Barbara

Sorry not to see Forster cast. At least Tam is getting some parts.

Turns out it's my mistake! Thanks, volcanohunter for pointing out that Sokhiev is the music director. I took a second look at the program and now see that the title for each person is printed above their name and not below as I was reading it.

Query for those in the know: in my Bolshoi program it lists Sergei Filin as Managing Director and Tugan Sokhiev as Artistic Director. I thought Filin was Artistic Director. Is this change perhaps since his terrible ordeal or has it always been so?

Perhaps he is simply tired. The constant traveling back and forth between companies as well as touring must be exhausting. He tweeted that he's now on vacation and one well deserved imo. Because of his injury during ABT Met season I did not see him at all. And he was not cast for my Bolshoi Swan Lake. My hope is to see him back in form for ABT fall season. And my wish is that he will stay stateside for a few months, take care of himself, and perhaps do an ABT Nutcracker or two before heading back to Moscow.

Thanks, volcanohunter! I've watched a few youtube clips of the 2010 production with Alexandrova/Skvortsov/Tsiskaridze (he certainly does relish his role as the "baddie"!) I know it's much different from the ABT version I'm used to so I'll try not to be too shocked. I'm going with an open mind and if anything feel like I'll enjoy the corps and the orchestra.

My one and only Swan Lake will be the Saturday matinee with Nikulina and Ovcharenko. I remember him from the telecast Sleepy Beauty where he danced the Bluebird and I liked him very much. Any opinions of Nikulina and/or what they will be like together? Thanks!

Abatt, I saw Susan Stroman in the NYTimes online pics of the Tiler/Fairchild wedding.

Put me on the Forster bandwagon - tall, lovely line, good actor, easy to look at. Ecstatic for Zhurbin and thrilled for Gorak! And count me in for Part in the evening and Abrera in Giselle and SL.

My husband and I attended Friday evening. I'll preface this by saying I'm a classicist at heart so you can imagine this wouldn't be my cup of tea. Turned out it was an it wasn't. I'd never seen Symphony in Three Movements before and while not a fan of this Stravinsky I appreciated the constant drive and energy. Maybe one day I can compare it to NYCB's. My husband noted similarities to West Side Story choreo in the high jump with legs together and off to one side. I loved Plan to B! Fair-haired Dusty Button and Whitney Jensen were whirlwinds! I was very much looking forward to Afternoon of a Faun. I love the music and was happy to see it again after so many years. I saw it danced many years ago with George de la Pena as the faun. I'm not sure if this would have been ABT or the Joffrey. While I liked it, Altan Dugaraa didn't compete with my memory of de la Pena. And lastly, Bella Figura. I agree, beautifully danced but afterwards, my husband and I looked at each other and shrugged, "we're so confused". This is an example of why I don't care for most modern ballet/dance. To me it seems pretentious. Kind of a "let's throw in the kitchen sink" kind of work. Dancers moving to silence, bodies hanging from the ceiling, odd grappling with the curtain, male and female upper body nudity, fire on stage. My husband quoted the Three Stooges, "I keep trying to think, but nothing happens!" Well, we were baffled, I'm not a prude but I thought the nudity added nothing. I did like the way the dark red skirts moved but that was about all. It's my first Kylian so maybe one day I'll have the chance to see one of his other works that were mentioned by other posters on this forum. I thought the applause for this piece was appreciative but not ecstatic as it was for Plan to B. I applauded enthusiastically for the efforts of the dancers who were marvelous. It might sound as if I didn't enjoy the evening but I really did. I knew it would be out of my comfort zone but I appreciated that in itself. I also noted that the house was very well sold and that makes me happy for the BB dancers. And a cherry on top, I saw Gillian and Ethan in the audience. She appeared to be walking just fine so I'm hoping that will translate into seeing her in the Dream on Wed!

Flesh & Bone is definitely shooting in NYC.

That same thought crossed my mind, FauxPas...

I don't understand the Cornejo SL issue either and why he couldn't have been paired with Boylston (or Reyes? don't know if she does this role) He's still listed (as is Murphy) for the Monday and Wednesday Dream. I haven't seen Cory in a spring season for a few years and now I'm getting a boatload. I won't exchange my Sat matinee since I'm going with a friend but will advise her to expect beautiful dancing without emotion. The highlight for me will be another purple Von Rothbart from Matthews, who I now realize I will miss very much. This will be my first year without a Hallberg performance in many years (not counting the spring he was out entirely) - he is the one I seek out - I'm beyond disappointed. My Bolshoi SL on the Sat matinee was not a Hallberg performance anyway. Heavy sigh....

All I know is I would hate to be K. McKenzie trying to put this rubic's cube together.

Abatt, I think someone earlier in this thread said that the back of Part's tutu had a dark swatch that matched the black feathers in the rear of a white swan.

fondoffouettes, I think you're on to something regarding Stearn's visage, handsome though it is. I was in Row A of the Dress Circle and always have my binocs at the ready. At one point I wondered if Stearns had on stage make-up because his expression simply wasn't reading that far away. I looked in my glasses and it seemed as if he was made up very "naturally". Could he be helped by something more dramatic to make the eyes pop? Of course the emotion must come from within but it might help.

Angelica, I agree - today it was all about Veronika! I hadn't seen a SL from her for a number of years and it was an astonishing afternoon of beauty! Others have described the fine points of her technique. I'll add that her characterization was so clear and well thought out; a completely mature performance. I don't think I've ever seen an Odette that remained truly afraid of the prince who seems to offer his love so suddenly. She is not going to be easy to win over and she makes him work for her acceptance. And then in Act IV she didn't forgive him immediately. She seemed to be thinking that her instincts had been correct, this was merely a human man that betrayed her and couldn't break the spell. Of course she eventually recognizes his sincere grief at what he has done but this doesn't come easily. She was simply sublime in every way today.

Tom & Stella = Albrecht & Giselle? If only....

I also very much enjoyed today's matinee. I especially got a kick out of Tom Forster - he has a very sweet face in real life and actually was a pretty good looking "ugly" step-sister! In fact I'd like to see him in the role of the prince.

....to a point, and then too much

Faux pas, your description of Julie Kent as a very English ballerina I think is spot on! I studied the RAD syllabus and there was never any extraneous movement coming from the hands and wrists. It's still a look I appreciate but at the same time have grown to like the Russian expansiveness.

Hilarious!

I'd be happy with two MacMillan's in one season, but I'm a sucker for the "passion play ballets".

I'm partial to the ones that smoothly sweep forward from the front to the side, maybe because I'm familiar with the RAD method. To my eye the ones that snap from the side have a jerky quality to them.

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions! I had a talk with the Adult Services Librarian today. The plan I suggested was to read the two recent memoirs (Ringer and Copeland, short and easy reads) and then purchase tickets to the Balanchine/Tchaikovsky program done by NYCB in the fall. This book group likes to read a book and tie it in with a visit to the theatre or a museum. This will be their first foray into the world of ballet. For some of the reasons cited above, while I think the Nureyev and Fonteyn books would be worthwhile for anyone to read, for purposes of this group they're simply too long and detailed. We'll be able to easily get enough copies of the recent memoirs and then I'll give them a suggested reading list of memoirs (Tallchief, D'Amboise, Farrell, Kent, Villella, etc as well as the Nureyev/Fonteyn bios) if they'd like to personally delve further. It sounds like the library is willing to open the invitation to members outside of the book group so a large enough group can be gathered together. If folks are willing to pay a little extra we may even take advantage of the backstage tour and also the First Position discussion. I love to introduce "non-believers" to dance so we'll see how this goes. PS - I'm usually more of an ABT-girl myself, but I have to say that NYCB does a better job of audience outreach and I think this group will enjoy the neo-classicism. I'll report back about how it all turns out.

I so agree with all the posts here about the Saturday matinee - I cannot find the words to express how thrilling it was to be in this audience, thanks for doing it for me! As I mentioned to Abatt, I'm always so jealous when I read the reports here from those that attend multiple casts because it seems I often miss the performance that is "the one for the ages". So how happy I was that this duo was doing the Sat matinee, my regular subscription day. (PS - I did exchange my subscription in order to see the Visneva/Gomes Giselle!) Also very happy to see Ballet Alert posters again and meet a few for the first time!