Okay, Haglund is a little more sour than usual because he could not attend last night's world premiere of the Royal New Zealand Ballet's production of Sleeping Beauty starring Stella Abrera as AURORA. But the word is out already this morning that Stella stunned them with her Beauty.
Raewyn Whyte, who will be formally reviewing the opening performance in Auckland on November 30th, attended the premiere and was kind enough to send all Haglund'eelers a few notes which appear in full here and which include:
Ok so, briefly on a night when I was just there for pleasure (and to inform my interview) — Stella Abrera rules! A beautiful, lissom Aurora, with impeccable technique, split second timing, a mature authority in everything she does, and she utterly charmed the audience.
You have to scroll all the way to the bottom of the link above and through the numerous comments – numerous because there are a lot of Haglund'eelers in these here parts who are unhappy about missing Stella's debut.
Check back here for reviews (click on "comments" at bottom of post), pictures, and comments as they come in.
In the meantime, congratulations to our Stella!
Update:
Here's what we've been waiting for. Evan Li caught some lovely photos of the performance and has placed them on the RNZB FB page here, including this one of AURORA (click on photo to enlarge):
Photo by Evan Li for RNZB.
28 responses to “10/30 Update: scroll down
Stella Abrera Debuts as Aurora in
RNZB’s Sleeping Beauty Premiere”
It’s about time!!! So glad for Stella!
It’s about time!!! So glad for Stella!
Now there’s a performance I would pay to watch live in HD on a movie screen – (rather than the Bolshoi’s mass marketing of a certain other showboat.) I’m so happy for Stella!
Now there’s a performance I would pay to watch live in HD on a movie screen – (rather than the Bolshoi’s mass marketing of a certain other showboat.) I’m so happy for Stella!
wonderful to hear 🙂
wonderful to hear 🙂
From theatreview.org’s Greer Robertson:
“Guest Artist Stella Abrera from American Ballet Theatre as Princess Aurora is divine. With crystal clear precision she executed the most difficult of steps with ease, grace and fluidity.”
http://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/review.php?id=4322
From theatreview.org’s Greer Robertson:
“Guest Artist Stella Abrera from American Ballet Theatre as Princess Aurora is divine. With crystal clear precision she executed the most difficult of steps with ease, grace and fluidity.”
http://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/review.php?id=4322
From the Dominion Post’s review of RNZB’s Sleeping Beauty (courtesy of our friends at nzdancenews):
“Stella Abrera was in truly elegant command throughout”
Here’s the link to the full review:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/culture/performance/5880058/Spirited-ballet-performance
From the Dominion Post’s review of RNZB’s Sleeping Beauty (courtesy of our friends at nzdancenews):
“Stella Abrera was in truly elegant command throughout”
Here’s the link to the full review:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/culture/performance/5880058/Spirited-ballet-performance
Don’t know if you’re on Facebook or not, but there’s a gorgeous photo of Stella as Aurora on the RNZ’s FB page.
Don’t know if you’re on Facebook or not, but there’s a gorgeous photo of Stella as Aurora on the RNZ’s FB page.
Thank you Suzette!!
Thank you Suzette!!
According to Radio New Zealand, RNZB is now considering touring its Sleeping Beauty to China as early as 2012. Here’s the link:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/89713/rnzb-plans-china-tour
According to Radio New Zealand, RNZB is now considering touring its Sleeping Beauty to China as early as 2012. Here’s the link:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/89713/rnzb-plans-china-tour
From The National Business Review:
“Last Friday night on the stage of the St James Theatre Stella Abrera in the guise of Princess Aurora appeared to inhabit a different world from the dancers around her. This was not just great classical dancer but a sparkling gem of pure movement.
Her dazzling display combined supreme elegance, technical fluidity and emotional richness which was electrifying in its power and urgency.”
Here’s the link:
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/electrifying-sleeping-beauty-103504
From The National Business Review:
“Last Friday night on the stage of the St James Theatre Stella Abrera in the guise of Princess Aurora appeared to inhabit a different world from the dancers around her. This was not just great classical dancer but a sparkling gem of pure movement.
Her dazzling display combined supreme elegance, technical fluidity and emotional richness which was electrifying in its power and urgency.”
Here’s the link:
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/electrifying-sleeping-beauty-103504
Fashion stylist Sally-ann Moffat blogs about RNZB’s opening night of Sleeping Beauty:
“Stella Abrera the Guest Artist for RNZB, a soloist from American Ballet Theatre, was mesmerising as Aurora. Her delicate frame, her beauty and her expressive form were enchanting to watch. The Rose Adagio is a technically challenging part of the role of Aurora and she accomplished it with grace and apparent ease. Sergio Torrado (most recently seen on the Big Screen as Natalie Portman’s dance partner in Black Swan) guest starred as Prince Dèsirè providing an athleticism and raw masculinity needed in a ballet of this calibre. His strength and virility offset Aurora’s vulnerability with a subtle and delicate nuance. His characters initial disinterest gave way to a display of tenderness seen only in the greatest love stories.”
Here’s the link:
http://sally-annmoffat.co.nz/Blog/EntryId/97/The-Sleeping-Beauty.aspx
Fashion stylist Sally-ann Moffat blogs about RNZB’s opening night of Sleeping Beauty:
“Stella Abrera the Guest Artist for RNZB, a soloist from American Ballet Theatre, was mesmerising as Aurora. Her delicate frame, her beauty and her expressive form were enchanting to watch. The Rose Adagio is a technically challenging part of the role of Aurora and she accomplished it with grace and apparent ease. Sergio Torrado (most recently seen on the Big Screen as Natalie Portman’s dance partner in Black Swan) guest starred as Prince Dèsirè providing an athleticism and raw masculinity needed in a ballet of this calibre. His strength and virility offset Aurora’s vulnerability with a subtle and delicate nuance. His characters initial disinterest gave way to a display of tenderness seen only in the greatest love stories.”
Here’s the link:
http://sally-annmoffat.co.nz/Blog/EntryId/97/The-Sleeping-Beauty.aspx
Now I can die happy. Thank you, Haglund, for your extraordinary blog!
Now I can die happy. Thank you, Haglund, for your extraordinary blog!
This is not the time to die. We have miles to go before we sleep. Repeat.
This is not the time to die. We have miles to go before we sleep. Repeat.
Yup, you’re right Haglund, this is not the time to die–we’ll have to wait until ABT has a “No Guest Star” season with a 100% ABT dancer cast.
Yup, you’re right Haglund, this is not the time to die–we’ll have to wait until ABT has a “No Guest Star” season with a 100% ABT dancer cast.
We may have to live forever.
We may have to live forever.