FauxPas Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 (edited) Definitely it would be best to distribute a male principal premier danseur role in each ballet among Hoven, Forster, Gorak, Aran Bell, Shayer, Calvin Royal III and (my suggestion) Marshall Whiteley. Also, Roberto Bolle has recently been given one shot one role seasonal contracts - I say give him more to do with multiple roles, he has still got it. Then ABT could give a guest shot to Kimin Kim, Leonid Sarafanov or Vladimir Shklyarov. Then hire a new soloist. I think Gatti is a good idea. I also wouldn't be unhappy to see Friedemann Vogel, Osiel Gouneo or Francois Alu. Edited August 14, 2018 by FauxPas Link to comment
nanushka Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 (edited) 32 minutes ago, CharlieH said: Re. Hoven & Forster: read my (& others’) comments about “spice.” Cory Stearns is a hot tamale in comparison to those two, regardless of Tech capability. Have to seriously disagree here, having seen Forster as Espada this summer. Cory could never have performed that role so well. Forster has a lot of stage presence (or at least has the potential for that — he may not have always shown it in certain other roles). Cory disappears into the scenery. Edited August 14, 2018 by nanushka Link to comment
Fleurfairy Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 3 hours ago, FauxPas said: Also, Roberto Bolle has recently been given one shot one role seasonal contracts - I say give him more to do with multiple roles, he has still got it. I don't think he wants more than one role. I'm sure ABT would love to have him full-on during the Met season but I'm inclined to think he's not interested in doing anything but a one-off with Alessandra Ferri or Hee Seo every now and then. Which then begs the question, why is he still taking up space on the male principal roster when they could put someone in that slot that is fully committed? They desperately need someone. Link to comment
fondoffouettes Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 I'd be hard-pressed to name a male dancer at ABT more bland than Stearns. He's technically competent, but he seems to generate little chemistry with his partners and his acting really doesn't register across the footlights in most instances. At his best, he's a charming, if not compelling, stage presence. 2 minutes ago, Fleurfairy said: Which then begs the question, why is he still taking up space on the male principal roster when they could put someone in that slot that is fully committed? They desperately need someone. I have to imagine he only has a guest artist contract, despite being labeled a principal. I wonder if the same may be true of Hallberg. So while they are certainly taking up some performance slots, and some of ABT's money, I think they are less of an impediment to others advancing than if they had full principal contracts. Link to comment
Drew Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 (edited) 4 hours ago, CharlieH said: Re. Hoven & Forster: read my (& others’) comments about “spice.” Cory Stearns is a hot tamale in comparison to those two, regardless of Tech capability. I don’t find Forster bland. Maybe not “spicy” in the way you mean here, but I have always found that his dancing draws my eye in a way that is still charismatic. Nor have I found him uninteresting to watch when cast, as he often is, in character roles. Would it be enough in a principal role? I haven’t seen him in one and can’t say. But I would be happy to find out. From what I read here he is not a particularly young dancer (for classical ballet) and it surprises me he hasn’t been given more chances—but there may be reasons I can’t assess. (I haven’t seen Hoven as much ...) Edited August 14, 2018 by Drew Link to comment
nanushka Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 9 minutes ago, Drew said: From what I read here he is not a particularly young dancer (for classical ballet)... Correct, his ABT bio states that he was born in 1986. Link to comment
FauxPas Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 I could see Forster as Siegfried in "Swan Lake" and as Lescaut in MacMillan's "Manon" but I think Des Grieux is a good possibility too given his Royal Ballet School training. Link to comment
CharlieH Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 8 hours ago, nanushka said: Have to seriously disagree here, having seen Forster as Espada this summer. Cory could never have performed that role so well. Forster has a lot of stage presence (or at least has the potential for that — he may not have always shown it in certain other roles). Cory disappears into the scenery. I enjoyed Forster in Ratmansky’s Symposium...& other pure dance roles. I haven’t yet seen his charisma shine through. ABT is in serious need of WOW male soloists & Principals. Link to comment
nanushka Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 (edited) 2 minutes ago, CharlieH said: I enjoyed Forster in Ratmansky’s Symposium...& other pure dance roles. I haven’t yet seen his charisma shine through. ABT is in serious need of WOW male soloists & Principals. Oh I completely agree he's not a WOW. (And agree they need a few.) He's miles closer than Cory, I'd say, but I don't think he'll ever quite be that. He could be really really good I think, though, if given the right opportunities (as he was in a few cases this summer). Edited August 14, 2018 by nanushka Link to comment
CharlieH Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, nanushka said: Oh I completely agree he's not a WOW. (And agree they need a few.) He's miles closer than Cory, I'd say, but I don't think he'll ever quite be that. He could be really really good I think, though, if given the right opportunities (as he was in a few cases this summer). Yup. If promotion to Principal were based solely on technical capability, I’d add Gorak to the list...fantastic, sharp Prince Desire two years in a row. But, again, I haven’t seen WOW on the overall performance & personality side yet. We were so spoiled with many WOW guys at ABT from the 1970s until fairly recently. Edited August 15, 2018 by CharlieH Adding Gorak details Link to comment
CharlieH Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 (edited) Someone mentioned Alejandro Virelles as a potential ABT joiner. He just joined Berlin Staatsballett, just in time for Ratmansky’s Bayadere. https://www.staatsballett-berlin.de/en/ensemble Edited August 15, 2018 by CharlieH Link to comment
CharlieH Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 ABT has just updated its Corps roster. All six of the Met season’s apprentices have been promoted to Corps de ballet, not just Zimmi Coker, as mentioned above. In addition to Zimmi: Sierra Armstrong Simon Hoke Fangqi Li Joao Menegussi Javier Rivet Departed Corps, in addition to those mentioned earlier in this thread: Elina Miettinen and Sean Stewart. https://www.abt.org/the-company/dancers/ Link to comment
Barbara Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 This is the first I've heard about Elina Miettinen leaving the company. I always noticed her and will miss her presence. I follow her on instagram and must have missed any mention of it. She does seem to do a little acting/modeling and product endorsement so perhaps that's what she'll pursue. Has anyone knowledge of her plans? Link to comment
FauxPas Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 (edited) 3 hours ago, Barbara said: This is the first I've heard about Elina Miettinen leaving the company. I always noticed her and will miss her presence. I follow her on instagram and must have missed any mention of it. She does seem to do a little acting/modeling and product endorsement so perhaps that's what she'll pursue. Has anyone knowledge of her plans? This message posted one day ago on instagram states that Elina lost her brother ten months ago. So this has been a rough year and/or perhaps she felt the need to move on in her life. Her biggest role was the White Cat in the Ratmansky "Sleeping Beauty" in which she was superb. Edited August 15, 2018 by FauxPas Always read hashtags. Millenials know that. Link to comment
Barbara Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 Thank you, FauxPas. I did see this post but did not take the time to read the hashtags or the comments to understand fully what she was saying. I'm very sorry to hear this and wish Elina all the best in the future. Link to comment
miliosr Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 (edited) On 8/13/2018 at 1:41 PM, ABT Fan said: With Gomes' and Cirio's departures, those two salaries should enable them to hire at least one top shelf male principal. ABT's most current Form 990 is for 2016. (Available at Guide Star.) According to the 2016 filing, Marcelo Gomes had the highest compensation ($172,000+) for a male dancer and the second highest compensation in the company. (Gillian Murphy had the highest.) His departure (and that of Jeffrey Cirio) should have freed up a lot of $$$ for recruitment purposes. Regarding the other male principals, the company most likely has only been paying Roberto Bolle his customary per-performance fee for a while now. (His 'Principal' designation would be a courtesy based on his stature in the field.) So, no savings there. We don't what future contracts will look like for David Hallberg and Daniil Simkin given that they now will spend less time with the company. There may be savings under the "cap" with both of them. (I'm not sure what is going on with Alban Lendorf's situation.) That leaves Herman Cornejo, Cory Stearns and James Whiteside as the three principals for whom the company is for sure paying full freight. There is definitely money in the ABT budget to go out into the free market. But who knows who is willing to make the jump? Edited August 17, 2018 by miliosr Link to comment
Gdsathena Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 On 8/8/2018 at 2:40 PM, ABT Fan said: The roster has been updated to reflect those who have resigned/retired, including Cirio, Davis, Stewart and others. Gisele Bethea has been removed, so that answers the questions surrounding her (why did they bother to update her photo in the last few weeks, though?). The new promotions haven't been reflected yet, but they don't take affect for another month (though last year I remember them updating the site early with the new principals). I wonder when Luciana Paris will return from maternity? Her Instagram makes no mention of it, but since she's still on the roster she must be coming back (hopefully, in the fall). https://www.abt.org/the-company/dancers/ I’m so sad about Gisele Bethea. I had no idea she was injured. Was she really? She never came across as such. I was always confused why she wasn’t dancing in the met season but present for the fall. I have been following her posts and someone had made a comment Cole (her new husband) he was going to be a daddy. She is terribly young, if this is true. I’m very elated for her marriage, but selfishly wants her back dancing. I am in love with her abilities. I just can’t imagine all that training being a child prodigy and all, then to not fulfill what she was destined to pursue. .... Link to comment
Fleurfairy Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 12 hours ago, Gdsathena said: I’m so sad about Gisele Bethea. I had no idea she was injured. Was she really? She never came across as such. I was always confused why she wasn’t dancing in the met season but present for the fall. I have been following her posts and someone had made a comment Cole (her new husband) he was going to be a daddy. She is terribly young, if this is true. I’m very elated for her marriage, but selfishly wants her back dancing. I am in love with her abilities. I just can’t imagine all that training being a child prodigy and all, then to not fulfill what she was destined to pursue. .... Oh dear. Yes, she seems incredibly young. But judging by her Instagram, she is Mormon and that is the Mormon way I suppose. Link to comment
nanushka Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 (edited) Forster will be dancing Nutcracker in Costa Mesa this year! Not quite the heft of a true full-length lead role, but two substantial PDDs and getting closer to what many of us here have been hoping to see! (Hoven is too — but has before I think.) Edited August 23, 2018 by nanushka Link to comment
fondoffouettes Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Fingers crossed that a Forster/Shevchenko Nutcracker leads to the same casting in a Swan Lake this spring. Link to comment
AB'sMom Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Yes, last year Hoven filled in for Whiteside, partnering Murphy, once. (As did Gomes. Sigh). Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted September 25, 2018 Author Share Posted September 25, 2018 There is an interesting interview with Zhong-Jing Fang in Broadwayworld.com. I didn't realize she was out for so long (2 years) with her injury. https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwdance/article/BWW-Interview-ZJ-Fang-the-Chinese-Soloist-In-ABT-How-Injury-Gave-Me-A-Second-Chance-In-Ballet-at-Lincoln-Center-20180925 Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted December 18, 2018 Author Share Posted December 18, 2018 As noted on the Met Season's thread, Lendorf has slowly been removed from all casting in 2019 (all of the tours and the Met season). I expect his bio to disappear from the ABT site soon. So, with Lendorf possibly leaving (not confirmed), Bolle retiring this coming year (but he only ever danced one/two perf's anyway), Hallberg only dancing about 3x at the Met and no tours, Simkin splitting his time with Berlin, we only have 3 full-time year-round male principals: Cornejo, Stearns and Whiteside (with Cornejo unfortunately injury-prone). At least Simkin is joining the winter tours and is scheduled for 8 performances at the Met; compared with 12 for Stearns and 14 for Whiteside, though I suspect those numbers for Stearns/Whiteside will increase even more once Purple von Rothbart and Tharp casting is released. So, three male principals for eight women?! (Seven, if you remove Murphy who is on maternity till next Fall.) Do they even have a PLAN? The male principal roster has been a problem for a few years, and it keeps getting worse. Clearly, they are grooming Bell, who is taking on big debuts in the full-lengths this year, but he's still in the corps. Heaven help them if Stearns and/or Whiteside gets injured. Link to comment
nanushka Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 (edited) 11 minutes ago, ABT Fan said: Heaven help them if Stearns and/or Whiteside gets injured. If not heaven, maybe Forster, Hoven and Royal could help them! (And Gorak — though probably not filling in for either of those two specifically.) Edited December 18, 2018 by nanushka Link to comment
vendangeuse Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 Maybe they'll bring in some male guest artists for the Spring? I'd love to see Kimin Kim again. I do hope this translates into more opportunities for Forster, Hoven, Royal though. Maybe Hammoudi? I don't remember noticing him in particular in ABT productions, but I saw him in a non-ABT work at BAM this fall and thought he was very striking (albeit from a much closer vantage point than I normally sit in the Met Opera.) Link to comment
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