THE SLEEPING BEAUTY

[GeorgeB fan]

ABT perform this grandest and greatest of full-length ballets? As much as I enjoy the fact that Kevin McKenzie require the rights of many new full-length ballets (LeCorsaire, Onegin, The Taming of the Shew and La Fille Mal Gardee) or restage classics like Swan Lake and Raymonda over the years, I would very much love to see the company perform this masterpiece of masterpieces of classical ballets.

Surely it isn't because Mr. McKenzie think he doesn't have the Auroras! I would love to see Nina Ananishvili, Gillian Murphy, Xiomara Reyes, Paloma Herrera, Julie Kent and Irina Dvorovenko dances the role of Aurora. I think in their own unique ways they would be fantastic! Of course they would be marvelously coached in the role with the fact that ABT has one of the greatest Auroras of the last century as one of their ballet masters (Irina Kolpakova). He also has great Lilac Fairies in the form of Veronika Part, Monique Meunier and Michele Wiles. Of course they could also make great matinee Auroras.

In fact Madame Kolpakova, if she's interested, would probably do a wonderful job staging the ballet - if anyone understand the brilliance of that ballet, she certainly would.

But there must be a reason why ABT hasn't perform it. Does anyone has opinion?

[Dale]

There was supposed to be a new production of Sleeping Beauty at ABT, let's say, 3-5 years ago but financial contrants called it off. I can only guess they are waiting to have the money again to do a production that they want rather than just a production they can afford. I guess they can always put on the one they have -- the bloated MacMillan production from the 80s. I'm fine waiting for the right production. In the last six years we've had the Kirov's "new/old" production and New York City Ballet's to watch.

[Dale]

Adding that I remember reading at the time the Royal Ballet brought on its new production (Makarova's) that it was going to go to ABT, but I have not read anything else regarding that since then.

It is very common now, due to money, that companies share production costs. The Raymonda is a shared production with the Finnish Ballet and Othello was shared between ABT and San Francisco. NBoC was to have shared its Firebird with ABT and PA Ballet but ABT had to pull out of that due to money.

[GeorgeB fan]

Thanks Dale, something told me that financial reasons maybe the reason ABT has not perform The Sleeping Beauty. Also agree with you about wanting for the right production. I've never seen the MacMillan production, but from everything I read about it wasn't that great.

[carbro]

Veering ever so slightly off-topic:

If ABT and the RB were to underwrite their shared new production together, and ABT withdraws/postpones its own staging, what are the financial implications for the RB? I wonder if this will affect other companies' willingness to enter into this kind of arrangement with ABT in the future.

On the other hand, after having read the response to this production from London, it's a bit of a relief that ABT isn't doing it, at least yet. Maybe Makarova will reconsider some of her choices.

[bingham]

Is Sylvia a coproduction w/ the Royal ballet? I remembered a news item in the Dance Magazine 2-3 years ago quoting K Mckenzie of plans for coproduction of Sylvia(w/ the Royal B) and Napoli(w/ the Royal Danish).Maybe, Napoli will be for next season.

Joe

[paolo]

What is the deal with Sylvia? Both ABT and Royal Ballet are mounting productions and San Francisco seems to have its own. Is this Sylvia-mania?

[cargill]

Probably companies are looking for full lengths, since they are so popular, and the music is simply glorious! The Royal Ballet's version was probably due to Ashton's 100th anniversary.