ABT Fall 2024 Season

[ABT Fan]

3 hours ago, NinaFan said:

It could be Simkin's two performances at City Center in January.  His partner has still not been posted on City Center's website. 

https://www.nycitycenter.org/pdps/2024-2025/ibstage-stars-galas/

Thanks for this. Sure looks likely!

[DPell]

Zhongjing Fang and Betsy McBride both posted on Instagram that they’re pregnant. 

[DPell]

Behind the Ballet: Crime and Punishment

 

[ABT Fan]

On 9/17/2024 at 3:50 PM, DPell said:

Behind the Ballet: Crime and Punishment

 

I've always liked their "Behind the Ballet" series, but I found this one not nearly as insightful, except for the explanation why they choose the protagonist to be cast male and female. And, virtually no choreography was shown - just the same very brief movements over and over.

Anyone else getting really annoyed that the rest of the casting still hasn't been announced? The two male leads in Etudes, especially. And, even though I probably won't see the second casts of Shades and Sinatra Suite, I'm very curious who will get Shevchenko's Solor and the Sinatra Suite. Or, if we get some big surprises then maybe I will.

[abatt]

22 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

I've always liked their "Behind the Ballet" series, but I found this one not nearly as insightful, except for the explanation why they choose the protagonist to be cast male and female. And, virtually no choreography was shown - just the same very brief movements over and over.

Anyone else getting really annoyed that the rest of the casting still hasn't been announced? The two male leads in Etudes, especially. And, even though I probably won't see the second casts of Shades and Sinatra Suite, I'm very curious who will get Shevchenko's Solor and the Sinatra Suite. Or, if we get some big surprises then maybe I will.

Yes to all of the above.  Let's get the Etude casting already. 

I also found the snippets of C&P to be repetitive and not terribly interesting or varied in terms of choreography.  

Given how many works Pickett has apparently choreographed, have any of them had a long life beyond their initial presentation, or been picked up by any major company after their premiere. 

I also found the statement that the protagonist has both male and female qualities as a justification for gender bending the lead role to be misinformed.  In fact, in the novel the male characters drive the action, but the women are portrayed as victims.   

 

 

Edited September 19 by abatt

[Drew]

7 hours ago, abatt said:

 

Given how many works Pickett has apparently choreographed, have any of them had a long life beyond their initial presentation, or been picked up by any major company after their premiere. 

 

 

Petal seems to have entered the rep of several companies. There may be others—that is the one I know about. 
And The Crucible which premiered in 2019 and was revived and taken on tour by the Scottish Ballet several years later.

i have no idea whether Crime and Punishment will be any good or, good or not, whether it will appeal to ABT’s audience or pull in curious non ballet-goers but Pickett seems to me an interesting choice —not unworthy of a major company. (I haven’t seen much of her work—and think of her as more contemporary/dance theater than neo-classical, but have definitely liked and admired some of what I have seen.)

Edited to add: Looking at some Vail dance festival videos, by chance I just saw that a work she created for DTH over a decade ago (When Love) was danced at Vail just a couple of years ago. 

Edited September 20 by Drew

[balletlover08]

Etudes casting is up, ABT must have heard ya'll. 

Opening night, 10/16: Hurlin, Hernandez, Roxander 

10/17: Teuscher, Curley, Robare

10/18: Murphy, Curley, Miyake 

10/19: Hurlin, Hernandez, Roxander 

10/24: Murphy, Curley, Miyake 

10/27: Teuscher, Curley, Robare 

Seems pretty exciting and quite a few debuts for Curley, Robare and Miyake. Obviously Hernandez hasn't danced it with ABT either but I think he's done Etudes before. 

Edited September 20 by balletlover08
misspelling, wrong dates

[ABT Fan]

1 minute ago, balletlover08 said:

Etudes casting is up, ABT must have heard ya'll. 

Opening night, 10/16: Hurlin, Hernandez, Roxander 

10/17: Teuscher, Curley, Robare

10/18: Murphy, Curley, Miyake 

10/19: Hurlin, Hernandez, Roxander 

10/20: Murphy, Curley, Miyake 

10/21: Teuscher, Curley, Robare 

Seems pretty exciting and quite a few debuts for Curley, Robare and Miyake. Obviously Hernandez hasn't danced it with ABT either but I think he's done Etudes before. 

I take full credit. 😉

WOWzers! I am thrilled thrilled thrilled to see debuts for Curley, Miyake, and Robare. All deserved. I was secretly wishing Miyake would get it, but as a new corps member I thought it unlikely. So glad I was wrong. Han performed it last year, but he missed the Met season due to injury. He's either still injured or they decided to go with Curley. 

[ABT Fan]

I just realized that Cornejo is not cast in Etudes, like last year. Jaffe has decided to go with two corps debuts instead. He’s losing the brio roles (was not cast as Puck last year) and I think that’s the right call. She needs to start doing the same with Murphy.

[DPell]

12 hours ago, balletlover08 said:

 

10/20: Murphy, Curley, Miyake 

10/21: Teuscher, Curley, Robare 

These performances of Études  are October 24 and 27. 

[abatt]

1 hour ago, ABT Fan said:

I just realized that Cornejo is not cast in Etudes, like last year. Jaffe has decided to go with two corps debuts instead. He’s losing the brio roles (was not cast as Puck last year) and I think that’s the right call. She needs to start doing the same with Murphy.

Totaly agree.  Cornejo is being phased out of challenging technical roles, and that is the right approach.  In fact, I was waiting for the casting in order to avoid Cornejo in Etudes.  

[DPell]

5 hours ago, abatt said:

Totaly agree.  Cornejo is being phased out of challenging technical roles, and that is the right approach.  In fact, I was waiting for the casting in order to avoid Cornejo in Etudes.  

Speaking of him phasing out roles, he did his last Albrecht when they performed Giselle in Beijing last year. 
https://www.instagram.com/p/CzkYO-rR6NO/?igsh=eXcwMW1mYjhzcjc4

[ABT Fan]

42 minutes ago, DPell said:

Speaking of him phasing out roles, he did his last Albrecht when they performed Giselle in Beijing last year. 
https://www.instagram.com/p/CzkYO-rR6NO/?igsh=eXcwMW1mYjhzcjc4

I think time will tell. They’re doing Giselle on tour in the winter (casting yet to be released) so no doubt they’ll also perform it at the Met next summer, a year earlier than he predicted in his post. Will Jaffe give him one more at the Met? If not, who will partner Brandt? Would Jaffe cast Roxander? (I’d rather see him get a Basilio as his first full length, or the Nutcracker prince.) 

[bingham]

On 9/19/2024 at 6:53 PM, ABT Fan said:

I take full credit. 😉

WOWzers! I am thrilled thrilled thrilled to see debuts for Curley, Miyake, and Robare. All deserved. I was secretly wishing Miyake would get it, but as a new corps member I thought it unlikely. So glad I was wrong. Han performed it last year, but he missed the Met season due to injury. He's either still injured or they decided to go with Curley. 

Finally, Susan showed exciting casting for us and the dancers. This is a massive encouragement to the members of the corp de ballet. I hope she would also be  adventurous in her casting of the 3 shades in the La Bayadere soon.

[abatt]

5 hours ago, ABT Fan said:

I think time will tell. They’re doing Giselle on tour in the winter (casting yet to be released) so no doubt they’ll also perform it at the Met next summer, a year earlier than he predicted in his post. Will Jaffe give him one more at the Met? If not, who will partner Brandt? Would Jaffe cast Roxander? (I’d rather see him get a Basilio as his first full length, or the Nutcracker prince.) 

I thought the last time Cornejo did Giselle at the Met he was diminished.  I hope he has retired the role of Albrecht.  I would go see Roxander in a heartbeat. I think he proved in his role as Lensky he is more than a technical wizard.  He also has acting ability.  He deserves a chance at the role.

[choriamb]

I'm liking the Fall casting, too:  there will be a LOT of featured roles for the up-and-comers. Basically all of the the active soloists (and de la Nuez) are in the Bond piece. (Nothing listed for Frenette yet, but he definitely learned Ballet Imperial demi-soloist last year and there are plenty of featured roles yet to be shown.)

And if a tall guy has to start performing bravura under the spotlight, he can't ask for a sweeter deal than multiple shots at it opposite the two most experienced ballerinas with the coolest heads in the company. Great news for Curley...and I'm excited to see Robare and Miyake, too:  Miyake absolutely matched Roxander's heat in Neapolitan this summer.

(And we haven't even seen the In the Upper Room and Kingdom of the Shades casting yet!)

[ABT Fan]

10 hours ago, abatt said:

I thought the last time Cornejo did Giselle at the Met he was diminished.  I hope he has retired the role of Albrecht.  I would go see Roxander in a heartbeat. I think he proved in his role as Lensky he is more than a technical wizard.  He also has acting ability.  He deserves a chance at the role.

I hope he’s retired it, too. I would run to the theatre if Roxander got ANY lead. Heck, I get tickets to see him in nearly everything, but I missed his Lensky. Albrecht would be like starting at 100, but I agree that he more than deserves it.

7 hours ago, choriamb said:

I'm liking the Fall casting, too:  there will be a LOT of featured roles for the up-and-comers. Basically all of the the active soloists (and de la Nuez) are in the Bond piece. (Nothing listed for Frenette yet, but he definitely learned Ballet Imperial demi-soloist last year and there are plenty of featured roles yet to be shown.)

And if a tall guy has to start performing bravura under the spotlight, he can't ask for a sweeter deal than multiple shots at it opposite the two most experienced ballerinas with the coolest heads in the company. Great news for Curley...and I'm excited to see Robare and Miyake, too:  Miyake absolutely matched Roxander's heat in Neapolitan this summer.

(And we haven't even seen the In the Upper Room and Kingdom of the Shades casting yet!)

Four shows for Curley! If that isn’t a vote of confidence. 

I’m hoping for a major upset for the Solor TBA. If a male principal was going to be cast it would be listed already - Bell would be an easy, great choice. Frankly, Solor is probably one of the most coveted roles this season, and it’s going to a guest artist and either a soloist or an up and coming corps dancer. Curley has some exciting debuts already, but he’d be gorgeous in this role. I wish they’d post the shades solo casting, but that’s unlikely.

Jaffe is clearly sending a message to some of the male principals. Male soloists, and some corps, are dominating the leads in Etudes, Shades (a guest artist and a TBA), and some of the pas de deux. The second Sinatra Suite and Gottschalk is also a TBA. I highly doubt any of those will go to principals. I’m in strong favor of her giving the young talent all of these chances. Quite a contrast from the McKenzie era.

[NinaFan]

I am so confused as to why Bell hasn't been given a Solor. I agree about Jaffe sending a message to the bulk of the male principals, but it looks like a slap in the face to Bell when he is such a gorgeous dancer.  He's the only male dancer I will go out of my way to see as opposed to going out of my way to avoid most of the others.

[nysusan]

1 hour ago, NinaFan said:

I am so confused as to why Bell hasn't been given a Solor. I agree about Jaffe sending a message to the bulk of the male principals, but it looks like a slap in the face to Bell when he is such a gorgeous dancer.  He's the only male dancer I will go out of my way to see as opposed to going out of my way to avoid most of the others.

Bell and Camargo are the two I try to see while avoiding all other male principals (except Cornejo, I still like to see him maybe once a season). No complaints about casting Curley but I do not understand why they aren't cast as well in Shades, Etudes  or Ballet Imperial.

[matilda]

Bell would be a better pick for Ballet Imperial than Royal or Whiteside. Princely roles are his domain! Plus, he has beautiful entrechats. I think of Royal and Whiteside as more modern and dramatic. 

Regarding Solar, there's still a chance Bell could be cast, although there's only one performance for the "TBA" Solar, and Bell is already dancing the Sylvia pas during the matinee that day. 

Edited September 24 by matilda

[abatt]

Aran is cast in the new Gemma Bond work.  Since they have to give some work to everyone, that may in part explain why Bell is not in Bayadere.  Personally, I would rather see him in a classical role that will remain in the rep than a new work that will likely disappear after the Fall Season. 

[NinaFan]

4 hours ago, nysusan said:

Bell and Camargo are the two I try to see while avoiding all other male principals (except Cornejo, I still like to see him maybe once a season). No complaints about casting Curley but I do not understand why they aren't cast as well in Shades, Etudes  or Ballet Imperial.

I agree.

4 hours ago, matilda said:

Regarding Solar, there's still a chance Bell could be cast, although there's only one performance for the "TBA" Solar, and Bell is already dancing the Sylvia pas during the matinee that day. 

Yes, a chance, but as others have said on here, Bell would probably have been cast already. I would have to hope that dancing Sylvia pdd at the matinee would not interfere with dancing Solor in the evening. If it was the complete ballet that would be a different story especially since it is a demanding role.

2 hours ago, abatt said:

Aran is cast in the new Gemma Bond work.  Since they have to give some work to everyone, that may in part explain why Bell is not in Bayadere.  Personally, I would rather see him in a classical role that will remain in the rep than a new work that will likely disappear after the Fall Season. 

I agree.

[Dale]

Press release: 

REECE CLARKE TO DEBUT AS GUEST ARTIST WITH AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE DURING 2024 FALL SEASON AT DAVID H. KOCH THEATER AT LINCOLN CENTER

 

NEW YORK, NY (September 25, 2024) – Reece Clarke, Principal Dancer of The Royal Ballet, will join American Ballet Theatre as a Guest Artist for the 2024 Fall Season at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. Clarke will make his debut with ABT on October 26, 2024, at 7:30 P.M., performing The Kingdom of the Shades alongside ABT Principal Dancer Christine Shevchenko.  

 

Scottish dancer Reece Clarke is a principal of The Royal Ballet. He trained at The Royal Ballet School and graduated into the company during the 2013-14 season where he was promoted to first artist in 2016, soloist in 2017, first soloist in 2020, and to principal in 2022. Awards while at the School included the Young British Dancer of the Year in 2012, the Lynn Seymour Competition in 2013, and an award from the Ballet Association. Awards since joining the company have included the Emerging Artist Award at the 2016 National Dance Awards. Clarke has performed and originated leading roles in numerous productions with The Royal Ballet, including Woyzeck (Different Drummer), Romeo (Romeo and Juliet), The Prince (Cinderella), Colonel 'Bay' Middleton (Mayerling), and Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake). Clarke has also performed as a guest artist with La Scala, The Tokyo Ballet, State Ballet of Georgia, and in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. 

 

ABT Artistic Director, Susan Jaffe, expressed her excitement about Clarke's guest appearance: “Reece is an extraordinary artist, and we are honored to have him join us. His artistry and technical precision will bring an incredible depth to The Kingdom of the Shades, and we are eager to see him on stage with Christine Shevchenko in what promises to be a breathtaking performance.” 

 

Additional performances during ABT’s 2024 Fall season will run from October 16–November 3 at the David H. Koch Theater featuring four programs, including three World Premieres, one Company Premiere, and a selection of beloved works from ABT’s repertoire. Tickets, beginning at $35, are available for purchase online, in person at the Koch Theater box office, or by phone at 212-496-0600.  

  

ABOUT AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE 

American Ballet Theatre is one of the greatest dance companies in the world. Revered as a national treasure since its founding season in 1940, its mission is to create, present, preserve, and extend the great repertoire of classical dancing for the widest possible audience. Headquartered in New York City, ABT is the only cultural institution of its size and stature to extensively tour, enchanting audiences for eight decades in 50 U.S. states, 45 countries, and over 480 cities worldwide. ABT’s repertoire includes full-length classics from the nineteenth century, the finest works from the early twentieth century, and acclaimed contemporary masterpieces. In 2006, by an act of Congress, ABT was designated America's National Ballet Company®. 

 

For more information, please visit www.abt.org.  

[ABT Fan]

Wow. Nothing against Reece, never seen him dance, but both Solors given to guest artists? And, I thought Jaffe was sending strong messages to the principal men before…..(I mean, not even casting Bell?!). 

[bingham]

6 minutes ago, ABT Fan said:

Wow. Nothing against Reece, never seen him dance, but both Solors given to guest artists? And, I thought Jaffe was sending strong messages to the principal men before…..(I mean, not even casting Bell?!). 

I guess , this is like an audition for Reece. Maybe  , some of present male principals will be leaving next year? Reece is a tall, well regarded RB principal.