Haglund's Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 I too could hardly believe my eyes when I read David's Winger post. I'm breathless with anticipation. Do I dare go ahead and buy Series 62 hoping the Giselle tbd cast is the one we're hoping for? The Saturday matinee series always sells out very fast. You can always exchange if the casting is moved around. It's so wonderful and smart of Hallberg to seek out Graffin for help. And what about Nagy? And what if Abrera could spend a day or an hour or a cup of coffee with Fracci and Makarova and Tcherkassky and Kirkland and all of the beautiful living Giselles who could enrich her interpretation? Link to comment
Barbara Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 One of my fondest ballet memories is Giselle with Makarova and Nagy. PS - My husband fell asleep during the performance, can you believe it Link to comment
richard53dog Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 One of my fondest ballet memories is Giselle with Makarova and Nagy. PS - My husband fell asleep during the performance, can you believe it Maybe it was just that he was a NBLP (non ballet loving person) at the time? Link to comment
Barbara Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Actually what I've learned over the years is that he's a NFLBLP (non full length ballet loving person). Give him something short and contemporary and he's all there. Link to comment
fandeballet Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 IMO, the last full-length Graffin perf. as Albrecht, was one of his great, if not the greatest, peformances of his career. I told him, down in the Met's employees' cafe, soon after his perf., that his Albrecht touched me in a way that Nureyev or Dowell touched me! He was truly touched and amazed by my comparisons. He was a total cad in Act 1. Then he was a haunted and tragic soul in the second act. Unfortunately, I never got to see him dance in Giselle again, due to a severe knee injury that ended his career as a lead part performer. (1998????) David Hallberg will be a triumph. I could not think of anyone more perfect to coach him! Simply because Mr. Graffin will coach him by using Hallberg innate sensitivity and acting skills. Not to mold him into a Graffin mold. But the best that David himself can do. Now that I think about it, was Graffin coached by Rudi for Albrecht, during his days with the POB???? Link to comment
drb Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 ... And what if Abrera could spend a day or an hour or a cup of coffee with Fracci and Makarova and Tcherkassky and Kirkland and all of the beautiful living Giselles who could enrich her interpretation? I suspect more than a cup, what with Makarova and Kirkland having been coaching ABT as of late. By the way, Ms. Kirkland will be very present this December, teaching class daily all month at Steps. And don't forget Amanda McKerrow, who "carries" Makarova's Giselle, coached at ABT this Fall, and that Stella has often been Myrtha to Amanda's Giselle. This has the potential to be a magnificently prepared double debut. Kudos to Mr. McKenzie for his frequent use of former ABT stars to coach their greatest roles. If only this were as true elsewhere... Link to comment
Haglund's Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 The ABT website calendar has been updated: Hallberg and Abrera are listed for Giselle on Wednesday, July 9th MATINEE. Sara Lane and Cornejo are listed for Sleeping Beauty on Thursday, June 19th. Xiomara Reyes is now listed with Carreno for Sleeping Beauty on Wednesday, June 18th Evening. Dvorovenko and TBA are listed for the remaining La Bayadere on Thursday, June 26th. Still open is that Wednesday matinee of the Merry Widow. If I had to guess, I would bet on either Abrera and Hallberg or Abrera and Radetsky. This is all so nice! YIKES! Edited to include MISTY COPELAND debuts as Gamzatti on Saturday May 24th MATINEE! All the casts are strong, but the May 21st Evening is incredible with Herrera, Gomes, Abrera, Carreno, Corella and Cornejo! Edited again: In my excitement, I misspoke. MISTY COPELAND will debut as Gulnare in Le Corsaire, NOT Gamzatti (although, she would be pretty darned terrific in that as well.) Link to comment
vipa Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Edited again: In my excitement, I misspoke. MISTY COPELAND will debut as Gulnare in Le Corsaire, NOT Gamzatti (although, she would be pretty darned terrific in that as well.) Thank you - agreed M. Copeland would be a terrific Gamzatti. This is so exciting but I'll wait to get tickets just in case. I am so glad that Abrera is getting the opportunities she deserves and I have been a Lane fan since her Theme performance. It will be interesting to see what the Twyla piece brings. For the first time I'm getting excited about the season. Link to comment
jllaney Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 "YIKES! Edited to include MISTY COPELAND debuts as Gamzatti on Saturday May 24th MATINEE! All the casts are strong, but the May 21st Evening is incredible with Herrera, Gomes, Abrera, Carreno, Corella and Cornejo!" When you read the ABT website and see the schedule for Corsaire, are the dancers listed in any certain order of the roles they dance? From the above list, could you guess that Herrera is Gulnare-Gomes is Conrad-Carreno is the slave? Is there a rhyme or reason to the way the performers are listed on the website? Thanks Link to comment
carbro Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Medora Conrad Gulnare Lankendem Ali Pasha (?) Link to comment
drb Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Comparing Haglund's site updates with the most recent ABT (Why have they sent four???) brochure and other site changes: Hallberg and Abrera are listed for Giselle on Wednesday, July 9th MATINEE. replacing Dvorovenko and Beloserkovsky, who are switched to Saturday matinee, July 12 Sara Lane and Cornejo are listed for Sleeping Beauty on Thursday, June 19th. replacing Murphy and Stiefel, who are switched to Wednesday, matinee, June 18th. Xiomara Reyes is now listed with Carreno for Sleeping Beauty on Wednesday, June 18th Evening. Carreno replacing Cornejo. On the other hand, Carreno is replaced by Beloserkovsky in the two Dvorovenko Corsaires. The Corsaire listing is tricky; Birbanto, the traitor "friend" of Conrad, is probably somewhere on the list too. Also, for the past few days Diana Vishneva has added the New Tharp to her website for June 3. Link to comment
Haglund's Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 MedoraConrad Gulnare Lankendem Ali Pasha (?) I believe that's correct except for the last name which would normally be Birbanto. It's kind of a surprise to see Stiefel listed for Ali in two performances whereas Cornejo is not. Maybe Herman is the backup plan in the event that Stiefel (or any of the others) isn't in top form when the season starts. Given the debuts already listed, I hope I don't sound greedy by wishing for a Myrta debut by Kristi Boone. Link to comment
Haglund's Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Veronika Part's Swan Lake on May 31st (matinee) is now with Hallberg, who replaces Gomes. Link to comment
Rosa Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 I'm very excited for Sara and Abrera and Misty! This will be the second season without a Gomes/Part Swan Lake. Link to comment
richard53dog Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Well, I guess I will renew my subscription for the Spring Met season. The telemarketers been calling me all week to renew and I've been avoiding them. Link to comment
SanderO Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Speaking of renewing.... would you choose more performances with worse seats (higher up) or fewer performances with better seats? This assumes you have a fixed tix budget. I have selected one subscription and 2 single performances in the GT. What say you? Link to comment
vipa Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Speaking of renewing.... would you choose more performances with worse seats (higher up) or fewer performances with better seats? This assumes you have a fixed tix budget. I have selected one subscription and 2 single performances in the GT. What say you? I stopped subscribing and went with the single ticket model totally. It works for me. That way I see more of the casting before I decide and can figure out prices as I go. I've never been unable to get a ticket for a desired performance and casting is very important to me. Link to comment
aurora Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Speaking of renewing.... would you choose more performances with worse seats (higher up) or fewer performances with better seats? This assumes you have a fixed tix budget. I have selected one subscription and 2 single performances in the GT. What say you? I stopped subscribing and went with the single ticket model totally. It works for me. That way I see more of the casting before I decide and can figure out prices as I go. I've never been unable to get a ticket for a desired performance and casting is very important to me. we do the subscription, but switch out a lot of the tickets based on casting--that way we can get the tickets before they go on general sale. I end up picking up some additional tickets as well usually. Link to comment
SanderO Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Casting rules of course, but as Aurora notes you can switch out. I try to find a sub with the casting I like and go from there, but that my question still remains: Fewer performances with better seats or More performances in cheaper seats? Link to comment
carbro Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 More cheaper. I buy standing room. That way, I also have flexibility if there are unwelcome, last-minute cast changes, too. Link to comment
Haglund's Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 You can go home again! Sean Stewart has returned to ABT. Wow. I've thought about this dancer every spring season since he left in 2002. He's been off doing contemporary work, but my recollection of him is of his reliable, non-showy, crystaline classical technique. This is wonderful! Link to comment
FauxPas Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Sean Stewart was often singled out for praise by Anna Kisselgoff and Jennifer Dunning in the New York Times. Very good move, Kevin. Now bring back Danny Tidwell and make him a soloist in a year or so and I will be happy, very very happy. Link to comment
Haglund's Posted March 2, 2008 Share Posted March 2, 2008 ABT's website has been updated to include new corps members Gemma Bond (Royal Ballet), Mikhail Ilyin (Miami City Ballet), Amanda McGuigan (Ballet du Rhin), Elina Miettinen (Finnish National Ballet), and Lauren Post (apprentice). I'm starting a campaign, powered by Hope, to get some principal promotions in March in time for the Met season. Let us come together, People, to inspire the leadership of ABT to do what is right, to do what we need, to give us the Changes we want. (applause, more applause, and still more applause). Link to comment
Barbara Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 I would appeal to Mr. McKenzie to promote Stella Abrera to Principal and Blaine Hoven to Soloist as soon as humanly possible! Link to comment
Haglund's Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 That's what I'm talkin' about!!! Yes, Barbara! And I add to your appeal promotions for Veronika Part, Sascha Radetsky, and Hee Seo. Come on People, we can do it. And while we're trying, we should take a moment to look at the article that came out in today's New York Magazine which previews the new Tharp piece for the spring Met season. The Elfman music was described as THUMPING and WILDLY PERCUSSIVE! I am so ready to see these people dancing again. So ready. Link to comment
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