MoMo

2 hours ago, choriamb said:

ABT has recently promoted its female principal-track dancers in two-person cohorts by height (short, mid-height, tall) and supplemented them with one mid-career terminal soloist at each height. If they follow that same pattern for their men, Curley and Ishchuk are shoe-ins for the next tall principal-track cohort (with possibly Sebastian or Frenette as a new tall terminal soloist).

My guess for the next short-to-mid-height male cohort is Gonzalez and Roxander, less for their dancing than for their pizzaz and chutzpah. (The main complaint about ABT's recent short-to-mid-height men is that they had technique and style, but needed more confidence as actors and partners.)

But, financing aside, I wouldn't be surprised if their promotions were delayed a year to give the public more time to absorb the tall guys.

From a marketing perspective, ABT has had an insane amount of people to attempt to re-launch to the press and audiences in just 2 years:  Trenary, Brandt, Hurlin, Forster, Royal, and Ahn. And, to a lesser extent, Misseldine, Granlund, and Park.

9 dancers. 2 years. After an extended absence. In brief, one-month-season spurts.

I imagine that ABT has probably asked some senior dancers to delay retirement simply to avoid shifting the marketing focus away from the new principals. Cornejo, Copeland, or Murphy's departures would have overshadowed an entire season. (And Paris, Fang, and Hoven have been such stalwarts that I suspect ABT is delaying their departures until a time when they can give them a more graceful, visible exit, now that they new folks are more established. Fang has a small but very committed fan base. And Paris has danced a wider swathe of character roles and harder technical soloist/corps roles than anyone in recent memory...and I'll drop everything to see her in a lot of them.)

Thank you for this detailed analysis. It makes so much sense. As I said, Susan Jaffe has a lot on her plate, as she is now temporary Executive Director too! Lots to do! 

14 minutes ago, nanushka said:

I agree as well. I was delighted to read Kourlas's opening tribute to him, and it effectively expressed all that's great about him. He seems to have the complete package. I think my order of preference would be Curley, Roxander, Frenette, Klein, Ischuck, Gonzalez.

Susan Jaffe definitely has a lot on her plate and I am sure she will be diligent in her decisions. 

2 hours ago, nysusan said:

Yikes, they really do need more male soloists. I think Curley will be promoted for sure. It would be early to promote Roxander, but I wouldn't complain! Possibly also some combination of Gonzalez, Frenette, Ishchuk, Maloney and Klein. Would love to see Agoudine & Tamm promoted but I doubt that will happen

I agree that the sparse group of male soloists needs to be fortified. Sung Woo Han is carrying the soloist roles essentially alone. I agree with your list given. Although Jake Roxander was spectacular this Season, he just joined the Corps. in 2022. Hoping for a promotion for Zimmi Coker too. 

9 minutes ago, vipa said:

Do you know if he's retiring from ballet or just leaving ABT. He was one of those dancers IMO who couldn't seize the opportunities he was given for whatever reasons., but he was/is a gifted dancer.

The details weren’t given. Just Congratulations from the Company. 

ABT official website just posted  Congratulations to Joey Gorak on a wonderful career. He took extra page bows. I think he’s retiring. 

Any news on promotion announcements? Today is the last day of Met Season. 

28 minutes ago, vipa said:

This is great. It shows the clarity with which the ballet tells the story, and how well the emotional content was delivered. I hope these first timers come back for more. Thanks for that report abatt.

I had Shakespeare in 11th grade in High school. ( A thousand years ago). Thank you Mrs. Burke. So when I first saw Romeo and Juliet as a ballet, I knew exactly what was going on! 

41 minutes ago, abatt said:

Hee Seo was  stunning as Juliet.  By far the richest and most expressive of any of the casts at ABT thus far this season.  Her beautiful upper body liquidity was a marvel.  You could see the transformation from innocent girl to woman over the course of the evening.  This is her best role.

And Roxander knocked it out of the park with his superb dancing as Mercutio.

Ahn's Tybalt was a total bore.

Thank you for your review. I think Joo Won Ahn needs to have more instruction in character development. I saw him in LWFC, and he was passionless. Pedro and Tybalt are supposed to show strong emotions. 

56 minutes ago, nanushka said:

Why would they add PDDs to a program they've already started to publicize, when doing so would mean reconceiving the program (and having to alter marketing materials that are likely already in process), given that the program is currently titled "21st Century Works"? I'd assume that, if they wanted to include PDDs in the program, they'd have designed it to include them, and they'd have done so before making the initial season announcement. Anything's possible, of course, but I think further additions are unlikely. (It'd be a different story if for some reason they had to swap out a currently planned work.)

As for Misty, I will personally be rather surprised if she performs another full-length classical role with ABT.

I agree. I think Misty is moving on to her other projects ( a book, a short film etc). She will be 43 in 2024 and hasn’t danced onstage since 2019 ( Manon. I saw it). 

9 minutes ago, coffeelover said:

Not sure if this info has already been put out onto this forum, but I listened to James Whiteside’s podcast with Misty Copeland which was released February of 2023. She says that she’ll “definitely [be] dancing in, I think, Romeo and Juliet and Giselle in the spring.”

Not sure if this means Giselle and R&J will on during MET season again, just something to ponder haha. 

I saw a recent interview where she said she would dance in Fall 2024. 

Just now, balletlover08 said:

I hope we get some kind of Stella celebration! She deserves it as she never got her MET farewell. 

I agree completely! 

Joey Gorak is dancing Benvolio tonight and Blaine Hoven is dancing Paris. And of course, Stella Abrera as Lady Capulet and Carlos González in his debut as Mercutio. Should be a fun night! (Stella said she will dance Lady C. On Thursday again). 

18 minutes ago, fondoffouettes said:

Stella Abrera will be performing Lady Capulet, per Carlos Gonzalez's Instagram:

This is great news! This is one of Stella’s signature roles. Because of Covid, she did not get to have her deserved retirement ceremony. I hope ABT rectifies that! 

22 minutes ago, California said:

Hoven is in the print program. No print insert. But an announcement before the curtain 

Blaine was supposed to dance Benno, and was listed in the program. But he didn’t feel well and Sung Woo replaced him. 

56 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

Where do you see this? ABT’s IG story from an hour ago says it’s Han. 

Patrick Frenette just posted a video of Sung Woo Han dancing Benno, as scheduled. 

22 minutes ago, DPell said:

I don’t think so. The Bennos this week have been Gonzalez, Maloney, Han, and Frenette.

You are correct. Hoven was in a very minor role once in LWFC. Gorak hasnt danced at all this season. 

3 minutes ago, California said:

The Gold Standard for Purple VR: Marcelo Gomes. (This video is strangely distorted, but you'll get the idea!) (I couldn't find a clip of Nina's retirement with Gomes and Corella, except for the bows.)

 

I love this. I was fortunate to see him perform this role at our LA Music Center when ABT performed Sean Lake here. He brought down the house! 💜😈

2 hours ago, Papagena said:

Good point. Purple Rothbart can be such a delightful, hammy highlight that it sort of justifies the other cheesy elements of this SL production. A dull Purple V R is almost worse than a dull Siegfried for me (in this KM version, anyway) - a dull performance can suck the tension out of Act III. 

I've also seen O/Os really respond to the energy he brings. His variation is almost an appetizer that wakes up the audience before the Odile pas - such an important role that should be treated as such! How spoiled we were when Gomes, Hallberg, and Vasiliev would tear into it. Wish I could see Curley in thus run! 

For me, the role of Purple VR is supposed to be performed with a sinister glee. He has an agenda. To coerce Siegfried I into betraying Odette. In the times I have seen Ahn, in other roles, he seems to be passionless. His dancing is very good, but no spark. He was the same for me in LWFC. When I saw Gomes in the role, he literally hit a grand slam! Wow! 

9 minutes ago, ba11et0mane said:

anyone know who’s dancing pas de trois for tomorrow’s mat? 

I believe it’s Patrick Frenette, Sierra Armstrong and Remy Young. They were rehearsing today on IG. 

4 minutes ago, nanushka said:

Speaking of potential promotions (and the male soloists currently taking up slots) where are Gorak, Hoven and Shayer? Have they performed at all this season? Shayer isn’t doing any Rothbarts; I’ll be very surprised if Gorak or Hoven does Benno. Perhaps they’re just being kept on payroll until contracts renew in August?

Shayer hasn’t performed in a long time. Gorak not once this season, as I recall. Hoven had a small role in LWFC once. 

28 minutes ago, LIslandArts said:

I also watched today’s matinee with Trenary & Whiteside. I agree with those above when I say I’ll sit through a point-hop fumble to witness the sheer magnitude of Trenary’s performance. Her mad scene was haunting, raw, and devastating to watch. You could see her reality crumble with each phrase. Instead of the overdone and overcoached “no,no,no,no” with the flower, she lays still and quietly sobs.  
 

Plenty of great ABT ballerinas struggled with virtuoso steps before her; Julie, Misty, Stella, even Hee at times. Surely we can all share the same grace for miss Trenary. She is still young, she will only improve. 
 

Whiteside was a noble prince in immaculate form today. Lovely controlled jumps (and after such a horrifying injury too) exemplary partnering and prominent acting.  Chloe’s Myrta sent chills down my spine, I hadn’t seen her perform this before. 

Patrick Frenette’s Hilarion was excellent today. Why isn’t this man a soloist?! He soared through the second act with desperation and pure fear.  His first act is quite unique too—whereas other Hilarions play the scorned unrequited love, he truly flips the script on the viewer and makes Albrecht the real villain. Watching him crumble as Giselle laid lifeless was a sight to behold. Here’s hoping Susan Jaffe will look after his career better than Kevin McKenzie. 

The peasant pas was stable and clean with Maloney & Fleytoux. I haven’t seen much of her before, she’s quite lovely. I really enjoyed this pairing today.  

In response to point made earlier about the principal men who either act or dance, and not both—the future is in the corps. So many of these young men have been held back far too long now and could be fastrracked to principal. Jarod Curley, Frenette and, Carlos Gonzalez mostly. 

Thank you for your review. I absolutely agree about the need to promote Jarod Curley, Patrick Frenette and Carlos González. Way overdue. 

25 minutes ago, Drew said:

Osipova is the only ballerina I have ever seen do the 360 degree turn hopping on pointe in Giselle. I have seen a few ballerinas deftly turn towards Albrecht at moments as they hop across the stage and the best of them made it a loving gesture. (I remember McKerrow’s eyes meeting with Malakhov’s in particular.)

Osipova’s turn  while hopping—towards the end of the diagonal the two times I saw her add this— though obviously showier was also performed as an expression of Giselle’s sheer love of dancing. So it worked with her characterization and didn’t seem like a mere trick, though it is hard to describe without making it sound like one.

 

I don’t think it is fair to compare someone’s performance to someone else , no matter how good that performance was.I have seen many performances in 40 years of supporting ABT. I never compare today’s dancers with what I have seen before. 

12 minutes ago, lacdescygnes said:

He danced Mercutio at the Kennedy Center and I was impressed. Not up to my gold standard (Cornejo in his younger days) but very good technique and presence. Miles above Gorak or Shayer - glad he got cast in the role.

Gorak never performed Mercutio. He was usually cast as Benvolio. There will be three other Mercutios: Jonathan Klein, Tyler Maloney and Jake Roxander. Should be very entertaining! 

43 minutes ago, Anthony_NYC said:

I’d thought Alondra de la Parra was supposed to conduct all performances of LWFC. Does anybody happen to know why she was out tonight?

No. It was always on the schedule that she would just do the first few performances. Then to regular ABT conductors. I saw Ormsby Wilkins conduct in Orange County. 

1 hour ago, MarzipanShepherdess said:

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

 

Blaine played Mama Elena’s lover, a small role. He is performing that role tonight.