aurora

What about the tempest? Abatt: wouldn't shakespeare program count as mixed?

Abatt, any opinion on how Jared Matthews did in his debut as Aminta? I thought people might enjoy this on fb: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=987782594043&set=vb.15817871857&type=2&theater (a tiny bit of dress rehearsal footage)

Reyes debut was actually tonight. I thought she acquitted herself quite well all things considered

I didn't think she was insecure about how to place herself on the Amazon's bow as much as her hand got stuck in one of them (you could see the strings). I've actually felt that her pirouettes have been much more secure of late. She may have had an issue in the Corsaire rehearsal (I didn't see it), but she certainly did not in the performance. I did notice the Act III issue you commented on, but that is a quite difficult series, involving the partner coming in, and I'm guessing this was indeed a place where their lack of rehearsal time together really was an issue. Given the difficulty of the partnering for Act III, I was amazed that there were no other miscues.

I want to second all of this! It really was an excellent role debut. I love Part and think that persona-wise it is a great role for her, but wasn't sure about all the intricate footwork and hops. Well as Balanchinomane noted, this was not a problem. I saw one bobble in the partnering, but her performance was clean and strong throughout. I was very impressed at the partnering. Yes Gomes is amazing as a partner but given the lack of rehearsal time, their ability to work together in what is a very challenging pdd was really astonishing. The gesture of offering Gomes the bouquet was really charming!!

I generally agree with your assessment (especially the last bit), but would disagree on Whiteside's height. He isn't very tall (like Bolle) but he is considerably taller than Corella and partnered Part quite well in Don Q (I know it was reported there were awkwardnesses, but I didn't see them, I thought he partnered her very well).

I'm glad to hear it, I sadly won't be seeing his purple Rothbart. He was supposed to dance Benno in the Part/Stearns performance, but was out (those dreaded cast change slips!). I'm very happy to know that he isn't injured. He has been having such a nice season and he has a debut to look forward to.

The audience went wild, but there was no curtain call (unless it was very much delayed...I had to use the facilities and darted out asap) Regarding the house--it was quite full monday. I have to say I didn't look around as much this time. But I do know that the upper level side boxes were quite full, which never happens unless the house is packed. And there were a lot of people in standing room.

Well since you asked, and no one else has written... I thought it was probably one of the best performances I've ever seen. I saw Monday night (Gomes and Vishneva) as well, and thought it excellent, but this was something else. As a friend said, Vishneva did a wonderful job of playing Juliet...Osipova was Juliet. The passion of Osipova and Hallberg was tangible. It was completely believable and compelling. Hallberg was in wonderful form. Beautiful in his solos (and dances with Matthews and Gorak), and had none of the difficulty partnering Osipova that he apparently did with Semionova. She was magnificent. Touching, innocent, no mannerisms or anything out of character with Juliet. Their dancing was so fresh and natural that it seemed almost improvised. While other dancers are excellent in "death" in the last scene (Vishneva, Ferri), I've never seen someone look so completely dead and limp. Their trust in each other (her trust in him I guess one should say) was complete and heartbreaking. As for the supporting cast, I loved Gorak and Matthews with Hallberg. I felt that their lines were a wonderful complement and they really seemed to have a believable rapport. Especially Matthews and Hallberg, who you truly believe are friends. I loved the touch where, instead of Matthews skipping the last leapfrog in the Mandolin dance as Salstein does, Hallberg came over and Matthews jumped over his head while he was standing hardly bent over at all. Matthews death scene was more naturalistic than some others but I liked it and thought it worked very well. I really feel that in the last season he has developed stagecraft, a compelling personality on stage, magnificently. He now seems to love dancing, love being in front of the audience, and have developed the knack for drawing the eye of the audience. He is very enjoyable to watch perform. I hope, like others, that this stellar season, and his forthcoming debut in Sylvia will put him in line for a promotion. The rest of the cast paled somewhat. Tybalt was danced by Patrick Ogle. I enjoyed his performance but after Radetsky's scene-chewing turn on Monday it was less vivid a characterization, although in some ways I like him played with less malice. Radetsky was fine as Paris, but he seemed a bit menacing throughout, not just later, and I don't think it is a terribly effective role for him, though it was a fair performance. The Harlots were a bit out of sync and didn't have the oomph of some other trios. They were Isabella Boylston, Sarah Smith and Melanie Hamrick Lastly, I'm sorry to say but I think that lady Capulet needs a dancer of more experience and presence than Nicola Curry. Abrerra was wonderful and moving in the part on Monday, and Part has done it exceptionally in the past. The dresses were ill-fitting on Curry, she looked frumpy, rather than rather haughty and elegant. Her reaction to the death of Tybalt was decent but not fully tragic. She didn't have the emotive abilities for this role. But those last are minor quibbles. The performance overall was just incredible. It was one I wish I could see over and over again. A last note, while Osipova does the death scene rather differently than Vishneva, she too ended in the full deep backbend.

It is true I've seen him (Whiteside) in roles where "refinement" is not necessarily a critical category (basilio in don q, slave in corsaire) but I wouldn't say this was my impression at all. I thought he was a very strong actor in Don Q. Very affectionate with Part and a good, strong, partner. They had much greater rapport than I've found her to have with Stearns traditionally (he was very much improved in Corsaire though so we'll see). He wasn't knock your socks off as the slave, but was good and relatively elegant, even if this is not his best role He was also excellent in the Hallberg part in the new Ratmansky. Except that he is an "outsider" I'm not sure why there is a rush to dismiss him. Based on talent/experience etc, I think he is certainly the most likely the next male principal (barring something dramatic). And rightly so, despite the fact there are several men in the corps, as well as a male soloist that I would like to see promoted as well. Hopefully we will see some of the men promoted to soloist soon and they will be given further opportunities. I apologize for contributing to the offtopic-ness.

But San Francisco Ballet co-produced it and will be performing it in SF in April 2014, so they won't want the competition. ABT definitely doesn't play cities like Peoria, but Chicago is a pretty sophisticated dance city now with visits from major companies. Isn't one big problem with the Trilogy its reliance on so many principal dancers? So few of the "guest artist" principals join that tour, it might be difficult to cast. I'm betting they'll show it at Met 2014 to get a little more mileage. I agree that it has star turns for a lot of dancers, but remember, the second cast (which while not overall up to the quality of the first, was very good in my view) was populated by a very high number of soloists, and at least a few principals who do tour. There would have to be casting tweaks, but it does seem feasible to do without the guest principals. I hope they do (and that they do it at the Met again next year, I'd love to see it again!)

I got that impression too. During the balcony scene he danced very small and cautiously in his own solos. His partnering and acting were excellent, but I felt that his technique was significantly diminished compared to his prior performances of Romeo. Oh no...I wish he should have not dance Ali in Le Corsaire. I might be reading too much into those YouTubes of the curtain calls, but he did not seem as beaming and joyful as he usually does. We know he has had injuries in the past (he talks about them in some interviews). He has a lot of work ahead in the rest of this season -- three Swans (one with a new partner, Hee Seo, and one as purple Rothbart), two Sylvias, one Sleeping Beauty. Perhaps he's thinking ahead and trying not to exacerbate whatever the issue is now so he doesn't have to cancel. I was there last night. I think people are reading too much into it. He wasn't explosive, but its romeo, it isn't about WOW factor. Everything was danced beautifully, cleanly and elegantly with grace, emotion and confidence. I didn't see any evidence of greatly diminished technique. And it is pretty rare for people to seem joyful after R&J--he seemed emotionally spent and adorably concerned with his partner.

While it was very limited run, I believe the very full house (especially considering this is a triple bill, which don't normally sell well at the Met) suggests that yes, it will, or should, have a life at ABT.

Here are some other examples of that (or variations on that) variation which Osipova did: http://youtu.be/AdVfEXY-vD0 As you can see that last passage actually has several variants. I think Osipova does more turns there but given the variety of options on offer I don't see that as a problem. NB: I just chose various versions, I don't mean to start a discussion on any of these dancers here; it was just to show people at a variety of companies doing the "alternate" variation.

From wikipedia: "Jumping the shark is an idiom created by Jon Hein that was used to describe the moment in the evolution of a television show when it begins a decline in quality that is beyond recovery, which is usually a particular scene, episode, or aspect of a show in which the writers use some type of "gimmick" in a desperate attempt to keep viewers' interest. In its initial usage, it referred to the point in a television program's history when the program had outlived its freshness and viewers had begun to feel that the show's writers were out of new ideas, often after great effort was made to revive interest in the show by the writers, producers, or network. The usage of "jump the shark" has subsequently broadened beyond television, indicating the moment when a brand, design, or creative effort's evolution loses the essential qualities that initially defined its success and declines, ultimately, into irrelevance." It is derived from a Happy Days episode where the Fonze literally jumped a shark.

Regarding Osipova's changing of the variation mentioned by Classic Ballet: They apparently gave her the liberty to opt to do the Bolshoi variation as opposed to the one traditional in the west. She threw in one extra turn, but it wasn't like she made up her own variation willy-nilly because she is a star. She used an established alternate variation. And I am fairly sure ABT has given guest artists, at least, the privilege to do such a thing before. There are certainly precedents for this. Tereshkina does a rarely seen alternate variation in the Vision scene. I thought she was very engaged with the rest of the cast, but I saw last night's performance not Saturday.

And conversely, Maria Kowrowski, while often lovely, does *not* seem to have the requisite bravura skills for Kitri. This isn't a criticism of her, it just wouldn't show off her strengths and would expose her weaknesses.

Really I thought most of the looks were embarrassing. Madonna worked it. So did Christina Ricci, who looked amazing. There were a few other nice ones. This is the only photo of January Jones where she doesn't look atrocious. It is not good though. And none of my punk or goth acquaintances would own it.

I didn't know AOL really existed as a thing people used any more...

No judgment calls here. I would imagine "an unpleasant facial feature or personality type" isn't pleasing to many. Though I'm not sure how aesthetics come into personality types.

I have no issue with Osipova's choices, but is it necessary to do the NY vs the rest of the US debate here? It's hard not to find some really choice words in return.

Hooray!!!

Given how infrequently the Royal has been coming to the US of late, I'm not sure they need the extra draw of Osipova on the tour to make it a selling point. It would be a must see event anyway. And since people in the vicinity can see Osipova with ABT any year now, I'd personally rather get a chance to see their other dancers (esp nunez, but even cojocaru, who, while dancing with ABT, does so much less). I mean of course Osipova is a draw. But I think they would be a big draw no matter what. More so than the Mik (large russian pop. notwithstanding)

Ah that is good to know. Quite frankly, given the Mik's recent problems and now dancing with both ABT and Royal, I'd be most nervous if I was them. I know it says she is staying there, but things can always change. And lets not forget, for one of the foreign stars, she has been quite active with ABT, participating in tours, etc. which has not been the case with many (see for ex. Vishneva)

Lincoln Center Festival has hosted major international companies in previous summers (alas, not this year) and could plausibly sponsor a visit by Royal in future years. The issue will be the fine print in Osipova's non-compete clause with ABT. The Mikhailovsky wanted to play the State Theater during the final weeks of the ABT season in 2012. If Royal came in late July, would ABT permit her to perform with them? Stay tuned... As long as it wasn't overlapping, I don't see why not. As the Royal isn't scheduled to come at the moment, and who knows what the future will bring, this is what I would consider borrowing trouble. But I would note, that one of the past visitors to Lincoln Center was the Bolshoi when Ananiashvili was still dancing with them, and was with ABT. She performed with the Bolshoi on that tour.