abatt

Yes, sad to see Paloma leave. I recall when she and Angel were the ABT youngsters. The end of an era. Better to leave when you're still in good form than to drag it out to the point where the entire audience is painfully aware of your limitations and diminished state.

It looks like these Boston Ballet tickets are selling poorly, based on a few random dates I clicked on to. Going head to head with Swan Lake at ABT is tough, especially given the mostly unappealing rep that BB is bringing.

I think they must read this board, because I couldn't see any program info when I clicked into Sept or Oct. Maybe they deleted it to increase the "surprise" factor. But I like your detective work! Are there any full length works scheduled (Swan Lake, SB, R&J)

I wouldn't be surprised if Vasiliev showed up as Spartacus for the Bolshoi tour. We'll see.

The NYCB homepage says that subscriptions for 2014-2015 will go on sale starting Wed, May 7. No info posted about the rep yet.

Re Vasiliev: Two performances over an eight week season? And he is not injured? He's performed in Bayadere and Copelia in prior years with ABT, so he knows the roles and is suited for them. Seems very strange.

I recently read in the NY Times that a small experimental theater group from Moscow had cancelled its planned appearance in Virginia because the City of Moscow withdrew its funding for the US appearance due to the tensions between the US and Russia.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is Vasiliev's last season at ABT as a principal. Does he have some pressing engagements during the rest of the season that only allow him to appear w. ABT for the first week of the season in Don Q? There is no reason he couldn't have done the Bayadere w. Murphy. (He is doing a pas with Murphy from Bayadere on opening night). He and Osipova turned out to be very unreliable.

Which are the roles associated with Clara Schumann? Is it the first listed woman (Mearns in cast 1 and Reichlin in cast 2)? I have a tough time picturing Reichlin in that role.

AT NYCB, the pdd is frequently performed alone, but the work has never been performed without the pdd.

Since Wheeldon has given (I mean sold) performance rights to After the Rain to numerous ballet companies, it seems incongruous to assert that he doesn't want the pdd of that ballet on video because it is associated with Wendy Whelan. The entire heart and guts of the ballet is the pdd.

Yes, it is great to see this masterpiece Davidsbundlertanze back on the stage. It has been gone for too many years. I know some people find this ballet an unbearable bore, but I love it.

They may not have opened up the third and fourth rings yet for certain shows. It is a crazy system.

Given the way the Bourne company operates (with a very limited number of lead dancers who perform every evening or every other evening) he intentionally creates "easy" choreography. He cannot afford to lose dancers to injury on a regular basis, and so he does not ask much of the dancers in terms of technique. I think the vocabulary is intentionally thin because of the nature of his company.

I wish they would announce the secondary casting for Don Q - Espada and Mercedes. I guess they are assuming Cory will be back in action for week 4 in Manon.

I attended last night's performance. There were some important debuts in Year of the Rabbit. Tiler Peck was explosive (in the role originated by Bouder). I haven't seen much of Harrison Ball or focused on him much in the past, but based on what I saw last night, he has a bright future at NYCB. Gorgeous lines and excellent technique (in the role originated by DeLuz). The other important debut was Lauren Lovette (in the role originated by Janie Taylor). She and Craig Hall performed the adagio pdd. It was an expressive, romantic interlude. I'm liking this work more every time I see it. Wish I could say I like Stravaganza with each additional viewing. It was a choice of wandering the streets in the pouring rain in order to avoid Stravaganza or sitting in my seat. I sat in my seat. I chose the wrong option. DGV is one of my favorite Wheeldon ballets, and the cast was terrific -especially Tyler Angle and Maria K. Considering that there was a mandatory See the Music before Rabbit, plus the new JR at the beginning of the evening, the program lasted too long, in my opinion. Switching gears, the casting is up for week 3. It seems to be the season of Lauren Lovette. (No complaints about it from me.) She will debut in Raymonda Variations during week 3. Also a large number of exciting debuts in Robert Schumann's Davidsbundertanze during week 3.

Thanks California. It's going to be shown on New York's Channel 13 on May 2 at 9PM.

Oh my. Christian Lacroix is known for some pretty bold colors. This should be interesting. Somehow the use of color in this ballet diminishes its elegance.

The JR piece was always intended as a short term work that would not become part of the rep. The performances depend on the availabiltiy of LIl Buck. Nobody at NYCB performs "jookin" (nor should they). Actually, I think more young people know Lil Buck than JR. Lil Buck appeared with Madonna at the half time show for the SuperBowl a few years ago, and he makes regular appearances on rapper videos. He's a busy guy.

I think the choreography used by the Mariinsky is the same as the NYCB version. They just use different costumes. I didn't like the Mariinksy's costumes for this ballet.

I think "street artist" is a phrase meant to signify a few things. First, his subjects generally are ordinary people, not celebrities or models. Second, his art installations are often displayed on the streets in public spaces, rather than at museums. He is certainly talented and trained in photography. He has a website where you can gain a greater understanding of his numerous projects.

Actually, while I don't support the idea of giving JR the job of choreographer, he is an accomplished photographer. The art installation by JR that was installed during the winter season on the promenade level of the Koch Theater was very impressive and exhibited a high level of skill and creativity. JR is famous in connection with his photography, I believe.

I think JR should stick to photography. The new JR piece wasn't awful, but it wasn't distinguished in any way either. As noted in a recent NY Times article, the opening motif "borrows" from Balanchine's Four T's. At 10 minutes in length, it was a harmless trifle. I'm not a big fan of hip hop, so the dancing of Lil Buck didn't do a thing for me. Lauren Lovette's choreography was classical ballet on pointe, but nothing too demanding. The house was crowded, but I'm not sure if that was due to interest in JR. The audience reaction was positive. The performances in Barber Violin Concerto were terrific. Mearns, in particular, was riveting and intense. I haven't seen Herman Shmerman in quite some time. These sexy romps where Maria K. can strut around in a bodysuit and twist her long limbs into all kinds of impossible positions are fun to watch. Amar Ramasar was a terrific partner. I only recall seeing Albert Evans in the role previously, and I thought Amar brought a lot more energy to the part than I had ever seen before. Namouna was brilliantly danced, but its length can be frustrating. Bouder's effervescent footwork in the cigarette role was dazzling. Mearns was a fearless force of nature. Hyltin's elegant refinement made her difficult choreography look like a breeze. Robbie Fairchild's charismatic charm is perfect for the role. As usual, Ulbricht's high flying jumps were amazing. It was an excellent way to begin the season, and so wonderful in particular to see Wendy Whelan back where she belongs. (Just noticed that there is a review up on the NY Times website, with a photo from the JR ballet.)

Happy to report that Wendy Whelan was in fine form last night (with Tyler Angle) in This Bitter Earth. The excitement regarding her return was palpable during the tumultuous applause at the curtain calls. No time right now to write about the remainder of the program.

Agreed, Play without Words was fantastic and original. I think the best Bourne ballet which is a reworking of a classic warhorse is Swan Lake. I saw his Sleeping Beauty live, but I was not a fan of it. The production values were very good, though.