Vaganova training). I mentioned my preference only because the NYCB production, no matter how the company has claimed, is mostly based on Petipa's choreography, a representative of Russian school ballet. Ballerinas from other schoolings with a different style, however, may still be a bona fide Petipa Swan Queen interpreter, as long as they understand Petipa's intention and display certain specific qualities under his intention. For example, Margot Fonteyn and Elisabeth Platel are two Swan Queens I utterly appreciate. Of course, Swan Lake is repeatedly subject to all kinds of deconstruction, some of which I find insanely interesting and enjoyable. But it's another topic since this is not the case with the current NYCB production. It is merely a cash cow taking advantage of Patipa. The choreography was altered for practical reasons instead of aesthetic ones. In addition, people go to events they don't really enjoy all the time. You may go to a movie because your spouse like it. You may go to a football game just to socialize with your colleagues. You may go to a random event when you feel bored. You may even go to a live performance because you have heard it is a train wrack and you are curious how bad it could get. Anyway, I may spend my honest money on any performance and I am entitled to dislike it. It is indeed unreasonable to assume people only go to performances they are likely to enjoy. I don't owe anyone a reason to go to a performance of Swan Lake at NYCB, but I'm writing it here now. I would like to give Ms Peck and Ms Fairchild some benefit of doubt before I saw their performances. They could have been another Margot Fonteyn or Elisabeth Platel, or to a lesser extent, Tamara Rojo or Gillian Murphy.

As it's rude and vulgar to laugh at a foreigner for his/her accent when he/she speaks English, I, a long-term balletomane devoted to Russian school and a die hard Petipa fan, would like to spare my comments on Ms Fairchild's and Ms Peck's debuts. Chapeau to Ms Martins for his attempt to break stereotypes when making casting decisions this season. His choices are obviously embraced by the audience. It might be too much to ask for but I wish I could see Marcelo Gomes dancing Odette and Odile one day. He has beautiful lyrical quality for Odette and unbelievable sexual appeal for Odile. He has no problem killing the 32 fouettes. And he is the hell of an actor, one of the best tragedians I've ever seen on a ballet stage.

Your comments on those POB dancers are INSANELY interesting to read! I appreciate your insights deeply, and agree with around 70% of your points. Thank you so much! If you are still following the thread, I'd be very grateful if you care to comment on any of the "big names" below. Sylvie Guillem Isabelle Guérin Laurent Hilaire Manuel Legris Élisabeth Platel Charles Jude Agnès Letestu José Martinez Monique Loudières Aurélie Dupont Nicolas Le Riche Isabelle Ciaravola Marie-Agnès Gillot