Yesterday ABT put out its customary flashy press release about the first two weeks of casting. The company made a special note that the May 22 matinee performance of Symphony in C will feature debuts by Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev in the third movement. You know, to feature as in to give special attention to, to make more prominent than all others, to identify as the special attraction of the piece.
Here's the problem. It ain't Natalia's debut in Symphony in C. According to the Bolshoi website, she's been dancing it since early 2008. First with Yegor Khromushin on April 1, 2008. Next with Artem Ovcharenko on November 17, 2008, and then again with Khromushin on November 9, 2009. She even told Elizabeth Kendall in an interview for the Dec/Jan issue of Pointe Magazine that she had danced it.
So, why the bald-faced whopper with extra sauce? What a disservice to the true company artists in the cast, ABT, to make it look like those two imports, who are the furthest things from Balanchine stylists, are going to be the highlight of the performance.
ABT's announcement included the extensive list of Opening Night Gala participants. How sad it is to see that there is room in the opening night gala performance for a bunch of children from the JKO school, but there is no room for departing longtime principal Irina Dvorovenko – the only principal who ABT will exclude from the gala performance. How disrespectful.
12 responses to “If the truth isn’t flashy enough, well, just revise”
Haglund, it also struck me as odd that in ABT’s May 2013 e-newsletter, “Pointe of View”, Dvorovenko was characterized as “admired Principal Dancer Irina Dvorovenko”. ADMIRED?! This sounds to me like a case of damning by faint praise. There are plenty of people in ABT’s audience who think of Dvorovenko, on stage, as being the very incarnation of perfection itself. If the current Directors of the company do not have the wisdom, sense of justice, and strength of character not to play favorites among the company members, they should at least have the polish and good manners not to play favorites in full view of the public.
Haglund, it also struck me as odd that in ABT’s May 2013 e-newsletter, “Pointe of View”, Dvorovenko was characterized as “admired Principal Dancer Irina Dvorovenko”. ADMIRED?! This sounds to me like a case of damning by faint praise. There are plenty of people in ABT’s audience who think of Dvorovenko, on stage, as being the very incarnation of perfection itself. If the current Directors of the company do not have the wisdom, sense of justice, and strength of character not to play favorites among the company members, they should at least have the polish and good manners not to play favorites in full view of the public.
What’s up with Irina’s departure? Something about it strikes me as odd. First, Max disappeared without any fanfare. Of course, he pretty much stopped performing a few years ago. But there was never any announcement about his retirement. Suddenly, sometime last year, his name and photo just disappeared from ABT’s website and marketing materials. Irina’s retirement, on the other hand, was announced ahead of time. But I don’t understand the rush. I’m sure she could have continued to dance for a few more years. And I’ve never heard of anyone retiring the first week of the season. Usually, dancers wait until near the end of the season to make their “swan song.”
I don’t know… maybe Irina wanted her last role to be in Onegin. Or, maybe she didn’t want to continue on in the company without Max. Or, maybe she wanted to leave while she was still in her prime—which I could understand. Still, it all seems a little weird…
I happen to love Irina. She’s absolutely gorgeous, on stage and off. Her Juliet and Giselle are to die for. And fans pack the Met when she is performing. It doesn’t make sense that she would be pushed out. Do you have any insider’s news, Haglund?
What’s up with Irina’s departure? Something about it strikes me as odd. First, Max disappeared without any fanfare. Of course, he pretty much stopped performing a few years ago. But there was never any announcement about his retirement. Suddenly, sometime last year, his name and photo just disappeared from ABT’s website and marketing materials. Irina’s retirement, on the other hand, was announced ahead of time. But I don’t understand the rush. I’m sure she could have continued to dance for a few more years. And I’ve never heard of anyone retiring the first week of the season. Usually, dancers wait until near the end of the season to make their “swan song.”
I don’t know… maybe Irina wanted her last role to be in Onegin. Or, maybe she didn’t want to continue on in the company without Max. Or, maybe she wanted to leave while she was still in her prime—which I could understand. Still, it all seems a little weird…
I happen to love Irina. She’s absolutely gorgeous, on stage and off. Her Juliet and Giselle are to die for. And fans pack the Met when she is performing. It doesn’t make sense that she would be pushed out. Do you have any insider’s news, Haglund?
I don’t have any idea of the factors that went into the decision. McKenzie’s refusal to cast her in roles in which she excels, and in fact outshines others such as Kent and Herrera is a total mystery. It was disappointing to hear that she had to fight to get cast in Camellias – which turned out to be a fantastic role for her — but McKenzie initially overlooked her for it. Her R&J with Bolle was outstanding; her Giselle with him had huge issues as the result of the terrible conducting errors made by Ormsby Wilkins, but it was still a lot better in terms of total performance than most of the other Giselles at ABT. It may be that McKenzie caters to the whims and wishes of the big-name male dancers who may prefer to dance with others. And of course, there is the problem of Kent and Vishneva who seem to monopolize Gomes and Bolle. This should have been Kent’s year to retire, not Dvorovenko’s.
I don’t have any idea of the factors that went into the decision. McKenzie’s refusal to cast her in roles in which she excels, and in fact outshines others such as Kent and Herrera is a total mystery. It was disappointing to hear that she had to fight to get cast in Camellias – which turned out to be a fantastic role for her — but McKenzie initially overlooked her for it. Her R&J with Bolle was outstanding; her Giselle with him had huge issues as the result of the terrible conducting errors made by Ormsby Wilkins, but it was still a lot better in terms of total performance than most of the other Giselles at ABT. It may be that McKenzie caters to the whims and wishes of the big-name male dancers who may prefer to dance with others. And of course, there is the problem of Kent and Vishneva who seem to monopolize Gomes and Bolle. This should have been Kent’s year to retire, not Dvorovenko’s.
Yes, I agree. This absolutely should have been Julie Kent’s year to retire. That wouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone. But Irina?? Something seems weird…
I didn’t see Irina’s Giselle with Bolle, so I can’t comment on that particular performance. In general, though, her Giselles were outstanding–soft and very moving… heartbreaking, in fact. Her Giselle is the only one I’ve seen that has ever moved me to tears.
Yes, I agree. This absolutely should have been Julie Kent’s year to retire. That wouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone. But Irina?? Something seems weird…
I didn’t see Irina’s Giselle with Bolle, so I can’t comment on that particular performance. In general, though, her Giselles were outstanding–soft and very moving… heartbreaking, in fact. Her Giselle is the only one I’ve seen that has ever moved me to tears.
Well, if Irina retires this year, and Julie retires next year (one can hope), and Paloma retires the year after that (hope springs eternal), and Xiomara the year after that (please), maybe there will be some room in the principal tier for others to move up. Is it my imagination that NYCB has many more principal dancers than ABT? In large part, of course, ABT’s repertory couldn’t support a large contingent of principal dancers. As it is, you’re lucky if you get even one shot at a role, not to mention two.
Well, if Irina retires this year, and Julie retires next year (one can hope), and Paloma retires the year after that (hope springs eternal), and Xiomara the year after that (please), maybe there will be some room in the principal tier for others to move up. Is it my imagination that NYCB has many more principal dancers than ABT? In large part, of course, ABT’s repertory couldn’t support a large contingent of principal dancers. As it is, you’re lucky if you get even one shot at a role, not to mention two.
Well, ABT’s roster could support a few more principals if they’d dump the guest artists and imports. And there are dancers who are carrying principal loads but who are not getting the formal recognition for it.
Next year, they need a complete clean-out of the Giselle cast – complete clean-out – and field a new team of Abrera, Kajiya, Lane, Murphy, Part in the title roles and several new Myrthas including Kristi Boone and Leann Underwood.
Well, ABT’s roster could support a few more principals if they’d dump the guest artists and imports. And there are dancers who are carrying principal loads but who are not getting the formal recognition for it.
Next year, they need a complete clean-out of the Giselle cast – complete clean-out – and field a new team of Abrera, Kajiya, Lane, Murphy, Part in the title roles and several new Myrthas including Kristi Boone and Leann Underwood.