abatt

Thanks. I see that Mearns and Ramasar are replaced in Rodeo by Pollack and Justin Peck on Sat evening. Just noticed that retiree Craig Hall is debuting in Infernal Machine this week. Yikes. They must be very short staffed to recruit a retiree to learn and dance a new role that he never danced during his career.

So who is Robbie replacing in Spectral, and why? Poor Robbie. Leave him alone. He's on vacation!

Another NY Times interview w. Misty Copeland. This is the second fluff piece about Misty that the Times has run in the last 30 days. I guess they think they can sell more papers, or they have decided that no other ABT dancers are worthy of being interviewed. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/09/arts/dance/misty-copeland-kitri-don-quixote-giselle.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Farts&action=click&contentCollection=arts&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront

I thought Odessa was a very interesting and sophisticated piece of work. I will certainly see it again when it returns in the fall. I was disappointed that Mearns was replaced this afternoon, and I hope she is not injured. The rest of the program ranged from bad to worse. I used to like After the Rain, but it now seems to lack the spiritual approach that it always had when Wendy & Jock danced it. To me, Peter Walker's work looks amateurish. Lovette's work is attractive, but I don't feel compelled to see it again any time soon. And I'll join in the chorus of people who detest Martin's Game of Cards. Not even Ball and Gordon could save this turkey. PS- There is flash footage on the NYCB twitter page of the Mearns - Ramasar pdd of Odessa. I can see from this short excerpt that Phelan did not perform it at the same level as Mearns. Oh well. Maybe next season.... PPS: Just looked at Sara's Instagram account. She is experiencing back pain. Get well soon!

Here's the NY Times review https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/05/arts/for-the-couples-in-this-alexei-ratmansky-ballet-love-is-not-enough.html

Bouder took her 1 year old to the gala. Too cute.

Here is an interesting article from Playbill regarding Odessa. http://www.playbill.com/article/why-this-new-ballet-is-bigger-and-more-in-your-face-than-ever One interesting quote from the article: While Ratmansky’s ballet is plotless, Sunset, based on Isaac Babel’s tales of Jewish gangsters in Odessa after the Russian Revolution, is anything but. “The story behind the music is very particular,” Ratmansky says. “It has strong characters, these criminal developments. You hear all of that.” I also was fascinated by his complementary words on the dancers of NYCB. I wonder what he thinks of the NYCB dancers in comparison to the ABT dancers. As an aside, I saw the All Ratmansky evening of Russian Seasons and Namouna earlier this week. Having been utterly bored at the All Peck evening, the Ratmansky evening was a refreshing and thrilling contrast. It was full of humanity and emotion, not to mention outstanding choreography.

I saw the All Wheeldon program twice. Mercurial Maneuvers is one of Wheeldon's best ballets, in my opinion. I enjoy the way he utilizes the large cast. High praise to Harrison Ball. He is an exceptional dancer. His technique is near perfect. I'm not sure about his partnering skills at this point, but I now regard his appearances as must-see events. The quiet and soulful pdd featuring Tiler and Tyler was beautiful and compelling. Polyphonia looked better at the second performance than the first. The first performance had some rough edges. The most interesting debuts were Phelan and Catazarro, taking over the roles created by Whelan and Soto. Whelan and Soto had remarkable intensity in their long standing partnership. Obviously Phelan and Catazaro were never going to be able to match my memories of the original cast. I did enjoy Unity's fully stretched out lines and positions, and she brought sensuality to the role. Looking forward to seeing her tackle featured or lead roles in other leotard ballets in the future. I didn't stay for Liturgy and American Rhapsody. I also saw the All Peck program. It was way too much Peck for me on a single night.

About 15 years ago NYCB brought back Ballade, with Wendy Whelan and Robert Tewsley (remember him?!). It has never returned again since. I'd like to see that. Also, I've never seen Tzigane live-only on video. Not a spectacular ballet, but definitely worth a look.

More casting updates/changes posted today. Georgina Paz is removed from all of her assignments for the rest of this week and some of next week's assignments.

I agree that creating a balanced program is an art, and that 3 or 4 leotard ballets on an All Balanchine program is equally bad programming as some of some of these Here Now programs, even if the Balanchine leotard works are masterpieces. Wasn't it Balanchine who said that an evening of ballet should be like a fine dinner, with an appetizer, a main entree of a more challenging work and a dessert ballet as the closer? Re the above conversation, Namouna is also a favorite of mine, and I'm looking forward to seeing it next week..

In recent years Martins seems to be trying to cram as much new work into the schedule as possible, regardless of quality. As Leigh Witchel astutely observed in a review about a year ago, NYCB has become like a sausage factory with respect to pumping out lots of garbage choreography from whoever they can sign up. I also thought it was very interesting that Martins gives many of his sausage producers a time limit for their works for the fall gala. (This explains the proliferation of 10 minute works at these galas.) This is indicative to me that Martins is perhaps more interested in showing off another fashion designer at the gala than the substance of the work being staged. Notably, neither Wheeldon nor Ratmanksy -established world class choreographers - participate in the circus otherwise known as the Fall Fashion Gala. Their new works (premieres) are always presented on separate programs from the Casts-Of-Thousands new works thrown on the stage at the Fashion Galas. But I guess one person's sausage is another person's caviar...

Skylar Brandt is replacing Misty Copeland at the May 24 matinee of Whipped Cream, per the ABT calendar. Wishing I could attend, but alas I have to work. I wonder if Misty will be withdrawing from the WC shows later in the season.

I'm sure there are plenty of audience members who wish for a Martins vacation, as in retirement of Martins as Artistic Director/Ballet Master in Chief of NYCB and removal of his works from the NYCB roster. But that's a conversation for another thread...

There are many casting changes this week, including one just posted today. Mearns is replacing Georgina Paz. in Russian Seasons tonight. (Gina is also replaced tomorrow in New Blood.) I still remember Mearns' blazing abandon in Russian Seasons when I saw her in it a few years ago. This is a performance worth catching. I have other commitments tonight. Otherwise I'd be there in a heartbeat. Also, casting for week 4 is up. Those who wouldn't go near the Here Now Festival with a ten foot pole will be amused to know that Martins came out and made a curtain speech before last night's all Wheeldon performance. He is very proud of the festival, and Wheeldon joined Martins on stage for a vodka toast. Martins wryly stated that they were giving Balanchine "a vacation". No time to comment on the show right now.

I was also struck by her comment that she felt unimportant as a dancer. She does not expand on what she means, but it appears to be an indirect reference to the manner in which McKenzie operated ABT. Personally, I have many terrific memories of her performances with her husband Maxim. that I still cherish. I hope the workshop of the Stroman musical she mentions comes to fruition and gets to the stage. So many of those projects never see the light of day. I'm still waiting for a New York production of Stroman's Little Dancer.

I have only two negative comments regarding these fabulous All Balanchine programs and the incredible performances by stellar dancers. First, Megan LeCrone should not be doing Choleric. She is timid and tentative in this role- the exact opposite of what is needed. The second quibble is my amazement at the continued technical weakness of Chase Finlay. Personally, I can't wait to see someone technically brilliant take over the first movement of Symphony in C, but we may have to wait a few years.

I think Tller Peck's best roles to date have been Allegro Brilliante, Who Cares and the pdd in Act 2 of Midsummer.

A conversation w. Misty Copeland and Sally Fields: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/22/style/misty-copeland-sally-field.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Farts&action=click&contentCollection=arts&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0

I remember seeing an interview with Amar Ramasar in which he stated that he always loved acting, and it was a very hard choice for him when he had to decide whether to choose SAB and a career in ballet. Louise is both dancing and singing. As noted above, she does the Dream Ballet. I think Jigger is mostly acting.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/20/theater/kelliohara-brigadoon-city-center.html 5 performances at NY City Center in November. Robbie is becoming quite the theater star.

Tuesday night's performance was spectacular. It was one of those evenings where I marveled at how lucky I am to live in NY City and have the ability to attend NYCB regularly. The company has a breathtaking amount of talent on every level. You will probably never see a more enthralling performer in Allegro than Tiler Peck. If you have never seen her do the role, get to the box office and book your ticket for one of her performances. Not even the great Kyra Nichols performed it with the arrow like precision and musicality that Ms. Peck is bringing to the role. Also worth catching is Reichlin's long awaited return to Choleric. It seems that this role is fading in and out of her rep as she moves up the food chain of lead roles. She is explosive and brilliant. There is presently nobody else in the company (including Bouder) who does full justice to the Choleric role. Such a joy to see Maria K. back in Symphony in C. Harrison Ball, who led the 3rd movement, is destined for big things in this company. Ball, along w. J. Gordon, are NYCB's future stars. Bravo to all the fine artists at NYCB.

https://www.nycballet.com/NYCB/media/NYCBMediaLibrary/PDFs/Press/Casting/NYCB_Casting_April-18-23-2017_lobby41717.pdf There are several significant cast changes for this week that were posted today.

I can't find any info re the subscriptions being offered for next season or the prices for next season. I'm only finding last year's (2016-17) subscription booklet on their website. Thank you to Emma for posting those season calendars, above.

Justin Peck will choreograph a revival next season of Carousel on Broadway, starring Jessie Mueller, Joshua Henry & Renee Fleming. Amar Ramasar and Brittany Pollack of NYCB will play Jigger & Louise.