Haglund's Heel

NY City Center announces programming for Balanchine: The City Center Years and it looks grand

• Balanchine – Program I
  

  Miami City Ballet Serenade (Tschaikovsky)
  The Mariinsky Ballet Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux (Tschaikovsky)
  The Royal Ballet Tarantella (Gottschalk)
  New York City Ballet Symphony in C (Bizet)

  Wed

  Oct 31

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• Balanchine – Program II

  The Mariinsky Ballet Apollo (Stravinsky)
  New York City Ballet Concerto Barocco (Bach)
  The Royal Ballet Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux (Tschaikovsky)
  San Francisco Ballet Divertimento No. 15 (Mozart)

  Thu

  Nov 1

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• Balanchine – Program III

  San Francisco Ballet Scotch Symphony (Mendelssohn)
  The Mariinsky Ballet Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux (Tschaikovsky)
  Paris Opera Ballet Divertissement Pas de Deux from A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Mendelssohn)
  Joffrey Ballet The Four Temperaments (Hindemith)

  Fri

  Nov 2

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• Balanchine – Program IV

  Joffrey Ballet The Four Temperaments (Hindemith)
  Miami City Ballet Pas de Trois (Glinka) (Glinka)
  Paris Opera Ballet Pas de Deux from Agon (Stravinsky)
  San Francisco Ballet Divertimento No. 15 (Mozart)

  Sat

  Nov 3

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• Balanchine – Program V

  The Mariinsky Ballet Apollo (Stravinsky)
  The Royal Ballet Tarantella (Gottschalk)
  Paris Opera Ballet Pas de Deux from Agon (Stravinsky)
  American Ballet Theatre Symphonie Concertante (Mozart)

  Sat

  Nov 3

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• Balanchine – Program VI

  Joffrey Ballet The Four Temperaments (Hindemith)
  Paris Opera Ballet Divertissement Pas de Deux from A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Mendelssohn)
  The Mariinsky Ballet Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux (Tschaikovsky)
  American Ballet Theatre Symphonie Concertante (Mozart)

  Sun
  
  Nov 4
  
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On Sale Dates:

Members:    Monday, June 25th Noon
Gen Pub:     Monday, July 9th Noon

 

 

 

FIAF HD screening of POB

The French Institute Alliance Française in conjunction with the American Friends of the Paris Opera and Ballet will present a Paris Opera Ballet HD screening on Sunday, May 20th at 1pm at Florence Gould Hall (55 E. 59th St). The program will include Robbins' Opus 19/The Dreamer, Millepied's Clear, Loud, Bright, Forward, and Balanchine's Theme and Variations. No info on casting as yet. Nor do we know the date on which the performance was recorded. Tickets are $20 for FIAF members and $30 for non-members. Complimentary tea and madeleines will be served during intermission. Reserve your tickets here.

On Sunday June 24th, Camille Saint-Saëns' opera Samson et Dalila will be screened. There is a small discount for purchasing tickets to both programs.

 

Lincoln Center Festival 2017Bolshoi Ballet, New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet Runnin' the Jewels at LC

Oh, Jeezle Pete, eyebrows are raising everywhere in Haglundville. Sorry, Mr. LL Cool J, your ballet-suggestive song is too tempting.

 

Pardon our absence these past few days, but we’ve been giddy as a giddykipper while running up and down 10th Avenue to see Lincoln Center Festival’s tri-company 50th anniversary production of George Balanchine’s Jewels. Paris Opera Ballet, New York City Ballet, and Bolshoi Ballet have been sharing the stage each evening in what is turning out to be the most remarkable dance event of the season.

 

When choreographing Jewels, Balanchine chose a French theme for Emeralds, an American theme for Rubies, and a Russian theme for Diamonds. The three countries were important to him in terms of his birth and training as a dancer (Russia), his early development as a choreographer (France), and his groundbreaking work in America. Emeralds reflected the romanticism of the French; Rubies revealed the startling athleticism and easy sexuality found in New York City; and Diamonds harked back to Petipa’s classical ballets made in Russia.

 

So, the idea of having a French company perform Emeralds, an American company perform Rubies, and a Russian company perform Diamonds to celebrate the ballet’s 50th anniversary seemed like a good one. But as with all good ideas relative to ballet in New York City, expectations among balletomanes were high and complicated. We thought/hoped/expected/hoped again that we would see a French school style of dancing in Emeralds, an American school style of dancing in Rubies, and a Russian school style of dancing in Diamonds.

 

The problem is that Paris Opera Ballet, New York City Ballet, and Bolshoi Ballet are not as different as they were back in the days when Balanchine made Jewels. Ballet style and repertories, unfortunately, are going through cultural homogenization that is reducing world interest in individual companies. When New York City Ballet dances Balanchine, Ratmansky, Wheeldon, or Millepied, what’s the point in seeing Paris Opera Ballet or Bolshoi or anyone else dance the same stuff, especially when so much of the choreographers’ stuff is similar, too? There are still a few reasons, though.

 

On opening night, the Paris Opera Ballet demonstrated that collectively its dancers still stand head and shoulders above the rest of the world in terms of uniform articulation and beauty in feet and legs. The commitment to the exacting demands of ballet positions and the shaping of feet on display when they danced Emeralds was a marvel. Every pointe shoe was shaped the same and broke at the same place in the shank to reveal identical glorious arches. Every fifth position in releve was identically shaped with the heel of the back foot articulated perfectly. There were no overly muscled calves that disrupted the uniform classical lines. The dancers’ neck lines were gorgeous and marked by lots of length from the earlobe to the shoulder. And of course, as Parisians, their cheek bones were to die for. So much to admire in their discipline and devotion to balletic form even if much of the original French style has been abandoned.

 

That said, our lead dancers Laetitia Pujol and Myriam Ould-Braham were quite the snoozes. Whatever perfume they were wearing was essentially scentless. Ms. Pujol was noticeably stiff in the neck and shoulders, sometimes seemingly arthritic. Ms. Ould-Braham conveyed a strange authority like she was dancing Myrta. Absent was the rapture that Violette Verdy and later interpreters conveyed when dancing Emeralds. In its place, a sort of introspective, intellectual interpretation of the choreography was dispensed by the leading women. The leading men, however, Mathieu Ganio and Mathias Heymann, delivered a more impressionistic coloring of the romance and mourning in Faure’s music. The three soloists Hannah O’Neill, Sae Eun Park, and Marc Moreau (replacing Francois Alu) imbued their dancing with vibrance and sweep – O’Neill, in particular, is a principal dancer who radiates the glamorous quality that characterizes most of the POB women who eventually rise to etoile. 

 

It was a long 24 hours until we got to the next Emeralds led by Dorothée Gilbert and Hugo Marchand with Leonore Baulac and Germain Louvet. Oh, lord, did Dorothee Gilbert wear the perfume — intoxicating as Chanel Coco. Every time she exited the stage, her scent lingered and the viewer was left anxiously awaiting her return. Rapturous in the sweep and bend expected in this ballet but still slightly introspective, Gilbert gave a unique and spellbinding interpretation. Hugo Marchand, who must be one of the most handsome men on any ballet stage today, was, himself, swept away in the romance on stage. Wherever he was in the world or beyond while dancing on the stage last night, he transported the viewer with him. Such a powerful presentation he made along with superb dancing and beautiful classical lines.

 

The simple truth is that you’re not going to get a better Rubies than with Teresa Reichlen in the Tall Girl role and Joaquin De Luz and Megan Fairchild in the PdD. Tess's octane level was off the charts the first night — and twice Saturday, we may as well add. She may have even had a demoralizing effect on Friday night’s Tall Girl, Yulia Grebenshchikova, who was clearly out of her element. Ekaterina Krysanova and Artem Ovcharenko could have used some 8th Avenue experiences to help them convey the idea behind the Rubies PdD – and we’re not talking about experiences with the Disney characters at 8th and 42nd Street either. The corps was clueless as to what they were supposed to be conveying. The stagers, Sandra Jennings and Patricia Neary, must have given them the wrong American movies to watch as sass-prep.

 

But oh my goodness, were the NYCB dancers on fire. Seeing as Jewels is not on the schedule for next year, we may have just seen 41-year-old Joaquin De Luz’s final salute to this role — no one but he and the boss know how much longer we will get to enjoy his incredible performances or how much longer his body can take the punishment. If tonight was that final salute, it was probably the most exciting that we’ve ever seen Joaquin in Rubies. He gave the choreography everything it demanded and deserved, and more. And what a rapport he had going on with Megan Fairchild. She simply uncorked right before our eyes. The energy on the stage has never been higher.

 

On to Diamonds.

 

The Balanchine Trust should make a rule that it can veto Gaynor Minden shoes in Diamonds and anything else that is licensed. Opening night, Olga Smirnova, despite her glorious Vaganova port de bras and scintillating drama, managed to make step after step look brick-like with shoes that were large, stiff, and so heavily shanked that even when her foot was pointed, the shoe wasn’t. Time and time again, she stood in fifth position on pointe and the back foot looked like this / instead of this ( . Sometimes it even looked like this | . It was shocking to see a dancer at this professional level require such re-enforcement in the shoes that they interfered with a respectable classical line. There are dancers who can wear Gaynor Mindens and make them look relatively nice. Olga cannot, and it’s clear that she relies on the heavy shoes because of weaknesses in her feet. During this first performance, some of her pirouettes and the measly three fouettes were as unstable as Putin with plutonium. Her second performance last night, however, found the turns and everything else much more secure.

 

Olga’s abilities to convey fantasy and move beautifully were wondrous. Frequently we were transported by her delivery of a phrase that was nearly spellbinding in its musicality and glistening authority, but then came the slap in the face and splash of cold water that were the Gaynor Minden shoes. We were very happy to see that the maturation of Olga Smirnova is clearly under way. 

 

Her partner, Semyon Chudin, could do no wrong. Paws as big as Baryshnikov’s ensured his landings were silent. He was an exceptional soloist and partner academically although less convincing dramatically.

 

Saturday afternoon brought the highlight of the festival so far in the debut of Alena Kovaleva and Jacopo Tissi in Diamonds. The partnering was so smooth and familiar that we thought for a moment that we saw Jon Stafford’s fingerprints all over it. Jacopo Tissi, a Bolshoi corpsman imported from La Scala where AD Vaziev discovered him, was like a Golden Retriever puppy happily cavorting around on the playground. The beauty of his dancing was undeniable. His physicality was as handsome as Roberto Bolle’s. He landed his jumps with loud thuds, just like a big pup, but his coordination was incredible. We immediately loved this dancer and cannot wait to follow his career.

 

Alena Kovaleva, a 2016 Vaganova graduate, represents another big loss to the Mariinsky. She is already a major ballerina, beyond what Olga was when she went straight from Vaganova to the Bolshoi. It is odd how the Bolshoi isn’t producing dancers the caliber of Olga and Alena in its own school. So tall and long-limbed with substantial control over her length, Alena had a Diamonds debut that may turn out to be historical. Freshness and youth enhanced her every step along with a willingness to take risks and a strong confidence in her partner, Jacopo Tissi. Her elegance of line and breathy port de bras gave Haglund heart palpitations. Nothing was overdone, over-dramatized, or over-accented. What stunning talent Vaziev has found in this pair of dancers!

 

The Friday evening Diamonds was a speedy, melodramatic affair with Sara Mearns and Tyler Angle. Time and time again, Sara went for the excessive positions and dramatic effect which in itself is not a fault; but when the positions are held so long that getting out of them and onto the next one looks like a football player pushing his way down the gridiron, it’s time to re-think. Nothing about her performance was measured. It was all gung-ho, here-we-go, let’s-beat-the-crap-out-of-the-other-team. While sitting in the orchestra, Bolshoi’s AD Vaziev probably observed more than a few similarities to Anastasia Volochkova during her prime years.

 

Tyler certainly got himself in shape for these performances. His manèges of coupé jeté were the best we’ve seen from him in a decade. Same with the turns a la seconde. His bright enthusiasm was a welcome contrast to Sara’s dour expression.

 

There were such differences between the Bolshoi and NYCB in the Diamonds corps de ballet. The Bolshoi ladies were gleaming in their uniform approach to the choreography, but danced it in a very small way. Their third performance last night was a bit more energetic, but still the movement was small. It seemed that the NYCB tempi for Diamonds on Friday night was even fast for NYCB, but it generated a tremendous effort by the corps de ballet dancers who were determined not to scale down their movement just because the music was fast. Bravo to these ladies for their exceptional performances.

 

We’re off to seeing the closing performance of the Jewels Festival and are as giddy as can be. What a tremendous success and treat this week has been. Even after seeing four straight performances of Jewels in 72 hours with a fifth one soon to come, we could do this all again next week.

 

Our Jewels Festival HH Pump Bump Award is bestowed upon Alena Kovaleva, whose bedazzling Diamonds re-ignited our burning interest in the Bolshoi Ballet.

 

 

 

 

 

observations 5-21

Casting change for next week's Whipped Cream has been posted. Due to Herman Cornejo's injury, Jeffrey Cirio will substitute on Tuesday night. Let's hope that McKenzie doesn't drop to that very low default position and bring in guest artists for ANY of Herman's other performances. He should remove the struggling ballerinas whose performances were being carried by Herman in the first place and put in a crew who are actual ABT dancers and who can do the steps.

Whipped Cream is a delightful ballet well worth forking over the bucks to take all the kids you know to it. Haglund missed the Whipped Cream float that was driving around Manhattan yesterday, but the video of it looked pretty cute. Some of us are old enough to remember how the circus used to parade the elephants and clowns through the streets to drum up excitement for its big top circus show. What a thrill that was as a kid to see. The irony of yesterday's parade of ABT's characters was that it occurred on the weekend during which the Ringling Bros. circus comes to its fateful end. Its very last performance will be tonight at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island.

From the video on ABT's social media page, it appeared that the Whipped Cream float might have been headed toward 9th Avenue yesterday where the 9th Avenue International Food Festival was in full swing with all its sugary funnel cakes, fried ice cream, chocolate covered crepes with powdered sugar and some of the world's best freakin' chicken empanadas from the famous Freakin' Puerto Rican Catering Company. All goodies will be available again today. Come on down to 9th Avenue!!!

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Casting for the tri-company performances of Jewels at the Lincoln Center Festival has been officially announced. The Paris Opera Ballet and the Bolshoi Ballet are treating us to more variety in the performances than New York City Ballet. What a shame that we will not see Maria Kowroski in one of the Diamonds performances. It's a real lesson to those of us who snapped up tickets to all five performances while anticipating variety.

While the casting doesn't mention the corps dancers for Emeralds, we hope to see some more of the beautiful Paris Opera Ballet dancers on stage. Welcome back, Paris Opera Ballet!

Thursday, July 20 at 7:30pm

Emeralds, Paris Opera Ballet
First Pas de Deux: Laëtitia Pujol, Mathieu Ganio
Second Pas de Deux: Myriam Ould-Braham, Mathias Heymann
Pas de Trois: Hannah O'Neill, Sae Eun Park, François Alu

Rubies, New York City Ballet
Leading Couple: Megan Fairchild, Joaquin De Luz
Soloist: Teresa Reichlen
Four Men: Harrison Coll, Spartak Hoxha, Ralph Ippolito, Giovanni Villalobos
Eight Women: Sara Adams, Likolani Brown, Baily Jones, Meagan Mann, Jenelle Manzi,
Kristen Segin, Sarah Villwock, Claire Von Enck

Diamonds, Bolshoi Ballet
Leading Couple: Olga Smirnova, Semyon Chudin
Soloists: Olga Marchenkova, Yulia Grebenshchikova, Ana Turazashvili, Alena Kovaleva,
Vladislav Kozlov, Artemy Belyakov, Klim Efimov, Ivan Alekseev

Friday, July 21 at 7:30pm

Emeralds, Paris Opera Ballet
First Pas de Deux: Dorothée Gilbert, Hugo Marchand
Second Pas de Deux: Léonore Baulac, Germain Louvet
Pas de Trois: Valentine Colasante, Sae Eun Park, Marc Moreau

Rubies, Bolshoi Ballet
Leading Couple: Ekaterina Krysanova, Artem Ovcharenko
Soloist: Yulia Grebenshchikova
Four Men: Mikhail Kemenov, Batyr Annadurdyev, Anton Savichev, Mikhail Kochan
Eight Women: Margarita Shrainer, Xenia Zhiganshina, Anastasia Denisova, Daria Lovtsova,
Ilona Matsiy-Kiryushkina, Xenia Kern, Bruna Cantanhede Gaglianone, Victoria Litvinova

Diamonds, New York City Ballet
Leading Couple: Sara Mearns, Tyler Angle
Soloists: Emily Gerrity, Laine Habony, Mary Elizabeth Sell, Lydia Wellington, Devin Alberda,
Daniel Applebaum, Aaron Sanz, Andrew Scordato

Saturday, July 22 at 2:30pm

Emeralds, Paris Opera Ballet
First Pas de Deux: Laëtitia Pujol, Mathieu Ganio
Second Pas de Deux: Myriam Ould-Braham, Mathias Heymann
Pas de Trois: Hannah O'Neill, Sae Eun Park, François Alu

Rubies, New York City Ballet
Leading Couple: Megan Fairchild, Joaquin De Luz
Soloist: Teresa Reichlen
Four Men: Harrison Coll, Spartak Hoxha, Ralph Ippolito, Giovanni Villalobos
Eight Women: Sara Adams, Likolani Brown, Baily Jones, Meagan Mann, Jenelle Manzi,
Kristen Segin, Sarah Villwock, Claire Von Enck

Diamonds, Bolshoi Ballet
Leading Couple: Alena Kovaleva, Jacopo Tissi
Soloists: Olga Marchenkova, Yulia Grebenshchikova, Ana Turazashvili, Angelina Karpova,
Vladislav Kozlov, Artemy Belyakov, Klim Efimov, Ivan Alekseev

Saturday, July 22 at 7:30pm

Emeralds, Paris Opera Ballet
First Pas de Deux: Dorothée Gilbert, Hugo Marchand
Second Pas de Deux: Léonore Baulac (Étoile), Germain Louvet
Pas de Trois: Valentine Colasante, Sae Eun Park, Marc Moreau

Rubies, New York City Ballet
Leading Couple: Megan Fairchild, Joaquin De Luz
Soloist: Teresa Reichlen
Four Men: Harrison Coll, Spartak Hoxha, Ralph Ippolito, Giovanni Villalobos
Eight Women: Sara Adams, Likolani Brown, Baily Jones, Meagan Mann, Jenelle Manzi,
Kristen Segin, Sarah Villwock, Claire Von Enck

Diamonds, Bolshoi Ballet
Leading Couple: Olga Smirnova, Semyon Chudin
Soloists: Olga Marchenkova, Yulia Grebenshchikova, Ana Turazashvili, Alena Kovaleva,
Vladislav Kozlov, Artemy Belyakov, Klim Efimov, Ivan Alekseev

Sunday, July 23 at 2:30pm

Emeralds, Paris Opera Ballet
First Pas de Deux: Laëtitia Pujol, Mathieu Ganio
Second pas de Deux: Myriam Ould-Braham, Mathias Heymann
Pas de Trois: Hannah O'Neill, Sae Eun Park, François Alu

Rubies, Bolshoi Ballet
Leading Couple: Ekaterina Krysanova, Vyacheslav Lopatin
Soloist: Olga Marchenkova
Four Men: Mikhail Kemenov, Batyr Annadurdyev, Anton Savichev, Mikhail Kochan
Eight Women: Margarita Shrainer, Xenia Zhiganshina, Anastasia Denisova, Daria Lovtsova,
Ilona Matsiy-Kiryushkina, Xenia Kern, Bruna Cantanhede Gaglianone, Victoria Litvinova

Diamonds, New York City Ballet
Leading Couple: Sara Mearns, Tyler Angle
Soloists: Emily Gerrity, Laine Habony, Mary Elizabeth Sell, Lydia Wellington, Devin Alberda,
Daniel Applebaum, Aaron Sanz, Andrew Scordato

 

 

observations 3-3

ABT has posted some Whipped Cream costume photos on its website. There are some very imaginative designs including the costume in which Justin Souriau-Levine seems to have graduated from the Little Mouse in Nutcracker to the Master of Ceremonies in Whipped Cream. How time flies.

Before anyone begins grumbling about this production being copied off of The Nutcracker, please be aware that the original Whipped Cream ballet, under the German name Schlagobers (1924), preceded the popularity of The Nutcracker which had its first performances in the U.S. in 1944.

The costumes from 1924 were pretty outlandish. Here is a link to an image of the original production at the Vienna State Opera maintained at the U.K.'s Lebrecht Music and Arts Photo Digital Library. Here's another one from Theatermuseum - Straus und die oper.

Here's hoping that ABT knocks it out of the park with this production and that it draws a lot of interest from the family-oriented audience. It's odd how there is no mention from ABT that Ratmansky already choreographed this ballet in 1994 with Tatiana in the lead. We're wondering if this is all new or if it is part revision. It doesn't really matter. Today's choreographers don't seem too keen on revising their works after the initial publicity dies down; so, if an important one shows that it can be done successfully, that will be a plus – maybe even start a trend.

Looking forward to the premiere.

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Reminder about the Lincoln Center Festival Jewels jubilee tickets:

Pre-sales are in process for donors. From LCF:

This is the schedule:
Monday, February 27: Member levels $1,000 and above
Monday, March 6: Member levels $500 and above
Monday, March 13: Member levels $100 and above
Monday, March 29: General Public

We will be announcing the full lineup for Lincoln Center Festival on March 20, so stay tuned.

This is going to be such a huge event!!!

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Speaking of huge events, don't forget about the April 14th YAGP tribute to Julio Bocca which will also mark his 50th birthday. What a perfect year it would be for him to move back home to New York. What a perfect time it would be for ABT's board to do something about the sorry state of the company's directorship.

Look at this video of Julio as he speaks (in Spanish) so articulately and passionately about his company Ballet Nacional Sodre. He is so youthful and full of energy. Imagine all of the glorious Latino talent from around the world that would be beating down the doors at ABT to get in if Julio were the director here. (Print summary here.)

If more of ABT's board members would get out to see the quality of dancing at NYCB, they would realize what a piss poor job McKenzie is doing. Very few of the ABT dancers, regardless of rank, would qualify for a corps position at NYCB. The difference in institutional achievement is that stark.

 

observations 12-2

The few comments that we've been able to find so far on social media after last night's Iowa City preview premiere of Christopher Wheeldon's new Nutcracker for the Joffrey Ballet are pretty ecstatic. Here's a shot from inside the brand new Hancher Auditorium on the U of I campus courtesy of the alumni association Twitter feed. Haglund is proud to be a U of I alumnus:

This new theater, a replacement for the Hancher Auditorium that was destroyed in floods several years ago, looks stunning. The old one was pretty spectacular also. When Rudolf Nureyev came to Iowa City to perform in Sleeping Beauty, he had the gall to complain that the wings were too big and too drafty for him.

So far, it sounds like the only major glitch in the new Nut has been our choreographer breaking his ankle last week after a backward step into the pit – apparently not while excoriating a dancer as happened with Jerome Robbins.

This video about Basil Twist's contribution was just uploaded yesterday. The rats, omg ...

Current forecast for the December 10th world premiere in Chicago includes 23 degree temps, mild winds, and a 20% chance of snow. That doesn't look so bad – on paper.

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The Royal New Zealand Ballet is searching for another new artistic director to replace Francesco Ventriglia who has decided not to renew his contract when it expires in the coming year. There have been dancer complaints of mistreatment by the AD, and several artists and staff have left or are about to leave the company, including Lucy Green who blossomed so dramatically under the direction of Ethan Stiefel. She has announced that she has accepted a soloist position with the Queensland Ballet which is led by the legendary Li Cunxin.

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It's very exciting to hear that the Lincoln Center Festival will once again present some fantastic ballet next summer. With the NYC Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, and Bolshoi Ballet sharing the stage for five performances of Balanchine's Jewels, you can bet that the demand for tickets will out of the universe. Hopefully, the Bolshoi will seize the opportunity to get some NYCB advice for their Diamonds team which has kind of gone off the deep end lately, although we have some of the same problems here, too. Where, oh, where did the idea come from that Diamonds is about the pain of giving childbirth?

 

 

observations 9-16

The financial auditors for the Paris Opera Ballet have slapped the company's hands for excessive spending on perks for Benjamin Millepied and other of its directors. Chauffeurs, cars, and fat lunches were part of Millepied's high life during his stay. In the two years prior to Millepied's arrival, 10 directors tallied taxi bills totaling nearly 100,000 euros.

The auditors questioned why Millepied had a chauffeured car at his disposal when no other manager enjoyed the same privilege. Honestly, we thought that Ben and Natalie were the bicycle types.

The auditors were dissatisfied with the finding that 40% of the new productions failed to get another run and 26% only got a single subsequent performance. Basically they scolded, "Do better. Do more. Do more better."

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ABT's Spring Season subscriptions will go on sale at the end of October. We're looking for a Veronika/Marcelo Swan Lake, an Abrera/Hallberg Giselle, a Teuscher Swan Lake, a Lane Giselle or Swan Lake, and a Veronika Onegin. We know we are going to be disappointed; we nearly always are even though our expectations are modest. But we need to see the full casting ASAP so that we can make plans to go to D.C. for Washington Ballet's The Dream/Lilac Garden in the big house.

There's no need to be keeping the January Swan Lake casting for K.C. a secret - unless it's bad news. The Empress With No Clothes On has had at least four chances to pick up the steps but has yet to manage more than an intermediate student rendition of the Odette/Odile roles. Time to turn those over to the professionals with the skills. K.C. is a good place to start.

 

observations 9-6

Dances Patrelle presents five performances of Macbeth at the Kaye Playhouse (@Hunter College, 695 Park Ave) beginning Thursday September 15th through Sunday September 18th. Premiered in 1995, this production by Francis Patrelle is set to a composite of Tchaikovsky's music. The original Macbeth was former Joffrey Ballet dancer Davis Robertson. This time around, actor and former Royal Ballet dancer Martin Harvey will take on the role.

There are tickets on TDF at the moment. Otherwise you can purchase them at the Kaye Playhouse box office or online here.

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A new Bloch Store seems on the verge of opening next to the Koch Theater (across 62nd from Rosa Mexicana at Columbus). Interesting choice to open a Bloch store so close to the world's largest consumer of Freed shoes. That's lovely Miriam Ould-Braham of the Paris Opera Ballet pictured in the poster:

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Speaking of Paris, it sounds like our Stella Abrera and Alexandre Hammoudi impressed the locals during their performance of Sleeping Beauty tonight. Can't complain about hearing J'ai beaucoup aimé Stella Abrera or that she richly deserved an opportunity to express her triumph in the Rose Adagio - which, of course, our Stella would never do. Nor would Aurora. And while ABT truncated bows following all the performances last week, Stella and Alex got a little extra time on stage to soak in the appreciation of the learned and sophisticated French audience. It's only right. Beauty is beauty is beauty.

Thanks to Blog A petits Pas on Twitter for this beautiful photo.

 

observations 8-30

We've got everything in Manhattan including a brand new sink hole on the Upper West Side. That's right, a sink hole has developed in the middle of Manhattan as the result of flooding from a water main break last night. Unfortunately, the flooding spread into the home of Ballet Hispanico in addition to the sink hole swallowing up somebody's white BMW. The two studio floors in the company's headquarters have been destroyed and the basement where all of their costumes were kept has been flooded as well. Artistic Director & CEO Eduardo Vilaro reminded us through the NY Daily News that when SuperStorm Sandy hit a few years back, their costume warehouse in New Jersey was destroyed.

This handsome company will need our help in the coming months. We'll post details for any fundraising benefits that we hear about.

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There is chatter about town that the Bolshoi Ballet will return to New York next summer with Balanchine's Jewels and that they will use guest dancers from NYCB and POB for the Emeralds section. We'll keep our ear to the ground for any sound of hooves.

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We need more details about the Ashley Bouder Project performances at Symphony Space on March 17 & 18. All we know is that the New York Jazzharmonic will accompany the dancers and that there will be a premiere of a commission by Liz Gering to a commissioned score by Miho Hazama. Send us your tips, please.

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While ABT is in Paris readying their Sleeping Beauty, it would be helpful if they would do a little wooing of Pierre Lacotte with the goal of persuading him to allow ABT to dance his wonderful Marco Spada that he set on the Bolshoi a few years back with David Hallberg in the lead. That would be a fabulous addition to the repertory.

Mes amis Parisiens – 6  September & 10 September (2:30pm) Ce sont des performances à ne pas manquer.

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Sorry about all the updates this morning, but the news just keeps coming.

The Joffrey Ballet will offer a first glimpse of its brand new Nutcracker by Christopher Wheeldon in a YouTube rehearsal on Thursday, September 8th at 11:30 am - we're pretty sure that's Chicago time which would be 12:30 pm in New York. Here's a link to the Joffrey's YouTube channel.

 

 

Millepied is (French) toast

Benjamin Millepied has resigned, been removed, been relieved, been accommodated, whatever, from his position at the Paris Opera Ballet. All of the players will put the best face on this situation, but the reality is that his appointment was a threat to the POB's classicism from the git-go.

Here's Millepied's Twitter resignation and here is an interesting take on it from The Guardian including "it was clear that all was not well after he lambasted the ballet’s hierarchical structure in a French television documentary."

 

And this is fabulous: Aurelie Dupont takes over as Director. True class. We love the Paris Opera Ballet. Love, love, love.