vipa

15 minutes ago, abatt said:

The fact that  Ulbricht is still doing a minor role like Jester after this many years as a principal is heartbreaking.  Give this guy the respect he deserves and has earned.  

Thanks for the reports!

I have thought this about Ulbricht for a number years now. When he was finally given Oberon, after a century as Puck, he was spectacular in the role. I fear it is too late in his career for  him to be cast better than he is, but I look forward to seeing him in the Oct. Tharp show at City Center.

19 hours ago, volcanohunter said:

I have clear memories of a performance during which Daniil Simkin's Lensky knocked Sarah Lane's Olga off pointe once and then nearly did it a second time because he was struggling mightily with the partnering. (And in that case the problems were with promenades and turns, not lifts.) I'm sure these kinds of experiences were awfully frustrating for her, especially if she ended up looking badly through someone else's flub.

I agree that Lane made a very un-savvy remark about being a small, light dancer who was therefore paired with small men. Shorter men who are virtuoso dancers tend to focus on their own variations and "tricks" and not so much on partnering in a company like ABT that does  lot of full lengths. I saw many shows in which Lane was not served well by Simkin or Cornejo, but they both became better partners as time went on. On the other hand she was sometimes given opportunities because a short dancer like Simkin or Cornejo needed a small partner. Unfortunately there were times when, IMO, she didn't seize the moment.

10 hours ago, cobweb said:

LaJeromeny Brown made a charming, memorable impression in Western Symphony at the SAB Workshop a few years back. Sorry to see him leave NYCB, but I wish him well. 

Megan Fairchild did an interesting interview with Lajeromeny Brown that left me with the feeling that ballet was not Brown's main focus or field, so I'm not surprised. Great interview!

3 hours ago, cobweb said:

 

Agree. I would love to see Nadon and/or Laracey. I'm not sure this role is the best fit for Ashley Bouder's talents and style.

On instagram, Bouder posted a picture of herself in Scotch from years ago, with a statement about her past year https://www.instagram.com/p/CidkhdEPQfB/

Bouder's rep tends to be very technical, so maybe she's doing what she can handle as she returns. That said, I'd love to see Laracey get a chance. Nadon too, but she does have a lot of time.

8 hours ago, cobweb said:

Looking forward to Week 1 casting going up. I wish the website were a little easier to navigate. I can't find a straightforward, night-by-night listing of the specific programming (as opposed to, say, "Classic NYCB" with no specifics). Am I missing something? Also like others said up-thread, I don't understand the video background/ advertising. I kind of enjoy the flowing colors, but I don't see anything at all that has to do with ballet there. Just hinting at youthful, generic modern dancing, that's what I get. Bring on the ballet!!

Funny you should mention it cobweb. I was just making similar observations about the website. I've found it easiest to click on "view full calendar"  and then the date I'm interested in. A list of the ballets being performed pops up. Awkward, at best. The overall look and layout of the site makes we wonder who it is aimed at.

I enjoyed the New Yorker excerpt very much. I'd read much of the information before from other sources, but some details were new to me and Homans pulled things together nicely. Quite a stark reminder of the state of the Cold War at the time. The end of the piece was disappointing to me. It seemed like a lot of speculation and psyche diving on the part of Homans. There is no way to know what she states as fact. "...a mirror broke in his mind. He could no long hold a nostalgic reflection of himself....." 

I don't care how many people she spoke to, these are conclusions that she can't be certain of. To me it comes off as pretentious. 

7 hours ago, On Pointe said:

Speaking of photos,  the new poster for NYCB's fall and winter season keeps popping up in my browser,  and I seriously don't get it.  It's a swirl of yellow and blue with a few body parts visible,  but no clear representation of a ballet dancer.  The most discernible human image appears to be a balding man in a strapless sheath dress.  Everything is heavily blurred.  What's up with that?  Ballet fans do like to see photos of dancers.  Or has NYCB decided that's not hip enough?  I wonder who they think finds this campaign appealing.

I agree. This campaign is a miss, IMO, and I usually like the NYCB advertising. 

11 hours ago, wonderwall said:

Soloist Claire Kretzschmar announced she will be retiring in October. Her final performance will be in Vienna Waltzes on the 15th. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/ChFCtqbg9Wj/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

I'll miss her. Even in the corps she was always a stand out. She's been the co-host of City Ballet the podcast and done some interesting work there. I wonder if she'll continue in that capacity. She also put on a small scale, fun production of Nutcracker during the pandemic. Whatever direction she chooses to go in, I wish her well.

1 hour ago, laurel said:

Loved Sarah's heartfelt post on Instagram this morning.  Looking forward to making my first ever trip to *Texas* to see her dance in Swan Lake once again - and, hopefully, to see Yuriko dance as well.

Lane is a dancer with special qualities. When she's on and it all comes together she's transcendent. I wish her well in these performances.

2 hours ago, Becki Lee said:

A little surprised (but excited!) to see Cassie is performing in the Twyla Tharp program at NY City Center Oct 19-23.

I've found Cassandra Trenary to be very versatile stylistically. Not only great in Tharp, but wonderful in Jessica Lang's Zig Zag (a piece many on this board hate!), and fabulous in the Michelle Dorrance piece done for Tyler Peck's show in City Center.

On 7/11/2022 at 5:35 PM, aurora said:

And yet Veronika Part was Aurora, and I love the (terrible quality of video) clip of the cast rather against type Cynthia Gregory as Aurora.

I never saw Part as Aurora, but I really liked Cynthia Gregory in the role. I thought there was a real sweetness to it. Plus, there was a delicacy to her appearance as opposed to Martine Van Hamel (a contemporary of Gregory's), who was maybe an inch taller but had a much sturdier look (IMO). Aurora is usually on the short side but I don't think height should be the single element that rules people in or out of the role.

2 hours ago, lmspear said:

I'll throw William Carter and Marcos Paredes into the discussion to represent the Lucia Chase era.  And lets not forget Norah Kay, the original dramatic ballerina. And Sallie Wilson who I think is considered the last of that breed. There was a time when being a principle dancer didn't mean that you were guaranteed a shot at the leading role in the classics, but more that you were performing your specialties at an exceptionally high level.

So true, but at that time, ballets that required dramatic ballerinas, and male principals who could act, were a bigger and more regular part of the ABT rep - Fall River Legend, Lilac Garden, 3 Virgins and a Devil, Dark Elegies, Green Table etc. are examples. Sallie Wilson was known as a strong interpreter of Tudor works. 

Interesting to see so many promotions so close to a change in artistic leadership. 

I was at the matinee today. Something of a mixed bag in many ways, IMO. T&V with Cornejo and Brandt was good but far from great. Cornejo's partnering was beautiful in elegance and presentation. In his solos he made accommodations, particularly in the 2nd one. He come out with beautiful, big sissone/rond de jambes. Then he cut the repeat of another step and did a bit of walking around to set up for the double tours/pirouette sequence. He took this at a super fast tempo (easier on the legs). I thought the fast tempo took some of the grandeur and nobility from the step, but as a wise and seasoned professional, Cornejo was a man with a plan, and he made the variation work.  I enjoyed it. Brandt went for everything, technically, and mostly accomplished it with a few very slight mis-steps. Yet, I didn't find her performance compelling. To me, it was lacking in musical imagination and individualism. It was oddly generic. The four demi-soloists seemed to be working to get through. Zimmi Coker was the most on top of the situation.

I don't have much to say about Alonzo King's Single Eye, other than there were several points at which it could have ended, and that would have been fine with me.

I know Zig Zag isn't a popular work, on this board, but this is my second viewing and I enjoyed it even more that the first. I find it joyfully goofy. This time around I noticed even more subtle jokes, gentle gender bending and nuances than I did the first. And seeing Cassandra Trenary having a blast on stage is a treat. I couldn't take my eyes off her.

2 hours ago, California said:

Just took another look at casting. Cornejo is also doing Single Eye Saturday night! Good grief! He's in all four performances of the mixed bill!

I'm sure most of you have heard the famous Baryshnikov quote that T&V is the hardest ballet he ever performed.

I'm really looking forward to Sat. mat and Cornejo. I think T&V is hard for any dancer, but for all Baryshnilov's amazing technique, I don't think he was at his best in that ballet. He was wonderful, of course, but to me he looked like his was in a straight jacket. I've seen other men perform it better.

2 hours ago, abatt said:

ABT's performances of the male solo in T&V is, I believe, easier than and different from what NYCB's men are required to do.  The men at NYCB do more double tours and fewer pirouettes.  Which version of that choreography  did Baryshnikov do?

When I was watching Ahn and Bell in Swan Lake, their ballroom variations seemed like a practice run for what would be required in the T&V solo, except that more double tours and pirouettes are required in T&V.  Also, in SL the orchestra slows the tempo as needed.  Not sure if the orchestra does the same for the T&V music.

Added - J. DeLuz included this ballet in his farewell, and he slammed it out the park despite his advanced age and history of injury. 

 

 

So agree that DeLuz was fabulous in Theme in his retirement performance. I've also seen Deluz, Veyette and Peter Martins alternate single and double pirouettes in the double tours/pirouette sequence. Baryshnikov didn't end with a double tour like most do, he added another pirouette. 

I don't think the two companies have different requirements, but sometimes make accommodations. I've seen two men at NYCB, over the years, take a longer walk around to get into place for the first double tours, and therefore do fewer jumps and turns.

19 minutes ago, abatt said:

This has been a problem with ABT for a long time.  They are too short staffed to run a multi-week season of consecutive full length ballets because they do not have enough lead principals (or soloists who can actually dance principal roles).  What always ends up happening is that when people drop out due to injury, the other principals who are still healthy and young have to pick up the slack.  This has happened over and over, during the course of many years.  

The thing is, way back in the day, when ABT went on long tours, soloists had opportunities to dance principal roles. A former soloist with ABT told me she did O/O on tour but never in NYC, however, she was ready. If you don't have this type of back up, your options are,  young, healthy principals picking up the slack (as abatt described) or quick imports from other companies. 

Anyone else read Toni Bentley's, Serenade? I just finished it, and enjoyed it very much. There are times when Bentley can veer to the sensationalistic (although other dancer books I've read recently, do more so). Still, I could have done without the hints as to the identity of her first lover, and accounts of Petipa as wife abuser. These things, however, are a very small part of the work. Bentley carefully takes us through the ballet, Serenade, from start to finish while telling us about learning it at SAB, performing it under Balanchine, its history and evolution, Lincoln Kirstein's thoughts as demonstrated in his letters, and Tchaikovsky's feelings about the music, as opposed to a commissioned work he was creating at the same time. There's also a good dose of Balanchine's biography, where he fits into ballet history, Bentley's memories of his company class, and other dancers' recollections of his rehearsals.

Some things were not new to me, but others were and Bentley made connections I hadn't thought of. It also made me very hungry to see the ballet again. There are sections that I know I'll watch with fresh eyes.

BTW - I borrowed it as an ebook from the NY Public Library! Many recent publications, written by dancers, are available there.

1 hour ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

 

I'm glad PNB brought Pite to NYC since we don't get to see much of her work here. The dancers were all terrific, and so were the musicians. 

Amen to that. Plot Point is ingenious. Wish a New York company would do some of her works. I've been watching what I can on youtube!

I saw the PNB Sat. Mat and enjoyed it very much. It's rare for me to watch a program of three different contemporary choreographers and enjoy them all! I believe my favorite was Chrystal Pite's Plot Point. I'd love to see it again, and really wish that New York companies did her choreography, I'd love to see more of it. She presented, summed up, and captured, every cliche, common plot devise, emotion, and tone found in film noir and did it in a sometimes sweet, often funny, always entertaining way. I found the choreography ingenious. 

Tharp's, Waiting at the Station, IMO, shows Twyla at her best. Great structure, moving groups around fantastically, interesting choreography, and fun music. The Three Fates got the best roles! The locomotive coming in at the end was way over he top, but if you have the budget, why not!

The program opened with Cerrudo's, Little mortal jump. I've seen a bit of his work at the Joyce, but he's another choreographer I wish we'd see more of in New York. I love the movement quality that he creates.

I don't dare mention individual dancers. I'm not very familiar with the company and the list of replacements read by the stage manager, both at the start of the show and before the last piece, was mind blowing. My guess is that COVID hit the company. Two dancers in the Tharp work danced wearing medical face masks.

Comment on the rep. I know Diamonds was done on opening night, but after that there was no "standard" rep familiar to NYC audiences. On one hand, I'm had I got to see the pieces and choreographers I saw. On the other, I love seeing companies do standard rep, be it Balanchine or Petipa, because it's interesting to see the tone another company can bring to a piece, and it's nice to see how dancers measure up in classical or neoclassical ballets. One can't have everything. I had an enjoyable afternoon!

14 minutes ago, Rock said:

Is it all about money? Selling tickets? What they think will sell?

 

I think it's also about what donors will support and what the board of directors will raise money for. Ratmansky's Sleeping Beauty restoration must have cost a ton of money. The demands of the style make it pretty "guest artist" proof. After viewing it once, I won't go back

2 hours ago, Helene said:

I remember seeing photos of dancers in costumes for The Moor's Pavane and Pillar of Fire in one of the ABT program books from the early '70's.  ABT performed a number of the older Tudor ballets, like Dim Lustre and Dark Elegies, and he created The Leaves are Fading in the mid-'70's.  ABT performed over a dozen Tharp works, deMille's Rodeo, Three Virgins and a Devil, and Fall River Legend, works by Nijinska, and among those with legs outside of ABT, Fancy Free, Le Spectre de la Rose, Le Jeune Homme et La Mort,  Miss Julie, Les Rendezvous and Les Patineurs, Gaite Parisienne, Grand Pas Classique, Paquita, Birthday Offering, etc. etc.

If Baryshnikov's US debut in "Giselle" didn't replace an ABT triple bill, there was a triple bill earlier that day.  ABT used to be a rep company.

So true Helene. I remember ABT having rep shows that offered several short narrative or dramatic works, like the ones you named. Ailey's The River, and Feld's Intermezzo are other examples. Sometimes they threw in a flashy pas de deux like Black Swan or Grand Pas Classique. They actually had a pretty deep rep. in their history. 

Filling seats might be a topic unto itself. The Met is huge. Back in the day, the Royal Ballet came to the Met  and was often standing room only for Fonteyn and Nureyev and even Sibley and Dowell. Everyone knew who Nureyev was. He was in the news, in gossip columns etc. Over at State Theater, there was an audience eager to see what Balanchine had up his sleeve. At the same time ballet dancers were on magazine covers, and on TV variety shows. Twyla Tharp was part of the fashion scene. Now, the media landscape has changed significantly. Filling the Met seems daunting, and NYCB rarely opens the fourth ring, and sometimes even has the 3rd ring closed. It's a complicated issue with a lot of factors. The world has changed.

On 6/19/2022 at 12:50 PM, MarzipanShepherdess said:

Agree with so many of the points you make here. Or think of BAM's recent very successful run of Akram Khan's Giselle with English National Ballet, which attracted a young, diverse audience beyond die-hard balletomanes even though it's a reworked 19th century classic, ENB hasn't toured here in 30 years, and none of the dancers in the company are well-known in the states. It can be done!

 

The thing about BAM is that it regularly draws a somewhat different crowd than the Met. The BAM audience is younger and more diverse in general. It's an audience that's used to going to  see new works, Mark Morris,  music and dance from different cultures, etc. When I saw Giselle at BAM, I was surrounded by people who had never seen a production of the traditional ballet. It was a BAM audience. ENB may have done a good marketing job, but the BAM audience is ever ready for something new.

Just bought my ticket for the Brandt/Cornejo T&V. The ballet is a tricky beast, DuLuz pulled it off in fine fashion in his retirement show, but I've seen it defeat some younger dancers over the years, I'm not naming names. I have confidence that Cornejo can pull it off. I'm not much of a full-length, story ballet person, so I won't be seeing ABT much. I greatly appreciate everyone's reports on individual dancers! I hope, under Susan Jaffe, there will be fewer war horses and (IMO) bad productions. If so I'll attend more performances.