Jump to content
This Site Uses Cookies. If You Want to Disable Cookies, Please See Your Browser Documentation. ×

vipa

Senior Member
  • Posts

    2,563
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by vipa

  1. On 1/21/2023 at 11:38 PM, cobweb said:

     Brief report: Loved Peck and Mejia in Allegro Brillante. He has grown so much since bursting onto the scene several years ago, and now has a mature, adult quality that sits well on him. Also I can see him handling his ballerina with the utmost care, attention, and pride, and that really warms my heart. Finally, he has sometimes (often) seemed heedless and reckless, heaving himself into the air as if height is all that matters and to hell with form. But tonight he looked beautifully in control. Tiler's solo continues to astonish. 

    Intermission after Allegro Brillante, really? I think they could have kept the evening to one intermission.  

    I totally agree about not needing an intermission after Allegro Brillante, unless there's a reason such as having to put in a set.

    To add, in case it hasn't been mentioned, the City Ballet Podcast has an enjoyable episode with Jared Angle interviewing Tiler Peck about Allegro Brillante.

    https://podcast.nycballet.com/

    Also agree with other's about the stinginess in marking Balanchine's birthday. I used to love the special programing they used to do, and the toast! I was pleased that a number of dancers marked the day in social media.

  2. I was also at the matinee today, and had a wonderful time. The company looks great and the corps, both male and female, is bursting with talent and energy

    Donizetti is a great ballet for Woodward and Gordon. His technique is thrilling in its ease and naturalness. The way Woodward covered space, traveling sideways, in her variation really made me smile. As good as Woodward already is, I feel she'll continue to grow in this and other roles, in terms of musical phrasing and presentation.

    I'm glad Haieff Divert continues to be in the rep. It's a short ballet, but it establishes an atmosphere. and implies a story, so I find it fascinating. Christina Clark has amazing long limbs, as other have noted. The woman's variation is not flashy, but it is very difficult. Clark handled it well. Peter Walker is a dancer I didn't take to when I first saw him a few years ago. I like him more and more. He's in better command of his technique and has a fuller, more solid stage presence.

    I hadn't seen Valse Fantaisie in a while. As I remembered, it's short, sweet, beautifully constructed and full of steps! Pereira, never a favorite of mine, looked better than I've ever seen her. No technical glitches, nice phrasing, and she seemed to enjoy herself. Daniel Ulbricht is always a winning stage presence, with a beautiful movement quality. His jump has lost some height and zip, but he's a musical and smart dancer so he knows how to use what he has, to his advantage (and his jump is still very big). I do wonder what will happen to these two dancers. Pereira has been a soloist for over 13 years, and has never been cast much. Ulbricht has been a principal for 15 years and as been, (unfortunately IMO), limited in the rep he's been given. From what I can see neither is in the new Peck work, which has a very large cast. Not a good sign.

    Violin Concerto is always a treat. Phelan, Stanley, Gerrity, Jansen were the principals. What struck me about all of them (particularly the two women) was the degree of musical sensitivity, attention to detail and overall refinement. What a pleasure. 

  3. 5 hours ago, cobweb said:

    Wow, I watched the video and I really hope that Sara is okay. She looks tired, worn, and older. I will miss her. But I guess this means we will also have a new Lilac Fairy. We on BA have spent a lot of time hashing out the Aurora situation, but what about Lilac? On the current roster, I believe that previous Lilacs have been Laracey, LeCrone, and Miller. Anyone else? One or two more will presumably be needed. 

    Oh, and I would really love to see Davidsbundlertanze too. 

    I'm fairly sure that Mearns retired Lilac from her rep. At least I think I remember her saying that. I wonder if LeCrone will be given the role even though she's done it. Laracey was wonderful as Lilac, so I would think she and Miller are definites. Maybe Kikta or even Hod. What about Caraboose? They often go for glam/evil in that role and it takes authority and stage craft.

    Not that the powers that be listen to us, but I'd love to see Davidsbundlertanze too. I saw it back when it was first done, and I'm sure I didn't wrap my head around it the way I would now.

     

  4. 33 minutes ago, bellawood said:

    Sara Mearns just posted on her Instagram stories that she is taking a leave of absence from NYCB this winter but intends to return for the spring. 

    I jut wanted to add that in the same post, Mearns generously wished her colleagues well and encouraged everyone to go and see performances, naming the new Peck ballet in particular.

  5. 7 hours ago, Helene said:

    I don't know if this is still true in pandemic times, but there was a lot of hair-pulling about the aging of audiences, and someone did a study to find that younger older people were replacing older older people. Some of the reasoning was that when people became empty nesters, some of whom were downsizing and moving back to cities, they had time and more disposable income, as well as new proximity to performance venues.  

    It's funny. I've been reading for years and years that audiences for certain types of performances skew older, so it has to be that as older folks die off, new old folks replace them!

  6. 5 hours ago, BalanchineFan said:

    Phelan has been dancing the lead in Walpurghisnacht in NYC, I believe. Or at least rehearsing it. I can't remember where I saw that. Maybe I saw her debut last winter...

    Some weeks ago Phelan posted a bit from her Walpurgistnacht rehearsal, so I assumed she'd be second cast. 

     

     

  7. 21 hours ago, uptowner said:

    https://podcast.nycballet.com/episode-76-new-combinations-copland-dance-episodes

    The City Ballet Podcast has an episode out today where Wendy Whelan discusses the experience of working on the new Peck piece. 

    Thanks so much for sharing this. After listening to the podcast, I'm much more excited about seeing the ballet. It sounds like it could work as a concept, and perhaps as importantly, there are about 34 dancers in the cast, and there are two casts. If nothing else it will be a great opportunity to see a lot of company member shine. 

  8. In looking at ABT's Met season offerings I sincerely hope that Like Water for Chocolate has a lot of dancing for a lot of people, particularly the men in the corps. The other ballets: Giselle, Swan Lake, and R&J are pretty skimpy when it comes to dancing for the men, outside of principal and soloist roles, and there are no rep shows.

  9. Thank you for your thoughtful remarks Buddy. The idea of "the next Balanchine" has been with us since his death. It's always seemed to me that critics and writers are eager to find/coronate someone for that role. Ratmansky could turn out to be one of the greatest choreographers of this century, creating lasting works that touch us deeply, interest us and bring us joy. Being the next Balanchine is another matter! Balanchine changed the look of ballet, started a school that has the legacy of his training. He hired his dancers, ran his company and of course created new works.  He is known to have said that one day he'd be known more for his teaching than for his choreography. Of course that remains to be seen! In any event, I agree that Gia Kourlas is hoping for the next Balanchine, I just wish that idea would go away! I hope that, at NYCB, Ratmansky finds what he needs right now to produce great works that have staying power. That would be a gift for all of us.

  10. 12 hours ago, onxmyxtoes said:

    It was published on the company's 990 financial report that Ratmansky's annual salary was close to $300k. This could have paid for a few coaches!

    I've often wondered about coaching at ABT. It seems Kolpakova is the main coach for the principals in the classical full lengths. Susan Jones seems to still be there for the corps.  John Gardner, Amanda McKerrow, Nancy Raffa and Carlo Lopez are each listed as a Director of Repertoire. What exactly does that mean at ABT? Do they each have a slice of the rep to teach and coach?

  11. 1 hour ago, abatt said:

    Exactly.  A teaser should show you the most thrilling one minute of the new work.  Did they go out of their way to show the dullest one minute, or is the entire ballet like this? 

    Good grief - I can only imagine this is some marketing person's idea of eye catching, and hope it doesn't really represent the ballet! I plan to go once to check it out.

  12. 7 hours ago, California said:

    An interesting new interview with Jaffe on YouTube focusing on programming decisions for the next few years. 

     

    Thanks for posting California. It sounds like new, full length, narrative ballets are of great interest to Jaffe. I'm not a fan so I envision myself going to see ABT less and less. I wonder what current rep she is interesting in preserving?

  13. 5 minutes ago, Helene said:

    It's a stream, but not a live one.  PNB has been taping the Opening Night performance since sometime last season -- in the beginning, it was the final open dress rehearsal -- but it's made available the Thursday after the last performance the prior Sunday.

    But it will be wonderful, nonetheless, and once you purchase the stream/have a subscription that includes the stream, you can watch it as many times as you want during the 4+ day access period.

    Thanks for the correction, Helene. I'm still excited! I'm sure it will be wonderful.

  14. 55 minutes ago, cobweb said:

    A little surprised to see a big opportunity for Christina Clark (in Haieff Divertimento). She is so tall I can’t imagine she has a future beyond the corps, and even then, I’ve been surprised they took such a tall girl into the corps. 

    I'm surprised too at the Clark casting in Haieff, also that Unity Phelan isn't doing it. I believe last time it went, Phelan did every performance of it. I hope Mearns will indeed be back, after missing Nutcrackers. It's only the first week so it's hard to judge the season, however Erica Pereira has some nice roles, and no sign of Emma Von Enck yet. 

    I admit, I'm getting excited!

  15. 26 minutes ago, cobweb said:

    Agree. I just took a look at the Winter programming and sad to say there's not a whole lot that I want to see. Disappointing. Hoping they will shake things up with some exciting new casting. 

    Looking at winter I definitely want to see the All Balanchine (Stravinky Violin, Haieff, Valse Fantaisie, Donizetti) and Classic NYCB I ( Allegro Brillante,Liturgy, Walpurgisnacht, Firebird). I'll check out the new Peck. Interestingly, I got a NYCB flyer in the mail that was devoted entirely to promoting that ballet. A full length with so many shows is a big risk. 

    On Sleeping Beauty, I've seen both Fairchild and Peck as Aurora. Both were very, very good but I wouldn't say transcendent. I'd love to see Woodward or Emma Von Enck. I've said before, Laracey is one of my all time favorites as Lilac Fairy. I believe Mearns has retired that role. Nadon could get Lilac or Aurora. Sara Adams is another possible Aurora. I'm assuming Bouder won't be back in the role.

    Like Cobweb,  I am looking forward to casting. A real changing of the guard is taking place. On a related note, I like Unity Phelan very much, but IMO she's over- used. 

     

×
×
  • Create New...