Herman Cornejo as Prince Siegfried !

We may never see Herman Cornejo as Swan Lake's Prince Siegfried in New York due to ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie's bias against short male dancers in the role.  But Angel Corella has the artistic sense and artistic vision to know that not only is it dead wrong to deny Cornejo the opportunity to dance the role, it is dead wrong to deny the world the opportunity to see Cornejo as Siegfried.

You have to wonder how much McKenzie's refusal to allow Cornejo to dance Siegfried in favor of a massive and unwarranted investment of resources in the development of lackluster performances by first-year soloist Cory Stearns has to do with his continuing resentment of Baryshnikov's treatment of him during the 1980s at ABT.  Cornejo is perfection in miniature the way Baryshnikov was perfection in miniature.  Stearns' performances are lacking in exactly the same ways that McKenzie's performances were lacking, and he is tall, lanky, and undramatic exactly the way McKenzie was. 

Basically, McKenzie has finally found a way to elevate himself over Baryshnikov and deal with his nemesis.

Cornejo has been an ABT principal dancer going on seven years and has never had the opportunity to dance Siegfried - the most recognizable role in classical ballet the world over.  It's time for McKenzie to put his differences with Baryshnikov behind him and stop making artists like Cornejo pay for his unhappiness from 30 years ago.

Here is a blurry, poorly edited clip from Angel Corella's new Swan Lake, El Lago de Los Cisnes, by his company Corella Ballet Castilla y Leon.  Sadly, it is all that we have right now.  Hopefully many more clips will turn up on YouTube.  Herman Cornejo is the perfect prince - perfect as the oh-so-short Baryshnikov was.  It is perfection that New York needs to see on the Met stage in the role of Prince Siegfried.

Haglund may sound a little like an angry shareholder.  The fact is when shareholders begin voicing their anger over wasting of resources and less than maximum return on investment, executive management usually turns a deaf ear and obstinately continues down its own path.  Then the shareholders begin dumping the company's stock, the company's value plummets, major talent defects, and the board of directors starts whispering  change-in-control.  Hopefully, McKenzie will come to his senses before any of that happens at ABT.

Comments

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000162007536]

I have a concern about that kind of issue with ABT.

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000162007536]

I have a concern about that kind of issue with ABT,too.

[Haglund's Heel]

Thank you for your comment. Haglund thought there might be others out there who share his concern.

[K]

Haglund, I have to appreciate how you are always saying exactly what I'm thinking with regard to ABT's casting. Thank god, someone is! Beautiful clip of Cornejo.

[Haglund's Heel]

Thanks, K. Appreciate your comment.

It occurred to Haglund that denying a brilliant and accomplished dancer the opportunity to dance Siegfried because he's perceived by some as being too short is only a step or two away from denying someone the opportunity to dance Odette because she is too black. That's not who we are – or at least not who we are supposed to be.

[Haglund's Heel]

Haglund appreciates the emails he has received from readers who don't wish to post publicly but who are also unhappy with some of the casting trends as ABT.

Please be assured that you may always post here ANONYMOUSLY. If you have any concerns as to how to accomplish that, just email Haglund.