abatt

I attended on Monday.  Yes, the house was eerily empty.  The dancing was superb (especially Boylston), but I feel like this is a flimsy offering for a full evening of entertainment. 

Week 5 casting is up.  Gordon is debuting in the lead of T&V.  That should be terrific.  Also, Laracey is debuting the lead in Scotch (hooray) with Veyette (ugh).

NYC debuts of Laracey and Kretchmar in Stravinsky Violin Concerto too!

Re the Diamonds performances, I think the two different lead couples were vastly different, but both very satisfying.   Mearns has flexibility in her back and speed for the solos, whereas I felt like Maria was struggling to get through the steps of  her solo sections.   There was a higher level of meaning and depth in the pas between Maria and Tyler.  Their maturity and long performance history together pays dividends in the pas.

Latest casting update - Mejia replaces Veyette in Western Symphony on Thursday. 

32 minutes ago, Royal Blue said:

 

What appeared like a strange wardrobe malfunction with Maria Kowroski’s costume in Diamonds did not tarnish the superb performance of Balanchine's glorious ballet Friday evening. Sunday afternoon's rendition was magnificent! For me, far from being a waste the performances this season of Oltremare with Kowroski and Tyler Angle provided a stimulating visual, moral and intellectual counterpoint to those of Diamonds.  

 

I was there, but I didn't notice a wardrobe malfunction in Maria's costume in Diamonds.  What was the malfunction

14 minutes ago, BalanchineFan said:

Well, I agree that the Tanowitz was disappointing. I thought it was oddly static, lots of ideas, but no real movement, no sweep, no visually satisfying formations or changes of formation. It seemed influenced by Merce Cunningham, but his pieces had both a stronger visual sense and a stronger sense of movement, of dancing. 

This is a completely accurate observation.  The choreography was clearly influenced and derivative of Cunningham, but lacking in the mastery of a Cunningham work.  There was also a direct quotation from Taylor's Esplanade, but again the Tanowitz usage  was completely static and unmusical.

  I bought a ticket for next week just to see Mejia in Western.  I feel like seeing him in everything is now essential viewing, and I go out of my way to see the performances in which he is appearing.

I felt like the Tanowtiz work was boring and overly long.  I couldn't wait for it to end.  The ballet steps were simplistic.  I had never before seen any of her work.

The Peck piece was pleasant enough and brief.

I  liked Garcia in DSCH earlier this season, but he is looking tired and low energy.  His performances in T&V last night and Sonatine earlier in the week were unimpressive.  Were any of his double tours in T&V last landed in proper position?  I don't think so.  Garcia is getting a lot of DeLuz's old roles, but every time I watch Garcia all I can think about was how much better DeLuz was in comparison.

I'm seeing a trend in the new leadership where they are enlisting choreographers who have no understanding or background in ballet.  The Kyle Abraham piece they premiered in the fall also had this issue of being largely a modern dance work, with some very basic ballet steps tossed in.

Hopefully the Tanowitz ballet scheduled to premiere next season will be better.  Hope springs eternal!

Tschai. Suite No 3 was a balm for the soul.  Even though Garcia lacks excellence, all the other perforers were wonderful.  A masterpiece.

Even though the Met lists some Grand Tier box seats as full view, they are in my experience all partial view seats.  I used to sit in the Grand tier box furthest from the stage, in the front row of the box. I stopped sitting there because  I got tired of people leaning  their heads and  torsos over the sides of the box  to improve their view.  I also couldn't stand people in the box  moving their chairs around in the box so that they were practically sitting in my lap in order to jockey for a better view.  Just my personal opinion, but I would never sit in those boxes again for ballet.  For opera, where the visual details aren't so important, the boxes are less problematic.

Just my two cents.

36 minutes ago, Leah said:

Ashley Bouder’s pointe shoes have been getting very squeaky. Has anyone else noticed this? It was very distracting tonight, 

Yes.  I have noticed this too.  The problem started back in the winter season.

I agree.  Hadestown was one of the most original shows I've seen on Broadway in quite some time.  Loved it.

NYCB was using the same playbook that Trump uses.  Play to your base by executing an executive order which your  counsel tell you will end up being overturned in the courts.  When the order is indeed overturned in court, you turn to your base and say that you tried your best but lost in the court system. 

25 minutes ago, MarzipanShepherdess said:

What a mess. Just when it seemed the waters were settling at City Ballet following the long-awaited appointment of successors to Martins, the AGMA decision rocks everything again. Whatever one feels about the validity of the AGMA decision, it’s certainly a nightmare for the company from a donor relations and PR standpoint, and it sounds like it is causing at least some internal tension as well. 

It will be interesting to see how much Ramasar is cast in the fall season, and with whom he dances. I for one will not attend any performances he dances in. 

Not to be overly technical, but the decision that is being enforced is that of a neutral arbitrator, not a decision of the AGMA.  The arbitrator's decision has the same force and effect as if rendered by a judge.  Yes, enforcement of the law can become a  pesky inconvenience sometimes.

Added:  I think the firings were a Machiavellian approach by NYCB whereby if they lost  the arbitration (which they must have known was likely) they could argue to their donors that they tried their best to rid the organization of these dancers but they were ordered to rehire them.  The donors can't be angry at the company for the arbitrator's ruling.

If anyone attends the gala, I would love to know if Ramasar attends, and who his table companions are.

Did anyone else notice that Georgina Pazcoguin of NYCB was in the first episode of Fosse Verdon?  She even had a small speaking role.  Her appearance was in the Sweet Charity segment.

9 hours ago, laurel said:

 

Spotted in the audience during the second intermission:  Wendy Whelan, chatting with a young admirer.  They took a photo together, then Whelan sat down and autographed a pair of pointe shoes for her.  It was a kind and gracious moment, quietly done, and wonderful to see.

Whelan was also at the two shows I attended during the week. I think she now attends almost every performance.

Garcia looked in excellent shape on Wed evening in Concerto DSCH.  I hope he is not injured again. 

Since I have frequently been a Megan LeCrone detractor,  I feel the need to say that she was excellent in Herman Schmerman last night.  This kind of modern work suits her perfectly.  Since a lot of Forsythe's choreography involves slicing limbs and extensions, her long limbs were much more  suitable to this choreography than Tiler Peck's.  Aaron Sanz did a good job, but he seems to lack charisma or presence.  Maybe he will improve with additional performances.

Third week casting is up on the website.  Tiler Peck is removed from all assignments in week 2, and she does not appear anywhere in week 3. 

Ramasar is not cast at all  in Weeks 1, 2 or 3.

Bad news.  The casting sheet for this week has been updated, and Tiler Peck is replaced in every assignment this week.  I hope she is not injured.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/23/theater/michael-jackson-musical-lynn-nottage.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Farts&action=click&contentCollection=arts&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront

Here is an interview with Wheeldon and the book writer re the controversy surrounding the Jackson legacy.

Yes, DeLuz was in his early forties when he retired.   That info is correct.

McKenzie has never given Lane an opportunity for a second chance in SL.  One and done.  

10 hours ago, onxmyxtoes said:

What really??? I think a return performance from Gomes in that role is well worth it! HAHA

I would see Gomes in a return performance of anything.  He got a hero's welcome during his appearances at the Joyce last summer with Sarasota Ballet.

The company probably already had a plan in place for each lead role, but sometimes plans must be changed.

Added:  Re Helene's comment above, the company does have a contractual requirement under which it must notify dancers whose contracts will not be renewed for the next season by February. 

15 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

N

Now if only they'd release the Tharp casting. And, there is still one Ali up for grabs. I'm always impatient for Purple Von Rothbart and secondary "principal" roles like Bluebird/Princess Florine to be released, but they always wait until the 11th hour for those.

There isn't a single person left at ABT who I would go out of my way to see as Purple Rothbart.  When Gomes was doing the role, even if I didn't care about the lead dancers I would buy a ticket to the performance to see Gomes do the role. 

On 4/20/2019 at 11:25 AM, Villette said:

The company has no obligation to cast Ramasar and no obligation to renew his contract after this season. They only have to reinstate him for the remainder of the season in name and pay. 

If the company does not renew Ramasar's contract for next season, it's almost guaranteed that everyone will be back before a new arbitrator litigating the issue of whether the failure to renew is a stunt by NYCB to circumvent the arbitrator's recent ruling ordering his reinstatement. Hopefully NYCB will  not be so stupid as to attempt to deny Ramasar the renewal of his contract for next season.

It will be interesting to see what roles he returns to this season, and who his partners are.

1 hour ago, Helene said:

 

From official sources, Waterbury's attorneys sent texts and images to NYCB.  Over time NYBC acknowledged receiving texts and images from Waterbury's attorney and stated that their reasons for firing Finlay and suspending Catazaro and Ramasar ...

 

Finlay resigned.  He was not fired.