fondoffouettes

23 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.

I didn't care at all for Bouder when I saw her in Scotch Symphony before the pandemic, and her shoes squeaked like crazy throughout (hopefully that's no longer an issue). But I agree that perhaps the ballet is a way for her to get back onstage. 

In her Instagram post, I thought she was indicating that she'd be dancing the first movement of Symphony in C at the fall gala. But I see on the casting sheet that they're only doing the fourth movement of the ballet, so her role will be much more limited. What a truly odd thing to program for the start of a gala; I can't imagine what it would be like to watch that movement in isolation, without proper buildup to that big finale. Oh well...

If it's a ballet about the Black experience, or in any way related to it (as this ballet seams to be), I feel it can be powerful and important to have an all-Black creative team and cast, if the creators so wish. In ballet and opera, for centuries, White people have been telling the stories of Black people and at times, unfortunately, impersonating them onstage. I'm glad the creator of this new work at ABT was given the agency to pick out the creative team and cast he wanted. Could this work be put on without a Black conductor? I'm sure it could be. But for this particular work, I can only imagine that having a Black conductor will influence the creative process in many ways that I can't begin to imagine as someone who isn't Black. 

I think it can be helpful to think of a work like this as not being exclusionary, but as creating space for voices that have been seldom heard at ABT. And that space is a scant three performances. 

The next Black choreographer to be engaged by ABT may not at all be interested in assembling an all-Black cast and creative team. But I think it's commendable that ABT is supporting Rudd's artistic vision. 

4 minutes ago, MarzipanShepherdess said:

That explains a lot, thanks for this context! I recalled posters here admiring Paulina and was surprised at feeling underwhelmed when I saw her in solos this season. But oof, doing a full Boston Ballet season and then a full ABT season in the corps would exhaust anyone. I look forward to seeing her when she's recharged.

Same. Thank you so much for the context. 

Per Carlos Gonzalez's Instagram stories, corps member Javier Rivet is leaving ABT. I suppose we may here of more departures, as there are always a few at the end of every Met season. 

43 minutes ago, stuben said:

Interesting article and seems the first circle is a final gift from KM to her mother. Don't get me wrong and only IMHO it is just interesting how so many in the past have had to pay their dues to be given soloist roles or even moved up, for example in recent years with Williams. Yet the two newly minted corps without any rep experience, but one or two,  were decided upon? In business this is known mostly as "do it and let's see what sticks" by the execs. So I guess time will tell especially when Misseldine and Park both have very little rep to proof their skills, other than competitions. I don't know about others but IMO  technique isn't everything, this is after all a "theatre" and will need the emotions in many of the reps.

I also took a look at the corps bios and can found these two, Cooker and Waski, and found interesting they have been overlooked all these years:

https://www.abt.org/people/zimmi-coker/?type=performer

https://www.abt.org/people/paulina-waski/?type=performer

 

I wouldn't necessarily describe Coker as overlooked. She only had two Met seasons under her belt before the pandemic hit. I think there's reason to hope she may be promoted within the next year or two.

Waski did not appear to be in good form on the occasions I saw her this season. I remember being impressed by her before her hiatus from the company, so maybe I just saw her on off nights or she's still working to get back to 100 percent after rejoining the company. 

I was at last night's performance and found Forster to be an ideal Romeo in many ways. He was 100 percent committed dramatically and gave an intense, compelling performance. There were some slight corrections in his Act I street scene dancing, but by the balcony scene, he was dancing beautifully, with great sweep and authority. His partnering was of course very strong. I won't soon forget the duel scene between him and Tybalt; it was blood-chilling. Zhurbin more than showed why he's deserving of the status of principal. His acting was consistently excellent last night.  

While I found Forster's performance to be fully satisfying, and at times quite moving, Murphy's performance had its ups and downs. I found Act I to be by far her weakest. She really couldn't convincingly pull off the naive young girl vibe. Her interactions with the nurse looked a bit awkward. I don't think "abandon" has ever been in Murphy's vocabulary, and unfortunately, that was clearly on display during the balcony pas de deux. When she at first reached down from the balcony toward Romeo, she did it with no yearning; it was like she was just doing the required choreography. And while I'm glad she was thinking of her safety, I've never seen a Juliet walk so gingerly down the balcony stairs and then do a little jump off with no sense of drama. The choreography also revealed just how stiff her upper body has become. The swoony, go-for-broke quality of the pas de deux was sorely missing, and I'm afraid this was due mostly to Murphy.

Murphy was much, much improved in Act III. I felt like she more than credibly pulled off Juliet's despair, and her acting was committed. She conveyed these more mature, subtle emotions far better than the broad strokes of impetuous, adolescent love required in Act I. She and Forster were both fantastic in the tomb scene; it was heartbreaking and not overdone. They struck a good balance between naturalism and making sure the emotion could be read from the back of at the house.

Pogossian was a fantastic Mercutio, with impressive leaps and jumps that repeatedly won over the audience. Yes, he needs refinement, and will certainly gain more dramatic authority with time, but I thought he was fantastic. He has the makings of a great Mercutio, in the vein of Cornejo (though will anyone ever equal Cornejo in that role?). Frenette was great as Benvolio, and looked much more at ease than in other roles this season. 

Chloe Misseldine (subbing for Kiely Groenewegen as Lady Montague) looked like a Laurana bust that had come to life. What beauty and regal authority.

It was a dramatically satisfying evening, but I left feeling like I'd really like to see Forster with a different Juliet. Romeo is a great role for him.

1 hour ago, abatt said:

Bad news, folks.  I'm just back from ABT and there was an insert stating that Aran Bell is injured.   Royal took Cornejo's role in Section III of  Single Eye, and Curley took Bell's part in Zig Zag.

So assuming Bell doesn't make a miraculous recovery by Tuesday, who are they going to throw into R&J to partner Devon.  I'm sure we won't know until around 4PM on Tuesday.

My guess would be Forster, or that they are having Joo Won Ahn understudy the role. 

On 6/30/2022 at 12:34 PM, MarzipanShepherdess said:

Saw Christine and Calvin yesterday afternoon for Calvin's debut, which I think was also Andrii Ischuk's debut as Purple Von Rothbart. Seeing ABT now makes me feel so OLD: I feel like such a granny pining for the "good old days", but that's really the primary feeling I had yesterday seeing this Swan Lake. I miss Marcelo! I miss Diana, Veronika, and Nina! I miss Irina vamping it up as Odile! 

Christine is a very polished, technically assured Odette and Odile but she just doesn't make me FEEL anything when I watch her in the role. She hits the marks, but I don't get the heartbreak, ardor, or tenderness my favorites brought to Odette or the wicked glee or sensuality they delivered as Odile. I found her interpretation to be a bit cool. An imperious Odile, a crystalline Odette. Would not want to see her again in this role.

Calvin, I would want to see again. I think it was a very promising debut. He is really an interesting dancer, as @Buddydescribed him, with a unique presence, depth, and a feel for character. It wasn't a fully formed interpretation, but one is emerging. His Siegfried is young and shy, not fully at ease with himself, rushing into love, and he conveyed that innocence beautifully. There were moments where he got a bit lost on stage, I think he's still figuring out how to convey that shy innocence AND hold the stage. The moment when he realizes he's been tricked by Odile and Von Rothbart was particularly heartbreaking. There were moments where his characterization faltered, but then he'd do something really beautiful and emotive a few movements later. An example being his final moments on stage: his rush up the rocks was kind of half-baked, he was trying to grab at the rocks but it didn't really look convincing, but then he did one of the most beautiful final leaps I've ever seen a Siegfried deliver. Just glorious. Even though his technique can be uneven (great elevation, sometimes unpolished on the landings, for example), I found him more compelling to watch than Christine who, objectively has better technique. 

Not much to report on Ischuk's debut as PVR. Nice jumps but did not project the authority or sexy sleaze that can make this such a great role. I'm still waiting for someone worthy to walk in Marcelo's purple suede thigh-highs. 

I saw the same cast today and agree 100% with your reactions. I feel like Shevchenko needs to develop Odette and Odile as more distinct characters, and give both of them more depth. Here Odile felt severe -- not really sensuous, seductive, or evil. Here Odette was remote; a bit of a blank. I felt like she could also work more on developing expressiveness with her upper body; sometimes it seemed like she lost focus on the effect her head/arms/hands were having. I particularly did not care for her arms during the first half of the fouettes; they weren't above her head, and they also weren't swan arms...I'm to sure what they were; they were just sort of flailing out at an angle. I'd rather she wouldn't add flourishes like that if they are unattractive.

Royal's partnering was great. He's a very elegant dancer, with some uneven technique, as you've noted. But overall, I thought he delivered a really strong performance. I will add that while Royal and Shevchenko danced beautifully together -- the Act II pdd was gorgeous-- I felt like they had very little chemistry (a very subjective thing, I admit).

There seemed to be a bunch of young ballet students in the audience. They cheered for everything Shevchenko did, including nearly every set of supported pirouettes in Act III pas de deux. It felt a bit like a Taylor Swift concert at times.  

45 minutes ago, abatt said:

Note about Frenette.  A very promising dancer.  Was this his debut as Benno?  I wasn't sure.  Nice elevation and line.  But tone down that facial makeup!  Way too much.

I think it must have been his debut. His manège of jetés was really beautiful. I liked Coker and Granlund, but Coker's very open mouth -- for nearly the entire pas de trois -- was really distracting. 

Frenette's cheeks were indeed incredibly rosy. I was wondering if maybe he didn't get full makeup coverage and his flushed cheeks were showing through. But I couldn't really tell from where I was sitting. An over application of makeup like you say makes more sense. 

It was great to see Nicole Graniero in the corps. I'm glad her summer season engagements with ABT have continued post-pandemic. 

20 minutes ago, abatt said:

I thought Brandt's performance was a good debut, with work still to be done.  I thought she was more in her element in Act III than as Odette.  She seems to have been drilled in hitting positions, which sometimes made her phrasing as Odette look too harsh, particularly in the Lakeside scene pas with Herman. 

Cornejo is always a delight, but I have to wonder how many more SL's are in his future.   He is not as much of a virtuoso as he once once was due to age, but he remains many levels above most of the male principals at ABT both in technical ability and stage presence.

I only saw the first half of last evening's performance (not because the performance was lacking), and I agree completely with your assessment of Brandt. I also found her lacking in dramatic depth. Her Odette was a bit soulless. While Irina and Max may be helpful for drilling down the technical elements, I wonder if she could use coaching on the dramatic side of things. (After all, Max was often wooden onstage. Irina was a beautiful dancer technically, but sometimes it didn't seem like much was going on behind the eyes.)

I agree with others that the adagio was gorgeous. The overhead lifts were stunning. Her variation didn't really come together fluidly. 

Brandt may also acquire more artistic maturity with age. This is purely my opinion, based on social media, but I feel like she's been infantilized by her wealthy family. Just going out and living life -- experiencing things that aren't at all dance-related -- may make for a more well-rounded artist.

Cornejo is still head and shoulders above many other principals. But his dancing did have a slight forced quality at points yesterday evening.

6 hours ago, Buddy said:

I also have to say once again how totally impressed and in love I remain with Devon Teuscher's performance from the night before. 

I really appreciate the reports of Teuscher's performance. I believe I saw her in her Met debut, and perhaps again the next season, when she still seemed to be finding her way in the role. It sounds like she's developed into a swan queen with grandeur, which certainly appeals to me! I'll be tempted to see her in a future season. 

4 hours ago, bellawood said:

I saw Sean Suozzi at Amar's farewell up close and didn't think he looked like someone who was dancing professionally anymore. Did he dance post-pandemic? I remember he was hurt in 2018 or 2019. 

I only recall seeing him cast as Drosselmeyer over the past several years. There may have been something in the spring season; I'm not sure. 

I find it baffling that Jared Angle remains on the roster but almost never dances. Has he appeared in anything besides La Valse (as Death) this season? Even before the pandemic, his performances were few and far between.

38 minutes ago, FayBallet said:

The article would have been improved by insight into how company class works at NYCB. There was no mention of what the practices and expectations are. Did the writers leave it out assuming people already know? Even having an understanding of the usual practices, I'm not aware of how company class worked "during the pandemic," which I took to mean some time between March 2020 and September 2021. Was practicing at home so unusual during this time? Also, there were no details on the home and gym training Abi did. Was it a private class, self led?

In Megan Fairchild's conversations series on YouTube, I seem to remember that Sara Mearns talked about how she opts to take class on her own rather than attend company class (whereas Megan said she thrives in the setting of company class, and needs the social interactions, etc.). So, presumably there is some flexibility for principals. 

On 4/3/2022 at 6:53 AM, California said:

Stearns has been a principal since 2011 and is 36 years old. Is he in decline or has he always been this blah?

He's always been blah. But I also feel like he dances pretty cleanly (if not very impressively), so the mistakes you describe don't seem very characteristic. I recall him being a pretty solid partner with Part.

10 hours ago, cobweb said:

For Firebird, I believe the most recent Firebirds were Kowroski, Reichlen, and Bouder. Two of those are now retired. Any official word on whether Bouder is likely to return for spring? Has Sara Mearns done this role?

Mearns debuted the role during the winter 2020 season. While I'm not crazy about the ballet, I quite enjoyed Mearns in the role.

Just announced by the Dutch National Ballet:

Deleted

I saw the 1/30 matinee and 2/9 evening performances of the all-Balanchine program. I thought Huxley and Ball were both superb in Mozartiana. I expected as much from Huxley, but was impressed by how much Ball has grown since pre-pandemic performances. He seemed much more self-assured, and his dancing was crisp and quite musical. It was interesting to see Hyltin and Peck in contrast with one another; I found them both only partly satisfying, though for completely different reasons. Hyltin has all the technical goods to beautifully execute the choreography (I continue to be impressed by the incredibly diverse range of roles she excels in). But I felt like the many dynamic contrasts in woman's choreography were too lightly shaded. It felt somehow too...delicate? I quite enjoyed Peck in the Preghiera, and it reminded me just how incredibly expressive she is with her arms and hands. The backbend was definitely there, so I wonder if it had improved since her debut. Her famed musicality was of course on full display in the variations. The way she accented the choreography -- without ever making self-indulgent choices -- was really thrilling. However, her overall lack of flexibility was problematic, to the point where I feel like the role isn't a proper fit for her at this point in her career, with her current physical limitations. In this stunning step, for example, she could only barely get her leg above 90 degrees; there was no leaning her head into her leg. I won't harp on other examples, but I'd like to see NYCB pursue other possible female leads for this ballet.

Hyltin, Mejia, and Nadon delivered what may be the most thrilling performance of Rubies I've ever witnessed. My heart actually started to race at one point. Hyltin was fabulous in this role before the pandemic, but somehow she managed to outdo herself. Mejia was so impressive without ever seeming show-boaty; the role is ideal for him. And I hope to see him and Hyltin paired together again; they look great together size-wise and all the partnering was spot-on. I also really appreciated how Mejia and Hyltin didn't at all ham up the quirky/playful moments of the ballet. I could watch Nadon's legs slice through space all day. She nailed the arabesque balances; the final one was especially long and drew some gasps. She was all glamour and authority. 

Mearns' dramatic, go-for-broke approach continues to make her my favorite current interpreter of La Valse. Woodward's dancing was lovely, but I think she needs some time to grow into the role. She didn't really project or play up the drama of the piece enough. I agree with @KikiRVA that Chan was fabulous (I always enjoy Ramasar in this role, as well).

Also, just a note that Mearns' Walpurgisnacht Ballet, which I saw on another occasion this season, was simply spectacular -- every bit as impressive as in the New York City Ballet in Paris recording. 

I somehow overlooked until now that Jared Angle is returning to the stage this week in two performances of La Valse. I do wonder what his long-term plans are. I think he must be around 40, and he was dancing only infrequently even before the pandemic. I'm surprised he wasn't among those who chose to retire this season, unless he's hoping to get back to a place where he can dance some of his old roles. 

NYCB's Instagram Stories indicates that Ruby Lister was promoted from apprentice to corps member. You may recall her from the On Pointe docuseries. She looked lovely on stage this fall. 

I don't think they would have have bothered to produce this tribute video if they had an in-person retirement planned for her. But I'd relish any opportunity to see her even in a character role. She has such an incredibly expressive face and upper body. 

I don't expect much from ABT's video productions, but they could have bothered to have more than two talking heads in this tribute video. It would have added so much energy and interest to have more interviewees. They also flipped the chronological order of her first Giselle and her promotion to principal. I don't think the narrative would have suffered from telling it in the order it happened. The looping Giselle music became pretty ridiculous after a while.

I feel like part of it could be that, even on white dancers, we're used to pink tights looking a couple shades lighter than their skin tone unless they have exceptionally pale skin. They don't really give the illusion of a nude leg (or at least it has never felt that way to me).

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUDfd5NjCw_/

In NYCB's fall season, it looked to me like the dancers of colors who opted for non-pink tights/shoes went with shades that were a bit lighter than their skin tones. 

7 minutes ago, volcanohunter said:

In years past the Paris Opera Ballet and the Bolshoi had fielded a full complement of wilis on that stage. I'm looking at a POB program from 2012, and there were 24 wilis (including Amandine Albisson, Valentine Colasante and Laura Hecquet), plus Myrtha, Moyna and Zulme. My guess is that under the circumstances ABT decided to put fewer dancers into its studios for rehearsals.

I also wondered if perhaps the POB sets were better scaled to a smaller stage, as I believe they traditionally perform the ballet at the Palais Garnier rather than the Bastille. If ABT were to create a production specifically for the Koch, I bet they could find some ways to open up some stage space. But yes, I wouldn't be surprised if COVID considerations played a part, as well. 

I agree with what others have noted about the lighting at the Koch. I think they must be able to create more sophisticated lighting schemes at the Met. 

The production used in this run of Giselle looks identical to me to what has been used at the Met, with a few things rearranged (grape bowers moved downstage left and right). In past seasons, scenic designer Gianni Quaranta and costume designer Anna Anni (who were the designers for Dancers) were credited for the production seen at the Met. I think they’ve been using the production all these years since the movie came out.

Here's the story on the movie sets getting transferred to ABT:

https://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/03/movies/about-the-arts-how-ballet-theater-found-giselle-at-the-movies.html?searchResultPosition=2

Quaranta and Anni are credited in these recent reviews:

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/25/arts/dance/review-american-ballet-theaters-giselle-bounds-as-past-giselles-watch.html?searchResultPosition=1

https://dancetabs.com/2020/02/american-ballet-theatre-giselle-washington/

I don’t recall having seen Albrecht do a costume change in Act I in past years, but I think he would sometimes come out with the cape and sword (not sure).

27 minutes ago, abatt said:

When did Aaron Scott leave?  He's not listed in the playbill.

Scott describes his departure here. https://www.instagram.com/p/CCPXVa2BnF8/?utm_medium=copy_link

24 minutes ago, aurora said:

It is worth noting that this is because of the absolutely extraordinary distance Skylar travelled on this passage.

I saw two dancers do the act I variation in the dress rehearsal Wednesday and no one else had this issue (although they did the hops beautifully).

Skylar just ate space on this. They were also exceptionally light and delicate.

I'd never seen someone travel across the stage so quickly or so far in that sequence; I don't really have feelings on whether that's a positive or negative. During the sequence, did she insert pauses to hop in place (I'm thinking of the parts where the ballerina often looks back to Albrecht)? It felt like one long line of traveling hops, but last night was such a whirlwind that I might not be remembering correctly.