abatt

As always, thanks mussel!

Maybe more people would go in New York if the showings weren't at 11 AM on Sundays. Big Cinema is using the Emerging Pictures films as fillers for time slots when none of their regular customers would ever attend a movie anyway. This time slot made sense when they were actually being shown as a live simulcast. However, since that practice has been abandoned, the 11AM Sunday time slot is just annoying.

Did anyone attend the Roberto Bolle and Friends show at City Center? How was it?

Cobweb, I will be very interested to hear reports on Bouder's performance tonight. I read a recent interview with Bouder (forgot which publication) in which she stated that she was working to improve her Odette and, in general, wants to add adagio roles to her rep. (The gist of the interview is that Bouder feels she is typically cast in allegro parts, but she knows that she must work her way into other types of roles as she ages.)

I have always preferred Act II of Giselle over Act I. The choreography in Act II is sublime if done well. The Mad Scene depends more on acting that on dancing, and very few ballerinas are convincing in the Mad Scene.

I would love to see Mearns with Gomes. An ABT-NYCB mash up. Oh well, probably will never happen, but I can dream...

We will never know exactly what was said by DePrince. We only know Johnson's interpretation of the situation. However, DTH is now just beginning to get back on its feet after years of financial difficulties. Dutch National Ballet is a well regarded and well established ballet company that has a more extensive performance schedule and a diverse rep, includng the classics. To make the decision to dance with Dutch Natl Ballet seem like it was based solely on racial issues is highly questionable, unless Johnson is using "white company" as some kind of shorthand for a financially stable company that performs traditional classics. The fact that she characterizes Micaelas' departure as "We lost one", instead of as a positive for Micaela, suggests that she was not happy with Micaela's defection.

I thought Johnson's assertion that Micaela de Prince quit DTH for Dutch Natl Ballet because she wanted to dance with a "white company" insulting and dismissive.

Yes, last night was a terrific beginning to the season. Sara Mearns was exquisite in every way. Truly a magnificent performance. Beautifully flexible spine, expressive arms, and facial expressions that allow you to read the entire story in her eyes. Sometimes I worry about her in the fouettes section of act III, but she nailed it. Jared is kind a blank for me too Ceeszi. He is a good and reliable partner, but I often feel like he is barely muddling through the technical demands of his solos. Ulbricht did a wonderful job as the Jester, but he didn't seem quite as over-the-top as he has in the past. Huxley was terrific as Benno, and Pollack and Pereira acquited themselves well in the pas de trois. The pas de quarre was performed to perfection. The four little swans were out of sync, expecially in the beginning of the variation. The orchestra's pace was too fast most of the time. The house looked sold out. Still on a high from Mearns' brilliant performance.

I hope this isn't because the Bolshoi issued an ultimatum that it had to have exclusivity for ballet film screenings. Why are people so afraid of competition? There is enough demand in the marketplace so that people will go to see both the Bolshoi and the RB. By the way, for those who want to see the Royal Opera House opera in cinema in New York, Symphony Space on the Upper West Side, through a partnership with WQXR, will be showing these productions. (Nothing listed for the RB screenings, though) . You may recall that Peter Gelb prohibits any movie chain carrying the Met Live In HD shows from showing the Royal Opera House opera in cinema offerings.

Wow. Osipova and Vladamir Shklyrov (spelling?) in Giselle. I'm jealous. You should definitely go. I think Giselle is one of her best roles. Has Osipova danced with the Mariinsky before?

I'm actually enjoying Prodigal a lot less than I used to. We were spoiled by having two incredible Prodigals (Woetzel and Boal) perform the role for many, many years. Neither of the Prodigals I've seen among the current roster (Ulbricht and DeLuz) are comparable, in my opinion. Such a pity Woetzel is not brought in to coach these dancers.

I'm looking forward to the upcoming visits by the Bolshoi (Giselle) and the Mariinsky (SL) to the Kennedy Center in 2014. I'm also looking forward to the Bolshoi's anticipated visit to New York during the summer of 2014. Let's hope that the Mariinsky brings at least a few "A List" principals for the engagement. Most immediately, I'm looking forward to Sara Mearns' Swan Lake tomorrow.

See Mearns if you go. Second choice is Reichlin. I like Bouder in many things, but Odette is not a great role for her.

Misty Copeland is not cast in any ballets during the Koch fall season.

It was last September around this time that ABT announced that Vasiliev was joining as a principal at ABT. So if I were making bets, I would bet that the announcement will relate to promotiion(s), not a change in management.

I think Hallberg became a more interesting dancer after he went to the Bolshoi. I think the level of training and coaching there elevated his skills in a numberr of ways. Interesting that he states that he believes Osipova has her own visioin of things. In my opinion, that's not always a good thing. I thought that Osipova took too many liberties with the choreography for Juliet sometimes, and turned it from drama to melodrama.

Although the Bolshoi visit to NY in the summer of 2014 seemed like a "done deal" from reading the Bolshoi press release, today's NYTimes, in it's annual Season Preview issue, suggests that negotiations are still underway regarding the engagment. The Times states, Lincoln Center is still discussing a Bolshoi season in New York. If that happens, the city may see two aspects of David Hallberg — dancing both with Ballet Theater and the Moscow troupe.

On a side note, the NY Philharmonic's performance of a Dancer's Dream, which featured Sara Mearns and Amar Ramasar with the NY Phil, is going to be broadcast in cinemas this month. (The performances were in June 2013). At least it's an opportunity to see some NYCB dancers in the cinema.

Hilarious. Thanks.

I understand your point, KFW. However, if Brown wanted to broaden the audience, NYCB wouldn't be playing this game of controlling the supply of tickets. The way she has approached reaching financial goals has diminished the audience, rather than broadened it, in my opinion.

I think that Katherine Brown is a hypocrite. She was the architect of the NYCB policy of closing down the third and fourth rings, thereby eliminating large numbers of affordable seats. (Even when the fourth ring is open, the seat prices are so overpriced that they frequently don't sell, except for Nutcracker and SL.) The fact that she is now paying lip service to the idea of broadening the NYCB audience through live film is comical under the circumstances. If NYCB wants to broaden the audience, they should open up the higher rings for every show and price them reasonably. Then more people could afford to come see the show live and in person at the theater. Unlike the Bolshoi, which the article tells us is always sold out, NYCB is often less than half full, in part due to the pricing policies and ring closures used by NYCB.

Raymonda is a great ballet, which makes me wonder why ABT has not revived it for more than 10 years. I'm guessing that the politically incorrect aspects of the plot may be a factor in ABT's decision.

A Dancer's Dream, which featured Sara Mearns in performance w. the NY Philharmonic, will be carried in certain movie theaters in September. Here is a link where you can find out if it will play in your area. http://nyphil.org/dancers-dream.html In New York City it will be shown at Cinema 1,2,3 on the East Side on Sept 12 at 7PM.

I'm not sure, but thanks for posting that youtube video. Really fun commercial to watch. (I also recall seeing an old commercial on youtube with Angel Corella and Gwyneth Paltrow that aired in Spain that was fun. Totally off topic.)