California Posted June 2, 2023 Share Posted June 2, 2023 (edited) Time for a new topic on ABT Fall 2023! Here's what we "know" so far: Other Dances (from Gillian Murphy's Instagram story) Piano Concerto No. 1 (from Skylar Brandt's Instagram story) Etudes, Petit Morte, The Dream (from photo shoots) Anything else? Edited June 2, 2023 by California Link to comment
matilda Posted June 2, 2023 Share Posted June 2, 2023 Supposedly they're doing a one-act "Summer and Smoke" by Cathy Marston (adapted from the Tennessee WIlliams play), according to an interview with Jaffe that was posted here at some point. It premiered at Houston Ballet in the spring. I don't think it sold very well because after I looked it up on the Houston Ballet website a few months ago, I kept getting email ads about ticket prices dropping. We'll see if Jaffe keeps it on the schedule. I like the recent fall season pattern of including a full-length. Link to comment
nanushka Posted June 2, 2023 Share Posted June 2, 2023 Now that they're only performing in NYC ~6 weeks a year, I wish they'd lay off on the repeat productions, year after year. Swan Lake every summer is one thing, and pretty understandable. But both The Dream and Romeo and Juliet two years in a row? Even for Giselle, three years in a row seems really unnecessary. The repeat programming makes the loss of a full 8-week Met season seem especially tough to take. Link to comment
ABT Fan Posted June 2, 2023 Share Posted June 2, 2023 21 minutes ago, nanushka said: Now that they're only performing in NYC ~6 weeks a year, I wish they'd lay off on the repeat productions, year after year. Swan Lake every summer is one thing, and pretty understandable. But both The Dream and Romeo and Juliet two years in a row? Even for Giselle, three years in a row seems really unnecessary. The repeat programming makes the loss of a full 8-week Met season seem especially tough to take. Couldn’t agree more. Hopefully next year Jaffe will mix things up. Maybe McKenzie had scheduled this Met season; we may have already discussed this but I can’t recall. Link to comment
abatt Posted June 2, 2023 Share Posted June 2, 2023 1 hour ago, California said: Time for a new topic on ABT Fall 2023! Here's what we "know" so far: Other Dances (from Gillian Murphy's Instagram story) Piano Concerto No. 1 (from Skylar Brandt's Instagram story) Etudes, Petit Morte, The Dream (from photo shoots) Anything else? Since we just had the Dream last season, I would not be very anxious to see it again this season. But the rest of it is of great interest. One thing is for certain- they need another Oberon. Camargo did all performances. Cory seems to be injured often. Give Aran Bell a shot at Oberon. Link to comment
FauxPas Posted June 2, 2023 Share Posted June 2, 2023 (edited) ABT used to do their Summer season at the NY State Theater (now Koch...🤢) as evidenced by the tapings of "Swan Lake" with Makarova and Nagy and "Giselle" with Misha and Natasha filmed in 1976 and 1977. The Metropolitan Opera can't lease the Opera House extending the ABT residency further into July and August since they use the theater during the summer to construct and test the scenery for the new productions premiering the next season. They need those months for tech and lighting design rehearsals before the opera season opens in the Fall. I think that maybe only a few ballets should be done at the Met and then use the former NY State Theater for the majority of the season. Like an 8 week season after the NYCB closes up shop starting earlier in May at the State Theater. Also the Met is shutting down in January and February and maybe they could book a two or three week season during that shut down period. Also what happened to their City Center engagements? That would be great. Edited June 2, 2023 by FauxPas Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted June 2, 2023 Share Posted June 2, 2023 I don't think the primary issue here is the Met. There will be a 12-day gap between the end of the Met season and the opening of ABT's, which didn't used to be the case. Also, in the golden days of my childhood, the Met was filled with foreign ballet companies straight through July every summer. The Met decided to close down its season for a month in late January because ticket sales during that stretch were abysmal. Is there any reason to think ABT would do better? I am all for moving across the plaza when NYCB isn't using it and taking the spot once held by City Opera. Apart from the "prestige" element that seems important to a part of ABT's audience (represented by the Met's peeling gold leaf ceiling, moving chandeliers and more red carpeting? Or is it the onsite restaurant vs. sandwiches?), it is a better venue for dance in just about every respect. City Center is cramped, which was obvious when ABT did Theme and Variations and Etudes there 20 years ago. But it would be a good venue for smaller works that have trouble projecting into the vast expanse of the Met. Link to comment
Helene Posted June 2, 2023 Share Posted June 2, 2023 It's too bad that ABT and NYCB couldn't have a joint festival at City Center to perform more intimate works on the smaller stage. Link to comment
California Posted June 2, 2023 Author Share Posted June 2, 2023 1 hour ago, volcanohunter said: City Center is cramped, which was obvious when ABT did Theme and Variations and Etudes there 20 years ago. But it would be a good venue for smaller works that have trouble projecting into the vast expanse of the Met. The Ratmansky Symphony #9 premiered at City Center in fall 2012. I believe they also did Rodeo. Don't remember the rest of the programs. Didn't they move to the State Theatre when the NYC Opera folded on 2013 and freed up space in the fall? Link to comment
abatt Posted June 2, 2023 Share Posted June 2, 2023 The dance companies that have galas prefer the Koch because there is space on the Promenade for the party, so they don't have to go to the expense of renting a party venue and transporting people to the party venue. That's why ABT and Paul Taylor no longer perform at City Center. Link to comment
rkoretzky Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 Are there dates for the fall season ? Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 4 hours ago, abatt said: The dance companies that have galas prefer the Koch because there is space on the Promenade for the party, so they don't have to go to the expense of renting a party venue and transporting people to the party venue. That's why ABT and Paul Taylor no longer perform at City Center. No doubt there were additional expenses, but there is no shortage of 4- and 5-star hotels with banquet halls within half a block of City Center, so I don't think transportation would be an issue. Link to comment
California Posted June 3, 2023 Author Share Posted June 3, 2023 (edited) On 6/2/2023 at 11:24 AM, FauxPas said: ABT used to do their Summer season at the NY State Theater (now Koch...🤢) as evidenced by the tapings of "Swan Lake" with Makarova and Nagy and "Giselle" with Misha and Natasha filmed in 1976 and 1977. According to Kisselgoff, in 1976, ABT performed three weeks at the Met and then six weeks at the State Theater: https://www.nytimes.com/1976/06/30/archives/the-dance-swan-lake-ballet-theater-opens-6week-season-makarova-and.html The premiere of Sleeping Beauty with Makarova was at the Met Opera House on June 15, 1976: https://www.abt.org/ballet/the-sleeping-beauty-skeaping/ The 1976 Swan Lake was taped June 30 at the State Theater, according to the credits on the VHS: https://www.amazon.com/Tchaikovsky-Swan-Lake-Natalia-Makarova/dp/6301392221 The theater isn't named in the opening (or closing) on the tape, but it does seem like the smaller State Theater referenced by Ksselgoff. The June 2,1977 Giselle with Baryshnikov and Makarova was at the Met Opera House: Edited June 3, 2023 by California Link to comment
Helene Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 The first ABT performances I'd ever seen were in 1971 at the New York State Theater in the summer. They were also at the NYST in the summer of 1974, when Baryshnikov made his NY debut in Giselle. Link to comment
California Posted June 4, 2023 Author Share Posted June 4, 2023 I hope this is a good sign that Etudes will be on the fall 2023 program: On Facebook Reels/Kaatsaban, the ABT studio company is rehearsing Etudes! Perhaps to have a few back-ups/understudies for fall? Link to comment
California Posted June 6, 2023 Author Share Posted June 6, 2023 Daniil Simkin has been taunting us for days with photos of Manhattan on Instagram stories. Today, a shot of the ABT studios on Broadway. Is he in town for photo shots and rehearsals for fall? Subbing for something at the Met this summer? Let's hope he's guesting with ABT now and in the future, now that he's completed his stint with Berlin. Link to comment
attitudebalance Posted June 6, 2023 Share Posted June 6, 2023 Do you know why he left ABT in the first place? Was it to be closer to home, disagreements with KM, etc? Link to comment
California Posted June 6, 2023 Author Share Posted June 6, 2023 44 minutes ago, attitudebalance said: Do you know why he left ABT in the first place? Was it to be closer to home, disagreements with KM, etc? Dance Magazine ran a story on this. He wanted to perform more contemporary works, among other things: https://www.dancemagazine.com/daniil-simkin-staatsballett-berlin-principal-dancer/ Link to comment
DPell Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 Isabella posted a brief video from "Other Dances" with Ahn on her story. Link to comment
abatt Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 Er, two of the least suitable people for Other Dances are Boylston and Ahn. They lack dramatic insight. Maybe the rest of the program will be good. By the way, Paul Taylor returns to the Koch Oct 31 thru Nov 12. Why do I mention this on an ABT thread? That leaves the two weeks after the NYCB fall season as the likely dates for ABT to appear at the Koch int he fall. Link to comment
balletlover08 Posted June 22, 2023 Share Posted June 22, 2023 Speaking of Other Dances, Chloe Misseldine and Tristan Brosnan are dancing it this summer at the BAAND Festival at Lincoln Center. I'm not sure how many casts of Other Dances ABT will do but maybe she will be cast? Link to comment
bingham Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 Just wondering when the Fsll Season Will be announced. In the past, it is usually near the end of the Spring season. Link to comment
RUKen Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 1 hour ago, bingham said: Just wondering when the Fsll Season Will be announced. In the past, it is usually near the end of the Spring season. Last year it was announced on July 18th, the Monday after the completion of the summer season. The ballet season is ending a week later this year. Link to comment
eduardo Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 On 6/2/2023 at 10:24 AM, FauxPas said: ABT used to do their Summer season at the NY State Theater (now Koch...🤢) I do realize this is off topic and apologize for that. As a foreigner who doesn't live in the US and knows nothing about that, I wonder why many people despise the fact that the former NY State Theatre has been renamed Koch Theatre. Link to comment
nanushka Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 2 minutes ago, eduardo said: I do realize this is off topic and apologize for that. As a foreigner who doesn't live in the US and knows nothing about that, I wonder why many people despise the fact that the former NY State Theatre has been renamed Koch Theatre. Suffice it to say the politics of the man it’s named after are distasteful to many who visit the facility. Link to comment
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