The last of the All-Ashton Programs Wednesday evening had
almost too many stand-out performances to cover, but Haglund will do his best.
However, he wants to take a moment to recommend to the Met Opera House staff that their
intital announcement to the audience to silence phones and pagers be amended to
include that patrons should clear the phlegm from their throats before the
music starts. Wasn't that the most annoying, disgusting display of lack of
restraint by an audience this season? And it seemed that as soon as one person
started, others joined in. The ushers should be equipped with throat trowels in order
to address this problem in the future.
almost too many stand-out performances to cover, but Haglund will do his best.
However, he wants to take a moment to recommend to the Met Opera House staff that their
intital announcement to the audience to silence phones and pagers be amended to
include that patrons should clear the phlegm from their throats before the
music starts. Wasn't that the most annoying, disgusting display of lack of
restraint by an audience this season? And it seemed that as soon as one person
started, others joined in. The ushers should be equipped with throat trowels in order
to address this problem in the future.
Birthday Offering's cast led
by Stella Abrera and Eric Tamm was gorgeous.
Stella was glorious and confident in the role originated by Margot Fonteyn and made all of those fast cabrioles in her variation look light and easy. As she slowly lowered into a penche arabesque in their PdD, Tamm took a look at her and then
looked out to the audience as if to say "Have you ever seen anything quite so
beautiful?" Preciseness in the footwork and beautifully correct style in
the upper body are Stella's calling cards now. Ashton, Petipa, Tharp, Tudor,
MacMillan, Balanchine – whatever the style, she captures the true accent and is
one of the most versatile interpretors of the company's repertory today.
Haglund's fingers are crossed tightly in hopes that we will finally get to
witness her debut as Giselle next year – which is possible unless McKenzie gives
her performance away to some guest artist. Tamm has got so much going for him
in the elegance, technique, and theatrical departments that it is hard to be patient and
wait for him to get some more meaningful opportunities. Haglund hopes that he
is giving a lot of thought to Albrecht even though he may have to wait a while
for the performance opportunity. We're certainly already thinking about it.
by Stella Abrera and Eric Tamm was gorgeous.
Stella was glorious and confident in the role originated by Margot Fonteyn and made all of those fast cabrioles in her variation look light and easy. As she slowly lowered into a penche arabesque in their PdD, Tamm took a look at her and then
looked out to the audience as if to say "Have you ever seen anything quite so
beautiful?" Preciseness in the footwork and beautifully correct style in
the upper body are Stella's calling cards now. Ashton, Petipa, Tharp, Tudor,
MacMillan, Balanchine – whatever the style, she captures the true accent and is
one of the most versatile interpretors of the company's repertory today.
Haglund's fingers are crossed tightly in hopes that we will finally get to
witness her debut as Giselle next year – which is possible unless McKenzie gives
her performance away to some guest artist. Tamm has got so much going for him
in the elegance, technique, and theatrical departments that it is hard to be patient and
wait for him to get some more meaningful opportunities. Haglund hopes that he
is giving a lot of thought to Albrecht even though he may have to wait a while
for the performance opportunity. We're certainly already thinking about it.
The other ladies in Birthday Offering were Misty
Copeland, Isabella Boylston, Melanie Hamrick (subbing for Veronika Part), Simone Messmer,
Maria Riccetto and Leann Underwood. All were
beautiful and each truly looked like a principal ballerina. The gentlemen in
the Mazurka were Craig Salstein, Daniil Simkin, Tom Forster (subbing for
Gennadi Saveliev), Blaine Hoven, Jared Matthews, and Alexandre
Hammoudi. They all acquitted themselves handsomely.
Copeland, Isabella Boylston, Melanie Hamrick (subbing for Veronika Part), Simone Messmer,
Maria Riccetto and Leann Underwood. All were
beautiful and each truly looked like a principal ballerina. The gentlemen in
the Mazurka were Craig Salstein, Daniil Simkin, Tom Forster (subbing for
Gennadi Saveliev), Blaine Hoven, Jared Matthews, and Alexandre
Hammoudi. They all acquitted themselves handsomely.
If you missed either last night's or Tuesday night's
performance of Thais PdD with Hee Seo
and Sascha Radetsky, then you missed one of the
highlights of the two repertory weeks. Of course, Massenet's
"Meditation" enters the nervous system like the highest quality Egyptian
pharmaceutical, and Anthony Dowell's costumes are a dream of a
combination of just the right amount revealed with just the right amount covered up
in a glorious orange. But the dancers turned their five minutes of pas de deux
into the event of the evening. Radetsky's partnering made Seo look like a
miracle, and she exploited every opportunity to fill the music with her plush
lines. This is a tough PdD that required enormous sustained strength from
Radetsky and complicated balancing by Seo on top of his back and shoulders. The
lighting, still uncredited in the Playbill, contributed much to the fantasy.
The audience was overcome by what it saw and insisted that Seo and Radetsky
appear again and again to receive its sustained and well-deserved applause.
performance of Thais PdD with Hee Seo
and Sascha Radetsky, then you missed one of the
highlights of the two repertory weeks. Of course, Massenet's
"Meditation" enters the nervous system like the highest quality Egyptian
pharmaceutical, and Anthony Dowell's costumes are a dream of a
combination of just the right amount revealed with just the right amount covered up
in a glorious orange. But the dancers turned their five minutes of pas de deux
into the event of the evening. Radetsky's partnering made Seo look like a
miracle, and she exploited every opportunity to fill the music with her plush
lines. This is a tough PdD that required enormous sustained strength from
Radetsky and complicated balancing by Seo on top of his back and shoulders. The
lighting, still uncredited in the Playbill, contributed much to the fantasy.
The audience was overcome by what it saw and insisted that Seo and Radetsky
appear again and again to receive its sustained and well-deserved applause.
The Awakening Pas de Deux by
Paloma Herrera and Cory Stearns seemed like
a loud snore after Thais. Haglund just wanted to get to the bar and sip a
little champagne while he thought over what he'd just seen Seo and Radetsky
perform. Awakening is another piece that isn't strong enough to stand on its
own in a mixed repertory bill. Herrera dispatched the steps as well as could
be and was in full Sleeping Beauty character. Stearns kind of shuffled through
some of his variation and looked tired. He was trying to lift the right leg
into a weak arabesque using his hip instead of his back. Gotta place the blame
squarely on teachers and staff for letting him get away with that. This guy is
still young – where is the remedial arabesque training for him? Remedial effort
now or rehabilitate later is kind of no-brainer choice.
Paloma Herrera and Cory Stearns seemed like
a loud snore after Thais. Haglund just wanted to get to the bar and sip a
little champagne while he thought over what he'd just seen Seo and Radetsky
perform. Awakening is another piece that isn't strong enough to stand on its
own in a mixed repertory bill. Herrera dispatched the steps as well as could
be and was in full Sleeping Beauty character. Stearns kind of shuffled through
some of his variation and looked tired. He was trying to lift the right leg
into a weak arabesque using his hip instead of his back. Gotta place the blame
squarely on teachers and staff for letting him get away with that. This guy is
still young – where is the remedial arabesque training for him? Remedial effort
now or rehabilitate later is kind of no-brainer choice.
The Dream was repeated with Gillian Murphy, David
Hallberg, Herman Cornejo, and Julio Bragado-Young along with Riccetto, Abrera,
Radetsky and Matthews as the mixed up lovers. Everyone was even better than on
opening night. Murphy's Titania was a more willful and silly fairy queen.
Oberon had his hands full when Titania went a little nutty, but they managed a
sublime and truly magical pas de deux to complete the evening. Cornejo's Puck –
what is there left to say about it? It's undeniably brilliant and masterful.
Julio Bragado-Young's Bottom – another brilliant stroke. Riccetto and Abrera's
little lady feud was hilarious. Haglund got into watching the little fairies'
faces as they scurried around, froze for an instant and then sped off on their important fairy
business. Every one of them was in full character and an individual, as well.
Hallberg, Herman Cornejo, and Julio Bragado-Young along with Riccetto, Abrera,
Radetsky and Matthews as the mixed up lovers. Everyone was even better than on
opening night. Murphy's Titania was a more willful and silly fairy queen.
Oberon had his hands full when Titania went a little nutty, but they managed a
sublime and truly magical pas de deux to complete the evening. Cornejo's Puck –
what is there left to say about it? It's undeniably brilliant and masterful.
Julio Bragado-Young's Bottom – another brilliant stroke. Riccetto and Abrera's
little lady feud was hilarious. Haglund got into watching the little fairies'
faces as they scurried around, froze for an instant and then sped off on their important fairy
business. Every one of them was in full character and an individual, as well.
What a great fantasy The Dream is! ABT should tour this
across America. By the way, the ABT calendar has been updated to include all of
the new Nutcracker performances as well as the Washington D.C. and London tours
and the one-night stand in Newark in November. There appear to be a lot of
performances of Theme and Variations. Here's hoping
that Stella Abrera and Eric Tamm get a crack at that piece, because they are
both definitely ready for it and would bring a grown-up elegance to T&V that
we haven't seen for a while. There is a PdD TBA, and if Washington and London
are lucky, they'll get the Thais.
across America. By the way, the ABT calendar has been updated to include all of
the new Nutcracker performances as well as the Washington D.C. and London tours
and the one-night stand in Newark in November. There appear to be a lot of
performances of Theme and Variations. Here's hoping
that Stella Abrera and Eric Tamm get a crack at that piece, because they are
both definitely ready for it and would bring a grown-up elegance to T&V that
we haven't seen for a while. There is a PdD TBA, and if Washington and London
are lucky, they'll get the Thais.
The Haglund's Heel Pump Bump Award, a Marc Jacobs beauty, must be bestowed once again upon Hee Seo and Sascha Radetsky for their stirring performance of the Thais Pas
de Deux:
4 responses to “ABT – All Ashton Program 6/30”
agreed re sascha and hee. truly sublime. and gosh, cory stearns was a shocker that night.
agreed re sascha and hee. truly sublime. and gosh, cory stearns was a shocker that night.
Michael, thanks for finding your way to Haglund’s Heel.
Too bad the Thais PdD is only 5 minutes long! Haglund was ready to hit the “Replay” button as soon as it was over.
Michael, thanks for finding your way to Haglund’s Heel.
Too bad the Thais PdD is only 5 minutes long! Haglund was ready to hit the “Replay” button as soon as it was over.