abatt

This one looks like a pass for me, especially since I have already made two trips to DC in 2012 (January for the Mariinsky triple bill, June for Bolshoi's Coppelia). The decision for me may ultimately turn on what ABT decides to perform at City Center here in New York, as their engagement occurs during the same week as the Mariinsky DC engagement. Hopefully, ABT will not pull the same stunt as last season of selecting only works that do not require an orchestra.

There is a gorgeous slide show from NY Times of photos from three of the R&Js of this run (Vishneva/Gomes, Cojo/Kobborg, Osip/Hallb) here:

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/06/22/arts/dance/20120622_ABT_SS.html?ref=dance

Oddly, I could not find an article/review accompanying the slide show. Enjoy the photos.

I would like to know whether their ticket revenues increased or decreased as a result of this new scheme of closing down the 3rd and 4th rings. I guess those stats are not yet available.

Yes, that laughter! It was coming from the older couple, sitting next to us in the orchestra. Actually, the whole ballet amused them very much, because they laughed at each movement. Pas de bourre couru seemed especially hilarious..

During the bedroom scene, when they started laughing, people in rows in front of them were turning heads to see what is wrong with them.

I was sitting up in the balcony and I heard laughter at the above mentioned points. It was more than two people. There were enough people laughing that it could be heard throughout the house on Monday. Weird.

Alina was a pleasure as Juliet. It was a lovely performance. It was not overplayed - just right. I've come to the conclusion that I'm not a big fan of Kobborg. I know he's no youngster, but his performance early in the ballet when he dances w. his friends before entering the ball was very poorly done. He seemed to warm up and improve as the ballet went on. Sometimes he looked like he was marking the steps instead of performing full out. I fail to understand why ABT keeps inviting him, unless Alina requires it as part of a package deal. Also, does anyone else here feel that he wears way too much makeup?

Justice for Thibault, indeed. Sigh.

Is the casting for the US tour available aywhere?

The casting for the NY portion of the tour is available on the LIncoln Center website:

http://lincolncenterfestival.org/index.php/2012-paris-opera-ballet-mixed-program

You can click on the link for each of the 3 programs they are presenting to get the casting for every performance.

ABT has updated the casting on its internet site. Based on Copeland's injury, Osipova will now be doing both performances of Firebird on Sat June 23. Osipova is also doing her previously scheduled performance of Firebird on June 21. Boylston remains in her previously scheduled Firebird on June 22.

No info on Copeland's replacement as Gulnare during the Corsaire run.

Ferri and Bocca remain my gold standard for this ballet.

Yes, I noticed the thing you're referring to California regarding the running sequence. To me, it was another example of how she needs to better calibrate certain aspects of her performance in this ballet. Small adjustments in her performance would yield signficant improvements in the overall dramatic arc of her character.

I attended the Monday evening performance w. Hallberg, Osipova and Cornejo. Osipova is fascinating to watch, and she can and does fly through the air like a rocket. However, I thought some of her performance lacked nuance. I don't think she has performed the role many times, and so her Juliet is a work in progress. I don't think she has the upper body fluidity that someone like Vishneva has. Also, sometimes she takes thing to an extreme that is counterproductive. In the scene where she is forced to dance w. Paris in her bedroom, the ballerina is supposed to be somewhat limp (foreshadowing what will happen in the final scene). Osipova took it such an extreme that she practically collapsed to the floor, evoking laughter from the audience. I've been going to R&J for about 15 years, and have never heard laughter at that moment. However, later in that same scene I liked what she did to show her revulsion, as she pulled her body in extreme positions away from Paris (Hammoudi). Also, when she's sitting on the bed hatching her plan to visit the Friar for the sleeping potion, she went from extreme sadness to having a huge grin. It just doesn't ring true.Sometimes less is more in this ballet. I also felt that her reaction to her first kiss with Romeo during the balcony scene was too over the top. Having said all these things, I must admit that much of her dancing was wonderful, and her childlike face and small size enhance the tragedy of the story. Hallberg has the most beautiful lines of any man at ABT, and he was goregous, especially in the balcony scene. The height and speed of his movements (and Osipova's) conveyed the urgency of their love. Sascha Radetsky (tybalt) played the sword fighting scene where he kills Mercutio as though he was completely drunk. Everyone who has seen Cornejo dance Mercutio already knows how wonderful he is in that role. Quick turns, great height on the jumps. Simkin danced an excellent Benvolio.

The audience went nuts after the balcony scene, and continued to applaud until Hallberg and Osipova came in front of the curtain. Normally, there are no intermission bows at ABT. Had to head out pretty quickly at the end of the show, but I'm sure the ovation must have been enormous. I was glad to have seen this performance, and Osipova is an astonishing dancer in many ways, but it did not rival Friday's Vishneva/Gomes performance. It seemed that the performance last night was very, very well sold.

I miss Freddie Franklin as the Friar. Without him the role is a total bore.

Does anyone know whether Bayadere and La Source from Paris Opera Ballet will be shown in New York City? They are also on the Emerging Pictures Ballet In Cinema website.

http://www.nytimes.c....html?ref=dance

This article relates (linked) indirectly to your question. NYCB recently named a new chairman (Jay Fishman) from outside the Board. The article refers to this as "unusual". The suggestion is that Fishman might be able to reach new potential donors for NYCB.

I'm less worried about Vasiliev's four consecutive Ali's than I am about Steifel's Ali's on Monday and Saturday.

Wasn't Gomes originally scheduled to do Ali the Slave at the July 4 performance?

ABT has put on much worse in the past. Does anyone recall the Pied Piper or HereAfter? How about MacMillan's Anastasia? How about Citizen, in which David Hallberg had to wear a bustier? Ratmansky's best works are where he is creating a ballet from scratch, without a prior history associated between the score and a ballet. I still think Russian Seasons and Concerto DSCH are his best work. In Firebird and Nutcracker, he seems to try hard to avoid making his work look like the work of others who have previously choreographed the same ballet. This objective can easily backfire.

^{_{The opening night playbill had an insert listing who made the Firedbird possible. David H. Koch was at the top of the list. Based on that I'm sure there will be plenty of money available to tinker with the details. People will be forced to see this again if they want to see the Dream, because they stuck it in as the second ballet on the program for every performance of the Dream. At least it's last, so you can leave early.}}

I enjoyed the Bourne SL. It was different, but it was musical and well choreographed. The Aussie SL, in my opinion, had none of those positive attributes.

No reports on the Saturday R&J's?

Hi everyone. I went to the Aussie Swan Lake on Sat afternoon. I left at the first intermission, deciding that life was too short (and the day too lovely) to waste on watching the rest of this awful ballet. Glad I didn't miss much in Acts II and III. I left with a new appreciation of NYCB and ABT. Even the worst ballet by Peter Martins is more pleasurable than this Swan Lake. Glad I only paid $29 for my ticket.

It seemed odd that MacCauley was complaining that Chase Finlay was underutilized. Wasn't he injured until recently? Of course they would start him off slowly when he is returning after a long period of absence.

Loved the performance of Vishneva and Gomes as well. I suspect that R&J will not be performed next season. They will probably do Manon instead.

There is a very intersting interview with Kevin McKenzie in the NY Times regarding his 20 year tenure as artistic director of ABT. One of the most interesting points relates to morale at the company with regards to the fact that ABT hires so many guest artists for the Met season. (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/17/arts/dance/american-ballet-theaters-director-kevin-mckenzie.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all).

McKenzie seems to suggest that there is nothing wrong with being a "flagship soloist" or a "junior principal" at ABT.

I think a lot of people would take a different view. Stella Abrera, just to name one person, has been performing principal roles for years at ABT, but she does not receive the pay of a principal. Nor does she receive the status of being a principal, although she is doing principal work. In spite of the foregoing, she no longer seems to be on a principal track at ABT, and it seems less and less likely that she will be promoted.

I thought this would be an interesting topic for discussion.

The design elements are the least of the problems with this Firebird. The choreography is at the heart of what's wrong here. Even if you changed the sets and costumes, it would, in my opinion, still be a very poorly constructed ballet.

Hi Natalia. I'm not planning on seeing the Boylston Swan Lake. Another time, though.

^{I went to the matinee, but left after Apollo. Couldn't stand the thought of seeing Firebird again. I completely agree with Natalia that Devon Teucher was absolutely wonderful. Whereas Hee Seo was hanging on for dear life in executing the solo for Polyphmnia on Monday, Devon sailed through it with grace, lyricism and beauty. Can't wait to see more of Devon. Gomes' Apollo was a complete departure from Hallberg's. Gomes was virile, vivid and robust. I enjoyed his performance because he made the most of the role to suit his own personal best attributes. Couldn't take Semionova's non stop ear to ear smile. She was fine, but Part was awesome on Monday. Sorry I missed you Natalia!}