Haglund's Heel

UIEX Update – NYCB reality TV series for real

LAST AUGUST, the H.H. Unofficial Information Exchange (UIEX) tickertape was whirling around chasing its tail in a frenzy after getting a tip on Sarah Jessica Parker's new idea to produce a reality TV show based on NYCB.

Well, folks, once again, the UIEX is the first ballet news source to get to the market with the official word.

TODAY, AOL announced at its 2013 Digital Content NewFront event that in conjunction with its mandate to conquer online video content through its ON Network, it will develop 15 original unscripted shows one of which will be Sarah Jessica Parker's City.Ballet - "covering the cut-throat world of the New York City Ballet." 

Man oh man, this is exciting. Tonight at the first performance of NYCB's fabulous spring season, Haglund will keep both eyes peeled for any of that cut-throat business that we just know is going on. Anyone who thinks hanging around the water cooler will get you an earful hasn't hung around the rosin box.  Cut-throat through and through.

 

UIEX: RNZB bringing Giselle to NYC!

Whoa, this almost got by old Haglund. 

We knew that the Royal New Zealand Ballet planned to take its new Stiefel/Kobborg production of Giselle to China next year, but now it seems that there is a trip to NYC planned also.  In a filmed interview for TVNZ,  AD Ethan Stiefel and the director of the new RNZB feature film, Toa Fraser, spoke about filming the production while the company tours New Zealand "before heading to China and New York next year."  

The interview includes some brief footage of Gillian Murphy in Acts I & II (watch the huge lift by Qi Huan's Albrecht) and, of course, what would an interview with Stiefel be without footage from Center Stage - except this footage shows Radetsky!

Who could possibly be surprised that Stiefel is bringing RNZB and its Giselle starring Gillian Murphy to NYC?  Well, possibly Kevin McKenzie who has never given her the chance to dance the title role in her 16 years with ABT.  There's nothing like having your bad decisions shoved in your face in the center of Manhattan. 

 

RNZB creating feature film Giselle

The tip received by the UIEX three weeks ago about a new film of Giselle by the Royal New Zealand Ballet appears to have been a good one.

An article dated tomorrow and appearing online tonight is the official announcement by The New Zealand Film Commission of a feature film of Giselle in collaboration with RNZB.  The feature film, which is being produced by Matthew Metcalfe and stars Gillian Murphy, will "capture performances, rehearsals and much more."  So we can expect Ethan Stiefel, Johan Kobborg, and the beautiful Amanda McKerrow to be featured prominently as they piece together this new production.

"Our film is an interpretation of the Royal New Zealand Ballet's beautiful, moving production of Giselle," says [Director] Toa Fraser. "The film will move in and out of the theatre, through time and space, to create a truly cinematic, poetic retelling of the story".

Wow.  Gillian has gone from having no chance to dance Giselle in 16 years at McKenzie's ABT to dancing the title role in a brand new production and starring in a ballet feature film that will surely rekindle the heat under scores of Center Stage fans who as of last summer were still streaming into the Met Opera House to scream their lungs out when Stiefel and Sascha Radetsky performed on the stage together.

Maybe Stiefel will grant McKenzie a complimentary private screening and a continuous update of how much money the commercial release is making for RNZB.

RNZB's Giselle premieres next Wednesday night in Wellington. 

 

Olga Smirnova

The NYT T-Magazine blog just uploaded a delightful little blurb about Olga Smirnova who will be performing this Thursday night with the Stars of the 21st Century at Lincoln Center.  The UIEX got a 50%-plausible tip that she and Semyon Chudin will perform Grand Pas Classique and Thais PdD.  This will come as something of disappointment to those who were hoping to see them dance the PdD from Balachine's Diamonds.  Ah, well, they'll just have to watch it here  –– so very, very pretty. 

UIEX: RNZB's Giselle on the big screen!

The Unofficial Information Exchange (UIEX) ticker is whirling around in the wee hours of the morning after getting a tip on an interview with playwright and filmmaker Toa Fraser in which he confirmed that he is "working with the Royal New Zealand Ballet to bring a version of its production of Giselle to the big screen." 

Could this possibly mean that we all may eventually get to see Gillian Murphy's Giselle?

UIEX: Stars at the NYCB Fall Gala

Thanks to the Haglund'eeler who directed our attention to the Italian news source which yesterday reported that Roberto Bolle, Ralph Lauren, Beyonce, and Gwyneth Paltrow will attend the NYCB's Fall Gala Hommage à Valentino on September 20th.

Oh, Lordy. 

 

UIEX: Backstage at New York City BalletNew book by Henry Leutwyler

Haglund's Sunday morning sleuthing for info on Sarah Jessica Parker's new TV program about NYCB turned up an unexpected but happy surprise:  a July 2012 copyright registration by the awesome photographer Henry Leutwyler for visual material entitled "Backstage at New York City Ballet" which contains 584 photographs. 

That's a lot of photographs!  Haglund finds it difficult enough to keep his cool when the annual NYCB brochure comes out with Mr. Leutwyler's delicious images.  A book of 584 photographs could send him right over the edge.  Also in July, Mr. Leutwyler posted a picture on his website of a UPS package with this tiny note under it:  "Ballet book in progress" - a confirming sign if ever there was one. 

The big, big, really BIG question is, "How much will it cost?"

Update:  PRE-ORDER HERE for $55.10.  A quick check of Amazon shows that Mr. Leutwyler has a book due to be released on Oct 15 which right now is titled "Ballet" and includes the follow description:

After four years of collaboration with Peter Martins and the New York City Ballet, Henry Leutwyler was granted unprecedented backstage access to the Company during the winter of 2012. The resulting book, Ballet, reflects thirty years of his passion for the art form, realised in thirty days of photography. Leutwyler inhabited the shadows of the stage and became "invisible", recording images of the dancers using nothing more than his 35mm Leica. He was able to explore the performers' personal space, affording a more abstract portrait - a visual slice of their frenzied existence in an art form predicated on perfection. Ballet is an homage to the gritty universe from behind the curtain, and a complement to its ethereal beauty as viewed from the front row. With impresario Lincoln Kirstein, George Balanchine co-created the New York City Ballet in 1948. What followed is arguably one the most revolutionary periods in ballet history as he redefined the art form, introducing abstract works performed with a signature speed, musicality, and precision. Under the leadership of Peter Martins, these are the hallmarks of the Company to this day.

 

UIEX: New York City Ballet Reality TV Show

The UIEX ticker tape is whirling around this morning at cyclone speed.  The NYCB stock price is skyrocketing.  What's happening?  What's happening?

Well, folks, this is why you pay Haglund the big bucks –– to sniff out this information and get it to you before anyone else can.  This is why the New York Times and the minor league ballet forums read H.H. everyday – to find out what they should be talking about and what's fit to print – of course, never letting on where they read it first.

Is NYCB going to be the subject of a Sarah Jessica Parker-produced reality show?  Nigel Lythgoe told Variety's  AJ Marachal that talks are going on.  We don't know what network - CW, Ovation, Oxygen, Fox, ABC, whoever – it doesn't matter.  Well, of course, it does matter, but we're not going to quibble with SJP about that, are we?

This is such great news.  Wouldn't it be fabulous to start filming with the Valentino-costumed NYCB gala next month?

 

Congratulations to NYCB's new PRINCIPALS!

  photos by Paul Kolnik

The Unofficial Information Exchange received word that two of Haglund's favorite ballerinas, Rebecca Krohn and Ana Sophia Scheller, have been promoted to Principal Dancers!

This is Rebecca's 13th year with the company and Ana's 8th year with the company.  Both are so deserving, not just because their dancing has risen to an incredible level of artistry and skill, but because of the enormous importance of the contributions to the company over their tenures.  The core audience has recognized these dancers as principals for a long time.  This makes us very, very happy!

Congratulations! 

 

UIEX - new ABT dancer

Thanks to the Haglund'eeler who noticed in this blog review of Boston Ballet's Don Q that the writer reported that principal James Whiteside will leave Boston Ballet at the end of the season to join ABT in some capacity.  He should definitely rethink the move.

It sounds like McKenzie has so lost his credibility and the respect of the company that he's going to have to go out and replace every last dancer.  

At what point does the board remove the CEO because he's lost the confidence of the employees as well as the ability to manage and develop the talent within?  How low does ABT's stock have to go before the board will act?

 

UIEX: ABT's Innovation Initiative 2011

Fresh from the H.H. Unofficial Information Exchange (UIEX) tickertape:  This year's Innovation Initiative showcase will be at the Joyce Theater on Saturday, Sept. 17th at 7:00 pm.  Choreographers are Marcelo Gomes, Gemma Bond, Mikhail Ilyin, and Zhong-Jing Fang.

Haglund has no idea why tickets aren't on sale on the website yet.  Let's all call the Joyce tomorrow and ask:  212-242-0800. 

Update 9/2
The folks at the Joyce Theater confirmed that the performance will take place, but said that ABT is simply renting the theater and is doing its own ticketing from its offices (212-477-3030).  Sounds suspiciously like a potentially expensive fundraiser.

Oh well . . .

UIEX: ABT II bites the dust; Studio Company rises from the ashes

Haglund had long wondered how in this economy ABT could afford to employ a second company with an extensive national and international touring schedule.  The Unofficial Information Exchange (UIEX) tickertape picked up a few tips and also registered that the ABT II dancer section was removed from the website.   This seems to be a permanent measure, that is, until the idea is born again in a few years.  It would be nice to hear that all of those talented ABT II dancers landed on their feet somewhere – hopefully a few of them in ABT's corps.

Re: the "new" Studio Company

UIEX: NYCB Fourth Ring Society ending?

The Unofficial Information Exchange (UIEX) received a tip from a quasi-sort-of-official-anonymous-perhaps-reliable source that NYCB's popular Fourth Ring Society, which allows one to join for an initial payment of $20-25 and thereafter entitles the member to $15 (now $17 with the facility fee) Fourth Ring tickets, will not be continued after this June and that NYCB may even close off portions of the Fourth Ring to sales if the rest of the house isn't selling well.

If this is true, NYCB is clearly over-estimating the loyalty of its low-end customer base if it thinks it can squeeze people into buying more expensive third ring and lower seats by denying them the cheaper options to which they are accustomed.

The Fourth Ring Society page is still up on the NYCB website.  Haglund will regularly check to see if it disappears.

If this sorry news is true, what a bad idea in a bad economy.  NYCB will be acting like it is the only one affected by the crummy economy.  Does the company really think that the people in the crummy, cheap seats aren't being affected by the crummy economy as severely as NYCB?

Here's how the fallout from the decision will go:

• People will push back by attending the ballet less frequently.

• People will push back by attending only those performances of ballets which they are sure they will like and will avoid risking money on new, untried ballets which they haven't seen.

• People will become accustomed to and comfortable with attending NYCB less frequently, substituting other activites in its place.

• Those Fourth Ring Society members who also are the lowest rung of donors will keep their $90 contributions to themselves this year.
  

It's not smart to treat your low-end customer base like you think you can grab a little more out of its wallet by twisting its arm behind its back.  Fewer customers will cry "Uncle" and hand over the money to the NYCB bandits than won't. 

Let's hope the Fourth Ring Society doesn't end.

UIEX: ABT City Center Season

Haglund is reading between the lines again.

Driving the Unofficial Information Exchange's (UIEX) ticker into a whirl is The Street's observation that City Center just announced its new iPhone app that can be used to purchase tickets to:

"City Center performances of Encores!, MTC, the Pearl Theatre Company, the Fall for Dance Festival, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre and Paul Taylor"

The positioning in the sentence of ABT between Alivin Ailey and Paul Taylor is interesting - if it is also calendar positioning.

 

Exclusive to HH: Unplanned excitement on the way to Havana!

Haglund's anonymous sources report that ABT's flight to Cuba was the Havana-bound plane that was diverted to Baltimore for an emergency landing yesterday after reports of an odor of smoke in the cabin.  Everyone's okay.  Thank goodness.  Here's the Washington Post report.  SURELY this will turn up in Eric Tamm's blog on the ABT website. 

Man oh man, like the dancers weren't already excited enough about the trip!