CarolinaM

Yes it is really political, they do not like classical ballet, they only look after contemporary dance, they do not understand art, they have no criteria, neither any sense of opportunity... I'm crossing fingers for you to win the lottery!!! Thank you!!!

Thanks, Katerine and Janet!!! This is not an article in La Vanguardia, but a letter sent by a ballet lover... one of many that are being published these days on the news. You can also see the comments below. In all the letters there are also many comments. We are so many that loved this Company!! It is really incredible that the ones who manage Culture, no matter where but specially at the liceu, do not realize what they are loosing with Ángel Corella away, both economically and also artistically... A pity and a shame... What a country!!! :-( I hope I'm allowed to post a link in English for you to know a bit more about http://criticasballetymas.blogspot.com.es/2013/03/barcelona-liceu-opera-house-us.html And yes the Barcelona Ballet will be touring in Argentina beginning of June (now Ángel is dancing at the Paris Opera House the Dance of the Hours of La Gioconda). He is also scheduled in Peralada Summer Festival, for a solo and with Kazuko Omori in a pdd. The future of the Company? Very unsure I’m afraid…..

Thanks!!! Any pic, new, ... about Ángel Corella? Did he dance Giselle's second act pdd with Alina Cojocaru? Thank you!

Thanks a lot Bart and Angelica!

Yes, he truly is... he doesn't deserve to have to fight so hard for his dream... a dream that only would mean benefits for Barcelona under cultural and economical point of view. I can't understand why our authorities are so blind. As for lending the studios, as I reported, during ABT performances in Barcelona Angel was in Rome dancing The Dance of the Hours of La Gioconda with Letizia Giuliani but Carmen attended Saturday night so probably it was she who told ABT dancers to go to take classes at their premises.

I would like to share with you a bit about ABT's DQ and the three performances I had the opportunity to attend at El Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona. First of all I think it's really a pity that the Liceu brings ABT just when Angel Corella is not with the company anymore and now when the economy is so damaged. Ok, of course it has been a gift for us balletomanes to see ABT’s DQ but I hope they will program the Barcelona Ballet next season as this is the company we have been expecting for ages and it should be Liceu's company and even more taking into account that all tickets were sold out for their Swan Lake in February while ABT's had some performances not full at all despite the different stars casted for each one of them. Ángel was not even in the audience as he was dancing the Dance of the Hours of La Gioconda in Rome with Letizia Giuliani. I have to say that I didn't like ABT's DQ settings. To start we see that so sad image of a bull being tortured in a city that declared to be against bullfighting (in the middle of a strong controversy) one year ago. This seems not to be a great idea (yes, I know, DQ is about toreros and so on, but that "painting" in the fan was hurting sensibilities, I'm sorry). I think they didn't bring all the original settings, I only recognized from Barisnykov original’s (VHS I have of this production) that first curtain I told about and those garlands that seemed more appropriated for Christmas time. What we saw at el Liceu at the bottom of the stage was a building remembering.... Istambul!!! Not Seville where I think this production is supposed to take place (even if in Cervantes book there’s no mention about Seville). Anyway... Let's focus on the dance. It was really a pity that for the opening night Herman Cornejo was injured. Cory Stearns who replaced him in a short notice has very good physique, he is smart, handsome and certainly with more time for rehearsals he would have done very well. His partnering with Xiomara was not sure and in the second porté of the two spectacular ones in first act he failed and I think this conditioned all the performance as far as pdd were concerned. Xiomara was brilliant in her solos with a spectacular final fouetés, including her arm raised while moving the fan. Cuban apotheosis that lead the audience to applaud enthusiastically. Aside of Xiomara, that first night we also were captivated by Sarah Lane, already known at el Liceu because she was the first Odette / Odile in Swan Lake by Corella’s Barcelona Ballet in February this year. Stella Abrera, also recognized as usual guest artist in the small group Angel brought to Spain, mainly Catalonia, before setting his company, was another must of that opening night. Sarah was a lovely cupid or "Amour", as we read in the program. Her dance was light and enchanting, extremely quick , her tips barely touched the floor. Stella for her part in the double role of Mercedes and Queen of the Dryads showed high class appearance on stage in all aspects, technically and interpretive, she took a well-deserved ovation. Yuriko Kajiya and Melanie Hamrick as the two friends or "Flower Girls" were very beautiful in their variations. In the role of Espada it was difficult to recognize the Sascha Radetsky we remembered from Central Stage. Also, why in this version Espada’s layer is so small? I din’t like this part, toreros do not use layers neither knives, but a kind of, I guess, “banderillas”…. Honestly all that was not very convincing neither their bright blue and deep-red suits. Saturday night was one of the most expected shows. Ivan Vasiliev and Natalia Osipova danced the main roles. And they didn’t deceive. It was about an absolute demonstration of the typical bravura of the two stars of the moment. Their pas de deux was the Russian version of their original company, the Bolshoi. We enjoyed their performance, we knew what we were going to see and knowing the weaknesses, in our opinion, of this production, we forget about and focused only on the dance. Vasiliev is a marvel of virtuosity as also Natalia is and in a ballet as Don Quixote one can better accept a certain lack of style. Nevertheless Natalia pleasantly surprised by her containment in the second act. As partenaires they perfectly fit and they offered an absolutely convincing rapport. The other main roles were almost all danced by the same cast. Sarah Lane was fantastic again, this time as one of the flower girls, Gemma Bond being "Amour." Luciana Paris as the other friend (or flower), was also very nice to see. And on Sunday afternoon, closing the shows, there was the quintessential ABT’s Kitri: Paloma Herrera. Born to dance, as defined by the local press, Paloma showed great class and mastery of a role for which she is world famous. It is a thrilling experience to see the Argentine star to tackle this role. Her developpés have the majesty of the great artist, her balances, her fouettés and pirouettes, her perfect feet. And her understanding of a role that, despite she has danced so many times, she continues to give it the perfect sense. That was the best ABT’s performance I saw. James Whiteside is a dancer to keep track of. Aside from his undeniable talent and ability to address the technical difficulties of the character, he immediately captures the attention and conveys to the viewer. Handsome and delicate partner to Paloma they created a really seductive climate that transcended and captivated audiences. Veronika Part assumed the dual role of Mercedes and Queen of the Dryads and it has been really a pleasure to discover this great ballerina. I liked much more the Espada of Alexandre Hammoudi . Sara Lane as "Amour" was totally captivating again. She is a wonderful dancer and it is a delight to see this small ballerina growing on stage. The two "flower girls" were Isabella Boylston and Christine Shevchenko, both very good. Obviously, each one of the shows had its own attractive and we celebrated that great opportunity to discover the amazing dancers of the great NY company, even if some of them we were already familiar because of Angel Corella. We never will stop praying the Liceu and the Catalan cultural leaders, to support our company Ballet, Corella’s Barcelona Ballet. If for the time being it can’t be the titular company at least that they schedule them every season. We all will gain. For more info and for those understanding Spanish you can visit the Spanish site “Ballet y más” were we have also published an interview with Paloma Herrera.

:-((( I'm going tomorrow (and Saturday and Sunday :-) ) and I wanted to see my belowed and much admired Herman... Is he injuried? I hope he is not! Anyway Cory/Xiomara will also be great, I'm sure :-) Many of us are going many days but I have a friend from Valladolid (center of Spain) who is already arriving tomorrow and will attend ALL performances I also noticed that Cory will be replacing Marcelo with Polina on Friday.

What is Kickstart, Amy? I’m sorry I do not know what’s this… of course, any help or any idea would be very welcome. No, Natalia, I do not think that in Spain Corella’s troupe is seen this way “unofficial Disgruntled ex-ABT Dancers Stage”. In fact there is no other ABT or ex ABT dancer in the troupe. Well Herman Cornejo danced at the beginning but he is not anymore. There are many Spanish dancers but they come from the English National Ballet, Zurich Ballet, etc. or it’s their first company as professional dancers. Yes, Sarah Lane was given the chance to dance her first full SL thanks to Corella and people in Barcelona liked it very much but tickets were already sold out before knowing who would be performing the main role at the premiere. BB is very loved by Catalan ballet audience as is Ángel Corella. Regarding funds, yes, Spain has many problems but there are funds for some dance “experiments” that make me feel truly ashamed when I see them and I know that this is what our politicians permit it represents Catalonia’s taste of dance. I think that also many locals do not want Corella’s troupe because they have fair. They are afraid audience can compare and for sure they would lose, so they are pushing politicians to not give support to them. No, it will not be easy… but it’s clear they will fight. As you Bart say ticket sales, individual patrons, sponsorship and of course keeping on asking for the promised aids… Me too Drew I feel badly for Corella because, brave and generous, he has made many sacrifices to his own career as a dancer to create a quality classical company in his own country and all this has not been rewarded as he and his outstanding dancers deserve.

No, Spain has always had very good teachers and very good dancers, many of them are principals in the best companies and it has also had some companies, the most important one was the National Ballet that when Duato was appointed as artistic director turned to a contemporary one. Now they wanted it to be again a classical company and they hired José Carlos Martínez (former star at the Paris Opera Ballet) to do so, but for the time being no classics but Kyllian, Ek and other contemporary pieces. Teatro Real (Madrid) and el Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona) are the most important opera theatres in Spain but none of them has a ballet company, neither the Royal Family do patronage, maybe the Queen would like to do but as for the rest of the family…. well I better shut my mouth about this family… In Madrid there is the Ballet de la Comunidad de Madrid of Víctor Ullate and in Barcelona there is the Ballet David Campos but none of them are able to stage Classics as Corella’s do. Ullate is more neoclassical and Campos with his small troupe makes his own versions of the classics. Corella has brought what we were asking for by years but now neither politicians nor the Spanish dance world brings any support to them, only the audience who always pack the theaters where they are performing, i.e. El Gran Teatre del Liceu with Swan Lake, each day with lots of people queuing looking for a ticket. But next season Corella’s Barcelona Ballet is not on the ballet program of the Liceu and it’s not because of the crisis as they are bringing very expensive companies as for instance the ABT with D.Q. Incredible but true. Outrageous! And sad yes, so sad…..

Sad news http://international...logspot.com.es/ It's a shame what happens. Hope politicians will ammend this situation but anyway we'll keep on fighting. Audience really want this company, nothing can compare... We never have had in Spain anything similar and can not permit they disapear.

I love Carmen dancing Wheeldon, I think that she is outstanding dancing neoclassical ballets. But I haven’t had the opportunity to see her dancing Swan Lake. In Tippet’s blue my preferred one is Maria José Sales, she is so lyrical… the one I think better understands and transfers the essence of that pdd. About Swan Lake, I saw different casts at el Liceu and while I enjoyed very much Aaron Robison and Sarah Lane partnered by Momoko Hirata and Ángel Corella, the couple that did me feel without breath was Momoko Hirata with Ángel Corella, I can say they were the best I have ever seen…. And the audience got crazy after the show… I do not know what the cast will be in Detroit but I hope it is this one with Robison as Rothbard and Virelles or Radev as Benno, other dancers to keep an eye to are Yuka Iseda, Kazuko Omori, Maria José Sales, Cristina Casa, Ana Calderon… and also corps members Jonatan Díaz and Tracy Jones… and of course the great Fernando Bufala but he is recovering from an injury and he can’t dance much yet.

Thanks a lot!! Taking into account how much Angel and all the troupe are fighting and investing to get this dream come true: Spain having a classical ballet company in such economic situation, they truly deserve worldwide ballet audience interest. I’m happy to know you came to see them and I’m more than happy to read your comments. Proud of Barcelona Ballet dancers and please, those of you who can, do not miss Swan Lake in Detroit.

BARCELONA BALLET PRINCIPALS Carmen Corella | Momoko Hirata| Ángel Corella | Aaron Robison | Dayron Vera FIRST SOLOIST Kazuko Omori | Fernando Bufalá | Alejandro Virelles SOLOISTS Ana Calderón | Cristina Casa | Yuka Iseda | Mª José Sales |Kirill Radev Corps de Ballet Ana Maria Arias | Helena Balla | Laura Busquets | Leire Cabrera | Yoko Callegari | Annélise Caro | Alba Cazorla | Claudia Faubel | Rachel Gil | Gwénaëlle Poline | Madeline Hollander | Tracy Jones | Carla López |Marta Ludevid | Almudena Maldonado | Isabelle Ménard | Laura Pérez | Julia Roca | Raquel Santamarta | Ana Cabral | Yvonne Slingerland Ion Aguirretxe | Jaume Costa | Jonatan Diaz | Russell Ducker | Francisco Estevez | Oriol Figuerola | Michael Marinelli | Laurie McSherry-Gray | Miguel Adrian Rodriguez | Pedro Santos Philippe Solano | Carlos Taravillo | James Waddell REPERTOIRE for the City Center Performances Tuesday, April 17th from 7:30pm to 9:30pm Wednesday, April 18th from 7:30pm to 9:30pm Thursday, April 19th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm Friday, April 20th from 8:00pm to 10:00pm BRUCH VIOLIN CONCERTO Nº1 Choreography: Clark Tippet Music: Max Bruch (Violin Concerto nº 1 Opus 26) Costumes: Dain Marcus Lighting: Jennifer Tipton Choreography Preparation: David Richardson Duration: 24’ Created for American Ballet Theatre, this neo-classic work combines sensitive drama, complex choreography and duets of spectacular athleticism, Created for seven Principal Dancers and a Corps of sixteen, the Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1, had its world premiere at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa, California on December 1, 1987. It was the second ballet Clark Tippet created for ABT, coming after Enough Said in January, 1987. For 4. Choreography by: © Christopher Wheeldon Music: Franz Schubert Death and the Maiden Costume Design: Jean-Marc Puissant Duration: 20’ Christopher Wheeldon originally created the piece For 4 as part of the Kings of Dance repertoire that featured Angel Corella as one of the dancers. Pálpito - World Premiere Music composer & producer: Héctor González Percussion: Pablo M. Jones Cante: Montse Cortés & Diana Navarro Guitar, Laud, Bouzouki: Amir John Haddad Orquestra: (Eduardo Sanz, horn in F; Roqui Albero, trumpet; Santiago Cañada, trombone; José Luís Martín, tuba; “Càmara Cuercus”: Thomas Potiron, violin I; Laura Salcedo, violin II; Humberto Armas, viola; Juan Pérez de Albéniz, cello; Miguel Rodrigáñez, Double Bass) Additional recordings: Carlos Rodríguez & Corella Ballet, voice & dance effects; Miguel A. Rojas, palillos & abanico; "La Tacha", palmas). Recording & mix engineer: Andrés Vázquez Archdale (Arco del Valle Studios, Madrid) Additional recording engineers: Hugo Westerdahl (Axis Studio, Madrid), Pablo M. Jones, Héctor González. Lighting: Luis Perdiguero. Costume design: Vicente Soler Duration: 40’ “Pálpito” meaning hunch in Spanish is a classical ballet with a strong reminiscence of traditional Spanish dance, created by the choreographers Rojas and Rodríguez for the Barcelona Ballet. This new creation denotes the maturity of a generation of Spanish creators, and dancers. This piece combines the style of diverse Spanish dances a choreographic language requested specifically by Angel Corella. Choreographers Rojas and Rodríguez brought together an artistic team that is capable of giving the Spanish essence to this piece. They have also meticulously chosen the steps from different styles of Spanish dance to showcase the versatility and technical quality of the dancers of Barcelona Ballet. This story of this new ballet is about the main character who is trying to free himself from the strings that have him bound to his former role of a dancer and that keep him from advancing into the mature role in his spirit with tranquility and peace, allowing his heart to beat with a new force and inspiration preparing him to discover new horizons. The music is a new commission composed by Héctor Gonzalez who has created a score consisting of 6 movements including the participation of well known musicians and singers from both classical and flamenco backgrounds. The music takes the audience on a journey through the different rhythms and music from different regions of Spain illustrating the strength and richness of Iberian music. Fashion designer Vicente Soler has specially created the costumes for use in dance incorporating elements like tights, tutus point shoes ect., while at the same time giving it a true Andalusia-Flamenco flare by adding characteristic frills, fringe and traditional fans, again reflecting the styles of various regions throughout Spain. Boasting the virtues of Angel Corella while bringing him closer to his cultural roots, choreographers Rojas and Rodriguez hope to contribute to the repertoire of Barcelona Ballet by adding a new line and image to the original attraction of the Spanish force and passion.

Well, Angel has always said that the company funds come from three principal pillars: sponsors, ticket sales and some public aid. In this times of crisis, cuts are for sure affecting culture but governors (Catalan ones in this case) have to carefully see where it is worth to invest and Barcelona Ballet (of Angel Corella) is worth as any other Catalan company is. I truly hope they are clever enough to realize it and that they will not take into account the pressure made by some locals that think they can see their subsidies decrease, which will not be the case. In its four years of existence this will be the second time the Barcelona Ballet is programmed at City Center. If the name of Barcelona is touring for the best theaters in the world this is a must for the city and this is only possible because Angel's and his international projection. If they do not get the funds they need, Barcelona and the whole Catalonia will see their prestige truly damaged. If they are lucky enough this company takes the name of the city it is their turn to correspond as it deserves. It's a must for the Culture and it's also a must because of the economical return the city will get.

Thanks a lot bart! This is a company that I really love for a large amount of reasons. For Angel Corella himself being so brave and generous, for the nice and high quality company he has been able to create in such a difficult times, for those wonderful dancers that have not dared to risk to join the troupe and that are bringing their art and giving their best to the audience every time they are on stage, for the choreographies we, Spanish public have been able to know, for the amazing Swan Lake, their first big production, they have staged and that got the Liceu to be full every evening, no matter who the dancers were…. So, thank you very much for your comment on this post and for having taken care of the name change!!! Now, please, let me link some info about programs and where they will be performing during their USA tour next April (their new web page seems to still be under construction). Barcelona Ballet, the Spanish dance company formerly known as Corella Ballet, is returning to New York City Center for a second engagement following several successful U.S. tours. Artistic director, Angel Corella–much beloved in Spain and in dance circles all over the globe–will dance with his company. The program will feature Clark Tippet’s Bruch Violin Concerto, Christopher Wheeldon’s For 4, and the world premiere of Pálpito, a full-company ballet by Nuevo Ballet Español Artistic Directors Ángel Rojas and Carlos Rodríguez. Watch out for this innovative fusion of classical ballet and Flamenco (seems like Flamenco is everywhere right now). Limited showing: April 17 -20. http://ny.remezcla.c...rk-city-center/ .......................................................... Purchase April 21st : Mixed Repertoire (same as City Center) .......................................................... Detroit Opera House - 27 to 29 April Swan Lake Music Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Performed by Corella Ballet - North American premiere - Certain performances feature Angel Corella ................................................................... And May 5, in Houston – Jones Hall: also with the Mixed Program. .................................................................... If you can, dear ballet-talkers, please do not miss and please report!