Alexandra

Thank you for this news, Estelle. Of course, I hope the company will veer back to being a ballet company and not another contemporary dance troupe. Do you think the audience was satisfied with Pietragalla's repertory? It must have been a change, after Petit....

One learns early in one's writing life NOT to write something like: "The National Ballet of Wal-Mart has managed to totally destroy 'Sleeping Beauty,' one of the most exquisite, sublime ballets ever created in human history" the first time one sees a poster that says: Opening tonight! The National Ballet of Wal-Mart in Sleeping Beauty: "The most exquisite, sublime ballet in human history!" [Critic Dumbo, The Daily Whatsit]

Dirac, why does it matter to you whether the review is in a daily, a weekly, or a monthly? Thanks, Hans. I can't resist saying that the notion that there might be one or two likeminded souls reading you is a very good reason to praise only that which you really think is good!

There are some turkeys, though, that are fun to watch!

Casting (updated Feb 11, 6 p.m.) THE SLEEPING BEAUTY WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 18, 8:00 P.M. (Conductor: Quinn) AURORA: Ringer; PRINCE DÉSIRÉ: Neal; LILAC FAIRY: Kowroski; CARABOSSE: Ashley; KING: Lyon+; QUEEN: Abergel; CATALABUTTE: Kramarevsky; TENDERNESS: Hanson; VIVACITY: Riggins; GENEROSITY: *Rutherford; ELOQUENCE: *Mandradjieff; COURAGE: Bar; AFRICA: Seth; ASIA: *J. Stafford; EUROPE: Higgins; AMERICA: Hanna; GOLD: Tewsley; DIAMOND: *Bouder; EMERALD: *Edge; RUBY: van Kipnis; WHITE CAT: *Flynn; PUSS IN BOOTS: *Orza; RED RIDING HOOD: Fellini++; WOLF: Seth; PRINCESS FLORINE: *Fairchild; BLUEBIRD: *De Luz; JESTERS: Ulbricht, Carmena, Hendrickson THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 19, 8:00 P.M. (Conductor: Kaplow) AURORA: Borree; PRINCE DÉSIRÉ: Hübbe; LILAC FAIRY: *Reichlen; CARABOSSE: *Nichols; KING: Lyon+; QUEEN: *Muller; CATALABUTTE: *Froman; TENDERNESS: *Beskow; VIVACITY: *Keenan; GENEROSITY: *Krohn; ELOQUENCE: *Dronova; COURAGE: *Barak; AFRICA: Crenshaw; ASIA: *Veyette; EUROPE: Angle; AMERICA: *Orza; GOLD: *Hanna; DIAMOND: *Tinsley; EMERALD: *Rutherford; RUBY: *Mandradjieff; WHITE CAT: *Hyltin; PUSS IN BOOTS: *Ramasar; RED RIDING HOOD: Fellini++; WOLF: *Tworzyanski; PRINCESS FLORINE: *Riggins; BLUEBIRD: Hendrickson; JESTERS: *De Luz, *Peiffer, *Severini FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 20, 8:00 P.M. (Conductor: Moredock) AURORA: Weese (replaces *Ansanelli); PRINCE DÉSIRÉ: Boal (replaces Martins); LILAC FAIRY: *Tinsley; CARABOSSE: *Kowroski; KING: Lyon+; QUEEN: *Beskow; CATALABUTTE: Kramarevsky; TENDERNESS: Abergel; VIVACITY: *Flynn; GENEROSITY: Körbes; ELOQUENCE: *Hyltin; COURAGE: Golbin; AFRICA: Seth; ASIA: J. Stafford; EUROPE: Higgins; AMERICA: Hanna; GOLD: *J. Stafford; DIAMOND: *van Kipnis; EMERALD: *Keenan; RUBY: *Fairchild; WHITE CAT: *Dronova; PUSS IN BOOTS: *Suozzi; RED RIDING HOOD: Fellini++; WOLF: Seth;PRINCESS FLORINE: *Edge; BLUEBIRD: Gold; JESTERS: Ulbricht, Carmena, Hendrickson SATURDAY MATINEE, FEBRUARY 21, 2:00 P.M. (Conductor: Quinn) AURORA: Ringer; PRINCE DÉSIRÉ: Neal; LILAC FAIRY: Kowroski; CARABOSSE: Ashley; KING: Lyon+; QUEEN: Abergel; CATALABUTTE: Froman; TENDERNESS: Hanson; VIVACITY: Riggins; GENEROSITY: Rutherford; ELOQUENCE: Mandradjieff; COURAGE: Bar; AFRICA: Seth; ASIA: J. Stafford; EUROPE: Higgins; AMERICA: Hanna; GOLD: Tewsley; DIAMOND: Bouder; EMERALD: Edge; RUBY: van Kipnis; WHITE CAT: Flynn; PUSS IN BOOTS: Orza; RED RIDING HOOD: De Vivo++; WOLF: Tworzyanski; PRINCESS FLORINE: Fairchild; BLUEBIRD: De Luz; JESTERS: Ulbricht, Carmena, Hendrickson SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 21, 8:00 P.M. (Conductor: Kaplow) AURORA: Borree; PRINCE DÉSIRÉ: Hübbe; LILAC FAIRY: Reichlen; CARABOSSE: Nichols; KING: Lyon+; QUEEN: Muller; CATALABUTTE: Kramarevsky; TENDERNESS: Beskow; VIVACITY: Keenan; GENEROSITY: Krohn; ELOQUENCE: Dronova; COURAGE: Barak; AFRICA: Crenshaw; ASIA: Veyette; EUROPE: Angle; AMERICA: Orza; GOLD: Hanna; DIAMOND: Tinsley; EMERALD: Rutherford; RUBY: Mandradjieff; WHITE CAT: Hyltin; PUSS IN BOOTS: Ramasar; RED RIDING HOOD: De Vivo++; WOLF: Seth; PRINCESS FLORINE: Riggins; BLUEBIRD: Hendrickson; JESTERS: De Luz; Peiffer; Severini SUNDAY MATINEE, FEBRUARY 22, 3:00 P.M. (Conductor: Moredock) AURORA: Weese (replaces Ansanelli); PRINCE DÉSIRÉ: Boal (replaces Martins); LILAC FAIRY: Tinsley; CARABOSSE: Kowroski; KING: Lyon+; QUEEN: Beskow; CATALABUTTE: Froman; TENDERNESS: Abergel; VIVACITY: Flynn; GENEROSITY: Körbes; ELOQUENCE: Hyltin; COURAGE: Golbin; AFRICA: Seth; ASIA: J. Stafford; EUROPE: Higgins; AMERICA: Hanna; GOLD: J. Stafford; DIAMOND: van Kipnis; EMERALD: Keenan; RUBY: Fairchild; WHITE CAT: Dronova; PUSS IN BOOTS: Suozzi; RED RIDING HOOD: Fellini++; WOLF: Tworzyanski; PRINCESS FLORINE: Edge; BLUEBIRD: Gold; JESTERS: Ulbricht; Carmena; Hendrickson * First Time in Role + Guest Artist ++ Student of the School of American Ballet PROGRAM AND CASTING SUBJECT TO CHANGE (02/11/04)

Another poll suggested by samsara's comment; it's the reverse of the BAD reviews question. Would a rave review make you go see a performance, dancer or ballet? Vote and/or comment. Interpeter "review" as a newspaper report, or an internet post (since the original comment was aimed at posts).

This question was suggested by something samsara posted on another thread, about negative comments having the possible effect of influencing people to not attend a performance. I wondered what people thought, and since often we'll get people to vote who won't post I thought I'd make it a poll. Interpeter "review" as a newspaper report, or an internet post (since the original comment was aimed at posts).

We've forgotten Frank Zappa, who created the first great American ballerina role-to-be in Suzie Creamcheese (the counter-culture answer to the Sugar Plum Fairy). BW, yours (the Back in the U.S.S.R.) does sound awfully plausible.

I didn't find anything posted here meanspirted, samsara, and was quite pleased that people who enjoyed the performances posted as well as those who did not. They didn't seem intimidated at all, and their comments were welcome. But comments by people who were not happy with the performances are welcome too. We're not here to either "trash" a company or boost it, but to provide a place to talk about ballet. It doesn't do a company any favors to say "Wow! It was great! The best ever!" when it's not. If someone is drawn to a performance expecting perfection and finds something ordinary, or not at all perfect, that could turn them off ballet, too. Silvy, there are many posts on the ABT forum about the company's week there, as well as the reviews in thie Washington Post and Washington Times (posted on Links when the reviews came out), that would answer your question. Back to the Clive Barnes quote that began this topic, I think Mr Barnes has penned many similar, very useful, lines! Watermill, an older critic told me, when I first started, the line that he used when he bumped into the Mother of the Choreographer (whose work he did not like) or dancer, or whoever: "You must be very proud!"

I don't hate telemarketers either, but I think of them as door to door salesmen: they're a bother I don't want to deal with whether they're Cub Scouts or the Sisters of Mercy!

The Christmas card is a nice touch! Please, hammer away. Also, we have a few people here who have to do marketing. Their voices would be welcome, too -- how can one do this gracefully?

Yes, Simon, this is American marketing at its finest There's a theory called (by me) "Milk your market," which means that the people who are already giving you money are not only much more likely to give you more, but oh, so much easier to reach, since (obviously) they already have your number, as it were. One of the side effects of this, though, is that the company has to have extra staff to handle all the member benefits. Someone has to package and send out those signed toe shoes and photos, not to mention arrange the parties, backstage tours, etc. The Next Big Thing is having the artistic director address the audience before every "show," if you'll pardon the expression. Once considered the sign of the amateur or very small company, the kind where everyone in the audience knows everyone on stage, it's now working its way up the ranks of small to mid-sized companies in the U.S. Surveys have shown that audiences like this. So it's all our fault, really. Not theirs.

Cabriole, if that thought spares you from the mixed bill we had here, consider yourself lucky!

What are they bringing to Chicago, Treefrog? (I'll be very interested in the view from there.)

Yes, Oberon. I put that on another thread yesterday -- Zelensky is injured.

Thank you, Giannina! I've read several accounts saying that Yoshida has really blossomed -- it's nice to read another. I didn't realize they were doing the Ashton solo again -- I'd love to see it. I think it was made for Sibley (?)

Gorgeous! Thank you for putting them up, atm, and thank you for letting us know they're up there!

Not too much comment yet on the new Jewels designs. What do you think?

Did anyone see this? Apparently it was the surprise hit of the week -- Allegra Kent was spotted in the audience, and I've been getting calls and emails the past few days saying how interesting it was. DanceView Times has two reviews: Nancy Dalva: Russian Romance and Clare Croft, in the second half of her A Weekend in New York Did anyone here go? Or seen Varone's work recently? The sense I've gotten is that he's made a breakthrough, and the recent work is far stronger than his earlier pieces.

I'm going to close this thread. 'The POB forum is intended for discussing performances or issues, other matters related to POB. We provide the private messaging so that members can contact each other off-board.

Yes, we only restrict under-18-year-olds from putting up email addresses.

We've had this since early this morning but I haven't had a chance to post it yet: Zelensky is out; Phlip Neal will replace him in "Diamonds." Somogyi and Sylve are still injured.

There are several things that may be happening. One, there are quite a few new corps dancers; it takes them awhile to get settled in. The new dancers have replaced senior corps -- women around 27, 28, just coming into their strength as dancers; many have disappeared in the past few years. Two, there have been changes backstage in the last few years. Ross Stretton and David Richardson were both said to be excellent balletmasters; neither are still with the company. (Yes, I know that Stretton didn't do well as an artistic director, but that's different from taking rehearsals.) Three, they don't have a ballerina. Ballerinas can hide a multitude of sins and can pull a ballet together. When you're watching a star couple tear up the stage, you might not notice the problems. Four, some of the things that look so jarring here may not "read" at the Met. The KenCen Opera House is a smaller house, and one is more likely to see smaller details. There is one theory that the Met has been doing the company harm and is responsible for the emphasis on BIG steps at the expense of subtlety. There could also be unfortunate illnesses, injuries, unforeseen circumstances that we won't know about. I'd like to thank everyone who's spoken so far on this thread. We've had more comments than we've ever had from D.C. -- THANK YOU. Keep it up We've got a lot of ballet coming up in the next few months. I hope there will be more comments. There are still some people who haven't rung in yet.

Herman, I think the problem you mention is linked to one of the central problems in ballet today -- no new scores! In the early to mid 20th century, going to the ballet meant hearing (and playing) new music, but composers aren't writing music for dancing. That said, being bored isn't an excuse for being unprofessional. We had a musician address this question the first year the site was up, and I liked his analogy: If you're a plumber, you don't complain that the kitchen is tacky: you fix the sink. I once watched an orchestra rehearsal in Copenhagen where the musicians showed their contempt for the score for one of Bournonville's ballets in every way that they could, and I did not feel sorry for them in the least. On the Balanchine book -- I agree. There are two, of course (the Taper and the Buckle) but it would be nice to have a new one, and not a "quickie." The real publication date for Arlene Croce's book remains a mystery. I'm assuming that will be a biography of the ballets more than of the man, though. And while we're at it -- to lurch completely off-topic -- a biography of Petipa would be nice. There are some -- one in German, I think, and at least one in Russian -- but none in English.

We were told that Part has an injured knee. We couldn't learn anything about Meuneier.