Per the ABT website calendar, Thursday night's Romeo and Juliet performance with Reyes and Carreno has been replaced with Murphy and Hallberg. Wednesday night's performance with Dvorovenko and Beloserkovsky is now Dvorovenko and Carreno. Oh well.

Anyone know what's going on with Reyes? Is she injured? If so, I hope not badly.

The program insert on Saturday night said she was injured. I'm wondering about Ethan Stiefel, too, after he was replaced at intermission on Saturday.

Outstanding performance tonight. Heartbreaking. Vishneva simply out of this world. The last act especially.

Corella also much more dramatic than he usually is.

But Vishneva... words fail me. Worlds, by the way, fail me too:)

I'll probably write more when I recover:)

Monday, June 18, 2007

Vishneva/Corella

Tonight it was a pleasure to see Diana Vishneva sufficiently recovered from her bout with bronchitis to dance full-out, with energy to spare. This is, I believe, the sixth performance of this partnership, and it showed in tonight's interpretive harmony.

Joining Romeo Corella in the opening scene were sidekicks Mercutio Cornejo and Benvolio Matthews, as well as future cousin-in-law Tybalt Radetsky. In Juliet's anteroom, Vishneva enters a playful 13-year old, still youthful as she plays with nurse Susan Jones, and not quite sure what to do, but sort of shyly interested, when her parents, Victor Barbee and Veronika Part present her with the very proper Paris Saveliev. Later, we find the first indication that this Juliet is a sensualist, as she expressively responds to her nurse's tactile touching of her breasts, as a way of telling her that she's ready for marriage, in more ways than one.

The three sidekicks each danced with virtuosity before entering the ballroom. As Diana displayed her virtuosity on the mandolin, Angel's display variation was a perfect combination of his virtuosity and a special gentleness, as his every move seemed keyed to her responses. He definitely knew he wanted her, and his dancing was such that it would attract and impress, yet not scare her away. They hit it off just fine and their PdD played on her awakening sensuality. Careful not to touch her too soon, his hand traced very near her neck, and she responded, throwing back her head as if actually touched. . When finally he embraced her waist, she was ready for ecstacy. But this was also a very aware and intelligent Juliet, who quickly grasped the gravity of the situation as Tybalt confronted Romeo. She needed more than just first love...

In the balcony scene Mr. Corella combined great force with his old speed and virtuosity. Sometimes this results in diminished perfection, but not tonight. This force, that he was a man, was keyed to Diana's sense of gravity in the prior scene, it was just what Ms. Vishneva had shown she needed. It gave her the confidence to go on with it. She matched him, penchee for leap, epaulement for lift, Russian back for Latin passion, as both combined to create wild abandon from classical purity. Finally they kissed. When departing, she fulfilled his earlier gentle gesture with her own hand, tracing his hand's path, but actually touching her neck, then fingers passing to her lips... He was for real, and she could trust him.

In Act 2 Benvolio, Jared Matthews, performed the mandolin dance, to strong audience approval. Romeo receives the letter and heads for the Church. Friar Sir Frederic Franklin (BRAVO!) blesses their union. Then Romeo's idot pals ruin his life. Corella attacks Tybalt with such rage, so vicious that Sascha Radetsky deserves overtime, even hazzard, compensation. And after it was over, and he's seen what he'd done, he wept with the power that could only bring Julio Bocca to mind.

In the bedroom Juliet awakes, fully aware that all is lost. They dance with last passion. Heartbroken, her arms dangle limp, and he kisses her. Her arms slowly struggle to raise toward his head, but just as they close in embrace he slips away from her hands, and is gone through the window. The unpleasantness with parents and Paris, the intense prayer in her room, she downs the potion. And to the tomb.

Angel's intense despair, he takes his poison and tries to give Juliet a parting kiss. He reaches his face toward hers, but dies and crumbles, even failing to make that final contact. She wakes, and after knowing he is truly dead, she shrieks to heaven, then joins him.

I agree the performance was stellar.

I found Cornejo's death very moving; his dancing was wonderful as usual.


Not to mention that Corella chopped of a good portion of Radetsky's rapier, and moments later, without dropping a beat, Radetsky borrowed one of his kinsmen's swords.

I see it got a very good review (with a little swat at NYCB's R&J or should I say R+ J at the end) in the New York Times by Macauly, but I'm confused...It seems he's made an error--or was Matthews indeed Paris?

The context makes it seem he was Benvolio and that is what was said earlier in this thread by drb, it is also what he has danced previously

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/20/arts/dan....html?ref=dance is the link.


the 2 photos are also lovely

Must have been a typo. Both the program and my eyes say Benvolio = Matthews, Paris = Saveliev.

I really liked this, which he suggests he hadn't noticed before (I wonder if, just possibly, it wasn't in the original choreoraphy and was a DV-ism?):

I really like it when Macaulay gives the essence of the aesthetic experience like this!

It's part of the choreography.

There was also a swat at Veronika Part as Lady Capulet----"Lady Capulet was dully played by Veonika Part"---what is it with Macauley? he appears to be following her around in any role ready to pounce. I saw R&J at the dress rehearsal on Monday, and it was the first time I saw Part in the role of Lady C---and I must admit it was the first time I ever spent any time on that character in the ballet, and I couldn't get my eyes off of her. Perhaps I am reading it wrong---and dully doesn't mean what I think it means. The rehearsal was a real treat---there were 3 ballerinas alternating the role (Murphy, Herrera and Dvorevenko with Hallberg, Gomes and Carreno) After Murphy & Hallberg did the balcony scene, unannounced Gomes (in t-shirt and sweatpants) and Herrera repeated it--and burned up the stage...marvelous, I would love to see a complete performance from these two, but I already have two more R&J's this week.....

In performance she especially relates well with old team-mate Diana. Giselle/Myrtha, for instance. (If ABT ever gets a production of Sleeping Beauty, what an Aurora/Lilac they'd make!) When she entered Monday night she received quite a hand, especially for a parent character! In the final bows, too. Not for any over-acting or scene-swiping either, just lifting the character out of the furniture and into the story. Some writers, and even we just-viewers, simply don't cotton to certain dancers... In Macaulay's case, it is worth figuring who these dancers are, so the rest of his reviews can be read for their true merit. I, certainly, learn a great deal from him. And that wasn't nearly the case for any Times reviewer before him.

Thanks, Zerbinetta!

I saw Vishneva/Corella on Monday night. What a performance! Corella was the most romantic, tender, impassioned Romeo I've seen since Julio Bocca and his technique was stunning -- beautiful, lofty jumps and turns. He's a sublime dancer.

This was my first sight of Vishneva. She's such a lovely dancer -- beautiful line, supple arms/back and totally absorbed in Juliet's drama. She lived the role as I've seen Ferri and Makarova live it. Hers was a gorgeous performance.

I had a wonderful surprise after the performance. I was walking down Broadway with my boyfriend when we saw a small group with a gentleman carrying several big bouquets. I looked at the petite woman walking in front of him and recognized Vishneva. I approached Vishneva and thanked her for her beautiful performnce. She smiled and nodded -- I suppose she doesn't speak English. It was lovely to meet her.

This is the kind of post I love; thanks, Makarova Fan, I was at Monday night's performance as well, and it was the first live viewing of Vishneva for me, too. I agree with everything you say. Incidentally, I heard that Makarova was in the audience.

As much as I did not care for Veronica Part's Aurora, I have to admit that her Lady Capulet was magnificent.
During the "weeping scene" she was so "for real" that I felt a chill and goosebumps on my skin..
Nothing was dull about her performance on Monday night.

As far as "war of Romeos" mentioned in Mr. Macauley review - I do not think there was ever a war.
ABT's Romeo and Juliette is so much stronger and better then R +J that war did not even started.

TWO VIEWS, TWO VIEWPOINTS

How to explain differences in interpretation, technique, phrasing, acting nuances to someone who last saw a live full-length ballet almost 30 years ago? That was my duty and joy this past weekend when a friend, who couldn't attend last year due to illness, was able to come this past weekend.

First seen were Hallberg & Murphy in Act1 at the ABT full-dress/tech rehearsal Monday. All of which was most helpful for my friend as she learned how Macmillan's choreography illustrates both the music AND Shakespeare's text in easily understood detail. (And after attending a "Spotlight Seminar" with Hallberg on Saturday, it was good to see the words put into action.)

As usual, Hallberg's legs and feet reminded me strongly of Ethan Stiefel's, though of course David Hallberg is longer and taller, and uses his upper body very differently. This was the first time I observed Gillian Murphy's Juliet, since I missed her Chicago debut. She was shy and sweet, and very much in control technically, which did a little to negate that affect. Of course most of the acting nuances between her and Romeo were still rather tentative, without the depth of emotion expressed by more seasoned performers such as Gomes & Herrera who next tried out the Balcony pdd; she in her Juliet costume, he in his t-shirt and sweats, which may explain why he also didn't bother dancing it full-out, but marked much. Still, it was more impassioned than the earlier pair, and Paloma used her more flexible back and pdb's to greater effect. But watching both pairs, I still noticed, moves unfinished (all), phrasing that was way too early, and too fast for the diligently practiced orchestra (as usual, Paloma), and some careful partnering. Both Murphy and Herrera did jump BACKWARDS into Romeo's arms (as they should) for those last catch & lifts (unlike some who don't turn until the very last moment, when they are already caught.)

But what I missed in the above, was not just passion, which any good actor can inject, but a fluid sustained passion expressed THROUGH/in TANDEM with the choreography, and the detail and nuance that Ferri, Vishneva, and Corella do innately. So I was left to explain... How those three do the same moves, but differently: Utilizing a lift of a head or subtly rotated hand, epaulement that extends and reaches out to corners OR towards someone, a strong attention to line, and hitting those iconic poses to express the choreographer's intent, not just a choice of steps. And then my friend and I saw Monday's performance by Corella & Vishneva, and I didn't have to explain any more because those differences were suddenly manifest and virtuosity in a role visible.

Diana Vishneva excells in practically all her roles, and as Juliet is fascinating to watch both as an actress--where details are as important to her as they are to Ferri--and in her superlative technique. She is never subtle there, but always uses it with full command. And this time (yes, I agree 6th time with Corella) more in tune with Corella than last year. Macaulay may have forgotten the detail inherent in the choreography, but Vishneva hasn't and uses that and her own strong emotive powers to create the reality of Juliet's life and interactions with parents, nurse, and suitor. Soaring extensions, long arms used to reach to her lover or her father, caress her lover or hug her nurse, enclose her despair into herself with her shawl, or hang limply or 'scream' in anguish heavenwards in bedroom and tomb pdd's. And when she met & danced with her Romeo, one could see that they were both on an entirely different emotional (and virtuosic) plane than the others.

There are probably many reasons Angel Corella usually graces the promotional posters for this ballet. Yes, looks and popularity probably sell some tickets. But I really am beginning to believe he 'owns' this role; a true synergy of temperament and technique. ABT's men do have excellent technique (and Cornejo's always improves Corella's), and there are several good actors besides Angel Corella on the roster. But (as it is for Juliet), acting and dancing are not the sole reasons Corella (Ferri, Vishneva) is/are great in this role. It's in the details... the finished moves, the speed and fluidity--(yes, unlike some previous performances, more controlled without compromising technique), and the constant observation & interaction between the partners throughout each step so that line is extended, mirrorred moves timed perfectly (I saw him come to a dead stop for a half-beat just so Juliet could catch up and move IN TANDEM with him on the phrase), and TENSION of action/SUSPENSION of time in each emotional high & low expressed. I'm still analysing (sorry AC) and still can't explain it; but like Ferri, it's a gift I hope he passes on.


(Off-Topic, but related)
Watching Ferri & Bolle reprise their "Manon" pairing Saturday, after viewing Ferri's & Corella's gutsy, courageous, full-out performance at the Wednesday matinee, was like watching steps without a soul. It was perfectly danced, and Bolle's greater height allowed Ferri more freedom in movement so her turns were surer and technique more secure, but after Wednesday's performance, it was as if (with the exception of Ferri of course) everyone was told, "Go stand there, then act there, then do this..." and they did it: perfect, beautiful, and totally missing the full-blown passionate momentum of the matinee. If anyone other than Ferri & Corella had danced that matinee like that, I would have said "histrionic/over-the-top" but they both just went for it, and it showed...Not perfect (too fast, too blurred, not always secure, some iconic poses rushed through--and problems still with Des Grieux's adagio solo in Act 1) but with a true emotional punch in the gut, heart, and mind.

I just got back from the matinee today--Hallberg and Murphy.

I know a common complaint is that she doesnt act. Well for me at least, that problem was not in evidence at all this afternoon.

It was a fabulous performance. From the second their eyes met in the ballroom i believed in them and in their love for each other.

I had been a bit concerned about some of the trickier partnering (he isn't the strongest, and she is not a small dancer) but they worked beautifully together. If their lifts lacked the abandon of Ferri (they did) they were still done well and were moving.

I was really blown away. I had seen Hallberg last year with Paloma and much prefered this pairing. I thought Gillian's Juliet was remarkable. Her initial shyness, her love, her desperation, were all clearly deliniated and believable--evinced both through her body and her facial expressions. And Hallberg is a perfect Romeo.

As for the other dancers, needless to say, I didn't find Part the least bit dull. Matthews was a very good Benvolio, but as Mercutio, i found Carlos Lopez really flat. I liked Isaac Stappas very much as a very fierce Tybalt.

I hope others enjoyed it as well. It was a very different performance than Ferri's or Vishneva's but I thought it was superb.

Wednesday matinee, June 20, 2007

Murphy/Hallberg

An all-American lead cast today, and how rare is that for the American Ballet Company?
The three pals today were, in usual order, David Hallberg, Carlos Lopez, and Jared Matthews. Gillian Murphy entered her anteroom as a very child-like girl, very much into her dolls. Indeed, when it was time to say "hi" to Paris DeLong, she still had her dolly in hand, tried to hide it behind her back, wiggling it so nurse Ellis-Wentz would discretely take it from view. *None of that surveying Paris head-to-foot that Mr. Macaulay loved in Monday's performance*, for Murphy's Juliet was much more interested in going back to playing with her dolls and nurse. Her parents were Veronika Part (how well she tells Lady Capulet's not insubstantial tale, and such beauty) and Victor Barbee (what a two weeks for him in filling two MacMillan roles so deeply).

Noble Mr. Hallberg stole the dancing show outside the Capulet house, and once inside he, like Gillian, also emphasized youth. Shortly after the beginning of the ballroom PdD, his Romeo gave Juliet a quick little kisslet on the back of her right shoulder. Her electric response, spinning with acceleration to face him, set off a magnet between them and marked her maturity: never again would she look at a young man and think dollies. A wonderful moment for Ms. Murphy, advancing the story with a flash of pure dance! By the end of the scene that magnet rules even her posture, as she tilts toward his direction.

The Balcony. Dancing as the wind: after so many near misses at kissing, the closest when he kisses his fingers and brushes them across her lips, they finally are left standing, facing each other, a couple of feet apart. There is no choregraphy left to do, so ever so slowly they approach. He pulls her up on pointe, so they are level with each other...

In Act 2, why is it that the letter-bearing nurse cannot tell which of the three guys is Romeo? She's just witnessed a lot of his hassles at the ball. Today, Mercutio danced the mandolin variation, where Benvolio did so on Monday. Surely makes more sense, since Mercutio's death includes miming the playing of a mandolin. (That Mr. Matthews would dance that variation on Monday was announced just prior to Act 2, but his name was also so listed in the printed program, so it could not have been some last moment injury to Mr. Cornejo...? Odd that Mr. Macaulay did not note that irregularity.) Frederic Franklin is again the Friar. His movement and mood is so finely attuned to the score. He really is dancing his role!

I have never seen Gillian Murphy so beautiful as she was in Act 3. She had a sort of resignation in her face, a serenity that was almost as of a Saint, beauty in sorrow. Even after David took his leave, she wasn't totally empty, she had something left. Once she'd returned home with the Friar's potion and tucked it under her pillow, she stood motionless stage left forward. Serene, yet suddenly her hands took force, becoming fists. Energy shot inward, into an accelerating spin toward the bed. To the potion. This mirrored her earlier spin toward Romeo and maturity. This time it was toward all the rest of her life. Gillian told so much of the story with just those two potent turns.

Today, as David Hallberg's Romeo drank his poison, he succeeded in kissing Gillian Murphy goodbye. Later, she brought his hand to her lips, and was gone.

*[Added for correction June 21]: Thanks to Zerbinetta for pointing out that Macaulay was referring to choreography in Act 3, not Act 1

Yes, it was an impressive debut for Gillian. Being a brilliant technician isn't
enough for this role. It seems the hardest part is conveying thoughts and
emotions by non-movement. After she refuses Paris and her parents leave
her room - her despair turns into resolve as she sits on the edge of the bed.
The music swells and seems to pump strength into her - and it's all in her
facial expression. Acting ability like that can't be taught or coached.
Hallberg doesn't need to act - he embodies Romeo. He was very
solemn during the curtain calls, as if he had suffered all those emotions.
Only Gillian could get a smile from him.
This production is gorgeous - the designer, Nicholas Georgiadis also did
Manon. I hope they never tinker with either one. His Sleeping Beauty for
National Ballet of Canada was the 1st I ever saw and is my gold
standard. That wasn't the version ABT discarded, was it?

No. I liked those SB designs, too. So rich. A friend of mine danced in that production and complained that they weighed a ton (they looked it), but that when Nureyev restaged it for one of the European companies, they'd found a way to give the costumes the same luxe look with fewer pounds. Or maybe it was just the conversion of pounds to kilos.

Cornejo had been replaced due to injury as far back as Bluebird, so it's likely he agreed to do Mercutio as long as he didn't have to do the Mandolin Dance, which is normally done by Mercutio. Why the company felt the need to announce it prior to Act II when it was listed in the program is a puzzle. He was clearly limping at the curtain call so his injury would seem to persist.

drb, the head-to-toe inspection/rejection of Paris to which MacCaulay referred (the one in the choreography) and the one to which I thought you referred is in Act III, not Act I. She doesn't reject Paris until she's in love with another.

And my vote also to Part for a gorgeous almost but not quite over-the-top Lady C! So musical in every detail. I don't understand how MacCaulay can be so blind (and deaf!) to this woman's magic.

Thanks for the explanation, Zerbinetta! Funny Mr. Matthews didn't get an individual call, since he did the work! There certainly have been a lot of injuries this season, unlike past years. Maybe the age factor, using just the same dancers year after year after year. I see Macaulay's review now has a supplemental correction, but for Paris, not for Part. By the way, back when injuries and illness plagued Manon, seeming to force Ferri into four performances, was there no backup Manon if Alessandra hadn't come through?

What I want to know is, is Carlos Lopez really the best second they can find for mercutio?
I found his performance most unsatisfactory. Nothing was stellar. His jumps were leaden, his turns were often off-axis. He may be short like Cornejo, but he has none of his elegance of line.

Does Mercutio have to be short? Can't they find someone better than this??

The 'correction' actually makes it worse, doesn't it? Unless ABT really has Paris skipping about with Romeo and Mercutio.

it certainly does!!

NB--it now reads:


It previously read:


Do you think we could get them to correct it a second time? Its rather unfortunate for poor Matthews who is clearly the one that Macaulay MEANT to give the nice review to.

Carlos Lopez sustained an injury serious enough to keep him off the stage for a year. To my eyes, he is not all the way back yet. He is a very musical and charming dancer. Perhaps he will regain form by the fall or next year.

No, he is not a technician the likes of Cornejo but who is?

Curious, though, that Salstein wasn't tapped for a Mercutio.

Thanks for that info Zerbinetta... good to know. I'll try not to judge him too harshly.

I don't really expect anyone to be like Cornejo, but he looked by far the weakest of the three (though he of course had more to do than Matthews), and as his part is more important than Benvolio, you'd expect him to look the better dancer if any disparity was to be seen.

But I didn't realize he was recovering from an injury. Perhaps that is indeed the reason I wasn't impressed by his performance.

I hope he is back at full steam soon!

Craig danced Mercutio,including the Mandolin solo, with the Paloma-Marcelo cast. I thought , he was terrific.

Satuday night's R&J, Ferri's farewell, was all one could ask for. Everyone was in the audience to pay tribute to her, from the ABT members not dancing that night (Julie Kent, Paloma Herrera, David Hallberg) to Isabella Rosellini, Peter Martins, Darci Kistler, Julio Bocca and, of course, Ferri's partner Fabrizio and their two daughters.

The performance from Ferri was wonderful - dancing and acting seamlessly combined to such a high level that Ferri believably becomes the 14 year old Juliet. When she looks at Romeo you really feel the passion of her new love while you also feel her despair every time her parents enter a room with Paris. Cornejo was also wonderful as Mercutio (he performed the entire role this evening). Bolle was, as in Manon, technically excellent but rather flat dramatically (at least compared to Ferri). This Romeo and Juliet partnership simply did not have the sizzle of Bocca and Ferri but to expect another partnership to have that intense quality may be asking too much.

During the final curtain calls, all the ABT principal dancers came out and gave Ferri flowers (and hugged her). Julio Bocca came out holding the hands of Ferri's two daughters and, during a later call, came out with Ferri and Bolle and carried Ferri back into the wings, to great applause. During the approximately 20 minute standing ovation there were countless bouquets thrown, gold confetti rained down on the stage and the audience screamed and brava'd their immense appreciation for the years of wonderful dancing this great artist, Alessandra Ferri, has shown us. I know I will really miss her dancing.

Just got home from Ferri's ABT farewell. What an unforgettable evening. Especially Act III which did not require A.F. to pretend she's a 14-year-old. That was a mature woman in grief over her dead husband's body. Very powerful performance.

Bolle was nice, but I liked Corella better.

Cornejo felt well enough to perform the Mandolin dance himself, but cut it a little bit short.

The house was packed and understandably ecstatic. Ferri got flowers from what looked like the entire ABT roster. They were all on stage hugging and kissing her.

The curtain calls were innumerable. The last few of them she took with her daughters.

I miss her already...

I especially enjoyed it when beaming Friar Franklin (70 years a Principal, when does he get his Gala?!) gave her a huge bouquet, white flowers, of course, from the priest who married her. The Ferriettes were wonderful, as was the way mommy held them back so they wouldn't get too near the pit ... the little ones busily gathering up bouquets! Did you notice how careful Ms. Ferri was not to step on the central pile of bouquets, would walk around them? For one of the later calls in which the curtain was fully open, the Met produced a beautiful effect, as she was standing alone on center stage: the curtain slowly closed in a special way, forming an arched frame with her in the center. As it closed, perhaps management expected the audience to accept it as her last call. After another have dozen, at least, it finally ended, about 25 minutes.

Alessandra's last act was indeed special, over-the-top but seemlessly held together, a summa of her life as Juliet: she was 13 and all other ages at once. The perfectly arched and pointed Ferri feet, even for her last time (at least for ABT) she lay in death.

I do feel that Bolle was much more effective in Manon, very technically exposed as Romeo. However there were some powerful partnering moments: in the Balcony PdD, the lift where she lies across the back of his neck, supported on each of his shoulders, you can see why she has described his shoulders as being a bed!

I wonder if it's possible do do a credible Juliet if you can't carry off the the emotional center of the second scene of the ballet, between Juliet and the Nurse.

If you don't see and feel that this is a young girl who loves her nurse, genuinely if coltishly, then you're not being introduced to a character whose entire arc ricochets between love and duty.

How Juliet reacts to Paris is, in my opinion, open to interpretation, but the firm emotional connection must clearly be seen between the teenager and the woman who suckled her.

I saw Vishneva's performance, and the second scene seemed hollow and false. I saw no sympathy, much less love, from this Juliet for her nurse. I saw a dancer going through the motions. And the rest of the performance also seemed to me correct, technically superb, but deaf to the music, not actually inhabiting this role, these emotions.

Tonight, Ferri ran on in the second scene and she was Juliet; she did love her nurse; she responded and reacted to all the whipsaws of love and duty over the course of the evening.

As for Bolle, he seemed to have caught a case of the Veronikas tonight. What he should have been nervous about is unknown to me, but his ardor for his Juliet was undiminished.

And the orchestra sounded a lot better than on opening night!

I have one word for Alessandra Ferri's performance on June 23: Glorious!

Anyone would have believed that she was 14-year-old Juliet. Her dancing was exquisite…and her feet…I could have stared at those mighty arches the entire night.

The ending was beautiful, as people, including myself, could not stop applauding while bouquets continued to pile up on the stage. After so many curtain calls Alessandra, followed around by her two daughters, seemed to not be able to convince people that it was time to let her go.

The Met was beautifully decorated with pictures of Alessandra, some of them including Bolle or Bocca. These gave a nice touch to such special night.

Alessandra will be missed.

The Review is up on the times.

It is not by Mr Macaulay though, but by Gia Kourlas. It is of course a glowing review, if not as efflusive in its praise as was Mr Macaulay's of the farewell performance of Kyra Nichols on Friday.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/25/arts/dan....html?ref=dance

What lovely tributes to these two ladies.

Too bad it was buried on page 5 while the article on Nichols' was twice the length and featured so prominently on page 1. Considering Ferri was an international ballet superstar (while Nichols was not), to have the adjacent Macauley article state that Nichols was the "greatest ballerina in the last 20 years" was disrepectful to Ferri and an indirect jab at her.

Buried? It was adjacent to the "jump" on the Kyra article and both the photo of Kyra and of Ferri were wonderful. A brief paragraph 0n Page 1 directed readers to the Ferri review

Well it depends if you are looking at it digitally or in the old school paper manner ;)

it is indisputable that Kyra Nichols' review was linked via image from the main page (speaking digitally of course), while Alessandra Ferri's was not. Whether this is unfair is, I suppose, a matter of one's opinion of the two dancers.

They did not receive equal treatment by the Times however.

Another (more satisfying) tribute to both Ferri and Nichols is here: Ferri/Nichols tribute by AP wire

this link isn't working for me...help anyone?

There was an error in the link, which I think I repaired (in both Amour's original posts and aurora's quote of it).

If it doesn't work, go to wtopnews.com and search either ballerina's name.

David Hallberg said in a pre-performance talk that Xiomara hurt her foot. I'm not sure how badly, though. In a rehearsal for Manon, Stiefel and Gillian (dancing the drunken pas de deux) both fell over. Stiefel acted as if he had hurt his neck, so perhaps that is what is currently ailing him.

I agree that the Time's coverage was unequal, and although I enjoy Macaulay's writing his prejudices are becoming glaringly obvious and very annoying. I'll address that a little further on the Macaulay thread in the "Writings on Ballet" forum, but just wanted to note here that the digital version of today's NY Times (6/26) has a 3 1/2 minute video from Ferri's farewell on the front page. Go to www.nytimes.com and scroll about halfway down the page to their Video section

Susan

grazie susan! I had missed that..thanks so much for sharing

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/arts/index.html
You see nice bits of the performance, Bolle's famous shoulder beds in a Balcony Lift, Franklin performing holy duties, the final death of Ferri, flowers, including Franklin's for Ferri, celebrants, her bows...

This means that there is a video record of Ferri's farewell performance! Thanks for the link. Wish that I coould get a hold of that video! I wanna relive that incredible evening. They did tape Ferri's last scheduled Manon for the library so that one can watch it there.
I do think that Alex was unfairly not given the coverage she deserves in the NYTimes. She is an international star and one of the greatest dramatic ballerinas of our day. Her coverage should have been equal if not more than Nyichols' tribute. While I enjoy Macaulay, he is getting snippy.

For everybody who thought Ferri was treated unfairly by The Times, there is now a 3:27 minute highlight clip in the Arts section of her final performance (including flower-giving and curtain call)!

The NYTimes highlight clips take me back to that incredible night. It also means that there is a video of Ferri's farewell performance! Hmmmm....

Also, on the NYMagazine website: NYMag.com, there is a video interview with Roberto Bolle and it has video footage of him rehearsing Romeo at the Met with ABT ballet mistress Georgina Parkinson. What a beautiful, beautiful man and dancer.