angelica

Tom Forester may be in the making for Part- he is tall enough and looked lovely with her at the Gala performance.

At the gala, she looked like she was at a different level than he was.

That's too bad, and all the more reason to find her the right partner. She should not become one of those flowers to blush unseen. I believe that she has greatness in her.

Tom Forester may be in the making for Part- he is tall enough and looked lovely with her at the Gala performance.

Yes, nanushka and oxnmytoes, it's clear that a partner other than Hallberg needs to be found for Veronika. Maybe Tom is the one. When you look at the history of ballet, almost all the great ballerinas were paired in great partnerships, for example, Maximova-Vasiliev, Fracci-Bruhn, Fonteyn-Nureyev, Makarova-Baryshnikov, Ferri-Bocca, and today, Vishneva-Gomes, amongst others. Veronika is such a beautiful dancer and is at the top of her game technically and expressively. She needs to be in a partnership with "chemistry," so that she can connect with a partner who will bring out her passion, spontaneity, and lusciousness.

Veronica and Zenaida are about 5'8" although Veronica is not as statuesque offstage as she appears onstage. Offstage she seems more like a runway model -- tall and thin.

I believe a somewhat larger-than-average proportion of Veronika's height is in her legs, making her appear particularly tall onstage, and particularly in tutus. She also has long feet and perhaps slightly longer-than-average arms -- making her, in my opinion, the perfectly sized and proportioned ballerina. I so wish there were more like her. I could watch her Odette (with a good Siegfried) 7 nights a week. It's so hard having to wait a whole year for just one more performance!

Okay, forgive me for gushing.

Please give Veronika two SL's next year--with a partner where there is "chemistry." She can dance with passion and eloquence, but she is hobbled by a partner who is impervious to the dramatic demands of the role. I know she isn't dancing SL with Hallberg anymore, but they were ravishing together a couples of years ago in a last minute cast change substituting for Irina and Max.

I watched the last 20 minutes of company class on the stage this morning. I don't know who the ballet master was, but she had the men practicing their their turns a la second, and barrel turns around in circle. For the ladies she had them doing pique turns, but dropping off pointe and then popping back up to pointe. That looked difficult. Also had them do 2 hops promenade into soutenou pirouettes en dehor. Then they had to clear the stage for setup.

These young dancer were having fun backstage, you could tell they love to dance. During the prologue and behind the curtain, they would clap to the beats, mime something funny to the music, or dance out of the wings and back. I guess to ease any nervousness. When the curtain came up they were ready. ABT was serious and quiet backstage, POB was more laid back. They would sit behind the wing and watch their fellow dancers. This company felt more like a family.

That's very interesting, because the film "La Danse" makes the point that it is difficult for the girls to form friendships while they are in the school because they are all competing with one another. Perhaps once you are accepted into the company the feeling of competition is lessened. Nevertheless, with those annual exams just to retain your status, it's hard for me to imagine the company as a family. This brings to mind, paraphrasing, "All happy families are alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."

I have expected the news of Seo's promotion to come with some resitance, but I would just like to say that Seo's MET debut in Romeo and Juliet was honestly one of the greatest performances I've seen from a Juliet (now, I'm only 19, so I haven't seen that many!) The tragic pathos, the musicality, the liquid bourees, and those exquisitely tapered legs and feet just broke my heart. Congratulations to her, and I hope she can replicate that standard in other ballets and roles.

I, too, was transfixed by Hee Seo's performance in R&J, then thoroughly disappointed with her bland debut in Giselle. Her Tatiana was okay but not great. I think her reputation was sealed by those R&J performances but she has not yet lived up to the promise she showed in that ballet.

I haven't seen most of these dancers, but Gillot is a must-see as Myrtha. You'll gasp as she comes tearing out of the wings. I've seen Giselle a gazillion times and she is Myrtha come to life as never before.

So the favored soloists marked for promotion are Seo and Boylston. Stella and Sarah are just marking time.

This is very wrong-headed of ABT. See Macaulay's review of Le Corsaire in the New York Times. Even he is coming around to Sarah and Stella.. Seo and Boylston don't hold a candle to them and Sarah and Stella deserve their chance at greatness.

I think Hee Seo can hold up to Abrera and Lane....in the right role. She broke my heart as Juliet, and I know a lot of people on this board expressed praise for her Tatiana in Onegin. But I could never see her as a Gamzatti, Kitri, Odile, Manon, etc. I think Seo can be very, very lovely, but I doubt her versatility (and I say this is someone who enjoys her dancing but hasn't seen much of her beyond R&J).

MMR, I, too, loved Seo in R&J, which is why I was so disappointed in her Giselle debut (two years ago?) dancing with Hallberg. Admittedly, he wasn't at his best either. I won't rehash that here, but if you saw the performance you know what I mean. But I think that Stella and Sarah both deserve promotion to Principal Dancer, and Seo needs more time to develop. She was wonderful as the young Tatiana, but less so as the sophisticated adult. She has time on her side. Stella and Sarah do not.

I couldn't help but wonder if Cornejo's exceptional performance earlier on was spurred on by Vasiliev's bravura; if he felt inspired by the competition we all benefited!

Herman has been extraordinary since Day 1. He is great, great, great, and needs no one else to inspire his stellar performances.

Angelica, I completely agree with you that Cornejo needs no one to inspire his performances, I didn't mean it that way. But having seen him so many times over the years I have seen performances of his that were finer than others, and yesterday he was on fire. I was only imagining that even the best of the best can find that working alongside another extraordinary talent can be stimulating. I don't know that to be the case - but regardless, the presence of two such performances in one show was a treasure.

Griffie, You may well be right here, as I haven't seen Herman in many performances because I tend to avoid Xiomara, whom I know many people adore. Whenever I've seen Herman, I've been in awe of him. It all seems to come so naturally. It's not only in bravura steps. There's a YouTube video of him partnering someone in the white swan PdD (I'm not sure whether I got the link on this list), which shows him to be a brilliant partner--soulful, strong, gentle, deeply expressive--and he doesn't do a single turn or jump, and retains the classical line throughout. Also, I seem to be in the minority on this list in not finding Vasiliev inspiring. My eye is trained to seek out the classical line, which is one of the reasons I love watching Hallberg.

It strikes me that every principal dancer has qualities that we love, and perhaps, in some cases, others we may not. For example, I adore Veronika Part, but my heart is in my throat whenever she has to confront multiple turns. For me this lends her a vulnerability and freshness and gives each of her performances a spontaneity--of course, IMHO she has the most beautiful classical line of any female ballerina dancing in the US today.

I doubt McKenzie would have been satisfied with a glass ceiling at "flagship soloist" playing Princess Aurora's father, etc.

Well said, Jayne.

I couldn't help but wonder if Cornejo's exceptional performance earlier on was spurred on by Vasiliev's bravura; if he felt inspired by the competition we all benefited!

Herman has been extraordinary since Day 1. He is great, great, great, and needs no one else to inspire his stellar performances.

Interesting opinions all around. We all have our favorites. I favor Abrera and Lane. However I think that most likely all of theses ladies, including Copeland will be relegated to, in Kevin McKenzie's words "flagship soloists and jr. ballerinas."

But that's the point. Kevin McKenzie is wrong-headed in doing this. Abrera and Lane need their chances right now! They are at the top of their game. If they can thrill Macaulay, they can thrill audiences. Seo has promise, but a ways to go. I just don't see essence of classicism in Boylston. You can put her on stage and she'll ace the fouettes, but that doesn't make for a principal dancer. Perhaps she'll develop as an artist, but I see her now as a technician.

I've never seen a circus acrobat who can do what Vasiliev does. He does not have a beautiful classical line, but in the role of Ali that's not a significant issue. It's a problem if you are playing a prince. Vasiliev was thrilling. He gives 110 percent and the audience loved it. We are lucky to have him dancing at the Met. I, too, enjoyed this afternoon's performance.

I agree. Don't me wrong, Vasiliev is not at all suited for some roles. He doesn't have a good classical line, but what he does bring to the table is this very raw and passionate persona coupled with tons of bravura. And, for me, in the role of Ali that bravura and passion is ideal.

Yes, but couple that with the classical lines of Cornejo, Corella, and Stiefel. Compare and contrast.

There were fireworks aplenty at the Metropolitan Opera House this afternoon when ABT presented a spectacular performance of Le Corsaire. I thought that Veronika, eloquent as always, was at the top of her game technically, executing double fouettes amongst other double turns, and that Cory seemed to thrive on the role of Conrad, which required him to swagger and strut rather than be soulful (which he wasn't at all in the role of Siegfried a week ago Monday when it was called for). Herman is always wonderful, although I would have preferred to see him as Ali. Although Vasiliev can jump and do tricks, he does not have classical proportions nor a classical line, and he could just as well have been a circus acrobat. The mood in the house was festive, and everyone seemed to be having a grand old time.

So the favored soloists marked for promotion are Seo and Boylston. Stella and Sarah are just marking time.

This is very wrong-headed of ABT. See Macaulay's review of Le Corsaire in the New York Times. Even he is coming around to Sarah and Stella.. Seo and Boylston don't hold a candle to them and Sarah and Stella deserve their chance at greatness.

Misty is 29 and Stella is 33. Both of them are around prime age and need opportunities now!

If I don't go to bed right now I'm going to go on and on about Stella Abrera and how she, too, does not fit the image of the standard ballerina and comes from an ethnic background that has been sufficiently marginalized to warrant special attention. Stella has extraordinary talent and technique and deserves a chance to make her mark on the world. And she needs it NOW! Misty has time on her side.

I didn't realize that Misty is 29. Nevertheless, Stella is definitely the more classical of the two, and has already earned her stripes in the Royal Ballet of New Zealand's production of Sleeping Beauty. I think she's first in line. With Sarah Lane right behind her. However, I would definitely prefer seeing Misty get her chance over Isabella Boylston, who, IMHO, is cutting the line.

If she was attempting to show her Siegfriend the ways of the world, she certainly didn't make any progress. He was the same Siegfriend at the end as he was at the beginning.

Correct, and I wasn't really intending to imply differently. Dvorovenko's O/O showcased maturity, and I felt that she tried to give this approach to the ballet because of a lack of built-in chemistry with Muntagirov. But, alas, his Siegfried never changed. Frankly, Muntagirov's best moment was the Act III solo, where he didn't have to interact with anyone and could just dance.

You're right, MMR, you didn't imply differently. Sorry if I gave that impression. I was sitting in Row A Center Orchestra and couldn't believe what I was (wasn't) seeing. He didn't even use his upper body in an expressive way. It seemed almost sunken in at times.

There is a reason that Vishneva will dance only with Gomes (is that a fact or only hearsay?)

I just looked back at the ABT casting/schedule that I printed out last October. She was cast with Gomes for every performance except a Swan Lake on 6/26 with Hallberg. But at some point this spring, Semionova was substituted for Vishneva at that performance. Was there ever an explanation for that? Did she refuse to dance with Hallberg, or perhaps had another engagement that interfered?

I also noticed another interesting change from that old schedule: Stiefel had been scheduleld with Murphy for the Swan Lake the evening of 6/27, but she did that with Gomes instead. Perhaps Stiefel decided not to do Swan and Gomes was the only reasonable substitute for Murphy. If Vishneva had insisted on Gomes, that would have given him two consecutive nights.

Which brings us right back to the oft-referenced male principal problem at ABT. And--you deserve a medal for your research.

If I don't go to bed right now I'm going to go on and on about Stella Abrera and how she, too, does not fit the image of the standard ballerina and comes from an ethnic background that has been sufficiently marginalized to warrant special attention. Stella has extraordinary talent and technique and deserves a chance to make her mark on the world. And she needs it NOW! Misty has time on her side.

But where does this leave the exquisite and incomparable Veronika Part?

Hopefully with Marcelo, as often as possible.

Yes, but he can only do so much. We need to clone him.

The authentic drama of a full-length ballet is created by the chemistry between the partners, which brings spontaneity to their dancing, gives them courage to take risks, and allows them to develop the full range of their talents. When dancers like Part and Dvorovenko are ill-served by their vacant partners, they can either overcompensate and become overly-dramatic, as I felt Part did with Cory on Monday night, or they can dance their own personal interpretation without reference to a partner at all, as I felt Dvorovenko did at the Saturday matinee. If she was attempting to show her Siegfriend the ways of the world, she certainly didn't make any progress. He was the same Siegfriend at the end as he was at the beginning.

It's almost cruel to pair up these exquisite female dancers with partners who detract from their performances. There is a reason that Vishneva will dance only with Gomes (is that a fact or only hearsay?) Over the many decades that I've been attending ballet performances, I've seen some extraordinary partnerships, going back to Maximova-Vasiliev, Fonteyn-Nureyev, Fracci-Bruhn, Ferri-Bocca, and a handful of others. Perhaps great partnerships are formed in heaven, but we need more of them at ABT--for the dancers' sakes, for the audiences' sakes, and to preserve the heritage of these great ballets, not to mention the future of ABT.

I actually think that Cory has potential, but that he would greatly benefit from acting lessons. He needs to learn to project much more, both to his partner and to the audience. Sometimes I imagine that because he is tall, handsome, and has a beautiful "line," things have come easily for him. I don't wish suffering on him, but he needs to learn how to convey such feelings to the rafters.

I've seen Sarafanov on a DVD of Don Q. and he looked very very young, definitely not partner material for our eminent female principals.

Our best hope may be in Jared Matthews and Joseph Gorak, pairing them up with Stella Abrera (please give us more Stella Abrera!), Sarah Lane, and Yuriko Kajiya. The Nutcracker performance of Lane/Gorak and the Giselle performance of Kajiya/Matthews were excellent and promising. But where does this leave the exquisite and incomparable Veronika Part?

Abatt, I think you are being exceedingly kind to Muntagirov. I totally agree that he had little chemistry with Dvorovenko, but I felt that he projected no emotion whatsoever, beyond a rather bland half-grin, which he displayed throughout at least 3/4 of the ballet. Somehow Irina managed not to overcompensate for him, as Veronika (whom I adore) unfortunately did for Cory on Monday night. Muntagirov's jumps were high and his landings well done, but I honestly didn't think it was possible for someone to dance ballet so vacuously. Jared Matthews, simply standing in fifth position, was more interesting to watch than Muntagirov soaring over the stage.

If this statement is too harsh for this list, then please, moderators, delete it.

Anything and everything with Veronika Part! And how about a major role for Stella Abrera? We've already been waiting too long for that. And a Fille with Herman and Sarah would bring down the house.

That should be "within four seats off the center aisle" (i.e., through seat 7 or 8).

Seating preferences are so individual and depend so much on what you want to see and how good your eyes are. I like to see facial expressions (I'm neutral about sweat) so it's important for me to be up close. So even though first or second row Dress Circle seats are generally considered to be good seats, they're only good if you like to see the panorama of the stage and are willing to forego the facial expressions--or if you've got major binoculars and don't mind using them. For me, anything in Orchestra Center through Row P (except C, D, E and F because the seats aren't raked) and Side through Row P within four seats off the aisle (with same caveat about unraked seats) are infinitely preferable to Dress Circle, even Row A.