Helene

COBRA is a simple plan: the employee can continue receiving health insurance at the same rate that the employer pays plus a small % administrative fee for up to 18 months. If the employer has an expensive and/or generous plan, that amount may not be affordable, based on unemployment benefits for the state, and based on that person's individual financial and family situation. Pennsylvania's website states, "Typically, you'll be paid about half of what your full-time wage was before you became unemployed." (up to a maximum). This article states that Pennsylvania chose not to create a state exchange, and Pennsylvanians must use the Federal exchange instead, were the person to opt out of COBRA. In addition, many companies allow their employees to adjust the plan for COBRA, for example to go from family to single, to drop dental coverage, and/or to switch to a less expensive plan among company offerings if available. It usually doesn't make sense for a family to spend thousands to purchase a plan when a spouse already has family coverage, since one of the two plans pays only a percent of what the other plan doesn't cover. For those covered by the AGMA contract, PA Ballet doesn't pay for family coverage, but allows them to pay for it, if they choose. Since the terms of the firings were not disclosed, whether there was severance and/or medical benefits were offered and for how long is not public. The US is not a place with universal health care for those under 65. Nor is there a lifetime employment guarantee, except in rare circumstances like tenure. When upper management leaves, his or her staff is vulnerable, regardless of competence, particularly the assistant to the director. The PNB transition was remarkable in its stability, but that was an exception. Many orgs go for the slow leak approach, but those jobs turn over with little or no public acknowledgement; in fact, this one was leaked and the information became public not through a press release. Kathleen's point is critical: when an outside expert's analysis and recommendations are accepted by the Board and put into action, it shouldn't come as a shock that the Board will fire people/not renew their contracts. I would imagine that one of the important things that Corella brought to the table was being on the same page with the board and the new plan, and the company's firings along with his selections to replace them did not come in a vacuum, for better or worse. None of the people fired are covered by the AGMA contract, since ballet masters are not assistant stage directors who are hired on a one-off basis, but are staff. Everyone else affected is management or non-artistic staff. (PA Ballet dancers with a total of five years are entitled to severance if they're notified their contracts won't be renewed.) For those covered by AGMA and have a guaranteed employment period, PA Ballet is responsible for paying medical premiums during layoffs, if the employee works for at least four weeks in the yearly period (August 1-July 31) period, providing coverage at least equivalent to an AGMA health plan, according to the most recent contract I can find online from 2009-2012. http://www.musicalartists.org/agreements/PennsylvaniaBallet.2009-2012.pdf There was also a memo, but it didn't affect these provisions. Edited to add: I found the latest contract,for 2013-2016. Health benefits are provided for the full year with a minimum of a 20-week contract, except where the employee requests and is granted a release or is fired for just cause: http://www.musicalartists.org/agreements/PennsylvaniaBallet.2013-2016.s.pdf

The people who are replacing Hadley and Gribler have institutional ties: they are a leading Principal couple in the company. No one has replaced DeGregory as head of PA Ballet II yet. All of the people who left would qualify for health insurance under COBRA, paying the cost of the insurance plus a small admin fee, as PA Ballet employs more than the minimum needed to obligate them to offer COBRA. There are also many more options under Obamacare. Are ballet masters offered year-to-year contracts? Or are they like administrative staff or faculty staff members (not contractors), hired when there's an opening and on a continuous at will contract?

I disagree that it is rude to leave immediately after the curtain drops. Performers say that they can feel the energy from the audience even if they can't see them; that's independent of any appreciation during curtain calls. Even that isn't an obligation. Paying for a ticket and not behaving invasively or rudely during the performance are the only obligations an audience member has, in my opinion. To me, it is rude to not give people a chance to get up and gather their things so they don't go flying and to trample them to leave immediately after the curtain rises, unless people decide to keep sitting as a protest against someone leaving. (Hmm. I need a flow chart for that.)

In the end, better for both Emma and the organization. Not at the moment for Emma, but in the long run. Even if it wasn't, Michael's responsibility was to the company, not to Emma. (In that situation, it was two of them: Emma and Freddie, who was being paid by the performance.) Corella, the interim ED, and the Board are responsible to PA Ballet.

A lot of upheaval, but considering how long everyone had been there with Roy Kaiser, with their loyalty to him, a clean sweep could be less of a problem in the long run. It's not the kind of transition Boal had from Russell/Stowell at PNB, that's for sure.

Angel Corella has made changes to the artistic, school, trainee and management staff: Zachary Hench and Julie Diana will become ballet masters, replacing Tamara Hadley and Jeffrey Gribler. William DeGregory, who was running Pennsylvania Ballet II is now gone, with the company planning for a replacement, as are Michael Sheridan, who was assistant to the director, and Phil Juska, the school administrator. Arantxa Ochoa will become director of the school. Not named were the marketing director and a development staff member. http://www.inquirer.com/features/entertainment/20140828_Pennsylvania_Ballet_fires_longtime_artistic_leaders__administrators.html

Angel Corella has changed the October repertory (October 16-19, 25-56), replacing Robert Weiss' "Symphony No. 9" to a mixed rep consisting of Balanchine's "Allegro Brillante," Wheeldon's "Liturgy," Ratmansky's "Jeu de cartes," and a work TBA. The rep is entitled, "Press Play." http://paballet.org/press-play-directoral-debut-%C3%A1ngel-corella Here's a short video of Corella announcing the change:

d'Amboise was also specific about the timing: that the ballerina reached up and forward towards something, and then was flipped over. The 2009 trailer used mostly different footage and the same casts, but set each section to music from that ballet. (There are some nice close-ups of Wevers.) The 2014 video is like the Dance in America vids, where the credits for all ballets in the video were set to one score.

I'm not sure if the hope about Gelb being marketing-savvy was like grandparents who think their middle-aged children are tech-savvy because they can make their iPhones do GPS, or if the Met as an institution is aghast at the idea of using established net-friendly marketing and outreach techniques because it would taint their brand and put off rich donors, but so many of the suggestions are like fruit rotting on the vine for the only company in the US with the critical mass of performances and visitors to pull them off to the max. And a lot would be possible at a relatively low cost by arts loving, net-savvy young people, one or two added to the staff and who might end up making careers in arts administration as a result. The type of phone apps that Ms. Fatale suggests would not be that costly and features could be added on as modules, and the info could be leveraged for the Met website, with one set of master info disseminated to multiple outlets. Having downloads available from the Sirius performances right after the performances is an impulse-purchase souvenir that could entice to get people to sign up for the subscription service, on Sirius or Met on Demand later on. It's not the same as buying a CD or DVD of a different performance in the gift shop. (Is the Met gift shop even open after performances? Most gift shops are shut down after last intermission.) Seattle and San Francisco have a mass of summer tourists and the opera at least presents during part of the summer -- SFO has a handful of mixed rep productions, while SO usually presents a single one, this summer being an exception and the Ring being its own draw, -- but there's not enough demand + money to run nightly like at the Met. Most companies don't, and the same venue is used for more than opera. Keeping up the marketing momentum between productions is difficult. The Met has streams of tourists and business visitors to Manhattan year-round. That's not the same as visitors to Microsoft/Boeing or Silicon Valley, which are a schlep to Seattle and San Francisco, not a taxi ride, and something's playing at the Met every day but Sunday, not like elsewhere, where if the only day you overlap with the schedule, if you're lucky enough to do so, is the night before a 6am flight, you have to be extremely motivated to attend. European opera companies have had in-season festivals for a long time, and they generate a lot of interest, the way Ring Cycles do. Tour groups make plans around them. In season festivals drum up local interest, too, since they're time sensitive, and you can't just think, "The Met will be playing another six months, maybe when I'm not so busy." Also, NYCB has long held its gala during the season, not on opening night. My favorite suggestion is having a bunch of food trucks at Damrosch Park before performances. That's even better than a dedicated food court, which takes more administrative oversight and is less agile in response to quality and customer demand, and it wouldn't end up being the same corporate food that's available in malls. That would be great news for all of the arts institutions in the area.

Here's the trailer: More old faces -- Nadeau, Milov, Stanton, Lallone, Thomas -- than current ones among the featured dancers in the footage, but, hopefully Maria Chapman will be back in time for the Walking PDD.

Thank you so much, Kathleen. Redpath was an Artist in Residence at Wesleyan one year I was there, and I was lucky to have heard her perform live. She was a vivid presence on campus.

Amanda Majeski will sing the Countess in all performances. She was already on the schedule for the role later in the run: http://www.wqxr.org/#!/story/met-opera-opening-night-poplavskaya-out-majeski/ I look forward to hearing her in the Met in HD performance.

Part 3: SPECIAL EVENTS JEWELS LECTURE SERIES The Phelps Center, 301 Mercer Street, Seattle Diamonds, featuring Jacques d’Amboise: Wednesday, August 20, 5:30 pm (past) Emeralds, featuring Violette Verdy and Mimi Paul: Thursday, September 11, 5:30 pm Rubies, featuring Edward Villella: Monday, September 22, 5:30 pm Join Pacific Northwest Ballet for a studio rehearsal and conversation with ballet legends and originators of roles in George Balanchine’s Emeralds, Rubies, and Diamonds including Jacques d’Amboise, Violette Verdy and Mimi Paul, and Edward Villella. Tickets are $25 for each event and can be purchased by calling the PNB Box Office at 206.441.2424, online at PNB.org or in person at the PNB Box Office at 301 Mercer Street. Space is limited. FRIDAY PREVIEWS Friday, September 19, 6:00pm The Phelps Center, 301 Mercer Street, Seattle Join us for an hour-long preview led by Artistic Director Peter Boal and PNB artistic staff, featuring PNB dancers rehearsing excerpts from Jewels. PNB’s popular Friday Previews offer an up-close view of the Company preparing to put dance on stage. Tickets are $12 each and may be purchased through the PNB Box Office. (These events usually sell out.) Friday Previews are sponsored by U.S. Bank. BALLET PREVIEW — FREE Tuesday, September 23, 12:00 noon Central Seattle Public Library, 1000 Fourth Avenue, Seattle Join PNB for a free lunch-hour preview lecture at the Central Seattle Public Library. Education Programs Manager Doug Fullington will offer insights about Jewels, complete with video excerpts. FREE of charge. PNB LECTURE SERIES & DRESS REHEARSAL Thursday, September 25, 2014 6:00 pm Lecture, Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall 7:00 pm Dress Rehearsal, McCaw Hall Join Artistic Director Peter Boal and special guest Edward Villella during the hour preceding the dress rehearsal to discuss PNB’s production of Jewels. Attend the lecture only or stay for the dress rehearsal. Tickets ($12 lecture; $30 lecture and dress rehearsal) may be purchased through the PNB Box Office. FIRST LOOK, PNB’s Opening Gala After-Party Friday, September 26 McCaw Hall Celebrate PNB’s 2014 season opening, and salute the 25th Anniversary of the PNB Orchestra, with a glamorous onstage after-party. Join PNB backstage as we celebrate with a sumptuous dessert buffet, hosted bar, and DJ entertainment. First Look after-party tickets start at $45. (Performance tickets sold separately. The First Look pre-show gala is sold out.) HSBC is the Title Sponsor of First Look. Additional sponsors include The Boeing Company, Lane Powell, PJ Hummel & Co., and Seattle Met. To purchase tickets, contact Special Events at 206.441.2429 or events@pnb.org. Pre-Performance Lectures Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Join Education Programs Manager Doug Fullington for a 30-minute introduction to each performance, including discussions of choreography, music, history, design and the process of bringing ballet to the stage. One hour before performances. FREE for ticketholders. Post-Performance Q&A Nesholm Family Lecture Hall at McCaw Hall Skip the post-show traffic and enjoy a Q&A with Artistic Director Peter Boal and PNB dancers. Immediately following each performance. FREE for ticketholders.

Part two: September 26 & 27, October 2, 3, & 4 at 7:30pm September 27 at 2:00pm October 5 at 1:00pm “[An] affirmation of Balanchine’s genius.” – The New York Times SEATTLE, WA - Pacific Northwest Ballet sweeps onstage and into a spectacular new season arrayed in emerald green, ruby red, and luminous white. A triple-treat for both eyes and ears, the trio of gems in George Balanchine’s Jewels™ pay tribute to golden ages of music and dance: Emeralds’ graceful clouds of tulle whisper French fashion and fragrance; Rubies’ jazzy, sassy merger with Stravinsky mirrors the carefree candor of America; and Diamonds’ glittering splendor recalls the great choreographer’s heritage, so that “if the entire Imperial Russian inheritance of ballet were lost, Diamonds would still tell us of its essence” (Mary Clarke and Clement Crisp). Jewels runs from September 26 through October 5 at Seattle Center’s Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Tickets and more information are available through the Pacific Northwest Ballet Box Office, 301 Mercer Street at Seattle Center, 206.441.2424, or online at PNB.org. George Balanchine’s Jewels™ Music: Gabriel Fauré, Igor Stravinsky, and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust Staging: Elyse Borne Emeralds : Fauré (from Pelléas et Melisande, 1898, and Shylock, 1889) Rubies: Stravinsky (Capriccio for piano and orchestra, 1929) Diamonds: Tchaikovsky (Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29, 1975, first movement omitted) Running Time: Emeralds: 31 minutes; Rubies: 22 minutes; Diamonds: 31 minutes At its New York City Ballet premiere in 1967, Jewels was touted as the first “plotless full-length ballet.” The story goes that Balanchine was inspired to create the ballet after a visit to the New York jeweler Claude Arpels of Van Cleef and Arpels. While each of its three ballets may not follow any definitive narrative, like real gems themselves, each can be viewed in multiple ways and from a variety of angles. The great American dance critic, Arlene Croce, described Jewels as “unsurpassed as a Balanchine primer, incorporating in a single evening every important article of faith to which this choreographer subscribed and a burst of heresy, too.” Balanchine himself, in his typical noncommittal way, stated, “Of course, I have always liked jewels; after all, I am an Oriental, from Georgia in the Caucasus. I like the color of gems, the beauty of stones, and it was wonderful to see how our costume workshop, under Karinska’s direction, came so close to the quality of real stones (which were, of course, too heavy for the dancers to wear!).” Emeralds is a romantic evocation of France, the birthplace of classical ballet. It is also Balanchine’s comment of the French school of dancing and its rich heritage. With a score by Gabriel Fauré and dancers dressed in Romantic-length tutus, Emeralds can also be a window on the nostalgia inherent in much late 19th-century art, with its idealized view of the Middle Ages, chivalry, and courtly love. Balanchine considered Emeralds “an evocation of France – the France of elegance, comfort, dress and perfume.” Rubies is considered the American jewel, with its Jazz Age score by Igor Stravinsky, stylized flapper costumes by Karinska, and Balanchine choreography in his sophisticated mode. A saucy leading couple plays and competes as equals, and a second, siren-like ballerina takes on the men of the corps de ballet, requiring all four of them to partner her at once. Diamonds is Balanchine’s homage to his native St. Petersburg. Echoes of Petipa’s Swan Lake and Raymonda abound, and the centerpiece of the ballet is an intimate pas de deux, potent in its chivalrous reserve, for the ballerina and her cavalier. At its end, the entire cast joins the principal couple for a gloriously spirited polonaise. TICKET INFORMATION & DISCOUNT OFFERS Tickets ($28-$179 advance) may be purchased through the PNB Box Office: Phone - 206.441.2424 (Mon.-Fri. 9am–6pm; Sat. 10am–5pm) In Person - 301 Mercer Street, Seattle (Mon.-Fri. 10am–6pm; Sat. 10am–5pm) Online - PNB.org (24/7) Tickets are also available (subject to availability) 90 minutes prior to each performance at McCaw Hall, located at 321 Mercer Street at Seattle Center. Pacific Northwest Ballet’s performances of George Balanchine’s Jewels™ are made possible by Bob & Cynthia Benson and Peter & Peggy Horvitz, with the support of Van Cleef & Arpels, Neiman Marcus, and HSBC. Pacific Northwest Ballet’s 2014-2015 Season is proudly sponsored by ArtsFund and Microsoft Corporation.

I'm posting the press release in three parts. First, a celebration With the opening of Jewels, Pacific Northwest Ballet kicks off a year-long celebration marking the 25th Anniversary of PNB’s renowned orchestra. Four programs during the 2014-15 season will feature specially-selected orchestral preludes selected by music director/principal conductor Emil de Cou. “Pacific Northwest Ballet’s orchestra has long been superior…and in Emil de Cou it probably has America’s finest ballet conductor.” (The New York Times) PROGRAM NOTES Orchestra Prelude (to Jewels) Music: Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Finale from “Tema con variazioni,” Orchestral Suite No. 3 in G, Op. 55 Running Time: Five minutes

PNB published some photos of the Jacques d'Amboise coaching session to it's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PNBallet/posts/10152420931428952 Edited to add: Peter Boal mentioned that he's headed to Mount Rainier to go hiking and camping.

Hallberg just tweeted, with photo:

I finished listening late last night. Hundreds and hundreds submit videos and applications, and less than a hundred are invited to audition personally, to which others are added after being scouted. In the end, they're generally vying for three of seven spots, with the rest coming from the National Ballet School. He also talked about finding more interesting dancers from among the non-winners of competitions like YAGP. I loved the part where he talked about watching Crystal Pite in the studio.

It's funny because the SFB soloist roster would be a big one for PNB. But, then again, the corps+apprentices at SFB are more than all of PNB (by a dancer or two).

I haven't listened to part two yet; I'm sure he'll explain the program in this episode.