nysusan

Amour, calm down. I think "People do not like Hee Seo" is too much. Some people liked her performance including my friends who often go to see ballets. Certainly my friends said that Seo was not "marvelous" and had several points to improve on both dancing and acting, but her innocent and fragile atomosphere was charming and was very suit Juliet. Of course it depends on the person's taste.

Many, many people do not like Hee Seo. Kevin McKenzie and/or the ABT board like Hee Seo, so we are forced to see her, often. There is no doubt that many people at the Thursday night performance left after the first intermission. Some friends of mine skipped the performance entirely, simply writing off the money they spent on the tickets - one of them said that he gave his ticket to "a beggar", but just looking at the theater it was obvious that many people left after each intermission, and the audience reaction to her dancing was very muted, as opposed to their reaction to Gomes, which was very demonstrative,

If she was "not marvelous" and "has several points to improve on", then why is she a principal dancer, let alone one who gets many opening nights and so many performances?

The thing is, she has a beautiful body and poses prettily. Unfortunately there is no energy, no arc to her poses and the transition between them, the actual dancing goes nowhere. Her dance at the Capulet ball was lovely. Problem is, it was so inexpressive that she could have been dancing Manon, or the Thais pas de deux, There was no articulation of Juliet's personality in her dancing. She acted, she attempted to express emotion facially, but her dancing was blank. This Juliet was an empty suit. Blech.

Don't discount tonight's performance. You might be pleasantly surprised. I certainly was on wednesday.

Don't discount tonight's performance. You might be pleasantly surprised. I certainly was on wednesday.

Hee Seo may be lucky to get all these chances to sharpen her skills, but I think the events that have occurred this season will lead to far fewer advance ticket purchases. You cannot have one person occupy so many lead roles on short notice without repercussions for future box office receipts. I

Amen to that. I have 4 expensive subscription seats that I typically turn into tickets for myself to 12-15 performances a year. This year with ABT using such a limited roster of ballerinas I ran into a situation where there just weren't enough alternate performance I wanted to see when faced with a cast substitution I didn't like. I will definitely cut my subscription buy for next season, and the reason is the now unavoidable Hee Seo.

I'm sure it's Seo instead of Murphy because Murphy and Gomes wouldn't have rehearsed this together. In this particular case, it actually makes perfect sense for Seo to step in. I don't think ABT can be faulted for that particular decision.

Reports were that Gomes looked tired in his Romeo with Seo on Wednesday. I agree with abatt, what prevented them from replacing both of the leads with Murphy/Whiteside? I don't think there are many people who bought a ticket just to see Gomes, most bought for Vishneva or for the pairing, It may be convenient to throw Seo in because she & Gomes have danced it together but I just don't believe that Seo was the ONLY dancer who could step in and take all of Osipova's & Semionova's scheduled performances,and now this. Oh wait, they gave one performance to Boylston, one to Abrera and one to Kochetkova. So we only had 3 Seo Bayadere's, 2 Seo Beauties, and now 3 Seo R&Js. Does anyone actually believe that she will ONLY do 2 Swan Lakes and 2 Cinderellas? Letting one ballerina dominate the season like this is unprecedented, especially when she isn't a star.

Just posted on ABT's twitter & Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/AmericanBalletTheatre/posts/10153290344621858

Thank goodness I saw Obraztsova's radiant Juliet last night. Looks like that & the Vishneva/Gomes Giselle are going to be the season highlights for me.

Unbelievable, this is the final straw. I know injuries happen but when did this turn into Seo Ballet Theater? If Vishneva is injured they have plenty of other dancers who could have been given this opportunity. People on this board have said that Juliet is Seo's best role. I hope so because there is nothing left for me to exchange this into, and if I don't like what I see I intend to boo. Loudly.

Huh? When was that?

After she pricked her finger, in the corner of the stage with the King & Queen fussing over her she did indeed fall right on her butt.

I was sitting very close and her performance read well in the front of the house, I thought she was lovely. I've seen this production 4 times now, with 2 more to go and I continue to be enthralled by it

Nobody has mentioned Salenko, whose US schedule with Royal would allow this. I know nothing about her, except that she's paired with McRae here and in the fall. Would she be a possibility with Gomes?

Again, why? She is not a star, what is the advantage of casting her to replace Osipova?

They may know the role, but I don't see the benefit for ABT in using RB dancers like Lamb, Cuthbertson or Marquez who are unknowns to the general NY ballet community. Nobody who bought a ticket to see Osipova is going to say "oh,we're seeing Marquez instead of Osipova, that's fine". Cojocaru or Vishneva are really the only appropriate substitutions, although I could see them using Kochetkova since she and Seo have been the go-to girls this season (and thats what I'm afraid of). I don't think height is really an issue here. Juliet is supposed to be young, so being small isn't a disadvantage and neither is a size difference between Romeo and Juliet - remember Ferri/Bolle?

At least ABT is being honest about it now. Wonder how long it'll stay TBA, and even more curious (and dreading) who will be the replacement.

Exactly. But with the season almost over I'm at the point where I already have tickets to everything else I want to see. There's really nothing for me to switch to if it winds up being Seo or Kochetkova. I guess I'd take another SB if they announce the replacement soon enough but once thats over I am out of options. Fingers crossed!

And about last night - Part, Nedak and Murphy were sublime! Part was lovely, a very beautiful,sensual bayadere and she looked so happy to be dancing with Nedak, so secure. She may have come down a bit early from the second series of pirouettes with the scarf (in the shades scene) but she covered it well and aside from that there were no technical problems whatsoever.They looked great together and had great chemistry together. He is not a virtuoso technician, but he's certainly no slouch, either. Tall, strong with beautiful lines (there I go again!), his positions were always fully stretched and he has great flexibility for a big man. He was also a good actor and a great partner for her. Lets have more of them together!

This was certainly the best all-around Bayadere of the season, too bad they only got 1 performance.

Hi nysusan -- as someone without dance training, I'm interested in this concept of "line" and how it gets talked about and what exactly it refers to. Could you describe what, precisely, you're seeing when you say that MK has "an ugly arabesque" with "no line to it." I'd love to learn more about this topic. Thanks!

Amour, I agree with you about Kochetkova's first act - that was the first time I really enjoyed her dancing in a classical ballet. And I'm thinking thats because Nikiya's dancing in the first act is not pure classicism, it has a lot of character built into it and allows for many different approaches in terms of plastique and phrasing. Her technique is always strong - I never have any complaints about that- and I thought her phrasing was very dynamic, she used her back well and projected very well. But then we got to the shades scene and I saw everything I don't like about her all over again. The supple back & shading were gone - she was ramrod straight with a sharp movement quality, and she has an ugly arabesque. There is simply no line to it.

Sarafanov was wonderful. No, he's not the Mariinsky wunderkind we first saw 10, 12 years ago but he is still an absolutely gorgeous dancer and I'd welcome seeing lots more of him (AND Kimin Kim, the current Mariinsky wunderkind). Also really enjoyed Boylsyon in this. I didn't stay for the last act, how was Aaron Scott's Bronze Idol?

I saw Raymonda Variations on Wednesday and again this afternoon. The first time out I thought Pereira was a bit tight and displayed her usual lightweight approach to the steps (limited phrasing, throwaway arms, sorely lacking epaulmant and stiff upper body) with the exception of 1 solo -I think the 2nd - where she seemed to relax and luxuriate a bit in the music.

Todays performance was completely different and a huge step forward for her. She was just lovely. She danced with a beautiful lightness, displaying lingering balances with trailing romantic arms and playing with the music. What a difference! Her approach was completely from Bouder's (naturally)but this performance was beautiful.

I didn't realize that Vishneva is taller than Somova and Tereshkina- she was quite short in person (and I was wearing flats). I thought she's about the same height as Osipova.

Anyway, I'd love to see Stella dancing Nikiya but not sure whether that'll happen. Boylston/Sarafanov/Abrera works but then Stella will have to dance two Gamzatti in one day!

I didn't mean to imply that Vishneva is taller than Tereshkina or Somova, I don't think she is.

I definitely do NOT want to see Kochetkova as Nikiya, but I want to see Sarafanov. Kochetkova would seem to be the only available potential option if Osipova can't dance. I doubt Cojocaru would be willing to step in for an additional show. Sarafanov needs a smallish partner. Not much left to exchange into at this point even if I wanted to switch out of a Bayadere, given the huge number of cast changes that have already occurred.

Actually though Sarafanov is very slight he is not short. Back when he was at the Mariinsky he partnered Tereshkina, Somova and even Vishneva. They can't POSSIBLY give Seo another performance so if Cojocaru or Kochetkova can't do another one they'd probably have to develop a new Nikyia. I'd love to see Stella but my money would be on Murphy or Boylston - and I'd prefer either to Kochetkova

I can't add much to the previous posts, but want to say that I feel privileged to have seen last night's Giselle. For me the Vishneva/Gomes partnership in Giselle is the successor to Ferri/Bocca and in the same league as the other great Giselles I've see from Fonteyn/Nureyev and Fracci/Bruhn through Makarova/Baryshnikov and Kirkland/Baryshnikov. They may both be showing their age a bit but the technical level is still quite high and their artistry is undiminished.

As far as their characterizations, I love Vishneva's combination of shyness and curiosity and her complete adoration of Loys. And her 2nd act is the most ghostly and ethereal I can remember.

I agree that Teuscher lacks the necessary authority for Myrtha but there were a couple of moments in her solo where she whirled with the fever of a fury. I think with time she will develop into a great Myrtha. For me at this point Part's is the gold standard at ABT. I also love Murphy's but she is so stern and unrelenting, I prefer the Mariinsky approach where you see the anger tempered by moments of regret.

Also I'm sorry to have to agree with this one but I also found Salstein very sloppy in the peasant pas, though I thought Misty was lovely.

Wonderful triumph for Stella! Thanks all for the descriptions and the curtain calls. Sorry I couldn't be there but hopefully I will get the chance to see them next year.

Well, looking on the bright side, Hee Seo can certainly use the practice, but I wish there were more variety in the substitutions.

LOL!!

Actually, this is quite disgusting. ABT's weakest principal will now get 3 Nikiyas, 2 Juliets and 3 O/Os? Mckenzie shows no respect for his artists or his audience

Cornejo had been listed for tonight's Fancy Free - he has been replaced by Salstein

Following that link just now, though, I see it has been changed back to Semionova. What's the deal?!

I'm still seeing Abrera

Mussel, this is such HUGE news that I hope you don't mind me reposting it in this thread. I happen to already have tickets for that date, and while I hope Semionova is well, I'm THRILLED to get to see a Stella, Shklyarov and Part Giselle!

I thought Teuscher made a fine debut as Hagar last night. Nowhere near the burning intensity and internal conflict I remember from Murphy's prior performances (unfortunately I will not be able to see her this season), but a very well danced and well thought out interpretation. This ballet has been completely re-cast since the last time I saw it and I thought everyone did well, with the exception of Stearns. He was the least seductive "man from the house opposite" I've ever seen. I thought I was starting to see an improvement in both his dancing and his stage presence in the past few seasons but based on what I've seen so far this season I'm not so sure.

T&V was lackluster as noted by mimsyb. Boyleston had nice speed & energy but her torso and arms were lacking and so was her phrasing. Stearns was ok, he certainly has beautiful line but he looked somewhat sloppy in his variations with fudged landings and listing off center. At one point in that second variation it seemed that he was travelling off the diagonal. Perhaps they just suffered in comparison with Tuesday night's luminous Lane/Cornejo performance.

I didn't stay for Fancy Free. I agree that it was a pretty uninspiring evening but Tuesday's was the exact opposite, I left the theater on a real high that night. There have been glowing reports on the Part/Abrera/Lane/Gorak cast of Les Sylphides so I guess its hit or miss so far.

Attended today's matinee. What a difference a cast makes. This cast of Sylphides was sublime and ethereal, with a much more convincing mastery of the Romantic style than Monday's cast. The leads were Part, Gorak, Abrera and Lane. Abrera doesn't have Boylston's jumping ability, but she brought so many other details to the role that I didn't care. The second cast of Lilac was pretty good, but not nearly as convincing as the first cast. The weakest link was Shevshenko, who danced all the steps but lacked dramatic impetus. This is the best work I've seen from Tom Forrester, who was passionate and ardent. Didn't stay for Rodeo.

Sounds like Abrera did the Mazurka role. Which did Part do? I can't imagine Gorak lifting her in the Pdd so did Lane dance the pdd and Part the prelude?