mille-feuille Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, abatt said: While Jane Eyre was definitely not the worst thing ABT has ever put on stage, it certainly wasn't very good. 8 hours ago, laurel said: This ballet’s not good, but it’s not that bad, either. I’ve seen much worse at ABT. Out of curiosity as someone who hasn't been seeing ABT for more than a few years, what were some of the worse things ABT's put on stage? Boylston in Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux? Edited June 6, 2019 by mille-feuille Link to comment
abatt Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 Worst: David Parsons Pied Piper MacMillan's Anastasia HereAfter or was it renamed After Here Those are what immediately come to my mind. Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 Worst: Ratmansky's The Tempest. At least they realized what a failure that was and never brought it back. Link to comment
Longtimelurker Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 (edited) On 6/6/2019 at 10:36 AM, abatt said: Worst: David Parsons Pied Piper MacMillan's Anastasia HereAfter or was it renamed After Here Those are what immediately come to my mind. I am happy I didn't see any of those performances as Jane Eyre was the worst thing I have seen at ABT and am surprised that Mackenzie chose to stage this. I agree on most of the criticisms that have already been posted, but I also found the choice to have 2 different dancers play Jane to be confusing and unnecessary. Edited March 27, 2020 by Longtimelurker Link to comment
mille-feuille Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 5 minutes ago, Longtimelurker said: After watching the glory of NYCB's Midsummer last week, this was an extreme letdown. My feeling exactly. Jane Eyre was also possibly the worst thing I've seen by ABT. Link to comment
nysusan Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 Worst: Dorian (after the Picture of Dorian Gray). Even Gomes & Hallberg couldn't save it. I concur with most comments here re; Jane Eyre. I don't think it was the worst I've seen from ABT but it certainly wasn't good. I went to see Forster and I'm glad I did - he was wonderful. I found the first 30 minutes or so - the "Young Jane" part to be interminable. Once Boylston came on it improved, but not enough. She is a very intense and compelling actress and while the choreography was a whole lot of nothing, she held my interest. It improved even more when Forster came on. He was gorgeous and I thought they had great chemistry. I loved the pdd that ended the first act. Unfortunately, that was all I loved. I can't imagine what would make me go see this again unless this is the only leading role they ever give Forster, which would be tragic. I certainly hope ABT doesn't waste a whole week with this in future seasons. Link to comment
nanushka Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 I'll be very curious to see if this gets scheduled again for next spring season. There seems to be a strong tendency for the company to repeat new productions for a second year, except in a cases where the first run has been really widely viewed as a dud. Link to comment
angelica Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 38 minutes ago, Longtimelurker said: I am happy I didn't see any of those performances as Jane Eyre was the worst thing I have seen at ABT and am surprised that Mackenzie chose to stage this. I agree on most of the criticisms that have already been posted, but I also found the choice to have 2 different dancers play Jane to be confusing and unnecessary. After watching the glory of NYCB's Midsummer last week, this was an extreme letdown. Another worst: The Tempest Link to comment
abatt Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 38 minutes ago, Longtimelurker said: I am happy I didn't see any of those performances as Jane Eyre was the worst thing I have seen at ABT and am surprised that Mackenzie chose to stage this. I agree on most of the criticisms that have already been posted, but I also found the choice to have 2 different dancers play Jane to be confusing and unnecessary. After watching the glory of NYCB's Midsummer last week, this was an extreme letdown. That's true. This might have been more tolerable as a one act ballet with the scenes of young Jane deleted. But it got stretched out into an unsatisfactory full length ballet. Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 (edited) 10 minutes ago, nanushka said: I'll be very curious to see if this gets scheduled again for next spring season. There seems to be a strong tendency for the company to repeat new productions for a second year, except in a cases where the first run has been really widely viewed as a dud. The one thing that may be in their (our) favor, is that this ballet wasn't a new commission by ABT. So, I imagine it costs less money to have it re-staged than made from scratch. Even if that isn't the case, they have not brought back The Tempest after it's Met debut a few years ago, which was a new commission (maybe a co-production with another company?). That ballet had really bad reviews, too. Thanks for everyone's reports. I'm not really looking forward to seeing it this weekend now, but will try to go with an open mind. Edited June 6, 2019 by ABT Fan Link to comment
abatt Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 (edited) Actually, they performed the Tempest both during the Fall season at the Koch where it premiered, and during the Spring season at the Met. So they did cycle it through the rep enough times to perhaps break even. Given the money they spent to train all these dancers for Eyre, I'm guessing we will see it scheduled again next season. Edited June 6, 2019 by abatt Link to comment
NinaFan Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 1 hour ago, abatt said: I'm beginning to think that reducing the season to 5 weeks at the Met going forward will be a good thing. Not me, I'll take the eight weeks. When they reduce performances to five MET weeks, it’s even more important for ABT not to waste any of the five weeks on mediocre or inferior ballets. But there is no guarantee. I’d like to see them do five weeks of ballet at the MET, and set up an additional season over at the Koch (maybe three weeks in March?) to do full lengths and mixed bills, plus keep the fall season at the Koch. Since Paul Taylor moved their three week season from March to November, it would be a perfect spot for ABT (assuming the Koch hasn’t rented it out already). Link to comment
NinaFan Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 13 minutes ago, ABT Fan said: Thanks for everyone's reports. I'm not really looking forward to seeing it this weekend now, but will try to go with an open mind. Ditto, thanks for everyone's reports. And like ABT Fan, I'm not looking forward to seeing it this weekend either, especially since I could have spent the money on a better ballet. Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 13 minutes ago, abatt said: Actually, they performed the Tempest both during the Fall season at the Koch where it premiered, and during the Spring season at the Met. So they did cycle it through the rep enough times to perhaps break even. I guess I blocked that out....ugh Link to comment
canbelto Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 The worst was the horror show that was their Symphony in C. I've never seen the choreography mangled in that way. Link to comment
abatt Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 14 minutes ago, NinaFan said: Ditto, thanks for everyone's reports. And like ABT Fan, I'm not looking forward to seeing it this weekend either, especially since I could have spent the money on a better ballet. I'm running to the box office to exchange out of my Eyre tickets for this weekend. Can't you exchange your tickets? Link to comment
nanushka Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 10 minutes ago, canbelto said: The worst was the horror show that was their Symphony in C. I've never seen the choreography mangled in that way. Personally I'd almost always rather see great choreography performed badly than see terrible choreography performed well. Link to comment
California Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 47 minutes ago, ABT Fan said: Even if that isn't the case, they have not brought back The Tempest after it's Met debut a few years ago, which was a new commission (maybe a co-production with another company?). That ballet had really bad reviews, too. It was a co-production with National Ballet of Canada - which has never performed it. I assume they sent some people to NYC for the premiere to take a look... I sat through it twice at Koch. Never again. Link to comment
NinaFan Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 30 minutes ago, abatt said: I'm running to the box office to exchange out of my Eyre tickets for this weekend. Can't you exchange your tickets? Yes, they're subscription tickets which can be exchanged, and quite honestly I'd like to get rid of them. For some reason my husband seems to want to see the ballet, so we'll probably just leave it. It won't be the first ballet we've wasted our time and money on. If he changes his mind, I still have another day to exchange them. But hey, maybe we won't hate it.... 28 minutes ago, nanushka said: Personally I'd almost always rather see great choreography performed badly than see terrible choreography performed well. I agree! Link to comment
Roberta Posted June 6, 2019 Author Share Posted June 6, 2019 (edited) I agree about The Tempest being awful. Ditto the one where Copeland and Whiteside groped each other. The tap-dancing pointe shoes. And some of the Millepieds, such as I Feel the Earth Move. 3 hours ago, abatt said: At least they are getting full use of the smoke machine they had to rent for In the Upper Room. ROTFL - I almost spit-out my lunch! re. Jane Eyre - After these terrible reports, I'm wondering if I should bother to spend on an Amtrak ticket to see the Saturday matinee? I may cut my loses with the ABT seat price (Dress Circle) and use the Amtrak points for another weekend. Truly - time is precious. Edited June 6, 2019 by Roberta Link to comment
NinaFan Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 15 minutes ago, Roberta said: re. Jane Eyre - After these terrible reports, I'm wondering if I should bother to spend on an Amtrak ticket to see the Saturday matinee? I may cut my loses with the ABT seat price (Dress Circle) and use the Amtrak points for another weekend. Truly - time is precious. I'd skip the ballet and save yourself a trip on Amtrak. But since I haven't seen it (yet), I can only go by the awful reviews. I went to DC for a couple of Corsaire's in April, but that was totally worth the trip on Amtrak. Jane Eyre hardly seems worth a big investment in time or money, especially since you can use your Amtrak points another weekend. Link to comment
Josette Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 Out of curiosity, I just read four reviews from 2016 by British press of the Northern Ballet's production of Marston's Jane Eyre, which reviews are on the whole positive. Link to comment
fondoffouettes Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, abatt said: I'm running to the box office to exchange out of my Eyre tickets for this weekend. Can't you exchange your tickets? Yes, I've never done it, but see the exchange rules here: https://www.abt.org/faq/performances/ It will be a $30 fee if you're not a subscriber. At least it seems like you can exchange right up to the performance date, I guess? The Met's policy is only up to 24 hours before a performance, but ABT doesn't seem to have that stipulation. The Met links over to ABT's rules on this page, so I guess you can trust what it says. https://www.metopera.org/about/faq/#accordionButton-4826-4 Edited June 6, 2019 by fondoffouettes Link to comment
NinaFan Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 Just now, fondoffouettes said: It will be a $30 fee if you're not a subscriber. At least it seems like you can exchange right up to the performance date, I guess? No, it's 24 hours in advance of the performance you're exchanging. Link to comment
abatt Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 22 minutes ago, Josette said: Out of curiosity, I just read four reviews from 2016 by British press of the Northern Ballet's production of Marston's Jane Eyre, which reviews are on the whole positive. Danceviewtimes also liked the performance, particularly Devon Teuscher. Link to comment
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