CharlieH

Abatt, I agree with this general formula but...with such a rich bounty a great ballets in the NYCB Rep, I can’t help but think that the great majority of Martins’ works will no longer adhere to that formula. Martins left (resigned) just as the current season was about to begin. Too late to re-program. I suspect that we’ll see the impact of Martins’ departure beginning in fall 2018...even if initial programming has occurred, the new leaders have time to make changes before the 2018/19 rep is made public. R+J is so hideous that, if I were a betting guy, I’d wager that it never returns. Swan Lake - yes. Beauty - absolutely. Fearful, Hallelujah and Barber Violin seem to be his better works. Magic Flute is so atypical of Martins, I often wonder if Balanchine helped out? I’ve seen about 30 or so Martins ballets since the mid-80s and didn’t care much for the majority. Helene, the series-of-pdds ballet that you mention might be Them Twos.

Thank you for this tip, mnacenani.

This may be the last chance for anyone to see Martins’ R+J before it goes into mothballs. I doubt that Martins’ body of work will be programmed regularly in the future, as is Balanchine’s and Robbins. I watched The Red Violin this past weekend thinking that this may never see the light of day again. Fearful Symmetries, Hallelujah Junction and Barber Violin Concerto may be the only three repertory works by Martins worth salvaging. I also like his Sleeping Beauty and The Magic Flute, among his works in the Petipa mode.

Moscow’s Stanislavsky Ballet will celebrate Petipa’s 200th with a gala program on April 24: http://stanmus.com/event/441140 On April 2, St Petersburg's Dance Open Festival will host a number of guests, including the Ekaterinburg Ballet In Vikharev’s recon of Petipa’s La Fille Mal Gardee. http://www.danceopen.com/en/xvii-season/events/2000-the-wayward-daughter As pointed out elsewhere, this year’s Mariinsky Festival will basically be a two-month (March-April) stretch of mostly-Petipa ballets, though in their 20th-C Soviet stagings. Big Petipa Gala on March 11, just two days before the school’s own gala. https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbill/2018/3/11/1_2000 Hope that some of these might be televised or, even better, live streamed.

One needs the Facebook app. Hopefully the interview will be posted in NDI’s website so that folks without the app can see it later.

I couldn’t have said it better myself, cobweb. As I sit at Penn Station awaiting the train back to DC, it’s the remembrance of last night’s all-Balanchine program that puts a smile on my lips. It’s the USA equivalent of seeing Swan Lake at the Bolshoi. I’m also grateful to have seen Peter Walker’s new ballet at the matinee. I could’ve taken a evening train and stayed for Spectral Evidence this afternoon, which I survived a couple of years ago. Heck, no! I would’ve stayed had it been another all-Balanchine program.

Nanushka, nothing beats a night of Mr. B’s masterpieces! NYCB should never forget its roots.

I must second (or third?) the kudos for Lane & Cornejo In Wednesday’s Other Dances. That was one for the ages. Wheeldon's Thirteen Diversions also benefited from a mostly-strong cast, including novices Aran Bell (with April Giangeruso) and lovely Catherine Hurlin (with Jose Sebastian) as the two Demi couples. I’m excited at the prospect of following their careers. As for the Millepied work, the least said the best! I also caught the opening Whipped Cream on Thursday with Simkin/Lane and Hallberg/Abtera. A grand night of truly spectacular ballet. Audience went crazy cheering the dancers and the production. All I can say is “Wow!” and “Spasibo!” To Ratmansky and the entire creative team.

What a wonderful day at NYCB! I caught both performances today. I especially loved The new Walker/Davis work - dance odyssey - among the afternoon’s offerings. What a positive, uplifting ballet. Everything about it exuded light beauty - the music, steps, designs and, of course, the dancing. Ashley Laracey - a heroine of the day! - was magnificent in the final haunting pdd with Adrian Danchig-Waring. Tiler Peck & Zachary Catazaro also wonderful as the allegro couple. Roman Mejia a standout in the excellent ensemble. As for the rest of the matinee...dark and dreary, despite great dancing. Martins’ Red Violin is hopefully on its last legs. Ratmamsky’s Russian Seasons is commendable as is castor oil that we must take for our health. Just as at the Bolshoi, I found myself asking: “Will it ever end? Bravo!” Kudos to Maria Kowroski in the role created on Whelan...and Emilie Gerrity substituting for Mearns as the girl in red. Evening : Three extraordinary Balanchine ballets were balm for my soul. It’s hard to pick a favorite among Div 15 - Unity Phelan is Da Bomb! Make her a Principal now! - or Four Ts or the heavenly closing Chaconne starring Kowroski & Danchig-Waring. Lauren King also fantastic in the diverts pdd. Many budding stars spotted among the corps, including Mira Nadon...not yet graduated from SAB, I’m told. Sigh. I’m not afraid for the future of NYCB.

I totally agree that Whelan would be the best choice, from among those cited so far. Millepied? Absolutely positively NOT. Those leading major troupes splendidly (e.g., Lopez, Boal) should continue their good work where they are now.

Thanks for this, mnacenani. So we can call 2017-2018 The Prima Krysanova Season! We're grateful to see this ballet live in cinemas, no matter who is cast. As I mentioned earlier, I'll go with an open mind about the dancers and the staging.

Me too. What's there to not love about McRae? I've admired him since he was a corps member, standing out in occasional solos. I first noticed his amazing talents in the small role of "Fire" in Homage to the Queen.

Based on time spent in Russia and travels to various locales in the USA, as well as my hometown of Washington, DC: BEST: Full-evening ballet and Luxurious Experience: Ratmansky's WHIPPED CREAM in Costa Mesa One-act ballet: Ratmansky strikes again with the haunting ODESSA at the NYCBallet...although it could almost be a symbol for 2017, with its abused female characters. Love it for the dancing and the music, though. 2nd-best new one-act ballet: Justin Peck's adorable PULCINELLA VARIATIONS, bringing out the best in so many NYCB dancers, not least of all Huxley in the Tarantella solo! Competitor/Dancer of the year: Evelina Godunova's gold medal performances to become the star of the 2017 Moscow IBC New company of promise: Carlos Acostas' new Acosta Danza troupe Washington Ballet's delectable rendition of Ashton's THE DREAM, staged by Dowell, starring Maki Onuki, Brooklyn Mack and A. Ndlovu - all brilliant! The June 2017 graduation performances of the Vaganova Academy (incl. Eleonora Sevenard and Oscar Frame, both off to the Bolshoi) and SAB (Roman Mejia and so many others to NYCB...and the promise of young non-graduate Mira Nadon in SCOTCH SYMPHONY) At ABT, the promotion of Sarah Lane to Principal after two gorgeous GISELLEs, especially the 2nd one opposite Cornejo! The return of David Hallberg and the publication of his autobiography. WORST: The death of Sergei Vikharev, bringing an end to his noble 19th-C Petipa reconstructions Ballet-Dog of the Year: Stiefel's FRONTIER for Washington Ballet, a sound-and-light show with aerobic exercises and a bit of acting Close 2nd and 3rds for Ballet-Dogs: "bow wow" to Millepied's I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE in the Fall ABT run and Ratmansky's FAIRY's KISS in Miami Ballet Dance Across America III "festival" at the Kennedy Center, especially the program curated by Misty Copeland. Not a pointe shoe in sight. The sudden dismissal ("resignation") of Marcelo Gomes at ABT. Whatever the facts behind it (which we may never know), this dismissal is right-up-there with Nijinsky having been dismissed from the Imperial Ballet for not having worn shorts over his tights. THE EXCITING PROMISES OF 2018: Ratmansky's upcoming recon of Petipa's HARLEQUINADE, for ABT...and any other Petipa recon efforts that may happen during his Bicentennial Year The Robbins 100 celebrations around the world, with the promise of many interesting revivals in different venues, including DYBBUK, NOCES, WATERMILL More Ballets in Cinemas live offerings, such as the Bolshoi's Ratmansky R&J and the Royal Ballet's new SWAN LAKE by Scarlett

That's what I thought, Quinten. Glad that Obraztsova got to dance the performance of the 24th and not just at dress rehearsals. While Krysanova has many excellent qualities, she lacks the natural delicacy of Obraztsova for a Juliet but I am willing to be open minded. To me it is "No Contest" just having seen the "two Ks" live many times in different roles (and Obraztsova live in both the Lavrovsky and McMillan versions). mnacenani, Obraztsova is much, much more than a "good" Juliet. Drew, has Obraztsova ever danced the Bolshoi Swanhilda? I think not although she should be fantastic in that role, IMO. However, I doubt that we will see her as Swanhilda unless miracles happen.

To those of you who follow Obraztsova's social media: Any update on whether or not she might be dancing one of the three January performances of the Ratmansky R&J? I'd be very surprised if she gets the cinemacast but one can hope against hope. She may not have performed this particular Juliet but she is a proven Juliet in other versions, if not the Juliet of our generation.

All of this talk about Board members and "pay to play" brings us back to discussions on this forum about the creepiness of ABT's "Sponsor a Dancer" program & how it sounds like a modern equivalent to Le Foyer de la Danse in Degas' age. In ABT's case, not every sponsor is a Board member. Still, it exploits the idea of paying $$$ to have "face time" with your favorite dancer. One of the ABT threads provides a link to an article in which an ABT Principal is shown spending weekends in the house of her sponsors. (Sorry, I forget which one but it was within the past year, perhaps related to the departure of Veronica Part?) This sort of pay-to-play is a tragedy waiting to happen, even if 95% of the dancer-sponsors are perfectly innocent.

This is looking worse and worse for Martins, even though the original investigation must take its course. The current (pre-Thanksgiving) allegations have uncorked 30+ years of apparent physical abuse that are not good for NYCB.

The point of Morgan's vlog was likely to dispel any rumors or questions that she may have experienced these sorts of problems with Martins. She expressed herself well, IMO. Fresh and honest-sounding. No need for Lawyer Speak.

Thank you for the link, pherank. So there we have the interim team: Justin Peck, Rebecca Krohn, Jonathan Stafford and Craig Hall. All young, energetic, capable and reliable ballet masters (with a choreographer or two in the mix)! I'm rather surprised that, other than a few complaints about Stafford's possible influence on casting his sister Abi or wife Brittany, there has been very little talk among Ballet Alert members during the 36+ hours since this announcement about the make-up of this team. I think that it is great to have such a wonderful mix of interim directors, including a woman and an African-American. Perhaps the eventual next "permanent" AD of the NYCB will come from this group...whenever that may be, even if Martins is cleared?

As much as we all love Suzanne Farrell and fancy seeing her leading NYCB, I'm not so sure that she would want it at this point in her life. Also, didn't her stepson--or whatever may be the term for the children of one's ex-spouse--just join NYCB as apprentice or corps (Roman Mejia)? Staging a Balanchine ballet every now and then might be an option.

Casting of the two specific shows is now up. Lantratov/Zakharova lead the premiere on Saturday, while Ovcharenko/Schipulina head the 2nd cast on Sunday. https://www.bolshoi.ru/en/performances/1025/roles/#20171209190000

How about bringing Nikolaj Hubbe back to NY from Denmark? Just so he doesn't restage Midsummer Dream or Nutcracker in modern dress.

Then Ethan Stiefel can also be considered because, by the looks of his recent astronaut ballet at the Kennedy Center (Flight), he's in the same category. All joking aside, Martins has indeed done something right as the AD of NYCB for the past 34 or 35 years. I was floored by the very high level of their dancing and stagings of Balanchine ballets during recent visits to Lincoln Center, e.g., La Valse, Square Dance. Sure, Martins has a great team of coaches, stagers, dancers...but it is *his" team.

Oh dear. I was wondering when the world of ballet would be hit with such allegations, in the current wave. Not that this hasn't happened in the past, e.g., the former AD of a Texas-based company in the late 1990s. https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/1998/october/culture-beauties-and-the-beast/

Thank you. Two performances are better than none. Less than a week to go - this coming Saturday. It's now or never!