ballet blog with occasional diversions

ABT – More Onegin casting

The secondary casting for Onegin was just posted, and it shows promise, mostly because it's all ABT dancers.  It looks like we are going to finally get to see Blaine Hoven's Lensky opposite Gemma Bond's Olga for Irina Dvorovenko's final two performances. 


BlaineandmariaSSYou know, Blaine's another one.  Haglund has a whole decade invested in this guy.  That's ten years of dragging the old caboose to the theater to see all of his performances.  Ten years of scraping together the cash and loose change for tickets.  And for what.  A few world-class PdTs in Swan Lake, a major success as Des Grieux in Lady of the Camellias, a career-defining PdD with Maria Riccetto in Ratmansky's Seven Sonatas (pictured right), and a few other things.  Injuries kept us from seeing him in Onegin last year, and a geriatric guest artist stole his role of The Ballet Dancer in The Bright Stream, although Blaine did get rave reviews from the audience when he performed it in California.

So maybe this will be the year that Blaine gets back on track.  We're all getting old waiting for it. 

Blaine and Gemma will dance the Wednesday Mat and Saturday evening.

Sarah Lane and Daniil Simkin have Tuesday and Thursday.

Yuriko Kayjia and Joe Gorak have Wednesday evening and Saturday Mat.

Jared Matthews and Isabella Boylston have Friday and Monday.

ABT just couldn't bear to put Jared and Yuriko together in the same cast.  That would be too much pleasure for the audience.

 

14 responses to “ABT – More Onegin casting”

  1. rachelmarch Avatar
    rachelmarch

    I’m sad that Jared got saddled with Isabella – she’s not likely to be any more of a giving partner than the bullish Osipova was last year, who basically ignored Jared and tried to jump through all the lifts which Jared is more than capable of doing terrifically. (I also think Skylar Brandt or Nicole Graniero would’ve been a much more exciting choice than Isabella for the role – and since Gemma is doing it no one can claim they’d be too short).

  2. rachelmarch Avatar
    rachelmarch

    I’m sad that Jared got saddled with Isabella – she’s not likely to be any more of a giving partner than the bullish Osipova was last year, who basically ignored Jared and tried to jump through all the lifts which Jared is more than capable of doing terrifically. (I also think Skylar Brandt or Nicole Graniero would’ve been a much more exciting choice than Isabella for the role – and since Gemma is doing it no one can claim they’d be too short).

  3. rachelmarch Avatar
    rachelmarch

    I also think it’s somewhat ridiculous to have Simkin in Bolle’s cast. I loved Bolle’s acting in Onegin last year, I thought it was one of his strongest characters to date – inserting a ham sandwich in the middle of that performance is almost criminal.

  4. rachelmarch Avatar
    rachelmarch

    I also think it’s somewhat ridiculous to have Simkin in Bolle’s cast. I loved Bolle’s acting in Onegin last year, I thought it was one of his strongest characters to date – inserting a ham sandwich in the middle of that performance is almost criminal.

  5. Haglund Avatar
    Haglund

    I’m sad, too, Rachel. Jared and Maria Riccetto were fantastic last year with Bolle and Kent. I agree that Skylar and Nicole would have been much, much better choices than Isabella. And I dread having to watch Simkin fumble through the partnering like he did last year, and then act like it’s someone else’s fault.

  6. Haglund Avatar
    Haglund

    I’m sad, too, Rachel. Jared and Maria Riccetto were fantastic last year with Bolle and Kent. I agree that Skylar and Nicole would have been much, much better choices than Isabella. And I dread having to watch Simkin fumble through the partnering like he did last year, and then act like it’s someone else’s fault.

  7. Keelia Avatar
    Keelia

    Love seeing Sarah Lane’s name listed in any cast. I have a question that I was hoping you might be able to answer. Recently, I noticed on Lane’s profile, its lists she is sponsored by Donna and Richard Esteves. Has this always been the case? Or is this new? Thanks in advance. Love reading your blog.

  8. Keelia Avatar
    Keelia

    Love seeing Sarah Lane’s name listed in any cast. I have a question that I was hoping you might be able to answer. Recently, I noticed on Lane’s profile, its lists she is sponsored by Donna and Richard Esteves. Has this always been the case? Or is this new? Thanks in advance. Love reading your blog.

  9. Haglund Avatar
    Haglund

    Hi Keelia. Thanks much for reading H.H.
    I really don’t know if that sponsorship is new or not, but I had not noticed it previously.

  10. Haglund Avatar
    Haglund

    Hi Keelia. Thanks much for reading H.H.
    I really don’t know if that sponsorship is new or not, but I had not noticed it previously.

  11. Angelica Smith Avatar
    Angelica Smith

    I saw the studio rehearsal of Jared and Isabella today. Jared was sensational!

  12. Angelica Smith Avatar
    Angelica Smith

    I saw the studio rehearsal of Jared and Isabella today. Jared was sensational!

  13. Haglund Avatar
    Haglund

    Jared is fabulous as Lensky. I saw him last year. Hopefully we’ll see his Albrecht next year –– with Yuriko.

  14. Haglund Avatar
    Haglund

    Jared is fabulous as Lensky. I saw him last year. Hopefully we’ll see his Albrecht next year –– with Yuriko.