Category: Metropolitan Opera House

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ABT Met Opera Season

Congrats to American Ballet Theatre for a wonderful Met Opera season.

You can still see many of your favorite ABT dancers on stage again on July 25-26. ABT’s very own Gemma Bond is presenting her works at the Joyce Theater Ballet Festival in collaboration with 16 incredible ABT dancers. Help support her project and the dancers!

Now, back to the closing night and my third visit this week with Tchaikovsky Spectacular.

I can’t decide which I like more: “Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux” or “Souvenir d’un lieu cher”.

Isabella Boylston and James Whiteside were stunning in “Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux”. The fast-paced duet is a treat filled with gorgeous aerials, and Isabella and James owned every one of them. ❤️❤️

Seeing “Souvenir d’un lieu cher” a second time allowed me to reinterpret this ballet, take in all its details, and appreciate the story even more. In a few short minutes, this ballet brings you inside the mind and soul of the lead character, her memories past, and her torn heart. It makes you feel nostalgia. It reminds you of first loves. It touches your raw emotions. The different cast tonight, newly promoted Devon Teuscher (congrats!), Cassandra Trenary, David Hallberg, and Tyler Maloney, beautifully danced the four roles. Bravos! 🤗🤗

Also, shoutouts to Jeffrey Cirio and Gabe Stone Shayer You were amazing in Mozartiana and Aurora’s Wedding!

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More Tchaikovsky Spectacular

My second evening of Tchaikovsky Spectacular with American Ballet Theatre! Tonight’s program features eight principals and four soloists in excerpts from four ballets.

I was floored by Alexei Ratmansky’s “Souvenir d’un lieu cher” (Memory of a dear place). What a beautiful choreography. What an emotional story about the intertwined lives of two pairs of lovers. What a perfect cast to deliver the dance.

Stella Abrera is gorgeous in her turns and leaps, but was even more stunning playing her sentimental and slightly temperamental character whose past (Alban) crossed into her present (Marcelo). Likewise, Marcelo Gomes and Alban Lendorf are absolutely amazing technically, but delivered even more amazing theatre tonight. Sarah Lane was wonderful as the jovial and perhaps innocent girl opposite Stella.

The chemistry among the cast is incredible. My favorite moment is when Alban kissed Sarah. Stella reacted with a sense of shock, denial, sadness… before she dashed off stage. Marcelo stood by the wings of the theater… just watching Stella, loving her, but knowing there is nothing he could do. Wow!!! ❤️❤️❤️

My other favorite of the night is AfterEffect by ABT’s very own Marcelo Gomes. The piece starts with a rare ensemble of 13 male dancers. The scene is beautifully choreographed and generously showcases the men’s movements. I love the large formations, some numbering 24+ dancers. I also love how Marcelo uses the crowd to draw attention to the soloists. Highlights include Cassandra Trenary flying high from above to kiss Cory Stearns below amongst a sea of dancers. Congrats on the Met Opera House premier!!

Finally, love James Whiteside‘s explosiveness and Misty Copeland‘s musicality and playfulness in The Nutcracker’s Act II Pas de Deux.

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Star Spotting at the Met Opera

Star spotting tonight at the Met Opera!

The final week of American Ballet Theatre season is the Tchaikovsky Spectacular. Tonight’s program features excerpts from four ballets… or put differently, a chance to see six principals and five soloists on stage in a single night (and that’s just the top billed artists).

Two of my favorite stars, Gillian Murphy and James Whiteside, duetted in a fun Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux. As the tempo picked up, the aerials only got faster and higher, cultivating in Gillian leaping into two gorgeous fish dives and an overhead lift by James to end the piece. Bravos! Thank you for the treat!!! 🔥😍😘

Cassie Trenary was lovely as Princess Aurora in Aurora’s Wedding. Sadly, Herman Cornejo was injured and unable to perform as Prince Désiré.

Costuming for the wedding is absolutely stunning. Love Alexandra Basmagy‘s dress as the Queen (and her beautiful performance earlier in the night in Mozartiana alongside Catherine Hurlin). My favorite step of all times is the mazurka, and so naturally I adored ensemble of mazurka dancers.

We got a preview of the White Cat on instagram during intermission by Elina Miettinen, who came out as the purrrfect sassy kitten. Don’t mess with this one. Meow! 😻

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Swan Lake: Misty Copeland

Second night of Swan Lake with American Ballet Theatre. We all fell in love and died with Misty Copeland and Herman Cornejo.

Absolutely love Misty especially her as the black swan. The sharp dramatic releases as she pushes away from Prince Siegfried. The gaze of her eyes, constantly scanning the room and hunting for her prey. Odile is pure evilness. Wow!

Tonight was ballet theatre at its finest. I could feel the entire theater falling in love with Misty and Herman by the Lakeside, and crying audibly as they drown themselves. I had tears in my eyes as the lovers re-unite in life after death.

And then, we were treated to more delicious dancing: Herman’s gorgeous leaps where he floats in the air forever, ever, and ever. Misty and Herman’s incredible coda in Act III. Lovely pas de trois by Skylar Brandt, Cassie Trenary, and Jeffrey Cirio. And James Whiteside, as the flamboyant von Rothbart, commanding the Great Hall.

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Swan Lake: Isabella Boylston

Swan Lake at American Ballet Theatre tonight. What a wonderful show!!

I finally saw Isabella Boylston in a lead role for the first time, and got to meet her during the backstage tour! Though still nursing an injury, Isabella captured her roles perfectly: magnificent as Odette and playful if not mischievous as Odile. No fouette sequence tonight, but her lines and extensions are just gorgeous. Wishing you a speedy full recovery, Isabella.

Not to be outdone, Alban Lendorf was impeccable as Prince Siegfried. I love their duets but also Alban’s solos at the Great Hall: so powerful yet so musical. As if two-and-half hours of ballet wasn’t exhausting enough, Alban made a grand exit at the very end. Jetting across the stage and taking one of the highest and biggest leap, following Odette, to his death. Wow. Talk about partnering and chemistry. 😉

Bravos to Skylar Brandt for going all out in the pas de trois at the Birthday Party. Having heard wonderful things about her debut as Medora in Le Corsaire, I was excited to see her tonight. And what gorgeous leaps and turns! I will definitely be looking out for Skylar in the future.

p.s. Read more about Isabella and Alban’s partnering in New York Times this week.

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Le Corsaire

My favorite ballet so far this season at American Ballet Theatre!

Such a dynamic, high-energy, non-stop show from beginning to end. So many incredible moments tonight.

Jeffrey Cirio as Lankendem draws applause from the audience two seconds into his solo for the most amazing and powerful split leap. Cassie Trenary, Catherine Hurlin, and Katherine Williams are absolutely gorgeous as the odalisques. Love the musicality, energy, and playfulness of Craig Salstein and Zhong-Jing Fang‘s duet as Birbanto and the Lead Pirate Woman.

Male dancers have so many fun leap-and-turn combos in this ballet. Love James Whiteside as Conrad and Joo Won Ahn as Ali. Both the theatrical and technical sides of Misty Copeland Misty Copeland shine through as Gulnare. She’s “dramatically” shy tonight unlike Queen of Shemakhan, but oh my look at those turns and lifts!!! Of course, the leading ballerina Hee Seo as Medora is so lovely too. No wonder a whole kingdom plus some more pirates all fall for her.

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The Golden Cockerel

Vibrant colors and dazzling costumes in The Golden Cockerel by American Ballet Theatre.

A rather distinctive experience at the ballet tonight. Everything about the Golden Cockerel is different. The bold vibrant colors. The dazzling and elaborate costumes. A backdrop that makes the theater feel more like a painting than a stage. Altogether, the dancers look as if they were well-crafted puppets and lovely dolls moving through a painting.

The ballet, a comedy, showcases more dramatic moments, comical interactions, and playful seduction than technically-demanding moves. Misty Copeland is the perfect femme fatale as Queen of Shemakhan. Skylar Brandt is amazing as the Golden Cockerel, who has the most challenging and exhausting choreography. Also, love Craig Salstein as the hilarious melodramatic General Polkan.

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Giselle

Young love, broken hearts, and forgiveness tonight with Giselle at American Ballet Theatre.

Sarah Lane is gorgeous as Giselle, and perfectly captures the sorrow, the sadness, and the anguish in Giselle before her death. Likewise, Herman Cornejo is amazing with his turns, leaps, and extensions (how does he kick so high?) cultivating in his dramatic death in front of the wilis.

Two random thoughts: Puppies on stage tonight!!! Why is that our best so often comes out only at the final moments, of death or farewell?