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Kristen

Senior Member
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Everything posted by Kristen

  1. Jeannie - You're moving to Russia?? What's the story?? (Realize this is a bit off topic, but I met you for a nannosecond a few years ago at an ABT gala and I'm nosy.)
  2. I went to the Kirov's Bayadere Monday night. I was expecting a night to remember. Well, it was .... I thought it would never end. I have flown a thousand miles 4 times in the past two months to see the ABT Gala, the Bolshoi in Washington, Jaffe's retirement performance, the final night of ABT and opening night of the Kirov; so, obviously I'm a ballet fan. If I couldn't wait for it to end, you can imagine how all the attendees felt who had been dragged there by a fan. It was interminable. We stayed till the bitter end (11:45). By the THIRD intermission, at least one quarter of the people on the Grand Tier had bolted. There is too much pantomime and too little dancing in the 1st two acts. Gamzatti didn't strap on her point shoes till Act 4. Remove the point shoes from the ballerinas and you've lost me. No one can possibly sustain interest with that many intermissions - two is pushing it, three is ridiculous. I bought the tickets a few months ago and hoped to see Vishneva in the flesh, but no such luck due to casting changes. Svetlana Zhakarova (sp??), despite her distractingly high extensions, was a lovely Nikiya. The legendary corps was less than I expected - have seen better corps work from the Bolshoi and Paris Opera Ballet. There were many Russians in the audience (and none of them left during intermission). Perhaps we Americans do only have the attention span of a gnat. As my husband muttered during the third intermission -what this thing needs now is a car chase and some gunfire. I hated to admit I was as sick of it as he.
  3. Susan Jaffe's retirement performance as Giselle was one of the most special evenings I have ever spent at the ballet. The audience was as wonderful as the dancers onstage, making it a rare event. I'll skip the details since Anna Kisselgoff can sum it up much better than I. See her review in the New York Times: A Night of Purity and Grace to Cap a Career June 26, 2002 By ANNA KISSELGOFF It was anything but business as usual when American Ballet Theater presented its first "Giselle" of the season on Monday night at the Metropolitan Opera House. A packed theater roared its greeting as Susan Jaffe entered in Act I for what was billed as her final performance with the company. As farewell rituals go, this evening was drenched in exceptional warmth and special detail. The 25-minute ovation at the end left Ms. Jaffe, a heap of flowers at her feet, mouthing "I love you" to the audience. There was also a parade of past and present company members at the curtain calls and even some surprises in the performance. Complete review at: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/26/arts/dan...be1037d62fa0432 Kristen
  4. What a thrill to finally see casting. I have tickets to Friiday night and Saturay matinee - will fly up on Friday. Hope there are no changes in program or casting. Kristen
  5. I would second and third that all the ABT principals are first rate. How is it possible that no one has mentioned Carreno. To me, he is like Baryshnikov - when you see him live, he doesn't need to dance - once he walks out on stage, everyone else disappears. Except maybe Corella ... and now Costa (and soon Saveliev) I've watched ABT closely for 30 years - NEVER have they had so many incredible male dancers. The women are, of course, remarkable also. I've mentioned many times being a Jaffe fan - love Dvorovenko, Kent - lukewarn on McKerrow, Tuttle, Murphy - but personal taste varies greatly - I would never trash the performances of any of these people. Kristen
  6. Manhattnik did a great job of summing up the Gala. Acosta was UNBELIEVABLE, though my heart lies with Carreno. Hated "Walk this way" - what crap. Loved Robert Hill - a dancer I haven't paid much attention to. For the first time, really appreciated Gillian Murphy. Generally I find her so remote she might as well be dancing inside a glass bubble. She and Gomes were magnificent. I also saw the Tchaikovsky PDD at NYCB on Saturday afternoon with Woetzel and Somoygi - also terrific. All in all, one of the best galas I've seen in years.
  7. Forget what I said about missing her final performance. Hell, it's only money - so what if going to New York 3 times in 3 months is a bit excessive. Love the city - 2nd greatest city in the world, behind Paris - and I haven't seen a retirement performance since Martine van Hamel's Swan Lake at the Met, God know's how many years ago. It was a very special evening. I hope Jaffe's injuries won't ruin the Met season for her. (Special thanks to the nearly bankrupt airline industry for offering such ridiculously cheap airfares between Florida and NYC.) Kristen
  8. Have been a huge Jaffe fan since I first saw her 22 years ago. I was blindsided by the announcement. I thought, given the current quality of her dancing, that we would see her for a few more years. I'm just sick that I can't see her final performance. Kristen
  9. I'm with Luka on that mention of Spring Waters on the Bolshoi video - dazzling, despite his costume, which looks like a lettuce leaf. Live goosebump moments: Villella (sp?) and Violette Verdy tearing up a high school auditorium stage in Gainesville, Florida doing Stars and Stripes (1973!!). Gelsey Kirkland dancing at the dreadful West Palm Beach Auditorium - don't even remember what she danced - but she floated above the stage like no dancer I've seen before or since - positively ethereal. (Dvorovenko in Giselle last month at the Met came close) Ananiashvili's exit in the Dying Swan. Patti McBride in Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux. Margaret Tracy's Liberty Bell. Susan Jaffe's debut in Swan Lake with Baryshnikov - an evening I've never forgotten. The Corps of the Paris Opera Ballet - Act II of Swan Lake. Albert Evans, Jose Manuel Carreno or Angel Corella doing just about anything. I better not get into videotape moments or this will go on forever. Kristen
  10. I'm with those who are peeved by the HUMMERS! This problem is found in epidemic proportions in south Florida. I'm sure age and deafness contribute to the problem. As Ed Waffle said - they don't even seem to be aware they're doing it. I've often pictured the newspaper headline LIBRARIAN SHOOTS HUMMER AT PALM BEACH BALLET PERFORMANCE.
  11. No, no, a million times no. Is there any need to update Beethoven's 5th - do we really need to hear Juliet say - "Where you be's, Romeo?? Leave the classics alone. Kristen
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