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Here's an interesting upcoming DVD release - Balanchine's Midsummer Night's Dream at La Scala, with Alessandra Ferri and Roberto Bolle. Anyone know anything about the performances? http://www.tdk-mediactive.com/frame_conten...mp;from_id=2789 Here's the info: Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy A Midsummer Night's Dream Teatro alla Scala, Milano, 2007 Titania - Alessandra Ferri Oberon - Roberto Bolle Titania's partner - Massimo Murru Puck - Riccardo Massimi Hermia - Deborah Gismondi Helena - Gilda Gelati Demetrius - Vittorio D'Amato Lysander - Gianni Ghisleni Hippolyta - Sabrin

Is anyone able to record this for a desperate West Coaster? It's not scheduled to air anywhere here (not even on another day) except in Las Vegas and Sacramento - neither of which are near me!

As opulent and traditional as the Nureyev production is - doesn't it also include a lot of Nureyev's own choreography and a few slight modifications to the choreography as well? (ie male corps dancing in Acts 1 & 2, and Gamzatti's variation being different from the ones usually danced?)

It sure did - a very impressive debut from Sarah Lane as Aurora. She was Aurora in Act I, coming in as an excited young girl. Of course, she probably is an excited young girl herself so this wasn't much of a stretch, but still it was refreshing to see the character of Aurora on stage as well as the dancer. The Rose Adagio balances were very, very secure - so secure, in fact that in the last set of balances, she held the third one for an extended period of time without grabbing for the next prince. So she got her balance applause early. All of her dancing was very clean, very bright and ve

I'm with Giannina on Julie Kent - she was great, and really came alive in that Grand Pas de deux at the end. What I especially loved about it was the way she and Carreno looked at each other and responded to each other. It was such a tender, loving relationship between ballerina and cavalier, and perfectly expressed the love that Aurora and the Prince are supposed to be sharing in that pas de deux. At the end of the Pas de deux, when Aurora bows on the floor before coming up for the final promenade, Kent really bowed to Carreno in respect - and when Carreno extended his hand to her, he seem

Sorry, I haven't had a chance to post much, but I've been to all three performances so far... and I will likely end up at the rest of the run, too. I know - I'm completely nuts, but I'm really enjoying myself. The casting is just too intriguing, and having a full length Sleeping Beauty is revealing so much good about the ABT's principal women. I don't think it's that bad of a production, despite the rather poor reviews (they've been nicer here than they have been in New York - the production has reportedly been revised for California). There are plenty of better productions, and it's a b

Was anyone else at the opening night repertory program in LA last night? I found it a lovely if subdued evening (especially compared to the last LA gala, which featured rock concert hollering from the audience). Symphonie Concertante was lovingly danced, with some gorgeous corps work and assured performances from Michele Wiles and Gillian Murphy in the violin and viola roles, respectively. Not sure if it's among the best Balanchine ballets, but it's a pretty confection dressed out in endless pink tutus. From above it looked like a wonderfully patterned flower garden. The choice of pas de

Dvorovenko wasn't yet a Principal at the time of PBS' American Ballet Theatre Now: Variety and Virituosity program, which seemed to focus mostly on principal dancers. She was made principal in 2000; the program was done in 1998.

According to ABT's web site, Reyes is no longer down for Othello on July 14th - it's a repeat of the Kent/Gomes cast, and Murphy/Hallberg will take the other matinee. I may be curious enough to go for Lane in Aurora.. (I'll see how I feel about the production at Tuesday's OC opening night. Lane will also now be doing Bluebird on opening, replacing Reyes, so I can get a preview of her then, too!)

Very interesting! Worth adding another performance to my calendar?

I see casting just went up on ABT's web site for the Orange County run. A few interesting things - Two Auroras appear to be cast that were not on the list in New York: Wiles on Saturday afternoon and Reyes on Sunday. Part is not opening the run; rather, Murphy and Stiefel are. Kirkland is traveling with the show! And did Murphy ever end up going on as Lilac in NY? Looks like that currently schedule for OC as well. July-17, 7:30 PM G. Murphy (Aurora) E. Stiefel (Desire) S. Abrera (Lilac) G. Kirkland (Carabosse) X. Reyes (Florine) H. Cornejo (Bluebird) July-18, 7:30 PM I. Dvorovenk

I have to politely interject... Just because the Orange County Performing Arts Center is in closer physical proximity to Disneyland doesn't mean that it's all theme park fairy tale land on stage. They've made some particularly daring programming choices in the past few years - the sole US engagement of Bigonzetti's Aterballeto, return visits from Hamburg Ballet doing what one would hardly characterize as traditional story ballet, Nederlans Dans Theatre, and a pretty interesting "event" from Merce Cunningham that had the audience going from hall to hall. We do get quite our share of story bal

Did anyone see Murphy/Hallberg "Dream"?

Nunez and Soares are wonderful together in Swan Lake, and I particularly love Nunez' Odette/Odile. She's a marvelous stage presence and a wonderful actress. In addition to a very solid technique, there's so much emotion in her body and her facial expressions - she's a very human and touching Odette, and her Odile is a force to be reckoned with. So you can't go wrong with Nunez/Soares, IMO (though Rojo/Acosta would be out of this world as well).

First of all, I don't think Paloma Herrara looks anything like Ruby Keeler, but even if she did, how is that a valid criticism of her dancing? Perhaps he was referring to her facial expression, instead of physical resemblance?