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ABT Fall 2019 NY season


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While I hesitate to see ABT do Balanchine, I would be tempted to see a Lane-Cornejo cast. Shevchenko would also be an obvious choice. Others have mentioned Murphy (has she done it before?), Teuscher, Hurlin, and Boylston (no). They can't all do it; someone's going to be left out. But what about the male role? Remember what happened last time... was it that Cory Stearns got injured? Can't remember the cause, but I don't think they want to be turning to Andy Veyette again for this one. 

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26 minutes ago, cobweb said:

While I hesitate to see ABT do Balanchine, I would be tempted to see a Lane-Cornejo cast. ... But what about the male role?

Herman looked pretty great in his alternating double tour-pirouette sequence at the end of his ballroom variation last night, judging by his IG story.

Edited by nanushka
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1 hour ago, cobweb said:

While I hesitate to see ABT do Balanchine, I would be tempted to see a Lane-Cornejo cast. Shevchenko would also be an obvious choice. Others have mentioned Murphy (has she done it before?), Teuscher, Hurlin, and Boylston (no). They can't all do it; someone's going to be left out. But what about the male role? Remember what happened last time... was it that Cory Stearns got injured? Can't remember the cause, but I don't think they want to be turning to Andy Veyette again for this one. 

Murphy has done T&V before, many times. They are doing 5 shows of it so all 5 of those ladies could do it if they only get one performance. I’m not advocating that, just saying it’s possible. I’d rather see no more than 3 casts so 2 casts get to do it twice.

As for the men, Stearns and Cornejo have performed this (yes I believe Stearns was the one who had to be replaced by Veyette). I wonder if Cornejo still has it in him for this? Otherwise, who would Lane dance with? I feel confident Whiteside would be cast. He did a lot of Balanchine at Boston and may have done this there. He is an excellent technician. He and Shevchenko would be a good pair. And, I could see Bell getting it too.

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1 hour ago, ABT Fan said:

[Whiteside] and Shevchenko would be a good pair.

Especially after Tuesday night, I would definitely want to see that. It might not be idiomatic, but I'm fairly sure I'd enjoy it.

Edited by nanushka
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On 6/27/2019 at 3:21 PM, abatt said:

I think McKenzie would give Copeland Terpsichore.

Oh puh-leeze!   

I saw Hallberg in Apollo at ABT 6 or 7  years ago and was disappointed. I was really eager to see him too because I was thrilled by his Albrecht  to Osipova's Giselle.   I wish I could be more articulate but Apollo didn't seem to fit. Not danced badly, just not convincing. I felt I was watching him execute steps. Veronika Part was Terpsichore; I couldn't take my eyes off her so I don't remember who the others were.

I would love to see Cornejo as Apollo!

Edited by Marta
correction
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12 hours ago, Marta said:

 

I saw Hallberg in Apollo at ABT 6 or 7  years ago and was disappointed. I was really eager to see him too because I was thrilled by his Albrecht  to Osipova's Giselle.   I wish I could be more articulate but Apollo didn't seem to fit. Not danced badly, just not convincing. I felt I was watching him execute steps. Veronika Part was Terpsichore; I couldn't take my eyes off her so I don't remember who the others were.

...

I had the opposite feelings as you on the Hallberg/Part APOLLO. I loved Hallberg's lines and stoic rendition. I could not stand Part's every-smiley Terpsichore, typical of Mariinsky-trained dancers in Balanchine roles. Different strokes for different folks.

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I actually can't stand the ABT doing any Balanchine. To me they always get it wrong, and not just in the fact that they're unidiomatic. I've seen Balanchine done with a "foreign accent" which I've enjoyed nonetheless. But to me ABT just always looks sloppy, underrehearsed and unmusical in Balanchine. 

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5 minutes ago, Roberta said:

I had the opposite feelings as you on the Hallberg/Part APOLLO. I loved Hallberg's lines and stoic rendition. I could not stand Part's every-smiley Terpsichore, typical of Mariinsky-trained dancers in Balanchine roles. Different strokes for different folks.

in fact now that you mention it, although I love Veronika Part, I remember being irked by the too smileyness.  I  also recall an earlier Apollo with Part and I think Beloserkovsky, where she smiled too much.  

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2 minutes ago, Leah said:

Did you see them do Symphonie Concertante last year? I thought they were great, although having never seen NYCB or any other company do it for that matter I have nothing to compare that to.

I have seen them do it. I can't compare them to any other company but I think that ballet is really boring. But their renditions of Apollo, Symphony in C, Theme and Variations, Stars and Stripes, and Prodigal Son had me running for the exits.

Edited by canbelto
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SYMPHONIE CONCERTANTE is one of my secret Balanchine loves. A guilty pleasure, if you will. It epitomizes Balanchine's mantra to "see the music." Yes, it was crafted on students...but so was SERENADE. I love the simplicity and clarity. Same reason why I love SQUARE DANCE, DIVERT 15, BIZET/SYMPH in C. Argentine films exist of Mr. B's CONCIERTO DE MOZART. I'd love to see that performed by ABT or any other company, for that matter.

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11 minutes ago, Leah said:

Did you see them do Symphonie Concertante last year? I thought they were great, although having never seen NYCB or any other company do it for that matter I have nothing to compare that to.

I agree, I thought they looked really great in that in the City Center event. I loved having the opportunity to see the piece and thought Teuscher, Shevchenko and Forster were all well cast.

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At least ABT's Apollo gives us the somewhat rare opportunity to see a company in NYC perform the birthing prologue and the mountain-ascension ending (if I remember correctly). I don't mind ABT doing some pieces like Prodigal Son and Apollo, but I agree that they should probably stay away from works like Symphony in C, which are all about speed, musicality and uniformity in the corps. I can't begrudge them performing Theme and Variations; it's one of the most famous pieces from their choreographic heritage, and certainly some principal dancers have turned in great performances of it over the years. I also appreciate that they perform it as a standalone work. While I don't hate Tchaikovsky Suite No. 3, I think those added movements really do so little for Theme and Variations. T&V is a perfect standalone ballet that contains everything I love about the art form; it needs nothing added to it. 

I agree with others that ABT looked fantastic in Symphonie Concertante

Edited by fondoffouettes
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If NYCB is qualified to dance the classics then ABT can dance Balanchine as they wish. Fyi, I've witnessed the worst pas de trois in my life at NYCB(a Benno who can't even finish his solo in double... pathetic. Unfortunately this dancer is a soloist now). Well, pas de trois is the least of their problem since that entire production is a mess including the dancing itself.

Btw, NYCB can't even do justice to some Balanchine ballets anymore. Their latest Theme and Variations was the biggest letdown of the season. Plus, the NYCB corp were not uniform at all throughout their run of Symphony in C(I always sat on the 1st ring). Someone even addressed this issue under different topic in this forum. Each companies can mind their own business and if you are unhappy with the rep, you can always skip it.

I do hope that ABT would perform more Tudor and Ashton in future.

Edited by alexL
Typo
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30 minutes ago, alexL said:

If NYCB is qualified to dance the classics then ABT can dance Balanchine as they wish. Fyi, I've witnessed the worst pas de trois in my life at NYCB(a Benno who can't even finish his solo in double... pathetic. Unfortunately this dancer is a soloist now). Well, pas de trois is the least of their problem since that entire production is a mess including the dancing itself.

Btw, NYCB can't even do justice to some Balanchine ballets anymore. Their latest Theme and Variations was the biggest letdown of the season. Plus, the NYCB corp were not uniform at all throughout their run of Symphony in C(I always sat on the 1st ring). Someone even addressed this issue under different topic in this forum. Each companies can mind their own business and if you are unhappy with the rep, you can always skip it.

I do hope that ABT would perform more Tudor and Ashton in future.

Sure they can do it. But their Balanchine performances are objectively disgusting and awful. 

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53 minutes ago, alexL said:

I NYCB can't even do justice to some Balanchine ballets anymore. Their latest Theme and Variations was the biggest letdown of the season. Plus, the NYCB corp were not uniform at all throughout their run of Symphony in C.

I do hope that ABT would perform more Tudor and Ashton in future.

I've been attending NYCB performances since the late 70's, and trust me, the corps has never been renowned for its uniformity. I remember gasping in shock when the curtain went up on Symphony in Three Movements during a performance that took place about mid-way into the Martins era because I had never seen that diagonal line of corps women look so straight. 

2 hours ago, canbelto said:

I actually can't stand the ABT doing any Balanchine. To me they always get it wrong, and not just in the fact that they're unidiomatic. I've seen Balanchine done with a "foreign accent" which I've enjoyed nonetheless. But to me ABT just always looks sloppy, underrehearsed and unmusical in Balanchine. 

Not all of their Balanchine is objectionable. I can tell you that I would much rather see Shevchenko in Mozartiana than Mearns. 

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40 minutes ago, canbelto said:

Sure they can do it. But their Balanchine performances are objectively disgusting and awful. 

Personally, I think Balanchine's works are great enough to withstand imperfect performances by an overall strong (if not at present top-tier or world-class) company of dancers and still give a lot of enjoyment. I'd much rather pay to see Balanchine done at 75% than a lot of other things done at 100%.

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18 minutes ago, nanushka said:

Personally, I think Balanchine's works are great enough to withstand imperfect performances by an overall strong (if not at present top-tier or world-class) company of dancers and still give a lot of enjoyment. I'd much rather pay to see Balanchine done at 75% than a lot of other things done at 100%.

Give me any Balanchine by ABT, performed 100 times, than one Jane Eyre!

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35 minutes ago, nanushka said:

Personally, I think Balanchine's works are great enough to withstand imperfect performances by an overall strong (if not at present top-tier or world-class) company of dancers and still give a lot of enjoyment. I'd much rather pay to see Balanchine done at 75% than a lot of other things done at 100%.

I'm with you all the way.  

I also agree with Kathleen O'Connell, as  a 40 year veteran NYCB watcher,  that the corps often looks anti-geometric and does not move as one when it should.  

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57 minutes ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

I've been attending NYCB performances since the late 70's, and trust me, the corps has never been renowned for its uniformity. I remember gasping in shock when the curtain went up on Symphony in Three Movements during a performance that took place about mid-way into the Martins era because I had never seen that diagonal line of corps women look so straight. 

Not all of their Balanchine is objectionable. I can tell you that I would much rather see Shevchenko in Mozartiana than Mearns. 

You are completely right about NYCB not known for uniformity. I pointed it out since someone had written that ABT shouldn't perform it because this ballet requires uniformity. That's simply not true although I do prefer it when they are more in unison. 

And yes, I'd rather see Shevchenko or even Teauscher in Mozartiana than Mearns. 

1 hour ago, canbelto said:

Sure they can do it. But their Balanchine performances are objectively disgusting and awful. 

I don't think anyone can say any company's Balanchine is OBJECTIVELY disgusting and awful. One with SOME ballet background can't say such thing so lightly. 

Edited by alexL
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1 hour ago, alexL said:

You are completely right about NYCB not known for uniformity. I pointed it out since someone had written that ABT shouldn't perform it because this ballet requires uniformity. That's simply not true although I do prefer it when they are more in unison. 

And yes, I'd rather see Shevchenko or even Teauscher in Mozartiana than Mearns. 

I don't think anyone can say any company's Balanchine is OBJECTIVELY disgusting and awful. One with SOME ballet background can't say such thing so lightly. 

Entirely agree on City Ballet. I think of NYCB as a company of soloists — on the one hand, because there’s so much incredible talent at every level; on the other, because I expect more, erm, “individuality” than coordinated movement among the corps. Also agree that “objectively” is a interesting and likely inaccurate adverb here.

I am so, so, so hoping that I’ll be able to get to Shevchenko’s inevitable T&V in the fall. I can only imagine what she’ll bring to the role!

 

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