It's terrific to hear that Angel is the new Artistic Director at Pennsylvania Ballet. Wow. Wow. Wow. Can't wait to use the Amtrak senior pass to go down to Philly to experience a dose of that Angel energy in PA Ballet's super dancers.
What a great artistic fit. What a smart Board of Directors to grab this guy!
Chalk up another one for Haglund's legendary speculation spectacles. From the blog on June 10th:
Haglund has been peering through his legendary speculation spectacles this morning.
Angel Corella has virtually worldwide sympathy from the ballet community for his situation in Spain. Everyone believed in him and his abilities to succeed as a director to the extent that he succeeded on the stage as a dancer. Many wanted to work for him. Many still want to work for him.
Now that Angel has announced that he has had to dismantle his ballet company due to Spain's failure to support it and will leave his country, everyone is curious where he will land. Probably some bright-thinking dancers have even dusted off suitcases.
You know, Pennsylvania Ballet needs a new Artistic Director now that Roy Kaiser has decided to retire. Wouldn't Angel be a perfect fit? His sister Carmen used to dance there before joining ABT.
Philadelphia would be so lucky, and America would be so lucky to have Angel back on its soil. Let's cross our fingers and hope that this or something similar happens very soon.
16 responses to “Congratulations to Angel Corella and PA Ballet”
Might this be a great stepping stone to ABT? Better yet, Danny Radojevic to helm ABT.
Might this be a great stepping stone to ABT? Better yet, Danny Radojevic to helm ABT.
Hi Xabt.
Angel wouldn’t need a stepping stone in order to step into ABT’s AD slot and restore luster to the company. He’s had a baptism by fire already in Spain while clearly proving what a tremendous director he is. Angel, Bocca, Stiefel are the three who we know could reverse ABT’s slow and steady decline under McKenzie, but the entrenched director needs to be extracted first, which the lazy board of directors doesn’t seem inclined to do. Radojevic is another person who might be able to do it.
Hi Xabt.
Angel wouldn’t need a stepping stone in order to step into ABT’s AD slot and restore luster to the company. He’s had a baptism by fire already in Spain while clearly proving what a tremendous director he is. Angel, Bocca, Stiefel are the three who we know could reverse ABT’s slow and steady decline under McKenzie, but the entrenched director needs to be extracted first, which the lazy board of directors doesn’t seem inclined to do. Radojevic is another person who might be able to do it.
Does PB dance Swan Lake? Perhaps Angel will bring in Sarah Lane so we can see her there.
Does PB dance Swan Lake? Perhaps Angel will bring in Sarah Lane so we can see her there.
Hi, Angelica. PB does Wheeldon’s Swan Lake which is another messing-up of a great classic.
Hi, Angelica. PB does Wheeldon’s Swan Lake which is another messing-up of a great classic.
I have never seen PB performances, are they similar to Boston Ballet and Houston ballet as far as regional companies go, or slightly lesser?
Corella would make a better AD at ABT than anyone else, he’d be a better candidate over Steifel in my opinion, if only for the reason that he tried and almost succeeded in creating a major company steeped in classicism. He could have gone the easy route like Mr. Natalie Portman by garnering hype with experimental dance troupe and similar projects. What Corella did and tried to do, was such a project of monumental undertaking, I mean starting a national company and one with full length classical works. Spain certainly lost its opportunity at ever having a true, classical, national company when they let Corella walk without giving him support.
I have never seen PB performances, are they similar to Boston Ballet and Houston ballet as far as regional companies go, or slightly lesser?
Corella would make a better AD at ABT than anyone else, he’d be a better candidate over Steifel in my opinion, if only for the reason that he tried and almost succeeded in creating a major company steeped in classicism. He could have gone the easy route like Mr. Natalie Portman by garnering hype with experimental dance troupe and similar projects. What Corella did and tried to do, was such a project of monumental undertaking, I mean starting a national company and one with full length classical works. Spain certainly lost its opportunity at ever having a true, classical, national company when they let Corella walk without giving him support.
I would love to see Corella at the helm of ABT. I believe he could turn it into America’s National Ballet Company, or whatever it is they call it these days, which it isn’t, as well as a world class company, which it no longer is because of the promotion of certain lesser dancers to principal status. I would also like to see David Hallberg back full-time with the company that nurtured him, as I don’t see that he’s gained so much by dancing with the Bolshoi, and he would be a real asset based primarily at ABT. Perhaps Corella could become Hallberg’s coach. It’s the full-time coaching that Hallberg speaks of most when he speaks of the benefits of dancing with the Bolshoi.
I would love to see Corella at the helm of ABT. I believe he could turn it into America’s National Ballet Company, or whatever it is they call it these days, which it isn’t, as well as a world class company, which it no longer is because of the promotion of certain lesser dancers to principal status. I would also like to see David Hallberg back full-time with the company that nurtured him, as I don’t see that he’s gained so much by dancing with the Bolshoi, and he would be a real asset based primarily at ABT. Perhaps Corella could become Hallberg’s coach. It’s the full-time coaching that Hallberg speaks of most when he speaks of the benefits of dancing with the Bolshoi.
Both happy and sad about this new venture for Angel. Happy he will return to the U.S., and develop PAB further. Sad that, his brave and generous enterprise in Spain didn’t get the support it so obviously merited. Meanwhile, the trailer to the documentary about that effort is still viewable here: http://www.dancemedia.com/v/1528. Maybe, the funding difficulties both Angel and I experienced bringing our projects to fruition can succeed finally? And now additional footage has been shot of his most recent work in Hartford setting DonQ –hopefully as a ‘coda’ to the doc.
Both happy and sad about this new venture for Angel. Happy he will return to the U.S., and develop PAB further. Sad that, his brave and generous enterprise in Spain didn’t get the support it so obviously merited. Meanwhile, the trailer to the documentary about that effort is still viewable here: http://www.dancemedia.com/v/1528. Maybe, the funding difficulties both Angel and I experienced bringing our projects to fruition can succeed finally? And now additional footage has been shot of his most recent work in Hartford setting DonQ –hopefully as a ‘coda’ to the doc.
Hi, Gerri. Angel will be in a good place in Philly. Roy Kaiser is leaving on a high note. The company is on an upswing having increased its revenues from $8,861,632 to $13,471,556. It enjoys artistic respect and has the benefit of being in a tremendous market area.
Thanks for the reminder about your documentary. It’s great that you have been able to add footage of Angel’s work this summer in Hartford. I hope that funding will loosen up for you so that you can complete it. Best of luck tonight to the young dancers at the Hartt School for their performance of Angel’s staged Don Q. What a thrill of a lifetime for them!
Hi, Gerri. Angel will be in a good place in Philly. Roy Kaiser is leaving on a high note. The company is on an upswing having increased its revenues from $8,861,632 to $13,471,556. It enjoys artistic respect and has the benefit of being in a tremendous market area.
Thanks for the reminder about your documentary. It’s great that you have been able to add footage of Angel’s work this summer in Hartford. I hope that funding will loosen up for you so that you can complete it. Best of luck tonight to the young dancers at the Hartt School for their performance of Angel’s staged Don Q. What a thrill of a lifetime for them!