ABT Fall 2024 Season

[abatt]

The Ballet Star Isaac Hernández Comes to American Ballet Theater - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Fascinating article about Hernandez.  Most interesting is this comment by Jaffe:

Jaffe said that Hernández filled a need at Ballet Theater. “We have a lot of brilliant principal male dancers,” she said, “but not all of them will now be dancing roles like Solor,” one of the most technically challenging in the repertoire. “And then we have younger dancers who are not quite ready.”

 

To whom is Jaffe referring?  Stearns?  Forster?  

In the "not quite ready" category I guess this might refer to Roxander.

 

[matilda]

I would say Bell and Camargo are the only current principals who could/should dance Solor at this time. 

As for "not ready," maybe Roxander but also Curley and up-and-comers like Robare and Miyake. 

Edited October 14 by matilda

[abatt]

33 minutes ago, matilda said:

I would say Bell and Camargo are the only current principals who could/should dance Solor at this time. 

As for "not ready," maybe Roxander but also Curley and up-and-comers like Robare and Miyake. 

Sadly, I completely agree with you.  Of the principal men the only two people with a high level of technique are Bell and Carmago.  Cornejo is too old at this point to do the tough roles, or at least to do them well.  They can muddle through, but that's about it. I'm glad Jaffe has a realistic view of this problem.

[ABT Fan]

57 minutes ago, abatt said:

The Ballet Star Isaac Hernández Comes to American Ballet Theater - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Fascinating article about Hernandez.  Most interesting is this comment by Jaffe:

Jaffe said that Hernández filled a need at Ballet Theater. “We have a lot of brilliant principal male dancers,” she said, “but not all of them will now be dancing roles like Solor,” one of the most technically challenging in the repertoire. “And then we have younger dancers who are not quite ready.”

 

To whom is Jaffe referring?  Stearns?  Forster?  

In the "not quite ready" category I guess this might refer to Roxander.

 

 

46 minutes ago, matilda said:

I would say Bell and Camargo are the only current principals who could/should dance Solor at this time. 

As for "not ready," maybe Roxander but also Curley and up-and-comers like Robare and Miyake. 

Agree with you both. Very tactful of her to say the rest of the men are “brilliant “, and yes many of them are very good in certain roles. Of the “not ready” group, I’d say Curley and Roxander for sure. Then Robare, Markey, Miyake.

[fondoffouettes]

This week's Bond/Abraham/Etudes performances have sold extremely poorly. For a couple of the performances, it looks like less than 1/3 of the house has sold, and the fourth ring is closed. Yikes. Some of the Crime and Punishment performances are also very poorly sold, but I'm sure they are hoping for an uptick in sales closer to the performance dates. The more typical ABT fare is doing much better (no surprise there).

Edited October 14 by fondoffouettes

[matilda]

I think both new works look promising, but I've questioned the choice to put two premieres on one program since the season announcement. Gemma Bond doesn't have much name recognition, and Kyle Abraham is more of a modern-dance figure. Etudes might be a bit obscure to non-balletomanes, but it sold well last year when it shared a program with Petite Mort and Ratmansky's Piano Concerto no. 1. 

[cobweb]

Yes, for me it’s the usual issue with mixed rep programming — I  would love to see Etudes, would love to see Hernandez, Roxander, and the other up-and-comers… but keep waffling on buying cickets because of my doubt about the rest of the program. 

[volcanohunter]

4 hours ago, fondoffouettes said:

This week's Bond/Abraham/Etudes performances have sold extremely poorly. For a couple of the performances, it looks like less than 1/3 of the house has sold, and the fourth ring is closed. Yikes.

Gosh, those ticket sales really are grim. 

[fondoffouettes]

13 minutes ago, volcanohunter said:

Gosh, those ticket sales really are grim. 

It's particularly bad on Thursday evening: https://ibb.co/0mspP0t

And the Saturday matinee: https://ibb.co/zFCgQtc

Edited October 14 by fondoffouettes

[ABT Fan]

1 hour ago, cobweb said:

Yes, for me it’s the usual issue with mixed rep programming — I  would love to see Etudes, would love to see Hernandez, Roxander, and the other up-and-comers… but keep waffling on buying cickets because of my doubt about the rest of the program. 

I could not pass up Roxander in Etudes again, so am going Saturday. However, I really also want to see Curley and Miyake, so have been considering buying a ticket Friday, too. But, I'm definitely concerned about the programming. Bond usually does nothing for me, and Abraham's new piece is a wild card. Ugh. Not sure what I'll do. I have a feeling Etudes, which was such a HOT ticket last year, was intentionally programmed with two new ballets hoping that excitement would carry over. Apparently not.

[vipa]

4 hours ago, cobweb said:

Yes, for me it’s the usual issue with mixed rep programming — I  would love to see Etudes, would love to see Hernandez, Roxander, and the other up-and-comers… but keep waffling on buying cickets because of my doubt about the rest of the program. 

I have the same problem. Finally got ticket for a "Signature Work" program. Truthfully, because of the rep, I've fallen out of the habit of going to see ABT, so have become unfamiliar with dancers in the soloist and corps ranks. Full lengths like Crime and Punishment hold no attraction for me. 

[ABT Fan]

If anyone attends opening night tonight or the dress rehearsal, please report your thoughts. 

[matilda]

Saw tonight's performance. The theater was depressingly empty for a season opener, but I blame that on the programming. 

La Boutique: This had more cohesion than Bond's first work for ABT. It was classical with difficult, intricate choreography -- maybe too intricate at times. The partnering between the three couples wasn't the smoothest, and Teuscher took an uncharacteristic spill during her first solo but got right back up. Overall the choreography was busy but fine; it had structure and compelling shapes and movement for the corps. I just found the costumes (especially the men's) distractingly ugly and the lighting drab. I have no idea why this was chosen to open the entire season. It would have been better as a middle act. 

Mercurial Son: I enjoyed this one a lot more, although some people will surely hate it. It reminded of the divisive "Becomings" act in Woolf Works, with loud electronic music and a dark, nightclub feel. The whole cast tore into the choreography but Trenary and Robare were standouts. I'm so excited to see Robare in bigger roles. (The cast isn't listed on the website but it was Trenary, Hurlin, Thoms, Armstrong, Robare, Markey, and Gonzalez.)

Etudes: This ballet is such a fun romp and deserved a bigger audience. Hernandez is a welcome addition! Technically excellent and extremely charismatic -- so different from Ahn last year. Roxander lived up to the extremely high standard he set for himself last fall and went above and beyond. Hurlin had some very minor bobbles but was generally on fire with the demanding choreography. I'm amazed she was able to perform both this and the Abraham ballet on the same night. 

Edited October 18 by matilda

[abatt]

I was in the "hate it" category for Mercurial Son.  The "music", which was essentially electronic noise played over the speakers, was intolerable.  I thought the choreography was generic and not up to Abraham's prior higher standards of his works for NYCB.  Bring your earplugs if you are seeing this program. 

The Bond work was fine.  No masterpiece but adequate.  Bell and Teuscher had the most technically challenging roles.  

Roxander was the star of Etudes.  Hernandez was a bit unsteady to start but after he was warmed up he fired on all cylinders.  Hurlin was also a pleasure.

Yes, a depressingly empty house.  I suspect that a good portion of the orchestra level was comprised of comp tickets, not paying customers.  I was in the second ring, and it was about 60 percent full.  

 

 

[matilda]

The second ring looked more like 40% full from where I was sitting. Controversial take, but I think NYCB is smart to keep the third ring closed, or at least closed until the second ring fills up, when shows are not selling fast. I've been to NYCB performances that were probably as empty as last night, but consolidating everyone onto the first three levels at least creates the illusion of a fuller house and feels more energetic. Last night unfortunately felt more like a January weeknight performance of an offbeat program, not the grand opening night of a season. 

Again, I blame the programming / the choice to put two premieres on the same program. The shows with Ballet Imperial, Kingdom of the Shades, and In the Upper Room are selling much better. 

[abatt]

15 minutes ago, matilda said:

The second ring looked more like 40% full from where I was sitting.

You are probably correct.  I was being too generous.

[nanushka]

Hopefully Jaffe will be responsive to the preferences implicit in the ticket sales and will make adjustments when planning future seasons, both fall and spring.

[FauxPas]

On 10/14/2024 at 11:07 AM, abatt said:

Most interesting is this comment by Jaffe:

Jaffe said that Hernández filled a need at Ballet Theater. “We have a lot of brilliant principal male dancers,” she said, “but not all of them will now be dancing roles like Solor,” one of the most technically challenging in the repertoire. “And then we have younger dancers who are not quite ready.”

To whom is Jaffe referring?  Stearns?  Forster?  

In the "not quite ready" category I guess this might refer to Roxander.

 

Marcelo Gomes felt Solor was his most difficult leading role and was the first he gave up.  I think that James Whiteside is a former Solor who is probably no longer up to the role.  He is forty.  Stearns is turning forty next year and is probably no longer up to the role, especially in the complete ballet.  I don't think Forster has ever danced Solor since "La Bayadere" hasn't been revived in ages.  He is surprisingly solid technically but not exciting.  Cornejo definitely should retire the role.  I think Ahn and Aran Bell danced it in the last revival before the pandemic as corps/soloists and should be able to dance it still.  Bell and now Ahn have had injuries.  Bell seems rather fragile and prone to reinjury.  I think Daniel Camargo is definitely a Solor contender (surprised he didn't get the Reece Clarke spot).  He danced the ballet with the Het Ballet: 

Calvin Royal III is not a technical virtuoso but is solid enough and a good partner.  IMO he is not a personal favorite but gets through the roles and works hard but is never my first choice for anything classical. 

For the record:  Aran Bell is 26, James Whiteside is 40, Thomas Forster is 38, Cory Stearns turned 39 yesterday, Cornejo is 43, Calvin Royal III is 36, Joo Won Ahn is 31 and Daniel Camargo is 33 years old.  Isaac Hernandez is 34 and in ballet years that is not a kid.  

Among the soloists, Roxander is on the short side and would need to be paired with a petite ballerina like Skylar Brandt but is technically up to it.  Unlike several of the dancers above he would be exciting.  Jarod Curley I haven't seen in a technically difficult role.  Get back to me on that one but he definitely is an artist.  Carlos Gonzalez is another contender though he has been injured recently.

I think ABT leadership needs to retire "not quite ready" from their vocabulary concerning promising young dancers.  If they don't get opportunities to stretch their capabilities to master difficult solo parts, they will never be ready.

Edited October 17 by FauxPas

[matilda]

Bell was supposed to debut Solor in 2020 but the season was cancelled. The last four Solors (2018) were Kimin Kim, Ahn, Cornejo, and Cirio. So they only really need four casts for a week of performances. I would pass on Ahn or Royal but would be happy to see Bell, Camargo, Hernandez, or Roxander among the current roster. I haven't seen Curley in a technical role yet either, but I'm seeing his Etudes tonight so will report back. 

[Pointe533]

I attended last nights performance as well. I was also sad to see the quite empty house with so many open seats. I have gone to performances every season for the past few years and this was probably the most empty I’d seen it. 
 

I did not love La Boutique. The choreography was interesting, especially some of the partnering work and syncopation of the corps dancers. But at times it felt jerky and disconnected, and I didn’t feel a strong message behind the work. I thought Teuscher was great despite her fall at the start. Skylar, Bell and the other soloists were all solid as well. The dancing was strong, the work itself just didn’t resonate with me. 
 

I personally really enjoyed Mercurial Son. I thought it displayed a side of the dancers I hadn’t seen before and liked how grounded and flowing all the movements were. It created an interesting contrast to the electronic music. I particularly loved Cassandra Trenary in this. She was graceful yet very strong, accenting all of her movements beautifully. I also thought Ingrid Thoms and Sierra Armstrong were beautifully paired and would love to see more of them. 
 

Etudes is a personal favorite of mine and I loved it. Unlike other posters I was actually a bit disappointed with Hernandez’s performance. I thought he looked very unsteady in his turns (although I do acknowledge how incredibly challenging those are in his variation). He did seem to get more comfortable, but still I was missing something from him. Hopefully this will change over time as he settles into ABT. In my opinion, Roxander stole the show. He was high energy but incredibly controlled, successfully landing dazzling turns and enormous jumps. Catherine Hurlin was also fantastic, I admired how she was able to perform the Abraham ballet so well and then quickly shift into Etudes seamlessly. Her port de bras were especially beautiful throughout. 

[meunier fan]

Attended the opening last night and - as with the other posters - was truly dispirited at just how empty the house was.  I had a central row to myself in the third ring and the one below only had one person in it.  A ghost town t'was.  The promenades at the intervals appeared eerily empty.  

Thought the Bond piece was bland and certainly overly fussy - even its air seemed crowded - but admired the soloists.  Hers would make much of Nureyev's choreography appear positively calm.  The Abrahams (not that I would want the music on any playlist) was much more engaging - and engaged  in terms of the performers - and I, too, thought Trenary was very good indeed. Robare also I thought really stood out.  Hurlin was fine as well both in this and for much of Etudes; certainly a demanding mix for this talented artist. 

There is no question but that Roxander was the star of the evening and deservedly so.  With those Woetzel-like turns how could he not be.  So, SO much potential.  I was - I have to confess - disheartened at what-I-perceived-to-be the diminution of Hernandez's technique which - in the past - had always been strong.  You could always count on him to be cleanly consistent.  Not last night.  Here he was - surprisingly - muddy.  Some downright sloppy partnering too.  Never the most effusive of dancers (and I have seen a vast array of his work first with SFB then at both DNB and - most especially - ENB - and have always been a supporter of his  because of his technical prowess when others have - understandably - found him dramatically wanting, i.e., 'boring').  For what before had always been a dependably pristine performer, it seems that sheen - at least on this occasion - has/had come off.  Perhaps too much time has been taken off in other pursuits (TV films, etc.)  Roxander - quite rightly - put him in the shade.  I  have seen Hernandez before shine in Etudes aside Alban Lendorf and Tamara.  Sadly he was but a figment of that dancer last night.  Here's hoping this is NOT a token of things to come in regards to Hernandez at ABT.  

 

 

Edited October 17 by meunier fan

[Jayne]

I’m reading this thread on the west coast and concerned if ABT can keep going with these Autumn mixed bills if they are so poorly attended?   They must take huge financial hit. 
 

I listened to Susan Jaffe’s talk on the “Conversations on Dance” podcast.  She spoke about attracting diverse audiences with new programming that is more appealing to new audiences.  
 

“Crime and Punishment” isn’t widely read in American high schools or universities.  Very little Russian literature is widely read in the U.S.  We may joke about comparing a tome’s length to “War & Peace”, but how many Americans have read it?  Maybe they’ve seen the Audrey Hepburn movie.  

[volcanohunter]

Possibly, following four weeks of mostly mixed bills by NYCB, the world's finest purveyor of the format, is too high a hill to climb. 

As for Crime and Punishment, I suspect the book isn't sufficiently sexy. I thought Pickett's one-act Emma Bovary for the National Ballet of Canada was a mess, and I would venture to guess that the majority of the audience hadn't read the novel, but there were some opulent scenes and torrid duets, which, let's be honest, are appealing to a lot of ballet audiences: eye candy and sex. In the case of Emma Bovary, they responded loudly and enthusiastically. 

[matilda]

Saw the second night of the Etudes program last night. I don't usually attend two nights in a row or two performances of the same program unless it's truly top shelf or there's can't-miss casting, but I'm missing the rest of the season, so I thought I'd see as much as I can. I skipped La Boutique.

The second cast of Mercurial Son featured Kimura (Trenary part), Granlund (Hurlin part), Brandt and Fléytoux (Armstrong and Thoms parts), Melovi (Robare part), Royal (Markey part), and Roxander (Gonzalez part). Kimura and Granlund were not as impactful as Trenary and Hurlin but overall the second cast was great, especially Roxander, Royal, Brandt, and Fléytoux. I feel spoiled to have seen Roxander two nights in a row. The music didn't sound as loud as the night before so they must have cranked it down a notch. This work gave me more appreciation for Kyle Abraham and I would be happy to see it again. 

Now, Etudes! I'm happy to report that Jarod Curley can indeed pull off a difficult technical role. He was great, with controlled turns, beautiful long lines, attentive partnering, and a regal presence. The petit batterie is hard for someone of his height, but he got it done. This role has many one-knee finishes and he pulled off each one with aplomb. You could tell he was really focused on his preparations and getting everything right, but hopefully with a little more performing experience he'll look more comfortable and in-the-moment with the difficult stuff. Siegfried, Albrecht, Romeo, Conrad, and probably Solor should all be on his horizon. 

Teuscher had a little stumble during the hops on point in a solo, and I've seen cleaner fouettés from her (including last fall in the same role), but overall she looked very good. I've always thought she has some of the most gorgeous épaulement around, and her chainé turns rival Tiler Peck's in speed. I would say Hurlin brought more fire to the role from start to finish, but Teuscher brought an elegant finesse especially to the romantic bourrée section. 

Robare had a commendable debut as the Mazurka guy -- I believe this is his first big featured role at ABT, aside from Mercurial Son which is contemporary and an ensemble work. There were clearly debut nerves which led to some hiccups in turning finishes. You can see why he was cast though, and I think he's capable of much more. Sadly he skipped the consecutive double tours in the finale, opting instead for a few double tour/pirouette combinations and finishing early. He's not a virtuoso in the vein of Roxander or Miyake, but there is definitely potential star quality. I'm glad he was given this opportunity and hope to see more of him. 

I sat in the orchestra this time, and while the second and third rings looked pretty empty -- possibly more so than Wednesday -- the house felt more energetic from the bottom level. 

[ABT Fan]

13 minutes ago, matilda said:

Saw the second night of the Etudes program last night. I don't usually attend two nights in a row or two performances of the same program unless it's truly top shelf or there's can't-miss casting, but I'm missing the rest of the season, so I thought I'd see as much as I can. I skipped La Boutique.

The second cast of Mercurial Son featured Kimura (Trenary part), Granlund (Hurlin part), Brandt and Fléytoux (Armstrong and Thoms parts), Melovi (Robare part), Royal (Markey part), and Roxander (Gonzalez part). Kimura and Granlund were not as impactful as Trenary and Hurlin but overall the second cast was great, especially Roxander, Royal, Brandt, and Fléytoux. I feel spoiled to have seen Roxander two nights in a row. The music didn't sound as loud as the night before so they must have cranked it down a notch. This work gave me more appreciation for Kyle Abraham and I would be happy to see it again. 

Now, Etudes! I'm happy to report that Jarod Curley can indeed pull off a difficult technical role. He was great, with controlled turns, beautiful long lines, attentive partnering, and a regal presence. The petit batterie is hard for someone of his height, but he got it done. This role has many one-knee finishes and he pulled off each one with aplomb. You could tell he was really focused on his preparations and getting everything right, but hopefully with a little more performing experience he'll look more comfortable and in-the-moment with the difficult stuff. Siegfried, Albrecht, Romeo, Conrad, and probably Solor should all be on his horizon. 

Teuscher had a little stumble during the hops on point in a solo, and I've seen cleaner fouettés from her (including last fall in the same role), but overall she looked very good. I've always thought she has some of the most gorgeous épaulement around, and her chainé turns rival Tiler Peck's in speed. I would say Hurlin brought more fire to the role from start to finish, but Teuscher brought an elegant finesse especially to the romantic bourrée section. 

Robare had a commendable debut as the Mazurka guy -- I believe this is his first big featured role at ABT, aside from Mercurial Son which is contemporary and an ensemble work. There were clearly debut nerves which led to some hiccups in turning finishes. You can see why he was cast though, and I think he's capable of much more. Sadly he skipped the consecutive double tours in the finale, opting instead for a few double tour/pirouette combinations and finishing early. He's not a virtuoso in the vein of Roxander or Miyake, but there is definitely potential star quality. I'm glad he was given this opportunity and hope to see more of him. 

I sat in the orchestra this time, and while the second and third rings looked pretty empty -- possibly more so than Wednesday -- the house felt more energetic from the bottom level. 

So happy to read this about Curley and Robare! I’m still considering getting another ticket to this program just to see Curley. I definitely think he has Siegfried (and others) written all over him.