ABT Fall 2015 season

[fondoffouettes]

I'd love to see ABT do the Sylvia pas de deux. It's the kind of Balanchine choreography they could do very, very well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-c3-lwY6uo

Unless I've missed it, NYCB almost never performs this piece, right? I think Murphy could be pretty spectacular in it. Sure, ABT already has the Ashton, but it would be so interesting to see this Balanchine piece in contrast to the full-length.

[mussel]

La Sonnambula set looked quite lavish, I assume ABT still have the set? If ABT were to revive it, who would you like to see as the poet and the sleepwalker?

[choriamb]

I'd love to see ABT do the Sylvia pas de deux. It's the kind of Balanchine choreography they could do very, very well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-c3-lwY6uo

Unless I've missed it, NYCB almost never performs this piece, right? I think Murphy could be pretty spectacular in it. Sure, ABT already has the Ashton, but it would be so interesting to see this Balanchine piece in contrast to the full-length.

Oooh, one of my very favorite videos...van Hamel is so gorgeous in this!

Outlier comment here, but I'd be curious to see ABT in a mid-to-late period Balanchine black-and-white (Apollo doesn't count) just to see how they handled it. It seems a shame that Boylston and Whiteside, in particular, won't get a crack at Agon or Stravinsky Violin Concerto.

[Natalia]

Oooh, one of my very favorite videos...van Hamel is so gorgeous in this!

Outlier comment here, but I'd be curious to see ABT in a mid-to-late period Balanchine black-and-white (Apollo doesn't count) just to see how they handled it. It seems a shame that Boylston and Whiteside, in particular, won't get a crack at Agon or Stravinsky Violin Concerto.

Leslie Browne is the coquette in the PBS film with Baryshnikov. Van Hamel was not in this film.

By the way, that PBS film included a very young Julie Kent in a brief Siamese pdd with Gil Boggs, within the divertissements. It must have been her first year in the company.

[Helene]

The link on which in choriamb commented was to the "Sylvia Pas de Deux " in which van Hamel, with Patrick Bissell, was fantastic.

Many thanks for posting it, fondoffouettes -- MvH was a goddess!

[bingham]

Leslie Browne is the coquette in the PBS film with Baryshnikov. Van Hamel was not in this film.

Someone above mentioned Kirkland being in this ABT SONAMBULA production. Kirkland was long gone from ABT by the mid/late 1980s. Perhaps Kirkland danced it at NYCB?

By the way, that PBS film included a very young Julie Kent in a brief Siamese pdd with Gil Boggs, within the divertissements. It must have been her first year in the company.

I think, Choriamb was referring to a video of Martine dancing the Balanchine Sylvia pdd with Patrick Bissell. Yes, Martine was gorgeous in that video.

[Kathleen O'Connell]

And yes, I think they'd be a natural choice for Sonnambula. Or Prodigal.

Yes to both. Prodigal does address the tall women / short men issue.

[sandik]

Many thanks for posting it, fondoffouettes -- MvH was a goddess!

Wasn't she, though -- I learned so much watching her.

[onxmyxtoes]

Isn't it a wonder that MvH doesn't coach. From watching videos of her (never had the pleasure of seeing her perform live), she was truly something exquisite. Wish she could share some of her gift with the rising talent.

[abatt]

I remember seeing Dvorovenko doing Sylvia pdd at City Center. I think it was when ABT began its fall seasons at City Center around 2000 or 2002. Of course, they have also done Prodigal, but not in quite a few years. Would love to see Herman as Prodigal.

[lmspear]

van Hamel has been very involved as a founder and faculty member at Kaatsban International Dance Center. http://www.kaatsbaan.org

[Drew]

Someone above mentioned Kirkland being in this ABT SONAMBULA production. Kirkland was long gone from ABT by the mid/late 1980s. Perhaps Kirkland danced it at NYCB?

Kirkland danced it at ABT. Early 80's. Here is a link to Jennifer Dunning's review of the performance in which she begins by saying that Kirkland's Sleepwalker "had the grandeur of madness and the fine detail of a nightmare though a beautiful one..." and goes on to discuss the performance a bit more:

http://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/10/arts/ballet-role-for-miss-kirkland.html

[California]

Kirkland danced it at ABT. Early 80's. Here is a link to Jennifer Dunning's review of the performance in which she begins by saying that Kirkland's Sleepwalker "had the gradeur of madness and the fine detail of a nightmare though a beautiful one..." and goes on to discuss the performance a bit more:

http://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/10/arts/ballet-role-for-miss-kirkland.html

Here's the chronology: fired in 1980 from ABT, rejoined in November 1982, left in May 1984. Never returned:

http://www.nytimes.com/1984/05/06/nyregion/gelsey-kirkland-quits-ballet-theater-troupe.html

[Drew]

Here's the chronology: fired in 1980 from ABT, rejoined in November 1982, left in May 1984. Never returned:

http://www.nytimes.com/1984/05/06/nyregion/gelsey-kirkland-quits-ballet-theater-troupe.html

Though, in a way, briefly she did return--many years later to dance Carabosse in the Mckenzie/Chernov/Kirkland Sleeping Beauty. I didn't see her Carabosse but a number of people seem to have enjoyed it, though the production was widely criticized and later, I gather, revised even before it was replaced by the Ratmansky.

In any case, her performance in Sonnambula was absolutely mesmerizing--one of the greatest I saw from her at any time and all the more special (to me) in happening at a time in her career when she was having great difficulties.

[ABT Fan]

Prodigal with Cornejo and Murphy as the Siren = dream casting

[Natalia]

Kirkland danced it at ABT. Early 80's. Here is a link to Jennifer Dunning's review of the performance in which she begins by saying that Kirkland's Sleepwalker "had the gradeur of madness and the fine detail of a nightmare though a beautiful one..." and goes on to discuss the performance a bit more:

http://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/10/arts/ballet-role-for-miss-kirkland.html

Thank you for this. I had not realized that ABT's SONNAMBULA dated so far back. I was thinking of when I first saw their production at Kennedy Center, which was closer to the date of the PBS airing (mid 80s).

Re Kirkland - one can't say that she never received a 2nd (or 3rd) chance. Tragic.

[vipa]

Oooh, one of my very favorite videos...van Hamel is so gorgeous in this!

Van Hamel was gorgeous in this. Back in the day, although she had followers, she wasn't a star or perhaps I should say she was a lesser star. Cynthia Gregory, Makarova, Fracci, Kirkland got most of the buzz. In later years when Misha took over he was promoting younger dancers like Susan Jaffe. It's interesting to look back and see such amazing technique and quality. At the time I was such a Gregory fan that there was a lot I didn't notice in other dancers.

[fondoffouettes]

Van Hamel was gorgeous in this. Back in the day, although she had followers, she wasn't a star or perhaps I should say she was a lesser star. Cynthia Gregory, Makarova, Fracci, Kirkland got most of the buzz. In later years when Misha took over he was promoting younger dancers like Susan Jaffe. It's interesting to look back and see such amazing technique and quality. At the time I was such a Gregory fan that there was a lot I didn't notice in other dancers.

It goes to show what a wealth of talent ABT had at the time. Who in the current roster of ballerinas could pull off the Sylvia Pas de Deux as well as Van Hamel does in that video? With Herrera gone, I can only really imagine Murphy and possibly Boylston doing it justice. I'd sure love to see Stella in it, too.

Even though I never had the opportunity to see her dance in person, I consider van Hamel to be ABT's Myrtha par excellence, based on this well-known video alone:

https://youtu.be/db4xlqnpB7U?t=2m50s

It gives me chills even watching it again this morning.

As a sidenote, I really wish ABT would reinstate the choreography in which Myrtha does nearly two sets of bourees across the stage (in either direction) rather than just one. It's such a pleasure to watch Murphy and Part do those bourees, and I'd savor the opportunity to see them do it twice! It's also so beautiful how she lifts her veil off while she's doing the second set and then tosses it aside. Does anyone know when or why ABT took out the second set? Is it too taxing on the dancer to do them twice before launching into the variation? Was it preferable to have Myrtha take off her veil in the wings so that it wouldn't be left on the stage?

[choriamb]

Even though I never had the opportunity to see her dance in person, I consider van Hamel to be ABT's Myrtha par excellence, based on this well-known video alone:

https://youtu.be/db4xlqnpB7U?t=2m50s

It gives me chills even watching it again this morning.

Thank you so much for the link, fondoffouettes: I wasn't aware of that video. Beautiful!

[Helene]

As an aside, Miami City Ballet is performing "Bourree Fantasque" next February as part of Program III, with Justin Peck's "Year of the Rabbit" and Paul Taylor's "Sunset."

[Lcg]

ABT has updated its Fall Koch casting. Zhurbin has picked up one of the three previously TBA Green Tables. Lendorf has disappeared from the previously announced casting wiith Whiteside filling in for several of his shows.

[abatt]

Still no Monotones casting.

[nalgille]

Still no Monotones casting.

On the "A Ballerina's Life" public viber chat Stella hinted she was starting to rehearse monotones, but no word on what dates or with who else

[Dale]

Gala release:

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE 2015 FALL GALA AT DAVID H. KOCH THEATER,

WEDNESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 21 AT 6:30 P.M.

Gala Evening Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co.

American Ballet Theatre’s 2015 Fall season at the David H. Koch Theater opens Wednesday, October 21 with the annual opening night Gala at 6:30 P.M. Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co., the evening will feature the New York City Premiere of After You by choreographer Mark Morris, the Company Premiere of Frederick Ashton’s Monotones I and II and the Revival Premiere of Twyla Tharp’s The Brahms-Haydn Variations.

Sarah Arison, Melissa A. Smith, Sutton Stracke, Monica G-S Wambold and Leslie Ziff will serve as Gala Co-Chairs. Toni and Martin Sosnoff will be honored with The Melville Straus Leadership Achievement Award. Dinner and dancing will immediately follow the performance on The Promenade at the David H. Koch Theater. Proceeds from the 75^th Anniversary Fall Gala will support ABT’s education and community outreach programs.

For further Gala information, please contact Buckley Hall Events, 914-597-1000. Performance-only tickets, beginning at $25, are available online, at the Koch Theater box office or by phone at 212-496-0600. The David H. Koch Theater is located at Lincoln Center, Broadway and 63^rd Street in New York City. For more information, visit ABT’s website at www.abt.org.

[choriamb]

On the "A Ballerina's Life" public viber chat Stella hinted she was starting to rehearse monotones, but no word on what dates or with who else

Daniil Simkin wrote that he's rehearsing it on his Instagram account.