fondoffouettes

That's interesting. In older photos and videos, I've definitely noticed more pronounced makeup on men. But like you said, they could use more naturalistic makeup for photo shoots these days. I've noticed Kaho Ogawa does what I think of as the old-school bottom eyeliner, which is completely separate from her eye. It's not something you see so often these days (I believe), but I feel like I've seen it more often in old photos.

"Because he gets the job done" has been good enough for ABT for years, sadly. He's dependable, yet boring. I've also seen him close-up in person and he's as handsome as can be, but his face doesn't do him any favors onstage. If there's one thing that I think should define ABT, it's the Theatre in their name; they have a long tradition of great dramatic dancers, and a few can be found in the current crop of dancers. It sounds like the dancers often look outside the company to get the dramatic training they need, though. I've seen some very good performances from Whiteside. I wouldn't seek him out, but I wouldn't avoid him either, if he's paired with a ballerina I like. He's probably best in comedic roles, like Espada and Colas (I didn't see his Harlequin). Given that he also does drag, I imagine hamming it up in comedic roles may come more naturally to him than portraying a love-lorn prince. But I at least appreciate that he's always much more of a presence onstage than Stearns. I hope that any roles ABT was thinking of giving to Hammoudi next year will go to Forster instead. His presence onstage as Espada blew me away, and it's not exactly a role I'm usually that invested in. By the time the tavern scene comes around, I'm often more than ready for intermission. But Forster actually made me enjoy that scene.

I don’t have much to add to what everyone has said about yesterday’s matinee, but the performance reminded me how crucial the energy in the house can be, as you’ve described. The company felt much more alive to me in this Don Q than in ones I’ve seen in past seasons. Shayer was fantastic as the lead gypsy. I’ve often thought of him as being quite short, but standing next to Cornejo, he has at least three inches or so on him. I know we’ve been talking a lot about who can partner the short women, and maybe he’s a good candidate. He doesn’t strike me as a dashing princely type, but maybe that’s just fine; I’m all for a dancer to break the mold. And I’m glad to hear Williams executed the Italian fouettés perfectly. That step always feels like a rare treat to me. What a season she’s had, and one I could have never guessed would happen.

I’m LOVING Forster as Espada. He may be my favorite in the role since Gomes. I agree that Lane and Cornejo were very good in Act I with the exception of one very wonky supported pirouette. I thought Lane was even better in the Vision Scene. Her variation was even more beautiful than in those Instagram videos and it got the biggest ovation of the performance so far. Trenary is a very glamorous QotD, with great jetes. She got through the Italian fouettés just fine, though perhaps they looked less fluid than those of other dancers (but I guess there is no one at ABT who knocks them out of the park these days).

I’m pretty surprised about Shayer, but there will be a more balanced ratio of men to women in the soloists ranks now. Given ABT’s always precarious financial situation, I wonder if the money simply wasn’t there for another promotion. I really don’t see Hoven or Forster being promoted this fall, as much as I like them. I’ve never seen a soloist be promoted without first being tested in a couple leading full-length roles. I guess you could say Nutcracker and Sylvia for Hoven.

Thanks, everyone! I just looked at some of the performances and am shocked by how poorly sold they are. I know it's a tough week, but it was a near sell-out last year. I guess it's not going to be a summer Nutcracker for ABT.

I'm inviting some friends to come along to Whipped Cream, and I remember many on here stating that there was a discount code floating around and/or tickets available on a discount ticket site. Where should I direct people to look for discount tickets (in addition to the Met rush page)? I looked through my e-mail and couldn't find any Whipped Cream promotion from ABT, though I had received the one for Giselle. Thank you for any advice you may have!

I, too, like to keep up with Ratmansky, but I wouldn't rush to Songs of Bukovina, which I found pretty forgettable. I was sort of surprised to see it's being done again. It's not as bad as Souvenir d'un lieu cher, though.

I think ABT is usually great in Fancy Free. Inhabiting characters comes more naturally to them, at least in my experience. It's a shame Gomes is gone; he was fantastic as the rumba sailor. I've also seen Cornejo give great performances in the piece. As for Other Dances, I can't really say, since I've only ever seen ABT dance it. It makes me more nervous when ABT tries to pull off big ensemble Balanchine works. Hallberg is essentially a guest artist; he doesn't even dance a full Met season any longer. He didn't even feel any obligation to keep his Whipped Cream performances when something more interesting came along. I'm kind of over him, to be honest.

I’d love to see what some of the current principals and soloists could do with Pillar of Fire. It’s definitely a revival that’s more overdue, IMHO, than Fancy Free. I’m not a Copeland fan, but I could imagine Hagar being a great role for her.

Who announces a season and doesn't have a schedule available? Especially with the box office opening in a month. Sheesh. It's not like this is a press alert, with full details to follow.

I agree that Lane can be inconsistent, and before her promotion, I would have agreed that she could be a bit one-note. But following her revelatory Giselle and then her promotion, I feel as if she's shown so much depth in her interpretations. I think she's one of the finest actors in the company. I don't think she ever got to show this side of herself as an artist when she was dancing the countless peasant pas de deux and trois, Princess Florines, etc.

It sounds like Boylston has really been having a breakthrough season. I used to see her a lot, but then mostly avoided her this season and last. But it sounds like her interpretations have really grown, and that her technique is stronger than ever. I hope they bring back Sleeping Beauty next year so we can see her in it.

I don’t see McKenzie promoting Hoven and Forster, at least not this year. He hasn’t been giving them roles to test their principal potential, as he’s been doing for the past several years with dancers like Hammoudi and Gorak. Hoven did get that one Aminta, but then nothing after that. Forster has never gotten the leading role in a full-length. I wonder if McKenzie hopes to tempt Baca to rejoin, though Baca certainly seems to have found a mentor in Corella. And I’m sure part of the appeal of the PA Ballet was that his girlfriend, Nayara Lopes, also got a position in the company. I only know her dancing through video clips, but she certainly looks like a fine dancer.

I also thought he was superb in Symphonic Variations. And he and Shevchenko were electric in the third piece of the Shostakovich Trilogy. It sounds like he had a much stronger outing in his second Purple Rothbart. It’s been a tough role for ABT to cast successfully; the let-downs far outnumber the successes. If Hallberg were still an actual company member, I wish he’d dance it again (especially since Siegfried seems increasingly unlikely).

Thanks! Can you tell if that's Abera as Queen of the Dryads? As much as I'd like to see Trenary, I'd rather see Abrera do both roles.

This is gorgeous.

These reviews of Murphy make me realize what I’ve missed in other Odettes — palpable tenderness and love toward Siegfried in Act I.

I think she's actually been fielding a fair share of soloist work this season -- shades trio in Bayadere, peasant pas de trois and a big swan in Swan Lake, a harlot in Romeo and Juliet, Zulma in Giselle, and Mercedes in Don Quixote. Maybe we'll also see her as the pink champagne character in Whipped Cream. About ten years ago, I remember thinking she was one to watch and would perhaps be promoted to soloist some day. But I remember it being reported in these forums that she sustained a serious injury and that it sidelined her career for a while. It could be the injury mentioned in this article: https://www.pointemagazine.com/the-actors-edge-2412903570.html. Luckily, it seems like ABT is making up for lost time and giving her more roles again. Edited to add: I just came across this video where she discusses the injury (at around 6:00). She says it prevented her from dancing for two years.

Ah, yes you are right! I wonder how Copeland will manage them.

Yes, that’s Trenary rehearsing Queen of the Dryads. Part danced that role last year in a performance where Luciana Paris was Mercedes. My best guess would be that Trenary is dancing the role in the two Don Qs that feature Abrera, since they are both cast with short dancers. Also, there’s that sequence of hops on pointe, so if Abrera is still having issues with those, as she did in Giselle, it makes sense that perhaps she’d want to avoid Queen of the Dryads. Plus, others have noted the overall diminishment of her technique. I’m not sure how she’d handle the Italian fouettés, as we didn’t get to see a Gamzatti from her this season.

Here's some additional production history: https://www.abt.org/ballet/symphonie-concertante/ I believe the casts last time were Herrera/Kent, Wiles/Part and Murphy/Abrera (as seen above).

Throughout last summer and fall, she periodically posted pics and videos of her rehearsing Don Q, sometimes partnered by Aran Bell. Irina Dvorovenko was often credited as the coach. I remember she traveled to the Mariinsky with Shayer, but I can't remember what pieces they worked on there. Given how well she was able to step into Corsaire last year, I imagine McKenzie is keeping her on deck for Don Q.

I don't think it's ever intentional to travel during the SL fouettes, unless that's the only way you can manage to do them. The ideal is to not travel at all, but traveling forward is more attractive than traveling to the side, I think. And it's less discernible for anyone sitting in the orchestra. I agree with Aurora that I really don't mind forward traveling much at all. There was a short fouette sequence in the Kudelka Cinderella that I believed was choreographed so that the ballerina intentionally traveled. There may be other examples from other modern ballets, as well. But I can't think of any traveling fouettes in the 19th-century classics.

Hammoudi has injured his back: