nysusan

I voted for the Kirov. I haven’t seen the POB or Royal productions, but of the current productions that I’ve seen (ABT,NYCB, Kirov & Bolshoi) the Kirov’s is definitely my favorite. I don’t even consider Martin’s worthy of discussion. It’s as if he’s saying to the audience - ok, we’re going to put on this old chestnut (wink, wink), don’t worry about anything any of those silly characters appear to be doing, we’ll just get thru it as quickly as possible, throw in a few new steps & then get you to some of the iconic Ivanov/Petipa stuff so you can say you’ve seen it and our ballerinas can say they’ve danced it...

The Bolshoi’s is very dramatic but strangely unmoving. McKenzie’s misses the mark so often that it can be really frustrating. I’ve gotten used to his prologue and swamp thing/von Rothbart split but I just can’t accept what he’s done to the lakeside acts, especially act 4. In a good performance you come out of Act 3 with all of that stormy, swirling emotionalism and instead of bringing it to a climax his act 4 just lets it dissipate. The part he leaves out where Sigfried is searching through the groups of swans for Odette is so integral to the resolution of the drama it’s absence always kills the magic for me. I hate the way your first glimpse of Odette after the betrayal finds her standing alone on the cliff instead of being comforted by her swans. I also dislike the way this production forces the prince to be a wimpy outsider. I consider that to be a valid interpretation, but McKenzie’s production makes it the only one possible.

I really like the Kirov’s. I don’t mind the jester at all, I think he is entertaining and can work as a kind of “narrative device” to help move the plot along. I’d prefer a tragic ending but the happy ending doesn’t bother me that much because there is more drama and pathos in this version than any of the “tragic” versions around these days. The one thing I really miss in the Kirov staging is Odette’s mime. That's certainly a flaw in my eyes, but despite it's flaws the Sergeyev production is one of the few left that really gets to the heart & soul of the story. I also really love their version of the first act pas de trois, and the way that each member of the corps brings total commitment and and conviction to even the smallest role.

My favorite past productions were the ones I grew up with, Ashton’s for the RB (I loved his first act waltz) and Blair’s for ABT. I would love to see a plain vanilla traditional Swan Lake. Does anyone know what the one the Perm ballet is bringing to NJPAC & Princeton is like?

Ceeszi is right, it was a wild night at the Met. The house was very full, the family circle looked like the only section that had more than a few empty seats. The crowd was definitely ready to rumble, they started roaring early on. But why not? Bocca,Carreno, Corella & Cornejo are something to see. Each one of them was really on tonight, it was fun to watch them trying to outdo each other.

I was also very impressed with Reyes, she has developed a great deal in the past few seasons. I was not prepared for how sharp & precise her technique was, and she really gave Gulnare a very layered personality, lots of charm & flirtatiousness, but more multidimensional than I might have expected. Kent was quite lovely. She’s not one of my favorites but she’s great in certain types of roles, and this is one of them. Tonight I noticed what beautiful line and soft port des bras she has.

I thought the Odalisques looked a little out of synch when they danced together, but their individual variations were great. Hamrick’s dancing is very light & delicate, Bystrova was good and Part was incredible. So regal and expressive. Hamrick & Bystrova were lovely,I mean to take nothing away from them, but Part simply dances on an entirely different level. She is a ballerina, from head to toe & no matter how small the role.

Giselle05 - thanks again for giving me the push I needed to go see this cast, I would have regretted missing them!

I became obsessed the first time I saw Fonteyn & Nureyev in Swan Lake, though my love of ballet started earlier than that and the actual obsession didn't really take over till later. My grandmother started taking me to the ballet when I was very young, I have vague recollections of being only halfway interested, then I recall waking up (!) in the middle of the Black Swan pdd and paying attention. I don't know how old I was, or what company we were watching but I loved it.

I was 9 years old in 1964 when Lincoln Center opened - I know I went to many performances before then, but I don't really remember them. The State Theatre and Met Opera House are the places I remember, and I loved them both. My grandmother used to buy 5th ring tickets to ABT & NYCB at the State, which may be why I've always liked those side arm seats!. We went to the Met much less often, and for me it was a really beautiful & special place. I still get goose bumps sometimes looking down that grand staircase. It was there that I first saw the Royal Ballet, and Fonteyn & Nureyev in Swan Lake. I'm not sure if I saw them in Romeo & Juliet and Giselle the same season, or if those came later, but I was hooked after their Swan Lake.

I went fairly often with my grandmother, then when I was high school age I took some open classes at ABT's old studios and started going by myself - all the time. The State Theatre sold student rush tickets even then, and that's how I was able to go so often. Lucky me because those were the Fracci/Makarova/Kirkland/Gregory/ Baryshinov/Bujones/Nagy years at ABT. I also remember Balanchine's Stravinsky festival in 70 or 72, and Villela, D'Amboise, Hayden,von Aroldingen,Mazzo,Kent and McBride. Even got to see the incomparable Suzanne Farrell a few times after her return, and before I moved to California in 77. That turned out to be the start of a very long hiatus from ballet but now I'm back & going more often than ever. Unfortunately I don't qualify for those student rush tickets anymore...

Congratulations to Michelle - she really deserves it. She's done a great job in some difficult principal roles this season, I think she's ready for it.

I saw the opening night yesterday. What an unbelievable night. It was really a three hour competition between four of the biggest male stars in ballet. Bocca, Corella, Cornejo and Carreno all on one stage at the same time.

....I also have to give Reyes a hand- what an outstanding Gulnare she made! Everytime she was on stage, she stole it. You could not take her eyes off of her- she had this boundless energy- and imagine the responsibility she was carrying- must have be quite some pressure. She didn't back down one bit and was very much a part of making the performance the huge success it was.

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Giselle05 - thank you for the great description. I was only planning to see 1 performance (the Wiles/Solymosi/Acosta/Riccetto/Radetsky/Tidwell cast) but you made the opening night cast sound so great that I decided to go and get a ticket for Tuesday night!

I agree the season is not over, but I don't enjoy watching ballet at the Met. I have sat in every conceivable part of the house and just feel the dancers are so FAR AWAY...even in orchestra front. I do go to ABT because I have a good friend who dances with them and I try to support him when he's onstage. But other than that, and despite Julie Kent & Marcelo Gomes, I hardly ever get to the ballet once NYCB ends its Spring season.

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So sorry to hear that Oberon. I know what you mean about the Met - it’s cavernous! Last year I decided to splurge & go for 1st row Grand Tier seats for a couple of performances and I felt like I was miles from the stage. I usually go for the boxes about half way up the side...I’ve sat as far up as the dress circle boxes & it’s been fine. This year I have tickets for one performance in a balcony box. We’ll see how it goes...

Midsummer’s was.. effervescent,a beautiful bauble, delightful from beginning to end - I loved it. Went Friday night & Sunday matinee. Thought all of the principles were great but especially Carmena, Reichlin & Evans on Friday & Kowroski & Scheller on Sunday. Hytlin was also lovely in her debut. Albert Evans as Puck may have been my favorite performance of all. He brought a wonderful sense of impishness along with complete command of the stage and, of course that wonderful dancing.

Regarding Sylve - having seen no other Titania’s before her (at least not Balanchine Titanias) I thought her dancing was very expansive and regal, a true queen. But I also understand what Bobbi & BW said about her being “earthbound”. That’s a quality I find often in her dancing. It’s something that I usually like a lot about her. In many of the killer Balanchine roles - say Sanguinic in 4Ts or T&V. With some other ballerinas you might be nervous about whether they’re going to make it through their variations but she steps onto point & it’s like she’s planted there, like her toe is glued to the floor. It’s usually a very good thing, but here it did make her seem very earthbound. Not a bad performance by any means - she was wonderful - but to me her Titania was 95% queen and 5% fairy.

Carbro & Oberon, thanks for your encouragement. I look forward to posting my impressions, I've really been enjoying NYCB this season

BW, nysusan & amanda:

Balanchine's MIDSUMMER is a great way to end the ballet season and kick off your Summer. Hope you enjoy it, and please do write your impressions here!

Oberon

(that's how I got this name!...yeah, like I could dance that Scherzo  :blush: )

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Oberon, the times article and the postings here have me eagerly anticipating Balanchine’s version of Midsummer’s, but is it ok if I think of it as the perfect way to kick off the summer ballet season, rather than the end of the ballet season? After all, it does continue across the plaza at the Met…see you there?

Colleen & Zerbinetta, I agree with both of you about Danny’s Spectre. I thought I had heard some lukewarm reviews earlier but I saw him Wed night and thought he caught the tone of it beautifully, and his dancing was gorgeous. So light, such perfect line and musicality, and what a perfect danseur noble body! I also saw Acosta and McKerrow at the Wednesday matinee and was totally blown away. McKerrow was beautiful, and Acosta was truly amazing. He really did manage to combine an otherworldly androgyny with a distinct erotic edge. His huge leaps, his expressive arms and his high energy level really made you feel the pulse of the music in his dancing; it was very alive and urgent. It felt like he was enticing the girl, leading her deeper into the dream.

Having seen the program 3 times now, I want to revise my initial harsh assessment of Polovtsian Dances a bit. I still stand by my criticisms, but the bottom line was that when the last performance of the season was over my first thought was that I hope they do it again next year. It’s just so much fun!!!!!!!!!!!! As in the case of some other recent ABT revivals I guess I think that a flawed production is better than none at all…

Me, too - Friday & Sunday. I've never seen Midsummer before - it sounds wonderful! I'm just sorry I missed De Luz & Bar

How is Marcelo Gomes so GOOD at playing BAD guys. I saw him last week playing the heavy in Sylvia.

Isn't he amazing! How many dancers of his technical ability are also seductively witty, or should I say wittily seductive? Although I realize that role was created for a man of slight build, I can't help thinking about what he could do with Three Virgins and a Devil. Since when are there size limits on devils anyway? In my dreams, ABT stages the ballet for Gomes. I'm still casting the virgins. Any suggestions?

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here, I know, but fun to think about. ABT revived this recently, for the 2003 City Center season so I doubt we'd see it again very soon. They fielded 2 casts:

Devil: Carlos Molina/Craig Salstein

Fanatical One: Erica Fischbach/Sasha Dmochowski

Greedy One: Adrienne Schulte/Maria Riccetto

Lustful One: Kelley Waddell/Marian Butler

Youth:Julio Bragado- Young/Carlos Lopez

I'd love to see Gomes as the devil maybe with Monique Meunier as the fanatical one, Xiomara Reyes as the greedy one and Misty Copeland as the lustful one. Alternate cast could be Acosta with Carmen Corella, Erica Cornejo and and Anne Milewski. Oh, and I'd like to see Jared Matthews get a chance at the youth along with Julio B-Y :blush:

Is it me or does anybody else find the end of Swan Lake really silly when they throw themselves off the rock into the unknown? I always find myself chuckling.

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Sometimes it does. But I remember performances in the old Blair production, especially with Makarova and Nagy, where it tore out your heart. They did the mime, and they took time with it. She'd look at him, mime "I'm going to die," and then run to back and jump. You could see him think, just for a second, and then he'd make the same gesture and follow her. It was a half-second more than impulse. He knew what he was doing. They both believed in it, and so I would too.

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As far as I'm concerned that video should be required viewing, the "gold standard" of productions. Pity it's no longer available commercially. It is the standard I hold other productions up to, and Makarova & Nagy's performances are the ones I measure all others against. In fact, before I comment on Murphy's performance I'm going to pull out that tape,watch Makarova's act II again and try to analyze exactly what I find missing in Murphy's Odette.

... But I did miss the fuzzy little short-necked "swan"   It's exactly the kind of stuffed animal Swamp Thing would take to bed with him.  (And why don't they just go ahead and change the mime scene to, "I was pattering around in my nightie -- I know I shouldn't, but I just love the night air, and not one single member of our royal retinue was around to accompany me -- when I spotted this, well, I thought he was a gentleman because he kissed my hand, and he invited me home to see his etchings and..." That scene robs me of all sympathy for Odette.  Any Princess who sneaks around at night talking to strange men deserves to be changed into a swan as far as I'm concerned. So there.

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Now that I think of it, maybe one of the reasons I thought this production worked so well on TV is that I got back to my hotel room late and missed the prologue. Alexandra's right - a Princess who wanders around in her nightie is fair game for any ogre that crosses her path...

Kevin McKenzie, marketing genius – who knew? I have substantial reservations about the live version of this production. So much so that even though Swan Lake is my favorite ballet, and there are several ABT ballerinas whose performances I’d like to see every season (well, all of them, really) – I won’t do it because I can’t sit through this production that often and I just find it so unsatisfying. At an absolute minimum they really need to restore at least the first 5 minutes of the 4th act. You know, everything that happens before Sigfried finds Odette! Still, this staging plays BEAUTIFULLY on TV. It’s amazing. The costumes & scenery looked so lush, Parkinson & Franklin were priceless, Gomes oozed evil sensuality and Murphy & Corella came across beautifully. Really, the whole company looked great. This production is a perfect introduction to Swan Lake for the casual ballet fan, i.e – the TV viewer. My hat’s off to McKenzie.

I've seen just about everything happen to this poor old ballet, which seems to be wrenched about partly because, "Everybody knows the original."  Well, it's been so long since anybody did a standard version, that now there is a large audience that DOESN'T know what the original looks like.  One of the most revolutionary things a company could do right now is produce a plain-vanilla Swan Lake, with no additions or corrections.

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Amen. I'm so tired of everyone putting their own spin on Swan Lake - it really stands on its own. I would love to see a plain simple SL with the 4th act intact and no modern interpolations or "streamling" of the Petipa/Ivanov choreopgraphy. I think the ABT Blair staging is probably the closest to the original I've ever seen. Of course, I've never seen the original so I don't know for sure. I love the Kirov's version, though I know the Jester is an addition and of course, the ending is wrong. Reading these archives has made me realize that I don't even know the music as well as I thought I did. I always thought the music of the apotheosis justified the "united in heaven" ending, rather than a straight tragedy. Now it seams that music was an interpolation, too. I would love to see (and hear) a reconstruction like the Kirov's reconstruction of Bayadere.

Fokine Tribute 6/17

In the spirit of making the most of a bad situation, the good thing about being stuck in a hotel room a thousand miles away from NY for a few days during ballet season is that a break in my hectic schedule gives me the opportunity to actually sit down and think about what I saw… and post about it. Sorry about the length of this post but that’s what happens when I have time on my hands! I saw this program the night before I left, on 6/17. Although I had mixed feelings about it, overall I thought it was very good, and I found myself thinking about it a lot, especially about Les Sylphides.

Les Sylphides

I love Les Sylphides. I have fond memories of watching Makarova & Nagy in the leads with ABT in the 70s, and often go back to the taped excerpts I have of Makarova dancing both the prelude & the pas de deux. Co-favorite video version is the RB with Fonteyn, Nureyev, Merle Park and Annette Page. I had reservations about ABT’s version after seeing it during the City Center season. I thought the dancing of the corps had a somewhat static & academic tone when they should have been lyrical & weightless, and I really wasn’t 100% happy with any of the soloists except Erica Cornejo and Max Beloserkovsky. Murphy’s jumps and turns were brilliant but I thought she didn’t really embody the romantic style. Kent was gloriously soft and romantic but her footwork left something to be desired.

I know Alessandra Ferri doesn’t exactly have the strongest technique in ballet but she is such a magical dancer and a true romantic ballerina so I decided to buy tickets for all of her Sylphides. I was more than a little disappointed when she withdrew, and did not have high hopes when I saw that Abrera had gotten most of her performances. Abrera is one of those dancers that I’ve really loved in some roles, but at other times I’ve found her dancing brittle. In Sylphides she was beautiful, the most satisfying performance I’ve seen from ABT in the principle female role in this revival. Her jumps and turns were strong, her footwork clear and she was so musical – I don’t know where it came from but this was a side of her I hadn’t seen before! She was fluid through the torso – in fact her torso and ports de bras were extremely nuanced -soft, rounded, light and wispy. She was able to make the movement breathe and linger through the whole musical phrase, even after she had stopped moving. She is a stunningly beautiful woman with very strong technique and I was really happy to see her do so well in this. Liceica was lovely, and Fang was a joy to behold in the prelude. The first time I saw Fang on stage I knew that I wanted to see her dance the prelude, so I was very happy to see her cast in it. She was like a wisp of a spirit floating on the breeze.

Gomes’ partnering was perfect but this is not my favorite role for him. He is so poetic but somehow his dancing has a weight, a groundedness that I don’t think works well in this. I remember thinking the same thing about him in Symphonic Variations a few seasons ago. Not that he was bad, I just don’t think he was well suited for the role.

The biggest difference for me this season was in the corps. They seem to have adapted to the romantic style much better since last season. True, they did hold their arms in stiff positions occasionally, but I think that’s in the staging. This time their dancing breathed through the music, they didn’t “pose” in their positions like I thought they did last season.

Perhaps the larger stage and greater distance from it at the Met allowed me to see the ensemble as a whole and watch all the patterns emerge and fade out and then morph into new groupings. I found myself caught up in the sweep of the movement, in the mystery of it, rather than focusing on specific dancers or even particular groups of dancers. This time they made it sing.

Petrouchka

I fall squarely into the camp of those that don’t get Petroushka. I remember seeing it with Nureyev way back when – but all I remember is that I didn’t like it. Still don’t. Cornejo was fine; his was a very forlorn, hapless puppet. Reyes’ ballerina was appropriately superficial & heartless and Stappas was fine as the Moor. I guess maybe the whole point is that the ballerina & Moor weren’t deliberately malicious; they couldn’t help being who they were, nor could Petrouchka help being a misfit. Maybe this is one of those things that really illuminated the problems of it’s times, and doesn’t have the same impact when taken out of it’s context.

Spectre

I was struck by how different Corella’s Spectre was from Cornejo’s. Corella’s looked much less classical. He didn’t show us the perfect line, the beautifully articulated leg positions that Cornejo displayed, his was a much more expressive reading of the role, especially his arms. We all know what a great jumper and turner he is, but he really played down the pyrotechnics and gave a beautiful, lyrical performance. McKerrow was lovely as the young girl but honestly, I was so captivated by Corella’s performance that I don’t really have a distinct recollection of hers.

Polovtsian Dances

This could have been worse, but it also could have been a lot better. It just isn’t the type of thing that ABT takes naturally to, especially the men. Part was gorgeous and glamorous as the Polovtsian Princess, and Paris was fine too, but neither of them had much to do. I really liked Acosta as the Polovtsian chief. He has such a dangerous edge to his dancing, like an uncaged tiger and it worked very well here. He was a fierce, prideful, fearsome leader.

Acosta. always exciting to watch doesn't relate to anyone on the stage and seems only interested in bringing attention to himself.

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Welcome Andres! I think I can understand why Andres felt that way about Acosta in this, but I had a different take on it. I thought he was fine with Part but wasn’t relating to any of the other men on the stage because none of them were relating to the character of the dance. He was kind of disconnected here, he had nothing to play off of. These are supposed to be savage warriors – fearsome nomadic tribes that wandered the steppes pillaging & marauding – but Acosta was the only one who conveyed that. The rest of them were just a bunch of ballet dancers prancing around with fake bows in their hands. They might just as well have been dancing holding umbrellas or bouquets for as much good as those bows did…I think Franklin was quoted as saying that he tried to get them to work “into the floor”. Right idea but poor execution. I know that companies like the Kirov & Bolshoi have dancers who make careers of nothing but character dancing whereas our dancers have to do everything - but honestly, if ABT couldn’t afford the time for sufficient rehearsal & coaching they should have passed on this one. Plus the music loses a lot of its power without the chorus. Well, I can only hope that the male corps finds it’s way in this eventually as the female corps has grown into Les Sylphides. And that a donor with deep pockets underwrites a chorus for next season…I can dream, can’t I?

Double Feature: Why bother? There was so little dancing in this, I hardly felt like I was at the ballet. Especially in the first half of The Blue Necklace. But the costumes were gorgeous, and it was intermittently entertaining. I did like the party scene at Dorothy Brooks mansion. All of the dancers were superb - including Sylve (subbing for Kowroski), Woetzel, Gold, Ansanelli and the 2 little girls - but Bouder stole the show. Boy did she sparkle. The moment she came on stage was the moment this became interesting, and not just an old silent film melodrama. Making Whoopee was a little faster moving, and provided a great role for Tom Gold, but when I want to see a musical comedy I go to Broadway, not the State Theatre. On the other hand, the audience loved it.

carolm - just one final point of information - Balanchine was known to actually like what might be considered an unruly style! 

I guess I was putting my thoughts in his mouth.<s> 

Carol

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Hi carolm! This is , I know, but I still have to throw my 2 cents in here and elaborate a little on Leigh’s post. I actually chuckled a bit when I read your comments about Jewels in the NYCB forum. As someone who saw the NYCB frequently in the 70’s when the master was still around, and then took a hiatus from the company until 2 years ago, let me say that the first thing I noticed when I started watching them again was how much more cohesive the corps had become. That was one of the things that really put me off the company back in the day. There’s a quote about Balanchine’s corps that I ran across in one of the forums here “24 girls doing 24 different things at 24 different times”. I don’t recall which poster said it, and if they were quoting someone else - but it sums up my memories of the old NYCB perfectly. I found it unbelievably jarring but I guess that was the way he liked it. Of course,it’s not as if all the NYCB had to offer was a wild, unruly corps of model-thin needle head girls - there was also Balanchine’s genius & amazing performances by the likes of Farrell, McBride, Kent,Villella, et al. I remember some astounding evenings - the first time I saw Concerto Barocco, Apollo, Symphony in C, etc. - but in the end I just couldn’t get past that unruly corps & spent the bulk of my time & money at ABT.

By the way, I love the RB and have really enjoyed reading all of your posts here. I fell in love with Symphonic Variations when ABT did it, even though I didn’t think the ballerinas they cast did it justice. I’m so jealous of you all, and disappointed that they’re not bringing it to the U.S. on their tour next year.

Susan

Oh, I forgot to mention one very important change they’ve made in the staging. At the end of the dream sequence, Raymonda no longer wakes up lying on the middle of the floor with her tutu all crumbled beneath her. Now, she staggers backward from the center to the side of the stage where her friends have discreetly entered with her chair. She falls backward into it and sits in a pose reminiscent of the way it was done in the film with Dudinskaya. Much better!

Very interesting posts! All I've seen of Eifman is Who's Who - which was mediocre and Musegate - ugh! But Red Giselle sounds fascinating, and I don't know enough about Spessivtzeva to be appalled like I was with Musegate. I hope they bring it back to NY, I missed it the first time it came through

I'm really sorry that Misty Copeland won't be able to dance in Polovtsian Dances and Les Sylphides. Of course, I'll also miss Steifel,but I think these were big opportunities for Misty, I hope this won't be a set back for her. In addition to Tidwell's Spectre I'm looking forward to both Licecia & Fang in Les Sylphides. I am unfortunately going to miss Hallberg & Melanie Hamrick. I really liked Melanie in the studio company, I'm sure she'll do a beautiful prelude. And Hallberg as the poet.. sometimes it really pisses me off the way my job cuts into ballet season!

Many thanks to Helene & Bart for the historical context.

The idea of a member of medieval French royalty "choosing" between a French Knight and an Saracen Knight during the crusades is still a little hard for me to digest.

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Marriage to the Saracen would have been a strategic alliance between the Tsar of Hungary (Raymonda's uncle) and the Islamic east. Hungary was located at the crossroads of various competing empires.

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Interesting info, somehow it makes me feel better to think that McKenzie - Holmes might have been following some semi logical line of reasoning. Though you're right to point out that Raymonda wasn't supposed to be historically accurate. I was just hoping for some consistency - in the midst of a conflict of philosophies (and the actual conflct of the crusades) you don't generally entertain the notion of marrying the enemy...

By the time Petipa set the story, the Saracen would have been considered and portrayed as the heathen compared to the civilized, Christian Jean de Brienne. (Dressed all in white in the Bolshoi production that toured to Berkeley.) He's set up as the straw man in this drama.

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A quick check of genealogical tables for royal and noble families of the period came up with no acknowledged "marriages" to non-Christians in this period. (Kidnappings and disappearance into harems is another thing.) Such a policy would be almost impossible to imagine.

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I was thinking more along these lines - thinking of the Saracen as a heathen who could never be taken seriously as a suitor. Sexy & dangerous, yes - but not marriage material for Christian royalty. Throw in the possibility of kidnapping and it really makes Raymonda’s dream/nightmare ring true.

Back to the performance - If it sounded like I was less than enthralled with Veronika then let me set the record straight - I was most definitely held spellbound by her performance. I’ll take magic over technique any day. It just makes me sad that we’re forced to make that choice these days at ABT. I love ABT and I love Raymonda but, based on the production and the casting I decided to limit myself to just one performance this season. I have to admit that as soon as the matinee was over I rushed down to the box office and got a ticket for Saturday night with the Murphy/Corella/Saveliev cast. We’ll see...

A young woman having trouble choosing between two men.

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Please, Carbro, don't encourage Mr. McKenzie!!! The idea of a member of medieval French royalty "choosing" between a French Knight and an Saracen Knight during the crusades is still a little hard for me to digest. But the fairy tale color combinations ABT used for the costumes & scenery placed the action firmly in the land of make believe, so I guess clinging to any shred of historical plausibility is silly.

Which casts are you choosing?

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Despite it's flaws, I'm still a sucker for this ballet. I chose the Part/Gomes/Solymosi cast. Part was luminous, she was a Raymonda to the manner born. She had some lovely moments, and I liked the way her character changed from the opening scenes, to the dream scenes and then the wedding scenes. She was really able to convey a difference between her public behavior in the early court scenes, her freer,more erotically charged personality while she was dreaming, and the mature,regal Raymonda we saw at the end. Her Grand Pas was worth the price of admission (silent claps at the start but then an audible one in the middle). However while her demeanor was enchanting, and her epaulment was gorgeous,I don't think anyone went home raving about her technique - and there were some partnering problems. Gomes is a pretty big guy, but they still had trouble on some of the overhead lifts. I'm thinking of the ones in the first act, when he lifts her up above his shoulders and it looks like she's behind him with her knee braced on his shoulder. Let's just say they were a little rough. Ditto when she is held aloft by 2 men and then Gomes joins them and the 2 men leave & he's holding her by himself. On the other hand, towards the end of the ballet they did a lift that ended in a fish dive that was wonderfully done & very exciting. Aside from the partnering problems, Gomes turned in his beautifully nuanced performance - well danced & well acted. I thought Solymosi was adequate. No way is he in the same league with ABT's best male dancers, but he was ok, and they really need to find some big, tall men. He didn't really appear to be much, if any bigger than Gomes, but Part seemed more comfortable with him. Maybe it was just because the nature of her dancing with him was less controlled than it was with Gomes (recoiling in horror, and all).

Maybe ABT should try to get Evgeny Ivanchenko. Can we put together a recruiting committee to go up to Washington when the Kirov's in town and tell him what a wonderful town NY is?

Abrera, Liceica, Tidwell & Hallberg were the friends. Abrera looked a little stiff to me in this role, but that's just nit picking. I really like Licecia, and, of course, watching Tidwell & Hallberg was heavenly. I thought the Saracen & Spanish dances looked a little raggedy, but I loved Sasha Dmochowski in the Czardas.

Which of Peter Boal's frequent partners were on hand to present him with flowers?

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Borree & Kowroski were 2 of the ballerinas who came onstage in street clothes and presented him with bouquets, and I believe the other 2 were the afternoon's other 2 muses - Weese & Ringer. Whelan also gave him a bouquet.

The thing that struck me immediately about Boal's Apollo yesterday was the sheer sense of joy he showed dancing it. I have not had the fortune of watching him through much of his career, only the past couple years. For me, as for many people, he has been the definitive Apollo. I always identify him with the Belvedere Apollo. His characterization is inquisitive and questing but also the most contemplative, reasoned & elegant Apollo of them all. At this farewell performance, that sense of unflappable serenity was tempered somewhat by the smile that lit up his face early and often as the dance unfolded. He really seemed so happy to dance this one last time. Borre's style is still a bit florid for me, but I agree, this was the best I've ever seen her dance.

Agon was danced wonderfully and it did look like Krohn up there instead of Tinsley as the insert indicated. I had been looking forward to seeing Kowroski & Evans in this and they did not disappoint. Reichlin, however took me by surprise. I don't know why, I always love her but she really seems to have taken her dancing to another level this season. She was phenomenal. I enjoyed WSS, and the house seemed to agree. It's not pure ballet, but it works as dance theater and shows off an unexpected side of these talented dancers. I didn't find it dated at all. NY Export: Opus Jazz is the Robbins piece I find dated!

I can see why Boal chose Opus 19 for his farewell performance, what a great range of movement and emotion it allowed him. It was a privilege to watch him & Wendy dance together one last time.The farewell was so heartwarming, and Boal was so modest. He will be missed greatly.

I must echo Carbro's note about 4th Ring Society: I would never be able to go as often as I do if I had to pay full price. At the half-price offered by the Society, you don't hesitate to go to a programme that you might otherwise skip: you can re-visit a new ballet to get a second look, or check out fresh casting in a masterpiece without destroying your bank account. It is also a great chance to get an extra ticket for a friend and introduce them to NYCB.

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Let me add my endorsement of the 4th ring society. I really prefer to sit closer, but who can afford to attend 2-3 times a week at the regular prices? So I have a 2nd ring subscription, and then I fill in the rest of the season with 4th ring society tickets week by week after the casting has been posted...

                              2- Amanda McKerrow could be your answer for the Romantic Ballets.  She did  very nice and subtle performances in the White Swan Act 2 PDD.  To me though,  her strength have always been with the Giselles and Sylphides.

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Great point, and I agree completely. Unfortunately she isn't cast for even one performance of Les Sylphides and I'm going to miss her farewell performance of Giselle

                             

I love reading all the different reactions to this program, which I had the great pleasure of seeing Saturday, Monday and Tuesday evenings. It was especially wonderful and instructive to watch these great works over and over again, and by so many different dancers.

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Absolutely. And you described the differences between Part & Vishneva so beautifully, I wish I could catch and remember the technical details so well but I find it really takes away from my enjoyment of the performance when I try to concentrate on analyzing it and remembering the details. And my ballet vocabulary is limited, to say the least!

Giselle05 - thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on last night's performance. Your description of Ferri & Bocca in Onegin gave allowed me a moment of vicarious pleasure.

It's also interesting to read so many differing opinions of the same programs, it's such a clear illustration of the wide range of opinions in any given audience. Pity the poor AD who has to try to please us all!

nysusan, don't forget you've also got Giselle with Ferri...if you can go I hope that June 22 Les Sylphides performance indeed comes through..

A Ferri is still listed to dance Les Sylphides on the evening of June 22

Joe 

Giselle, Joe - I picked up a printed brochure at the Met a few nights ago that gave updated casting info as of 5/31. Unfortunately Ferri has been replaced for the 6/22 evening perfomance of Les Sylphides. It's now listed as Riccetto, Saveliev, Copeland & Boone. I think it's great that so many dancers are getting opportunities this season, and I'm looking forward to seeing them but IMO - ABT is not exactly overrun with world class romantic ballerinas at the moment. I had really been looking forward to seeing Nina in Les Sylphides. After she withdrew my only consolation was that we would get to see Ferri. So this is a real disapointment for me. To make matters worse, I have to be in California the entire week that they are doing Giselle. I have tickets for Ferri's Friday 7/ 15 performance, so I'll have my fingers crossed hoping my early morning flight home on Friday doesn't encounter any delays

Susan