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sealings

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Everything posted by sealings

  1. The fan who started the protest attended and posted videos of the whole thing on her facebook page.
  2. I agree with foundoffouettes about the contract change, that makes a lot of sense. Just speculation, but the two week notice timeline Veronika mentions in the Russian article does make sense based on her social media activity. She was all smiles at the Vishneva farewell on June 23, then June 25 posted a series of photos from her Swan Lake taken a few weeks earlier, with sad captions about how it would be her last Swan Lake at the Met. I revisited the facebook page of the protest organizer and there is an exchange between Veronika and Nina Alovert that also seems to confirm.
  3. Veronika just announced her retirement on instagram. Heartbreaking.
  4. I would imagine ABT's treatment of Part is unnerving to the other principals, including Murphy, who are now wondering how much control they have over their futures at the company.
  5. I am troubled by the fact that Veronika (and her father!) feel the need to address her situation with this Facebook fan. It speaks to a lack of coordination and understanding behind the scenes at ABT, and a great deal of disrespect toward Veronika by whoever is making these decisions. Perhaps she is voicing her position in the only forum available to her. Part spent most of her career with this company and at least deserves the courtesy of a clean exit. No senior principal should have the door slammed in their face. The phrase "because her contact was not renewed" has appeared in like three NY Times articles at this point. It is disgraceful.
  6. I am astonished at how poorly ABT is handling this situation, both publicly and privately. It breaks my heart to see such a talented, respected dancer completely excluded from the narrative of her own departure from the company. This unhinged facebook fan is getting a little carried away, but on the other hand ABT deserves all the negative press coming its way from this mess. I hope some donors hit them where it really hurts.
  7. Gossip Girl isn't too good about fact-checking... I wonder how much the writers know about NYC at all. Dan has lived in "Williamsburg" for four years while the apartment building they show is clearly in DUMBO. They also sent a few characters to NYU out of financial concerns, when NYU is one of the most expensive private schools in the country. They did a flashback episode a few years ago and introduced a new character, Serena's father Keith, but when he appeared on the show in real time a year later he had a different first name, William! So I guess be glad they said "dress circle" at all and not "pretzel stand" or something!
  8. from the ABT playbill: i hope i'm allowed to post this... otherwise mods feel free to delete. ;)
  9. Excellent acting from Vishneva this afternoon, really loved her in this role. She has such an expressive face and was so moving in the third act. Lifts and partnering were sumptuous. Preferred Gomes to Bolle... both for the clarity of his movements and the sincerity of his performance. That may just be my interpretation, however. I can't believe I'm going to say this, and I did prefer Part's actual dancing... but I thought Murphy's expression yesterday was better than Part's as Manon, and that she and Kent had more of a connection than Part did to Vishneva.
  10. Julie was really incredible tonight; she showed great depth and range and brought palpable emotion to the stage. I loved the unorthodox staging of this production, especially the opening. The lifts were stunning... amazing complexity and partnering from Bolle. Dancing was excellent but much rests on the acting abilities of the performers... the relationships between Bolle/Kent and Kent/Murphy brought it to life... I think the other casts will be quite different. Can't wait for Vishneva/Gomes/Part tomorrow.
  11. Veronika was tremendous tonight... so beautiful. This ballet really showcases her talents. As others have written, her grand jetes are just effortless and her movements are so fluid and clear. I was really impressed with Michele Wiles' technical proficiency and nuanced performance as Gamzatti, haven't always been a fan of hers in the past. Cory Stearns showed some strong jumps but was emotionally vacant; he had no intimate connection with Veronika or anyone else on stage, for that matter. Daniil Simkin had about three exciting minutes of stage time as a the bronze idol; his jumps were breathtaking... he took an unfortunate stumble up the stairs though. The shades weren't perfect but still very good. I really like this production.
  12. thank you for this beautiful description. i can't wait for saturday.
  13. who's in the romeo and juliet photo with bolle?
  14. http://www.russiatoday.com/Art_and_Fun/200...te_Nights_.html this page has some beautiful footage of vishneva's performance on saturday
  15. Vishneva's doing Fall for Dance a few days before this, I wonder if she'll also perform with ABT.
  16. There was an article about the City Center thing a few months ago. CC delayed their construction after ABT had already signed their contract with Avery Fisher and made other plans.
  17. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWwlou0zsgY here's the whole thing in hq.
  18. I thought it was adorable. The audience liked her and it was funny how they started playing Swan Lake as she was putting on her shoes. I loved the close ups of her feet and beautiful arches!
  19. http://i31.tinypic.com/29vcxhf.jpg Here's a pic of VP arriving at Letterman today.
  20. Paloma was on the Today show this summer. I think it was just a web feature though, she was talking about her career.
  21. Vodianova is a Russian supermodel, one of the most famous models in the world. She was born into poverty but became an international phenomenon as a teenager. http://i.models.com/i/db/2008/8/1227/1227-500w.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1280/964913199_5186d74a0d.jpg Two more little things I wanted to mention about the ballet: In Act iii, when Roberto first woke up in Juliet's room, it was so endearing how he stroked and kissed Irina's face before getting out of bed. The bed is set kind of far back on the stage, and he turned on his side to show these gestures to the audience. Later in the tomb scene, I loved how Irina really started to cry; I forgot she can do this on stage. They were very sweet and had a lot of chemistry, especially during the bedroom pdd, and more so than in Act I.
  22. Just back from Dvorovenko/Bolle. I thought I'd be disappointed seeing Dvorovenko the night after Vishneva, and I absolutely was until Act III which was brilliant. I'm confused about the whole thing, she did such a turnaround. Roberto Bolle was noble, gallant, gorgeous! I got him finally... I understand. Act II was almost boring tonight, enough with the swordfighting. They could at least use metal instead of plastic swords. They sound like plastic anyway-- clink clink clink. About half the crowd stayed for curtain calls, but the ones in their seats were rapturous, lots of flying bouquets! A lot more than last night. Anna Wintour and Natalia Vodianova were in the audience. I'm still excited I saw Vodianova in person, wow. Alright, Irina was odd. In the first act, she was almost cartoonish...like watching mime, Charlie Chaplin. Every gesture was rehearsed, every eyebrow lift. She seemed totally without sincerity or feeling. Her performance as a young girl was so postured. I think Irina looks like Lucille Ball, and that didn't help (not that both women aren't totally beautiful). I kept thinking of Lucy...really... I usually love Irina for her superlative technique, despite some kitsch acting sometimes, but I didn't think she looked so special in the first act after what I saw yesterday. In the balcony pdd, when Bolle lifted her upside down and draped her down his body, she froze for three seconds beaming a smile at the audience. I don't know. And then, here's the big HOWEVER... she came out in the third act another dancer. She was divine...inspired! Like she just threw the kitsch (kitrisch ha) out the window and came out as Juliet. A big difference from Vishneva... Diana was so passionate and near desperation; she started out a very sweet character but become lost, out of control. Her acting was so consuming and, to the viewer, spellbinding. Watching her dance with Marcelo felt like watching something private, it was so vivid to her, and she danced with such urgency. I felt like there was a great change in her character, a total shift from safety to near madness. Dvorovenko was really different. She was a gentler Juliet, much more innocent throughout the ballet and more in control of herself. She showed emotions but wasn't consumed by them. I don't mean that in a negative way, only that she interpreted things differently. For example, when she woke up in the tomb her Juliet was alarmed but not hysterical, nervously exploring her surroundings, while Vishneva ran violently around the catacombs, flailing her arms. Dancing with Bolle, Irina did not throw herself toward him, but showed softer, slower lifts, much gentler. The death scenes were also quite different in the tombs. Diana made it to the bed quickly and spent a long time holding and caressing Marcelo's hands, while Irina chose to hold her wound as she slowly made it back over to Bolle. After just touching his hand, she died. I love seeing these divergent interpretations. I saw Irina in Giselle last year, and I saw something similar... overacted Act I and a beautiful wili later. Maybe she does better with a darker character. Tonight I was so put off during the first intermission, and I walked out so impressed. I don't think I've ever been so disappointed and then drawn in a moment later by a ballerina in one ballet. Bolle was a dream. Romeo really is his best role. I especially liked his mandolin dance. He's so smooth, big soft smooth turns and flowing jumps, poetry! He danced so beautifully with Irina; he's such a good partner. Craig Salstein was Mercutio. He slipped on a few of his turns, certainly not up to the technical level of Cornejo last night but he was comical and playful with the crowd, at one point tossing his mandolin so high it fell to the ground about five feet behind the dancer who was supposed to catch it. He did have some nice jumps. Kristi Boone was a commanding Lady Capulet with fierce facial expressions. She is not so strong as Veronika, however, lacking power in her motions. I probably would have thought she was fine had I not seen gorgeous VP last night who had such superb emotional power. Stella Abrera was supposed to play a harlot tonight but was replaced by Simone Messmer. I liked Messmer, especially flashing her underwear at Lady Capulet, ha!
  23. Gomes and Vishneva were just beautiful together. Gomes was a fine Romeo, and their partnering and lifts were spectacular. Vishneva seemed to be dancing full-out last night, very impetuous and almost desperate in the way she threw herself into Marcelo's arms. She seems to take more risks with him, which of course produces these amazing performances, but maybe perhaps the stumble too. I drew my breath when she was racing down the stairs at the beginning of the balcony scene... I admire her for putting so much into each performance though, in spite of little mistakes. At least no blood lost this time. Cornejo's lightness and quickness in the air is marvelous. Veronika Part is a picture perfect Lady Capulet. She's so statuesque and regal! And commanding in those costumes. I had to laugh when someone in our section said, "Wait until he sees her mom!" as Marcelo was watching Diana during the dance of the knights. (Ps. is the board acting a little weird for anyone else? I had trouble getting my post to go through) Pps. Agree about Ferri too. I also like Julie Kent in this role.
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