nanushka Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 There's an interesting exchange between Isabella Boylston and Thomas Forster (both from their personal, public-facing accounts) in the comments on her most recent Instagram post (copied in full at bottom). Quote thomasforster22 Loved dancing with you [in Jane Eyre] Bella isabellaboylston @thomasforster22 me too!!!! Can't wait for Manon I don't see Forster on the schedule as either Des Grieux or Lescaut. As of now, for Boylston's two performances, David Hallberg is scheduled to dance Des Grieux and Blaine Hoven is scheduled to dance Lescaut. Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 I saw that too and was curious. Maybe Forster has a secondary part that’ll require dancing with her (I don’t remember the ballet well enough to really guess). Link to comment
nanushka Posted June 11, 2019 Author Share Posted June 11, 2019 3 minutes ago, ABT Fan said: I saw that too and was curious. Maybe Forster has a secondary part that’ll require dancing with her (I don’t remember the ballet well enough to really guess). Perhaps Monsieur G.M.? Link to comment
Josette Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Does Forster perform the jailer/gaoler in Act III? Link to comment
nanushka Posted June 11, 2019 Author Share Posted June 11, 2019 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Josette said: Does Forster perform the jailer/gaoler in Act III? Yes, apparently he does, or at least has. I forget the role — does he partner Manon? Edited June 11, 2019 by nanushka Link to comment
Josette Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Yes, they have quite a time where he subjugates her before Des Grieux runs in, and then Des Grieux and Manon run off to the swamp and the last scene. Link to comment
nanushka Posted June 11, 2019 Author Share Posted June 11, 2019 Just now, Josette said: Yes, they have quite a time where he subjugates her before Des Grieux runs in, and then Des Grieux and Manon run off to the swamp and the last scene. Ah, ok. Mystery likely solved, then. Here I was hoping for a surprise role debut (wishing no ill to Hallberg or Hoven, of course). Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 An article in today's Times about Manon: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/12/arts/dance/kenneth-macmillan-manon-american-ballet-theater.html Link to comment
fondoffouettes Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 (edited) Has there been any visual evidence that Hallberg has been rehearsing Manon in New York? A few days ago he was in London for the Fonteyn tribute performance. Has he been dancing Des Grieux recently enough that he can just swoop in and perform it with Boylston? The last image I can remember of him rehearsing with ABT is a video (on Instagram) from months ago in which he was rehearsing Swan Lake with Copeland. I really hope Forster might in fact be dancing Des Grieux with Boylston. Edited June 12, 2019 by fondoffouettes Link to comment
California Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 6 minutes ago, fondoffouettes said: Has there been any visual evidence that Hallberg has been rehearsing Manon in New York? A few days ago he was in London for the Fonteyn tribute performance. Has he been dancing Des Grieux recently enough that he can just swoop in and perform it with Boylston? The last image I can remember of him rehearsing with ABT is a video (on Instagram) from months ago in which he was rehearsing Swan Lake with Copeland. I really hope Forster might in fact be dancing Des Grieux with Boylston. I can't figure out how to copy this here, but he responded this morning to a tweet calling for a strike of gays by saying that he is rehearsing for his debut in Manon. Link to comment
fondoffouettes Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 2 minutes ago, California said: I can't figure out how to copy this here, but he responded this morning to a tweet calling for a strike of gays by saying that he is rehearsing for his debut in Manon. Thanks, California. And I didn’t realize it was a debut. Link to comment
its the mom Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 Wow, debut? That's hard to believe. Link to comment
California Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 12 minutes ago, its the mom said: Wow, debut? That's hard to believe. It's possible he meant only ABT debut, but I don't see Manon in his long list of credits at ABT and elsewhere: https://www.abt.org/people/david-hallberg/?type=performer Link to comment
bingham Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 14 minutes ago, its the mom said: Wow, debut? That's hard to believe. I may be mistaken but i thought that he danced Manon with Osipova @ The Royal Ballet Link to comment
nanushka Posted June 12, 2019 Author Share Posted June 12, 2019 1 minute ago, bingham said: I may be mistaken but i thought that he danced Manon with Osipova @ The Royal Ballet Maybe he was scheduled to but pulled out? Given that it's Hallberg, that doesn't seem unlikely. Link to comment
California Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 1 minute ago, bingham said: I may be mistaken but i thought that he danced Manon with Osipova @ The Royal Ballet He was injured and replaced by Shklyarov https://www.ft.com/content/c7b76190-3989-11e8-b161-65936015ebc3 Link to comment
its the mom Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 He was replaced due to injury last year when they were scheduled to dance it. I am just surprised that he did not dance it before at ABT. Just timing, probably. https://www.roh.org.uk/news/cast-change-manon-on-5-and-13-april-2018 Link to comment
California Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 45 minutes ago, its the mom said: He was replaced due to injury last year when they were scheduled to dance it. I am just surprised that he did not dance it before at ABT. Just timing, probably. https://www.roh.org.uk/news/cast-change-manon-on-5-and-13-april-2018 ABT last did Manon in 2014 -- a time when Hallberg was having serious problems with injury. Perhaps he realized this was not a good time to take on a new, demanding role. E.g., https://www.sfcv.org/reviews/none/david-hallberg-tells-all-in-a-body-of-work Link to comment
nanushka Posted June 12, 2019 Author Share Posted June 12, 2019 (edited) 15 minutes ago, California said: ABT last did Manon in 2014 -- a time when Hallberg was having serious problems with injury. Perhaps he realized this was not a good time to take on a new, demanding role. E.g., https://www.sfcv.org/reviews/none/david-hallberg-tells-all-in-a-body-of-work And I believe they hadn’t done it for quite awhile before that. I started seeing ABT regularly around 2007/08, and I don’t think I saw them do it until the 2014 run. Edited June 12, 2019 by nanushka Link to comment
lostatthemet Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 I really, really hope Cornejo is able to dance next week. I shelled out for a premium orchestra seat just to see him and Lane together! Link to comment
California Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 6 minutes ago, nanushka said: And I believe they hadn’t done it for quite awhile before that. I started seeing ABT regularly around 2007/08, and I don’t think I saw them do it until the 2014 run. Ferri did it in spring 2007, her retirement season. Interestingly, her partner was Bolle, in his debut in the role at the Met. https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/13/arts/dance/13mano.html I don't know if they did it again between 2007 and 2014. Nothing turns up on Google and they don't have a complete history on the ABT web site. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/04/arts/dance/julie-kent-stars-in-american-ballet-theaters-manon.html Link to comment
nanushka Posted June 12, 2019 Author Share Posted June 12, 2019 Thanks for the info @California. I’m pretty sure by 2008 I was seeing most every production at least once, so I’d guess there was a lapse between the 2007 and 2014 runs. I know I had to wait quite awhile to finally see it at ABT. Link to comment
CTballetfan Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 I can’t find information on the ABT website on the time length of Manon. It starts at 7:30 pm, but when is the performance over? Can anyone help? I have to plan my transportation for the June 18 evening performance. Thank you! Link to comment
abatt Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 4 minutes ago, CTballetfan said: I can’t find information on the ABT website on the time length of Manon. It starts at 7:30 pm, but when is the performance over? Can anyone help? I have to plan my transportation for the June 18 evening performance. Thank you! https://www.metopera.org/season/2019-abt/manon/ approximately 2hrs, 30 minutes, per the Met Opera website. Link to comment
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