CriticalDance Forum

Highlights include 'Desir', 'La Sylphide' and 'On the Dnieper'. As a note, the Danish translation of 'La Sylphide' is 'Sylfiden', not 'Sylphiden'.

But WHY WHY another season with 'Swan Lake' and 'Le Corsaire' and 'Romeo and Juliet'. R&J isn't so bad, but ABT's Swan Lake is horrid and 'Le Corsaire' is very, very thin - you've a lot to survive through to enjoy the pas de trois. And my memory is that the production of 'Sylvia' is also horrid. Hopefully the new ballets will make up for the repeats and horrids.


ALEXEI RATMANSKY TO STAGE ALL-NEW PRODUCTION OF
ON THE DNIEPER FOR AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE
2009 SPRING SEASON AT METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE,
MAY 18-JULY 11, 2009

BALANCHINE/TCHAIKOVSKY SPECTACULAR AND
ALL-PROKOFIEV CELEBRATION TO
HIGHLIGHT EIGHT-WEEK SEASON

NINA ANANIASHVILI TO GIVE FINAL PERFORMANCE ON JUNE 27

7:30 P.M. Curtain Time for Monday through Thursday Performances to Begin


American Ballet Theatre¹s 2009 Spring Season at the Metropolitan
Opera House, May 18-July 11, was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin
McKenzie. Highlighting the engagement will be the World Premiere of an
all-new staging of On the Dnieper by Alexei Ratmansky, ABT¹s
Artist-in-Residence.

Principal Dancers for the engagement will include Nina
Ananiashvili, Maxim Beloserkovsky, Roberto Bolle, Jose Manuel Carreño, Angel
Corella, Herman Cornejo, Irina Dvorovenko, Marcelo Gomes, David Hallberg,
Paloma Herrera, Julie Kent, Gillian Murphy, Xiomara Reyes, Ethan Stiefel,
Diana Vishneva and Michele Wiles. Natalia Osipova, a leading soloist with
the Bolshoi Ballet, will perform as a guest artist for the Spring season.

Superfund Asset Management, Inc. is the sponsor of American
Ballet Theatre¹s 2009 Metropolitan Opera House season. Saks Fifth Avenue is
the Leading Corporate Sponsor of the Costume Fund. J.P. Morgan is the
Official Sponsor of Make a Ballet. American Airlines is ABT¹s Official
Airline. Northern Trust is the Official Sponsor of the Jacqueline Kennedy
Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre. The 2009 Metropolitan Opera
House Season is also made possible with public funds from the National
Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, a state
agency and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

The 2009 Spring Season will open with a Gala performance
featuring ABT¹s Principal Dancers on Monday, May 18 at 6:30 P.M. For
information on ABT¹s Spring Gala, please call the Special Events Office at
212-477-3030, ext. 3239. ABT¹s Spring Gala is sponsored Carolina Herrera,
Ltd. and Graff.



World Premiere and All-Prokofiev Evening

Alexei Ratmansky, American Ballet Theatre¹s Artist-in-Residence,
will choreograph an all-new production of Sergei Prokofiev¹s On the Dnieper
which will receive its World Premiere on Monday evening, June 1 as part of
ABT¹¹s All-Prokofiev Celebration. On the Dnieper will feature sets by Simon
Pastukh, costumes by Galina Solovyeva and lighting by Brad Fields.
Prokofiev¹s score for On the Dnieper was originally commissioned by Sergei
Diaghilev and the ballet received its World Premiere in 1932 by the Paris
Opera Ballet.

The All-Prokofiev Celebration will also include the Company
Premiere of James Kudelka¹s Désir and the Revival Premiere of George
Balanchine¹s Prodigal Son. ABT¹s All-Prokofiev Celebration will have eight
performances through June 6. Kudelka¹s Désir, set to Prokofiev¹s Cinderella
(Op. 87) and the Waltz Suite (Op. 110), features a scenic concept and
lighting by Robert Thomson. The ballet, which will be staged for ABT by
Gerard Charles, received its World Premiere on January 31, 1991 by Les Grand
Ballets Canadiens.

George Balanchine¹s Prodigal Son, based on the Biblical parable,
will have its Revival Premiere on Monday, June 1, with Ethan Stiefel as The
Son and Michele Wiles as The Siren. The ballet premiered as Le Fils
Prodigue at the Paris Theatre by Diaghilev¹s Ballets Russes on May 21, 1929
and was first performed by American Ballet Theatre in 1980. Prodigal Son
features a libretto by Boris Kochino, scenery and costumes by Georges
Rouault and lighting by Gil Wechsler. The ballet will be staged for ABT by
Richard Tanner.

All-Balanchine/Tchaikovsky Evening

George Balanchine¹s Allegro Brillante will have its first
performance of the season on Tuesday evening, May 19 led by Gillian Murphy
as part of American Ballet Theatre¹s All-Balanchine/Tchaikovsky Spectacular.
The program, which will have eight performances through Monday evening, May
25, will also include Balanchine¹s Tchiakovsky Pas de Deux, Mozartiana and
Theme and Variations.

Allegro Brillante, set to music by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky
(Piano Concerto No. 3, Op. 75), received its World Premiere by New York City
Ballet on March 1, 1956. Allegro Brillante willl be staged for ABT by Judith
Fugate. The ballet will be given its ABT Company on February 17, 2009 at the
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Paloma Herrera and Marcelo Gomes will dance the season¹s first
performance of Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux on Monday evening, May 19.
Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux uses music the composer originally intended for the
pas de deux in Act III of Swan Lake and features costumes by Karinska. The
ballet was given its World Premiere by New York City Ballet at the City
Center of Music and Drama in 1960 and entered the repertoire of American
Ballet Theatre in 1979.

The season¹s first performance of Balanchine¹s Mozartiana, set
to Tchaikovsky¹s Suite No. 4, will be led by Veronika Part and Maxim
Beloserkovsky on Tuesday evening, May 19. Staged for ABT by Maria Calegari,
Mozartiana features costumes by Rouben Ter-Arutunian and lighting by Mark
Stanley. The ballet was given its World Premiere by Les Ballets 1933 at the
Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris on June 7, 1933. Mozartiana received
its American Ballet Theatre Company Premiere at the Metropolitan Opera House
on May 24, 2004.

ABT¹s production of Theme and Variations, staged by Kirk
Peterson, is set to Tchaikovsky¹s Suite No. 3 for Orchestra and features
costumes by Theoni V. Aldredge and lighting by David K. H. Elliott. Theme
and Variations received its World Premiere at New York City Center on
November 26, 1947. Peterson¹s staging of the ballet received its ABT
Company Premiere at City Center, New York on October 22, 2003. Michele
Wiles and David Hallberg will lead the cast of Theme and Variations on
Tuesday evening, May 19.



Revival Premieres

The 2009 season will include the Revival Premieres of Paul Taylor¹s
Airs and August Bournonville¹s La Sylphide on Monday, June 15. The ballets
will be given eight performances through Saturday evening, June 20.

Set to a score by Hermann von Lovenskjold, La Sylphide (The
Sylph of the Highlands) is a ballet in two acts and features scenery and
costumes by Desmond Heeley and lighting by David K.H. Elliott. The World
Premiere of La Sylphide (known as Sylphiden) was given by the Royal Danish
Ballet at the Royal Theatre, Copenhagen on November 28, 1836 with Lucile
Grahn and August Bournonville. Last performed by ABT in 2000, the ballet
received its ABT premiere in 1964 with choreography by Harald Lander, from
the original by Bournonville. ABT¹s second production of La Sylphide, with
choreography by Bournonville, restaged by Erik Bruhn, was given its first
performance in July, 1971. Xiomara Reyes and Herman Cornejo will lead the
cast of the Revival Premiere of La Sylphide.

Paul Taylor¹s Airs, set to music by George Frederic Handel
(Concerto Grossi in G, Op. 3), features designs by Gene Moore and lighting
by Jennifer Tipton. Airs received its World Premiere by the Paul Taylor
Dance Company in 1978 and its ABT Company Premiere in 1981. Airs, last
performed by ABT in 1999, will be staged by Susan McGuire.



Full-Length Ballets

American Ballet Theatre¹s 2009 season will include performances
of five full-length ballets beginning with Le Corsaire on Tuesday evening,
May 26.

With choreography by Konstantin Sergeyev after Marius Petipa,
and staging by Anna-Marie Holmes after Petipa and Sergeyev, Le Corsaire
features music by Adolphe Adam, Cesare Pugni, Léo Delibes, Riccardo Drigo
and Prince Oldenbourg. Based on the Lord Byron poem ³The Corsair² (1814),
the ballet has sets and costumes by Irina Tibilova with additional costume
designs by Robert Perdziola. Paloma Herrera and David Hallberg will lead the
seasons first performance of Le Corsaire. The ballet will be given seven
performances through Saturday evening, May 30.

Eight performances of Giselle will he performed beginning
Monday, June 8 with Julie Kent in the title role dancing opposite Marcelo
Gomes as Albrecht. Set to music by Adolphe Adam and orchestrated by John
Lanchbery, Giselle is staged by Kevin McKenzie with choreography after Jean
Coralli, Jules Perrot and Marius Petipa. The two-act ballet features
scenery by Gianni Quaranta and costumes by Anna Anni. This production, with
scenery by Quaranta and costumes by Anni, was created for the film Dancers
in 1987.

Eight performances of Swan Lake, choreographed by Kevin McKenzie
after Marius Petipa, will be given beginning Monday, June 22 with Irina
Dvorovenko and Maxim Beloserkovsky leading the opening night cast. Swan
Lake is set to the score by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky and features scenery
and costumes by Zack Brown and lighting by Duane Schuler. This production
of Swan Lake premiered on March 24, 2000 at the Kennedy Center for the
Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Nina Ananiashvili will give her final
performance with American Ballet Theatre in the role of Odette/Odile
opposite Angel Corella as Prince Siegfried on Saturday evening, June 27.

Sir Frederick Ashton¹s Sylvia, will be given seven performances,
June 29 through July 4. Gillian Murphy and Maxim Beloserkovsky will dance
the leading roles at the season¹s first performance. A ballet in three
acts, Sylvia is set to music by Léo Delibes and features costumes and
scenery after original designs by Robin and Christopher Ironside.
Additional designs for the revival of Sylvia are by Peter Farmer and
lighting is by Mark Jonathan.

The World Premiere of the original production of Sylvia was
given by The Royal Ballet on September 3, 1952 at the Royal Opera House,
Covent Garden, London, danced by Margot Fonteyn (Sylvia), Michael Somes
(Aminta), John Hart (Orion) and Alexander Grant (Eros). The United States
Premiere of this original production was given by the Sadler¹s Wells (now
The Royal Ballet) on September 29, 1953 at the Metropolitan Opera House in
New York. Sylvia received its American Ballet Theatre Company Premiere at

the Metropolitan Opera House, New York on June 3, 2005, danced by Gillian
Murphy (Sylvia), Maxim Beloserkovsky (Aminta), Herman Cornejo (Eros) and
Marcelo Gomes (Orion). The ballet is staged for ABT by Christopher Newton.

The final week of American Ballet Theatre¹s eight week season at the
Metropolitan Opera House will feature eight performances of Kenneth
MacMillan¹s Romeo and Juliet beginning Monday evening, July 6 with Diana
Vishneva in the title role of Juliet. Set to the music of Sergei Prokofiev,
Romeo and Juliet features scenery and costumes by Nicholas Georgiadis and
lighting by Thomas Skelton. The ballet received its World Premiere by The
Royal Ballet in London on February 9, 1965 and was given its ABT Company
Premiere at the Metropolitan Opera House on April 22, 1985.



ABTKids

ABTKids, American Ballet Theatre¹s annual one-hour introduction
to ballet, is scheduled for Saturday matinee, May 30 at 11:30am. All
tickets for ABTKids are $25. The ABTKids performance is generously supported
through an endowed gift from Thomas and Lydia West, in loving memory of
Vivian B. West.



ABTKids Workshop Series

ABTKids Workshop Series, activity-based programs led by ABT
Teaching Artists, are available to ABTKids ticket holders only on Saturday,
May 30 (9:30 am) and to matinee ticket holders on Saturday, June 30 (11:00
am). Saturday workshops will be held in the rehearsal studios of the
Metropolitan Opera House. Tickets to the workshops are $20 per person. For
tickets and more information on ABTKids Workshop series, please call
212-419-4321.

Subscriptions for American Ballet Theatre¹s 2009 Spring Season
at the Metropolitan Opera House are on sale now by phone at 212-362-6000, or
online at ABT¹s website www.abt.org <http://www.abt.org> .



The Balanchine-Tchaikovsky Spectacular is generously sponsored through an
endowed gift from Monica, Stefano, Cosima and Tassilo Corsi. Theme and
Variations is generously underwritten through an endowed gift from Mr. and
Mrs. John C. Sites, Jr.

The World Premiere of On the Dneiper is made possible by the generous
support of The Ross Stretton Choreography Workshop Fund.

ABT¹s performances of Le Corsaire are generously sponsored through an
endowed gift from Irene and Fred Shen.

Giselle is generously supported through an endowed gift from Anka K. Palitz,
in memory of Clarence Y. Palitz, Jr.

Sylvia is generously sponsored through an endowed gift from Ruth and Harold
Newman. The ballet is made possible with public funds from the New York
State Council on the Arts, a State Agency.

Swan Lake is generously underwritten by The Rosh Foundation.

ABT¹s production of Romeo and Juliet is generously underwritten through an
endowed gift from Ali and Monica Wambold.

CA, Inc. is a Sponsor of ABT¹s Family Initiatives.

Starting this May, it makes you want to move to New York.

"Natalia" will be there, maybe to take over for "Nina" who will leaving June 27.

Only several really good "Veronika" ones so far.

http://www.abt.org/performances/calendar_index1.asp

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE
Metropolitan Opera House - Spring, 2009


THIRD WEEK

Mon. Eve., June 1 7:30 P.M. ALL-PROKOFIEV PROGRAM
DÉSIR (COMPANY PREMIERE) – Murphy, Hoven, Copeland,
Lopez, Boylston, Stearns
ON THE DNIEPER (WORLD PREMIERE) – Part, Gomes,
Herrera, Hallberg
PRODIGAL SON – Stiefel, Wiles

Tues. Eve., June 2, 7:30 P.M. ALL-PROKOFIEV PROGRAM
DÉSIR – Reyes*, Zhurbin*, Kajiya*, Salstein*, Riccetto*,
Matthews*
ON THE DNIEPER – Seo*, Carreño*, Vishneva*, Hammoudi*
PRODIGAL SON – Corella, Boone*

Wed. Mat., June 3, 2 P.M. ALL-PROKOFIEV PROGRAM
DÉSIR – Messmer*, Doble*, Copeland, Lopez, Boylston, Stearns
ON THE DNIEPER – Part, Gomes, Herrera, Hallberg
PRODIGAL SON – Cornejo*, Dvorovenko

Wed. Eve., June 3, 7:30 P.M. ALL-PROKOFIEV PROGRAM
DÉSIR – Reyes, Zhurbin, Kajiya, Salstein, Riccetto, Matthews
ON THE DNIEPER – Seo, Carreño, Vishneva, Hammoudi
PRODIGAL SON – Stiefel, Wiles


Thurs. Eve., June 4, 7:30 P.M. ALL-PROKOFIEV PROGRAM
DÉSIR – Murphy, Hoven, Lane*, Hammoudi*, Seo*, Gomes*
ON THE DNIEPER – Riccetto*, Saveliev*, Messmer*, Tamm*
PRODIGAL SON – Corella, Boone

Fri. Eve., June 5, 8 P.M. ALL-PROKOFIEV PROGRAM
DÉSIR – Reyes, Zhurbin, Kajiya, Salstein, Riccetto, Matthews
ON THE DNIEPER – Seo, Carreño, Vishneva, Hammoudi
PRODIGAL SON – Cornejo, Dvorovenko

Sat. Mat., June 6, 2 P.M. ALL-PROKOFIEV PROGRAM
DÉSIR – Murphy, Hoven, Lane, Hammoudi, Seo, Gomes
ON THE DNIEPER – Riccetto, Saveliev, Messmer, Tamm
PRODIGAL SON – Stiefel, Wiles

(more)

THIRD WEEK (cont.)

Sat. Eve., June 6, 8 P.M. ALL-PROKOFIEV PROGRAM
DÉSIR – Messmer, Doble, Copeland, Lopez, Boylston, Stearns
ON THE DNIEPER – Part, Gomes, Herrera, Hallberg
PRODIGAL SON – Corella, Boone

FOURTH WEEK

Mon. Eve., June 8, 7:30 P.M. GISELLE – Ananiashvili, Gomes, Murphy, Saveliev

Tues. Eve., June 9, 7:30 P.M. GISELLE – Vishneva, Corella, Wiles, Stappas

Wed. Mat., June 10, 2 P.M. GISELLE – Riccetto+, Hallberg+, Messmer+, Matthews

Wed. Eve., June 10, 7:30 P.M. GISELLE – Dvorovenko, Beloserkovsky, Part, Saveliev

Thurs. Eve., June 11, 7:30 P.M. GISELLE – Herrera, Bolle**, Wiles, Stappas

Fri. Eve., June 12, 8 P.M. GISELLE – Ananiashvili, Carreño, Murphy, Saveliev

Sat. Mat., June 13, 2 P.M. GISELLE – Reyes, Cornejo, TBA, Stappas

Sat. Eve., June 13, 8 P.M. GISELLE – Osipova**, Stiefel, Part, Matthews

-30-

Friday, May 15, 2009


*Editors please note first time in a role:
Tues. Eve., June 2 – Reyes, Zhurbin, Kajiya, Salstein, Riccetto and Matthews in Désir
Seo, Carreño, Vishneva and Hammoudi in On the Dnieper
Boone in Prodigal Son
Wed. Mat., June 3 – Messmer, Doble in Désir
Cornejo in Prodigal Son
Thurs. Eve., June 4 – Lane, Hammoudi, Seo, and Gomes in Désir
Riccetto, Saveliev, Messmer and Tamm in On the Dnieper

+Editors please note first time in a role in New York:
Wed. Mat., June 10 – Riccetto (Giselle) , Hallberg (Albrecht), Messmer (Myrta) in Giselle

**Editors please note first time in a role with ABT:
Thurs. Eve., June 11 – Bolle (Albrecht) in Giselle
Sat. Eve., June 13 – Osipova (Giselle) in Giselle

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE PRESENTS ABTKIDS,
SATURDAY, MAY 30 AT 11:30AM at THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE

One-Hour Performance to Feature Special Appearance by Angelina Ballerina

I regret being away for so long. I've missed seeing performances, and writing about them; hopefully I'll be able to get back in the groove.

American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
Lincoln Center, New York
June 1, 2009

Just when you think it would be a relatively unimpressive evening (certain performances excepted) during American Ballet Theatre's current season at the Met, along comes a work that is so well crafted, well staged, and well performed that, at its end, it leaves one breathless.

Alexei Ratmansky's new ballet, "On the Dnieper," had its world premiere at tonight's ABT performance. It took awhile to get moving, but the piece is a major work by a major choreographer, The story, from a libretto by Sergei Prokofiev and Serge Lefar, to music by Prokofiev, is familiar - a young soldier, Sergei (Marcelo Gomes), returns home to his fiance Natalia (Veronika Part), but soon finds himself attracted to another girl from his village, Olga (Paloma Herrera), who is engaged, somewhat unhappily, to another (David Hallberg).-- the man she must (or is supposed to) marry.

Given the synopsis, an attempt to compare this new work with Antony Tudor's "The Lilac Garden" is difficult to ignore, and in many ways "On the Dnieper" is "The Lilac Garden" taking place in a cherry orchard. Perhaps if Tudor had been Russian and choreographed Chekhov, this might have been the result.

But this obvious comparison would be of only superficial value. Ratmansky's piece has nothing, except broad subject matter, in common with "The Lilac Garden," and the choreography looks nothing at all like Tudor. It is less a psychoballet than the simple telling of a story, an unmistably Russian story, clearly, concisely, and movingly. And it benefits not only from Ratmanksy's style and originality, but also from the scenery by Simon Pastukh, lighting by Brad Fields, and costumes by Galina Solovyeva. ABT spared no effort showcasing its new prize acquisition - the piece is beautiful to watch.

But none of this really matters unless the performances bring the piece to life. Here, all the performances did. But it is Veronika Part whose performance will be etched forever in my memory. I've always cherished Ms. Part's dancing - and in roles that call for it, she conveys a warmth and emotional depth that grabs the heart; and no one, at least no one I can recall, dances profound sadness as she does (her Odette cannot fail to move anyone with a pulse). "On the Dnieper" isn't full length, and obviously does not have the same opportunity for character development as, say, Swan Lake. But, like the piece itself, Ms. Part portrayal of Natalia was distilled to a simple purity. And, in the end she left me spent. I rarely shed a tear watching a performance unless someone dies. In this piece, it was the heart that died. And watching the death of Natalia's heart in Ms. Part's performance was simply shattering.

Unfortunately, the rest of the program didn't match Ratmansky's piece. "Desir", by James Kudelka, had its ABT premier tonight also. Although the performances were all stellar, the choreography, to me, was inconsistent. Sometimes it soared; sometimes it was simply frenetic and repetitive. Perhaps the choreographic dual personalty is exemplified by Kudelka's choice of music - excerpts from Prokofiev's Cinderella, and from Prokofierv's opera, War and Peace.

Gillian Murphy and Misty Copeland, partnered respectively by Blaine Hoven and Carlos Lopez, danced with fiery brilliance. For Ms. Murphy, that's nothing new. But I don't recall seeing Ms. Copeland dancing quite so exuberantly before -- perhaps because she never really had the opportunity.

But the dance belonged to someone new - or at least new to me. I don't recall seeing Isabella Boylston previously, although, according to the ABT web site, she's been with the company as a member of the corps since March, 2007. But her performance presages more significant roles in the future. You could almost hear the pleasantly surprised audience, evident from the loud applause that greeted Ms. Boylston and her partner during the curtain call), collectively wondering who she was and where she came from. I don't know what she can do yet, but I'll look forward to finding out.

No less accomplished was her partner, Cory Stearns - and it may well be that Mr. Stearns made Ms. Boylston look as good as she did. I don't recall seeing him much either before this season, but obviously he commanded the company's attention, since he was recently promoted to soloist. [I tend to pay less attention to male members of the corps than the women - so I probably did see him previously, but didn't know who he was.] Mr. Stearns looks more like a dancing eagle scout than a danceur noble, but he brings a realistic quality, a boyish naturalism, that is charming, disarming, and endearing. He also comes across both confident and deferential, appearing less interest in himself than in his partner. It's a rare quality. I prevously saw Mr. Stearns replace Herman Cornejo as Sarah Lane's partner in "Theme and Variations" (last week), and he did a superb job then also. [more on that later - note to Kevin McKenzie - though Mr. Stearns probably can partner anyone, the partner for Ms. Lane should be him, not Herman Cornejo. The emotional fit works better]

Finally, ABT presented Balanchine's "Prodigal Son". Actually, in a program change, it was made the first ballet of the night, rather than the last, as had been scheduled. Good choice. The evening would have ended badly had it been last. Mr. Cornejo, subbing for an injured Ethan Steifel, danced the lead credibly and convincingly, although perhaps not quite as explosively as one has come to expect from him. But Michele Wiles's Siren was mechanical and lifeless. The result was that a dance with incomparable power looked tepid.

Thanks for posting! And welcome back!

Kate - A belated (very) response to your comments months ago when ABT announced its 2009 Met schedule. I couldn't agree with you more. Doing Corsair, Swan, and Sylvia again was a mistake, for the reasons you mentioned. I disagree, though, with R&J - probably because I never tire of seeing it (and I don't think it was performed during last year's season - and I missed it).

Instead of what they have, it would have been better to have brought back Don Q (Baryshnikov's version was best, in my opinion, but I know that that can no longer be done - at least not by ABT). Better still would be for something 'new'. A couple of years ago I suggested that ABT attempt to obtain the rights to Cranko's Taming of the Shrew. I remember it from many years ago when the Stuttgart danced it in NY, and it's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. I doubt that the Stuttgart will be back in NY anytime soon, so perhaps it may not be so difficult to get the rights. But that's not something I'd know anything about. If that can't be done, the subject matter and lack of familiarity might justify a totally new version. [And as an aside, has anyone contemplated a ballet based on the film "Pan's Labyrinth"? Toned down and stripped of violence, it's a lovely and balletic story. Just an idle thought.]

Didn't ABT have Cranko's Shrew in it's repertory many years ago? It would be interesting for them to bring it back.

Pan's Labyrinth as a ballet. I like it.

I don't think so. [If I'm wrong - don't tell me. I'd be upset that I missed it.] The only performances of Shrew that I've seen were in NYC with the Stuttgart, many many years ago, with, as I recall, Marcia Haydee, Richard Cragun, and Birgit Keil. I still smile when I think of it.

ABT has done Taming of the Shrew - according to the ABT website, the first ABT performance was in 2000. I think the company may have done it another season because I seem to remember a picture of either Bocca or Carreño as Petruchio on the cover of an ABT brochure.

Looking back, I think "Romeo & Juliet" is not such a bad ballet for ABT. After sitting through Cranko's rather bland version up here, I am very much dreaming of seeing MacMillan's version again. NBoC has the perfect dancers for it...

Kate

I know ABT's press officers are very busy, but it would be nice if they could pay some attention to the press releases. La Sylphide is not known as Sylphiden - it actually directly translates into Danish as Sylfiden (there is no 'ph' in Danish). The 'en' at the end of a noun is the definitive version in Danish (i.e. the .....). So sylfid + en is literally the sylfide. Les Sylphides would be Sylfiderne.

Speaking of, I am intrigued by the casting for La Sylphide. I'm not sure any of the men have anything very close to a Bournonville upper body, but that's hard to find outside of Denmark. And, even if I were in NY, I'd probably avoid seeing anyone but the Danes do La Sylphide, as no matter how good another company does the ballet, I'd probably not be satisfied. I've seen Lund, Blangstrup and Hübbe as James, so I've had my fill.



CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR FIFTH AND SIXTH WEEKS
OF AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE¹S 2009 SPRING SEASON
AT METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE

Revival Premieres of Paul Taylor¹s Airs and August Bournonville¹s La
Sylphide
Scheduled for Monday, June 15, at 7:30 P.M

Nina Ananiashvili to Give Final Performance
with ABT on Saturday, June 27 at 8:00pm


Casting for the fifth and sixth weeks of American Ballet
Theatre¹s 2009 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House was announced
today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

The Revival Premiere of Paul Taylor's Airs will take place on
Monday, June 15 at 7:30 P.M. The ballet, set to music by George Frederic
Handel, with designs by Gene Moore and lighting by Jennifer Tipton, received
its World Premiere by the Paul Taylor Dance Company in 1978 and its ABT
Company Premiere in 1981. Airs, last performed by ABT in 1999, was staged
for the Company by Susan McGuire. Airs is generously supported by a gift
from Marjorie S. Isaac in honor of ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

Xiomara Reyes and Herman Cornejo will lead the Revival Premiere
of August Bournonville's La Sylphide on Monday, June 15. Veronika Part and
Cory Stearns will debut in these roles at the matinee on Wednesday, June 17.
Natalia Osipova will make her ABT debut as the Sylphide, opposite David
Hallberg dancing the role of James for the first time, on Wednesday evening,
June 17, and Hee Seo will debut as the Sylphide on Friday, June 19. Set to
a score by Hermann von Lovenskjold, La Sylphide (The Sylph of the Highlands)
features scenery and costumes by Desmond Heeley and lighting by David K.H.
Elliott. The World Premiere of La Sylphide (known as Sylphiden) was given
by the Royal Danish Ballet in 1836. Last performed by ABT in 2000, the
ballet received its ABT premiere in 1964 with choreography by Harald Lander,
from the original by Bournonville. ABT¹s second production of La Sylphide,
with choreography by Bournonville, was restaged by Erik Bruhn in 1971. La
Sylphide is made possible by generous support from the Audrey Love
Charitable Foundation.

On Monday, June 22, the Company will give the first of eight
performances of Swan Lake, with Irina Dvorovenko, Maxim Beloserkovksy and
Marcelo Gomes in the leading roles.

On Friday, June 26, Roberto Bolle will make his ABT debut as
Prince Siegfried, opposite Veronika Part as Odette-Odile. Nina Ananiashvili
will give her final ABT performance on Saturday evening, June 27, in the
role of Odette-Odile. Choreographed by Kevin McKenzie after Marius Petipa
and Lev Ivanov, Swan Lake is set to a score by Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky and
features scenery and costumes by Zack Brown. Swan Lake is generously
underwritten by The Rosh Foundation. Costumes for Swan Lake are generously
sponsored through the Ellen Everett Kimiatek Costume Preservation Trust.

Superfund Asset Management, Inc. is the sponsor of American
Ballet Theatre's 2009 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House. Saks
Fifth Avenue is the Leading Corporate Sponsor of American Ballet Theatre's
Costume Fund. J.P. Morgan is the Official Sponsor of Make a Ballet. American
Airlines is the Official Airline of American Ballet Theatre. ABT's 2009
Spring Season is also made possible with public funds from the National
Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, a state
agency, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. ABT
acknowledges The Toni and Martin Sosnoff New Works Fund for its generous
support of the 2009 Metropolitan Opera House season.



AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE
Metropolitan Opera House - Spring, 2009


FIFTH WEEK

Mon. Eve., June 15, 7:30 P.M. AIRS – Boone*, Milewski*, Copeland*, Curry*, Scott*, Stappas*,
Hoven*
LA SYLPHIDE – Reyes*, Cornejo*, Barbee

Tues. Eve., June 16, 7:30 P.M. AIRS – Messmer*, Boyd*, Paris*, Underwood*, Phillips*, Doble*,
Stewart*
LA SYLPHIDE – Ananiashvili, Beloserkovsky, Raffa*

Wed. Mat., June 17, 2 P.M. AIRS – Boone, Milewski, Copeland, Curry, Scott, Stappas, Hoven
LA SYLPHIDE – Part*, Stearns*, van Hamel

Wed. Eve., June 17, 7:30 P.M. AIRS – Messmer, Boyd, Paris, Underwood, Phillips, Doble, Stewart
LA SYLPHIDE – Osipova**, Hallberg*, Barbee

Thurs. Eve., June 18, 7:30 P.M. AIRS – Teuscher*, Williams*, Butler*, M. Thomas*, Ilyin*, Ogle*,
Tamm*
LA SYLPHIDE – Ananiashvili, Beloserkovsky, Raffa

Fri. Eve., June 19, 8:00 P.M. AIRS – Boone, Milewski, Copeland, Curry, Scott, Stappas, Hoven
LA SYLPHIDE – Seo*, Hallberg, van Hamel

Sat. Mat., June 20, 2 P.M. AIRS – Teuscher, Williams, Butler, M. Thomas, Ilyin, Ogle, Tamm
LA SYLPHIDE – Reyes, Cornejo, Barbee

Sat. Eve., June 20, 8 P.M. AIRS – Messmer, Boyd, Paris, Underwood, Phillips, Doble, Stewart
LA SYLPHIDE – Part, Stearns, van Hamel


SIXTH WEEK

Mon. Eve., June 22, 7:30 P.M. SWAN LAKE – Dvorovenko, Beloserkovsky, Gomes

Tues. Eve., June 23, 7:30 P.M. SWAN LAKE – Murphy, Corella, Saveliev

Wed. Mat., June 24, 2 P.M. SWAN LAKE – Wiles, Hallberg, Stearns

Wed. Eve., June 24, 7:30 P.M. SWAN LAKE – Vishneva, Gomes, Matthews

(more)


FIFTH AND SIXTH WEEK (cont.) – Page 2

Thurs. Eve., June 25, 7:30 P.M. SWAN LAKE – Herrera, Stiefel, Hallberg

Fri. Eve., June 26, 8 P.M. SWAN L AKE – Part, Bolle**, Saveliev

Sat. Mat., June 27, 2 P.M. SWAN LAKE – Wiles, Hallberg, Stearns

Sat. Eve., June 27, 8 P.M. SWAN LAKE – Ananiashvili, Corella, Gomes

Expletive deleted - you're right [both of you] about Shrew. I guess I must have been hibernating that year. But that's all the more reason for them to bring it back.

As for La Sylphide, I agree with you, Kate, about the men. But I look forward to seeing Hee Seo - good choice there (but I wish McKenzie had given Juliet to Sarah Lane). And if the Raffa is Nancy Raffa, it will be good to see her again, even through the make-up.

The make-up?

Madge. The witch.

Ms. Boylston attended The Harid Conservatory for three years, having gratuated in May of 2005 (Hildur Boylston, class of 2005). She joined ABT Studio Co. a few months prior to graduation. Here is a link to her bio on the ABT website.http://abt.org/dancers/detail.asp?Dancer_ID=162