So I just got out of ABT's "Sleeping Beauty" - with a completely different attitude than when I went in; I overheard one person muttering to a friend, "Less Disney, More ABT." I think he was correct on that note. The costumes were toned down (except for the King and Queen, who still looked like they had popped out of a deck of cards), I would even go so far as to call the 4 prince's outfits tasteful. With many of the saccharine details removed, I found the production quite palatable.

Let's start with the dancing - the corps was excellent tonight, much more rehearsed that last season. The fairies were all great as well - I think each dancer was well cast, and pulled of the lyricism or lightning each role required. I was slightly disappointed by Veronika Part, who I found a little guilty of posing through the movement. The Lilac Fairy is a very difficult role, and she did command the stage when she was dancing. Paloma was wonderful as Aurora, smiling through her balances, and playing with the transformation between cheeky teenager and mature woman. Angel was great, as usual, though probably still recovering from dancing alongside Nina's Kitri on Saturday. Nancy Raffa did an excellent interpretation of Carbosse, with less reference to Martha Graham (last season, every contraction was felt like a slap in the face to the mother of modern dance - the performer I saw do it escapes me). Sascha was a great bluebird, fast beats and even a smile at the end of his variation. I wish he got off the ground a bit more in the adagio, but a solid bluebird. Stella did not perform - has anyone seen her this season yet?

I didn't remember there being a Jewel section in Act III last year - was this new to this production? I thought the choreography derived itself in a odd way from the more traditional version I am used to, many of the small details were eliminated, and danced by the Prologue fairies instead of "Jewels". I still miss Little Red Riding Hood and Puss in Boots - even though I always thought they were the least exciting divertissments, I still appreciated the break in the ballet. I can appreciate why they were cut to make the production shorter and more to the point. Can we trust a modern audience be able to sit through the full 4 hour ballet? Maybe not.

This production finally stood on it's own legs, still a bit wobbly, but I actually had a good time. I missed many of the drug references this time around - I distinctly remember last season a bit about the needle, and the deer that the prince caught, and how the deer was supposed to symbolize Aurora, and then the prince drinking the water and hallucinating - was I just reading into it a bit much? These small changes greatly improved the flow of the performance, in my opinion.

I can't wait to see Sarah Lane as Aurora.

I felt for Veronika surfing onstage in that giant merry-go-round Swan. She was a dream though; she's so patient and has the most beautiful arms. I love her more and more each time I see her. My sister was disappointed Carabosse stayed on the ground this year (she's 7), but I think it was for the best.

I'll be there too. I'll be eager to hear what you think.

Have to agree that Monday night Veronika Part's Lilac was beyond lovely. Her choreography was about 80% port du bra, but it was worth it.

Some of the offensive aspects of last year's production are gone (e.g. the shower curtain, the princes' costumes, all the flying around by various characters), but I'm afraid that what's left is fairly boring. It quickly becomes tedious when none of the principals are dancing. It was like trying to enjoy a steak that was overly tenderized in order to accommodate people with no teeth who need to gum their food to death. All night long I just wanted something of substance to chew on.

Paloma Herrera was beautiful and charming as Princess Aurora, but I felt that Gelsey has so sanitized her dancing in order to come as close to perfect Petipa style as possible that it pretty much dulled Paloma's natural sparkle. Don't even try to dull Corella's sparkle. He woke everybody up in short order. Maria Riccetto was a sparkly blue bird (everybody quite literally sparkles in this production). Radetsky sort of thumped his way through his brisee voile diagonal but otherwise was a fine partner for Maria. The canary Fairy of Joy (Zhong-Jing Fang) has dialed back the mania from last year and was really a joy to watch.

I want to thank whoever on this board last year identified Florestan as Burger King. When he first came out, I found myself fighting convulsive giggles that evolved into little snorts with spits. It is all so ridiculous.

Do you mean that Gelsey coached the Auroras this year? I read last year that Gelsey regretted the resistance some principals had to her ideas. Do you think she had a big impact.

I haven't gone yet this year, I'm going on Thursday, but I am almost sorry to hear that the shower curtain is gone. I told so many people about it, now they'll think that I exaggerated.

I, too, saw Monday's performance.
ABT - Sleeping Beauty
Herrera, Corella, Part, Raffa, Radetsky, Riccetto, Barbee, Jaffe, Luckett. (subs: Luis Ribagorda & Patrick Ogle)

Just quick notes of changes (even more since I saw it --PH/AC, S.Lane/H.Cornejo--in California last July):

* King's costume has eliminated the "Burget King" gold lame, and made it more in line with the Queen's glittering royal blue. (So nice to see Susan Jaffe again).

* Yes, 4 princely suitors now look subtlely delineated from each other in sober colors and dare-I-say elegant (if not exactly historically correct) costumes?

* The peasant girls/Catabaltte(sp?)'s spindle unpleasantness before the gate doesn't take as long--and no more red threads coming out of spindle.

* The costumes for the peasants who dance THE waltz with the flower hoops/roundels have been toned down slightly--no more turquoise accents in mustard.

* No more major fog effects and nice nap for Prince Desire, or male fairies providing an airborne slalom for him. (Thank all dance gods for those exisions!) in Hunt/Vision scene. The Prince now arrives with the hunt, mopes about like Siegfried a bit, dismisses the entourage, and then we're finally into the vision scene. The only fog FX utilized happens when the boat appears, and I liked the break-up pattern and shimmers to simulate a watery surface on the stage.

* No more passive Prince at mercy of Carabosse waiting for Lilac Fairy to rescue him... He does get stuck to web still, but Lilac quickly releases him so he can immediately stab Carabosse with sword, and as she writhes, run up to kiss his sleeping princess and break the spell, thereby causing Carabosse & web to disappear into the black hole upstage.

* No more cage for Princess Florinne (?!) & her Blue Bird. Costumes for both have also been toned down; hers is especially nice. So no more orange breasts and excess feathers. (But also no more resemblance to the real bird's colors).

* Still no Puss & Boots, or RRH & Wolf (poor Tchaikovsky and his brilliant score).

* Oh yeah, no more shower curtain. Oh well, I guess too much smiling (snickering) would have been bad for me.

RE: THE DANCING: As usual, during the first two acts, I still have to pinch myself to stay awake, and open my eyes to the excellent dancing I see when something (finally) wakes me from my trance: eg. Lilac, the Fairies (esp. Valor which I used to dance), Rose Adagio (of course), putting Court to sleep (this time including King & Queen). And of course I woke up every time Angel Corella finally got a chance to actually dance instead of just being a dreamy prince or regal partner. I thought Paloma did fine technically, had much better phrasing than previously, and is emoting more strongly.

Wow, thank you for the details on the changes 4mrdncr, sounds like they fixed the most egregious offenses - I might even like it this time around.

Can't wait for the Lane/Cornejo performance...

We attend Tuesday's performance with Julie Kent but left after the first intermission as my wife was not feeling well.

The production seemed to be less Disney like, but there were still some very bright costumes. Michelle Wiles was lovely as Lilac but we both felt Julie Kent's Aurora was not at her best and couldn't seem to effortlessly balance and I believe fell off point at one point. OUCH.

Julie Kent is one of my favorite dancers and this was very disturbing. Perhaps she came back in the later acts which we didn't see. My wife thought she might be heading for retirement.

I thought the corps looked very good in what we saw.

I went last night (Wednesday). Xiomara and Jose Manuel, with Michelle as the Lilac Fairy. I like Xiomara, so I'm sure I thought she was better than most people here did. The only thing "off" that I noticed was that she was a little tentative in the Rose Adagion with her first balances; she got stronger as it went on.

Jose Manuel was solid, but I didn't see any fire. He didn't do anything wrong, but he didn't do anything amazing, either.

I've never cared for Michelle; I always considered her ungraceful. She seemed less clunky than I've found her in the past, but she has picked up a hitch in her jumps, where her head jerks forward like one of those little toy bobbing birds that drink out of glass of water. It looks like she trying to extend the distance on the jump by jerking her head.

The comedy high point was the stagehand walking out on stage during the performance. Apparently, something caught fire after Carabosse made her exit, but this guy didn't even make an attempt to be unobtrusive.

semi OT and potentially too late...

But if any other BTers are there tonight, say hi! I'm EASY to spot. I'm the woman with black shortish hair and a nose ring (the kind in the center). I think that's probably a sufficient description to make me stand out at the ballet, but i'll be wearing a black dress with black and white striped sleeves.

I'll be out on the terrace during intermission most likely.

I don't answer to aurora in real life (especially not at Sleeping Beauty), but I do answer to DT or delirium

Thursday, June 18

The Little Princess that Could

Sarah Lane came on stage a truly young and happy girl. Apparently someone had just taught her a new game, and she could hardly wait to play it. That it is called The Rose Adagio hardly mattered at all. Without a hint of apprehension, Ms. Lane just started playing it. Every diagonal was a flawless breeze for this ballerina, and as each man gave her his hand in that final killer sequence, she touched it just a moment as she went immediately into balance and held each perfectly until the music said to go to the next guy. Naturally, by the time she reached the last hand, the audience was loudly in her hands. Never seen it so calmly and easily done.

The opening Prologue was hardly as successful, no sense of Lilac as Guardian of a Classicism that must, in its perfection, guide all things right. The one bright light of three-dimensional humanity was Maria Bystrova's Carabosse: without any of last year's version's histrionics yet so fully drawn, that for me she was the most likable character in this section.

After intermission on came Herman Cornejo, and with him not just virtuosity and unbelievable altitude, but a commitment to classical purity that helped make him a true Prince. In their shared dream, they looked beautiful together, and above all you could believe in them. There was a magic moment, just after he'd turned her by the waist, she faced the audience and her eyes opened so wide: she'd just awakened from a century-long dream into another, and this dream was real because it was shared.

At the wedding the birds (well, this year she wasn't, as the princess no longer enters in a bird cage) were Yuriko Kajiya (dancing both airy and open, a test run for a future Aurora?) and Gennadi Saveliev (one might have expected one of the young virtuosi, but he honored classicism). In the great Adagio, all fish dives looked easy and finished very solidly in proper form, as did the final pose. Mr. Cornejo's variations were all you'd expect from him. Of course this young partnership gave us a young Royal couple, clearly prepared for the responsibilities of their office, and not that ultimate statement that through classical purity all things will be right forever, that came through with such power in last summer's Part/Gomes II.

What next for this pair, Romeo and Juliet?

Sarah did have a triumph. A friend complained about Act I, "I wish she wouldn't smile so much!" I thought the smile was natural, was Sarah's as much as Aurora's. She seemed to be feeling a mixture of excitement and near disbelief at her circumstances -- at least until the finger prick. Nice moment there as she first reassured her friends that she'd be okay, then covered up a swoon as she turned to reassure her mother.

I like the way in the hunt scene scene Herman tore off the blindfold as if he was having a panic attack. He seemed disoriented for a moment. Nice setup for the grand hallucination.

There may have been improvements to some of the misjudgments of last year's staging but , there's a whole set of new mistakes. Two children as the center of the garland waltz? Yes, children belong in the Garland Waltz, but if you're going to use children, use children -- not just two! For one thing, it violates Sleeping Beauty's world of defined heirarchy. For another, you end up with no one paying attention to the corps. In fact, there are several places in this production where you can imagine The Team saying, "No one's watching the corps, anyway." Like in the prologue where the fairies join in the choreography that's always (as far as I know) given to the Lilac's attendants.

The prologue -- you have the fairies' attendants constantly entering and exiting, and it's a big distraction. If you want them onstage, bring them on once, maybe twice and let them blend with the court.

Pieces of the Jewels divertissement have been restored to the last act, but to no one's advantage. The last act has been reduced to a suite of classical pieces, topped by the mazurka. Nothing to set these dances off, so they lose both their indivdual and collective impact. The fairy tale characters have an entrance and a vignette, in which Cinderella tells the prince to give the flower to the cats, who distract him from Red Riding Hood. The cats prevail upon the Wolf to make nice to Red Riding Hood, and all is well with the world. Ugh!

When a woman has a great piece of jewelry, it's best if she wears it with a plain, black dress and minimal accessories. Petipa left us a treasure chest, and ABT has taken the gems and instead of giving each piece the opportunity to shine in all its glory, it placed it on a busy print with frills, ruffles sequins, and lots of cheap costume jewelry. It's really hard to find that big emerald set among diamonds and pearls.

I feel sorry for the dancers, who (except for a timid Lilac Fairy of Maria Riccetto), hit the perfect balance of modesty and assertiveness. They convey the sense of the sacred in their performance. There was no question that every one up there was there to serve their art. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same of those who laid out the libretto.

It's a big ballet, and there's a reason for everything that's in it. I understand the desire to cut some sections, but a stager should really ask him/herself what purpose this served, what happens to the overall act if we cut it? Maybe you can move a few things around. But for Terpsichore's sake, add nothing. No new choreography. Please!!!!

I was there last night for Sarah and Herman for my first "Beauty" of the season. Some notes on the production changes:

Prologue: Shower curtain gone, set pushed upstage to give more room. Both good things. The grand pas for the entrance of the fairies is now Petipa with some McKenzie additions from what I can tell. The fairy knights do some lifts and partnering in the grand pas that I don't remember from the Kirov or Royal Ballet version. However, now it is pretty canonical. Correct me if I am wrong. The King's costume has been toned down. The baby is handled properly like an actual infant. All to the good. Very good fairly solos by Simone Messmer, Renata Pavam and Kristi Boone. Jennifer Reyes, cast for her radiant big smile as the Fairy of Joy underplayed the quick finger work so that it made no effect. It shouldn't look like a frenetic seizure but like the fluttering of a joyous bird. She didn't have the precision or speed. Melanie Hamrick was pleasing. Maria Riccetto as the Lilac Fairy was doing more traditional choreography that was less step heavy than last year. She lacks a certain amplitude and creaminess in the epaulement but was technically solid. Maria Bystrova was a glamorous, imposing Carabosse with tons of stage presence and lots of detail. Give this girl Myrtha, Kevin, everyone will think you're genius for doing it.

Act I: New costumes for the Garland Waltz dancers. Gone are the shorts with suspenders decorated with little daisies. Really the eight couples and two children look dinky compared with the stage filling waltz put on by the Royal and Kirov. The work with the garlands was out of sync. The Princes have new costumes that are supremely tasteful (I missed that rather naff Celtic Prince with his fabulous purple boa accent) but are all beige and brown and look too much alike.

On bounds a tiny, radiant Sarah Lane with a smile that lights up the stage. Her balances in the Rose Adagio are spot-on with the arms en couronne and held for some time. Though petite she has an amplitude in the upper body that makes her dancing look not small but full and expressive. Quick light footwork and nice details. It will only get better as she does the part more but she has this part nailed down right now. Very good pantomime during the pricked finger episode. The King and Queen no longer abandon Aurora and die during her 300 year sleep.

Hunting Scene/Vision Scene: Good traditional hunt choreography with appropriate use of the male corps. Herman looks very handsome and is dancing with elegance and charm. Convincing Prince. No more "Desiré Dream Ballet" with the smoke and bounding "elvadors". The Lilac Fairy comes on with the first act fairies in a decent rendition of the Vision Scene. Sarah Lane works at an otherworldly, slightly melancholic air and does beautifully with her solo. Herman's partnering is pretty flawless here and all night.

Journey to Castle/The Battle with Carabosse: the stage fog rolls on the stage as Lilac re-enters in the Swan boat, no tackier or sillier than what I have seen in other productions. Various scrims and sets pieces drop and roll on to suggest change of location. The castle set from Act I appears behind a scrim piece. The spider's web now stand upstage where the arch of the castle is. The Prince is captured by Carabosse's minions and placed in the web. Lilac appears and breaks the spell and the Prince frees himself. He draws his sword to kill Carabosse but she seems to be impervious to his blade and immortal and laughs at him and goes offstage. Stage left and above, a light illuminates the Sleeping Aurora in her bedroom. The kiss, jubilation. All in all pretty good.

Aurora's Wedding: the set is less skimpy and stylized with less puffy white drapes. The stage within a stage is further upstage and there are chairs and benches set around. There is a throne at the left where the still-alive King and Queen watch the celebration. It looks less nowhereland and more in tune with what went before.

The Gold, Silver, Sapphire (?), Diamond pas de quatre has been reworked as a dance for the fairies. For example: the "Diamond" solo I think now is done by the Fairy of Joy (Canari qui Chante). The male part has been excised. Its inoffensive and not the worst treatment that music has been subjected to. I still think they have room for the White Cats and the little itty bitty throwaway numbers for Cinderella and her Prince and Red Riding Hood and the Wolf. The Bluebirds also have new costumes and no cage. Gennadi Saveliev is okay as the Bluebird but lacks some lightness and elevation. His fluttering arms look somewhat applied to a strong solid lower body. I am glad that Herman is doing only lead roles but his Bluebird was almost definitive. Let him dance it again next year. Yuriko Kajiya was a delight as Princess Florine, truly enchanting (I want to see Zhong Jing Fang in that part too).

Herman and Sarah were paragons of classical purity in the Grand Pas de Deux and had sparkle and virtuosity for the coda. Very successful fish dives and perfect unity in phrasing and style.

The drops look somewhat repainted or more likely better lit. There is still an overuse of smoke that creates a haze in the auditorium that makes it seem later like you are watching the ballet in an enormous smoke-filled back room of a bar. All in all, they have gone back to the canonical Sergeyev version with some Royal Ballet alternative readings with the McKenzie/Kirkland/Chernov accretions pruned away. I would say that 50% of the costumes are new and are fine. This is an acceptable but not distinguished "Sleeping Beauty". However, the dancing last night would have graced any theater in the world.

I thought Sarah & Herman were both absolutely wonderful, and that with the extensive changes to the production ABT now has a Beauty they can be proud of. There are definitely still aspects of the staging that I don't like (most of which have already been commented on here) and things I miss like the entre'act music & fairy tale character variations but all in all its now a pretty solid production. Last year I had to work to focus on the things I enjoyed in it (mainly the music and the dancers), this year I enjoyed the production on its own merits. We'll see if it holds up after I go to a few more performances.

I really thought all the dancers were wonderful last night. I thought Lane's smile in the first act was totally appropriate & charming. I would have had a big problem with her if it continued into the vision scene but of course it did not – she was beautifully ethereal & mysterious. If there was any room for improvement at all I think it was in the last act. She & Herman were picture perfect technically but I missed the way the sense of grandeur & excitement builds along with the music – I think it kind of started on a high level and stayed there. But this is a minor point – it was a smashing debut for both of them and Miss Lane has now shot up close to the top of my list of favorite Auroras and has definitely become my #1 favorite ABT Aurora.

I have never been a fan of Maria Ricetto so I have to mention the fact that I thought she was very good as the Lilac Fairy. I've never had a problem with her technique, it's always appeared to be very strong but she usually strikes me as a dancer who really doesn't take risks or bring much to a role beyond the basic steps. It's true that her dancing does still lack the kind of amplitude I like in a Lilac and her demeanor was more sweetly magical than authoritative but I thought she brought great warmth and delicacy to the role. Bystrova was also a fabulous Carabosse, and Kajiya an outstanding Florine.

Sarah Lane was a delightful, “for real” teenage Aurora. Bravo!

Just to add couple of things:

I could not agree more - Maria Bystrova did create a most powerful character in the whole Act I. But those alien creatures that surround her! – boy, do they look ridiculous.

Act II. Some costumes are replaced, toned down, some left untouched. Most of them look fine and even good separately. However when put all together on stage, they create a colorful mess.

All foreign princes’ costumes are replaced. Now they have no character, look the same and it is hard to differentiate one prince from another. Plus, bright yellow peasants make it difficult to focus on princes, whose costumes are made from the same dull, dark fabric. They probably used that shower curtain..

I was very glad Lilac fiery did not send King and Queen to die in a forest this time.
They fell asleep with the whole castle and even get a chance to be at their daughter’s wedding.

Lane was radiant, and her Rose Adagio seemed a further demonstration of Aurora's eagerness and delight at being at the celebration. Often dancers can only portray Aurora before and after the RA, Lane did it during. Herman was much more the elegant prince than I expected. A true triumph for them.

I know I probably am in the minority, but I didn't care for BB. I thought Saveliev was unexceptional (is it my imagination or has that variation been watered down over the years?) Kajiya was a disappointment to me. It was almost like she was doing "Russian" but it wasn't organic, so she looked mannered to me. I also thought there was a tightness across her back. One other very, very petty quibble- she overdoes, and milks the bows (even for a ballet dancer). I'm interested in hearing others comment on this PPD.

The production changes from last year were most welcome, but share some of the reservations others have posted.

Regarding Kajiya, I had the feeling that she may have a foot problem. She did not do the hops on pointe as she brought her front leg to retire, but hopped on the other foot as she extended to arabesque. There were a couple of other moments usually done on pointe which she executed on demi-pointe or flat foot. A neighbor remarked on tense hands, which are uncharacteristic of Kajiya but no surprise if a dancer is in pain. I wouldn't judge her based on this performance. It wasn't bad, but it should have been better.

A word about the delightful Jacqui Reyes -- was it necessary to cast her as the one short, compact fairy among five stringbeans, most of them among the company's taller dancers?

Two more afterthoughts:

• The Kiss is the climax of the ballet (and should be telegraphed as such by the entre'acte!!!). Kiss=Happy Ending. So why is it tucked into an obscure corner of the stage?
• I was in the rear of the Dress Circle. Did anyone fail to hear the stagehand calling out "Hold it!!!" during the transition from Vision to Wedding (I think it was that scene change)? It was supposed to be a harp solo, but the harp was lost under the baritone.

I will not say much about Sarah Lane's Beauty debut last night as she has been a good friend of mine for quite some time. But I thought, with a bit of Kirov-ish touches, Sarah has never danced better. And what a lovely actress Sarah was too. I was totally blown away. Herman, as always, was such a thrilling and beautiful, strong, classical joy.

Bluebirds.... I thought Saveliev could have done far better. And Kajiya was full of long lines but too cold overall for such a charming part. Kajiya also left out, simplified, some of the choreography in her solo, which had me concerned.

The addition of the Jewels section of music to the last act was new this year... but the choreography was given to the fairies, and it was pretty much just classroom steps. None of it seemed necessary or magical. ABT badly needs to bring back the real last act with puss n' boots, etc. And I'd like to see the marriage scene's grand pas and variations kicked up a little by adding a bit more of exciting technique without removing the grandeur.

Many of ABT's production changes definitely were for the better, but Peter Martins was wiser than Kevin by not messing with most of the gorgeous original production that we all have known for so many years. ABT's is still awfully flat at times. And, I can't believe that the fireworks / smoke for Carabosse were still much TOO much.

Maybe it was the same guy who walked across the stage near the end of Act One on Wednesday night. See my post at

http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.p...rt=#entry228851

You are not alone.

I was especially disappointed because it happens to be my favorite variation in SB and because I like Gennady Saveliev.

First of all, Kajiya and Gennady did not belong together; there was no harmony in this partnership. Then ether Gennady was in a bad mood, or it is generally not his role. He seemed to be to “heavy” and his jumps were quite low, his performance “uneventful” and definitely did not put me in mind of bird.
Plus I hated costumes – they do not match together and have 0 resemblance of a Blue Bird.

Absolutely agree.

Those two children deserve a credit , though. I thought they did a good job, especially Lindsay.

Also, I would love to see a child, not adult, as a Red Riding Hood.

Thank you for that insight. I noted the changes in the variation but just thought they were changes in choreography, since this production hadn't shown tremendous respect for tradition, and this was my first SB this season.

Also, I was row A of the Dress Circle and heard the "hold it" loud and clear.

I was there for Lane and Cornejo. Re Bluebird -- I have really appreciated Kajiya this year, but I just can't forget Hee Seo and her fire and explosiveness. Also as someone said, Herman Cornejo was virtually definitive in the role last year. I don't think Seo and Cornejo performed together last year (can't remember for sure...?), but in any case, both were so tremendous that Kajiya and Saveliev just didn't do it for me. Where IS Hee Seo, anyway? Please bring her back!!!
Re Jackie Reyes and the other fairies, I too found Reyes lacking in precision, speed, form. I liked her very much last City Center season... but last night, I found Pavam, Hamrick, and Boone tremendous.
As a relative ballet newcomer, I saw the production a couple of times last year and, the best way to put it, I wasn't disappointed. This year, despite the supposed improvements, I'm less impressed. It looks like a cartoon -- hard to take it seriously.
Re last year's princes costumes, especially (as FauxPas said) that fabulous purple feather boa... they were so bad, I miss them! The new costumes seem to be just as dull and uniform as last year's costumes were flamboyant... and they seem to be misplaced, from another production entirely.

Totally agree--esp. about that purple boa. As for the princes' costumes being from another production... I actually thought they would look good in the ballroom scene in Swan Lake since they were (1) the same color scheme, and (2) Swan Lake's 16th century as opposed to SB's courtiers' 15th century. (Just my 'fashion police' comment for tonight.)

I had the pleasure of seeing Sarah Lane and Herman Cornejo dance Aurora and Prince Desire this past Thursday. She was radiant, exquisite, with such a huge presence for such a small dancer. He was technically, astonishing (as usual). Together , they were just lovely. Such attention to detail!!!

Hi dancedance 40. I'm glad you enjoyed Sleeping Beauty. Speaking of Stella....[Note: I posted this in the Dancers section of this site, but it seems appropriate here as well, since you're asking about her.] I'm worried about Stella Abrera. She was supposed to dance the title role in Giselle on the Wednesday matinee in July. Then I heard that she was injured and had been taken out for the rest of this season. I also heard that she had been injured three years ago. Does anyone know the extent of her injuries and whether/when she will dance again? I love her and was so much looking forward to seeing her in Giselle.
Thanks, Angelica

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I noticed the demi-point bit too, but when the Kirov came with their new/old production (of glorious memory!) a lot of their Bluebird was done on demi-point, which I found charming. I thought maybe it was meant that way--I do hope she isn't injured, since she is supposed to do Gamzatti.

I appreciate all the comments on how ABT's Sleeping Beauty has changed since last year. What surprises me is that no one has commented on how unusual it is for a choreographer(s) to make changes after bad reviews. Kevin McvKenzie is one of the few who seems to listen to feedback and try to rectify problems in a ballet. I wish more choreographers would do the same.

Cornejo's SB Prince was a (not unexpected) marvel, giving the lie to those nay-sayers who claimed he could never be a prince. As noble a prince of any size onstage today.

His variation after the Vision scene was so full of joy and exuberance to have found his True Love, both powerful and endearing.

Lane had a very promising NY debut but I might have been more impressed had I not attended the remarkable performance of Xiomara Reyes the night before (yes, I chose to see this rather than Damian's farewell and don't regret it).

The aspect above all that so impressed was Reyes' refinement, as though Tchaikovsky and Petipa were whispering into her ear. Nothing overdone (or underdone) here. No big grins or falling out of triple pirouettes. Style, musicality, lyricism, joy (but not glee), connecting with everyone else onstage, from start to finish an Aurora comparable only to that of Amanda McKerrow in recent years.

If I had to compare Reyes' Aurora to another performance it would be to the Don Ottavio of the late tenor Goesta Winbergh, a perfection Mozart could have wished for.

Carreno was ardent, noble and, it goes without saying, The Perfect Partner.

I thought Lane had more success in the Grand Pas than earlier in the evening. In Act I her back leg had a tendency to lag, and I noticed the line in her upper body tends to tilt forward. The Vision scene had more of a channeling of Nikiya than Aurora. But by Act III she seemed to have settled down and finally began to enjoy herself and that finally reached me.

On Monday Paloma danced so very small. She doesn't always; certainly her Kitri is bigger. Corella did his usual bouncing around (with glee) but it did lift the somnolent mood.

The best reason to see Monday's performance was the Real Lilac Fairy of Veronika Part. Oh my! There is So Much Lilac Fairy in this production (why does she have to act as Mistress of Ceremonies in the last act?). But I'll never complain of too much stage time for VP.

Wiles was quite a good Lilac on Wednesday. She has really worked to lengthen her neck, drop her shoulders and ginch out at the hip to lengthen her line. Her Swan this year was much improved and, after a plateau period of a couple of years, she is turning into a real ballerina.

I found Riccetto miscast. Again small; one of the fairies, not the boss. Why Kristi Boone wasn't cast here is a mystery (and as Gamzatti when ABT is bringing in a ringer for two performances). Boone was a seductive Countess, a lush Fairy and the sexiest White Cat in memory.

Nancy Raffa was glorious as Carabosse. A Wow, in fact. This is what I expected from Gelsey last year. Venom dripping from every pore. You wouldn't think such a poquita could stand up to the magesterial Part, but Raffa did. Hoo .. vicious!

As for the production, most of the changes are welcome but why do the Courting Princes look so alike except for their chapeaux? These are exotic Princes here; they shouldn't look like they wandered in from the nearby countryside in their Sunday best.

And that odious stage in Act III looks like a Vegas reject. Using it for the appearance of the happy couple might work if the warm-up acts weren't also presented there.

Some other quibbles but, on the whole, a much improved version over last year. And Barker conducted wonderfully.

I see what you mean, but to some extend that is the difference between an experienced dancer like Reyes, who was a soloist in another company before joining ABT (where I think she's been a principal for 5 yrs), and a young soloist. The one flaw I saw in Lane was that at times she went for too much - going for triple pirouettes when doubles would be better etc. Next year I'm sure Lane will be more tempered in the role. At the same time seeing a young dancer going for too much (a trait of youth in all areas) makes me smile in a special way. Maturity and judgement are great things - but ah youth!!

I attended the June 21st matinee of “Sleeping Beauty”. I may be in the minority, but I thought it was a beautiful production. Michele Wiles was a radiant Aurora. Her balances in the Rose Adagio were a little bit wobbly, but the rest of her performance was just perfect. As always, David Hallberg was the ideal prince, but a prince who’s an exciting solo dancer as well as an excellent partner. I usually like Maria Riccetto, but I was very pleased when it was announced from the stage that Veronika Part would be dancing the role of the Lilac Fairy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better performance in this role than what Part delivered on Saturday afternoon (and I’ve seen the full-length “Sleeping Beauty” close to 20 times). I, like so many others, do not understand why Part is not a principal dancer. I think the Lilac Fairy, like Gamzatti in “La Bayadere” and Myrtha in “Giselle” is one that should be danced by a real ballerina. And Part is certainly that. Among the other fairies, I enjoyed most the dancing of Misty Copeland and Jacquelyn Reyes. (Is Jacquelyn Reyes Xiomara Reyes’ sister?) I usually love Sascha Radetsky, but I thought his Bluebird was very disappointing. My only complaint about this production is that the divertissements for Puss in Boots and the White Cat, Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, and Cinderella and the Prince have been dropped the last act.

I thought Sarah Lane's Rose Adagio was excellent. She WAS 16. You could also tell that she was so excited and happy and passionate and, finally DOING IT. She was giving so much in the first act, and I think that is what made it one of the best Rose Adagios I have seen. She really was Aurora for me. I didn't find her size to be a problem until the vision scene, where she would run in and out of the corps, and I would completely lose her. Unfortunately, she was still 16 in the third act - to me at least. I didn't see a radical change in the way she approached the role. She did command a lion's share of my attention though; her act I performance alone was worth the price of the ticket.

Herman was technically brilliant, as usual, but again, he was just a hair short to be the prince, especially when parading around in the hunt scene. Him and the "girlfriend" looked a little Napoleon and Josephine. The grand ppd was excellent though - no one can fault their pure classicism and superb pairing. When they were dancing alone, they were divine, but I felt that they often got lost in the crowd. I would love to see these two do something contemporary together as well - would be very interesting to see how they handle something more modern.

This is funny. I found her RA to be one of the strongest, steadiest I've seen in a several generations. There are ballerinas who can probably compare, but I haven't seen them lately. Michele really went for the balances, holding her arms en couronne for more than a moment, and as late the music (which was truly adagio, for a change) permitted, calmly lowering her upstage arm to receive the next prince. I didn't see any unsteadiness. On the other hand, she seemed to build up to radiance from a somewhat restrained first act. By the Wedding pdd, she was every bit as radiant as any bride, dancing grandly.

David, of course, is the product of advanced genetic engineering. Scientists went to find the genes for the perfect ballet prince, mixed them up in the lab and presto! Here he is! His dancing is every bit as aristocratic as his bearing. I'd like to see him act less with his face and more with his posture, hands, head, etc. Less important here than in other roles, so perhaps that explains the sole weakness in his performance. People have written mild complaints on this board that his partnership with Michele lacks temperament. I understand the desire for more electricity, but I thought in SB, their rapport was perfectly appropriate.

Hee Seo was the White Cat, looking wonderful, and giving us a few big, light grand jetes in her truncated role. Welcome back! Yuriko's Florine was better than Thursday, although she did not hop coming into retire. Sascha Radetsky had a very unfortunate night. Fatigue seems to bother enough dancers to give performances a generally tired look. I hope they can find a second (third? fourth?) wind for Bayadere week. Cheers also for Maria Bystrova's first fairy, a big, fat HINT that she could be a memorable Lilac Fairy.

I was thrilled to finally see Veronika Part's Lilac, who really did have special powers of benevolence, and to see her conquer Martine van Hamel's Carabosse. For those who've posted on the Bournonville FolkTale Thread, here was a vivid example of the possibilities of mime as both a form of dance and an expression of multilayered communication. Some of the gestures may be arcane to those unfamiliar, but the tone of each character's "lines" was unmistakable. Carabosse's sarcasm -- fabulous!

Our new Aurora-Desire couples are so different. Any company should be proud to present them either, but what a treat to see both among the more seasoned Beauty casts! Now, all they have to do is give them a production.

Errant thought after the awakening, as Aurora and Desire greet the King and Queen: Where else would parents be overjoyed to see their teenaged daughter emerge from her bedroom with a guy they'd never met? Strange place, this ballet world.

Maybe I thought Michele's balances were just a little bit shaky in the RA because I saw Paloma Herrera dance Aurora last year. (Actually I saw Paloma dance the role twice. I was supposed to see Diana Vishneva in the role the second time, but she was out sick.) Paloma's balances were absolutely rock solid. I may be wrong, but I don't think anyone balances like Paloma. Saying that, I will say that overall I thought Michele's Aurora was better than Paloma's. (Although Paloma's Aurora was very good).

ABT Sleeping Beauty 19 June 2008

This is my first view of ABT's 'new' SB. I have nothing of interest to say about this misbegotten production that either hasn't been said or shouldn't be said.
Allow me one sentence: The sets are awful and the colors of the costumes are bilious.

Sarah Lane had, what I viewed as, a most promising debut. Her most successful scene was the Rose Adagio. The taxing double work was beautiful to behold, precise, full of ardor, elegant party manners, with clean control that allowed the Petipa choreography to breathe and to be seen.

In the Vision scene her arabesque and attitude turns were exemplary.

In the Wedding pas de deux, while we don't notice any particular clues to the growth of her inner life, that would let us know this is symbolically a long time after her sixteenth birthday, nevertheless, the pairing with Cornejo is a felicitous one.

Bravo to Ms Lane and bravo to Mr Cornejo.

Two quibbles:

The preparations into the three 'fish-dives' remained too careful (read: slow) to achieve the virtuosic effect of confident maturity.

The coach who advised triples for the three pirouettes following the Rose Adagio
misguided her. The debut was not the place for them. (She did nicely two and then forced the third revolution. Three times!)
The triples will come. Ms Lane is a gifted turner.

I have no quibbles with the six fairies (Ricetto (Lilac) Hamrick, Boone, Pavam, Reyes, Messmer).
But I would have liked to have seen more sincerity, fervor, charity, joy, valor, from all of them.

The Bluebird pas de deux left me perplexed (Kajiya/Saveliev). I did not understand what the dancers (or their coaches) intended. Too many changes from the canonical.

I also attended the June 19th performance of Sleeping Beauty with Herman Cornejo and Sarah Lane. I thought Lane was wonderful in the role and made a terrific New York debut. Over the next few years I expect her to grow both as a dancer and a person and her dancing will begin to reflect that maturity. At that point, I would love to see her tackle something more dramatic, perhaps Romeo and Juliet. I think she and Cornejo are a superb team and will be extraordinary in those roles. However, I take issue with the folks who think that Cornejo, one of the greatest dancers on the scene today, is just not tall enough to carry romantic leads, like the Prince in Sleeping Beauty. Succumbing to stereotyping is never a good idea, and if he is able to handle the role technically there is no reason why the aesthetic of the production can’t be shifted to support him. By that I mean, you see what you want to see. If you see Napoleon and Josephine on stage, you are not seeing what you should be seeing, which is Sleeping Beauty and the Prince. Human beings come in all sizes, shapes and colors. You can stereotype people by height just as you can by race. The film and theatre critic John Simon used to be notorious for criticizing the New York Shakespeare Festival for casting non-white people in Shakespearean roles. As time has passed, that kind of criticism is no longer valid. If your preference is for a tall leading man, then don’t buy a ticket to see Cornejo in the role. But you shouldn’t limit yourself by thinking that a certain type of role can only be played by someone with a certain body type.

One other thing about this particular production I’d like to mention, which no one else has here, and I’m not certain if anyone else has in the past. As a former costume designer, I find that the costumes are usually a signal as to how a production has been created and pulled together. The costumes in this Sleeping Beauty are not simply garish. In Acts I and II, the costumes contain very specific references to mid-15th century France. In Act III, they are specific to late 18th century France. That’s a span of 300 years. Yet in the traditional fairy tale, as well as the program, Sleeping Beauty and her kingdom fall asleep for 100 years. I don’t think somebody goofed on purpose with this. They probably liked the look of both eras for the costumes and figured that nobody in the audience would know or care enough to see that things were incorrect visually. I wouldn’t call it contempt for the audience, but I think it does show a lack of concern that is obviously mirrored in the jumble they’ve made of the ballet. Well, my only thought about this is, maybe they’ll change the production again next year, or just drop it for now!

This is an important point. I noticed that the only times when Sarah or Herman seemed small was when they were relatively still amidst other dancers. Both of them, once they're dancing, fill the stage.

Thanks for that observation. I suspect they had to make the change of fashion stark and unmistakeable, but I think most audience members would recognize a well designed shift from the 17th to the 18th C.