drb

"...However from the start of the 2005 | 2006 Season the Dutch National Ballet will be sharing her with this American company. I wonder how that's gonna work out, as far as I know it's a first in Ballet history... " ...not to worry, Nina Ananiashvili was effectively Prima Ballerina of both the Bolshoi and ABT for years, so it can be done! So, please don't keep La Sylve at DNB, let's share, she's desparately needed at NYCB too! She's brought the Grande Ballerina style back to NYCB. I'd opine that she's America's Prima right now (although if Diana Vishneva's statement that she'll return to ABT May-July pans out, and if Ashley Bouder continues to grow, it may be as part of a Triumverate).

You wonder if all those Irina/Max Paquita PdD's are because of their success in this at last week's Paris Gala des Etoiles. But, having danced it three times there, and with at least three more due at City Center, one hopes Irina won't get sick of it in the way that Cynthia Gregory got sick of dancing Grand pas Classique. Just keep the cigarettes away from Irina, I guess...

Updated casting: Week I Wednesday, Oct. 19 Opening Night Gala Program Faun: Kent, Stiefel Paquita PDD: Dvorovenko, Beloserkovsky The Howling Cat: Herrera, Carreno Gong: company Rodeo: E. Cornejo, Salstien, Stappas Thurs., Oct. 20 Les Sylphides: Abrera, Hallberg, E. Cornejo, Riccetto Afternoon of a Faun: Kent, Stiefel Paquita PDD: Herrera, Carreno Kaleidoscope (New Quanz): Murphy, Stiefel, PART, Beloserkovsky Fri., Oct. 21 Apollo: Carreno, Kent, Abrera, Dvorovenko Gong: Company The Green Table: Company Sat. Oct. 22, 2:00 pm Les Sylphides: Riccetto, Saveliev, Kajiya, FANG Faun:Abrera,Hallberg Paquita pdd: Dvorovenko, Beloserkovsky Rodeo: Reyes, Radetsky, Matthews Sat. Oct 22, 8:00 pm Kaleidoscope: Murphy, Stiefel, Part, Beloserkovsky Gong: Company Rodeo: E. Cornejo, Salstein, Stappas Sun., Oct. 23, 2:00 p.m. Gong: Company Apollo: Stiefel, Herrera, Riccetto, Murphy Rodeo: Reyes, Radetsky, Matthews Week II Tues., Oct. 25 Apollo: Carreno, Kent Gong: Company The Green Table: Company Wed., Oct. 26 Kaleidoscope: TBA Dark Elegies: Company In the Upper Room: Company Thur, Oct. 27 Apollo: Stiefel Corsaire PdD: Reyes, Corella pdd: TBA Rodeo: E. Cornejo, Hallberg, Stappas Fri., Oct. 28 Les Sylphides: Kent, Beloserkovsky Dark Elegies: Company In the Upper Room: Company Sat., Oct 29, 2:00 pm Kaleidoscope: TBA Gong: Company The Green Table: Company Sat. Oct. 29, 8:00 pm Les Sylphides: Kent, Beloserkovsky Afternoon of a Faun: Abrera, Hallberg Tchaikovsky PdD: Herrera, Corella In the Upper Room: Company Sunday, Oct. 30, 2:00 pm Les Sylphides: TBA Dark Elegies: Company The Green Table: Company Week III Tues., Nov. 1 Kaleidoscope: TBA Dark Elegies: Company In the Upper Room: Company Wed., Nov. 2 Les Sphds: Riccetto, Saveliev Apollo: Beloserkovsky The Green Table: Company Thurs., Nov. 3 Gong: Company Dark Elegies: Company In the Upper Room: Company Fri., Nov. 4 Kaleidoscope: TBA Afternoon of a Faun: Riccetto, Beloserkovsky pdd: Herrera, Corella Rodeo: TBA Sat., Nov. 5, 2:00 pm Apollo: Belserkovsky Dark Elegies: Company In the Upper Room: Company Sat., Nov. 5, 8:00 pm Apollo: Carreno, Kent Tchaikovsky PdD: Reyes, Corella Paquita PdD: Dvorovenko, Beloserkovsky The Green Table: Company Sun., Nov. 6, 2:00 p.m. Kaleidoscope: TBA Afternoon of a Faun: Riccetto, Beloserkovsky Diana & Acteon PdD: Herrera, Carreno In the Upper Room: Company

Aesha Ash has left the Bejart Ballet to become a dancer with San Francisco's Lines Ballet, as reported on their web site. It should not come as much of a surprise, given her disappointing experience at Bejart, and prior to that at NYCB, as she described in June 2005 Dance Magazine: .... After seven years in the corps, she joined the Bejart Ballet Lausanne in Switzerland in hopes of finding better roles. "I actually stuck around [for so long] just because I was the only black female. I would see a handful of little black girls [who were studying at School of American Ballet] and tell myself I had to keep going for them. There were people who would stop me on the street and say, 'You're the sistah up there doing her thing. Alright.' I felt like I was on a mission," Ash says. "But I got tired of feeling different. I wanted to be looked at just for my art. I felt everything about me was so different--my body type, my curves, my hair, my skin color." Ash recalls a particularly disquieting moment: "I remember one time we were working on Swan Lake and the woman who had come in to stage it told us, 'I don't want see any tan bodies on the stage.' Well, what am I supposed to do? I guess I'm the dirty swan. Everyone is putting powder on to get as white as possible. What am I supposed to do? Those little things just got to me more and more." But even now with Bejart, Ash remains frustrated with the way she is often cast. "I have a soft side, but I'm always cast in stuff where there's all this fierce, raw energy. I'm so tired of hearing that this is me. It was like that at City Ballet, and here at Bejart I still get that," she says. "I'm not always this strong black woman on a mission. I don't always want to move my hips. OK, we can do that. Next. We can be soft also."

From the NY Times article on Hispanics in Dance (see in Sep 20, 2005 LINKS), the festival is mentioned: "This is not, of course, to suggest that the United States is all milk and honey. Take the festival, which was energetically attended but fraught with complication. The Cubans had it worst: Alihaydée Carreño, who recently left the Ballet Nacional de Cuba to dance in the Dominican Republic, did not get a visa to attend. Daniel Sarabia, a member of the corps at the Boston Ballet, had a fractured foot, and Ms. Almeida, a senior soloist with the Cincinnati Ballet, didn't show because of a swollen Achilles tendon. Then, on Saturday night, Rolando Sarabia, who defected in July and had knee surgery seven months ago, hurt his toe. At Sunday's closing matinee, he and Lia Cirio, a member of the corps at the Boston Ballet, gave an uninspired rendition of the Nutcracker pas de deux. The audience cheered anyway. They seemed happy to see Mr. Sarabia. This is not just art, after all; it's also politics." leibling, you may appreciate the "energetically attended."

Sure, the translation is cool, but I did learn something: a PDD is not of two, which certainly helps explain the Corsaire PDD when you see it in the context of the whole ballet. More seriously, the program really looked interesting and I hope someone who attended will give a report. From surfing French sites I have the sense that Luccia Lacarra dominated, especially in the Thais. They also loved her in Prisonniere ("Captive"), which she'd performed at the Valentine's Day Gala in NYC, but her Thais brought comparisons to Fonteyn! The two other most cited performances were the Royal's Sylvia by Yanowsky/Bonelli, and Irina and Max in Paquita. Dvorovenko and Beloserkovsky were variously complimented for their technical perfection and for Irina's beauty. This bodes well for the City Center season, especially if she has more to do than the single PDD that is listed so far. Hopefully a DVD of the performance, since it was recorded for a broadcast circa Christmas (Arte).

Regarding the Miami performances, the pre-performance interview of Rolando Sarabia in the in the Miami Herald http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/livin...miherald_living perhaps will help explain his performance: 'Rolando Sarabia was speaking in Cuban. ''No es fácil, esto,'' he said using a phrase common on the island and among recent exiles -- it ain't easy, this thing. He was referring to the life of a dancer, which at merely 23 has already cost him one ankle and two knee operations. And his country.' and 'Sarabia had no idea whether he would be allowed back into Cuba to see family and friends. 'I have friends who are artists and friends from the street who know nothing about dance, and all they can say is, `man, you can really jump high.' '' Worse, he had recently decided it was time to make space in his life for a relationship and had a girlfriend in Cuba. ''No, don't print that,'' he said. Then he changed his mind. ''What the hell, print the whole thing. I don't give a . . .'' Thinking about being forced out of his country to pursue a career -- ''they threw me out,'' he said -- was getting him riled.' The article concludes: '''There is nothing left for us,'' Sarabia insisted, sounding like a much older man, "but to live off our memories."'

Did anyone see this Gala in Paris over the weekend? Originally it seems Part/Gomes were scheduled, but the following (with Irina/Max instead) may be the actual casting (the automated translation into English is fun): PROGRAM Sleeping Beauty Not of Two Choreography: Marius Petipa/ Music: Piotr Ilytch Tchaïkovsky Alicia Amatriain and Jason Reilly/Ballet of Stuttgart Palladio Not of Two Choreography: Mihai Babuska/ Music: Karl Jenkins Corina Dumitrescu and Ovidiu Matei Iancu/National Ballet of the Opera of Bucharest Sylvia Not of Two Choreography: Frederick Ashton/ Music: Léo Delibes Zenaïda Yanowsky and Federico Bonelli/Royal Ballet of London Lambarena Choreography: Valley Caniparoli/ Music: African JS Bach and songs Lorena Feijoo and Joan Boada/San Francisco Ballet Paquita Not of Two Choreography: Marius Petipa/ Music: Ludwig Minkus Irina Dvorovenko and Maxim Beloserkovsky American Ballet Success Thais Not of Two Choreography: Small Roland/ Music: Jules Massenet Lucia Lacarra and Cyril Pierre/Ballet of the Opera of Munich ENTRACTE Tchaïkovsky Not of Two Choreography: George Balanchine/ Music: Piotr Ilytch Tchaïkovsky Zenaïda Yanowsky and Federico Bonelli/ Royal Ballet of London Bayadère Not of Two (Shades) Choreography: Marius Petipa/ Music: Ludwig Minkus Corina Dumitrescu and Ovidiu Matei Iancu/ National ballet of the Opera of Bucharest The Corsair (Not of Two of the room) Chorégraphie:A.M. Holmes according to Marius Petipa/ Music: Riccardo Drigo Irina Dvorovenko and Maxim Beloserkovsky American Ballet Success The Great Step of Two Choreography: Christian Spuck/ Music: Gioacchino Rossini Alicia Amatriain and Jason Reilly/Ballet of Stuttgart Captive the Step of two Choreography: Small Roland/ Music: Holy Camille Saens Lucia Lacarra and Cyril Pierre/Ballet of the Opera of Munich Gift Quichotte Not of Two Choreography: Marius Petipa/ Music: Ludwig Minkus Lorena Feijoo and Joan Boada/San Francisco Ballet Procession Choreography: Nadia Veselova-Tencer All Dancers One assumes Small Roland is Roland Petit.

From Diana Vishneva's website: Oct 28 2005 Berlin: STAATSOPER The Sleeping Beauty Oct 26 2005 Berlin: STAATSOPER The Sleeping Beauty Oct 15 2005 San Francisco: Berkeley, Zellerbach The Sleeping Beauty Oct 12 2005 San Francisco: Berkeley,Zellerbach Hall The Sleeping Beauty Oct 8 2005 Los Angeles: Music Center The Sleeping Beauty Oct 5 2005 Los Angeles: Music Center The Sleeping Beauty I tend to believe her site--she turned up for every listed performance in NYC this Spring. Naturally, especially in such a physical endeavor as ballet, things can change. Hopefully, the site hasn't been updated in a while (her last personal responses seem to have been entered at the end of July): so one can hope for the opening night performance in Detroit (as reported in the Detroit News on September 17). http://www.vishneva.ru/eng/

Thank you Helene for describing what must have been a thrilling opening night. How did the audience respond to the new AD? Any indications re company morale? I look forward to your reports on the fascinating casting variations planned for Symphony in Three Movements. Thanks especially for mentioning Carla Korbes's debut! She'll really be missed by us NYCB fans... Regarding the very different (from Farrell) phrasing by Patricia Barker in Diamonds; sounds like the hand of Balanchine, maximising the effect by considering the individual qualities of a ballerina: do you know whether Ms. Farrell was involved in setting Diamonds on PNB?

The videobalet site posted for the Ivan Vasiliev and Evgenia Obraztsova threads also gives four half minute glimpses of Lopatkina (including Dying Swan), four of Vishneva (including Manon, which ABT will offer next Spring), and two of Pavlenko: http://www.videobalet.net/mariinka.html Vishneva on top, Lopatkina in the middle, Pavlenko below.

From the Vasiliev thread: "Ooh, nice video! I found it by going to http://www.videobalet.net/ and then clicking on the first link, and then you get a list of videos to watch. Vasiliev was the first two links. jayo " If you follow these instructions, the bottom two videos on the list are of Evgenia Obraztsova! At least on my computer, the video makes the dancer look shortened. I found that by copying it to Real Player and replaying it, proportions were proper.

Wow! Carla Korbes in Robbins, Forsythe and Balanchine. Woe are we, in NYC...

Thanks for the tip! From Vishneva's website: "I plan to be in New York (АВТ) On the following season May - July 2006. " She also lists Manon and Giselle when asked her favorite roles. Hope springs eternal....

Here is an often repeated interview of Altynai in her new position at the Vaganova Academy. But this version comes with a 19-photo slide show. Check her out in #18. Still a great beauty! http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...5081200378.html

Based on reviews with the Royal, I'd vote for Alina Cojocaru as guest artist in Manon. Actually, as guest artist in everything. Here's an article from the Boston Globe with James Kudelka discussing his version of Cinderella: "Cinderella as a giraffe..." http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/arti..._of_cinderella/ '''I was trying to find little ways all the way through it that it begins to make sense," Kudelka says. Sergei Prokofiev wrote the music to include several scenes set in Cinderella's garden, for example, but ''it's very hard to figure out why they're there." So Kudelka has reimagined Cinderella as an outdoorsy, garden-loving girl. She's not just a miserable scullery maid but a tomboy who can't wait to finish her indoor chores and get out into the dirt.' ...'In Boechler's Art Deco costume design, the elongated line of a foot en pointe flows naturally from Cinderella's sleek Erte-inspired gown. ''The pointe shoe is a weird thing; it's an odd silhouette," Kudelka says. Here, ''it sort of creates this giraffe look."'

I never had the good fortune to see their Swan Lake, but your words describe their Giselle! I was new to ballet and was disappointed when I read the casting. I'd expected Nureyev. Instead, Perfection.

Giselle05's suggestion brought to mind Ulanova's R&J, it is, after all, really a movie and she is Juliet incarnate. Unfortunately, this shift of perspective led to the following end of summer silly thoughts: Ballet versions of Casablanca: choreo by Wheeldon (only the best will do), starring Part, Gomez and Cornejo, with a cameo of Lang Lang as Sam. The Act 3 parting pdd already has the music (ATGB), and Wheeldon showed he could do a parting pdd justice with his After the Rain. GWTW: choreo by Mark Morris (it needs more than a grain of salt), starring Maria Kowroski and Igor Zelensky (larger than lifers are needed for that pair), with the corps of the Bolshoi and Mariinsky.

Then: Makarova, not only for really being a bird, but for having the vulnerability that comes with that imprisonment being REAL. Now: Veronika Part. For grandeur, intensity of response to Siegfried, Soul, and for the subtle differences that distinguish every performance. And who else can make THAT last Act seem as if it has more than a hint of Petipa/Ivanov? There is the matter of Mr. B's Swan Lake, which has its own special merits, especially given the other productions now available. It is a bit hard to make the O/O distinctions in a one act version, but a real ballerina can make the Swan original and real. Then: Darci Kistler, teen, pre-first injury. The swan that flew. Now (or the last run in which she was allowed to perform it): Maria Kowroski, who gave birth to her own story, making the one-act ballet tell a deeper tale than a certain full-lenth version.

Thank you for the great report! Funny how, in contrast, Robbins (The Concert) was able to pull off the chair thing. And one hopes there was no frosting on that cake, lest "someone" orders her to diet... Was there any indication as to whether Ms. Bouder is to perform in the rest of the run?

I don't think being Larger-than-Life is necessary and sufficient for "greatness." The two dancers in this new century who have been "greatest" (a silly and near offensive term, of course) in my experience are Ashley Bouder (larger-than-life steps, joy beyond bounds) and Alina Cojocaru (larger-than-life humanity),and they would not make the top of my list as having Larger-than-Life physical presence. For now, I'm happy to accept the generosity of their gifts without thought as to why! You just go and look. And you know. On the other hand, the greatest (and I don't need "..."s for her!) dancer I've ever seen is Suzanne Farrell. And she projected a very Larger-than-Life presence. How did she do it? Aside from Genius, of course, I think her eyes were part of it. They danced! And, separately from this, one felt she was making eye-contact with every individual in the audience, bringing her "nearer," perspective-wise, larger. Also, her musicality had an "amplifying" effect: She was, of course, more the music than anyone else could ever be. As the music filled the hall, so did she. You aren't Balanchine's Muse for no reason...

Yes, that's it. Sometimes it can be a tiny dancer like Nadeshda Pavlova who could give the illusion (to me) of Balanchine's Christmas tree, growing right before my eyes to fill the stage with presence. But it can also be a (slightly) tall dancer, as in Cynthia Gregory, or a quite tall dancer with the courage, or inclination, to dance Big.

Two mentions of Gomes suggest that Larger-than-Life dancers with stage-filling presence need not be small. Among non-petite ballerinas, surely Veronika Part is Larger-than-Life, and I think this is part of the reason for her success as Myrtha: she doesn't need to "act" menacingly, she already "commands" with her presence. When a tall ballerina has the courage to "dance large" the effect can be breath-taking. Consider Maria Kowroski in her better moments, and Tess Reichlen's break-through performances over the past year at NYCB.

Here are more of Marc's photos. Two of her with Ivanov in Forsythe's Approximate Sonata and three more from Romeo and Juliet, with Kolb. http://www.for-ballet-lovers-only.com/Obraztsova_th.html

"Is that Zelensky with her in the Shades scene?" Yes, NYSusan. Igor IS tall, but he seems an inch or so taller than she is in pointes. Makes one wonder if she's really circa 5' 10" tall, as suggested earlier in this topic. Of course she may have small feet. This could be another example of a dancer appearing "Larger-than-Life!" In any case, they look great together in that photo: both seem to be in a deep spiritual state. If only she'd visit NYCB and perform alongside Maria Kowroski! I wonder if anyone happened to see them together when Maria guested at the Mariinsky....