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For those of you who have tickets to performances that Diana Vishneva was to be in over the next 2 weeks, the new printout of ABT casting reveals that she is not dancing. On Thursday, she will be replaced by Nina Ananiashvilli in Swan Lake; in the new Tharp work (next week) her role will be danced by Maria Riccetto. Having specially picked my subscription series to select the dates Vishneva was performing I am very disappointed that she will be out. I only hope she will perform the remaining dates she was scheduled for.

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The ABT responded to my "complaint" with some blather about every bit of marketing literature about ticket sales explains that there are no refunds and that they reserve the right to make cast changes.

She also stated that exchanges are possible for subscription tickets something like a week before tickets go on sale to the general public.

In this case, where a dancer is removed after the season starts there are no exchange possibilities. Of course, it doesn't matter if you are a subscriber, and a individual ticket purchaser and a supporting member. Tough nuggies

I feel I am about the get a series of casting switcheroos Thursday, then the 4th and again for Don Q on the 11th. If this happens to use the word "disappointed" is hardly what comes to mind. I fully plan to protest in any way I can.

The issue for me is that these performances were chosen specifically for the casting and this almost feels like I am being gamed. While I understand that an injury would prevent someone from performing, when they make a cast change they should offer a full refund if the purchaser wants it.

This doesn't mean that I won't attend another ballet, but it does mean that I want to attend those of MY choosing and that includes the casting in the case of the ABT.

Maybe they should not even publish casting and turn it into you see the cast that they stand up for that performance. Somehow I don't think ballet (or opera fans) would bite at that approach, though it's coming down to it by "default". This is the third or fourth ABT season where they have made cast changes for the performance I selected specifically for the casting - lots of them. Is this the ABT or are all ballet companies doing this? I don't think opera fans would cotton to so many principal cast changes as the ABT seems to do.

I want to say it's my choices, but I think this must happen to others. What gives?

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Is Nina Ananiashvili's Monday Swan Lake with Angel Corella still on the casting printout?

Diana Vishneva's last, pre Gala, performance was in Steptext with the Mariinsky on April 15, and she surely looked fine in that performance. Subsequently it was reported in the press that she would miss her Balanchine performances because of a foot ligament injury. Such things can get better in a couple of weeks, or linger for over a month. It would surely have been difficult for ABT to predict how long it will take. But it is very encouraging that in her Gala Dying Swan she was not dancing in a cast!

I remember an ABT season where not a single lead ballerina role suffered a replacement. Not this time...

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The ABT responded to my "complaint" with some blather about every bit of marketing literature about ticket sales explains that there are no refunds and that they reserve the right to make cast changes.

She also stated that exchanges are possible for subscription tickets something like a week before tickets go on sale to the general public.

Maybe they should not even publish casting and turn it into you see the cast that they stand up for that performance. Somehow I don't think ballet (or opera fans) would bite at that approach, though it's coming down to it by "default". This is the third or fourth ABT season where they have made cast changes for the performance I selected specifically for the casting - lots of them. Is this the ABT or are all ballet companies doing this? I don't think opera fans would cotton to so many principal cast changes as the ABT seems to do.

Generally, they allow exchanges until the day of performance. You don't need to give a reason why.

You can't get the latest casting online but every few days, but the Met box office prints out casting. This printout always has the latest casting changes and can be picked up where the other promotional material is. You can also call the box office and they will tell you casting, based on this printout.

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I don't get to New York or the ballet very much these days (years) and planned a trip this week (all tickets purchased and reservations made) to see Vishneva Thursday and the new Ratmansky this Saturday--plus performances in between including Part on Saturday. Still, Vishneva/Ratmansky were the factors that determined my choice of this week for my first ballet performances since last summer. I know the 'rules' and the realities about casting -- I used to organize trips for the sole purpose of seeing Gelsey Kirkland dance (oops...) -- but the news is very, very disappointing.

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I have seen dancers performed when they are in pain, and it is not a pretty sight.

SanderO, many of us have shared your sense of disappointment. Like Drew, I planned ballet going around Gelsey, and if I bought six tickets over the course of a season, I rarely got more than one when she actually showed up. Sometimes her withdrawals were for legitimate reasons, but often they were not.

It is selfish to expect an injured dancer to show up on the date of your ticket and risk turning a 6-week recovery into a year-long recovery. Weigh the options and wish Diana well.

According to the ABT Calendar, she has withdrawn from all performances until June 11.

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I agree it's frustrating, but it's not limited to ballet. The Metropolitan Opera, which requires that you buy tickets even more in advance than ABT does, also doesn't offer refunds or exchanges (except for the standard exchange options for subscribers). This season, Ben Heppner, who is considered the world's leading Tristan, cancelled all but one of his appearances. And they sold Romeo and Juliet on the strength of the pairing of Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon, who cancelled (or was booted by Peter Gelb, depending on whose version you believe), resulting in three different tenors being brought in.

On Broadway, by contrast, you can get a refund if one of the stars is out. The theory is that the stars on Broadway are, at least in part, selling the show. So if you don't see one of the stars, you didn't get what you paid for. In ballet and opera, you're there to see the company. Also, ballet and opera stars are, at least in theory, more prone to last-minute injuries and illnesses.

On the other hand, there is the question of how long they should wait until announcing a change. I can recall several dancers who were injured, and were left on the schedule. Week by week, one performance's cast after another was changed, all at the last minute, until the whole season went by without the dancer's return.

Now, I understand that this might have been in the hopes that the dancer would recover quickly, and be able to dance those performances. However, unless there's a union rule that prevents this, or it's considered cruel to the dancer to remove their name too quickly, it seems reasonable to list the role as TBA or to place an asterisk next to their name, the way a baseball player can be listed on the roster as day-to-day. That way, people can factor in the possibility that a presently injured dancer may have to withdraw from a particular performance.

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I think the exchange policy offered only to subscribers is offensive to ballet fans who pick and choose the performance they wish to see based on casting. I do understand the these companies view subscribers an economic force that needs to be offered some percs. I suppose that they might get first pick at seats and be offered the same season after season and subscribers might very well be serious balletomanes with even multiple subscriptions. So it makes sense to offer them "some value added" for their "bulk purchases".

But why not cut the others a little slack especially for late announced casting changes? If an exchange is offered there is no financial loss assuming that they will sell the unused returned tickets. And further... musical comedy can be no less demanding on a performer, they have smaller theaters and they offer exchanges.

I do know if this policy is a Met Opera one and or and ABT one, but I just don't see the wisdom of it. It's surely not making me feel I am cared about as an audience member who has forked over thousands of dollars over the last few years alone.

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SanderO and Adam, I don't understand what you mean about no exchange policy. Both ABT and Met Opera allow it, I do it all the time! Just today, based on the newly announced casting for the upcoming mixed bill, I stopped by the box office and swapped out a ticket for a preferred cast. I think the rule is that you can do it in person at the box office at least 24 hours before curtain, or if by mail, then one week in advance.

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It was my understanding that you had to be a subscriber to exchange tickets, in which case you don't need a reason. No subscription, no exchanges. I'm not sure what options are available for a non-subscription ticket purchased by a subscriber.

I thought that the process wouldn't be practicable for last-minute announcements of casting changes.

I've never done it, but I recall that you must return the original ticket to the subscription office of the ABT or of the Metropolitan Opera prior to obtaining whatever is available from the box office. Alternatively, you can ask them to exchange the ticket, and send you a replacement, but then you don't have as much input in what you get.

And all options only work in advance. You have to have sufficient time to return the ticket to the subscription office and have the return processed. Thus, you can't do anything on short notice. It's an option if your plans change and you can't attend a performance, but it won't work for most casting changes for precisely the reason I mentioned in my previous post: they don't announce changes until it's too late to exchange, even if they've known for some time that the dancer was unlikely to go on.

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I understand that sometimes it may take a while for a company to find a suitable replacement for an injured dancer, so the company may not be able to announce the change. But it's certainly reasonable to expect an "asterisk" listing.

It also seems that sometimes a dancer truly hopes s/he will be able to meet all the performance demands of a Kitri or an Albrecht in time for the date, but a few days before, it becomes apparent that that it would be either too risky or simply not possible. I can understand holding an announcement until the dancer's readiness can be fully evaluated.

As far as Broadway's (mostly for-profit) exchange policies vs. Lincoln Center's (n-f-p), if the name appears above the title, you may exchange/refund. I guess the same is true for the Met and ABT, as I've never seen an ad for

Jose Manuel Carreno

in

Le Corsaire

except in my mind's eye.

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I read about the casting change here at Ballet Talk. I called up ABT and was connected with Kelly Ryan who is the their PR person. I explain that I been attending many performances of ABT for the last 5 or 6 years both as a subscriber and as a individual ticker purchaser to see specific dancers/performaces... such as a string of Manons a few years back.

I then went on to explain that I also donate a small sum each year and that I was getting killed by their cast changes and each year as many as half the castings I purchased have been substituted. This happened last Wednesday and now this week and I suspect will on the 11th.

I happened to be at work and it is not convenient to even go to the box office and exchange them even if I had the tix one me. I didn't. And I was busy all day today and tomorrow so exchanging them in person was almost impossible.

But Ms Ryan disappeared to talk to "someone" and returned to tell me that exchanges are ONLY accommodated to subscriptions purchases and so there was nothing they could or world do. That is there written policy. It's not that I don't like seeing the ABT perform, but I like to select the performances/castings to see and I don't see why after forking over thousands to these people over the last few years they were unable to accommodate me when they pulled a switcheroo and announced it 72 hours or so before the performance. I further explained that they KNEW Diana was injured, allowed her to perform injured at their Gala for "4 minutes" as the dying swan but failed to even put up a notice that she was injured and might not perform on the 29th. That would have given some us time to mail in or go to the BO and finagle an exchange. Am I to believe that her injury caused all the cast changes lately?

Of course last Wednesday there was nothing physically the matter with Ms Herrera or Mr Gomes, but they were taken out and Dvorovenko and a corps member Cory Stearns danced the roles. I don't think they were well matched and I thought that both of their performances left lots to be desired. But what do I know? Ryan told me that Stearns was well reviewed. Perhaps, but that is not the point and I will bet that he will not be partnering with Irina again.

The ABT did bad. And they need to understand that they can't be doing this type of stuff and expect loyal support.

Carbro, I am sorry, but I beg to differ about waiting till the last minute to announce something that I suspect they already knew. Ryan so much as told me that Diana was injured when she was allowed to do the Dying Swan.

And the reason she was (in my opinion)... because it was their gala and all their big money people were there and they wanted their "Russian Ballerina" who got all the press recently to do the dying swan a la Anna Pavlova.

The ABT and the Met Opera may be non profit, but they are big businesses and they need to act a bit better to the public. Please stop sending all that garbage mail and requests for support and wasting your money.

I've begged the Met Opera BO to stop sending me all the fillers with my tickets, it's wasteful. I don't need the paper/info and they don't get it. THEY WASTE.

I am going to the performance tomorrow and if Ms Ryan is there she's going to have to hear once again from the horse's mouth. I am not buying their "story".

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I would advise people who are counting on catching Veronika Part's O/O this Saturday afternoon to contact the Met. Part was listed as a Big Swan, and she appeared in the first half of Act II, but when the waltz reprised after Cygnets, she was replaced by Simone Messmer.

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And kudos to Ms. Messmer! She did a beautiful job in the pd3 with Saveliev and Melissa Thomas, and really came out flying as a replacement for Part! I saw her jump and immediately pulled out my binoculars--

The entire performance was so rewarding ... I discount fouettes and the botched lift at end of Black Swan pdd, as those were just minor aspects of a really stellar performance by Ananiashvili and Gomez.

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This appears to be developing into a relatively hot topic!

I find it hard to believe that ABT which runs a "star based" season at the Met changes casting on a whim. I suspect that the scheduled dancer is in pain and the artistic staff along with the dancer walk around with fingers crossed hopitng health will break out. And when it doesn't, then the scheduled dancer is replaced, but...whoops this dancer has only rehearsed with another partner...and that partner with the schedule change will have to be replaced in another ballet...

It all rolls down hill. I wish everyone could be healthy all the time. Now as to the draw of dancers and how plans are made around them...I am fnot immune and am flying in two weeks from west coast to east to see Julie Kent dance with Gonzalo Garcia in the Robbins Festival...tickets, hotel, airfare, food...fingers crossed.

As a sidebar...the worst memory I have of a substitution a performance was many years ago at the Music Center in LA. It was an ABT matinée, Baryshnikov was scheduled to dance Prodigal Son, house was not only sold out but sold out at scalper prices. While warming up, Baryshnikov seriously injured his leg and could not dance (source for this is Peter Marshall, ABT's physical therapist); after a very extended intermission, some brave soul came out and announced that due to an injury Prodigal would not be performed and something else was being substituted (I can't remember what it was) and the booing and shouted started and continued way into the performance of the substitute. Nasty for the dancers. I am not sure if Baryshnikov every danced a significant classical role after that injury.

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I suspect in the case of this most recent series of casting changes you have a number of "issues" at play.

One is that one injury can cascade through the entire schedule. In the case of last Wednesday's Corsaire, the scheduled dancers were not injured and conceivably could have performed, except some of them had to substitute for other performers who may have stood in for someone injured. It's one thing to cut some slack when the SCHEDULED performed is injured, but not so easy when they are not.

Second. You had an ABT star who also is a Kirov principal and has her own production going on (Beauty). So obviously, it is clear that neither Kirov nor ABT has lots of control over Ms Vishneva. She's a hot commodity so I suspect she can "wield" more power as to what she does and when and subject herself to injury from overwork etc. I am not saying she is not sensible and doesn't want to perform. I think she does. But I also think she is "milking" her career for everything she can at her age and these careers can be short and even short when some injuries tragically end them way too early. I think there is a sense of time there and a sense of infallibility at work and the ABT and Kirov are kind of along for the ride with some of these "hot dancers".

Third, It appears that the injury was not properly evaluated. I know nothing about "sports medicine", but these artists have the best tuned bodies in the world and presumably the best trainers and doctors to care for them. This may not be an exact "science" but there seemed to be a "let's see how she feels approach" and that sounds more like a mommy than the professionals that should be attending to this matter.

Forth, There is little accountability here. The company simply changes the schedule, announces an injury (no real explanation is ever offered) and no refunds or real economic consequences. Fans will huff and puff and sit through the substitution or see some new star born, but they will be back for more. There's just not that many games in town or teams to support.

Fifth, This recent incident has exposed the bizarre nature of the ABT refund exchange policy. Subscribers are offered percs for their support. Fine. While they get first dibs on seating they also get exchange privileges that others don't. ABT maintains they need to have percs or they couldn't get subscribers. Fine. Give then a pass to the Belmont room or a x% discount on their tickets. Why make individual ticket purchasers have NO refund or exchange rights. Why PUNISH those who purchase individual tickets with no privileges so subscribers have more?

I am looking at a 15" stack of programs, mostly from the ABT performances I attended with my wife over the past several years. That represents thousands of dollars in individual tickets and subscription sales and support...and hundreds of hours of wonderful performances and experiences at the ballet. But jeez louise why must I be treated like I bought a ticket to the bleachers and they changed the starting pitcher and just shut up and watch the game. We understand and feel miserable when these dancers are injured and can't perform. This must be a terrible thing for them, more than we can imagine. We just want, as consumers to be treated fairly (at least this one does).

ABT if you are reading. Think about it.

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Third, It appears that the injury was not properly evaluated. I know nothing about "sports medicine", but these artists have the best tuned bodies in the world and presumably the best trainers and doctors to care for them. This may not be an exact "science" but there seemed to be a "let's see how she feels approach" and that sounds more like a mommy than the professionals that should be attending to this matter.

You state that you know nothing about "sports medicine" and that the dancers presumably have the best trainers and doctors, and yet, you second guess them. I'm sure the doctors and trainers are doing what is best for the dancers. There's not much that one can do for many injuries besides rest and/or physical therapy. I'm sure the doctors and trainers reassess the injury periodically and alter the course of treatment accordingly. What else do you propose?

There is little accountability here. The company simply changes the schedule, announces an injury (no real explanation is ever offered) and no refunds or real economic consequences.

What sort of economic consequences should there be?

This recent incident has exposed the bizarre nature of the ABT refund exchange policy...Why PUNISH those who purchase individual tickets with no privileges so subscribers have more?

I believe this is the policy of the Metropolitan Opera House, and not specifically that of ABT, but seeing as ABT is performing at the Met, they must follow the Met policy, which is the same: No Refunds/No exchanges. I'm not saying that this is the right policy, but the policy is posted every where--on the website, under the signature line when you pay by credit card, on the ticket envelopes, etc.

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The policy is that of the individual companies, not the Metropolitan Opera House. That's why ABT has one set of policies, and the Metropolitan Opera has a different set.

It's also why subscribers must return their tickets to the company and not to the box office. The Metropolitan Opera House (that is, the administration; I'm not referring to the building) itself has no policy. If a company or presenter chooses to rent the building and let it sit empty, that's the company's or presenter's decision.

ABT (or, in other cities, the presenter) rents the venues where it performs and establishes the policy for refunds and exchanges. This also explains why ABT mostly rehearses at its own studios (dress and tech rehearsals excepted), rather than on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House. ABT has to pay rental fees, even for rehearsal time, as a visiting company. City Ballet, by contrast, has its own venue. There are union expenses to open the State Theater, but they don't have to rent it in the same way that ABT must rent the Metropolitan Opera House or City Center.

Given that ABT is, in fact, renting the venue, the reason for the last-minute announcements is obvious. ABT doesn't wish - and cannot afford - to allow refunds based on cast changes, because that would very likely reduce the revenue for that particular performance, leaving the company with less money available to pay the rental fee and other expenses which it is obligated to pay.

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The policy is that of the individual companies, not the Metropolitan Opera House. That's why ABT has one set of policies, and the Metropolitan Opera has a different set.

It's also why subscribers must return their tickets to the company and not to the box office. The Metropolitan Opera House (that is, the administration; I'm not referring to the building) itself has no policy. If a company or presenter chooses to rent the building and let it sit empty, that's the company's or presenter's decision.

Adam, I don't know about that. In fact I ALWAYS exchange my tickets at the box office.

This recent incident has exposed the bizarre nature of the ABT refund exchange policy...Why PUNISH those who purchase individual tickets with no privileges so subscribers have more?

I believe this is the policy of the Metropolitan Opera House, and not specifically that of ABT, but seeing as ABT is performing at the Met, they must follow the Met policy, which is the same: No Refunds/No exchanges. I'm not saying that this is the right policy, but the policy is posted every where--on the website, under the signature line when you pay by credit card, on the ticket envelopes, etc.

Also, while their stated policy is no refunds/no exchanges I've never been refused an exchange at the box office as long as it's at least 24 hours before the performance. I realize that ABT won't tell you that over the phone, that it may be inconvenient for some people to get to the box office and impossible for others – but it is an option and I don't think it's reserved solely for season ticket holders.

Another good option (unless you live way out of town and are planning a trip to NY to see ABT in a specific time frame) is to become a season ticket holder. I always buy a subscription and exchange the early season tickets that I'm sure I don't want during exchange week. I hold on to the ones I'm not sure about until the season is under way.

This allows me to budget my ABT ticket money in advance, exchange the ones I know I don’t want for the ones I'm sure I do want during exchange week (which is always before single ticket sales are processed) and hold on to the ones I'm not sure about until closer to the actual date when the casting and injury picture is a bit more clear

Susan

PS – that doesn't mean that I don't get upset at injuries or casting changes. Last night when I thought Part was injured I was ready to jump into the lake myself – I'm very grateful to learn that her absence wasn't due to injury and that she's likely for tomorrow's matinee. Two years in a row without a VP Swan Lake is cruel & unusual punishment…

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The policy is that of the individual companies, not the Metropolitan Opera House. That's why ABT has one set of policies, and the Metropolitan Opera has a different set.

How are they different? I thought the official policy of both companies is no refunds - no exchanges.

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"No refunds, no exchanges" is the four-word oversimplified version. There are, in fact, exchanges, and the exchange policy varies by event, company and presenter.

I don't know specifically what the different policies are, because I don't subscribe to ABT, even though I go almost every night. But I am certain that ABT rents the Metropolitan Opera House and City Center and the Metropolitan Opera does not.

ABT is described as a "Non-Resident Company", as distinguished from, for example, the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Ballet, the New York City Opera, the SAB and the New York Philharmonic, which are "Resident Companies".

The distinction is not the CITY in which the company is located, but, rather, whether it is part of Lincoln Center. ABT is not BASED at Lincoln Center.

That doesn't mean that there aren't lines in the Metropolitan Opera's budget that are allocated to house expenses for accounting purposes, but they are not renting the house the way ABT or, indeed, anybody else does. The Metropolitan Opera gets an "insider's price" because it is a Resident Company.

I haven't been able to locate the rate cards for the Metropolitan Opera House, but if you're interested, here are the rate cards for Avery Fisher Hall and Alice Tully Hall. You can see all the things for which a company is required to pay - box office staff, rental of equipment, etc. The Met is more expensive.

http://www.lincolncenter.org/pdfs/eventplanner.pdf

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There may be an unofficial policy and a different one in practice which they won't actually state. Of course, as noted this may not allow an out of towner to make the exchange and this too discriminates against those who don't live close enough and avail themselves of the walk up to the box office and make the exchange non written policy.

I suppose my position is that the no exchange policy should be abandoned and all purchasers should be allowed to make exchanges when program changes are announced if the exchange is requested 48 hrs before curtain (or some reasonable time).

Since the exchange policy does not "harm" the company for subscription sales, why should it harm it for individual ticket purchase sales? Obviously it doesn't and this policy is wrong headed and discriminatory. And those who bear the brunt of this are those who come from out of town at great expense who expect to see a particular performance.

Robert,

I am not second guessing the ABT, but I am confused about how they handled this injury and the cast changes which ensued. At the very least they need to limit the cascading impact of an injury through the season. in the case of the Corsaire last Wednesday none of the scheduled performers was injured, but the two principals were changed and a corps member danced the lead. Ha????

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I am not second guessing the ABT, but I am confused about how they handled this injury and the cast changes which ensued. At the very least they need to limit the cascading impact of an injury through the season. in the case of the Corsaire last Wednesday none of the scheduled performers was injured, but the two principals were changed and a corps member danced the lead. Ha????

The Le Corsaire casting was a logistical nightmare. Beloserkovsky was injured and replaced by his back-up corps member Cory Stearns. Unfortunately, Beloserkovsky was scheduled for opening night of the run. ABT rightly decided not to entrust the opening night of the run with a debut of a corps member. Murphy was also ailing and had to drop out of her Thursday night performance for which Kent substituted.

They couldn’t use Kent or Hallberg for opening night, because they were dancing the next day’s matinee. They couldn’t use Murphy and Saveliev for opening night, because Murphy was ailing. That left Paloma and Marcelo. The only other alternative to switching their nights was to make Paloma and Marcelo dance it two nights in a row – thereby risking fatigue and injury.

As much as I like to complain about these substitutions all the time, I think in this case, ABT did the best they could.

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Hagland your explanation may very well be spot on and I certainly am not qualified to figure out a schedule with appropriate partnering and on. They may have done the best they could under the circumstances. Let's hope that the rest of the season runs smoothly and everyone recovers.

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