bobjot52

I saw ABT's Swan Lake on Monday, June 14 with absolutely no expectations. In my first trip to NYC in 10 years, we went with standing room tickets simply because we had nothing else to do on Monday night. I went with a friend who likes ballet but doesn't know a lot about it. Suffice it to say, we were blown away by Gillian Murphy. I thought I had seen enough full length Swans to last the rest of my life, but I am very happy to have seen this performance! I won't comment on the quality of her acting, as from our standing room tickets it was not easy to see the details, but overall it was a sensational performance. I knew absolutely nothing about her. Her White Swan was exquisite, dancewise, in Act 2, so I just assumed she was a natural Odette. My experience watching Swan Lakes over the past 30 years is that a ballerina is usually a more natural Odette (Makarova, et al) or Odile (Gregory, et al), but rarely equal in both. Well, Ms. Murphy equalled her White Swan with her Black Swan. Though I recall performances with acted with more wit, technically it was outstanding. The icing on the cake were the fouttees in the coda that absolutely blew the roof off the theate. I mean really, 5 triple fouttees in 32! Amazing! I've seen the equal but never better. I don't mean to focus exclusively on the tricks, but she certainly topped off an outstanding overall performance with these fireworks. It made for a memorable performance. I felt the Act 4 was very beautiful and emotionally satisfying, though the flying leaps off the cliff were rather over the top! Careno was curiously underwhelming, but Ethan Brown (I think) as a disturbingly hunky and pyrotechnical Von Rothbart received a huge ovation. All in all, for a performance that I expected nothing of, it was a surprising and wonderful night at the ballet. It is one I will certainly remember.

This is only my second posting to this board, but I just returned from my first trip to see NYCB (and ABT, Broadway, etc.) in 10 years, though I have loved the company for more than 30 years. The particular week was not flexible, so I wanted to see specifically Mozartiana, Allegro, and Suite 3. When I got to the theatre to get tickets I was thrilled beyond belief to see that Kyra Nichols would be dancing both Mozartiana and Allegro in the performances I was seeing. She is my absolute favorite ballerina of all time in my thirty years of going to the ballet, but I doubted I would ever see her dance again. Also, Mozartiana is one of the two ballets that I somehow never saw her dance (along with Diamonds) so I was over the moon. I was thrilled with Mozartiana, both for the genius of the ballet and Kyra's performance. She demonstrated all the qualities that made me love her so much. Allegro was also great to see, though I did not think it showed her to such good advantage. The wonderful musicality, precision, epaulement, and communciation with her partner were there, but I thought she was dancing somewhat cautiously. Still, all in all it was a great thrill for me. I saw Wendy Whelan in Agon at the Sat. matinee, and it was extraordinary! She is sublime, another of my all time favorites. I do feel however that Jock Soto is too old to be dancing this part. He seemed a shadow of his former self. At the Sunday Matinee (along with Allegro), I was very pleased to see Duo Concertante with the wonderful Peter Boal, and vey pleasing Yvonnee Bourree, who I have never seen in person before (it's been a long time). I remember this ballet fondly as one of the first Balanchine ballets I even saw and loved in 1974 with Peter Martins and Kay Mazzo. No couple I have ever seen have captured the poignancy and emotional appeal of the original cast, but Peter and Yvonnee were really quite wonderful. Now for the major disappointment. I was really looking forward to Theme and Variations, but this performance with Miranda Weese and Angel Corella was a major dud. The corps and soloists danced well but the leads gave a very flat performance. Corella is fun to watch and he seemed to be trying to put some spark and dazzle into the pas de deux, but he seemed way too rough for this ballet. He missed the refined elegance that this cavelier should display. Also, I don't mean to ruffle any feathers, but Miranda Weese was a huge disappointment. I have been reading such wonderful reports of her, but have only seen her in the televised Swan Lake. I was impressed with her Swan (though not compared to the unbelievable Odette/Odile the I saw from Gilliam Murphy at ABT on Monday night. That was the second greatest Swan, after Cynthia Gregory in 1975, that I ever saw!). Miranda's Theme was disappointing in every way. Though she looked beautiful in ballerina mode, nothing was special. The two variations were uninspired. Extension, footwork, turning, attack, and focus were all lackluster. My guest, who had never seen NYCB, was seriously underwhelmed. I guess I am spoiled by by memories of Kirkland, Kyra in her prime, and Cynthia Gregory, but this performance made Theme look like absolutely nothing special; a disappointment for me as it is one of my all time favorites. Anyway, in spite of Theme, it was a great joy for me to see NYCB (and ABT too) after so many years away. I don't know if I will ever be able to make the trip again, but I am very happy to have done so one last time.

Thanks for the quick replies and information! From the good old days I recall the Orch. standing room at the Met to be a really great deal, but the State Theatre standing room (in the stratosphere) not so much. I will look into the 4th Ring Society membership for NYCB. Thanks again.

Of course I meant ABT. My typing is totally dyslexic!

Hi, this is my first post to this forum, though I have been reading and enjoying it for a while. I am headed to NYC for the first time in many years with plans to lots of NYCB, ABT, and broadway. From my old days in NYC, I used to get standing room at the Met all the time for ABT (and visiting companies) all the time. It used to be day of the performance at the box office. I remember the glory days when we used to queue up a 6AM for Barishnikov, Kirkland, et al performances! I seem to recall reading on some forum that the Met standing room procedures have changed, and that all performances for the week are offered at once (Sunday morning, maybe?). Any information about current Met standing room ticket sales procedures would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for any help, and again thanks for all the great discussions about the ballet world.