Haglund's Heel

Behind The Times

Look, look, look.  Quick before you miss it.  The New York Times has published an entire article about the New York Philharmonic NOT GOING to Cuba – complete with one sentence about ABT and NYCB who ARE GOING to the International Ballet Festival in Havana.  It seems that the NY Phil's insistence on taking its rich donors on its trip is the obstacle to getting government approval.  Wow, what a worthy story - major news that's fit to print - far more important than the actual successful implementation of ABT's and NYCB's Cuba plans.  Geeze Louise.

Havana Times Interviews Xiomara Reyes

In connection with its comprehensive coverage of the 22nd International Ballet Festival in Havana, the Havana Times has just published an extensive interview with one of Haglund's favorite ABT principals, Xiomara Reyes, who grew up and trained in Cuba.  The interview is in Spanish, but the paper has informed Haglund that the English version will be uploaded Tuesday.  Look for that link here tomorrow.

Tuesday update:
Here's the link to the English translation.

 

Havana Times on the Ticket Line @ the 22nd International Ballet Festival

We all remember the superb coverage by the Havana Times when the Royal Ballet made its historic visit to Cuba last year.  This online newspaper is but two years old and has an impressive readership on the island and abroad.  Its writers and photographers are, of course, covering the 22nd International Ballet Festival in Havana and have begun with an article on the lines of people trying to buy tickets to see Jose Manuel Carreno and the American Ballet Theatre.  Danae Suarez writes:

"Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles!”  One of the most famous works of world literature begins like this.  And what also began like this was the line for tickets to enjoy the performance of the American Ballet Theatre, the prestigious dance company from the United States that will be visiting Cuba as a part of the 22nd International Festival of Ballet (Oct. 28 to Nov. 7).

As part of this event, and a source of pride for us, will be a presentation by the famed Jose Manuel Carreño during this festival.

As usual, The New York Times dance critics are snoring away.   

International Ballet Festival in Havana

 

This week Cuba begins welcoming the ballet ambassadors of the world to Alicia Alonso's 22nd International Ballet Festival in Havana, and this year, the U.S. government will allow two of the country's world class companies to participate.  While the frosty U.S.-Cuba undiplomatic relations may show signs of thawing, the relationship between Cuban ballet artists and this country's ballet community has always been warm and welcoming.  Cuba's development and contribution of some of the world's greatest ballet dancers has continued in spite of political turmoil, estrangement, and the country's extreme poverty.  Where governments and politicians divide people, the ballet unites them.  The world's gratitude for the Cuban culture's creation of Carlos Acosta, Jose Manuel Carreno, Xiomara Reyes, and many other great artists will never be diminished by anyone's political agenda.

 

The festival schedule on its website shows that over the next couple of weeks the Cuban people will be treated to performances by NYCB's Tiler Peck, Joaquin de Luz, Jared & Tyler Angle, Abi Stafford, Andrew Veyette, and Teresa Reichlen in a pastiche of repertory and PdDs that includes music by Gershwin, Sousa, and Kay – music that was intensely popular during Alicia Alonso's richest dancing years.  In addition to its two night rep program of Theme and Variations, Seven Sonatas, Fancy Free, Le Corsaire PdT, and Diana and Acteon PdD, ABT will participate in the concluding gala performances.  Jose Manuel Carreno and Sarah Lane will perform Tharp's Sinatra Suite, and Marcelo Gomes and Paloma Herrera will perform Balanchine's Tchaikovsky PdD.  The U.S. companies' contribution to the festival will be heavenly, but by no means will it be dominant.

 

Ms. Alonso has extra special tributes planned for the late Galina Ulanova and the vibrant Vladimir Vasiliev, full length Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia, Giselle and Swan Lake productions, guest appearances by Tamara Rojo, Nehemiah Kish, Vladimir Malakhov, Jason Reilly, Guillaume Cote, Heather Ogdon, Roberta Marquez, Steven McRae, and much more.  Perhaps the defining moment of the festival will be the appearance of Vasiliev and Alonso together on the stage of the Grand Theater of Havana exemplifying ballet's great, great past leading us into the future.

Alicia Alonso invites Obamas to the International Ballet Festival of Havana

This is an interesting cultural/diplomatic overture.

Alicia Alonso has invited President Obama and his family to attend the International Ballet Festival of Havana – in Havana – Cuba.  But then she kind of floated a dark cloud over the gesture by asking for the release of the Cuban Five who were handed heavy prison sentences in 2001 for spying.  It certainly looks as if the Castro regime is recognizing the high value of this little ballet festival. 

In any event, Haglund thinks that the Obama Family should go to the ballet festival in Havana.  It's a big opportunity for everyone and the poor Cuban people may truly benefit from this step toward openness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Int'l Ballet Festival of Havana - ABT casting

The ABT casting just posted for the two repertory nights in Havana is sure to make the locals go crazy!  The first night will include the Le Corsaire PdT with Jose Manuel Carreno, Paloma Herrera and Marcelo Gomes.  The second night will include Carreno and Xiomara Reyes in the Diana and Acteon PdD.  Carreno in that Acteon costume could start a Cuban riot.

Also of note:  Isabella Boylston will perform in Theme and Variations on the second night with David Hallberg.

What Haglund wouldn't give to go to Cuba to cover this event. This is an opportunity of a lifetime.  Hopefully, NYC's media local yokels will go down there so that we'll get reports of the week's events from several different angles.

Still looking for info on the Gala programing on Nov 5&6 and details about who will be traveling to Havana for NYCB although there are reports that they are dancing Tarantella, Liturgy, Chaconne PdD, Stars and Stripes PdD, In the Night, Other Dances and Who Cares?

Here's the ABT casting as published today:

November - 3
8:30 PM
Havana, Cuba

Theme and Variations
M. Wiles
C. Stearns

Seven Sonatas
J. Kent
X. Reyes
S. Abrera
D. Hallberg
H. Cornejo
G. Saveliev

Le Corsaire (pas de trois)
P. Herrera
M. Gomes
J. Carreño 

Fancy Free
C. Salstein
E. Stiefel
J. Carreño
M. Riccetto
I. Boylston

November - 4
8:30 PM
Havana, Cuba

Theme and Variations
I. Boylston
D. Hallberg

Seven Sonatas
H. Seo
S. Lane
Y. Kajiya
J. Matthews
J. Phillips
C. Lopez

Diana and Acteon (pas de deux)
X. Reyes
J. Carreño

Fancy Free
H. Cornejo
S. Radetsky
M. Gomes
S. Abrera
J. Kent