abatt

Maybe she just want to spend Christmas with her family instead of doing ABT Nutcracker for a change.

Abrera as Clara! I must go. No Hallberg. Drats No Gomes or Part?? No Reyes, Cornejo or Simkin? Strange. I guess their absence left room open for more soloists to get lead roles. Also, the loss of Yuriko and Jared left open the possibility of role debuts for some other soloists.

Here's some more info on the opening night gala. In an attempt to increase the level of excitement, Martins has hired Carolina Hererra to create new costumes for Morgen. I'm assuming we'll see Mearns in Kistler's old role. http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/03/city-ballet-plans-a-fashionable-fall-gala/?module=BlogPost-Title&version=Blog

Have to agree with cubanmiamiboy and mimsyb on this one. Though it's difficult to judge from limited clips, I wasn't terribly impressed. I have to wonder how much training she received for the role. I also think she would do better with additional performances under her belt, but it's doubtful whether those opportunities will ever come to her at ABT.

Vishneva has lined up an advertising gig with a fancy French hair care product maker, Kerastase. Here's the video of the ad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSnErk3QUMk&list=UUKYf9tk2zzRQwFCmTm8FU9Q

Thanks for posting that. What a fabulous performance. Even if it turns out that he can't act or sing, it will be worth it to see this show. The usual Broadway run involves 8 shows a week. That's a heavy load. Hope he can handle that schedule. Can't wait to see this show on Broadway.

Vishneva rarely comes to DC anymore.

This is a link to an interesting article about conducting for the ballet. I thought the Bolshoi orchestra sounded more vibrant than any other ballet orchestra I've ever heard. Also have to agree that certain Stravinsky music would be unbearable in concert, but is perfectly wonderful in the context of ballet. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/03/arts/dance/dance-conductors-keep-watch-while-they-keep-tempo.html?mabReward=RI%3A10&action=click&contentCollection=Music&region=Footer&module=Recommendation&src=recg&pgtype=article#

I normally go out to DC almost every season to see the Mariinsky, but this season I'll pass. No interest in spending money for transportation and hotel to see Sacre. I would have enjoyed seeing the rest of the program, but not enough to go to DC.

FFD is critic proof. Tickets sell no matter what's on the program.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/31/business/media/under-armour-heads-off-the-sidelines-for-a-campaign-aimed-at-women.html# This is an article from the NY Times about Misty's latest endorsement deal with an underwear company. Here's the link to her new TV commercial http://jezebel.com/misty-copelands-new-under-armour-ad-is-a-testament-to-p-1613929168

At last, some info on the companies appearing at the FFD festival http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/30/two-dozen-companies-on-board-for-fall-for-dance/?ref=arts# Additonal details can be found by clicking on the press release http://www.nycitycenter.org/Home/About-Us/Press-Room

Ratmansky is a critic's darling, but not so much with members of the general public of balletgoers. That, at least, has been my impression based on attendance here in NYC.

It's easy for Macauley to complain that the programs were too conservative. He didn't put up any of the money to make this tour happen. The presenters needed bankable shows, which is what they got.

Bussell, Guillem and Durante were among the greatest dancers of their generation. It's ridiculous to speak about Copeland in the same breath. Yes, thank you for clarifying the point Nanushka.

I don't think you can compare KC prices with other venues like the Koch or the Met. KC is America's national performing arts center, and in part it is a federally funded operation> I think their ticket prices are much fairer than most other venues because federal funds are part of the equation.

I know a lot of companies do After the Rain. However, it's odd that two companies have the license in the same city during the same time period. I have to give kudos to Ailey's newish director, Robert Battle (appointed 2 or 3 years ago) for exploring interesting new rep for the Ailey company like After the Rain and Chroma.

I actually think that Lincoln Center could have charged a lot more initially for Bolshoi tickets and also did not need to offer any package discounts initially. Demand was huge, and Lincoln Center Festival grossly underestimated the pent ujp demand for tickets. While I agree that the "home team" of ABT and NYCB should keep their prices down to attract new audiences and fill giant patches of empty seats every night, I don't think that applies to a visitiing Russian company liike the prestigious Bolshoi. I'm sure this venture of bringing so many people here for two weeks (not to mention all the people they brought for the Tsar's Bride) costs a small fortune. They should be able to recoup and make a big profit under the circumstance. God knows Lincoln Center Festival and its honchos needed a big hit after last year's Monkey Journey to the Earth.

"If Copeland is self-promoting herself to the degree it seems, it's still not on the scale of what I'd see in London during the 1990s where it seemed Sylvie Guillem, Darcey Bussell and/or Viviana Durante were plastered on every street corner in the city between public transport, magazine covers, newsstands, posters, etc." There's a big difference, Guillem, Bussell and Durante became famous because they were great dancers, not because of their race, ethnicity or personal history. Their great fame and fortune followed on the heels of their marvelous performances and ecstatic reviews from the critics. In contrast, Misty's celebrity is based on race and an unusual personal story. She is not famous for the exceptional quality of her dancing. Re Hamoudi,he is not ready for this role either. I think they made a big mistake in promoting him to soloist over certain other tall men like Tamm and Forster, and now they are trying to figure out what to do with him.

For people who are not subscribers or donors, FYI the cheapest ticket price for the farewell will be $62 ($59 plus $3 faciltiy fee).

Interesting tidbit. Wheeldon has licensed After the Rain to the Alvin Ailey Company, which will perform it beginning in Dec 2014 http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/28/ailey-american-dance-theater-to-offer-odetta-tribute/?ref=arts# Presumably Ailey will perform the entire ballet, not just the pdd. The first section, to my recollection, had pointe work, so that will have to be adapted and changed. NYCB is doing the After the Rain pdd in Oct 2014. Very odd that one or the other company did not demand exclusive license to the work in New York City during these virtually identical time periods. Is there so little overlap between the Ailey audience and the NYCB audience that neither company cared about exclusivity?

This program is produced by Ardani. It's a money making venture for all involved. Hiring San Jose Ballet would have cut into the bottom line and watered down the profits for Danilian, Osipova and Vasiliev. I do hope they do Jeune Homme, since it doesn't require any additional performers.

Did anyone notice how much self tanning makeup Spartacus was wearing. During the pdd with Phrygia in Act II, half of it ended up on her costume.

I have a historical question. When did these types of acrobatic moves that became common in Soviet figure skating (pairs) begin. Was it before Grigorovich? Some of the choreography in Spartacus looks very much like elements in pairs skating.

I doubt that the Hamoudi - Copeland performance will be reviewed in the press, as it is buried in a Wed matinee late in the run. I think they decided to teach the role to a short in house ballerina because they now have two short Siegfrieds (Cornejo and Simkin), but only one small in house O/O (Boylston). If they are truly serious about continuing to let Herman dance the lead in SL, they need to find him an inhouse partner. For two years they tried to set him up with Cojocaru, and for two years Cojocaru has cancelled. The first time, the cancellation was early enough for them to get Kochetkova to fill in. The second time, the cancellation was too late in the game, and Herman got screwed out of his SL performance. Certainly, they could have fixed Hamoudi up with Part or anyone else because he is so tall he can partner anyone. The goal, I think, was a longer term goal of teaching it to a short woman so that Herman, in future seasons, might have a partner in SL without looking to other companies. I'm sure Stella's reasons for staying at ABT are good ones. Financial stability, good benefits, and the ability to continue living in NYC. In addition, leaving ould have meant separation from Sascha unless they went elsewhere together. When Sascha returned from his stint in Europe and came back to ABT, he mentioned in interviews that the separation from his wife made him unhappy, and that it was more important for them to be together than to continue chasing after lead roles in Europe. I've seen them together on the Upper West Side, and they seem very much in love.