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New York City Ballet 2021 Season

Buddy

By Buddy
in New York City Ballet

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California

California

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, fondoffouettes said:

I really felt for Meghan Fairchild, who has been documenting her struggles coming back from giving birth to twins (after contacting COVID during pregnancy, no less). She really struggled to get her leg up for just about any arabesque and seemed to have drastically reduced flexibility; she's described the physiological reasons for this on her Instagram. The first movement ballerina is such a great role, but it seemed like she was just muscling her way through it. But then when I saw how emotional she was during curtain calls, I felt so happy for her for what she accomplished.

I follow Megan on Instagram and she has overcome so much, but she was clearly struggling! She is in Serenade later in the week and should shine. Anyone who gets COVID (I believe hers was pre-vaccine?) has to worry about long-haul effects and she seems to determined to overcome. 

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aurora

aurora

Posted
Posted
57 minutes ago, Balletwannabe said:

There any number of things that are ridiculous when it comes to masking...  I have children in school so... Let's just say I think the goal when it comes to mask rules is more about *feeling* relatively safe, than actually being safe.  But at the same time let's remember with the 100% vaccine rate in the theater, everyone actually is safe.  

Question: are the "pauses" enough time to use the restroom?

 

And yet the evidence indicates that wearing masks do help keep us safe, even, to a degree, if not everyone is wearing them:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/21/well/live/covid-masks-protect.html?smtyp=cur&smid=fb-nytimes&fbclid=IwAR23D6g2hGb5cqjkdXEaF84LP6Hv_j7RHTbrP12Wug3TPqFK1QZ4QbAdnnU

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BalanchineFan

BalanchineFan

Posted
Posted

What a spectacular night! I sat in the second to last row of the 4th Ring,  much farther than my usual subscription. It was great to see the choreography from there and the group formations are just beautiful. It was nice to see the new mothers dancing so wonderfully; Sterling is back! I really missed her. With my binoculars I could also pick out one of the new apprentices, Ruby Lister, who was featured in On Pointe in the corps.  Lots of dancing for the female corps. No Roman Mejia. Only 19 men's roles in the whole program.

I didn't notice Megan Fairchild having any difficulty in Symphony in C and I wasn't close enough to see her emotion in the curtain call. Joseph Gordon rocked it and the crowd went wild. Sarah Mearns seems to have grown in the second movement and simplified her approach, she's letting the movement and music carry her rather than adding drama. Everyone seemed so glad to be there. onstage and off.

The State Theater lobby is so open and spacious that having people drinking champagne beforehand didn't seem so problematic to me, particularly since people are all vaccinated. Some got their champagne and took it to the far side of the rings.  I've been on airline flights where you could take your mask off to eat, it's necessary on long flights. I think it will be nice when the mezzanine terrace is open to one and all. It was also nice to get out a bit early, without the intermissions. I work early during the week.

The Clear app combines your photo and vaccination into one digital document, so you can do it ahead of time and only present one thing in addition to your ticket. IF you're presenting any other vaccination proof you need to show a photo ID as well. The Clear/Excelsior line didn't seem to move so fast to me, but it was worth it, even if my photo is now definitively in the facial recognition world. A word of recommendation, arrive early.

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Marta

Marta

Posted
Posted
57 minutes ago, California said:

Agree on Gordon! I really noticed him a few years ago when he did Coppelia with Bouder (still as a soloist) and at Vail in 2019. Very glad I got to see him again.

Me too about Gordon.  I noticed him before the Coppelia with Bouder and then saw that in 2019.  He is spectacular!

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California

California

Posted
Posted

I assume everybody knows that Serenade was Balanchine's first ballet in the US. There might be a few who do not know that Symphony in C was on the first-ever program for NYCB on October 11, 1948, along with Concerto Barocco and Orpheus. Balanchine actually made S in C for the Paris Opera Ballet the year before, under the name Palais de Cristal. That bit of history helps explain the programming choice. 

https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100232629

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cobweb

cobweb

Posted
Posted

It was great to be there. More than Serenade, the jolt that comes from a beautifully-executed Symphony in C was what I really needed. I wish they were doing more of that, and less of Serenade, this season. Joseph Gordon looked great, with more spring in his legs than ever. I was praying there would be no speeches, so my heart sank when Whelan and Stafford came out. Mercifully it was short and sweet. I totally didn't understand the "Waltz of the Flowers" interlude. Did they need extra time for the costume change? Or are they trying to drum up interest for Nutcracker? I could have done without that, especially since it was already getting long to sit with no intermission. The curtain went up 20 minutes late as it was, why add to the time before we can stand up? 

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cobweb

cobweb

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, jeff-sh said:

NY Excelsior pass is in fast line?

NYCB website says otherwise

https://www.nycballet.com/your-visit/your-safety

Clear and Excelsior pass were in one line, vaccine cards were another line. My partner and I were in separate lines (he hadn't signed up for the app yet) and at that point, about 20 minutes before curtain, the vaccine card line was moving a little slower, but the difference wasn't that bad. 

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mille-feuille

mille-feuille

Posted
Posted (edited)

I was there for opening night too; it was wonderful to be back. The theater was crackling with excitement.

Serenade was beautiful—especially Hyltin. I liked LeCrone much more than I previously had. I was sitting in the rear orchestra and didn't notice the usual glower, which made it much easier to focus on her dancing. Mira Nadon's lush arabesques and port de bras in the corps caught my eye.

I also liked the After the Rain pas more than I usually do—I had found it overplayed and felt its merits were wearing thin. This time I pondered the motifs in the choreography, so beautifully embodied by Kowroski and la Cour.

I did find the surprise Waltz of the Flowers a bit odd, especially as the orchestra is in the midst of a labor dispute with the company... 😕 Felt a bit weird, although I was able to suspend disbelief (for lack of a better term) and enjoy the beautiful music.

Symphony in C was spectacular; my favorite of the night. I didn't notice signs of straining from Megan Fairchild—she seemed in control and confident, although her arabesques were a bit low. I enjoyed her speed, clarity, and joy onstage. I'm sure as the season progresses she'll completely bounce back physically. Joseph Gordon absolutely knocked it out of the park; his pirouettes-to-jump sequence in the first movement was fast, powerful, and thrilling.

Sara Mearns and Tyler Angle were gorgeous in the Second Movement. She has toned down the Odette vibes and embodies the music so well. I thought it was refreshing to see Tyler Angle with the bald head, and I'm sure I'll get used to it more as the season continues.

Harrison Ball's ballon in the Third Movement made me gasp. He and Indiana Woodward danced with such clarity and joy. Lauren King and Andrew Scordato looked great in the Fourth Movement, radiating sunshine. During the curtain calls, Scordato made a heart with his arms above his head (like this); it was so sweet!

Edited by mille-feuille
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mille-feuille

mille-feuille

Posted
Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, Balletwannabe said:

Question: are the "pauses" enough time to use the restroom?

I did not leave the auditorium, but it would need to be a very quick pit stop. The pauses were only a few minutes.

 

1 hour ago, jeff-sh said:

NY Excelsior pass is in fast line?

NYCB website says otherwise

https://www.nycballet.com/your-visit/your-safety

I too thought CLEAR would have its own line, but indeed there was one line for CLEAR and Excelsior. I thought it moved fairly quickly.

 

Edited by mille-feuille
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susanger

susanger

Posted
Posted
20 hours ago, cobweb said:

It was great to be there. More than Serenade, the jolt that comes from a beautifully-executed Symphony in C was what I really needed. I wish they were doing more of that, and less of Serenade, this season. Joseph Gordon looked great, with more spring in his legs than ever. I was praying there would be no speeches, so my heart sank when Whelan and Stafford came out. Mercifully it was short and sweet. I totally didn't understand the "Waltz of the Flowers" interlude. Did they need extra time for the costume change? Or are they trying to drum up interest for Nutcracker? I could have done without that, especially since it was already getting long to sit with no intermission. The curtain went up 20 minutes late as it was, why add to the time before we can stand up? 

I thought the orchestra should have played Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September”. After all, it was a memorable 21st night of September. 😘

Do you remember, 21st night of September?
Love was changing the mind of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away
Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing
As we danced in the night
Remember
How the stars stole the night away, oh yeah

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vipa

vipa

Posted
Posted
13 hours ago, susanger said:

I thought the orchestra should have played Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September”. After all, it was a memorable 21st night of September. 😘

Do you remember, 21st night of September?
Love was changing the mind of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away
Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing
As we danced in the night
Remember
How the stars stole the night away, oh yeah

susanger this has to be one of the best ideas ever! Ha, ha everyone would have been dancing in their seats!

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GB1216

GB1216

Posted
Posted

Tonight was a wonderful night at the ballet!

Serenade - such a luminous piece.  It just had everything.  I felt that Sterling stole the show.  You couldn’t not be moved by her.  LeCrone was quite good as the Dark Angel.  Oddly enough, Bouder was good but I think still getting her feet.  She wasn’t quite as fast as I’m used to seeing her.

Pulcinella - what a happy ballet! Everything about it was cheerful and all of the dancers were shining - most especially Sara Mearns and Tiler Peck. 
 

Glass Pieces - Unity Unity Unity.  She was fabulous in the second movement which was her debut.  I enjoyed the second and third movement the most.  First movement was good but the music started to grate on me after awhile.  


All in all a wonderful night! 
 

we were also there right at 6:30 and there was no line for clear/excelsior. So we went right in.

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Balletwannabe

Balletwannabe

Posted
Posted

My first time seeing Serenade last night and I was sad that I wouldn't be seeing it again anytime soon.  It was such a moving piece.  I loved the chemistry between Sterling-Bouder-Lecrone.

I'm glad they avoided intermission crowds at the bathrooms to have crowds at the bathrooms after the show, lol.  

Thanks to whomever politely told the person sitting next to me to stop recording the performance with her brightly lit phone.  I was too chicken to say anything.  

 

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Susu_nyc

Susu_nyc

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, GB1216 said:

Glass Pieces - Unity Unity Unity.  She was fabulous in the second movement which was her debut.  I enjoyed the second and third movement the most.  First movement was good but the music started to grate on me after awhile.  

 

What a wonderful night for Unity Phelan!  I have seen Wendy and Maria in the role and her performance was on par.  There was a luminosity to her performance that was transcendent.  Time for a promotion.

Personally was hoping Stafford might announce promotions on opening night, but am hopeful they will come sometime this season.

 

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