fondoffouettes

Amazing dancing. But, does this take place in a concentration camp? I've never seen such depressingly drab costumes and sets for Act I of Giselle. What were they thinking? "Yes, put Giselle in a khaki-colored dress so she looks even more drab and dull then the other peasant girls." And, typical of the Royal Ballet, anyone representing the nobility is dressed in overly elaborate, exaggeratedly pompous costumes. Also, who was in charge of making it look as if Osipova actually has hair? I guess a clip-in curly mullet was good enough to be immortalized on DVD.

With so few performances captured on film, I'm frustrated they would pay so little mind to the aesthetics.

(The quote function on this forum no longer works for me, thus the paraphrasing.)

Allesandra Ferri did indeed retire from ABT in the spring, 2007, but her final performance was in Romeo & Juliet the week after Manon. I attended an open dress rehearsal in which she participated on June 18th of that year.

Now I really want to look at that tape! I had heard the audience was in tears at her final Manon, and this sounds like it (or close).

The quote function does not work for me in Explorer 8, but does work in Chrome. I have no idea why...

I remember that in her retirement year Ferri filled in for an injured Reyes in Manon, so her official final Manon may have ended up being her penultimate Manon, or something like that. In any case, I remember she ended up dancing two Manons in quick succession and I'm not sure which date was her final-final. This is when it would be great for ABT to have an online archive of performances like the Met! So many times I can't remember who exactly danced when, but thank goodness for these forums!

p.s. It's great to hear that ABT now has an open access policy for its archival videos. I think Ananiashvili's retirement SL was recorded, and I'd love to relive the thrill of that night.

Not quite sure whether this is the right place to post, but is this performance available on video anywhere? Will Vishneva repeat this role stateside (or perhaps in London), does anyone know? One my greatest regrets this summer was missing this piece (I was traveling and working and not in nyc during May or June). I will not make the same mistake twice! All I have are a few youtube clips of Vishneva's Manon, and they are magical.

I doubt it will be available on video, as ABT hasn't produced any commercial recordings since it's 2005 Swan Lake. Also, amateur ABT videos don't tend to show up on YouTube (with the exception of curtain calls.) However, I believe ABT films about three performances a year for the archives, which are held by NYPL's Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center. The last time I used those collections, which was almost a decade ago, you needed to send a letter to ABT and get written permission to access their archival videos. I wouldn't be surprised if the process has been streamlined, but it's good to keep in mind that you might not be able to show up and watch any ABT video on the spot. Also, I assume all of their archival videos would be filmed from a single vantage point, so you wouldn't have the production values of a commercial DVD.

ABT often does the same production two years in a row before letting it rest for a while, so it seems plausible they would bring back Manon next year. However, I don't know if the non-Vishneva nights sold well, so who knows. I don't think they would bring back Manon without Vishneva, so if they do Manon next year, you can pretty much count on her dancing it. Also, it's one of the few roles that the technically limited Julie Kent can still dance, so if next year ends up being her retirement year, it seems likely they would bring back Manon (or they may opt for one of the other silk skirt dramas, like Onegin or Lady of the Camellias).

Hmmm...I can't think of a time when Part has skipped any ABT engagement, whereas Gomes has sometimes been missing due to guesting engagements. I hope for her sake that she has been offered some exciting guest opportunities at another company, though it makes me very sad to miss her in ABT's last BAM Nutcracker season. She and Gomes were pure magic in it.

Still, it makes me very nervous to see Part's name missing from the casting. I hope she's not seeking permanent greener pastures.

Maybe she just want to spend Christmas with her family instead of doing ABT Nutcracker for a change.

I like that idea, abatt! And maybe Gomes is treating himself to that well-deserved vacation to St. Tropez that we were all talking about.

Hmmm...I can't think of a time when Part has skipped any ABT engagement, whereas Gomes has sometimes been missing due to guesting engagements. I hope for her sake that she has been offered some exciting guest opportunities at another company, though it makes me very sad to miss her in ABT's last BAM Nutcracker season. She and Gomes were pure magic in it.

Still, it makes me very nervous to see Part's name missing from the casting. I hope she's not seeking permanent greener pastures.

Is act 2 up?

No, and it's killing me! I guess we should really count our blessings for any Veronika Part videos, though. I found this playlist of all ballet videos featuring Part, and it's sadly not a very long one:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC14A9967C56F5C2E

Some nice snippets in there, though.

She is stunning in these clips. I would have thought she would have been temperamentally more well-suited Act II, but I am incredibly impressed with what she brings to Act I. I think she could be the preeminent in-house Giselle at ABT, and it would be ludicrous for KM to not cast her in the role next year (presuming he sees this clips). I particularly love the way Part executes the heart palpitation scare, gorgeously bending her neck and longingly extending her arm to reach out to Albrecht. I was also completely taken by her mad scene (not posted above but available on Youtube). She made Giselle look like a total wreck with her out-of-control movements and genuinely messy hair (rather than perfectly pin-curled hair a la Vishneva). I'm usually so focused on Part's exquisite dancing that I forget she is one of the masters of effective, expressive miming. Her miming was so well-defined in the mad scene that I felt as if I could see her memories of Albrecht etched on her mind's eye. And, at the end of the mad scene, the way she jumps, seems to die midair and then falls into Albrecht's arms was perfectly executed.

Oh, and one other really beautiful moment: I love the way she seems to become Act II Giselle, just for a second, when her mother mimes to her about her impending death.

Brava, Veronika!

But that's my point. You find wildly different views from people who have seen her dance.

I've seen Copeland dance a lot in her time at ABT, and I think the quality and especially the artistry of her dancing has varied a lot from role to role. She's not the most versatile dancer (at least within ABT's repertoire), and some roles just haven't been a great fit for her. I was very excited by her Princess Florine both times she danced it in ABT's most recent run of Sleeping Beauty. It really felt like a breakthrough moment for her, especially since it showed that she could shine in a classical role, albeit a more minor one. But then again, I haven't seen her dance a peasant pas de trois that was anything but proficient. With with a dancer like Gorak, I feel as if I've been able to see an underlying beauty and grace in all his dancing -- no matter which soloist role he is inhabits -- whereas with Copeland, she really needs the right role to flatter her particular strengths as a dancer. Otherwise she can look rather ho-hum or not quite up the challenges of classical ballet (especially in technically demanding roles like Gamzatti).

When you watch the commercials or view the photo shoots of Copeland, she looks so incredibly powerful, in control and confident that it seems like she could conquer any role. I truly believe she's powerful, strong, determined...I buy all of that. Unfortunately, it doesn't necessarily translate into beautiful dancing. I could care less that her legs are unconventionally muscular (for a ballerina) or that her skin isn't lily white. What I care about is that her arms are among the least expressive of any ABT soloist and that she's probably among the least convincing in the acting department. Has any interview, commercial, etc. focused on Copeland's depth as an artist? What would they reveal if they did so?

Seeing Copeland cast as O/O was really a shock not because she doesn't "deserve" it or because she hasn't worked hard enough, but rather because it seems so against the grain of what she offers as a dancer. That said, part of me would like to see what she can do with the role. She's certainly not one to fit the traditional mold of O/O. Can she be one of the very, very few to redefine such an iconic role? I simply don't think she has the skill set and artistic depth to do so, but I await reports from down under.

I have to say It is annoying to me that Copeland is getting a SL when Stella Abrera and Sarah Lane are not. I'm sure the PR will be great.

These days Copeland is just a PR machine. She has neither the lyrical softness required for Odette nor the technical fireworks for Odile. I hate to judge her before she has even danced the role, but there are certainly dancers more deserving of a Wednesday matinee SL. Can Copeland's appearance in SL be considered a breakthrough achievement for African-American dancers even though she has had to repeatedly sell, sell, sell her story of triumph over adversity and portray herself as THE only black female dancer who has ever accomplished anything in classical ballet? I think it's unfortunate because I'd really love to see a black dancer rise through the ranks of ABT on merit alone rather than heavy-handed marketing. Talent should speak for itself.

It would break my heart to see her leave NY, but if it's her dream to be a prima ballerina at the Mariinsky, then I hope she gets exactly what she wants. I can't think of anyone more deserving. Her journey as a dancer has been an amazing and unusual one, with the most profound blossoming of her artistry and technique beginning in her early to mid-thirties. If anyone can make a career jump in the late summer of her career, it's Part. If something like this does happen, I just have my fingers crossed for frequent Mariinsky visits to New York and lots of videos.

Congratulations to Veronika Part! Though she is a commanding Myrtha, Part may be even more well-suited to the role of Giselle, especially the beautiful adagio sections of Act II. I felt as if her dancing stopped time when she appeared Les Sylphides last year, and I hope her artistry in Romantic roles will be nurtured by ABT. Her use of her upper body is still one of the major treasures of the dance world, and how could one not want to see what she would do with those arms in Giselle? Part did dance La Sylphide when it last appeared at the Met, but that was several years ago and I no longer have a vivid recollection of the performance.

Her NY fans will be there in spirit on August 1, throwing more bouquets onto the pile!

According to the Frick's fbook page and calendar, Ramasar will be performing a piece at the museum this Friday evening:

https://www.facebook.com/frickcollection/photos/a.109947881179.113401.30808556179/10152588101231180/?type=1&theater

http://www.frick.org/calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D110232585

They don't name the title of the solo he will be dancing, but it's described as a piece reflecting "classical imagery in all the arts." That's a pretty good hint!

Last year, ABT did offer inexpensive tickets for the extreme sides of the orchestra at the Koch. I can't recall if they were as inexpensive as $29, but they were maybe in the $40-50 range. ABT was happy to have huge swathes of the orchestra section unsold at the Met this summer, all while charging circa $100 at some performances for the extreme sides of the orchestra.They also excluded a ton of dates from their 18-29 club, including every single Swan Lake, and many of these performances didn't sell well. I really can't understand why they don't institute a more nuanced pricing scheme, as you suggest.

The $29 tickets at NYCB have been my saving grace. I know its akin to heresy to enjoy a Balanchine ballet from such a skewed perspective, but I've had consistently horrendous experiences in rings 2 and 3. The ushers let in every latecomer no matter when they arrive during a ballet, and they allow them mill around in the aisles for the entire performance or push through the already seated audience members to find their seats. They don't even wait for a pause in the ballet to let people in. The ushering at the Koch seems like such an amateur act compared to the Met, I'm afraid to say. The Met ushers may seem uptight, but they do everything possible to ensure a pleasurable viewing experience.

If anyone has suggestions for seating at the Koch, I'd really appreciate it. I remember having very positive viewing experiences from the upper rings many years ago, when I was able to buy student tickets, but the past four or five times I've gone, it has been a three-ring circus up there (excuse the bad pun) due to lax ushers and incredibly rude audience members.

Bring in Fabrice Calmels to dance with Veronika Part and Polina Semionova!

I found a picture on his Pinterest account of him and Part dancing SL:

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/455919162247480236/

Does anyone know when/where this took place? He makes Part look tiny!

I think this is terrific repertory on the whole--very happy about the Raymonda divertissements (something Semionova would have likely been quite good in...perhaps she will dance in spring). Right now, it does not look as if I will be able to make it this year, but if other obligations don't interfere this is repertory that would definitely bring me to NY -- as would Hallberg.

Maybe, they are preparing for the full lenght Raymonda in the future season.

I so hope so. It has been far too long since we've seen it, and while the production wasn't perfect, it can be such an exciting vehicle for a versatile ballerina. I really think ABT could have given Seven Sonatas a rest, but I suppose they had to include something by Ratmansky. I also think they've done Fancy Free far too often over the past decade, but there's obviously no way they could exclude it from their 75th Anniversary year. In any case, it will be fun to see some new dancers in those roles. I'm pretty shocked (but delighted!) that Hallberg is back for the fall season.

...in the final act Yuriko rotated the direction of her fouettes. (She also did this when she played Kitri a few years ago.) I think that's called a four corner turn, but I'm not sure. Not many people attempt it because it is very difficult, and I'm not sure if most of the audience even understood what they were seeing.

She did something beyond that, though, too. She did fouettes without the fouette -- where the working leg wasn't even working (whipping). What was that?! The propulsion was coming completely from the standing leg. I don't know that I've ever seen anything like that.

Yes! It was a wonderful moment. It was at the part of the pas de deux that occurs at about 7:57 in this clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eplyGrKjcs

Gillian uses the music leading into the fouettes to do some pretty incredible hops en arabesque, whereas Yuriko used that music to do the the spins with her free leg hanging rather than whipping. It's the move that Sofiane Sylve does at around :17 and :20 in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqutnMKB49s

However, Yuriko did 1 1/4 rotations so that her head was facing in a different direction each time, and then after completing those, she immediately began whipping off the fouettes.

Gorak's leaps around the perimeter of the stage in the pdd (not sure what those are called) are some of most beautiful I've ever seen at ABT. I loved how he continued leaping into the wings rather than completing the series of jumps onstage.

Yes, Kevin McKenzie presented her with a large bouquet after she received several from the standard flower presenter. She was also greeted onstage by Jared Matthews, I believe, and also by a corps member holding a young child. Yuriko pulled Kolpakova onstage and they embraced. The reception from the audience was incredibly warm, as stated above, and the stage was showered with flowers thrown by her fans. She seemed very touched by the outpouring of emotion from the audience. When Yuriko came out for her second curtain call, she peeked out at the audience from behind the curtain before coming on stage (in a way similar to what adult Clara does during her variation in Ratmansky's Nutcracker.)

Her warmth, strong technique, musicality and effervescence shone so brightly in this performance. How sad for ABT to lose such talent and such a potentially beautiful partnership with Gorak, whose dancing was absolutely brilliant this afternoon.

An ex-ABT ballerina, while staging a ballet for the company, once followed a dancer into the bathroom to deliver notes through the stall door. She was was known to bark—literally, like a dog—during private rehearsals.

Ooh, anyone want to take a guess at who this can be? The list is pretty narrow ...

Wouldn't we all love to know. The only names I can think of off the top of my head are Makarova, Kirkland, Sallie Wilson, and Susan Jones (if the re-staging of the Twyla piece counts). The first two on that list don't exactly seem like the warm and fuzzy types.

IMO she shouldn't be a principal in a major company. On the other hand, last night's performance made me wonder if ABT is still really a major company.

Reports like these make me all the more frustrated that Seo has been given the "primetime" SL slots, despite my favorable impressions of some of the effects she was able to achieve on Monday night. At ABT, the Wednesday matinee has traditionally been for younger artists still in development, and clearly Seo remains in that category for roles like O/O and Aurora. I think she could have really benefited from more time as a soloist, just as Boylston has.

Part is a mature, fully developed artist whose O/O is her calling card. I think ABT should be ashamed for relegating her Swan Lake to the Wednesday matinee, especially given everything else that has happened this week. The Simkin/Boylston SL was poorly sold and apparently no one in these forums bothered to see the Herrera SL. An artist like Part, who reliably delivers in SL, deserves so much more from ABT's administration.

I also don't see why PR has to be danced by another "princely" type. The solo is IMO perfect for shorter, demi-character dancers. They can adjust the cape or whatever. But no reason why Arron Scott or Luis Ribagorda can't dance PR. As it stands they are casting PR with dancers who can fill in as Siegfried (Hammoudi, Whiteside, Matthews).

Also this kind of last minute casting changes/overdancing is just going to leave principals more vulnerable to injury.

I don't think PR needs to be "princely," but the role, as it is currently conceived, imagines Rothbart as a physically intimidating, villainous sexpot who (literally) tosses princesses aside. I'm not a height-obsessed ballet fan, but I do think McKenzie's creation is much more convincing with a tall dancer. The costume, certainly, can be incredibly unflattering to shorter dancers.

That said, I'd be happy to see PR go by the wayside for the reasons you and others have pointed out. It has been so much fun to see Gomes and Hallberg dance the role in the past and I enjoyed Matthews' interpretation very much, but the role is turning into more trouble than it's worth. I like the idea of a Rothbart danced by ONE dancer over the course of the evening, and I very much agree with you that it would be an excellent opportunity for one of ABT's many talented corps members or soloists.

I doubt that Roberto wants to lift Part. Seo will be much easier for him to lift.

That could be the case. Let's not forget the time Bolle bailed on Part in Swan Lake to go dance the naked Giselle in Italy.

It was nice to see, though, that he has posted two ravishing photos of himself and Part in SL on his instagram account within the past month. He must at least appreciate how beautiful they look together in that ballet.

According to Roberto Bolle's instagram, Friday's show is an "extra" Swan Lake. Thus, I believe Hee and Roberto truly are doing a back-to-back Swan Lake marathon. Brutal!

Wow! Though I saw potential in Seo's black swan on Monday, I really can't imagine her holding it together for back-to-back Swan Lakes. The stamina just didn't seem to be there. It's the kind of thing I could imagine Murphy pulling off if she were at 100%.

Perhaps I was being unduly harsh on Stearns, but I think my disappointment in yesterday's performance was all the greater because he has become such a beautiful dancer. In the space of a few years, he has grown from seeming quite unfinished to becoming an elegant, understated dancer who very much reminds me of Gomes at his best. His line and body are, as angelica mentioned, beautiful. His face is model-perfect but not one that reads well in the theater. I think dancers like Gomes, Kent, Part, Abrera, and Vishneva have the sort of facial features that read well in a big house. Makarova and Ferri, while perhaps not conventionally pretty, fall into that same category. On the other hand, I think dancers like Stearns, Murphy, Boylston and perhaps even Osipova have to work a bit harder to convey expression in their faces.

Stearns deserves a lot of credit for his refined dancing and his impeccable partnering of Part. As mentioned by others, he made the overhead lifts look just as they should, which is almost never the case in a Part Swan Lake. If he can find a way to convey something more of the inner life of his characters, then he will truly be a tour de force. I am definitely in support of restrained, subtle interpretations over histrionics and cliched gestures/expressions.

Stearns, as noted above, Dull Dull Dull.

Certainly he could have been paired with equally dull Herrera this week, as he was in Giselle. It's no surprise that no one in these forums seems to have followed Herrera's performances. Stearns and Herrera are meant for each other. It really peeves me to see him drag down Part's SL year after year now.

Part's performance today was lovely, though it didn't reach the dizzying heights of her past ones with Gomes and Bolle. She was expertly partnered by a dramatic non-entity. She could swoon and nuzzle all she wanted, but it was depressing to see her get so little from her partner in response. I've written much about Part in these forums, so I won't go into too much detail, but her upper body was as much a marvel as ever, even if her back may be slightly less flexible than in years past. She's a dancer who, like Mearns, seem to almost speak with her arms and hands. Part's swan arms seem to have grown more fluid, as well. She also seems to be one of the few dancers who can rub her head against her arm in a bird-like manner and make it look very subtle. Her dancing is expansive and delicate in all the adagio sections, and she just had a couple small glitches in both her white and black swan variations. I also loved her buoyant coda to Act II.

Part's black swan, over the past couple years, has become electric--a real highlight that it never was in her early years as ABT. She treats the black swan as sensuous and vampy (much like Seo), rather than icy and conniving. It was a joy to simply watch her facial expressions throughout that entire act, even if her partner seemed less than enraptured. Her fouettes were quick and secure and ended well with a nice double. She also really knows how to milk the backwards hops into arabesques to marvelous effect. Brava!

She received THREE bouquets onstage today and two more thrown from the audience. Her interactions with Stearns during the curtain calls were strictly businesslike, nothing more. She didn't kiss the rose she gave him, which I've never seen before, but she then remembered to do so when she gave him a rose from the second round of bouquets. She seemed moved by the outpouring of adoration from the audience, which was nice to see.