aurora

Oh look! Apollinaire Scherr has been reading us!

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d8c0d452-1b1a-11e5-8201-cbdb03d71480.html

I was at the Part/Stearns/Gomes Swan Lake last night and it was a wonderful performance. I'll write more later, but let me just say briefly that I am finally fully resigned to the fact that Cory is now Veronika's regular home-team partner. I have been very critical of his performances with her in the past -- especially last year, when I felt that he was pretty much a total blank. This was always a disappointing partnership in my eyes, as I have many fond memories of seeing Veronika dance with Marcelo especially, as well as with Roberto Bolle that one year. I have always been impressed by Cory's dancing and partnering on a technical level, but he never seemed to project much character, and I always felt that Veronika -- such a passionate, engaged and engaging dancer -- deserved more. Well, last night he changed my mind. He was fully invested in the role and in the performance, and there were many fine nuances of character throughout. Given that the Marcelo-Veronika pairings are likely a thing of the past, I can live with this partnership going forward. It was a very satisfying performance. Thank you, Cory, for finally giving it your all!

And having Marcelo there to play Purple Rothbart was just icing on the cake! I feared going in that I'd spend the whole evening wishing that Cory and Marcelo would just trade places, but the casting seemed just right. Marcelo was perhaps better than I've ever seen him in this role, particularly in terms of characterization. The way he used his eyes throughout the Act III scene -- evil, seductive, cunning, amused -- was just a pleasure to behold!

I want to add that while my assessment was slightly less enthusiastic, it really was a very good performance (not sure my initial post made it clear I felt that way) and I can live with the partnership as well. Besides having the purple Rothbart Marcelo went a long way towards making up for not having him as Part's partner.

I loved that in one of the curtain calls, when Marcelo was standing next to a corps swan, and the curtains were closing, he wrapped her up in his cloak. He's so fun as the baddies!

I was just on the Met site and this is indeed very strange since this is also a Friday night, I would think that is a night out...but perhaps not a ballet, yet it is Kotchekova. I already have tickets to the Saturday matinee ... luckily a while ago since I see that is almost sold out! Perhaps it is Saturday and also they do have the kids workshop listed for the same afternoon, not crazy about that and sure hope not too many young kids jumping in front of our seats.

I wish I had see this show as well, with all the comments on Misty, did anyone on BA see this? I have always enjoyed Marcelo as VR. Wonder if this was a sell out after a day with Misty.

It wasn't a complete sell out as the afternoon was but it was a very very full house. Marcelo was amazing as Purple Rothbart and Veronika was very confident and on. Cory dances the part better than in years past but is still somewhat of an emotional blank in it.

Part got 4 bouquets at the end of the evening.

I could go on, but I can't. Suffice to say the house was sold out, with people screaming and many applauding in all the wrong places.

Oh no! The ignorant masses!!!! They enjoyed themselves and didn't even know how to properly behave...

When Kowroski first danced her (very beautiful) Odette-Odile at NYCB she did not do the fouettes. Don't know if she did them later or not.

She is the one I saw crash and burn, so she's tried them at least once. It was not successful....

I completely agree, but I don't think one should jump to the other extreme and proclaim that switching from fouettés to pirouettes halfway through was an interpretive choice on Misty's part and that there were therefore no flaws at all worth mentioning. We need to try to be as honest and objective as we can when evaluating a performance, however impossible that may in fact be. I find it hard to believe that a soloist aiming for principal and performing O/O for the first time on the Met stage would be capable of doing 32 fouettés and yet choose not to. Bad optics. it seems far more likely that she was unable to and chose to finish in a way that worked best for her. Fine. Does that make the performance execrable? Certainly not. Let's take a middle road here.

I was there, I didn't see it as a choice per se, in the sense of an artistic decision made ahead of time, but I saw it as a pretty "flawless," if one can use that word, cover for something going "not right."

Did she intend to do the fouettés or hope to? I think/assume so. But she had a backup plan if they didn't and executed it well. I have seen people mess up the fouettés and basically crash and burn...falling out of them and then standing there stunned for the rest of the music. I've seen people gut their way through them all, but so poorly that they looked awful and you were chewing your fingernails off wondering if they were going to land on their ass.

She did neither. Was it disappointing, well yeah a bit. But it was preferable to other things I've seen and it was just a few minutes of a very nice performance.

This may be true, but on the other hand I am one who thinks she deserves to be a principal at least as much as Boylston & Seo do. Mind you, I don't think any of them are at that level, I think Boylston & Seo are both talented dancers who need much more work (on different aspects of their dancing) and should still be soloists.

Obviously, the powers that be at ABT disagree with me. Just as obviously, for whatever their reasons, ABT management doesn't think Lane or Abrera are principal material.

Given those realities I do not think promoting Copeland is a crime. IMO she still needs work, but as ABT has no problem promoting unfinished dancers to principal status and she sells out performances - both of her scheduled NY debuts were 100% sell outs - I don't have a problem with it.

Agreed.

And I'm sorry, but whether or not one thinks Copeland principal material, the fact that her fouettes traveled on a diagonal in her first ever foray in a role is not a great reason to question whether one is principal material. If so, many of the great principals of history should never have been principals, including Makarova, who at times struggled with her fouettes, if I recall correctly, and Ferri.

Nevermind Maria Kowrowski who I saw bail on the fouettees less than halfway through in Martins's Swan Lake (and she was a seasoned principal).

[note, obviously my second point is not responding to NYSusan!]

I also love how when Ferri is draped over Bocca's shoulder, she extends her leg while upside down almost 180 degrees. I don't think anyone else can do that now (Obraztsove certainly didn't)

What exactly are you talking about here? where she's lying across his shoulders or where she is upside down almost completely at 5:14?

(agree they are the gold standard!)

Ferri also did it no handed with Bocca.

While we are speaking of steps done in a simplified way, was anyone else disappointed with the way Obraztsova altered the skimming runs around Romeo in the Balcony Scene, where the initial leg should be stepping up onto pointe each time? She just did a skimming step, omitting the leaping up onto point.

It had a totally different effect and for me that's a rather iconic moment for Juliet in the ballet.

Aurora thank you for the report - glad Gorak is fulfilling what was a promising beginning.

Disappointing that AAaron Scott did not shine.

Well as I said, Arron Scott was a bit of a mixed bag.

While he started off somewhat disappointingly, he really was excellent in act II, with my favorite death of the Mercutios I saw.

I wouldn't be sorry to see him scheduled to do it again, that is for certain!

There is vast chasm between high brow and lowbrow and the expectation and experience it carries.

to what are you responding?

Did no one go to Gorak's debut? I really wanted to see him, but had tickets to 4 RJs and was feeling over loaded.

I did! I just got home (had something to do after).

There were a few partnering glitches (minor) but more importantly, they didn't let it throw them, and in fact the partnering got stronger (the upside down lift in the balcony pas, which is such a torment to many and is so often not as vertical as it should be was excellent and done without hesitation).

His solos were gorgeous. Simply gorgeous. I say promote him immediately. He is already a stronger partner than David was (or Herman, or Daniil) on their promotions and he really is the most beautiful male dancer I've seen since David.

His emotions were good, not large scale, but good (not early Cory flat).

Misty was also very good. She didn't seem too "large" for him, she looked young, believable as a teenager. The emotions at time were a bit overdone but it was quite satisfying. I went primarily for Gorak, not thinking this was a role particularly suited for her, and she sold me that it should definitely stay in her rep.

It was a real pleasure to see Calvin Royal as Benvolio, he was good and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself.

I had mixed feelings about Arron Scott as Mercutio--His dancing in the ball was meh. Not bad, but pretty low key. I was not impressed and thought him by far the worst of the three Mercutios I've seen (Craig, whose characterization is such a joy, and Daniil, whose dancing is so stunning). But he redeemed himself thoroughly in act II. He did a very very nice Mandolin dance (by the way he too "skipped" the final leapfrog, as has almost every dancer I've ever seen). And his death scene was glorious. The impish personality was there, but it was a death scene of real pathos, not as schizophrenic as it often seems. By far the best of the three.

Lastly (for now anyway) Devon Teuscher as Lady Capulet was even worse than on Thursday. On Thursday she just had little emotive power, certainly nothing to compare to Stella Abrera in the role. But then again considering how long Stella has been doing the role it seemed an unfair comparison. I did notice that at several points she seemed to not know how to handle her dress, nearly tripping over it. Well today she did, as she returned to the body of Tybalt after her dramatic gesture up the stairs she stumbled all over it. This is after, when she was doing her "mourning" she kept hiking it up to show her thighs. I know she is distressed at that point, but no one in Renaissance Italy would be practically stripping except the Whores. Someone needs to remind her who she is playing...

Oh, maybe the orchestra got a talking to after their horrific showing on Thursday. If not a glorious performance (it is the ABT orchestra after all) there was not a cringe-inducing note the whole afternoon. A dramatic turnaround.

Well, you didn't see Obraztsova last night did you? The contrast was totally dispiriting.

I did. Actually. And no it was not. To be honest, their emotional connection (Hee and Marcelo's ) was much better and much more satisfying. Last night was wonderful, no question, but so was Wednesday.

Whoever said she didn't act at all, or express any emotion...well she either was completely different than Wednesday or I don't know what to say.

Sorry but I totally disagree. This is Kevin's doing. He likes Hee Seo, he likes the money that comes with her sponsors and so she's cast. Hee is not just "not Osipova". To my eyes, she's an incredibly mediocre dancer with absolutely zero acting ability. I would have rather seen anyone - Lane, Teuscher, Shevchenko - take on Juliet. Even a good corps dancer. I like Seo in Ashton and that's it. She's very weak technically. She falls or otherwise screws up obviously in EVERY performance I see her in. ENOUGH of her!

She was excellent on Wednesday. She didn't screw up or do anything wrong

(and if you think I wasn't disappointed Osipova couldn't dance, you are wrong. The difference is, I recognize injuries happen and don't hate on the performers. The comments about how Vishneva should have danced despite being ill? Or should have been able to realize she was going to be ill earlier in order to not inconvenience people? Incredible)

I think Gillian is the best who can replace Vishneva. I saw Marcelo and Gillian danced Balcony PdD in Japnan tour's Gala last year, that was undoubtedly stellar and the hightlights of the night. Their strong technique and chemistry was just breathtaking.

However Kaysta's report of reaction of Osipova fans is very interesting. Hee Seo may become a good Juliet when she dance with Marcelo.

My friends who attended at Wednesday's performance completely satisfied with Marcelo especially after Balcony PdD. So it sounds odd rumor that he got tired in the role.

Marcelo looked fine, wonderful in fact. He isn't the virtuoso that some of the men are, but he danced well and did not look tired...

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.

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

I was also at the Obraztsova/Cornejo performance and agree it was stunning. Her pas de bourrees alone were worth the price of admission -- so fast, like skimming water. Her arabesque was also so beautiful -- she reminded me of that dictum by Alexandra Danilova that one should always be able to see the upward movement of the leg. She and Herman didn't have off the charts chemistry but it hardly mattered. I too thought Simkin showboated too much for my tastes, and Gorak was very elegant as Benvolio. The orchestra playing was awful.

Full thoughts here: http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2015/06/romeo-and-juliet.html

Yeah the orchestra, after sounding better the last year or two I thought, has been really awful this year. It is probably worst for R&J and was in poor form both weds and thurs nights, with last night being the poorer of the two. Truly cringeworthly.

The performances, both nights, however, were lovely. Maybe I'll review later, but a lot of what I've wanted to say has been said. I'll briefly add that there were a lot of delights in both performances and I'm very glad I saw each of them.

That is exactly what I meant when I said earlier that I was concerned about the longevity of this new SB and whether it would have the same fate as Ratmansky's Nutcracker. I actually was elated after the first act, but towards the end of the third act, especially during the fairy tale divertissements, I couldn't wait for it to be over. I will probably buy a ticket to see it again next year just to see Vishneva dance Aurora and Part do Lilac Fairy, assuming and hoping they will be, as the consensus on this board seems to be that the Vishneva/Gomes/Part cast was the best, and that's not the one I saw.

I feel exactly the opposite. I saw it twice and even though I think the first cast was better on the whole, I enjoyed it more the second time and look forward to seeing it many more times to come. Critics also thought the company looked energized and excellent performing it on the whole...

Then again I love Ratmansky's Nutcracker as do many others I know, including dance critics and former dancers. And the fact that it couldn't make a major hit of it for multiple years when up against the institution of NYCBs when that one IS a longstanding institution and is located at Lincoln Center, vs what so many clearly considered the wilds of Brooklyn hardly seems a condemnation of Ratmansky's Nutcracker.

Me, I just "follow" Ballet Alert.

You read every post on ballet alert? Impressive. I just read topics that interest me. Which I think was Plisskin's (good) point.

Oh yes to every word! Giangeruso was fantastic and really made the case for this version (more than Abrera who did not pull it off in the same way). So full of life--and I have never particularly liked this variation - it never even really made sense to me - here you could see the gift of 'temperament'!' Confident, playful, distinctive. And fast. Without any fudging or loss of subtlety. She is just the most fabulous girl in the room. (Two non-ballet going acquaintances there with family both told me their interest in the prologue really perked up when Giangeruso started dancing.)

Agreed. I *do* like this variation normally but was not sold on the new/old version at all with Abrera on Monday.

Giangeruso made a very good case for it. In fact she was excellent and I found I liked it after all.

DeCoster, on 11 Jun 2015 - 10:50 AM, said:

Zhong-Jing Fang stood out as sapphire fairy. I think this style suits her too. Her arms and feet are so well placed.

I agreed with you on pretty much everything so my cutting to this was just to second it emphatically as I don't think I mentioned her in my last post.

Fang was lovely. i saw her in both casts and she really shone.

She was also fantastic in Giselle as Zulma. I hope she is given more soon. I'm really impressed by what I've been seeing. There is a lovely plushness and serenity to her dancing. Very musical as well (at least in these shortish variations). More please!

I saw both Vishneva's and Boylston's performances. I liked them both in different ways.

Having seen it twice now, I'd like to make a few random comments.

1) I really do love the production

2) the one anachronistic technical aspect that irked me on Monday was the chaine turns on demi. I liked it in theory, and really enjoyed the way that the ones on point in the grand pas de deux became a revelation because of them, but they looked on the whole sloppy. Fast but with wide apart feet. Rather ugly.

This was not the case with several of the dancers on Weds. and it made a huge difference to how I felt. Both Misty and Isabella (and to a slightly lesser extent) Stella did much cleaner, tighter, turns on demi and it looked a lot better.

3) both Florines I saw were great. Trenary is clearly one to watch! And Stella was truly lovely. Speaking of

4) The Violante fairy is not a good role for Stella. It is the one that has been changed the most of the first five fairy variations, and it looked like she was playing it for major comedy. I didn't like it at all. It was much better last night.

5) the production works best with a truly menacing and enchanting Carabosse. That was Gomes. Raffa really didn't have that much presence.

I could talk about both sets of leads but I really enjoyed both sets in different ways. Certainly Monday was the more polished and probably "better" performance but Gorak's solo was superior even if Gomes' partnering was (petite allegro suits Gorak better. His partnering is improving)

I was at both the open rehearsal and opening night. Actually I preferred Steven McRae and Iana Salenko (at rehearsal) over the first shift of Acosta/Nunes. The younger red-haired guys were more vibrant even though they did not look like Catalonians at all. Jumps were higher, speed was faster. And Steve managed to make two beautiful one-handed lifts of Kitri without any trace of difficulty. While Carlos obviously struggled on these elements and basically failed the second lift.

I heard that Acosta is retiring after next season which is IMHO a totally correct decision.

BTW after the rehearsal I saw Steve (with his wife) and Iana having lunch at Washington Harbor restaurant nearby. The McRaes were with their lovely baby girl and Steven was carrying her all the time. What a loving father! Nice to see that true men and fathers do exist among the ballet world elite.

true men?

I don't have a lot to add beyond what has been said. It was wonderful!

I loved the new production, and the costumes, though the ones that stood out badly to me were the Mazurka group in the wedding, who all look like they are wearing meringues around their waists and then the women seem to have on white fringed mortar board hats...

Vishneva and Gomes were wonderful. I often find her a bit mannered and contrived but she was really charming in this and radiated joy throughout.

I wanted to second the praise for Cassandra Trenary as Florine. She did have a real slip at the very start of her variation, but she recovered instantaneously and didn't let it get to her at all. To me that's a sign of being a great performer. Not only was it a lovely performance overall, but the ability to keep going and sell what she was doing was truly impressive. I also enjoyed all the last act fairies very much. This is the second time I've been very impressed by Fang this season (the other was in Giselle).