So sorry to have read the report this morning that flood waters are swirling over the main stages of the Wortham Theater Center in Houston where Houston Ballet was set to open a terrific season in about 10 days. Reportedly the basement is filled with water and all the generators have been turned off. Consequently, the website is down, too.
Haglund had plans to go down for performances of Mayerling later in September. It doesn't look promising now.
If HB has to cancel its upcoming performances, we should invite as many of the dancers as possible to come up and perform during ABT's season. In fact, it could save ABT's season if the rep were changed to include Symphony in C which HB planned to perform in 10 days. We've got plenty of costumes AND Gillian Murphy and David Hallberg will have Symphony in C fresh in their bloodstreams having just performed it in Australia. Also, ABT could dump one or two of the Millepied and Lang pieces in order to insert Symphony in C and also Stanton Welch's Clear - really, who at HB or ABT doesn't know his ballet by heart. Seriously, they all could rehearse it by email.
We hope everyone is safe down there.
Wow! Indeed horrible news and hope they all stay safe, thoughts and prayers to all! Side note I second the idea of moving them here, and adding to that... a nice replacement with Stanton for new artistic?!! :) The current fall season is certainly saving me money though as my family and I plan to skip!
Posted by: Haglund Fan | August 28, 2017 at 01:02 PM
I am fortunate, having been spared (so far anyway) the devastation that's all over the city. But I was quite looking forward to the season anyway, and especially as a distraction from this nightmare, so this is heartbreaking.
Pray, chant, burn sage, donate, whatever you can do to help! The city really needs it.
Posted by: Diana | August 28, 2017 at 01:45 PM
Hang in there, Diana. Eleven trillion gallons of water is a lot. Just try to hang in there.
Posted by: Haglund | August 28, 2017 at 03:47 PM
I too would love to see ABT do Symphony in C this fall, rather than some of their ballet graveyard choices, but little did I ever expect to read Hagland suggesting the importation of guest artists! I guess desperate times require desperate measures.
Posted by: Golden Idol | August 28, 2017 at 04:06 PM
LOL, I got my eye on a couple of HB dancers.
Posted by: Haglund | August 28, 2017 at 04:34 PM
It wouldn't be so much importing guest artists (and certainly not foreign guest artists, which is what we objected to most vociferously in the past) if a certain couple from HB were to return to guest with ABT for its ghastly fall season. It could even be a homecoming, if promotions were to be made. But I bet they'd never come back. And I wouldn't second guess that decision.
Posted by: angelica | August 28, 2017 at 08:39 PM
The rain has stopped this evening, the sun is out, and I've just read this update from HB, so I'm feeling optimistic.
A MESSAGE FROM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JIM NELSON AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR STANTON WELCH:
The Houston Ballet family’s thoughts go out to our beloved city as it contends with the ongoing crisis caused by Hurricane Harvey. We are grateful to be able to share with you that our dancers, artists, and staff are safe, although many have been displaced and otherwise affected by this terrible storm.
We want to update you on the status of Houston Ballet’s activities as the new season approaches. Due to a disruption of the company’s systems from a power outage and minor water damage that caused our ticketing and email systems to go offline, our offices are closed and will remain closed through Labor Day.
Furthermore, our season-opening performances of "Poetry in Motion", scheduled for September 8-17, have been unavoidably cancelled. We will endeavor to reschedule those performances in the coming months. We are hopeful that "Mayerling" will be able to open the season with performances beginning on September 21st, as previously scheduled. This plan, of course, depends on the availability of the Wortham Theater Center, which has incurred some storm-related damage, as previously reported.
In advance of Harvey, Houston Ballet personnel relocated a substantial portion of our valuable costumes, including those for "The Nutcracker", from the Wortham Theater basement to a safe location. And, we are so pleased to report that the warehouse where all of our sets and additional costumes are stored sustained no damage.
While the recovery from Harvey will be difficult and prolonged, we join all Houstonians in our steadfast belief that our great city will emerge stronger than ever.
https://www.facebook.com/houstonballet/posts/10159297028160584
Posted by: Diana | August 29, 2017 at 08:22 PM
Thanks much, Diana.
That's great that there is a possibility that they will get Mayerling on the stage on the 21st. I'm leaning toward cancelling my trip, however, while United is still inclined to make refunds. The hotel that I was supposed to stay in is under water (and closed), and I imagine that most if not all accommodations nearby are also out of commission. It saddens me to miss the two performances I was going to see, but I know they will be spectacular. HB's Mayerling is likely to be the most important production in the U.S. during the 2017-18 season. It truly is MacMillan's greatest masterpiece of dance theater but it tends to be disturbing on multiple levels. Secretly I'm hoping that HB will push it back to winter or spring. Houstonians may need the prettier side of ballet in the coming weeks - such as that which Symphony in C delivers.
Posted by: Haglund | August 29, 2017 at 08:51 PM
Bringing them up to ABT would be logical and thrilling 9not to mention generous), something that ABT knows nothing of. So that's a pipe dream.
Posted by: andy | August 30, 2017 at 03:02 PM