Barbara

21 hours ago, Needlepoints said:

One thing management has been doing to ease crowding is to make announcements about the garage level entrance.  The line has been much longer than usual down there, but it moves very quickly.  There are benches to sit on, bathrooms outside the house that are always open, and it's much easier to get an uncrowded elevator at that level.  I always go in down there.

I had no idea this door was open, thanks Needlepoints! I'll remember for the future, for sell out performances at least.

I attended yesterday's matinee and have a few observations/questions: The Met was close to sold out, this I knew, but I've never seen such a long line to enter the house. Only 2 doors were open. It was getting close to starting time and it was horribly hot and steamy so I slid in the gallery door and then merged with the crowds. For a full house the audience was very quiet, only tepid applause, until Misty arrived and then cheering that sounded like mostly young voices. Jeffrey Cirio also garnered lots of well-deserved applause. Misty acquitted herself very well in her fast solo, I was impressed and of course her charming personality fit the part. I noticed Princess Praline was given time for a bow after her variation, when Princess Tea Flower was not. I had not realized that Princess Tea Flower and Coffee do more dancing and had more time on stage, it seemed to me, than Princess Praline. Isabella Boylston and Alban Lendorf stunned me with their full out performance in the first act. My favorite bit of choreography was the supported pirouettes done with the ballerina's head tilted in such a way that she looked like a spinning corkscrew, thrilling! Final question: I didn't understand the costumes for Marzipan Men and Sugarplum Men. Gingerbread Men were obvious but the other two looked more like peppermint and chocolate drops. Can anyone explain? Oh, favorite costume and execution was Worm Candy Man! I look forward to seeing this again next spring season with a different cast. After two viewings I'll probably skip future performances, unless I have a small human to bring along!

I'm going to the Saturday matinee, part of my subscription. Since I don't seek her out, this will be my first time seeing Misty as a principal in a full length role and since her sold out house phenomenon. This is also my first time seeing Whipped Cream so I don't have another Princess Praline to compare it to except for the youtube clip of Trenary, which was amazing.

8 hours ago, Helene said:

when Tharp joined ABT, her company, Twyla Tharp Dance, merged into ABT.

Well, I learn something new all the time on Ballet Alert! I did not know this. Thanks, Helene.

7 hours ago, fondoffouettes said:

 

Okay, that's good to hear, nana and Batsuchan. Some of my most amazing memories EVER are with these two (together and separate), so I don't mean to diss them. I've just found that it's become a bit of a Marcelo and Diana show in recent years, with curtain calls in which they look ready to conceive a child together.

 

I have to agree, fondoffouettes. The dancing is beautiful and heart wrenching but I could forgo the curtain calls histrionics.

I love the drama of this ballet and think the partnering is beautiful and intense. I'm seeing Hee because of Hallberg and Stearns because of Abrera. In a perfect world it would be Abrera with Hallberg. Ah well.

1 hour ago, nysusan said:

Wow, wish I had seen that! They really need to start giving him leading roles.

I agree, especially after losing Sterling Baca. Tom Forster is a tall dancer that is needed now, with solid technique, fine acting, and princely looks that should be cultivated. I'm sorry I missed him and Herman last night but 3 Swan Lakes were my limit. But those 3 Swans will live with me a long time (Teuscher, Lane, Part)!

11 hours ago, Mme. Hermine said:

many years ago, in chicago, during an abt tour, i  saw a performance of swan lake which i was told was martine van hamel's first with abt - cant remember who her partner was. she started her fouettes well but they gradually travelled more and more untl she was up to 16, at which point disaster was imminent , and at that point she switched directions and did the remaining 16 en dedans.

I was recently watching a dvd of the 3 Tschaikovsky ballets danced by Royal Ballet. In the extras on the Swan Lake disc there was a group discussion of the O/O role with Beryl Gray, Monica Mason, Leslie Collier, and Marienela Nunez (who dances in the dvd). Ms. Gray pointed out that Moira Shearer could not do the standard fouettes and always did them in a combination of en dehors and en dedans. She went on to say (and I paraphrase), "It worked perfectly well!"

This is very sad. She and Bill Paxton were the best things about the very forgettable film The Circle and now both gone too soon.

The change in the guest policy also seems to have coincided with the departure of the former Exec Director. Could that be a factor? I think the absence of so many guests has had a remarkable effect on the company as a whole who seem to be rising to the occasion. Just look at the depth of talent in both the male and female dancers, especially the females. Lots to be happy about.

I concur with everything laurel said above. I thought Sarah Lane had a triumphant debut as Giselle! I like Gillian very very much but I think Sarah was more poetic, more vulnerable, the picture of romanticism. She did seem like a different dancer today. This performance was fully formed; where did it come from? I don't recall if she's danced it elsewhere while waiting for her shot in her own company. Bravo to her! Please pay attention, Mr McKenzie.  

I keep re-watching this beauty! You'd think they'd danced this together forever, perfectly in sync arms.

I also enjoyed Lauren Lovette's piece very much! I too am a fan of beautiful melodic music. More from Ms. Lovette, please!

Congratulations to Damien!

The transformation of the lounge is beautiful but I have to wonder how long the white couches will stay clean!

I am there!!!

I've watched it, pherank! I think it's charm wears a little thin after the first season but hey, how many tv shows are based in the world of classical music? I'll be watching as long as they keep making them.

I wonder if this opens the door for Lauren Fadely to become principal. She moved to MCB from her principal position at PA Ballet and has quickly moved from soloist to principal soloist.

Happy to report that I was pleased with my interaction at the box office yesterday. I made my exchanges and purchased additional tickets. The agent did mention that she wasn't really supposed to reprint the tickets I didn't receive because it looked as if they'd just been printed and would probably be in my mailbox very soon. They're being mailed when we're halfway through exchange week? I didn't say that since she did go ahead and reprint all tickets not received and I'm happy with the seats I was able to pick. But this year does seem to be very haphazard. In any case, I'm excited about the season and hope to see many of you there to chat!

Oh brother! I'm going in to exchange/purchase today and hope I don't run into difficulties. This year they really screwed me up - for the last 2 years I've asked them to mail my tickets to my daughter in the city as it's easier for her to go to the box office to exchange. This year they sent some to me, some to her, and some I've never received! I was told by an agent that tickets that did not come in the mail can be reprinted at the box office. I hope so. She read off to me which  tickets I should have received and in one case the quantities were wrong. We'll see when I get there but I'm anticipating trouble. I did join as a basic donor this year (after being badgered with phone calls) so maybe this will help. On a more positive note, when I phoned a few weeks ago to order an additional ticket the agent mused aloud about why I'd been given such bad seats for my subscription when there were plenty of seats left in Dress Circle row b center. She made a note and a subscription employee phoned me back, asked me to mail back my subscription tickets and they would re-issue them. The seat I got on the second round isn't exactly center but better than before. I might ask why the poor seat was assigned in the first place. I'll report my experience tomorrow. PS - I don't think I ever got a mailing about their Trios subscription as in years past. This has been my preferred way to purchase for the last few years. Was this done away with? I only purchased a full subscription this year because there was only one performance I didn't care to see out of the 6. (bless NYCB ticketing!)

Must disagree about Dakota Johnson, I thought it didn't work at all for a young woman. All the others you posted were beautiful but I have to admit, I don't know who some of these actresses are!

Lucky Floridians! Not just for Marcelo but for this Ashton gem. Sigh.

Couldn't agree more, vegansmom. I found myself drifting off too. IMO, the first half hour or so could have been cut. I felt as if they were trying too hard to be charming and for me it fell flat. It did come alive each time Gosling was on screen. He has charisma to spare!

This makes me so happy! Now just to find out his roles and I'm there! He's going to get a loud ovation when he steps on the Met stage!

Thank you all so much for your excellent input! I've passed all the suggestions along - you've given her quite a lot to think about. I'll report back next spring about her adventure! (I'm tempted to be her stow-away)