New York City Ballet 2021-2022 season

[JanLevNYC]

16 hours ago, cobweb said:

If we're talking about the same person, I have to agree with JuliaJ here. I'd add that she is also not dancing very well, which is more problematic. 

If we are discussing the same dancer, her dancing is and had always been wonderful.  Every NYCB dancer is of the highest caliber. This is the best of the best.  Do dancers have off days and seasons? Yes.  But as a non-dancer - like so many commenting on this site every day - I’m going to chose to say good things.  People are very, very quick to criticize - about careers that are not own.  So let’s pray that any and every dancer have all that they need and require to allow them to give to us ad they do, so graciously, with their gifts.  I’m with Kathleen - they all look great - even the skinny dancers

Edited May 8, 2022 by JanLevNYC

[Kathleen O'Connell]

17 minutes ago, JanLevNYC said:

Currently, NYCB's roster has a very thin line up.

I actually think there's a greater diversity of body types than there have been in the past, in terms of height, body type, weight, what have you. It's hard for me to look at a roster showcasing dancers like Sara Mearns, Indiana Woodward, Emily Kitka, Isabella LaFreniere, Mira Nadon, Adrian Danchig-Waring, Preston Chamblee, and Gilbert Bolden III and think of it as a thin lineup, or that the men are too small. 

I think they all look great, by the way. 

[cobweb]

Intermission report from the matinee. Scherzo Fantastique was kind of a frenetic snooze if that’s possible. I did appreciate seeing Huxley for the first time this season. My admiration for this dancer’s beauty knows no bounds. Miriam Miller also looked great with impossibly long lines despite wearing horizontal stripes. In the more background roles, Alexa Maxwell and Davide Riccardo stood out. 
In Symphony in 3 Movements, Laracey and Aaron Sanz did well in the pdd. Emma con Enck was a standout. This young dancer has presence and confidence in spades. Her whole manner announces “I’m ready!! Give me more!!” And of course the girls in white leos and bouncing ponytails were beautiful. I would enjoy seeing this again if the overall program were more interesting. I will probably skip the program with Rubies, as it too does not have enough to interest. Put von Enck or Maxwell in Rubies, though, and I’d be there. 
On to Firebird and LaFreniere. 
 

[cobweb]

Isabella LaFreniere looked great in Firebird - everything one could hope for in a Firebird. I foresee a great career unfolding in front of her, and I want to be there every step of the way! 

Overall I find Firebird kind of slow and dull, with lots of costumes and posturing. Unexpectedly I found myself feeling very moved by the lovely Miriam Miller and her Prince, Amar Ramasar. Also, the moment when the Firebird points Ivan back to his bride, and their bow to her, actually brought tears to my eyes. 

There is lots of opportunity and growth in the company right now. For the young dancer that is prepared and ready to jump at anything (and doesn't get COVID), there is bound to be opportunities. The new batch of soloists are doing GREAT. 

[BalanchineFan]

A friend said the Scherzo costumes “prove that horizontal stripes flatter no one.” The ballet is pleasant but not so substantial.  It was nice to see Taylor Stanley and Brittany Pollack. Anthony Huxley and Miriam Miller look great. There are nice formations but it feels slight. 
Symphony in Three Movements is wonderful. I had bought the ticket specifically to see Sterling Hyltin. So Ashley Laracey wasn’t my choice, but things happen.  I always wish I could coach Ms Laracey, or give her relaxation exercises. She still looks tense and a bit frozen in her face. 

I thought Erica Pereira looked good, sharp, clear, energy out her toes. Something weird happened on her first entrance. Did anyone else notice? She seemed to get lost in a crowd of the white leotard girls, but she got out quickly. I love the ballet. Daniel Ulbricht, Harrison Coll and Megan LeCrone were also very sharp. I would go again if Sterling recovers. 

And LaFreniere is ready!! Her Firebird was great. 

[cobweb]

Hey BalanchineFan, was this last night's performance? I was at today's matinee and the casting was slightly different. 

[BalanchineFan]

3 hours ago, cobweb said:

Hey BalanchineFan, was this last night's performance? I was at today's matinee and the casting was slightly different. 

Yes, I was there Friday night. Wendy Whelan sat behind me.

Also, yes, Balanchine's Firebird is a costume festival at the end with the kids running around offering those quilted plates of food. All of the Chagall designs are amazing, breathtakingly gorgeous, but by then it's just music and decor, not what I call dancing.

Edited May 8, 2022 by BalanchineFan

[claireasday]

11 hours ago, cobweb said:

If we're talking about the same person, I have to agree with JuliaJ here. I'd add that she is also not dancing very well, which is more problematic. 

I wasn't sure who was being referenced here until I saw a recent picture of her on Instagram. I hope she's okay.

[MarzipanShepherdess]

21 hours ago, BalanchineFan said:

I thought Erica Pereira looked good, sharp, clear, energy out her toes. Something weird happened on her first entrance. Did anyone else notice? She seemed to get lost in a crowd of the white leotard girls, but she got out quickly.

I noticed, something weird definitely did happen--it looked to me like she actually briefly collided with one of the corps girls as she was coming onstage from the wings and they were rushing en masse to stage left. But everyone recovered gracefully.

I love Symphony in Three Movements and wish City Ballet staged it more. From the opening diagonal of corps dancers doing those lunging movements and oh-so-dramatic ponytail flips to the sinuous, sharp yet sharp second movement pas de deux to the big energetic finale with so many dancers on stage, it's such a feast. Ashley Laracey was the highlight for me, I thought she was very precise and had the quickness and jump the role needs. I had never really been particularly struck by her before this season, but she also stood out to me last week in her Goldberg Variations solo and partnering. She seems to be bringing her dancing up to new heights this spring.

I echo everyone else who was lukewarm on Scherzo Fantastique. It was a nice chance to see some dancers I enjoy (Taylor Stanley and Miriam Miller especially) but it is not a standout ballet for me, choreography-wise. 

Firebird: I went in feeling bummed knowing I wouldn't be seeing Sara Mearns, but I was really wowed by Isabella LaFreniere. As@BalanchineFan and @cobweb said, the Balanchine Firebird isn't exactly the meatiest role dance-wise but Isabella absolutely made the most of every single second she had! In her final solo, she really brought a pathos to the role that was for me unexpected, evoking how the Firebird is a powerful creature but also very much constrained by the magic that governs her existence. I don't love the Martins Swan Lake but I'd really love to see Isabella do Odette/Odile, after that performance. 

 

[GB1216]

4 hours ago, MarzipanShepherdess said:I don't love the Martins Swan Lake but I'd really love to see Isabella do Odette/Odile, after that performance. 

 

Please a new swan lake to NYCB!!!!

[vipa]

I was at the Sunday show. A few impressions. My third viewing of Pulchinella Variations and I like it less every time I see it. I'm going to start avoiding it. I really hate the costumes, which I find distracting and unflattering. I find the choreography musical in the most shallow way. I'm not sure how to express this, but the steps line up with the music note by note by note without bigger phrases. Maybe some musician out there will know what I mean and express it better. Occasionally an individual performer (Tiler Peck, Indiana Woodward, Chun Wei Chan) will shape the choreography  better with super clarity of movement, and musical phrasing, but in the end even Tiler Peck looks less than her usual glorious self. 

Scherzo a la Russe is pleasant, and a lesson in floor patterns and moving groups around. I truly don't see the need to program it.

Architects of Time - After reading the NYTimes review, I was expecting the worst, but I liked it. I found the opening section exhilarating. The references to numerous ballets not too heavy handed, and fun (I'm sure I missed plenty of them), and the dancers looked great. Emma Von Enck and Claire Krezschmar were outstanding. I'd like to see it again.

Violin Concerto was my reason for going, and I wasn't disappointed. This piece should never be out of the rep IMO. Joseph Gordon was wonderful throughout technically and musically. He's having an amazing season. He did Aria ll with Ashley Laracey, and I found the vulnerability she projected touching. I've long admired her dancing, it's nice to see her getting opportunities. Aria l with Ramasar and Phelan was well done. Management seems to have decided that in his retirement year, Ramasar gets to take extra bows. Both pas were given long, appreciative applause, but only Ramasar and Phelan took a 2nd bow. Not a complaint, just noted!

All in all the dancing was excellent - what a great company!

 

 

 

[BalanchineFan]

I was wondering if it was Ramasar’s last performance of Violin Concerto and that was the reason for the extra bow. He and Phelan were great, tho!

I always wish I could see Pulcinella variations without costumes. They are beautiful but so distracting. You can’t see any of the dancers lines. Unison movement is even hard to distinguish. 

[abatt]

9 hours ago, vipa said:

I was at the Sunday show. A few impressions. My third viewing of Pulchinella Variations and I like it less every time I see it. I'm going to start avoiding it.

 

 

 

 

I skipped this program because there was only one piece on the program that I really wanted to see - SVC.  I too liked Pulcinella, but it doesn't hold up to repeated viewings.   Since I knew SVC was coming back next season on better programs, I skipped this even though I really wanted to see Phelan and Laracey in SVC.   I think the reason attendance is down at NYCB is that their programming is often weak, and there are too many weak ballets that show up over and over.

Like many people, my attendance habits have changed since the pandemic.  I now have the opportunity to work from home most days.  When I was schlepping into Manhattan every day for work, it was like a balm to go to the theater after a long day of work and then head back home to Queens.  Now, I have to be a lot more motivated by the program and casting to come into Manhattan just to see a performance.  Weak programs just don't cut it anymore as a reason to commute into Manhattan. (Rampant subway crime also isn't a motivator to get on the subways.)

Also, kudos to LaFreniere in Firebird.  I saw her debut earlier in the week.  Sensational work.

I'm thinking that she may get Titania during the final week of performances.  We'll see.

 

Edited May 9, 2022 by abatt

[Drew]

As I contemplate when I may next return to ballet travel (pandemic is definitely still an issue for me) I also have been disconcerted by the programing. From a different perspective, as long as I am reluctant to travel for health reasons, I guess the programming has made me more philosophical. Maybe they need a new Robert Gottlieb type figure....or at least somebody who thinks more like a member of the ticket buying public. 

(I suppose it is possible a new generation’s tastes are different, but I find it interesting that multiple long-time ballet goers on this site are commenting on the issue,)

[Kathleen O'Connell]

I guess I'm an outlier. I thought NYCB's Spring 2022 programming was pretty strong. The only ballets on the schedule I have zero interest in are Scherzo à la Russe and The Cage. I'd have seen the Visionary Voices program thrice over had I been able to, even though I don't have a lot of enthusiasm for Emanon. 

ETA: Here's a list of the ballets programmed this spring. I have a few quibbles*, but overall, it looks pretty strong to me. The new Peck and Farley ballets may have been disappointments (I haven't seen either), but there's no way to know that when the season is being put together. 

•    A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Balanchine)
•    Afternoon of a Faun (Robbins)
•    Agon (Balanchine)
•    Allegro Brillante (Balanchine)
•    Apollo (Balanchine)
•    Architects of Time (Farley)
•    The Cage (Robbins)
•    Circus Polka (Robbins)
•    Divertimento From 'Le Baiser De La Fée' (Balanchine)
•    Divertimento No. 15 (Balanchine)
•    Duo Concertant (Balanchine)
•    Emanon - In Two Movements (Roberts)
•    Firebird (Balanchine)
•    The Four Seasons (Robbins)
•    The Four Temperaments (Balanchine)
•    The Goldberg Variations (Robbins)
•    Law of Mosaics (Tanowitz)
•    Orpheus (Balanchine)
•    Partita (Peck)
•    Piano Pieces (Robbins)
•    Pulcinella Variations
•    Rubies (Balanchine)
•    Scherzo à la Russe (Balanchine)
•    Scherzo Fantastique (Balanchine)
•    Serenade (Balanchine)
•    Stravinsky Violin Concerto (Balanchine)
•    Symphony in Three Movements (Balanchine)
 

*The Cage. Ugh. Since it's a Stravinsky Festival, I'd have opted for Robbins' Les Noces (1965 version) not because the ballet itself is great, but because the music is. The way NYCB stages it, with the percussionists, pianists, soloists, and chorus on stage with the dancers makes for spectacular theater. 

Edited May 9, 2022 by Kathleen O'Connell

[cobweb]

2 hours ago, abatt said:

I skipped this program because there was only one piece on the program that I really wanted to see - SVC.  ...  Since I knew SVC was coming back next season on better programs, I skipped this even though I really wanted to see Phelan and Laracey in SVC.  

Same. I am sorry to miss Laracey and Phelan, and of course especially Ramasar. But I just could not spend on a ticket when I only wanted to see one piece on the program.

[BalanchineFan]

6 hours ago, cobweb said:

Same. I am sorry to miss Laracey and Phelan, and of course especially Ramasar. But I just could not spend on a ticket when I only wanted to see one piece on the program.

They have SAB students performing Scherzo a la Russe which added to my enjoyment. I missed Divert 15 and 4T when they were performed and I've been dying to see them. [I had to go out of town]. I'd go regardless of programming, but I'm dying to see some of the larger ballets, the Bizet, for instance. I also miss Liebeslieder, 

[nanushka]

8 hours ago, Kathleen O'Connell said:

ETA: Here's a list of the ballets programmed this spring. I have a few quibbles*, but overall, it looks pretty strong to me.

The main problem I've had with programming under the new administration isn't well captured by the list of works, because it's more about the combinations. Quite frequently, I've found that numerous programs have one or (occasionally) two works I'm really excited to see but are much less appealing as full programs. This is the case with much of next year's calendar too. And in the past year (somewhat understandably, due to COVID), it's been exacerbated by the return, in consecutive seasons, of ballets I'm unenthusiastic about (or ones I don't feel a strong desire to see more than occasionally).

I don't necessarily blame the administration for what may be just a bad fit with the idiosyncrasies of my tastes — e.g. I love Balanchine, generally, but there are certain of his pieces that just do not do it for me — but it's been annoying and disappointing, as I find myself getting excited for far fewer programs overall.

Edited May 9, 2022 by nanushka

[jerryb]

Quote

6 hours ago, Drew said:

Maybe they need a new Robert Gottlieb type figure....or at least somebody who thinks more like a member of the ticket buying public. 

(I suppose it is possible a new generation’s tastes are different, but I find it interesting that multiple long-time ballet goers on this site are commenting on the issue,)

 

I couldn't agree with you more.  The  programming can be really bad.  For starters on 9/25/21 I attended a program consisting of: Opus 19/The Dreamer, AMaria and Russian Seasons.  I'm not commenting on the quality of the works but it was a very dreary program and a real downer.  I longed for a rousing Balanchine closer after months of the pandemic.

Then there is the program Visionary Voices which I detested.  Again it's the program not necessarily the works.  I know there has to be new work and I support it and know that it is important and part of the legacy of NYCB.  But why all new on one program?  I really questioned whether it was worth the hassle driving in from NJ for the next performance on my subscription.

Then to give credit where it is due:

The next was 4/23/22 Divertimento No. 15, Afternoon of a Faun, Allegro Brillante and The Four Temperaments.  All beautifully danced.

And after that 4/30/22 Pulcinella Variations, Scherzo a la Russe, Architects of Time and Stravinsky Violin Concerto (a true masterpiece) all beautifully danced to wonderful music. As I believe Balanchine said "If you don't like my ballets close your eyes and listen to the music." 

No Midsummer in 2023 is ridiculous.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

[cobweb]

1 minute ago, jerryb said:

No Midsummer in 2023 is ridiculous.     

Yes. What are they thinking? It’s a great ballet, crowd pleaser, no- brainer if you’re a tourist or bringing non-balletomane guests, showcase for multiple dancers, and I love the kids. They would also do well to position it as a kind of seasonal pendant to Nutcracker, and encourage yearly viewings. 

[nanushka]

48 minutes ago, jerryb said:

I couldn't agree with you more.  The  programming can be really bad.  For starters on 9/25/21 I attended a program consisting of: Opus 19/The Dreamer, AMaria and Russian Seasons.  I'm not commenting on the quality of the works but it was a very dreary program and a real downer.  I longed for a rousing Balanchine closer after months of the pandemic.

...

Then to give credit where it is due:

The next was 4/23/22 Divertimento No. 15, Afternoon of a Faun, Allegro Brillante and The Four Temperaments.  All beautifully danced.

...

No Midsummer in 2023 is ridiculous.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Good point about the lack of a good closer in that program — I've also found that the new team doesn't seem to have as good a sense (or perhaps just has a very different sense) of the three-act structure and how to use it most effectively.

The program you mention from 4/23 was a highlight for me too. Allegro Brillante was originally Tombeau de Couperin, which would have been not quite as exciting.

I do hope that some of the problems are pandemic related and will pass — but next year's programming caused those hopes to sink a bit.

Ridiculous seems like an overstatement. It hasn't generally been an every-year thing, at least not that I can recall from recent (but prepandemic) years. Probably at least every other, and maybe sometimes consecutive years, but not every year.

(Disclaimer: I've never liked the ballet. I love most Balanchine and many story ballets; but that one is just not one I've ever loved, except for certain parts.)

Edited May 9, 2022 by nanushka

[Helene]

This discussion reminds me of the number of times I sat on one of the level benches reading while waiting out "Ives Songs."  I love a lot of Ives' Songs, but I found that ballet beyond dreary.

[nanushka]

22 minutes ago, Helene said:

This discussion reminds me of the number of times I sat on one of the level benches reading while waiting out "Ives Songs."  I love a lot of Ives' Songs, but I found that ballet beyond dreary.

Oh dear, I just looked at the NYCB rep page. 41m of choreography to Ives songs? (And I’m guessing not top drawer Robbins.) I’d definitely need to sit that out pretty often too.

Edited May 10, 2022 by nanushka

[vipa]

3 hours ago, nanushka said:

The main problem I've had with programming under the new administration isn't well captured by the list of works, because it's more about the combinations. Quite frequently, I've found that numerous programs have one or (occasionally) two works I'm really excited to see but are much less appealing as full programs. This is the case with much of next year's calendar too. And in the past year (somewhat understandably, due to COVID), it's been exacerbated by the return, in consecutive seasons, of ballets I'm unenthusiastic about (or ones I don't feel a strong desire to see more than occasionally).

I don't necessarily blame the administration for what may be just a bad fit with the idiosyncrasies of my tastes — e.g. I love Balanchine, generally, but there are certain of his pieces that just do not do it for me — but it's been annoying and disappointing, as I find myself getting excited for far fewer programs overall.

I wouldn't rush to idiosyncrasies of taste. I find the programing mysterious. I can't figure out who the programming is designed to please. A few examples from the coming fall season. - An all Balanchine program that ends with La Sonnambula. A program that opens with Symphony in  C and then moves on to new works. There are many other examples of what I think of as bad programing. For my spring season experience so far, the only well sold house I've been in was for: Divert 15, Afternoon of a Faun, Allegro B, ad 4 T's. Again I ask, what audience are these programs designed to attract and please?

[nanushka]

Seriously, Sonnambula as a closer is a major head scratcher! I forgot about that.

Like, great to have it back after awhile, but…???