Swan Lake ABT 2022

[ABT Fan]

Anyone happen to know who is doing peasant pas tomorrow? And big swans?

[Buddy]

On 6/30/2022 at 12:38 PM, Drew said:

I was rather moved by Dvorovenko's Dame Aux Camellias. The question of whether someone is a good acting coach may be a different one, anyway, from whether they were themselves a great dance-actress. And, as others have mentioned, the issue is really Brandt not her coaches.

So in defense of Brandt -- whose performance I did not see -- and other still-developing ballerinas I will say that I think of Odette-Odile as the most daunting and difficult of ballerina roles; the genuinely great performances of it that I have seen are few and far between and they have all been by experienced ballerinas who had been dancing the role for years...

With all respect for different points of view, Drew, having seen Skylar Brandt perform just once, I don't think that you have to defend her at all. It's quite possible that she's on her way to greatness.

Her manner is so human, as well as embracing and personal, which I think is something that sets ABT apart from the world's other major companies. Her manner and power of projecting from deep within, along with her physical appearance, makes me think somewhat of Galina Ulanova.

By the way, I've seen Irina Dvorovenko dance Swan Lake and I thought that she gave an excellent performance. Skylar Brandt seems to be in very good hands with her and her husband, Maxim Beloserkovsky, coaching.   

Also very glad to hear good comments about Hee Seo. I'm sorry that I couldn't be in New York long enough to see her. Hopefully next year.

[tutu]

4 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

Anyone happen to know who is doing peasant pas tomorrow? And big swans?

7/4 pas de trois was planned to be Fang/Waski/Sumitani, according to one of Waski‘s Instagram posts.  7/5 and 7/6 evening were scheduled to be Misseldine/Park/Han, according to a Misseldine post.  Unclear who 7/6 matinee pas de trois will be, as it certainly can’t be the remaining cast, Hurlin/Waski (replacing Williams)/Hoven, performing for Hurlin’s O/O debut.  Maybe Fang/Waski/Sumitani again?

Of course, given the several demanding weeks already completed and the amount of COVID in NYC right now, we may already be into the “bleeding casting sheet” phase — that is, when injuries and illness mean substitutions run rampant.  At this point in the season, I think no casting is a guarantee.

[MoMo]

1 hour ago, tutu said:

7/4 pas de trois was planned to be Fang/Waski/Sumitani, according to one of Waski‘s Instagram posts.  7/5 and 7/6 evening were scheduled to be Misseldine/Park/Han, according to a Misseldine post.  Unclear who 7/6 matinee pas de trois will be, as it certainly can’t be the remaining cast, Hurlin/Waski (replacing Williams)/Hoven, performing for Hurlin’s O/O debut.  Maybe Fang/Waski/Sumitani again?

Of course, given the several demanding weeks already completed and the amount of COVID in NYC right now, we may already be into the “bleeding casting sheet” phase — that is, when injuries and illness mean substitutions run rampant.  At this point in the season, I think no casting is a guarantee.

Wednesday 7/6  matinee pas de trois should be Frenette, Coker, Granlund, so far. Big Swans Lavine and Post. 

[DPell]

5 hours ago, MoMo said:

Wednesday 7/6  matinee pas de trois should be Frenette, Coker, Granlund, so far. Big Swans Lavine and Post. 

Wednesday matinee is Frenette/Granlund/Coker per Patrick’s Instagram. 

[tutu]

8 hours ago, MoMo said:

Wednesday 7/6  matinee pas de trois should be Frenette, Coker, Granlund, so far. Big Swans Lavine and Post. 

Post is out with COVID per her Instagram. 

[Buddy]

A very good thing about videos is that they can be a very fine souvenir postcard. I'm unable to find anything on the internet that captures much at all of Devon Teuscher's wonderful beauty, but thanks to Ballet Alert!'s California's previous post, I do have one of Skylar Brandt.  

The background contrast between the Boca Ballet Theatre, where she did this debut, and ABT is pretty much two different worlds. Also the 'hard edge' and flattened feeling of this video are examples of the loss of quality in filmed reproductions. Her ABT debut had a much softer, more dreamlike feel. Still, the remarkable quality of her ABT Swan Lake debut is very evident and very much appreciated for keeping alive what she so beautifully accomplished.

A comparison that might be interesting to follow would be between her and the Bolshoi's remarkable young star, Eva Sergeyenkova. You can probably find one of her most recent White Swan duets on the internet. She's also very noteworthy for her highly expressive artistry.
 

[fondoffouettes]

On 6/30/2022 at 12:34 PM, MarzipanShepherdess said:

Saw Christine and Calvin yesterday afternoon for Calvin's debut, which I think was also Andrii Ischuk's debut as Purple Von Rothbart. Seeing ABT now makes me feel so OLD: I feel like such a granny pining for the "good old days", but that's really the primary feeling I had yesterday seeing this Swan Lake. I miss Marcelo! I miss Diana, Veronika, and Nina! I miss Irina vamping it up as Odile! 

Christine is a very polished, technically assured Odette and Odile but she just doesn't make me FEEL anything when I watch her in the role. She hits the marks, but I don't get the heartbreak, ardor, or tenderness my favorites brought to Odette or the wicked glee or sensuality they delivered as Odile. I found her interpretation to be a bit cool. An imperious Odile, a crystalline Odette. Would not want to see her again in this role.

Calvin, I would want to see again. I think it was a very promising debut. He is really an interesting dancer, as @Buddydescribed him, with a unique presence, depth, and a feel for character. It wasn't a fully formed interpretation, but one is emerging. His Siegfried is young and shy, not fully at ease with himself, rushing into love, and he conveyed that innocence beautifully. There were moments where he got a bit lost on stage, I think he's still figuring out how to convey that shy innocence AND hold the stage. The moment when he realizes he's been tricked by Odile and Von Rothbart was particularly heartbreaking. There were moments where his characterization faltered, but then he'd do something really beautiful and emotive a few movements later. An example being his final moments on stage: his rush up the rocks was kind of half-baked, he was trying to grab at the rocks but it didn't really look convincing, but then he did one of the most beautiful final leaps I've ever seen a Siegfried deliver. Just glorious. Even though his technique can be uneven (great elevation, sometimes unpolished on the landings, for example), I found him more compelling to watch than Christine who, objectively has better technique. 

Not much to report on Ischuk's debut as PVR. Nice jumps but did not project the authority or sexy sleaze that can make this such a great role. I'm still waiting for someone worthy to walk in Marcelo's purple suede thigh-highs. 

I saw the same cast today and agree 100% with your reactions. I feel like Shevchenko needs to develop Odette and Odile as more distinct characters, and give both of them more depth. Here Odile felt severe -- not really sensuous, seductive, or evil. Here Odette was remote; a bit of a blank. I felt like she could also work more on developing expressiveness with her upper body; sometimes it seemed like she lost focus on the effect her head/arms/hands were having. I particularly did not care for her arms during the first half of the fouettes; they weren't above her head, and they also weren't swan arms...I'm to sure what they were; they were just sort of flailing out at an angle. I'd rather she wouldn't add flourishes like that if they are unattractive.

Royal's partnering was great. He's a very elegant dancer, with some uneven technique, as you've noted. But overall, I thought he delivered a really strong performance. I will add that while Royal and Shevchenko danced beautifully together -- the Act II pdd was gorgeous-- I felt like they had very little chemistry (a very subjective thing, I admit).

There seemed to be a bunch of young ballet students in the audience. They cheered for everything Shevchenko did, including nearly every set of supported pirouettes in Act III pas de deux. It felt a bit like a Taylor Swift concert at times.  

Edited July 4, 2022 by fondoffouettes

[nanushka]

Yes, they even cheered when she came out for the Act II PDD — although she'd just been onstage mere minutes before, and was doing nothing but bourrée on to dance again.

I too was disappointed by Shevchenko's overall performance, though it definitely had some very nice moments. I particularly agree about her Odile — mean and stern were the words that kept coming to mind, and her dancing in that PDD seemed jagged. I'm thinking I'll skip Brandt's and Shevchenko's O/O next year, giving them each some more time to develop, and maybe check out Teuscher, given the reviews on here. (Her O/O had seemed characteristically chilly to me in the past.)

I was very impressed by Calvin Royal's Siegfried. Most everything he does he does quite well, though I wish he did more at times. (I'd like to see him add in some more impressive steps, for example, rather than sticking mostly with the basics).

Andrii Ischuk's Rothbart was quite good, too. Perhaps he gained some confidence after his previous performance? Certainly, he could use a good deal more charisma and stage presence, but the basic goods are definitely there. I trust he'll work with them more in the future, and I'm very glad he was given the role. He did better with it than a number of the other younger Rothbarts have in the past 4-5 years. (I'm very much looking forward to seeing Curley on Wednesday.)

Edited July 5, 2022 by nanushka

[abatt]

I too was a little disappointed in Shevchenko's performance.  Her technique was strong but she needed to employ better use of her upper body - arms, neck, head.  There was not much drama in her performance.  Not much chemistry with Royal either.  Somehow I recall liking Shechenko's O/O more during the 2019 run.  As for the arm maneuvers in Act III, I think she was just trying to add difficulty to the fouette section.  I thought she was very effective in Act III and showed impressive technical ability. 

I liked Royal's characterization and stage presence.  He is a much better actor than Ahn, who is mostly wooden. However, Act III exposes all weaknesses.  Royal is doing the exact same variation as Bell and Ahn.  When Royal landed his double tours, his feet were not in the correct position.  He has enough experience that he quickly tried to cover this up by correcting his position after he landed.  Also, his spins can be slow.  I was much more impressed with Bell and Ahn as far as technical ability and precision.

 

[cubanmiamiboy]

I saw both Schevchenko's and Teuscher's performances of their Black Swan pdd the very same day of their performances, via bootlegs. (😎). I'm happy that ABT's fouetteometer has been dusted off and updated. They both did great, particularly Christine's,  with her pirouettes a la seconde thrown between doubles-( I don't think I've ever seen this done this way).

[MRR]

Agree with pretty much all the comments above:  I couldn't get into Christine's O/O at all.  Her Odette never came to trust much less fall in love with Siegfried, nor did it seem human, employing wild, over the top undulations of her spine despite having a rather stiff back in arabesque or attitude.  Her Odile went for an icy Noir glamour, which could have been effective but for the extremely harsh port de bras, abrupt stops of position, and the lack of any star quality that projected to the back of the theatre.  Her dancing was often indulgent, lagging behind the music, while somehow never grasping the authority of the dual role.  While she has plenty of capabilities of a principal, the overall impact of the afternoon was that of a soloist. 

Technically the exposed White Swan adagio was navigated well; her lines don't really sing but the leg beats at the end were extremely well done.  The solo and coda were fine although she tended to complete the double rond to the right leg and not the left.   Black Swan featured multiple prolonged supported pirouettes, triple pirouette to single attitude in her solo, and an odd configuration of single-single-a la seconde-double-single-double to lead off the fouettes.  She is a strong turner with a vigorous forward momentum which aided her during any long series of turns, particularly the diagonal in Act II or the manege in Act III.  While an otherwise successful Odile as far as the big tricks, the balance in the adagio wasn't held.

Calvin was an empathetic, handsome Prince with almost a beautiful line (his feet tend to not point/finish).  Technically he seemed to fix whatever issues he had on Wednesday as it was a clean if conservative showing.  He never showed more than three pirouettes the whole show, the double cabrioles were thinly sketched, and tour en l'air to fifth were often good but far less good to arabesque.  That said, Siegfried has a major arc of character that gets overlooked with the emphasis on the dual ballerina role, and for a new interpreter of the role Calvin understood this.  His first Act was appropriately full of naïveté which made his falling for Odette and subsequently Odile all the more sensical and heartbreaking.  His partnering was sensitive if not always masterful, and he performed with a spirit which made the audience root for him.

Andrii Ishchuk had a wonderfully campy, mischievous Rothbart with some strong moments:  multiple everlasting pirouettes, a balance that a second or two longer would've made applause worthy, and an emphatic jump to the throne.  There wasn't much phrasing or texture to his dancing but for a young corps member in his second show of the role, he fared extremely well.  The swan corps was one of the better coached ensembles I've seen at ABT in a while, and the Cygnets were excellent (Kotomi Yamada, Nicole Graniero, Betsy McBride, Breanne Granlund).  Katherine Williams and Ingrid Thoms were Two Swans: well-matched if a touch underpowered (more so Ingrid).  

Pas de trois was somewhat of a white knuckle ride.  I'm never sure what to make of Zhong-Jing Fang:  her showmanship is exciting, generous, and alive one moment; excessively mannered and saccharine the next.  That said, she was the obvious leader of the PdT and carried what was a cautious partnering and technical effort by Kento Sumitami.  Kento tried as much as he could to disappear behind Fang, and Fang has a big enough personality to accommodate that, but his solo variation was nervously marred by fudged finishes of tour en l'air and pirouette and not a strong center in his beats.  He has wonderful elevation---there was a gorgeous double cabriole in the interlude with Siegfried---but theatrically there's nothing behind the eyes.  Paulina Waski is pleasant to watch with a creditable enough entrechat six, but the diagonal of turns got worse and worse as it went, and she was out of gas by the coda.  

Edited July 6, 2022 by MRR

[California]

I am sorry I couldn't see any SLs this year and have enjoyed reading  your reports. A few quick questions/puzzles:

Calvin Royal's sloppy feet: This problem goes back years and is regularly noted here and elsewhere. Is there no coaching at ABT to focus on improving this glaring weakness?

Heo Seo's fouette problems: Sounds almost as bad as the disastrous sequence at the Kennedy Center that I saw this spring. I recently saw an old recording of Makarova in SL and she doesn't even try the fouettes, instead substituting a fast series of pique and chaine turns. If that substitution was good enough for her, why not contemporary dancers who mangle these so badly? Do they need company permission?

Shevchenko cheerleaders: I'm wondering if there is a contingent of Ukrainians who might be cheering her on for their own reasons. 

Male soloists who are never promoted to principal: Concern about Gabe Sawyer's future is interesting. It made me think back to the many men who never made it to principal at this company: Shasha Radetsky, Sterling Baca (who made principal at Philadelphia Ballet), Matthew Golding (who found success with Royal and the Dutch National), Jared Matthews (who went to Houston and then Estonia), others I can't remember.

[nanushka]

5 minutes ago, California said:

Shevchenko cheerleaders: I'm wondering if there is a contingent of Ukrainians who might be cheering her on for their own reasons. 

Possible. But at least the ones seated near me yesterday (who seemed to be starting much of the cheering) were young, student-aged fans at a holiday matinee, at a time of year when many ballet students are in town. And I believe many of the seats they were in hadn't sold well until a day or two before, when the company may have released them for discounted tickets.

[abatt]

23 minutes ago, nanushka said:

Possible. But at least the ones seated near me yesterday (who seemed to be starting much of the cheering) were young, student-aged fans at a holiday matinee, at a time of year when many ballet students are in town. And I believe many of the seats they were in hadn't sold well until a day or two before, when the company may have released them for discounted tickets.

Good point.  I think the company gets a tax deduction if it gives away tickets for educational purposes.   The family circle and certain parts of the balcony seemed to have a lot of kids.

[Kathleen O'Connell]

1 hour ago, abatt said:

I think the company gets a tax deduction if it gives away tickets for educational purposes.

ABT is a non-profit, so it doesn't pay taxes. It could be that its Board members, private foundations, or government grantors provide some additional targeted funds to support free or discounted youth tickets. 

[nysusan]

1 hour ago, California said:

Heo Seo's fouette problems: Sounds almost as bad as the disastrous sequence at the Kennedy Center that I saw this spring. I recently saw an old recording of Makarova in SL and she doesn't even try the fouettes, instead substituting a fast series of pique and chaine turns. If that substitution was good enough for her, why not contemporary dancers who mangle these so badly? Do they need company permission?

Makarova may have substituted the SL Fouettes a couple of times but as a rule, she did them. I know because I saw most of her ABT Swan Lakes up until 1976. I recall when she did the DQ pdd shortly after returning from maternity leave she substituted pique turns for the fouettes and may have done the same in SL during that time period. I'm ok with a star dancer who has & can do the fouettes subbing them out on occasion. Or like Plisetskaya who did them in DQ but didn't like them in SL. I'm ok with it when you've reached that level and your choice isn't because you can't do them (my reollection is that Makarova returned to the fouettes once she'd regained form after that maternity leave). But IMO being able to do all of the steps should be required form all ballerinas at a top level company.

[AB'sMom]

The ABT school is in the middle of its student summer intensives, so it is likely that the large contingent of young people were attendees. A friend of my daughter’s posted that he was at the Shevchenko/Royal performance.

[Buddy]

I've been watching the video posted by California of Skylar Brandt's White Swan Duet from her Swan Lake debut with the Boca Ballet Theatre over and over. I've also watched some other classic performances, one of which was Galina Ulanova's with Konstantin Sergeyev when she was about 25 years old.

At that age Galina Ulanova probably had every base covered, refinement, technique and aura, perhaps never to be equaled by anyone. Yet, based on my single viewing of Skylar Brandt's ABT Swan Lake debut and this video, if I could chose a modern day, younger sister from America for Galina Ulanova, it would be her. I can't recall another ballerina who's effected me in the same way from anywhere. In detail they may be quite different at times, but in feeling, essence, power of expression and translation of human sculpture and motion into pure emotion, perhaps not so far apart. 

Here once again is the White Swan Duet video posted by California and the one of Galina Ulanova can probably be easily found on the internet. 

I might say that these two videos reinforce each other. They show Skylar Brandt's more grounded and humanly layered essence while breathing newly felt life and accessability into an iconic and otherworldly vision of Galina Ulanova. 

 

 

Edited July 5, 2022 by Buddy

[California]

ABT just posted instructions for RUSH tickets on their Facebook page:

Get RUSH TICKETS for ABT at the Metropolitan Opera House to experience more of the magic Rush tickets often sell out within minutes, especially for high demand performances! #ABTMet22

WHEN:

Rush tickets are available for select performances and go on sale for Monday through Friday evening performances at Noon, for matinees four hours before curtain, and for Saturday evenings at 2:00pm.

WHO:

Everyone is welcome! Customers are allowed to purchase up to two tickets for one performance every seven days.

HOW:

These tickets are only available online and are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. You may print your tickets at home, download e-tickets to your phone, or pick them up at the box office window.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/ABTSummerSeason22_RushTickets

 

[Royal Blue]

16 hours ago, California said:

Shevchenko cheerleaders: I'm wondering if there is a contingent of Ukrainians who might be cheering her on for their own reasons. 

During ABT's Monday afternoon performance of Swan Lake cheers erupted at inappropriate moments, something preposterous and irresponsible —as well as distracting for both the preponderance of the audience and (I should think) the performers. Could the offenders have been "a contingent of Ukrainians who [were] cheering her on for their own reasons"? Indeed, anything is possible in this world. For all we know, the culprits could have been a bunch of aliens from Neptune. Nevertheless, if Ukrainians were to blame it was peculiar to be doing this during a performance of Swan Lake, under the current tragic circumstances their country is facing. Does anyone seriously dispute that Swan Lake is a great Russian work of art?

(Whether a particular work of art, or artist, or performance is “great" by definition is subject to debate. However, the consensus among ballet authorities and ballet-goers is that Swan Lake is undeniably so.)

Personally, using "cheerleader" in this context strikes me as infelicitous, since I associate the term with sporting events. Despite the tremendous athleticism required of dancers, though, ballet is undoubtedly a form of art —not a sport! A secondary definition of the term on the internet, nonetheless, is "an enthusiastic and vocal supporter of someone or something". By this definition, I am a cheerleader of Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, New York City Ballet, Central Park, the New York Public Library, Don Carlos, Serenade, Der Ring des Nibelungen, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, The Goldberg Variations, innumerable other works, many singers and actors and dancers etc.

Those two performances by ABT of Symphonie Concertante at City Center during the fall of 2018 are among the finest of ballet I have attended. Since then, I have observed Devon Teuscher and Christine Shevchenko dancing a few times, and have been overall impressed by their work. During the current run of Swan Lake I have seen two performances by each as Odette/Odile and considered them both superb in the role (the divergent opinions expressed by others here notwithstanding). There is no perfection in ballet, but if they can improve over time their mastery of the most demanding role in the classical ballet repertoire so much the better! Be that as it may, the comment I responded to obliges me to observe that I do not hail from either Pennsylvania or Ukraine.

 

[California]

2 hours ago, Royal Blue said:

Personally, using "cheerleader" in this context strikes me as infelicitous, since I associate the term with sporting events.

No offense intended with the term "cheerleader"! Apologies! Pre-covid we had a situation with a group of very noisy young audience fans cheering a now-absent principal. Some people here refer to Russian cheering groups as claques - not sure of the term actually. Whatever... I was startled at the standing ovation after the Don Q Act III PdD a few weeks ago and what seemed organized fandom throughout. It's great, as others have noted, to have young, enthusiastic fans in the audience and if they are there because of cheap seats, fine. The applause and cheering at what seem inappropriate times to more seasoned ballet lovers is striking, but overall it's probably better to welcome young fans for the future of classical ballet.

[Royal Blue]

2 hours ago, California said:

No offense intended with the term "cheerleader"! Apologies! Pre-covid we had a situation with a group of very noisy young audience fans cheering a now-absent principal. Some people here refer to Russian cheering groups as claques - not sure of the term actually. Whatever... I was startled at the standing ovation after the Don Q Act III PdD a few weeks ago and what seemed organized fandom throughout. It's great, as others have noted, to have young, enthusiastic fans in the audience and if they are there because of cheap seats, fine. The applause and cheering at what seem inappropriate times to more seasoned ballet lovers is striking, but overall it's probably better to welcome young fans for the future of classical ballet.

Ballet is (or should be) a beautiful art form! Claques and "organized fandom" sound to me as being both deeply unethical and a terrible nuisance. Agree with your comments about young fans. However, they should be taught proper etiquette by whoever brings them to the theater!              

[MRR]

Saw yesterday evening.  For all the divergent opinions about Hee Seo, she has generally had "good" nights when I've seen her, and last night extended that streak.   She is not a performer with personality to burn nor a natural Swan Queen despite her lissome physique, but she brought a serenity to Act II and wry glamour to Act III.  White Swan featured boneless, rippling port de bras with subtle details of her elbows and wrists:  gone were the feral motions of arms and spine from Shevchenko the day before.  Her Odette was scared but inquisitive regarding Siegfried; the mime poignant in showing the lake of her mother's tears.  At 36 she has lost flexibility in her back but some of the shapes were still breathtaking, most of all an exquisite final développé a la seconde in the adagio with an elongated, tapered extension and beautifully arched foot.  The solo showed some successful double rond de jambe on the first set, not so much the second; the sissonnes were somewhat anemic but the final diagonal of turns went without a hitch.  Her entrechats in the coda were surprisingly good, jumping highly and traveling her passés clear to the back of the stage.  

Odile was altogether less effective but far more musical than Shevchenko at the start.  She entered with a sinister beauty and danced with authority throughout the adagio which featured multiple whiplash supported pirouettes.  One detail that read to me more than usual was stopping Siegfried from reaching for her hand so she could confer with Rothbart, not just to be mysterious or alluring.  Her variation was less well performed with bobbles on both her double pirouette-single attitude and a more serious, stilted expression.  The a la seconde and manège were fine.  Fouettés started out singles with a couple doubles interspersed---the first more successful than the second---into maybe 10 or so singles in the B section, mostly filling out the music to Charles Barker's blistering tempo.  They were effortful but not an embarrassment, traveling primarily downstage and not side.  Overall Hee's O/O isn't a memorable, searing interpretation to see again and again but it was well modulated, nuanced, and sensitive in her chemistry with Bell.  Despite being over a decade his senior, the age disparity didn't show.

I was impressed if not necessarily thrilled with Bell.  His presence is not as towering as I expected; at least on the cavernous MET stage he doesn't appear 6'3".  Overall there's an extremely good command of technique with a floaty ballon, soft landing, and everlasting pirouette.  His line doesn't evoke the poetry of a Hallberg or the strength and volume of a Gomes, but he dances with quality.  Act I was tentative on his solos with a couple fudged turns and not a great impact, but he got more over his legs as the evening went.  He was ebullient upon receiving the crossbow; later curious and protective meeting Odette and partnering well throughout the adagio.  The Act III solo was extremely good:  great double cabrioles especially for his height, clean tours to fifth, and consistent quad pirouettes with the last one a gorgeous a la seconde to the knee (unlike 2019 this was the only finish to the knee throughout the solo).  The coda featured big, airy tours to arabesque, a quintuple pirouette raising arms to fifth, and a la seconde variations of triples to fifth and a somewhat muscled triple to pull in.  Dramatically there is plenty of room to grow:  he maintains a similar closed expression and gaze throughout the ballet, and the finishes of his variations aren't especially punctuated.  Nonetheless his humility onstage is appealing and he never bit off more than he could chew, technically or theatrically.  The final jump into the lake was spectacular, hanging in the air as if he were never coming down. 

Jose Sebastian had less charisma than Andrii Ishchuk as Purple Pimp and his partnering was occasionally awkward.  Technically he was more successful: the balance in arabesque wasn't gasp-worthy but very well done, and the line and amplitude of his sissonnes shown.  The pas de trois took a big leap from Monday.  Sung Woo Han had an impressive gyroscopic sense and soaring leap as Benno, sailing through all the challenges of the solo and coda with ease.  There were impressive beats, tours, turns, and a terrific manège; I also appreciated how engaged his interactions were with Siegfried and the two ballerinas. Sunmi Park in the first variation didn't attempt the sixes---or if she did they were hardly visible---but the diagonal of pique/step over turns was finely controlled and the saut de basques in the coda devoured the stage.  Chloe Misseldine was luminous; her variation one of the best parts of the whole evening.  Every step seemed to bring her joy, with fleeting footwork and extra revolutions in pirouettes that seemed to come out of nowhere.  She has potential to go very far.

The Cygnets were admirable if somewhat less pristine than Monday; there were some turned in pas de chats and not a totally precise finish (Lea Fleytoux, Zimmi Coker, Hannah Marshall, Kanon Kimura).  Zhong-Jing Fang and Paulina Waski were fine as Two Swans with Zhong commanding your attention of the two.  Waski had an awkward finish, balancing herself on her other knee to avoid falling.  Other standouts:  Luigi Crispino had marvelous articulation in the Neopolitan despite a minor struggle through the last set of turns into tour en l'air; Betsy McBride was compelling in the Czardas. 

 

Edited July 6, 2022 by MRR

[Olga]

Thank you MRR - that was an extremely descriptive report.