abatt

I don't think that would accomplish the goal of enhancing safety. It is the un-vaccinated who pose significant danger of spreading the disease.

Since a significant portion of NYCB's income would be lost if they required proof of vaccination (ie, no kids under 12), I think they will not require proof of vaccination unless Cuomo orders that all indoor venues for performing arts have this requirement. This is obviously a big issue for things like Radio City Christmas Show, the Nutcracker and other programs where kids make up a significant portion of the audience. Personally, I think NYCB should just reduce the number of Nutcracker shows, and use some of that performance calendar time for rep programs.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwopera/article/The-Met-Opera-Will-Require-Audience-Members-to-Provide-Proof-of-Vaccination-20210728 Any audience member who cannot prove he has been vaccinated is barred from entering the Met Opera. NYCB talks a good game about protecting the audience, but if that protection was really the goal they too would ban people who are not vaccinated from the theater. This will not happen because their Nutcracker sales would tank. Kids under 12, who are not presently eligible to take the vaccine , are the bread and butter of Nutcracker ticket sales.

If I'm reading the press release correctly, they are planning on using the sets (and costume?)s from a 1987 production of Giselle used in the film Dancers. That is different from the version they regularly use at the MET. I presume this is because the sets they use at the MET don't fit on the stage of the Koch. I've been doing a little reading up on the 1987 production and sets, and the press I have found seemed to be very negative about this production. Anyone recall the 1987 production? Since there are six Giselle shows, I presume there will be three casts - Hee Seo, Boylston for sure. The rest of the rep is deeply disappointing. The only ballet I will make an effort to see is Pillar, but only if Murphy is playing Hagar. It is one of her best roles.

Whoever runs IT at the company is doing a very poor job.

Here is what the email says: To support this goal, everyone coming to Carnegie Hall will be required to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 with a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization in order to enter the building. There is no info on the documentation required to prove the vaccine. They are also getting rid of intermissions through December 2021, and program times are limited to 90 minutes through December 2021. Since there is almost nothing scheduled during 2021 (except a Jonas Kaufmann concert in October), this doesn't really make much difference. Anyway, I fully expect Mr. Kaufmann to cancel, as he usually does.

Just got an email from Carnegie Hall stating that all ticket holders must show proof of vaccination. I support that policy, but they should have made that requirement known BEFORE they began selling subscriptions several weeks ago.

I agree. It's absurd that they think spending time on the promenade during intermission is somehow more dangerous than being in an enclosed auditorium for the performance. If they really wanted to increase safety, they would require proof of vaccination for all audience members. This is what some Broadway shows are doing. However, that would be a disaster for their bottom line since kids under 12 are their bread and butter for Nutcracker.

So when will Abi Stafford leave?

I suspect there will be pauses of about 5 minutes between each piece. We'll see I think this will cause a lot of parading in and out of the auditorium during the performance, and problems for the ushers. People who must use the restroom are going to leave and expect to be let back into the auditorium.

FYI, the NY Philharmonic also announced that there will be no intermissions. I hope people have strong bladders. The end of the show will see unprecedented bathroom lines. I wonder if they will continue their prior policy of opening the theater an hour before curtain time at the Koch Theater. I didn't really care about the social aspect for the Philharmonic because I usually don't know anyone there except my husband. In contrast, at NYCB I usually know many people and speaking to friends at intermission is part of the joy of attending the show. I will certainly miss seeing friends at intermission on the Promenade, especially since I have not seen most of these friends since February 2020. The only plus here is that everyone will get home early, and we will not be forced to sit through any more See the Music lectures.

I think some of the vitriol directed at Osipova was based on cumulative experiences with her, and that this episode was the last straw. She has a long and extensive history of cancellations for flimsy reasons at the Mikhalovsky (spelling?) and elsewhere.

Maybe if Osipova has called him directly and offered a reasonable explanation instead of having her fiance make the call things would have gone more smoothly?

Interesting article regarding a feud between Osipova and the "Banana King" https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/18/arts/dance/natalia-osipova-mikhailovsky-feud.html

The partnership of Cornejo and Lane goes back much further than just their work at ABT. If memory serves, when Angel Corella had his own company in Spain, he hired Cornejo and Lane to dance together in Swan Lake on tour. This was when Lane was still a soloist. (I can't recall if Cornejo was still a soloist at that time.) It is sad that this happened. I'm still holding out hope that after McKenzie leaves maybe Lane can do a farewell as a guest artist on the Met stage.

The only guest host I have liked so far is Anderson Cooper. Everyone else has come across as stiff to one degree or another.

I'm struck by how many leaders of dance companies have no apparent prior management skill. I guess J. Stafford was shadowing Peter Martins for a few years before Martins left, but he seems to have had zero managerial skills before being elevated to the top position. He also is completely lacking in charisma, in my opinion. I think ABT will go with someone who has name recognition and who can bring in new audiences. That leads me to one name in particular, if she wants the job.

I would definitely support Angel Corella. He could re-hire Sarah Lane.

Any guesses as to who will be selected to lead? Ratmansky? Whiteside? Steifel? Kent? Copeland is certainly approaching retirement age, but I think she has a lot of lucrative outside projects.

Yes, I remember that too.

Part of the reason her workload was reduced in recent years was because she was also choreographing. However, I do agree that her technique was not particularly strong. I saw the first of her two Swan Lakes and that role completely exposed her technical weakness. The adagio work was pretty good for a first effort, but the technical demands of the ballroom act as Odile were clearly out of her reach.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/03/arts/dance/what-is-a-ballet-body.html This article in today's NY Times mentions that Lovette will retire from dancing after the fall season at NYCB to focus on choreographing.

I'm wondering whether management is continuing to draw their full salaries during this period of austerity.

I think in terms of forced retirements, the new administration is much kinder and gentler than Martins. I think there are people on the roster who would most certainly have been forced into retirement if Martins was still running the show. People have correctly complained that promotions to principal have been few and far between. However, until there are principal departures there is little possibility for upward movement of some of the soloists, in my opinion.