fondoffouettes Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 I think it's a big improvement, but I just wish they'd put the full casting on the calendar. Also, the drop-down menus need to be tweaked. They shouldn't collapse and then re-appear as you move your cursor from right over the drop-down categories. It looks spastic like that. The first time I went to the site, a splash screen displaying ABT's logo against a white background appeared for several seconds before the page loaded. Splash pages are an outdated concept -- there should be no barrier between you and the home page you are trying to access. Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 (edited) If you view this on an iPad it shows all of the casting very clearly without having to open or click on anything. But when I first viewed this on a computer I had to hover my mouse over the date like everyone else to see the cast. It should read clearly no matter what device you use. But, it's still a big improvement from what they had. Edited March 23, 2018 by ABT Fan Link to comment
nanushka Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 Just now, ABT Fan said: If you view this on an iPad it shows all of the casting very clearly without having to open or click on anything. But when I first viewed this on a computer I had to hover my mouse over the date like everyone else to see the cast. It should read clearl no matter what device you use. But, it's still a big improvement from what they had. Yes, that's bizarre, I've never experienced a site that is more fully realized on a handheld device than on a laptop. Link to comment
abatt Posted March 23, 2018 Author Share Posted March 23, 2018 2 hours ago, ABT Fan said: Bolle doing Giselle on Monday is new. I can't remember who was scheduled before. And, I've just noticed another change. Lendorf has also been replaced in Giselle on May 16, eve, with Boylston (Whiteside is the sub). So, two of his performances have been canceled. Will there be others? I think that Monday Giselle was Cory Stearns before. Link to comment
Drew Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 (edited) Kim Bayadere? I've seen him dance it twice, once just a few months ago and I would still be tempted to race up to New York to see his Solor again if the dates permitted. (They don't, alas.) I wish ABT had more success developing from within, but this seems to me a terrific choice for a guest artist and would be even if the roster were full of top male dancers. Edited March 23, 2018 by Drew Link to comment
angelica Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 At the risk of repeating myself, the CASTING for the entire month should be accessible from desktop computers!!! Please, someone at ABT, do something about that! Link to comment
abatt Posted March 23, 2018 Author Share Posted March 23, 2018 Why are Stella's Mercedes dates in Don Q now TBA. Stella..... Also, did they ever publish a replacement for Hallberg in Whipped Cream, or has it been TBA the entire time. Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 23 minutes ago, abatt said: Why are Stella's Mercedes dates in Don Q now TBA. Stella..... Also, did they ever publish a replacement for Hallberg in Whipped Cream, or has it been TBA the entire time. Hopefully, they're just shuffling other Mercedes around since there has always been two TBA's. They haven't recast Hallberg's role in WC yet, but I expect Royal or Forster to get one or both since they're debuting that role in Hong Kong. Link to comment
fondoffouettes Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 1 hour ago, ABT Fan said: Hopefully, they're just shuffling other Mercedes around since there has always been two TBA's. They haven't recast Hallberg's role in WC yet, but I expect Royal or Forster to get one or both since they're debuting that role in Hong Kong. Yeah, that's weird for her to be taken out of her lowest-profile assignment of the season (though she's the Mercedes I'm most looking forward to!). I hope it's because the company has other plans for her (covering Swan Lake the previous week?) or that they are simply in the process of shifting around the Mercedes casting, as ABT Fan suggests. So...with the single-ticket date approaching this Sunday, what do people think about the likelihood of the Hallberg/Osipova Giselle actually happening? I only do single tickets, and I've never been so doubtful that scheduled casting will actually hold true. At first, this performance seemed like a must, but more and more, I'm thinking of not attending. I know it's an "event," but I just don't know if it's worth the gamble. And I'm not going to lie...part of me is getting exhausted of the Hallberg hype, as his actual appearances with ABT have dwindled. I'm just worried the evening is going to be a love-fest based on the audience's affection for these two artists and their past chemistry, rather than what actually happens onstage. I haven't loved a Hallberg performance since before he left for the Bolshoi. But I'm torn... Kudos to ABT for getting Kimin Kim -- a judicious use of a guest artist. And I needed a good reason to revisit Seo and see how she's dancing these days. Link to comment
Helene Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 4 hours ago, nanushka said: Yes, that's bizarre, I've never experienced a site that is more fully realized on a handheld device than on a laptop. That is the current trend: laptops and desktops are skewing towards work and graphics and when you need processing oomph, while lighter applications, which includes most websites, are being optimized for mobile devices. Link to comment
sidwich Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 6 minutes ago, Helene said: That is the current trend: laptops and desktops are skewing towards work and graphics and when you need processing oomph, while lighter applications, which includes most websites, are being optimized for mobile devices. Yes, the current marketing standard is to optimize for mobile vs. desktop. Hits from mobile outweigh hits from desktop in almost all cases. So when I ask my friends who are marketing execs to take a look at my websites, advertising, etc., across the board they will take a look on their phones first (even if they are sitting at their desks in front of their computers). Link to comment
abatt Posted March 23, 2018 Author Share Posted March 23, 2018 Is it my imagination, or did they remove Hallberg's name from Firebird? Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 I’m still trying to decide if I’m going to grab a ticket on Sunday for Osipova/Hallberg. I don’t have high hopes they’ll both show, but if they do I don’t want to miss it. But, I’m terrified of being stuck with one or two substitutes that make me cringe. So, what to do..... Link to comment
cobweb Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 My advice, ABT Fan: hold off on buying a ticket until the last minute. If they are performing and you can't get a seat, do standing room. Link to comment
abatt Posted March 23, 2018 Author Share Posted March 23, 2018 Since they took Hallberg out of week 2 Firebirds, in a role he's done before, I'm not optimistic about him showing up for his week 1 Giselle. Link to comment
abatt Posted March 23, 2018 Author Share Posted March 23, 2018 Just also noticed that Boylston is no longer listed for Firebird. Brandt takes the role! Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 44 minutes ago, abatt said: Just also noticed that Boylston is no longer listed for Firebird. Brandt takes the role! Brandt is doing the Lead Maiden. Firebird is Copeland, Teuscher and Shevchenko. Link to comment
abatt Posted March 23, 2018 Author Share Posted March 23, 2018 3 minutes ago, ABT Fan said: Brandt is doing the Lead Maiden. Firebird is Copeland, Teuscher and Shevchenko. Got it. Thanks for the clarification on cast order. Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 Since no one would go to Firebird to see Hallberg (my theory), removing him poses no consequence. I doubt many people would notice, or even know that's he's injured again, and then deduce the odds of him making Giselle (other than hard core balletomanes, like on this site). Or, that's what the company is betting on. I'm sure he and Osipova will remain on the calendar as long as possible, so people will snatch up tickets. I really hope he's well enough to dance, but the signs aren't good. Link to comment
CTballetfan Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 The cast changes and uncertainty are dizzying. Personally I would not buy a ticket for any performance unless I didn't care who the leads were--because they are likely to change one or more times before the performance. Since all but Harlequinade are staples in the ABT repertory, and I have seen them all multiple times, I won't be buying tickets until the last minute, if I do at all. And even then casting can change, as I have experienced many times--the dreaded white casting change slip in the program! An ABT volunteer called me the other evening to try to get me to take a last-minute subscription because I used to take one for years and I told her that casting is important in an old warhorse ballet and since it's likely to change before the performance, I do not want to make that commitment. Anyway, NYCB is much more exciting and its cast of world-class ballerinas makes almost any performance a standout. I just renewed my NYCB membership and this donation is well worth it. ABT needs to do something to win me--and others--back. Link to comment
Marta Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 18 minutes ago, CTballetfan said: The cast changes and uncertainty are dizzying. Personally I would not buy a ticket for any performance unless I didn't care who the leads were--because they are likely to change one or more times before the performance. Since all but Harlequinade are staples in the ABT repertory, and I have seen them all multiple times, I won't be buying tickets until the last minute, if I do at all. And even then casting can change, as I have experienced many times--the dreaded white casting change slip in the program! An ABT volunteer called me the other evening to try to get me to take a last-minute subscription because I used to take one for years and I told her that casting is important in an old warhorse ballet and since it's likely to change before the performance, I do not want to make that commitment. Anyway, NYCB is much more exciting and its cast of world-class ballerinas makes almost any performance a standout. I just renewed my NYCB membership and this donation is well worth it. ABT needs to do something to win me--and others--back. YES! I feel that you wrote exactly what I've been thinking. I can't be in NY for the Lane Bayadere or DQ, and what's available when I can be there is not appetizing. I'm almost giving in to the temptation of Kimin Kim in Bayadere, but I do not like Hee Seo. I can't help but wonder: Did they put these two together because they're both Korean and tall? So I might skip the whole season. One person here said they would rather see the typical ABT pairing of good dancer with mediocre than miss out on performances of the good dancer. I would do that if I lived closer to NY. Link to comment
abatt Posted March 23, 2018 Author Share Posted March 23, 2018 Interestingly, Kimin Kim also partnered Hee Seo in Bayadere at ABT in 2015. I don't necessarily think that McKenzie was attempting to pair together two South Koreans. The spot opened up because Hallberg backed out, so hiring a guest artist of Kim's stature and standing that Hee had previously danced with made sense. Link to comment
Golden Idol Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 If any of you can tolerate Seo in Bayadere, I would urge you to attend only to see Kimin Kim. His Solor in DC a few months ago was outstanding. Link to comment
abatt Posted March 23, 2018 Author Share Posted March 23, 2018 The Kim Bayadere also has Murphy as Gamzatti, which is a great plus. I decided to put up with Seo in order to see other two-thirds of the lead cast, and bought tickets. I, too, saw Kim in DC in October, and thought he was excellent. Link to comment
clrtt Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 (edited) I plan to support the soloists and up and coming dancers this season. I chose to come into town the beginning of June to see the Teuscher/Ahn/Trenary Bayadere on Saturday, June 2nd matinee, and the Trenary/Shayer Harlequinade on Wednesday, June 6th. I may also add another Harlequinade to see Sarah Lane. Given the controversial feelings surrounding some of the principals and casting decisions, as an audience I feel we should support those who clearly have talent and will be carrying this company into the future. There are many others I would love to add, but unfortunately time and resources limit my decisions. In addition, so sad Trenary wasn’t given Kitri. I saw her Don Q Pdd at Blaine Hovens Full Circle Gala and she was not only lovely and vivacious, she nailed the 32 fouettés without traveling. From the audience it appeared like she didn’t move an inch. Edited March 23, 2018 by clrtt Link to comment
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