bingham

I hope it would be a Co production with ABT.

I have a feeling Curley, Klein, Gonzalez Will make it now and Roxander Just before the next MET season. If Hoven leaves then Frenette Will make it too., I hope.

57 minutes ago, BalanchineFan said:

I saw Whiteside twice this season. Once with Hurlin in SL and once with Murphy in R&J. I have to say that R&J really suits him. He and Murphy were great together. I love her in everything! There's a moment in the first act, after Juliet has been playing with the doll and her Nurse, where Murphy discovers that she has a bosom. So funny and touching.

Whiteside seems much more free as Romeo. Very full with his emotions, beautiful dancing! He turns and spins (which Romeo does more than Prince Siegfried, IIRC) and his jumps seemed easier and more assured. I also think the drama gives Whiteside more to sink his teeth into. 

In 1976 I saw Nureyev dance R&J at the Met. I can't remember if he was with Royal or a guest with ABT. Is this that same, exact production?

I don’t remember R Nureyev dancing R and J with ABT .He did dance with La Scala when it came To the MET.

6 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

Someone mentioned on one of the ABT threads about Teuscher getting outside coaching from Isabelle Guerin, for SL I think. I noticed in last night’s program that she’s now listed as a company teacher. I think that’s new or has she been a teacher for awhile? I have also seen Paloma Herrera in the audience several times including last night. I’d love to see her come on for coaching. It would be marvelous, and is needed, if Marcelo Gomes could return to coach the men on partnering and such. Maybe someday enough time will have passed for him to be able to do that, especially with McKenzie gone.

In her IG acct, Isabelle G.stated she did her last weekly Class for the ABT dancerThe dancers seem To like her classes. As everyone know s, she was one of the Etoiles during  RNureyev’s directorship. ABT is lucky To have her.Hoping , Susan can convince her To be a regular coach for the company..

1 hour ago, abatt said:

Bell was excellent.  Fabulous technique.  And I felt his partnering of Hee Seo, who is a waif, was  more daring and looked more spontaneous than his partnering Teuscher.  Teuscher is so much taller and bigger than Hee, and therefore more difficult to partner.  

Thanks, Abatt. People livingaway from NYC has To depend on you and BA for our Ballet fix.

40 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.

And how was Mr Bell?

1 hour ago, NinaFan said:

Yes, the program is much too light, and one I'll be skipping unless they add something like a couple of exciting PDDs.   And I'd be very pleased to see the PDDs you've mentioned!

They used To have a PDD  in their mixed Programs . I think it’s a good training for eventual  full length  performances..

Thanks Susan.

Thanks

Any reports of last night’s R and J. How was J Gorak and B Hoven?

Program 3 seems to be the least interesting of the fall schedule.Maybe, they can add a PDD or two for the younger promising member of the corps. Le Corsaire or Diana and Acteon would be a showcase for J Roxander/Cooker. Just a thought.

Just curious, how old is Sarah now?

3 hours ago, California said:

I Am at the matinee. People at Friends desk said he is performing. I just saw him at company class on stage for Friends until 1 pm. The fact that he did not leave early made me wonder! Friends said fall schedule announced next week, although I don't know their source.

 

Who taught the company class?

Just wondering when the  Fsll Season Will be announced. In the past, it is usually near the end of the Spring season.

1 hour ago, FauxPas said:

I think Misty and Herman could do "Other Dances" together.  Murphy probably will want to wait until the 2024 Met season and do a big farewell in a major warhorse ballet.

BTW: though I noticed a fall off in Herman's brisées in "Giselle" Act II, his solo was pristine and his partnering, dramatic insight and general artistry and elegance were to die for.  Obviously with over a decade of experience, Cornejo's dramatic interpretation was more consistent and convincing than Bell's Albrecht or even the histrionically gifted Camargo's. 

I can deal with a slightly diminished Herman for another season or two if he still has so much to give.  I also feel that the reactions to Skylar Brandt's Giselle are a little harsh.

Teuscher and Hurlin were both fine Giselles but clearly works in progress.  In fact, I felt (without dismissing her overall excellent achievement) that Hurlin's Giselle was still somewhat surface.  In that she had all the details in place (some of them striking like her wild animal chase through the assorted villagers in Act I's mad scene) but not much inner life and a rather unspecific interpretation of the role.  Is Giselle a fragile waif or a robust hearty village girl who loves to dance more than life itself?   Hurlin has a slender tallish elongated physique that creates beautiful lines with a lot of muscular strength for bravura dancing.  She has a big, expansive jump which is a big plus in Act II.  But I felt she hadn't yet found the phrasing or shaping in Act II to create indelible images.  However, overall I really enjoyed her dancing and am excited to think of her potential and where she will go in the role.  Teuscher has limited flexibility in her back and hips but was coached beautifully to disguise these flaws or minimize them.  Her hops were solid if off the music in her Act I Spessivtseva solo.  (Hurlin was also solid and even rotated the raised leg from the knee). 

But it was Teuscher's Act II I found quite moving and artistically satisfying.  Her serene but determined face showed that Giselle chose love and forgiveness over vengeance and was determined to save Albrecht.  Her Act II Giselle radiated spiritual strength.  Neither ballerina is particularly good at projecting physical frailty - both have previously danced impressive Myrtas (I have never seen Hurlin as Myrta, Teuscher several times).

Aran Bell danced so well and looked so beautiful onstage that I overlooked a somewhat undeveloped dramatic interpretation in Act I.  He seemed sincere, that was enough.  In Act II his dancing carried the day.  Camargo also seemed to lean into the Latin playboy Albrecht interpretation but not excessively.  He seemed more an impetuous young man in love.  I didn't find his chemistry with Hurlin that strong and his final despair at Giselle's death seemed a little superficial to me.  Camargo's Act II had a lot of emotion and his connection to Hurlin's Giselle seemed stronger.  I was delighted with his strong classical technique in Act II.  I was sitting close enough to see faces and expressions.  One potential complaint is that Camargo had his mouth open very often while dancing.  It was a plus in his heartbroken staggering from Giselle's grave just before the final curtain because he looked totally lost in emotional shock with his mouth agape.  Still it is something for his coaches to watch for.  He is an extremely handsome man and a natural actor.

I was impressed with Fanqi Li's Myrta which is a debut and I felt that it was a very, VERY good start.  Misseldine started somewhat tentatively on Tuesday afternoon with a lack of authority and some awkward transitions in her entrance and opening solo but her solo in the Wili ensemble picked up momentum.  On Wednesday night, Misseldine had more authority (and speed) right from the beginning and seemed well on her way to being a great Myrta.  I believe Veronika Part hasn't danced in several years, so wishing her up there onstage is a lovely but impracticable dream.  I will be excited to see Misseldine develop in the role - her future definitely seems bright!

Skylar Brandt's Giselle was the most dramatically worked out and seemingly delicate and childlike.  However, she is an incredibly strong dancer - so that tension between delicate fragility and technical strength was central to her interpretation and part of its magic.  Act II has some very basic looking choreography that is actually horrifyingly exposed and difficult to execute smoothly.  For example in Giselle's Act II solos she has exposed slow developpées where the leg has to rise but with no shifts in the hip or wobbles.  Brandt's working leg looked detached from her pelvis and rose smoothly with no break or wobble creating exactly the right effect.   Also, Brandt had more of the Romantic dancing style than Hurlin or Teuscher with beautifully curved arms and back and neck, creating the iconic images in the grand pas de deux.  Cornejo was 250% backing her up and creating the magic with her.

Obviously, Brandt has the most experience in the role of Giselle, so her interpretation was more worked out and detailed.  Perhaps it may be leaning towards over sophistication or calculation at this point but it did not cross the line into affectation or phoniness.  Overall, I felt that Wednesday night was on a whole other level above what I saw the previous two afternoons.  I found the Brandt/Cornejo pairing comparable to the Vishneva/Malakhov, Vishneva/Gomes or Osipova/Hallberg performances.

Zimmi Coker danced wonderfully as Zulma on Wednesday afternoon and enchanted in the Peasant PDD on Wednesday night - add my voice to the chorus advocating for her promotion to soloist.  Jake Roxander was jaw-dropping in the male peasant variations - give him more, More, MORE!  Sunmi Park on Tuesday afternoon was airy and delicate in the female peasant variations and lit up the stage.  Also I was impressed with the artistry and presence of Jarod Curley as Hilarion.

BTW: the corps looked very polished and overall "Giselle" is one of ABT's strongest classical productions.  I enjoyed all three performances very much.

One thing about some of the older soloists and principals hanging on:  Susan Jaffe danced with some of these people when she was a ballerina with the company but even more she worked with them and was invested in their development when she was a ballet mistress with the company.  Even as director, I am sure Jaffe is still doing coaching and supervising rehearsals.  That is a plus.  Kevin McKenzie was in the audience on Wednesday afternoon for the Hurlin debut, this is his production of "Giselle" and I would suppose he was assisting with rehearsals for this revival.  So I wouldn't expect dramatic overnight change.  The recognition, promotion and exposure of promising new very young dancers is a welcome change.

WOW, FP, what an evaluation. It's almost like I have watched these performances. You're a treasure for people living away from NYC. I can't wait for your posts for the rest of the ABT season. Thank you.

Crime and Punishment? Please hold that production until ABT is back on its feet. 

7 hours ago, attitudebalance said:

Yeah that's a good point...as freelancers they have control over who they work with and probably a much higher hourly rate than ABT could offer. Are there any other candidates fo coaching positions? I love the Royal Ballet's youtube which shows extensive coaching from retired dancers, many of whom worked personally with Ashton and Macmillan...

Also forgot to add - it seems inevitable (or at least extremely likely) at this point that Misseldine will be a principle and I could see Jarod Curley promoted as well to be her partner. They are both very very tall, Misseldine in particular and have been paired in the corps in Whipped Cream too. 

Isabelle Guerin ,one of the great Etoiles of the Paris Opera Ballet during the Nureyev period lives in. NYC . She had given classes at ABT( according to Her and some ABT dancer’s Instagram account. If interested, she would be a marvelous coach in addition to Irina K.

13 hours ago, volcanohunter said:

Perhaps ABT is hoping that Wheeldon's work on Broadway will attract audiences. But what sells in New York may not sell in Orange County. And what works in London doesn't necessarily work in New York. It's one of my great frustrations that Ashton doesn't seem to stick in New York.

La Fille Mal Gardée, a favorite in London and Europe doesn’t sell in NYC. Too bad , ABT has several possible Lise in the company now.

36 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

It wouldn’t be original or even ideal, but they could absolutely cut Chocolate down to one week and just add 4 or so more SL performances. We all know SL sells and at this late stage they probably don’t have time to start rehearsing a different ballet (or ballets) to add. This would also give dancers more than one shot in SL and/or they could throw in some much needed debuts (Trenary for one).

In total agreement to above suggestions. The current programming was probably done before Susan Jaffe took over?

46 minutes ago, bellawood said:

My pleasure to be of help! The three principals are colloquially known as the Waltz Girl; the Russian Girl, who does the famous 5-woman slide into splits (danced frequently right now by Tiler, Erica Pereira and Ashley Bouder) and the Dark Angel, whom you know as the dancer who leads the second principal man across the floor with his eyes covered (right now often Emilie Gerrity or Megan LeCrone).  Also, fun fact, the boys who lift Waltz Girl up at the end are called "the blueberries" and aren't listed in the casting.

Why is she known as Russian Girl? Just curious. Thanks 

Pharaoh’s Daughter is finally premiering in St Petersburg at end of March without A Ratmansky ‘s staging. It will be staged by Tony Candelore.  Any information on this choreographer?

Probably, it’s Christopher Wheeldon’s decision to cast Sunmi in such an important role. She can be seen dancing a couple of variations from “ Pavilion of Armide” in Duncan Lyle digital program in YouTube. She stands out in the group.

17 hours ago, maps said:

No Late Seating: American Ballet Theatre is the subject line of a 2/14/23 "Valentine" from the KC.   The full digital programs were posted yesterday ABT: Romeo & Juliet Feb. 15, 2023 Digital Program | Kennedy Center (kennedy-center.org)

Does the Met have a similar Digital Program during the ABT season? It would be very interesting.

12 hours ago, Drew said:

I saw the Ratmansky Don Q on video and loved it. Another selling point for ABT trying to appeal to a wide audience might be that it is not committed to 19th-century performance styles...and it is a thrilling bravura evening for a contemporary audience. But  the Dutch National Ballet production I would most like ABT to get is their Raymonda which has traditional choreography but jettisons the most problematic parts of the "Crusades" story line by drawing out an element in the story that can be seen as potentially implicit in the original anyway. (Not implicit in its creators' intentions, but in the way that the story plays in the theater. Most of us are pretty ho-hum about Jean de Brienne--but an exciting Abderrakhman?)

When it comes to ABT, I have long been team Ratmansky, but I can't say I'm convinced his Swan Lake is the best choice for them. 

Presumably money as well as legal rights will dictate many of the decisions to be made.

 

ITA with Raymonda .such a beautiful production.

       I'm probably in minority here but  it looks like except for the Seasons and Seven Sonatas , none of his ABT  commissions  has been very well received to be revive.. Instead of a resident choreographer, ABT would be better off hiring an additional coach of Irina Kolpakova quality. Just my opinion.