ABT 2015 Met season

[Amour]

Both ABT and NYCB scan the tickets.

Oops, ok. Didn't notice that at ABT.

[Amour]

If Kent is injured, why do these cast changes in dribs and drabs. She did the same thing at the Kennedy Center with last second cancellations,.

Yes, at what point does bait and switch become outright fraud. ABT has known since the Kennedy Center that Julie was injured. Similarly with Smirnova's Bayadere. Everyone in the world knew Smirnova was out with an injury and the Bolshoi was saying they 'hoped" she'd return in July. It wasn't until mid April that her June 5 performance became TBA, (and then Cojocaru) long after subscribers have paid their money. Many of us (like me) are unhappy with her replacement. But in any event, advertising a performance for a dancer who can not reasonably be expected to perform (and the company knows it) seems like false advertising and fraud.

I'm afraid these problems will just worsen as the season progresses and prominent dancers get injured.

[Helene]

On the other hand, you don't know how serious an injury is or what the estimates for recovery are. It's not fraud, in my opinion, if there's a realistic chance that a dancer will recover in time.

We have a dancer at PNB who was cast in two major roles as her return role, one in the Forsythe rep, and then later as Odette/Odile. As it turned out, she wasn't ready to come back for either. Casting isn't out for the final program of the season, and I wouldn't be surprised to find her in the casting, which is only posted two weeks out the earliest, not months ahead of time like at ABT. If she is, I hope she will dance, but would understand if she's still not ready.

[sandik]

Supposedly when "Lilac Garden" was first presented by the Ballet Rambert in 1936 it was done on a tiny stage at the Mercury Theater. The later revivals increased the number of guests who observe and drift by. This was brought out during a discussion after a performance of "Jardin aux Lilas" by the New York Theatre Ballet with Diana Byer - the Mercury Theater stage was about the same size as the tiny Florence Gould Hall stage.

The stage at the Mercury is minute (take a look at the Swan Lake scene in Red Shoes). It's hard to see details in this photo, but it was small, and had this staircase climbing across the back wall, which made it even harder to deal with. Here's an image from Ashton's Foyer de Danse -- again, hard to see details, but he used every inch of the space.

[Amour]

On the other hand, you don't know how serious an injury is or what the estimates for recovery are. It's not fraud, in my opinion, if there's a realistic chance that a dancer will recover in time.

But what if, say, a dancer has a surgery or breaks his/her foot at the start of the season? Then there is no realistic hope the dancer will return that season. And PNB sounds like NYCB, where the choreography is king/Queen and casting only comes out shortly before the performance. ABT, on the other hand, uses its "Star Strategy" to get seats filled. They advertise based on specific stars. What then, if the dancer is still being advertised as dancing?

[Helene]

Subscribers have already purchased their tickets before the beginning of the season; if a dancer is injured at the beginning of a season, it should have no impact on subscription sales. In addition subscribers can exchange their tickets, and from what I've read here, there isn't a problem exchanging tickets more than a day before the performance. The harm/foul should apply to single ticket buyers, and, of course, the advertised dancers should be replaced by a TBA or another dancer as soon as the dancer or someone in the medical profession has confirmed that there's no hope that the dancer can perform. If a dancer posts on Twitter that he or she is out for the season, his or her name shouldn't continue to be advertised.

A broken foot sounds to me like something from which a dancer wouldn't recover in time, but I'm not a doctor and have no idea of what an exception might be. As far as surgery is concerned, it depends on the surgery. It also depends on what injury and/or treatments have been confirmed. A dancer may intend to have surgery but then find an alternative treatment and come back sooner than expected, as we also had out here recently.

[aurora]

Yes, at what point does bait and switch become outright fraud. ABT has known since the Kennedy Center that Julie was injured.

This is a general response but Amour's comment seemed a good place to put it--Don't you all think that rather than bait and switch OR fraud this is probably very much related to these particular circumstances? As much as we love to complain about dancer X or Y not dancing at ABT, the company has not been bad about this.

I'd guess the issue here is that it is Kent's last season, her last shot at these roles, and that she has a minor injury that she is not recovering from as fast as she would like.

Should they pull her from the roles earlier? Maybe. But they are giving her the respect and honor of giving her every possible chance to get her last opportunities to dance them because this is it folks. She won't get to again.

I feel terrible for her. Her last season reduced to this. Sad way to end her career.

I'd actually argue ABT might deserve some credit for not preemptively pulling her and giving her the chance to salvage her final season but I know that isn't the narrative of ABT that flies here.

[kaskait]

This is a general response but Amour's comment seemed a good place to put it--Don't you all think that rather than bait and switch OR fraud this is probably very much related to these particular circumstances? As much as we love to complain about dancer X or Y not dancing at ABT, the company has not been bad about this.

I'd guess the issue here is that it is Kent's last season, her last shot at these roles, and that she has a minor injury that she is not recovering from as fast as she would like.

Should they pull her from the roles earlier? Maybe. But they are giving her the respect and honor of giving her every possible chance to get her last opportunities to dance them because this is it folks. She won't get to again.

I feel terrible for her. Her last season reduced to this. Sad way to end her career.

I'd actually argue ABT might deserve some credit for not preemptively pulling her and giving her the chance to salvage her final season but I know that isn't the narrative of ABT that flies here.

That could be the case. But I think it would be nicer for Kent to realize that she doesn't have the strength to dance so many ballets and concentrate on 1 or two she can really give her all. The way it is now, it looks as if she is monopolizing the dance schedule even though she most likely won't be able to dance. If, she is in fact injured.

As far as respect goes, it is a pity ABT didn't extend this same amount toward Paloma Herrera by giving her a technically demanding Sleeping Beauty as a last performance with no regard to her own choice. She spoke about this in a Washington Post article stating that she had no choice.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/these-star-ballerinas-are-retiring--graceful-and-grateful-to-the-last-dance/2015/03/20/62f0ef6a-cf24-11e4-a2a7-9517a3a70506_story.html

[Natalia]

At the very least, we should see Kent in Monday's gala. She's dancing just one excerpt (PILLAR) but enough to give her fans a chance to cheer.

[abatt]

Did anyone see last night's show? How was Devon Teucher in Pillar?

[mimsyb]

This is a general response but Amour's comment seemed a good place to put it--Don't you all think that rather than bait and switch OR fraud this is probably very much related to these particular circumstances? As much as we love to complain about dancer X or Y not dancing at ABT, the company has not been bad about this.

I'd guess the issue here is that it is Kent's last season, her last shot at these roles, and that she has a minor injury that she is not recovering from as fast as she would like.

Should they pull her from the roles earlier? Maybe. But they are giving her the respect and honor of giving her every possible chance to get her last opportunities to dance them because this is it folks. She won't get to again.

I feel terrible for her. Her last season reduced to this. Sad way to end her career.

I'd actually argue ABT might deserve some credit for not preemptively pulling her and giving her the chance to salvage her final season but I know that isn't the narrative of ABT that flies here.

I was there last night and Julie was, of course, replaced in "Pillar of Fire" by Devon Teuscher. I was sad not to have seen Kent, as it is a signature role for her. (I have seen her dance this role many times). Teuscher is still finding her way into this role and hopefully if danced more will become a fine interpreter of Hagar. The question of course is whether ABT will still do these sorts of ballets given the rather scrappy attendance as seen last night. "Pillar of Fire" (for me) doesn't benefit from being danced on the larger stage. It loses much of it's intensity and sense of repression. Still, I liked Roman Zhurbin very much and still wonder why he isn't getting more substantial roles. I know he is known for his fine characterizations in many ballets. But his partnering is superb and just his whole manner of dancing is deserving of more than what he is usually given. I'd love to see him in "Fancy Free", for instance. He has good technical chops and is still young. Wish I could say "Fancy Free" was a fun way to end last night's program. Maybe it was just "second cast" jitters, but I found it wanting in many ways. None of the men really let loose. Simkin did his usual mugging and didn't have that silly insouciance that Cornejo brings to the role. Whiteside was just OK. Baca, new in the role, needs coaching and time. Gillian was radiant as always, but alas I have to say Stella looked too old to be dancing the" girl with the red handbag" role. At least with this particular cast. Time for her to maybe retire this role. The opening "T&V" was danced with little style or commitment . The dancers get the job done, but there seems to be little radiance and overall bravura to the work. Isabella and Cory, both fine, but I barely remember much of what they did. The whole evening seemed like that for me. Nice, but forgettable. Maybe I've been seeing too much of NYCB recently where I come away with a bounce in my step and overjoyed at the calibre of dancing seen on the stage This is just the first week for ABT and already everyone seems a bit tired and slack. Sure there were a few glimmers here and there, but overall, just a bit disappointing. I'm sure things will get better........... won't they?

[abatt]

I suspect Pillar will be repeated by ABT at the Koch in the Fall. Teucher probably would have made her debut in the fall at the Koch, but she had to make her debut early due to Kent's absence. I also felt that the size of the Met stage for both Pillar and Lilac swallowed up the ballets.

[mimsyb]

I suspect Pillar will be repeated by ABT at the Koch in the Fall. Teucher probably would have made her debut in the fall at the Koch, but she had to make her debut early due to Kent's absence. I also felt that the size of the Met stage for both Pillar and Lilac swallowed up the ballets.

One of my dance fantasies is to transport myself back in time to the Mercury Theater in London. Just to see these ballets done as they were danced originally. Maybe not better. But surely an experience.

[nanushka]

This is just the first week for ABT and already everyone seems a bit tired and slack. Sure there were a few glimmers here and there, but overall, just a bit disappointing. I'm sure things will get better........... won't they?

I remember some very similar comments being made on this forum at the start of another recent season – not sure whether it was last spring's or perhaps the most recent Nutcracker run. As I recall, though, things picked up and the company as a whole began to seem more committed and alive. Perhaps this is some sort of company quirk?

[nysusan]

I thought Teuscher made a fine debut as Hagar last night. Nowhere near the burning intensity and internal conflict I remember from Murphy's prior performances (unfortunately I will not be able to see her this season), but a very well danced and well thought out interpretation. This ballet has been completely re-cast since the last time I saw it and I thought everyone did well, with the exception of Stearns. He was the least seductive "man from the house opposite" I've ever seen. I thought I was starting to see an improvement in both his dancing and his stage presence in the past few seasons but based on what I've seen so far this season I'm not so sure.

T&V was lackluster as noted by mimsyb. Boyleston had nice speed & energy but her torso and arms were lacking and so was her phrasing. Stearns was ok, he certainly has beautiful line but he looked somewhat sloppy in his variations with fudged landings and listing off center. At one point in that second variation it seemed that he was travelling off the diagonal. Perhaps they just suffered in comparison with Tuesday night's luminous Lane/Cornejo performance.

I didn't stay for Fancy Free. I agree that it was a pretty uninspiring evening but Tuesday's was the exact opposite, I left the theater on a real high that night. There have been glowing reports on the Part/Abrera/Lane/Gorak cast of Les Sylphides so I guess its hit or miss so far.

[angelica]

Tuesday night's luminous Lane/Cornejo performance"

So glad to read this, nysusan. I thought Lane and Cornejo were phenomenal and that their partnering was absolutely on the mark. When they were dancing in parallel their port de bras were completely in synch. In addition, Lane smiled throughout the fiendishly difficult choreography and Cornjeo tossed off his turns with his customary aplomb, all the while making appropriate eye contact with each other in a way that made me think this might be the beginning of a new partnership, now that Reyes is retiring. I think they both have enough good years remaining for this to happen. And perhaps Sarah will finally get her well deserved promotion.

[angelica]

Yes, I agree that review was inexplicable and I fear that a promotion is not likely if the Times critics take such a dim view of her dancing.

Sometimes it feels as if casting and promotion decisions are made by The New York Times critics, who seem to make a point of actively discouraging attendance at ABT performances.

[kaskait]

I'm sad to say that I don't take NY Times reviews into account anymore. I get better accounts from fan blogs around the internet. The Times didn't even report the stumbles and slips in the opening cast of Les Slyphides that audience members wrote about here.

As of now I have tickets to see Lane's Sleeping Beauty and Abrera's Cinderella. I'm thinking about seeing Part in La Bayadere. It depends on when I get tickets for NYCB's Midsummer Night's Dream.

[Helene]

Discuss the critics in "Writings on Ballet" or individual dancer threads. Not in the performance threads.

[laurel]

Last night’s T&V performance was in sharp contrast to Tuesday night’s, when Lane & Cornejo moved together in blissful perfection. Boylston hurtled too quickly through the dance and several times was unable to slow herself to keep pace with the music. During the pas de deux she fell out of sync with Stearns and had to make a quick adjustment. Stearns was as sluggish as the music, and in the polonaise Boylston approached him too quickly and bumped into him before he was prepared for the lift. Maybe they were unable to rehearse together enough, but they certainly were not a great team. None of it mattered, though, since what audience there was appeared to be half asleep as well. As someone noted earlier, there were even fewer people in attendance last night than on Tuesday. I was seated in the orchestra and surrounded by Russian fans of Semionova, who were more than annoyed by her absence. However, Simkin and his acrobatics in Fancy Free woke up everyone and made the Russian fans, and the rest of the audience, very happy indeed.

[atm711]

I, too am a bit weary of seeing solosits in ballerina roles when they call for a 'grand manner'. Hee Seo

in 'Lilac Garden' might as well have been a young girl at her prom. Good grief! Since it is one of the very few roles that Veronika Part dances---she is one of the best interpreters of the role I have seen---I wish she had a chance at Caroline!. Reyes saved the evening with her charming cowgirl. I will be seeing most of this bill again on Friday...the lure of cheap tickets and orchestra seats! The opera house was pretty empty, I can see why there have been many 'good deals'.

[abatt]

Part is too sophisticated and glam to be Caroline. It's more of a waif part, I think. The designated waifs in the company are Vishneva, Seo and Kent. I would have liked to see Abrera in Part's role in a second cast.

[volcanohunter]

I get better accounts from fan blogs around the internet.

Yes, so do I. I'm grateful to everyone who reports on the performances they see, in New York and everywhere else.

[Jayne]

The opera house was pretty empty, I can see why there have been many 'good deals'

First post in quite some time....I wasn't at ABT, but this is a suggestion for all of the companies: Allow season ticket holders to purchase tickets to additional performances at 50% off. I know there is the worry that this would encourage scalpers, but if this was allowed with some time-limitations (maybe 48 hours), then more seats would be full, more season ticket holders would be pleased, and more could bring friends and family to second performances. PNB gives season ticket holders 20% off, but for the programs that only fill 50% of the house, wouldn't they like to have the house filled up with stark raving fans?

Just my lightbulb moment of the year.

[Amour]

First post in quite some time....I wasn't at ABT, but this is a suggestion for all of the companies: Allow season ticket holders to purchase tickets to additional performances at 50% off.

NYCB allows subscribers to purchase additional tickets at 20% off. ABT needs to do something similar.