New York City Ballet 2021 Season

[DC Export]

Has anyone seen casting for the first week of performances? Usually it's listed here, but not sure if it's being posted in a different place with the website redesign.

[bellawood]

3 hours ago, DC Export said:

Has anyone seen casting for the first week of performances? Usually it's listed here, but not sure if it's being posted in a different place with the website redesign.

No luck yet. All I saw was this from Megan Fairchild: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTh7913HZd3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

[cobweb]

1 hour ago, bellawood said:

No luck yet. All I saw was this from Megan Fairchild: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTh7913HZd3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Per Fairchild, one cast consists of herself, Gerrity, and Mearns. That must mean there's a second cast, likely consisting of Bouder, LeCrone (or Reichlen), and ... ?

[vipa]

2 hours ago, cobweb said:

Per Fairchild, one cast consists of herself, Gerrity, and Mearns. That must mean there's a second cast, likely consisting of Bouder, LeCrone (or Reichlen), and ... ?

Yes, I saw a LeCrone post that she was cast, but she didn't mention the other principals.

[bellawood]

17 hours ago, vipa said:

Yes, I saw a LeCrone post that she was cast, but she didn't mention the other principals.

Another hint to the other waltz girl, from Jovani Furlan's Insta:

 

[abatt]

Isn't Lauren Lovette doing Serenade (Waltz Girl) as part of her farewell?

[canbelto]

Yay Sterling is back!!!

[BalanchineFan]

On 9/8/2021 at 1:30 PM, DC Export said:

Has anyone seen casting for the first week of performances? Usually it's listed here, but not sure if it's being posted in a different place with the website redesign.

I can't find any mention of casting, even though the page says "Principal Casting." I don't think they've posted it yet. I expect they'll update the page when they're ready to make things public.

[bellawood]

19 hours ago, abatt said:

Isn't Lauren Lovette doing Serenade (Waltz Girl) as part of her farewell?

She's definitely doing Opus 19/The Dreamer, I don't know about Serenade.

[BalanchineFan]

46 minutes ago, bellawood said:

She's definitely doing Opus 19/The Dreamer, I don't know about Serenade.

The NYCB website says Lauren Lovette will dance both Opus 19 and Serenade. It doesn't say which role. I've got my tickets and I'm really looking forward to it.

Edited September 10, 2021 by BalanchineFan

[bellawood]

Jovani Furlan's insta continues with the casting hints! He seems to be cast almost exclusively in unitard roles 🤣.

[cobweb]

4 minutes ago, bellawood said:

Jovani Furlan's insta continues with the casting hints! He seems to be cast almost exclusively in unitard roles 🤣

Bring on the unitard roles! Jovani Furlan is someone I look forward to seeing, in a unitard or any other role. 
But where is the casting??

[nanushka]

25 minutes ago, cobweb said:

But where is the casting??

They haven't had a regular season in a year and a half. I'm okay cutting them some slack this time. They may have needed more time than usual to work some of it out.

Edited September 10, 2021 by nanushka

[cobweb]

As we wait for the first week of casting to appear (the second week is now due soon as well), I have been studying the schedule to decide what to see. After this painful long break from live performance, I am more than eager to get back, but I find the season's programming disappointing. Sure, there are things I want to see, but it's limited and the programming seems repetitive. I wish there was more of interest. I don't know Chaconne all that well and wonder who will be cast. Otherwise, maybe I'll take in a few more performances of ABT's Giselle than I might normally see, and maybe the Twyla Tharp at City Center later in November. 

[cobweb]

Week 1 casting is finally posted. 

[California]

Here's the link to Week 1 casting: https://res.cloudinary.com/new-york-city-ballet/image/upload/v1631547974/Press-Releases/Fall-2021-Casting-PDF/NYCB-Casting_September-21-26-2021_lobby-20210913

NEW YORK CITY BALLET PRINCIPAL CASTING FOR SEPTEMBER 21-26, 2021

TUESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 21, 7:30PM (Conductor: Litton) SERENADE: Hyltin, Bouder, LeCrone, *Danchig-Waring, Sanz pause AFTER THE RAIN PAS DE DEUX: Kowroski, la Cour [Solo Piano: McDill, Solo Violin: Nikkanen] pause SYMPHONY IN C M. Fairchild, Gordon, Mearns, T. Angle, Woodward, Ball, King, Schumacher

WEDNESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 22, 7:30PM (Conductor: Sill) OPUS 19/THE DREAMER: T. Peck, Garcia [Solo Violin: Nikkanen] pause NEW BIGONZETTI – WORLD PREMIERE: *Kowroski, *Ramasar [Solo Piano: Baldwin] pause RUSSIAN SEASONS: Phelan, Pazcoguin, M. Fairchild, King, Segin, Anderson, *Danchig-Waring, *Sanz, *Walker, *Alberda, *Coll, *Hoxha [Solo Violin: Nikkanen]

THURSDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 23, 7:30PM (Conductor: Otranto) SERENADE: Hyltin, Bouder, LeCrone, Danchig-Waring, Sanz pause PULCINELLA VARIATIONS: Kretzschmar, Mearns, T. Peck, Gerrity, Woodward, Janzen, Scordato, Garcia, Huxley pause GLASS PIECES: Hod, Applebaum, Adams, Walker, *Dutton-O’Hara, *Alberda, *Phelan, Ramasar

FRIDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 24, 8:00PM (Conductor: Otranto) SERENADE: Hyltin, Bouder, LeCrone, Danchig-Waring, Sanz pause PULCINELLA VARIATIONS: Kretzschmar, Mearns, T. Peck, Gerrity, Woodward, Janzen, Scordato, Garcia, Huxley pause GLASS PIECES: Hod, Applebaum, Adams, Walker, Dutton-O’Hara, Alberda, Phelan, Ramasar

SATURDAY MATINEE, SEPTEMBER 25, 2:00PM (Conductor: Otranto) SERENADE: Mearns, M. Fairchild, Gerrity, la Cour, Chamblee pause PULCINELLA VARIATIONS: *Adams, M. Miller, Phelan, Hod, *E. Von Enck, *Chan, Applebaum, Coll, *Takahashi pause GLASS PIECES: *Nadon, *Sanz, *LaFreniere, *Riccardo, Habony, Chamblee, Reichlen, Janzen

SATURDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 25, 8:00PM (Conductor: Sill) OPUS 19/THE DREAMER: T. Peck, Garcia [Solo Violin: Nikkanen] pause NEW BIGONZETTI: Kowroski, Ramasar [Solo Piano: Baldwin] pause RUSSIAN SEASONS: *Hyltin, Mearns, *Laracey, Woodward, Maxwell, *Habony, Stanley, Veyette, *Gordon, *Zuniga, *Villarini-Velez, *Fahoury [Solo Violin: Nikkanen]

SUNDAY MATINEE, SEPTEMBER 26, 3:00PM ABI STAFFORD FAREWELL (Conductor: Sill) OPUS 19/THE DREAMER: Hyltin, *Gordon [Solo Violin: Nikkanen] pause NEW BIGONZETTI: Kowroski, Ramasar [Solo Piano: Baldwin] pause RUSSIAN SEASONS: Phelan, Pazcoguin, A. Stafford, King, Segin, Anderson, Danchig-Waring, Sanz, Walker, Alberda, Coll, Hoxha [Solo Violin: Nikkanen] *

First Time in Role PROGRAM AND CASTING SUBJECT TO CHANGE (09/13/21)

Edited September 13, 2021 by California

[nanushka]

I'm quite disappointed to see that they are going forward with no intermissions, just "pauses." The YOUR SAFETY page on their website no longer indicates that there wouldn't be intermissions, and when they went ahead with the mandatory vaccination policy there was good reason to think they'd dropped that plan. It's frustrating — and fairly nonsensical — that they have not.

[cobweb]

30 minutes ago, nanushka said:

I'm quite disappointed to see that they are going forward with no intermissions, just "pauses."

Totally agree. No intermission/no bathroom break is going to be very hard on a lot of the audience, especially older folk. They really ought to be making it crystal-clear upfront that there will be no intermissions. I suspect it would cut into ticket sales. 

[JuliaJ]

It makes absolutely no sense. I seriously question the judgement of management for making this decision. (Same with their decision to only program Symphony in C once, and for the sold-out opening night.) Vaccination rule and masks should be enough.

There's no way Broadway and the Met Opera across the plaza are taking away intermissions; they have complex set changes. It just sounds like another example of "pandemic theater," so to speak... a precaution that serves no actual purpose but to make the institution look like it's "taking health and safety seriously." Taking health seriously should mean letting people use the restroom between acts. 

[cobweb]

Are we really sure it's no intermission? I'm not seeing it anywhere on the website. I see how on the casting sheet it's just listed as "Pause" between the pieces, but I'm really baffled they're not letting the audience know about this in advance. And speaking of programming Symphony in C only once, I'm wishing some of the season's, and the year's, programming could be changed. Maybe under the circumstances it would be more do-able. Let's add in a few more performances of Symphony in C, and how about bumping up Divertimento No. 15 too? 

[nanushka]

12 minutes ago, cobweb said:

Are we really sure it's no intermission? 

I'm not sure of anything — it's possible the indication on the casting sheet is a mistake, carried over from a draft they had when no intermissions was the plan. But that would seem unusually careless, and the current designation certainly communicates (rightly or wrongly) a plan for no intermissions. (That's how they've always indicated a pause without intermission on casting sheets in past seasons.)

[California]

2 minutes ago, nanushka said:

I'm not sure of anything — it's possible the indication on the casting sheet is a mistake, carried over from a draft they had when no intermissions was the plan. But that would seem unusually careless, and the current designation certainly communicates (rightly or wrongly) a plan for no intermissions. (That's how they've always indicated a pause without intermission on casting sheets in past seasons.)

The print-at-home tickets still say "skip the lines at intermission" and order drinks ahead. Of course, that could have slipped through before they thought about it. I had been thinking perhaps the pause could be really long for a bathroom break but skip food lines by keeping refreshments closed. I can't find anything on the web site about forms for refreshment options. I assume they're working everything out on a day-to-day basis.

[JuliaJ]

On August 18 I received a promo email that included the following paragraph:

YOUR SAFETY
NYCB remains committed to the health of our audiences, performers, and staff. With safety for all of the utmost concern, we will be implementing a mandatory vaccination policy for all employees and visitors. Audience members must be fully vaccinated and upon entering the Theater will be required to show in-person proof of vaccination. Fall 2021 performances are not planned to be socially distanced but will be performed without intermission to minimize overall time at the Theater. [emphasis added]

 

A separate email from a few days after that (a confirmation of purchased tickets) says the following, with no mention of intermissions. 

YOUR SAFETY
New York City Ballet remains deeply committed to the health and safety of our visitors, artists and staff and has implemented a mandatory vaccination policy for all audiences attending Repertory Season performances and Public and Access Programs. At this time, children under the age of 12 will not be permitted to attend performances but are able to attend Public and Access Programs, masked at all times.

Specific health & safety protocols are determined by the Theater in its sole discretion and are subject to change. Learn more at nycballet.com/safety.

By completing this purchase, you agree to acknowledge and comply with our COVID-19 policies outlined at nycballet.com/safety.

 

So it's not entirely clear, but it sounds to me like no intermissions. 

[Marta]

Below is the response I received on 08.16 to my question about no intermissions.  They neglected to answer how intermission-less performances make audiences safer ...

CustCare <customercare@nycballet.com>

Mon, Aug 16 at 2:16 PM

Dear Ms. 

We understand your concern regarding bathroom access during our intermission-less performances this fall. In an effort to alleviate this concern, we are expanding access to all levels of the theater during the hour prior to performances for our guests to use the facilities prior to curtain. Our shortened programs – most running about an hour-and-a-half – will have pauses throughout the program that will allow audiences members to leave the auditorium and return at appropriate intervals should the need arise.

Regards,

NYCB Customer Care

[cobweb]

Okay, so if people can leave and then return (rather than the usual policy which is you can only return at an intermission), that sounds a little more do-able. However, presumably the "appropriate interval" to return would be at the next pause, meaning you would miss an entire piece.