nysusan

To my surprise, today at the ticket exchange box office for ABT, I was told you could only obtain as many tickets as you were exchanging. In other words, you could not purchase any tickets in addition to the number you were exchanging. Did anyone else have this problem, or did I just get a wise guy box office employee? I've been an ABT subscriber for a good 15 years, and I have never had this problem. I've always been permitted in the past to buy additional tickets beyond the number I exchanged during the priority exchange week. The end result will be that I will have to return to the box office to get rid of some tickets I was marginally interested in to get certain other dates. I won't be repurchasing the marginal interest dates at a later time. Good job ABT! Considering that the place is half empty most nights, this new policy doesn't make any sense. The box office person said that ABT was "adamant" that no additional tickets be sold to subscribers during the priority week.

I had the same experience. I could make equal exchange (which I did), but was not permitted to "add on" singles as has always been done in the past. What a disappointment. I left pretty mad, because like you it now means an additional trip down to the BO. What a pain. The BO person I had said this was an ABT decision, not the Met's and that the Met fought not to have this policy, as it means longer lines next Sunday (more chaos) and it also means that money didn't come into the BO for tickets purchased. What a dumb policy. It alienates us as subscription holders. So, I didn't put anything additional on my credit card on Sunday, but I also took another look at what I had intended to buy and decided perhaps I could do without those dates. Not a very smart move on ABT's part. Another reason to dislike their ticket policies. BOOOO!!!

I had the same experience as abatt and mimsyb. I was there before the box office opened and they made an announcement letting us know about the new policy, so I went through my list of exchange dates and prioritized them to make sure that I could exchange into the dates I thought would be most popular and the ones I wanted to see the most.

Sure enough, when I was 3/4 through my list I was told that I had reached my exchange limit. In my case it didn't have to be an even number of tickets because when I don't find a replacement ticket with a location I want I often downgrade to a cheaper ticket - so the $ amount of new tickets couldn't exceed the $ amount of tickets I was returning.

Since I had different priced tickets the dollar amount wasn't exact and the BO guy told me they'd take the $30 I had left on account as a donation to ABT. I said NO WAY. He wouldn't let me buy 1 more ticket so I could owe them money (and pay the additional, of course) so I wound up switching one of the tickets I'd downgraded back to my usual section so the money evened out. The BO guy was actually very nice, and apologized for the policy which he said was 100% ABT's.

I was grumbling and grousing to myself about having to come back again next Sunday when, like mimsyb and abatt I started wondering if I really needed to spend the extra $300 -$400 on ABT tickets. I think this stupid new policy is going to backfire on them big time.

Does anyone know when single tickets go on sale for non-subscribers?

I agree with others that Hoven has been looking great in recent seasons and I think he's perfectly suited to Aminta.

I worry about Hammoudi as Prince Desire. He hasn't really risen to the challenge in recent principal roles, and I can't imagine him pulling off the fiendishly difficult variation in the last act. But he's always a dancer that I've rooted for, so I wish him the best.

ABT's "Pointe of View" eNewsletter says that the box office opens on March 20th at 12 noon. This makes sense since the subscriber exchange week runs from 3/13 - 3/19.

I thought Skorik was absolutely gorgeous tonight. That stunning arabesque line, the long legs and uber flexible torso and back served her well as Raymonda. Her face is not very expressive and that can be problematic in certain roles but not here, at least not for me. I think that's what some people are reading as fear, she does sometimes have a "deer in the headlights" look, but I think that's just her natural expression.

Askerov acquitted himself well. His variation was the best of the 3 but then again, he's probably 15 years younger than Korsuntsev & Ivanchenko!

And I've found a new favorite that I will look for from now on - Yekaterina Chebykina who once again KILLED Clemence's 2nd act adagio variation.

ROTFL! I hope that he recharges for the Saturday matinee. I sincerely want to be proven wrong about "Zombiechenko"!

About Sofia I-S/SIS: I noticed those physical attributes that you mentioned PLUS the shortish arms. She seems to be the current Mariinsky Go-To Gal for solos requiring petit batterie. I love her ultra-clear entrechats, for ex. Her face registers to the highest rafter, too. She may be a great candidate to dance the Pierina Legnani roles in reconstructions someday.

Don't get your hopes up too high Natalia, remember - it isn't saying much!

Ivanchenko was more energetic than I have ever seen him which isn't saying much, but it was very nice to see him this way.

Jean doesn't have much to do here but support Raymonda so it's a perfect role for Zombichenko! He is a big guy and a great partner so I was surprised that some of the lifts early on didn't look as easy as they did with Kondaurova/Korsuntsev. No disasters, they just weren't as smooth as I'd expected them to be.

There must be "the curse of the sautees in pointe" against the Russian ballerinas. Kolegova fell off pointe during her series of sautees tonight.

There were a few minor bobbles - she listed off center several times during supported pirouettes but of course her partners reeled her in and those killer lifts that looked so effortless with K/K looked a bit effortful with K/I. She's also not a natural adagio dancer like Big Red, but those are minor quibbles. Her technique was more than strong enough for the role and she was charming and vivacious.

Last night's Raymonda was my first of this run so I can't compare it to opening night, but I concur with all the other posters (and great to see you all!) that Kondaurova was fantastic. I thought she'd make a great Raymonda and I'm glad I was right. Her clapping variation was tremendous, she really made the most of it.

There is not much dancing for Jean de Brienne in this version, his main job is partnering and for me, Korsuntsev is the Mariinsky's best partner. He's also the only on on this tour who actually relates to his partner so I'm glad Kondaurova got him!

The night's Clemence was Yekaterina Chebykina. She does a long adagio solo in the second act and she did it just beautifully with long, spun out lines and perfect control.

Ernest Latypov was one of our 2 troubadours in addition to dancing in the 3rd act male variation. He is my favorite of the up and coming men but I also really loved the other Troubadour Evgeny Konovalov. He was slightly taller with beautiful stretched lines.

All in all a great night and now I am looking forward to Kolegova

I hope that she'll be cast in one of the DC SYLPHIDES in early March. Ooops...just saw the above post. Yeah...3rd cast.

She was just lovely as the Sylphide. Beautiful, flexible feet in all the flat & demi point work, excellent technique overall and with beautiful arms and positions, although she didn't really dance in the Romantic style - no wafting arms, or forward inclination in the body - Hyltin was closest to the Romantic style. But Woodward's Sylph was very bright and playful. She exuded charm and confidence - you would never believe that she was only in the corps.

And as much as I love Mearns (and I adore her) Reichlen is the one to see in TP2 - she owns the ballerina role now.

Puzzling information about ticket sales for the Met season: The Met Opera site for ABT says subscribers get:

• Advance Access to Individual Tickets

This is the page you get when you click "subscribe" from the calendar on the ABT site.

http://www.metopera.org/Season/Tickets/ABT-Subscription/

I don't recall a perk like that in previous years and sent an e-mail to the ABT contact listing to ask if those advance individual tickets would be available on-line or only in person at the box office. The reply: individual tickets go on sale March 20. But I thought that was the date for individual tickets sold to the general public and would be both on-line and at the box office. So I tried again -- no answer yet -- if you buy a subscription, do you get on-line access prior to March 20 to additional individual tickets and can you buy those individual tickets on-line?

This perk is not so uncommon with other American dance companies. It would be very nice if ABT would add it and I might even get a Trio package to qualify.

Has anybody else figured this out?

I was able to order single tickets when I renewed my susbscription. I think it was by mail. Don't know if that also applies to Trios but it is definitely a perk for full subscriptions

Thanks Natalia & Canbelto, sounds like good viewing for the train ride to DC

NYSusan, that's quite an impressive history with various Raymondas! Have you seen the POB Nureyev version

No Natalia, I've never seen the POB Raymonda, and I haven't been able to find a DVD. All I see is the Dancer's Dream DVD, which looks like a documentary with performance footage.

Getting very excited about the DC performances!

I'm going to wait to cast my vote until after the Mariinsky's KC Raymonda run.

I've seen the 3 available videos of the full ballet (Bolshoi with Semenyaka and Bessmertnova and Mariinsky with Kolpakova), plus the videos of Kolpakova in the pas de dix and the short Dudinskaya film.

Live, I've seen the version Nureyev did for ABT (I think I saw Kirkland, Makarova, Gregory & van Hamel, but the only one I really remember is van Hamel - plus the AMAZING sight of Nureyev and Bruhn alternating as Jean de Brienne and Abderhakman!), the most recent ABT production (Part, Ananishvili and Murphy) and the Bolshoi production. I saw Allash with Volchkov and Gracheva/FIllin. The latter were fantastic, and Grachiva instantly became my favorite Raymonda. I remember crystalline technique coupled with lush, plush dancing - beautiful arms and very musical. She was regal, royal, majestic, but she also radiated warmth. Will be interesting to see how today's Mariinsky ballerinas compare to my memory of the Bolshoi's Gracheva, and what the Mariinsky production looks like live.

I'm skipping the opener but will be there 2/24- 2/27. Would be happy to meet at the Kennedy sculpture during intermissions.Since it looks like many of us will be there for the Saturday double header, perhaps we can get together for a meal between show at the KC Cafeteria?

Casting is up for the final week of the season. Miriam Miller is debuting as the lead in Agon. Also, Robbie Fairchild is returning for the week, with a debut in Agon (secondary lead role).

How exciting! I'm in DC for the Mariinsky most of next week so unfortunately I'll miss those debuts but I'm looking forward to reading the reports!

abatt, I agree with everything you've said EXCEPT your impression of Hyltin in Symphony in C.

Reichlin ruined Walpurgisnacht for me - a ballet I always love. Her ice princess demeanor and deliberate, measured movement took all the sizzle out of this effervescent concoction - like a fallen souffle.

On the other hand, Mearns was divine in Mozartiana, Scheller was a joy to behold in 1st movement Bizet and Issacs & Gordon were just smashing in the 3rd.

In NY its only at Symphony Space, and showing on a Wednesday afternoon. They are showing the whole ROH ballet series on Wednesday afternoons. So if you want to see any of them you have to take a day off work. I'll probably do it for this program, but thats it. And then they'll wonder why they can't fill the theater...

Part & Annanishvilli both danced it in NY. I think I also remember Murphy in it. Even though it was definitely Raymonda Lite and the program notes did their best to downplay the cultural/religious aspect of the story (the insipid "its about a girl who has to choose between 2 suitors" - like any production anywhere ever showed Raymonda considering running off with the Saracen) it had all of the set pieces and I really enjoyed it. I doubt that we'll ever see it again - its too politically incorrect for today's NY.

...she'll bring the 'snoot' to Ray, I bet.

My thoughts exactly. I've seen Kolegova as Aurora & O/O with the Mariinsky, also with them in Les Sylphides. I have absolutely no recollection of her in the Fokine but I didn't like her in the other two. Strong technique, beautiful face with those amazing slavic cheekbones but I thought her Aurora was cold and her O/O dull and unfocused. Raymonda is a role that I think may fit her to a tee, I can only imagine the hauteur she'll bring to the Grand Pas Hongrois!

I can live with the KC casting. I didn't think we'd get Lopatkina but I was looking forward to seeing Tereshkina, so thats a disappointment. I'm out there Thurs - Sat and then rushing back to NY for Lopatkina's last night at BAM. So if the casting holds I'll see Skorik & Kondaurova each once and Kolegova twice. Very excited to see Big Red's Raymonda and also Bateova and Shapran as Henriette.

abatt, I agree 100%, it was fabulous!

That was Friedman Vogel with Cojocaru in Lady of the Camelias, a dancer I love and wish we saw more of here in NY. The Ashton was Marguerite & Armand which she danced with Dawid Trzensimiech of the Bucharest Ballet.

Issac Hernadez partnered Rojo in Black Swan and also stepped in for Osiel Gouneo with Sena Hidaka (Bucharest), which is why they switched from Diana & Acteon to Corsaire.I agree that she was not memorable, but she probably had very little time to prepare the pdd.

I really loved Rojo's Black Swan. She was spot on technically but I also loved how seductive she was. I'm so tired of the pure evil interpretation everyone seems to go for these days.

Box office opened 20 mins ago. All set for opening night. I'm so hoping for Lopatkina but will be happy with Skorik or Tereshkina or Kondaurova or even Shirinkina!

I may buy tix to other performances once casting is published.

Since I'm coming in from NY I went the opposite way. Bought Thurs - Sat (going back to NY Sun AM so I can catch Lopatkins at BAM). I may buy Tues and Wed if the casting is really great, meaning Lopatkina,Kondaurova or Tershkina, otherwise I am set!

When I saw that Copeland & Kochetkova were paired in Monotones 1 I thought they would be a great combination. 30 seconds into the Sunday matinee performance I suddenly remembered that neither one is an adagio dancer. As I was reminded during intermission, with only 3 people on stage and in those unitards the dancers are very exposed and every flaw is readily apparent but, really - neither one could sustain an arabesque without shaking. Very unfortunate. The Seo/Hammoudi/Han Monotones 2 cast was better, but they looked very ordinary, not the mysterious, celestial beings of the Part/Forster/Stearns cast.

I was sooo happy to see the 2nd cast of Company B. Gabe Stone Shayer (Tico), Stephanie Williams(I can dream) and Cassandra Trenary (Rum & Coca Cola) were all amazing.

I've been going to see ABT do Fancy Free since I was about 5 years old. I never saw that section as being threatening until about 5 or 6 years ago. I can't remember if it was ABT or NYCB but that playful encounter had turned into a near mugging. It's really dependent on the staging, coaching & the dancer's interpretation.

I have to say that I pretty much agree with Olga.

I liked the music for the Morris piece, but that was it. I found the costumes unflattering & uninspiring. The choreography was workman like, but dull. And slow.

I love Monotones 2. I thought ABT did a pretty good job with it but there a few moments where the partnering looked a bit shaky and the movements were not 100% in sync . Nothing disasterous but not the completely smooth, effortless adagio this piece needs. Veronika did look gorgeous in it. Monotones 1 went off well, but its a lesser piece. Hopefully they will both improve with more performances.

I enjoyed the Tharp. It brought a welcome dynamic after the sluggishness of the earlier part of the evening. I know both Monotones pieces are adagios - and I love that - but it turns out that starting the program with the Morris was not a great idea. In fact it probably should have been on a different program.

I agree that Peck was fantastic in last night's T&V. The speed, technical security and wonderful use of legato were all there but what impressed me most was the sense of joy she brought to it. Paradoxically, this may also be related to the only (small) quibble I have with her performance. For me this is one of the great, grand Balanchine ballerina roles and she didn't look very grand in it. More a princess than a queen, but what a great, exhilarating performance.

Its official! From Ashley Bouder's public instagram page:

• ashleybouderLast Swan Lake finished. And a new chapter beginning. #8weeks#cygnet #Bouderbump with @defl0
• https://instagram.com/p/8IyB-1P__Z/

Congratulations Ashley!

Dear Megan,

Welcome back to NYCB. You will dance Theme twice in your first week.

Love,

Peter

[ Casting is up for Week 2! - Choriamb ]

Shades of Ashley Tuttle coming back to ABT from Movin Out (but I'm sure Megan will handle it better than Ashley did)!!!