mussel

I know with the current season just a barely over halfway, I hope it's not too early to start this thread. Bright Stream will be back, La Bayadere (no surprise as ABT will be doing it in DC in March, 2012) Onegin A mixed program that includes Ratmansky's new Fire Bird Corsaire Giselle (I hope ABT will schedule the run early in the season as POB will bring Giselle to NYC in July) So there are still 2-3 programs to be filled, Swan Lake will almost definitely be back as it's a license to print money. I wonder what ballets ABT will pair with Fire Bird. P.S. Oh, I almost forgot, Ivan Vasiliev will dance Giselle, Corsaire, Bayadere and mixed program.

I don't think Ratmansky would make sense as he doesn't have any connection to RB's heritage but I expect him to succceed Kevin McKenzie as ABT's artistic director. I thought Bruce Sansom was the front runner, so Kevin O'Hare is a surprise to me. The press release also mentioned Wheeldon will be part of RB's articstic team, any further detail on that? Will Wheeldon join RB as resident choreograher in additon to Wayne McGregor?

GO!! No, let me rephrase. RUN to see this ballet. It's spectacular and wonderful all around from principals to corps. I am going to rearrange my schedule to fit in more Bright Stream, if I haven't bought tickets for NYCB, the Cubans and the Danes, I'd have bought more tickets. I'd even consider flying to west coast to catch them but too bad Mariinsky will be in town. I pray ABT will bring back Bright Stream next season. Yes, it is that good.

I can't agree more with you. If ABT lobbied the Congress to pass a bill to declare itself as America's national ballet company, there should be a decorum to limit the number of imports. There are rules in many sport governing bodies on how and when foreign players can play in local or national teams. ABT can't have it both ways.

Ridiculous as in ABT's inability or unwillingness to find an in-house replacement? I don't know why ABT can't find an in-house sub, I know Hallberg and Gomes have their plates full, but there are still plenty of other male principals/soloists can fill in. I don't think Kobborg's box office draw is a consideration as the 5/28 matinee is almost sold-out. Another missed opportunity to promote its own in-house talents. There are signs that ABT's top male ranks are running thin but I marvel ABT's clout to draw stars, especially in such short notice.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/21/arts/music/new-york-city-opera-plans-to-leave-lincoln-center.html?_r=1&hp I am saddened by the news that NYCO is leaving Lincoln Center due to its financial crisis. I hope it'll find a suitable venue and pull through the financial challenge. May be it'll become an anchore in their new neighborhood, and retain old audience and reach new ones. So I think NYCB tri-season (fall, winter, and spring) will become permanent. But how the State Theater is going to filled when NYCB is not in sessions. May be ABT will move its fall season from City Center to State? May be it'll take up full time residency at LC and become a full-fledged constituent of LC? Don't know how the sets of their full lengths going to fit the State stage. May be Bolshoi, Mariinsky, POB, RB don't have to wait until July to visit NYC? Will Paul Taylor, Alvin Ailey, Mark Morris be interested in taking up some of the slots? If State can't fill the slots vacated by NYCO, will the financial burden fall on NYCB? There are tons of possibilities and ramifications.

Is Jose going to be a guest principal?

As the question is raised by Alastair Macauley in tomorrow's Sunday Times. Who do you think will be or should be RB's next director? Should (s)he be the innovator or keeper of traditon? There're many names being tossed around like Cope, Kobberg, Wayne McGregor, Wheeldon, and even McKenzie (who was in the running to succeed Dowell). Don't know if Darcey Bussell is interested.

From NYT: How long is Orpheus & Eurydice? Is it a full length? The run will be almost 2 weeks long, that means they need at least 3, or possibly 4 programs, to fill the run. Also the engagement includes July 22 which is a Sunday, does that mean POB will be performing at the State instead of the Met?

Cali, here's the joint NYCB/POB press release regarding the copy rights issue: So I guess Bolshoi must have secured the European rights. I am curious to know who will do the set and costume for Bolshoi's VW staging.

I don't think Vienna Waltzes is in Wien Staatopera rep. I remember NYCB was prevented from performing VW during its Paris tour because of copy rights issue that the Strauss pieces could not be performed as pure dance outside of North America. NYCB had to subed VW with Tschai Suite #3 the last minute. So I assume Bolshoi sorted out the Strauss copy rights issue?

Any info on ticket prices? Between ABT, NYCB, Royal Danish, and Maryinsky I am going broke. Anyone knows the running times of AK & LHH? BTW, Avery Fisher & Alice Tully box offices, not the Met, are going to handle the ticket sales on March 14.

Raving reviews of Bright Stream from both Washington Post and NY Times. I can't wait for the Met season, or should I just take the next Metroliner to DC? It becomes more apparent, at least to me, that Ratmansky will become heir apparent to ABT's artistic directorship. I hope when Kevin decides it's time to step down, the job will be given to Ratmansky and he'll accept the offer.

I am confused by Pointe's tweet where it said Murphy and Hallberg will dance as Clara & Prince. While the promo card seems to indicate Clara will be danced by adolescents (presumably students of JKO).

What's the difference between preview and world premier? Preview as in glorified dress rehearsal? As in "we are not going to show all of it"?

What's the best strategy to get decent seats? Joining the line at City Center at crack of dawn or sitting in front of computer all morning and afternoon trying to get thru?

AB's site doesn't mention Hallberg being guest artist, and has no casting info for its September month long run of Nutcracker in Melbourne. I assume he's going to do the Cavaliar in Melbourne.

He'll also dance at a gala with DV at Bolshoi. I am glad both Gomes and Hallberg are getting lots of exposure in Russia. Is it unusual for Bolshoi to cast guest artists for both leads? Looking at DV's performance schedule for the past 2 years, I notice she danced more with ABT than with Mariinsky and she barely spent much time in Russia.

The new Ratmansky production will premier on 12/22 and tickets go on sale on 8/30 for BAM members and 9/7 for general public. The costume sketches look very promising, traditional with a bit of whimsical twist: Toy soldiers, harleguin, Drosselmeyer, Mouse King. Casting. Since Nutcracker is more family oriented and less cast dependent, I think it's a great opportunity to give some of the principal roles to soloists or even corp members. There could be some intriguing castings if ABT thinks outside the Met box. So what's your wish list for Sugar Plum, Dew Drop, Cavalier, Arabian dances,...? I've never been to BAM, how's the sight line at the opera house? Where to sit and which section to avoid? How about dinning options in the area?

I agree with more Ashton and more Ashton. My number 1 wish list is Ashton's Cinderella, ABT needs to get rid of its third-rated Canadian import. How difficult to obtain the rights? Rhapsody would be a great vehicle for Cornejo and Simkin. Monotones II is also on my wish list. I think Joffrey has the most Ashton in North America, if not outside of UK. But ABT has more means and clout to spread the gospel of Ashton across America. With 2 new full length productions in the works, I don't think we'll get any further full length productions until 2012 at the earliest. Further down the line, I wish ABT could take on the reconstruction of Swan Lake, a project that Mariinsky abandoned. May be a co-production with the Mariisky. Does Harvard have all the necessary materials to mount the reconstruction? If ABT aspires to be one of the top companies in the world, it needs to take on project like this. And Ratmansky should be more than capable to mount the reconstruction. In the mean time, ABT needs to get rid of its SL prologue and restore the Act IV. And how about Paquitta? Speak of Raymonda, I wish NYCB could use Balanchine's Pas de Dix, Rayomonda Variations, and Cortege Hongrois, and may be some Petipa original materials to fill in the missing pieces in between to mount a full length production.

Not Mrs. Obama, who has not attended a Kennedy Center performance yet (ballet or otherwise), other than the Inauguration & the Kennedy Center Honors. Mrs. Clinton used to attend ballets, although it helped that daughter Chelsea was/is passionate about the art. Of course, Vishneva has met the Russian First Lady. Michelle Obama gave a speech at ABT's Met season opening night gala last year. I'd be surprised if MO hasn't been introduced to the principal dancers backstage, or at least to the dancers who performed that night which included DV. So there's a very good chance that DV has been introduced to MO. If MO endorses an organization by giving it a speech, she should be familiar with that organization.

What was Bolshoi smoking not casting her in SB? Politics? Bingo. Certain older ballerinas -- and their protectors in the theater and/or the Russian political system -- often do not want to give a chance to the up-and-comers who may eclipse them in certain roles. They use half-hearted excuses such as "her lines are not long enough for Aurora or Odette." The truth is that the Kchessinskaya System of having ownership of roles and being able to dictate who else can dance them continues. Teachers and coaches are also powerful in "lobbying" for their dancers. Remember how sad it was for Veronika Part at the Mariinsky after her long-time coach and protector, Zubkovskaya, passed away? I remember similar happened to Vishneva, she danced Odette/Odile with ABT well before Maryinsky cast her in SL.

What was Bolshoi smoking not casting her in SB? Politics?

Is this Saturday Sleeping Beauty going to be a role debut for her? I am not sure the first performance of SB she referred to as with ABT or her first ever SB. In the interview she seemed to indicate she'd like to join ABT on a more permanent basis , do anybody read the same thing or is it just my wishful thinking?

What are the chances that the mugging was staged by her NY rivals to scare her off of New York?