Official press release:

VLADIMIR MALAKHOV TO WITHDRAW FROM PERFORMANCES WITH AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE DUE TO INJURY

Principal Dancer Vladimir Malakhov has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled performances with American Ballet Theatre for the 2007 Metropolitan Opera House season, it was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

Due to a knee injury, Malakhov will be replaced in performances of Symphonie Concertante, The Sleeping Beauty and Manon.

For more information on American Ballet Theatre’s 2007 Spring season at the Metropolitan Opera House, please visit ABT’s website at www.abt.org <http://www.abt.org> .

That is very disappointing news!!! Is there any word yet on who will be Malakhov's replacement(s)?

Here's the calendar:

http://www.abt.org/performances/calendar_c...p;chosenmonth=6

Looks like he's been replaced in house.

Thanks Dale.

Looks like Hallberg will do SB with Diana. He'll perform it twice on the 9th, first with Gillian and then with Diana.

Awwwww,
I'm real disappointed. I was really looking forward to a Vishneva/Malakhov Manon.

Then I'll get Hallberg the evening of the 9th. But is that too much for him on one day? Or is the part considered less strenuous than (say) Romeo?

... and the last time I was planning to catch their performance together in NYC, he had to have surgery and it was cancelled...

The part appears much less strenuous than Romeo.

Malakhov has wonderful technical abilities - deep, soft plies when landing from jumps, great flexibility, elegant lines and very musical. I know that Diana likes to dance with him. But because I find Malakhov quite effeminate (both on and off stage) it's hard for me to believe in him as a romantic lead, especially in MacMillan ballets. I'm actually looking forward to seeing Diana with Marcelo Gomes in Manon (and Swan Lake), since Marcelo is such a technical virtuoso and only sometimes plays a "good guy" as he will be doing here. As for R&J, having seen the absolutely WONDERFUL, UNFORGETTABLE performance of Giselle that Diana and Angel Corella did 2 years ago, I'm definitely looking forward to them reprising that same chemistry in R&J.