ABT Fall 2023

[ABT Fan]

I wonder if it was deemed that Bell had too much? I hope he remains cast as Oberon. I cannot wait to see him in that. 

[ABT Fan]

For anyone who isn't aware, ABT's YouTube channel has been putting out "Behind the Ballet with Elizabeth Kaye" videos on the upcoming ballets for the Fall season. They did this for the past Met season as well. I did not see Alonzo King's Single Eye last year when it premiered, but after seeing Kaye's Behind the Ballet on that piece I'm looking forward to seeing it with her comments in mind. She also talked at length on Ratmansky's childhood and gave some insight on his specific choreography that I wasn't aware of.

https://www.youtube.com/@AmericanBalletTheatre

Edited October 2, 2023 by ABT Fan

[matilda]

Oh no, Bell is no longer dancing Oberon

Also Titania casting is now switched on the 22nd and 25th, for anyone attending those performances. 

Edited October 3, 2023 by matilda

[ABT Fan]

13 minutes ago, matilda said:

Oh no, Bell is no longer dancing Oberon

Also Titania casting is now switched on the 22nd and 25th, for anyone attending those performances. 

Ugh! I was so looking forward to seeing Bell in this! Carmago was beautiful in this last year, so no complaints seeing him again, I just wanted to see Bell’s debut. But now Camargo has all four?! Guess they don’t have an understudy, so what’s the plan if Camargo gets sick or injured. Curley would be a great Oberon. But why the Titania switch? I wanted to see Trenary again. 

Edited October 3, 2023 by ABT Fan

[abatt]

12 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

Ugh! I was so looking forward to seeing Bell in this! Carmago was beautiful in this last year, so no complaints seeing him again, I just wanted to see Bell’s debut. But now Camargo has all four?! Guess they don’t have an understudy, so what’s the plan if Camargo gets sick or injured. Curley would be a great Oberon. But why the Titania switch? I wanted to see Trenary again. 

This is very disappointing.  

Edited October 3, 2023 by abatt

[matilda]

If he's injured, he might not be dancing those other roles either.... and they would have to put someone else in the second male lead in Piano Concerto no. 1. Roxander is already doing double duty with that ballet and Etudes on two of the nights. 

Edited October 3, 2023 by matilda

[ABT Fan]

10 minutes ago, matilda said:

If he's injured, he might not be dancing those other roles either.... and they would have to put someone else in the second second male lead in Piano Concerto no. 1. Roxander is already doing double duty with that ballet and Etudes on two of the nights. 

Yeah. They could be working their way through replacements for his casting. Roxander isn’t tall enough to partner Hurlin anyway, Bell’s partner in Piano Concerto. I’ll be refreshing the casting page often.

[abatt]

This is a recurring problem at ABT.  Carmago also had to do all performances of Oberon last season because Stearns was injured.  This year it is to replace Bell.  Whiteside has done Oberon (and very well) but I guess he is no longer able to do this due to age and injury.   Poor Carmago.  I hope he can make it through. ...

They are operating now on a shoestring of very few men who are young and healthy and able to step into a lead role.  Get your house in order ABT.

Edited October 3, 2023 by abatt

[MoMo]

30 minutes ago, abatt said:

This is a recurring problem at ABT.  Carmago also had to do all performances of Oberon last season because Stearns was injured.  This year it is to replace Bell.  Whiteside has done Oberon (and very well) but I guess he is no longer able to do this due to age and injury.   Poor Carmago.  I hope he can make it through. ...

They are operating now on a shoestring of very few men who are young and healthy and able to step into a lead role.  Get your house in order ABT.

I agree. There are a number of ABT men who are more than ready to step Into some Principal roles. What are they waiting for? 

[Fleurfairy]

Ridiculous. The male principal shortage has been going on for YEARS now. How hard can it be to pluck some promising guys from the corps and thrown them on? That's how dancers are truly made! 

ABT is really an embarrassment at this point. 

[bingham]

It seems we are back to the McKenzie directorship. A big disappointment.

[Olga]

On 10/3/2023 at 1:06 PM, ABT Fan said:

…now Camargo has all four?! Guess they don’t have an understudy, so what’s the plan if Camargo gets sick or injured. Curley would be a great Oberon. But why the Titania switch? I wanted to see Trenary again. 

I don’t understand the Titania switch. Gillian was already dancing only with Camargo. So what does this accomplish other than irritate those who already bought tickets? Gillian also dropped her Swan in the summer but she had an injury then. And as far as Cassie adjusting, she has three weeks to adjust. 

Edited October 4, 2023 by Olga

[ABT Fan]

2 hours ago, Olga said:

I don’t understand the Titania switch. Gillian was already dancing only with Camargo. So what does this accomplish other than irritate those who already bought tickets? Gillian also dropped her Swan in the summer but she had an injury then. And as far as Cassie adjusting, she has three weeks to adjust. 

Yeah it makes no sense why they shuffled Titania. Trenary did Titania last Fall with Camargo (they were great together) so she’ll be fine. I’m just annoyed. I know Murphy still has lots of fans, and on this board, but despite her long career and stardom she is no longer up to snuff in my opinion, so I’m disappointed that she’ll be dancing the day I’m going instead of Trenary. 

[vagansmom]

I think it is way too soon to think Jaffe's tenure is a return to the "McKenzie directorship," although I do sympathize with the frustration and disappointment in the changes. We really don't know what has caused them: illnesses and/or injuries could be playing a part. Maybe a dancer has asked to be removed (!) to a family circumstance...we just don't know. 

[ABT Fan]

9 minutes ago, vagansmom said:

I think it is way too soon to think Jaffe's tenure is a return to the "McKenzie directorship," although I do sympathize with the frustration and disappointment in the changes. We really don't know what has caused them: illnesses and/or injuries could be playing a part. Maybe a dancer has asked to be removed (!) to a family circumstance...we just don't know. 

Murphy and Trenary are now doing their Titania’s back to back; previously they alternated. So, it’s possible one of them had something come up and needed the change. Doesn’t help my frustration though. But, my other frustration, and some others’ too, is that for whatever reason Bell was withdrawn the only solution they came up was giving Camargo all four shows. I positively love Camargo! His Oberon last Fall was sublime. So was his Romeo. But, despite how much I adore him, or any dancer, other dancers (especially the ones who need and are ready for more) need to be cast as well. Having one dancer carry a ballet for all performances cannot be the answer when someone gets injured. And, heaven forbid Camargo gets sick or injured, what will they do then? You have Curley, who would be fab as Oberon. And, I’m sure others. Anyway, rant over. 😊

[MoMo]

17 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

Murphy and Trenary are now doing their Titania’s back to back; previously they alternated. So, it’s possible one of them had something come up and needed the change. Doesn’t help my frustration though. But, my other frustration, and some others’ too, is that for whatever reason Bell was withdrawn the only solution they came up was giving Camargo all four shows. I positively love Camargo! His Oberon last Fall was sublime. So was his Romeo. But, despite how much I adore him, or any dancer, other dancers (especially the ones who need and are ready for more) need to be cast as well. Having one dancer carry a ballet for all performances cannot be the answer when someone gets injured. And, heaven forbid Camargo gets sick or injured, what will they do then? You have Curley, who would be fab as Oberon. And, I’m sure others. Anyway, rant over. 😊

I agree with you completely. I am a baseball fan and on a team, they have more than one player who can play any position, for just this reason. I wish I knew the thinking behind this decision. It’s frustrating and disappointing. 

[ABT Fan]

More casting changes have been posted. In Etudes, Camargo is now out. Ann now has 3 shows, and soloist Han now has the 20th slot with Hurlin.

[Olga]

9 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

More casting changes have been posted. In Etudes, Camargo is now out. Ann now has 3 shows, and soloist Han now has the 20th slot with Hurlin.

Getting worse. In some programs they have substituted 2 of the 3 leads in Etudes. Also I had thought one possible reason for the Titania switch could be they are using the three weeks to get another Oberon ready and don’t want to announce it till they are sure. It doesn’t look that way now.

[abatt]

13 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

Yeah it makes no sense why they shuffled Titania. Trenary did Titania last Fall with Camargo (they were great together) so she’ll be fine. I’m just annoyed. I know Murphy still has lots of fans, and on this board, but despite her long career and stardom she is no longer up to snuff in my opinion, so I’m disappointed that she’ll be dancing the day I’m going instead of Trenary. 

I think you can exchange your tickets, if that helps

[abatt]

13 hours ago, MoMo said:

I agree with you completely. I am a baseball fan and on a team, they have more than one player who can play any position, for just this reason. I wish I knew the thinking behind this decision. It’s frustrating and disappointing. 

The problem in part is they continue to have people on the principal roster who, at this stage, are not able to dance many principal roles anymore.  I won't name names but just take a look at the casting and compare it to the roster of principal men.  It is utterly clear who the MVPs are, and who is skating by.   While seniority and years of service are important, when it comes time to put the show on where are the capable dancers who are ready and able to step in?  When an MVP like Bell goes down, there is no flexibility  because all the other MVPs are already stretched to the limit.   

I am extremely disappointed about the Etudes and Dream casting.  Jaffe is turning out to be as bad as McKenzie. 

Put Curley into a major role.  

Edited October 5, 2023 by abatt

[California]

Another problem: major, "killer" ballets that haven't been performed in many years -- Ballet Imperial, Etudes, even Piano Concerto No. 1.  How many of the current principals have performed those? It was exciting to see that line-up of ballets when they were announced and now we're seeing the difficulty staffing them. 

[abatt]

Yes, California makes a great point.  This was very ambitious programming, and most of these dancers have not done these ballets.  I think Jaffe is thinking of the days when she was ABT, when their roster was bursting at the seams with people who could dance every and any role - Corella, Carreno, Steifel and on and on.   Those days are long gone, and staffing is now a big problem.

[matilda]

I love that Jaffe is putting Roxander in such big roles, and also Magbitang in Puck, but they shouldn't be the only corps men being pushed. I like Sung Woo Han but I don't think he's principal material or an "MVP."  Where is Jared Curley?! Patrick Frenette?? 

Does ABT have such limited rehearsal time they can't train anyone else for these roles? At NYCB, you can often see rehearsal footage posted on Instagram where someone is learning a role in the background. For example, we know Maxwell was learning Rubies and both MacKinnon and Bologna were rehearsing the Emeralds lead even though they didn't get cast. The company has been stretched thin during a couple COVID outbreaks but generally you do not see the same problem at NYCB that we're seeing at ABT now. 

[abatt]

10 minutes ago, matilda said:

I love that Jaffe is putting Roxander in such big roles, and also Magbitang in Puck, 

 

I suspect that they might have contemplated having Cornejo return as Puck, but he apparently has decided that he can no longer dance this role.  

[MoMo]

3 hours ago, matilda said:

I love that Jaffe is putting Roxander in such big roles, and also Magbitang in Puck, but they shouldn't be the only corps men being pushed. I like Sung Woo Han but I don't think he's principal material or an "MVP."  Where is Jared Curley?! Patrick Frenette?? 

Does ABT have such limited rehearsal time they can't train anyone else for these roles? At NYCB, you can often see rehearsal footage posted on Instagram where someone is learning a role in the background. For example, we know Maxwell was learning Rubies and both MacKinnon and Bologna were rehearsing the Emeralds lead even though they didn't get cast. The company has been stretched thin during a couple COVID outbreaks but generally you do not see the same problem at NYCB that we're seeing at ABT now. 

I am disappointed that neither Jared Curley or Patrick Frenette were chosen to learn Etudes or the Dream and are relegated to regular Corps. work. It must be extremely discouraging to them.