abatt

http://nypost.com/2015/03/03/on-the-town-may-be-off-the-stage-and-youll-never-guess-its-replacement/ I've read a few articles recently about the fact that a group of wealthy investors keep pumping money into On the Town even though it is losing a lot of money. The above article addresses that issue, and the future of the show.

Actually, I was thinking the dates of these programs might have the opposite effect- ballet fatigue from too many performances programmed during the same time period. I'm not sure how much of the KC audience is made up of subscribers and local residents, but I think people may prefer to have their ballet performances more spread out over the course of the year. Also surprised that the KC has shoved so many of the ballet companies into slots in the dead of winter. I know DC winters may not be as brutal as other cities in the Northeast, but still...

I'm clearing my schedule. Hope they bring worthwhile casts.

This new production is going to be presented at the Kennedy Center in Jan 2016, per KC's press release today re next season's offerings.

Jan 19-24, 2016. Natl Ballet of Canada bringing Wheeldon's Winter's Tale to the Kennedy Center.

Great news. Kennedy Center announced its offerings for next season. The Mariinsky is bringing Raymonda (Feb 23-28, 2016).

Mr. Abatt, in his youth, drove a limo to make extra money on nights and weekends. He is a major sci fi fan, so imagine his thrill when Leonard Nimoy was his passenger. (This was about 20 years ago.) Drivers were not permitted to initiate chit chat with the passengers, but he still fondly recalls Mr. Nimoy in his back seat. Six degrees of Leonard Nimoy.

That wouldn't be the first time that people on the far right miss important action. Having sat in a right side parterre box during my early ABT years, I learned the hard way that you miss a great deal of the R&J balcony scene if you are too far right. Although I was at the performance, the closest I came to taking it in was the review a few days later that talked about how great the balcony scene was. Live and learn. Have never sat in a side box for the ballet since.

Yes, Vipa, that is my recollection too. Tiler did the workshop, but she was not available to do the show ultimately because it conflicted with the Susan Stroman show Little Dancer.

The above NY Times article says the Ratmansky production is 3 hours, including 2 intermissions. It also says that the Mariinsky reconstruction was 4 hours, but Ratmansky is not using all of the reconstructed material.

Here's a NY Tiimes articke and slide show on the new SB http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/01/arts/dance/ratmanskys-new-sleeping-beauty-looks-back-to-1890.html?ref=arts&_r=0

DeCoster - Boylston does do Giselle with ABT. I believe she is cast in the spring. She debuted in the role last spring. Hammoudi is replacing Whiteside as the lead in SB next week in the performances in Cal. I think that will tell a lot about whether he is suitable for promotion. So far I have not been impressed, but I think ABT needs more tall, strong men as principals, and he fits that bill. I thought it was very interesting that they taught Hammoudi the role of Siegfried and he performed it once in Australia. However, they did not cast him again in that role for the spring. That isn't exactly a vote of confidence from management.

Casting update. The ABT website indicates that Whiteside is replaced in SB for the California performances. Hammoudi replaces Whiteside in the lead role of Prince Desire, and Hoven replaces Whiteside as Bluebird. Looking forward to hearing reports. Hope this isn't a long term injury for Whitside.

PRINCIPAL DANCER TILER PECK DANCES INTO ON THE TOWN FOR SIX PERFORMANCES ONLY New York City Ballet principal dancer Tiler Peck will step into the role of ‘Ivy Smith’ in the new Broadway revival of ON THE TOWN this March for six performances only, while her fellow New York City Ballet principal dancer, and sister-in law, Megan Fairchild is on vacation. Peck will play the role at the following performances: March 3rd at 7pm, March 4th at 2pm and 8pm, March 14th at 2pm and 8pm, and March 15th at 3pm.

Subscriber exchange week begins on Sunday March 15 and runs through Sat March 21. I don't know, but I'm assuming single tixs sales start on Sunday Mar 22 for the general public. You can call the Met and find out for sure. The general public is given one week to buy tixs before dynamic pricing potentially kicks in.

She was always very friendly and welcoming. She left us too soon.

Resented by who? Why do you assume that Mearns, Peck, Bouder or anyone else resents Misty because she is "better known". What's the basis for that assertion?

These ladies don't need a PR machine to gain fame. Their dancing speaks for itself, and they engage in numerous projects outside of NYCB that they find artistically gratifying. Tiler Peck starred in a musical recently, and also recently starred in a televised NY Philharmonic production of Carousel. Bouder performs all over the world. She receives invitations from many top ranked ballet companies and international festivals. Mearns has numerous outside projects, and was recnetly dubbed by the lead critic of the NY Times as one of America's leading ballerinas (not an exact quote, but that was the gist. That's publicity enough.

I'd like to see Russell Janzen try Apollo next season. I hope they give him the role. As for the potential casts of Sylphide, all the casts don't necessarily have to have tall men. I could see a short man in the role. Huxley? Since Bournonville Divert. is on the same program, maybe Huxley will star in that ballet instead. I hope Ashly Isaacs can return during the spring season. She is a very exciting dancer.

J.Lo's dress was also by Elie Saab. And with this post I move into the Emeralds Circle.

I think the chemistry issue makes an especially big difference in a full length romantic tragedy like R&J. It must have been very difficult for Lovette and Stanley on Sunday afternoon because I doubt they had much if any rehearsal time together. Chase did not appear to have any injuries throughout the Saturday matinee.

Based on what ATM711 said above, Chase was replaced on Sunday afternoon?

Scarlett Johanson - Kermit the frog's song , "it ain't easy being green..." comes to mind. Too much green, and green statement necklace too overwhelming.. Rosamund Pike looked great. Lupita's dress was gorgeous, but she made a major goof in announcing the award. She thought she was at the SAGs.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/23/vail-international-dance-festival-announces-new-program/?ref=arts&_r=0 Carla Korbes will be the dancer in residence this season. Lineup sounds great, as usual. Only thing that sounds odd is Herman Cornejo as Apollo. He's too short, in my opinion, for that role.

Brief R&J note. Though I dislike the production, I also thought Lovette and Finlay were excellent. Maybe it's because they are dating, but their great chemistry made a huge difference here. They perfectly embodied their characters. An excellent performance, especially from Lovette. Finlay needed to work out a few partnering issues, but it was still a quite wonderful first performance. I also saw the evenign performance with Tiler Peck and Z. Catazaro. It was well danced, and Peck is very musical. She was a more sophisticated and worldly Juliet than Lovette. However, there was no partiuclar chemistry between the two leads that made this memorable or heart breaking.