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New York City Ballet 2022-2023 season

California

By California
in New York City Ballet

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nysusan

nysusan

Posted
Posted
On 4/6/2023 at 6:33 PM, cobweb said:

nysusan, which performance of LaFreniere's Aurora did you see - the debut or the one a few days later on Sunday afternoon (or both)? I was at the debut and it was nerve-wracking. Reports are that she did better at the second performance, but I'm wondering how much better. I agree with your assessment about her lack of dancing major roles. Here is where I think they should have gone with Emily Kikta, who is far more experienced in featured roles, and as far as I can see, delivers every time. I totally agree about Nadon - she is young, but so talented there's no arguing with her being a principal. 

I saw both of LaFreniere's performances. The second was way better than the first but she is still not my idea of an Aurora. I do think she's very talented and I'm interested in seeing how she develops. I also would have promoted Kitka ahead of her.

33 minutes ago, abatt said:

I went online last night to pick up some tickets for the second week after the casting came out.  I was shocked at how poorly the programs for the first two weeks were selling. 

The All Balanchine program is on TDF. Its a shame.

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matilda

matilda

Posted
Posted

I've noticed a pattern since the pandemic reopening that some of the "best" programs with Balanchine, Ratmansky, etc. are sometimes selling the worst. Meanwhile, the underwhelming one-act Swan Lake is practically sold out over a month in advance. New York City Ballet has always depended on a more "sophisticated" dance audience that seeks out Balanchine and Robbins, but the crowd seems to be shrinking. Very unfortunate. I wonder how this might be influencing programming strategy looking forward. 

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MarzipanShepherdess

MarzipanShepherdess

Posted
Posted
58 minutes ago, matilda said:

I've noticed a pattern since the pandemic reopening that some of the "best" programs with Balanchine, Ratmansky, etc. are sometimes selling the worst. Meanwhile, the underwhelming one-act Swan Lake is practically sold out over a month in advance. New York City Ballet has always depended on a more "sophisticated" dance audience that seeks out Balanchine and Robbins, but the crowd seems to be shrinking. Very unfortunate. I wonder how this might be influencing programming strategy looking forward. 

It seems similar to what is reported to be happening across the plaza at the Met Opera: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/26/arts/music/metropolitan-opera-endowment-contemporary.html where new work is now selling better than respected but not household-name level older work (the example cited in the article is Verdi's Don Carlo, which sold only 40% of its tickets last season). Their announced programming strategy is now to prioritize contemporary work more. I imagine City Ballet will do the same. It seems like there's a polarization sales-wise at City Ballet recently, where 19th century narrative classics like Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty that everyone knows sell very well, and the buzzy new stuff sells very well, but "modern classics" like Agon or Fancy Free don't. They seem to suffer from falling in between: not classic enough to be kid-friendly or well known outside the dance world, and not contemporary enough to feel cool. 

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abatt

abatt

Posted
Posted (edited)

I was at Passover Seder last week in which a friend who goes to NYCB once every two years or so said "Oh I see they are doing Swan Lake.  I got a postcard in the mail."  I explained to her that it was merely a 40 minute distillation, and not the entire work.   That's part of why SL is selling so well.  It is being heavily marketed to people who rarely attend.

Edited by abatt
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matilda

matilda

Posted
Posted (edited)
22 minutes ago, MarzipanShepherdess said:

It seems similar to what is reported to be happening across the plaza at the Met Opera: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/26/arts/music/metropolitan-opera-endowment-contemporary.html where new work is now selling better than respected but not household-name level older work (the example cited in the article is Verdi's Don Carlo, which sold only 40% of its tickets last season). Their announced programming strategy is now to prioritize contemporary work more. I imagine City Ballet will do the same. It seems like there's a polarization sales-wise at City Ballet recently, where 19th century narrative classics like Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty that everyone knows sell very well, and the buzzy new stuff sells very well, but "modern classics" like Agon or Fancy Free don't. They seem to suffer from falling in between: not classic enough to be kid-friendly or well known outside the dance world, and not contemporary enough to feel cool. 

I'm a little skeptical about the prioritization of new work, although there's no reason why they shouldn't try. If you look at upcoming shows of the new Met Opera production "Champion," for example, ticket sales are pretty bad, and the New York Times review was somewhat tepid. 

It's wonderful that City Ballet has such a current hit with Copeland Dance Episodes, but its staying power is yet to be seen, and some of the other recent premieres have been flops. (How many people went out of their way to see the Keerati Jinakunpiphat premiere?)  The Solange piece was only a hit because of Solange. If they can pull off more celebrity music collaborations, good for them.  

I would not be against the idea of introducing a couple more war-horse classics to the rep. For one thing, they should get a new Swan Lake (Ratmansky's?) How about a Giselle? And they should really program Coppélia more often. It's a Balanchine gem, and it sells well! 

Edited by matilda
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abatt

abatt

Posted
Posted
42 minutes ago, matilda said:

Chun Wai Chan posted "La Source" rehearsal footage with Emma Von Enck in his Instagram stories---I guess she's debuting the lead ballerina role this time. Exciting! 

Looking forward to seeing Emma V.E. in this.  Woodward and Emma V.E. are the obvious successors to the roles that have been dominated by Bouder, Fairchild and Peck.   The "soubrette" rep.

 

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BalanchineFan

BalanchineFan

Posted
Posted (edited)
19 hours ago, abatt said:

Looking forward to seeing Emma V.E. in this.  Woodward and Emma V.E. are the obvious successors to the roles that have been dominated by Bouder, Fairchild and Peck.   The "soubrette" rep.

Ooh, Spring 2024 maybe we'll get Indiana Woodward and Emma Von Enck in Coppelia!
Soubrette central. 

Edited by BalanchineFan
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Drew

Drew

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, matilda said:

 For one thing, they should get a new Swan Lake (Ratmansky's?) How about a Giselle? And they should really program Coppélia more often. It's a Balanchine gem, and it sells well! 

Completely on board with the Balanchine/Danilova Coppelia, but the idea of a traditional NYCB Giselle just depresses me.   Too much like a final nail in the Balanchine coffin. Maybe the Akram Khan Giselle could be an interesting option.

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Marta

Marta

Posted
Posted (edited)
45 minutes ago, Drew said:

Completely on board with the Balanchine/Danilova Coppelia, but the idea of a traditional NYCB Giselle just depresses me.   Too much like a final nail in the Balanchine coffin. Maybe the Akram Khan Giselle could be an interesting option.

I agree. I love Giselle, but Giselle at NYCB seems like heresy. More than one book on Balanchine has quoted him as saying something to the effect of, "Dear, if you want to dance Giselle you can step across the plaza."

Edited by Marta
Forgot a phrase.
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BalanchineFan

BalanchineFan

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, Drew said:

Completely on board with the Balanchine/Danilova Coppelia, but the idea of a traditional NYCB Giselle just depresses me.   Too much like a final nail in the Balanchine coffin. Maybe the Akram Khan Giselle could be an interesting option.

I agree wholeheartedly! I find it sad to see a highly trained 17 year old stepping into B plus and proclaiming in mime "I am a peasant, here is my harvest."

14 hours ago, California said:

Are you seeing the 2023-24 schedule for NYCB anywhere? Isn't it usually announced before the current spring season ends?

It's not on any schedule, just my imagination.

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matilda

matilda

Posted
Posted

I was amazed to see Fairchild and Huxley scheduled for four Raymondas, two Donizettis, and two Square Dances in the first two weeks. That's an exhaustive amount of virtuoso dancing. It makes more sense for there to be a third cast of Raymonda. Strange that it wasn't originally announced though. 

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vipa

vipa

Posted
Posted (edited)

Going back to Coppelia, which I think would be wise as a ticket seller. I believe for pandemic streaming there were issues with the Chinese dolls' dance in the workshop scene. They ended up streaming just the last act. Correct me if I'm remembering incorrectly.

The Chinese doll section is short but very stereotype "cute" Chinese. I think they will have to figure out what to do about that before doing the ballet again.

Edited by vipa
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MarzipanShepherdess

MarzipanShepherdess

Posted
Posted
13 hours ago, vipa said:

Going back to Coppelia, which I think would be wise as a ticket seller. I believe for pandemic streaming there were issues with the Chinese dolls' dance in the workshop scene. They ended up streaming just the last act. Correct me if I'm remembering incorrectly.

The Chinese doll section is short but very stereotype "cute" Chinese. I think they will have to figure out what to do about that before doing the ballet again.

Hadn't thought of that as it's been a while since I've seen Coppelia but you're right. I think City Ballet consulted with Georgina Pazcoguin, wearing her "Final Bow for Yellowface" hat, when they reworked the similar Tea pas de trois in Nutcracker. Shouldn't be too hard but definitely something they'll need to tackle before staging Coppelia again.

I'd be glad to see Coppelia back on the calendar soon, it's a great vehicle for Megan Fairchild and Tiler Peck and I'd love to see them in it again before they retire. 

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matilda

matilda

Posted
Posted

If I remember correctly from the announcements made at the time, the current staging of Coppélia already has some changes made from the original production regarding ethnic stereotypes in Act II. The version streamed in 2020 was from the 1970s, before the change was made. I don't remember anything specifically problematic from the ballet's last run in 2018, but maybe there's still something there worth reassessing. 

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leee

leee

Posted
Posted

Hi folks, I'm visiting NYC in May and have two Second Ring seats to the 5/23 (Tuesday) Robbins/Balanchine III performance. Unfortunately, scheduling conflicts have precluded being able to attend -- if anyone is interested in buying the tickets please DM me! Thanks so much.

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cobweb

cobweb

Posted
Posted

Was just on youtube watching the Miami City Ballet Square Dance. This piece brings me so much joy I must see it as many times as I can, whether it's Pereira, Fairchild, or hopefully Woodward or Emma von Enck will get a chance. Also it occurs to me this would be a great fit for new soloist Alexa Maxwell or underused soloist Sara Adams. Why not throw in some extra performances -- does anyone NOT love this piece?? When I first started attending NYCB in 2011, after getting weary of the war horses at ABT, I was buying tickets more or less at random, knowing nothing about NYCB or, embarrassing to say, Balanchine. When I saw Square Dance, that was it -- I was hooked, I was converted, whatever.. and the rest is history. 

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vipa

vipa

Posted
Posted
41 minutes ago, cobweb said:

Was just on youtube watching the Miami City Ballet Square Dance. This piece brings me so much joy I must see it as many times as I can, whether it's Pereira, Fairchild, or hopefully Woodward or Emma von Enck will get a chance. Also it occurs to me this would be a great fit for new soloist Alexa Maxwell or underused soloist Sara Adams. Why not throw in some extra performances -- does anyone NOT love this piece?? When I first started attending NYCB in 2011, after getting weary of the war horses at ABT, I was buying tickets more or less at random, knowing nothing about NYCB or, embarrassing to say, Balanchine. When I saw Square Dance, that was it -- I was hooked, I was converted, whatever.. and the rest is history. 

I love Square Dance too, and wish they'd do it more.  I know this is crazy, but I'd think it would be fun to see it again with the caller. 

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