Amour

I saw Manon with Vishneva and Gomes the other night as well. I hadn't seen the ballet since Alex Ferri (my idol) last performed it. I thought Diana and Marcelo were gorgeous together although I thought Diana was a bit too "alive" during the final scene (Ferri used to be rag doll limp). They have such great chemistry together. I thought Herman danced very well in his solo bits as Lescaut's but to me it looked like he was struggling a bit partnering Misty. All in all, though, a terrific performance.

Anyone see opening night of Midsummer Night's Dream? I'm seeing that same cast Saturday night. Curious how they fared.

BTW, did anyone see the Kent/Bolle Manon? I saw Diana/Marcelo tonight and they were tremendous! Diana is not quite as good as Ferri, but then again, who is?

Unlike at NYCB,though, if you decide to add a program now that dynamic pricing is in effect you (even as a subscriber) will be charged the higher price. At NYCB if you are a subscriber you actually get a 10% discount on any future programs you add. Also, I'm convinced ABT does not give their best orchestra seats (center rows J - S) to subscribers but saves them for later when dynamic pricing is in effect. Frankly, I think ABT treats their subscribers rather badly.

Currently, the only people being allowed to buy tickets to Wendy's farewell are those who have a current Saturday night subscription. In August, the powers that be (according to a NYCB ticket salesman) will decide how to "distribute" the remaining seats.

I saw the Saturday evening performance and was very impressed by everything except Swan Lake where the cygnets were a mess and Odette was soulless. However,this was the best Serenade I have seen in years; NYCB no longer performs it this well or in an authentic Balanchine style. My takeaway was twofold: 1) these are exceptionally gifted young dancers, and 2) it is a terrible shame that Peter Martins has so alienated former Balanchine dancers and refuses to let most teach the company.

No, Isabella's picture was recent because I saw Fateyev in the audience (orchestra seating) on Thursday. I hope he saw Olga on Wednesday so he knows how his mishandling of the Mariinsky led her to join the Bolshoi!

I thought Carmen Suite was trash. The "choreography", if it can be called that, consists mainly of Vishneva wiggling her hips and standing in sexy poses. It looked like a strip tease act, not a ballet. Why would a virile man like Don Jose wear a hot pink shirt with red polka dots? I don't have my program, but the man who danced the bull fighter role did not have an ounce of charisma. He looked very uncomfortable executing the choreography. Bizet must be turning in his grave. The arrangement of the score butchered it. Awful in every way.

Lopatkina was a dream in the second movement of Symphony in C. She was exquisite and riveting. In fact, the entire cast was wonderful, although Somova lapsed into some of her bad old habits in the first movement with hyperextension of her leg. I thought the tutus were too wide in diameter, and I prefer the all white tutus used at NYCB.

I agree on both counts. Carmen was the worst ballet I've seen in a long time - worse than Anna Karenina and even Vishneva couldn't save it. The music was awful , the story muddled (and how is that possible, really?) the choreography banal. The dancing was mostly wonderful but Ivanchenko looked really silly as Escamellio.

if you're unfamiliar with a ballet, why not check it out on YouTube or a DVD beforehand? That way you can save money and avoid seeing a ballet that you disliike and will call "trash"(personally I'd save that adjective for a Millepied ballet). As for Symphony in C, Balanchine's dancing is almost a style and not one that can be readily picked up. I think the Mariinsky did an admirable job with this work and what it lacked in speed and attack it made up for in elegant carriage of upper bodies and technical refinement, something not always seen in NYCB dancers.

I thought Carmen Suite was trash. The "choreography", if it can be called that, consists mainly of Vishneva wiggling her hips and standing in sexy poses. It looked like a strip tease act, not a ballet. Why would a virile man like Don Jose wear a hot pink shirt with red polka dots? I don't have my program, but the man who danced the bull fighter role did not have an ounce of charisma. He looked very uncomfortable executing the choreography. Bizet must be turning in his grave. The arrangement of the score butchered it. Awful in every way.

Lopatkina was a dream in the second movement of Symphony in C. She was exquisite and riveting. In fact, the entire cast was wonderful, although Somova lapsed into some of her bad old habits in the first movement with hyperextension of her leg. I thought the tutus were too wide in diameter, and I prefer the all white tutus used at NYCB.

I have to disagree. Having seen most of Carmen Suite on YouTube with Zhakharova I knew what to expect. I think Alonso's choreography is fairly innovative. Alot of emphasis on high extensions and intricate, difficult partnering but really not trash. After all it is a love story. And it is alot less erotic than Roland Petit's version of Carmen. I liked Shchedrin's interpretation of the Bizet score; he modernized it using percussion, different rhythms and xylophones. I also found the set interesting - a high wooden semi-circle (reminiscent of a bullfighting ring) with about 8 high back chairs placed on top. The performances were good. Diana Vishneva was Carmen. Yuri Smekalov was Jose, Toreador was Yvegeny Ivanchenko and the Bull (Fate) Yulia Stepanova. There were also 3 women listed as "tobacco workers: Svetlana Ivanova, Margarita Fronlova and Anna Lavrinenko. I thought Diana was very sexy and dramatic but here looked a little worn out (as she did in Anna K) I really feel how hard she is working to get her extensions up and her back supple. It's not noticeable when she dances with ABT (because of the lower level of dancing) but with these great Mariinsky dancers she suffers a bit in comparison. Smekalov was an ardent Jose but he and Diana didn't really generate enough heat (as in Anna K). Stepanova and the tobacco workers were wonderful, their dancing looking graceful and effortless.

Symphony in C was another triumph. Alina Somova and Andrian Fadeyev were the soloists for the first allegro vivo movement; Ulyana Lopatkina and Daniil Korsuntsev performed the 2nd adagio movement; Yevgenia Obraztsova and Vladimir Shklyarov performed the 3rd Allegro movement and Maria Shirinkina and Alexei Timofeev performed the 4th movement (which appears to be the most difficult). It was great to finally see the company in a "tutu" ballet where the corps can shine and they did shine. Somova seemed to have a hard time keeping up with the music but her partner Fadeyev was outstanding. He has great technique,ballon and musicality. There was only one point where he got behind the music and you could see the frustration with that in his face. Lopatkina is a genius and with her partner Korsuntsev (with whom she regularly dances) did a terrific job with the adagio movement. Although Lopatkina may be the oldest principal ballerina in the company you would never know it by looking at her dance. She moves effortlessly, with great grace, majesty, and beautiful lines. I felt Obraztsova was the most "Balanchinesque" of the soloists - very musical, with great attack and attention to detail, never losing her form in the quickness of the movement. And Maria Shirinkina was a discovery. Although she looks like a teenager, she handled the 4th movement, which is the quickest and has unending pirouettes, very well. At the conclusion, where the 4 female soloists dance together, Somova suffered by being placed next to Lopatkina as Lopatkina's artistry and elegance made the flaws of Somova's upper body (less graceful arms and hands, in particular) very apparent. Still,the company shined in this work and at the end the entire house gave them a great standing ovation.

I absolutely loved, loved, LOVED Lopatkina in tonight Anna Karenina. The beauty, the poetry, the lyricism she brings to the role are simply unparalleled.

Every performance this lady gives is the stuff the legends are made of.

Absolutely agree with this and everything else positive that was said about Wednesday night's Anna Karenina. Lopatkina was stupendous - she WAS Anna. On Monday,Vishneva looked more like she was going through the steps. Lopatkina was living the role; she is a deeply moving, thoughtful and gorgeous dancer. A true, true artist. I also thought that Svetlana Ivanova as Kitty was more classical and enjoyable than Obratsova was on Monday. While on Monday I found Anna Karenina rather tedious, tonight I could really see the choreography. It actually isn't a dull ballet at all (maybe not Ratmansky's best but not bad). I think the Shchedrin score is still not as danceable as I would like but the orchestra plays it beautifully. For me, Lopatkina saved this ballet. I'm ready now to get tickets to see her Carmen (although I have tickets for Friday with Vishneva). I know that she is not a naturally sexy dancer but if she can save what I thought was a dull ballet I'm sure she can make any ballet terrific!!

Totally agree. Kevin is out of energy and ideas. No new star dancers are being cultivated, perhaps because of his reliance on international superstars. If only Ratmansky would take over (wishful thinking) but his schedule is so full that seems unlikely.

If that was the case, then ABT should have put up the casting changes much sooner. Since ABT does allow exchanges (except on the day of performance) ticket hold ers could have had a choice of seeing a Swan Lake ( maybe even Semionova) instead of Wednesday night's SL.

Danil said, in a video interview with Pointe magazine, that he is 25.

Sascha and Stella would be good candidates for promotion but they have been given practically no principal roles to dance. Give Stella a Giselle and Juliet and give Sascha parts like Franz in "Coppelia", Basilio and Albrecht and see how they do. Then promote them. Stella may be holding herself back due to her back injury and its possible recurrence. Let me also add the comment that the majority of the current principal roster is over 35. Corey Stearns is likely the youngest with Wiles, Gomes. Cornejo and Hallberg probably just around 30. Where are the twenty somethings that are the heirs apparent? Other than Simkin and possibly Lane, not much out there.

as for the lack of up and coming stars in the company in their 20s, i think most of the dancers how would have had the potential have moved on when the realized how crowded it was at the top, but now many dancers who are with the company are either older and ok with their position in the company or too young to promote this soon.

Kevin's reluctance to promote (with the exception of Stearns...which I'm still trying to figure out why - at least as quickly as he did) makes me wonder if that's the reason he's lost many good dancers in the past 2 years...specifically C Lopez this year...

I think that many ABT dancers are NOT OK with their situation in the company and are very frustrated. I think many dancers (as many as he can take) will leave ABT to go to New Zealand with Ethan. Other dancers who weren't trained at SAB are not necessarily suited to the many other excellent U.S. companies because of their Balanchine heavy reps (most are run by former NYCB dancers) That leaves them in a difficult spot. Some of the Spanish ones (Cornejo and I believe Riborgada) perform with Corella's company. Others may be looking abroad, as Radetsky did. But if Kevin continues to be so slow to promote, and relies heavily on guests, I think there will be increasing defections from ABT.

BTW, Simkin and Lane are not that young - both 25 or 26. Many principals at NYCB are that age and have been principals for almost 10 years. If you wait until a dancer is 30 to promote him/her, you are losing the bulk of their career. And that is the age when injuries start happening with greater frequency. Also, the dancers who have specific donors sponsoring them (Ricetto, Simkin, Boylston, Messmer) get more stage time than those with no sponsors. It's not a fair system and certainly not one to depend on for growing great talent.

Kevin is just letting ABT wither away by totally focusing on having guest artists do all the principal roles. Instead of discussing which dancers to bring in or promote from the inside, I think what ABT needs is a new AD. Kevin has shown he no longer has the energy, enthusiasm or ideas for how to develop great dancers from within the company. IMO he has also shown bad judgement in the ballets he has either restaged himself (Swan Lake) or brought in restaged (Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, both duds). Both PNB and the Royal Danish (and soon the Royal Ballet) show how new ADs can breathe some fresh life into a company. I think that is what ABT desperately needs now. Now that Ratmansky is set for another 10 years, getting a new AD should not be so difficult and truly is vital.

Given the bad review from Macauley on her SL and from other Ballet Talk posters, I think Irina should focus less on her fashionista inclinations and more on her dancing. Sounds like a lot of audience members are sick of her just phoning in her performances

Sad news: David Hallberg just tweeted that he sprained his ankle last night, and won't be performing with Semionova tomorrow night. I'm crushed! I wonder who will replace him.

Full tweet (@DavidHallberg): "Sprained ankle from Von Rothbart in Carreno's farewell performance. Siegfried Sat. night canceled with Semionova. Bummed and in a boot."

Obviously, best wishes to him for a speedy recovery.

Hallberg tweeted a picture of the boot he is in. It goes from his foot to his knee. Looks like a serious sprain. I doubt he can recover in one week, for Sleeping Beauty. Very disappointed, I have tickets for Swan Lake with Semionova and Sleeping Beauty with Osipova. But Hallberg's recovery is priority.

, I think Macaulay got this one right. The choreography of the Act IV prelude was terrible--lots of aimless running around. And the lighting was so bad, in design, but also some in execution--at the Met!

Just came home from Thursday's Swan Lake, where Carreno retired. It's too bad that he retired with this production because, like others, I think it has so many problems and really suffers when compared to others productions, like those of the Mariinsky.

Act I started out fairly well. The corps looked to be in unison and the pas de trois, with Joaquin de Luz (on loan from NYCB) Yuriko and Sarah Lane was pretty good, although Sarah and Yuriko were rarely synchronized in their movements. De Luz has lost some of his brauvura technique since he danced with ABT but he made up for it with his amazing precision and speed. No need for the orchestra to slow down for his solo part; he just performed beautifully at full speed (I guess that what dancing Balanchine will do for you). I also have to give props to Susan Jaffe as the Queen Mother. I don't think I have ever seen a more regally danced Queen and her mime was absolutely outstanding! I really understood what was going on in the relationship with her son. Finally, I must note that I also heard what others have mentioned - the noisy marley floor. I assume it must be new or newly washed because it squeaked (VERY LOUDLY) when dancers pirouetted.

Then came Act II and things went downhill. To my mind, Julie Kent needs to retire while Carreno could last a few more years. Her Odette was, IMO, fairly awful. She couldn't hold a balance on pointe (fell out of every one, too), changed the choreography a bit to do single pirouettes instead of doubles, and bourred slowly. However, the worst was that because her back has become much more inflexible, she really couldn't deliver the goods dramatically, to express Odette's sorrow/concern at being trapped as a swan. To compound an already bad situation, the solo violinist was atrocious (often sharp and with lack of technique) and the orchestra kept slowing the music down to an unbelievably lethargic pace every time Julie danced solo. The corps was also a bit ragged (especially their arms). However, the cygnettes (Gemma Bond, Marian Butler, Misty Copeland and Maria Riccetto) and the big swans (Simone Messmer and Melanie Hamrick) were good and somewhat made up for the other deficiencies of the Act.

Act III brought welcome relief as Gillian Murphy came out as Odile and David Hallberg as Rothbart. I agree that Gillian is a harsh, not particularly seductive, Odile. But at least she can do the steps, balance, pull out some quadruple pirouettes (which she did) and otherwise perform the part, which is more than I can say for Julie Kent. When she started the fouettes, she did quadruple turns after each fouette. She ended up doing single fouettes without the turns and, as others have noted, traveled about halfway across the stage. Still, not bad. The highlight of the act, though, was David Hallberg, who was wonderful as Rothbart. Though he is not as evil or menacing as Gomes (who originated the part and is still my favorite in it) he did a wonderful job. The ethnic dances were pretty much standard (they are also truncated) with the exception of the Neopolitan. Craig Salstein and Joseph Phillips were technically and dramatically great there.

Act IV was its truncated, disappointing self, with the corps basically flitting across the stage. Lost are the beautiful formations of four swans and the section where Siegfried tries to discern who is Odette. And of course, back was Julie Kent. For that reason alone, I was rather glad for the brevity of the Act. However, Carreno did justice to his solo (and all the other solos he had) with outstanding pirouettes and jumps while not bravura by today's standards, were certainly nothing to be ashamed of. And I loved that, after Odette has jumped off the cliff, Carreno flung himself after her with special elan.

Then came the celebrations. First all the principal ballerinas (including Alesssandra Ferri) came out, then the principal men, then the entire company, including Kevin McKenzie, to bid Carreno adieu. Carreno even came out with his two teenage daughters. The crowd gave him a very long standing ovation (though not as lengthy as the one when Julio Bocca retired) and then finally the night concluded. Overall, it was an unsatisfying performance but a nice farewell for a great and much beloved dancer, Jose Carreno.

In his review today of Tuesday night's opening performance of the Royal Danish Ballet, Macauley lists the 5 "foremeost classical [ballet] companies" today. His list includes the Danes, the Mariinsky, Bolshoi, Royal Ballet and NYCB but OMITS ABT! I found that remarkable both in its wrongheadedness and its offensiveness. Since when have the Danes exceeded ABT at being a classical company? He even noted that much of the repertoire danced by the Danes on Tuesday was either new (Jorma Elo) or reworked (Napoli). I never hear much about the RDB and don't believe they regularly perform all the classics like Swan Lake or Giselle. Given Macauley's rather obvious preference for NYCB over ABT (which is more like the Royal) it's difficult to see this as an oversight. I find it very offensive for him to basically diss one of NYC's 2 great ballet companies. I think from now on, he should pay for his own tickets to ABT performances. Who needs him!!!!

Has anyone ever gone from Corps De Ballet straight to Principal?

I think that may have happened under Baryshnikov (Susan Jaffee?) but never under Kevin. IMO his slowness to promote dancers to principal (especially women) is terrible & may prompt some worthy dancers to leave ABT. What's the point of being promoted to principal when you're past your prime? At NYCB principals are generally around 20 yrs.old. At ABT it's more like 30 yrs old. The quick promotion of Boylston is a step in the right direction. Hope Simkin named principal soon!

Vishneva and Gomes were on fire tonight. I thought it was an incredible, brilliant performance. Engrossing and thrilling. This is the most significant partnership at ABT since Ferri-Bocca. Tonight was apparently Carlos Lopez's final performance with the company. At the curtain call, many of the dancers brought him before the curtain and tearfully applauded him. Lopez was also in tears, and Gomes gave him a big hug. Anyone know if he is joining another company?

I don't expect to see this ballet back at ABT for a long time. There were many, many empty seats at every performance, and the critics savaged the choreography in the reviews. The performances of Gomes and Vishneva will remain in my memory for a long time.

Empty seats at ABT

Across the Plaza one can see

"Jewels" so bright and danced with glory

Pas de Deux that need no story?

Mearns and Peck and Wendy Whelan

De Luz and Angle Who's complainin'?

Clapping hands could not get much louder

Especially when we watch Miss Bouder!

But at the Met

Across the way

We get this pap from Neumeier

Not for me this "Lady C"

It's best to stick with Mr. B!

I like NYCB. However, on a good night with a great cast there is no question in my mind that ABT beats out NYCB no matter what they are dancing. Is there any dancer at NYCB who can equal Vishneva, Osipova or Cojacaru? I think not! Similarly, there are no men at NYCB (since Hubbe left) who can equal Gomes, Hallberg or Cornejo. Not to mention we are seeing the superstars Kobborg and Vasiliev this season at ABT.

Balanchine ballets require a certain technique - some think it a style. The classics performed at ABT's spring season, though we have seen them often, demand an enormous degree of strength and a pure classical line. I'd like to see a NYCB ballet dancer pull off a great Giselle. Ashley Bouder was complaining on Twitter when she had to dance Don Q in Russia because there were so many props (guitar, fans, castenets, etc.). After seeing Osipova last year as Kitri, I would say props are the least of that role's difficulties!

Also, there are very few full length ballets at NYCB. Most are about 20 minutes and each usually has a different principal. It's no mean feat to be a principal in a full length ballet and do it 2 times in a week, which regularly happens at ABT.

So, with the wonderful Vishneva and Gomes dancing Camellias last night (in an outstanding performance) I'd rather put up with the "pap" from Neumeier rather than see the well worn "Jewels" (not always danced well) across the plaza.

Vishneva and Gomes were on fire tonight. I thought it was an incredible, brilliant performance. Engrossing and thrilling. This is the most significant partnership at ABT since Ferri-Bocca.

I cannot believe it but I believe you are right about this partnership. Lady of the Camelias is not my favorite ballet by a long shot. The choreography is pretty dull and consists mainly of lifts. However, Vishneve and Gomes were so totally outstanding tonight! At the end of the performance the entire house gave them a standing ovation. I was in the rear orchestra and EVERYONE was standing.

As for the dancing, the lifts by Gomes of Vishneva were executed flawlessly. As in their Giselle, Vishneva seems weightless when Gomes lifts her. I agree, as Batsuchan noted in a post on Giselle, that Vishneva may have lost a bit in the way of flexilbility during the last few years (legs less high, back not as flexible). At 35 she is no longer the whiz kid that I saw with the Mariinsky 10 years ago. However, any loss in flexibility she has more than made up in her increase in dramatic intensity. Her flirtatiousness, illness and love for Gomes were readible even from the rear of the orchestra. I have high hopes that, like Alessandra Ferri, she will continue dancing through her forties and that we will continue to see her dramatic interpretations deepenen with age without much loss of technique. I have not seen Vishneva's partners with the Mariinsky in a while (not until July) but this one with Gomes seems to be getting better and better. While Hallberg may be guesting with the Mariinsky in London this July, I have high hopes that Gomes will similarly guest with them sometime in the future.

As for other dancers, I have never been a particular fan of Veronika Part. However, seeing her this season as both Myrtha in Giselle and, tonight, as Manon, I am changing my mind. I have never seen Part dance so convincingly; her technique was steely strong and her interpretation dramatically arresting. No falling off point (as she did in Sleeping Beauty a few years back). A joy!

Simone Messmer was a lively Prudence, quite strong in her footwork and light and carefree in her interpretation. I found Maria Ricetto rather dull as Olympia and it was hard to believe she would pose much competition to Vishneva as a courtesan. Finally, I noticed Sarah Lane onstage during Act 2 even though she wasn't listed in the playbill. That means she was probably thrown onstage at the last minute. She did an excellent job and I can only hope that she will get more roles commesurate with her abilities soon. At least, tonight, she had the good fortune to dance with her husband Luis.

All in all, a tremendous night!

Well, I just came back from a gorgeous performance of "Giselle" thanks to the sublime Diana Vishneva and marvelous Marcelo Gomes (and the commanding Veronika Part)! BRAVO!!!

They were terrific together - a terrific partnership. I saw an exquisite Giselle with Vishneva and Corella about 5 years ago. However, Vishneva and Gomes now seem to have a solid partership. I really got (in Act 2) that Albrecht needs protection from Giselle as well as the generally demonstrated love they have for each other. This is the first time I have seen that so clearly dramatized. So,different chemistry than Vishneva/Corella but just as wonderful.

I also thought that Part was strong as Myrta; she looked better to me than she has looked previously. But for me the revelation of this week has been Isabella Boylston. She was terrific tonight has Moyna (Yuriko was Zulma) and did a more than credible job in the Ratmansky and Wheeldon works on Wed. night. I look forward to seeing more of her.

He is still listed on the website, whereas the other retirees are not.

It's official now. Nilas is gone from NYCB. There is a brief mention of it in the NY Times, which states that Nilas decided to leave because he was accepted into an arts management program run by the Kennedy Center. Alas, we will now be deprived of his scintillating performances.

I find it very odd (and sad) that NYCB chose not to officially announce Nilas' retirement. He deserves at least that.

ABT needs to be more proactive in promoting and cultivating their younger talent before these dancers get fed up and move on to other companies.

What young ballerina talent at the ABT now (leaving aside Seo) do you believe have the potential to become principals that have even the hope of one day performing like Osipova and Vishneva?

Probably no one. However, IMO Maria Riccetto and Kristi Boone have the potential to be principals soon (I would include Stella Abrera except for her injuries, which might preclude a heavy performing schedule).