ballet blog with occasional diversions

observations 2/9

Just an update to Haglund's post on 1/25 in which he observed that NYCB's website repertory index excluded Jewels and instead listed Diamonds, Emeralds, and Rubies as separate ballets which seemed to him to further indicate NYCB's treatment of the ballet more as three separate repertory pieces than a full evening ballet. Apparently, this struck a nerve somewhere because Jewels has since been added to the index. None of the performance dates are there, however. The dates appear with the separate entries of Diamonds, Emeralds, and Rubies. It seems that another H.H. fan who doesn't want to admit to reading this blog (sadly, there are a few), raised the issue with NYCB. Haglund is always glad to help out wherever he can.

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Minneapolis is still in the dark about who they'll be getting as Giselle and Albrecht when ABT visits during the first week of April. Are they going to get the amateurs Sue Heck and Axl forced on them or are they going to get the best homegrown dancers who ABT has to offer?

After seeing the Royal New Zealand Ballet's gorgeous cinema production of Giselle starring Gillian Murphy, it is painfully clear that the reasons ABT's Kevin McKenzie has used to repress Gillian from performing the title role over the past 17 years have resulted in the equivalent of repeated Tiffany jewelry heists. We've been robbed over and over again while McKenzie substitutes cheap knock-offs and rental-cubic zirconia at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Whatever reasons McKenzie has used to repress Stella Abrera from performing the title role over the past 17 years have resulted in the same tragic robbery. There are witnesses to her debut in Santa Fe last year who were blown away by her breathtaking brilliance in the role that she was destined to dance. She's the real deal – but will ABT ever give us the real deal?

Minneapolis deserves so much better than the homely Heck Family even if Axl does switch from briefs to boxers for the occasion:

The-middle-sue-and-axl-heck-12