Three ABT Coppelias and a NYCB rep program equal one crowded weekend calendar. Check back here on Sunday for a blog post unless something earth shattering happens that keeps Haglund up all night blogging. These Coppelias had better be worth missing The Four Temperaments – especially with Sara Mearns debuting in Sanguinic on Saturday.
––––––––––
Joseph Phillips will dance Prince Siegfried in the State Primorsky Opera and Ballet's production of Swan Lake tonight and tomorrow opposite the lovely Irina Sapozhnikova.
––––––––––
It is looking more and more promising that Maria Alexandrova has recovered from her Achilles injury and will indeed dance her scheduled Don Q when the Bolshoi arrives in NYC in July. The July casting for the company's run in Saratoga Springs has just been announced, and Maria will dance Don Q twice – on July 29th and August 1st.
––––––––––
Haglund is very excited to see Joe Gorak as the Prince in the upcoming ABT production of Cinderella with Xiomara Reyes in the title role. Having watched Xiomara skillfully guide Herman Cornejo through his first performances of Albrecht, Sascha Radetsky through his first performances as the Prince in Kudelka's Cinderella, and Cory Stearns through his first performances as Oberon in The Dream, Haglund is sure that Gorak will be in good hands for this major, major debut. We all will be cheering before things get really and literally ugly during Giselle Week when there will be so much to complain about, particularly on Wednesday afternoon. And it appears that 45-year-old Julie Kent has her cougar claws firmly into the flesh of Marcelo Gomes and intends to "dance" Cinderella for the first time. Do you think that anyone will notice when the steps go blurring by – or are so slow that they could freeze on a hot June day? And Julie will be monopolizing yet another Giselle, for Pete's sake. True, we always get a lovely Act II if there is a strong guy who can drag her around, but to be perfectly frank, Julie's Act I has always died long before Giselle's heart gave out. Meanwhile, Stella Abrera, the consummate classicist who should be dancing both Giselle and Cinderella, is the only soloist without a leading role this season.
10 responses to “observations 5/30”
Looks like Herman Cornejo got a new headshot. I didn’t like the old one, but not totally loving this one either.
Hee Seo looks like she might have gotten an update too
Looks like Herman Cornejo got a new headshot. I didn’t like the old one, but not totally loving this one either.
Hee Seo looks like she might have gotten an update too
I like Herman’s new headshot. The unruly mop of curls is a nice change.
I like Herman’s new headshot. The unruly mop of curls is a nice change.
I would prefer to see Seo’s Cinderella, but that would mean sitting through Whiteside. So I guess it’s Reyes and Gorak for me. Cinderella would be a perfect foray into lead roles for Lane, but instead Kent gets to try it out at this point in her career? It isn’t even like she has been dancing the role for years and wants to hold on to it past her prime, which I think older, distinguished ballerinas earn the right to do especially if it’s a signature role. But in Kent’s case it is so preposterous, she should maybe dance Fairy Godmother instead. Let me guess, Abrera will probably be cast as one of the Seasons? Shame.
I am glad to see Alexandrova back and dancing Kitri, hopefully that means she is at full strength. She is one of those dancers who are comfortable showing us who they are onstage, what you see is what you get. She’s not suitable for every role, frankly there are few misses like Aurora, but she has a commanding presence that’s hard to dismiss even in less successful roles.
I would prefer to see Seo’s Cinderella, but that would mean sitting through Whiteside. So I guess it’s Reyes and Gorak for me. Cinderella would be a perfect foray into lead roles for Lane, but instead Kent gets to try it out at this point in her career? It isn’t even like she has been dancing the role for years and wants to hold on to it past her prime, which I think older, distinguished ballerinas earn the right to do especially if it’s a signature role. But in Kent’s case it is so preposterous, she should maybe dance Fairy Godmother instead. Let me guess, Abrera will probably be cast as one of the Seasons? Shame.
I am glad to see Alexandrova back and dancing Kitri, hopefully that means she is at full strength. She is one of those dancers who are comfortable showing us who they are onstage, what you see is what you get. She’s not suitable for every role, frankly there are few misses like Aurora, but she has a commanding presence that’s hard to dismiss even in less successful roles.
I am most anxious to see “Cinderella,” but have no idea which cast or casts to see. Balanchine/NYCB are my standard/what I know. Recommendations, please!
I am most anxious to see “Cinderella,” but have no idea which cast or casts to see. Balanchine/NYCB are my standard/what I know. Recommendations, please!
Hi KCB. I think you would be happiest at the Gillian Murphy/David Hallberg performance. Most likely, neither Hee Seo nor Julie Kent will do all of the steps, but most people in the audience won’t notice over their smiles. Xiomara will definitely kill the steps but she’s dancing with a very inexperienced (but extremely talented) Joe Gorak who really should be at NYCB instead of ABT.
Hi KCB. I think you would be happiest at the Gillian Murphy/David Hallberg performance. Most likely, neither Hee Seo nor Julie Kent will do all of the steps, but most people in the audience won’t notice over their smiles. Xiomara will definitely kill the steps but she’s dancing with a very inexperienced (but extremely talented) Joe Gorak who really should be at NYCB instead of ABT.