When the 2009-10 Kennedy Center season announcement was released with a picture of Sylvia it was hoped this Ashton ballet would be included in ABT's engagement. Alas, no. It's Romeo and Juliet, again (and again and again). Any D.C.ers remember how many times in the past few years you've seen ABT perform this at the Kennedy Center? There will also be a mixed bill, so the hopes of a Symphonie Concertante performance (that ballet also was used in the brochure).

http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/ind...amp;event=BKBSD

Maybe it's a typo. Maybe they pushed the "Romeo and Juliet" button by mistake?

Seriously, I understand that these are desperate financial times, and the Center has to fill seats, but this one has been here a lot. At some point, everyone in Washington will have seen it.

I got very excited when I saw the Sylvia photo, and seeing that they were bringing R&J was such a letdown. I won't be going to see them on this visit.

Sylvia, Raymonda, Corsaire, Bayadere, Kudelka Cinderella...so many possibilities and, instead, we get the ABT R&J for the third time in seven seasons???? Jeez, Louise.

Let me guess on the triple bill:

Push Comes to Shove, Nutcracker Act II, highlights from Don Quixote

There must be SOME "Romeo and Juliet" fans out there.

Any other suggestions for the triple bill?

I'd be happy to see Lilac Garden, On the Dnieper, The Dream...not all three on the same triple bill, though.

That would be great, Hans, but remember the conservative presenters. I'm afraid that we were spoiled with the recent Royal Ballet 3ple bill of imaginative offerings. Will we ever see anything like that again? Instead, it will most likely be Nutcracker Suite, Don Q highlights and a predictable Tharp (if we're lucky). A lot has changed in one year.

Romeo and Juliet glut includes recent (last 10 years or so) performances by the Bolshoi and Mariinsky.

I know, but if we don't ask for good ballet, we won't get it. I guess The Dream would be a little odd to do in January, but Les Patineurs would be perfect. I don't think they've brought that for a while.

I don't remember much Balanchine by them here recently. If they feel they need to program conservatively, they could do a whole lot worse than bring one of their Balanchine Spectacular evenings.


I'd drive in for that.


I'd stay at home for that.

I understand your frustration down there in DC but I might think about traveling down to see an R&J if Marcelo Gomes was dancing. He's reported to be dancing better than ever especially in his partnership with D. Vishneva. I missed him here in NY and would love to see what the raves are about.

And then there's the Seo/Stearns pairing as R&J that I'm now reading about - that would be worth the trip too!

But DC can look forward to Pennsylvania Ballet's The Balanchine Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center in November!

:-)

That's another one I'll be skipping. I haven't seen Nutcracker in years, and I couldn't be happier!

Patineurs would be great, Hans.

So far, the only things that truly excite me on the KennCen 09/10 schedule are:

* Farrell Ballet's Haieff Divertimento revival

* all of the 'Ballet Across America' series

* Washington Ballet's new Don Q

* perhaps the Mariinsky's Soviet Sleeping Beauty, depending on who is Aurora -- if Obraztsova - YESSSS!!!!!

Warning: Lovers of the Winter Olympics and figure skating: the Olympics begin in the middle of the Mariinsky's KennCen run and continue during ALL of the Bolshoi run. Also, Wash Ballet's Great Gatsby will coincide with the Ladies figure skating competitions (short programs + finals) and the final gala. In other words, if you love figure skating, please check the schedule carefully before buying your ballet tickets or investing in travel (hotel, bus, etc). My family & I plan to be in Vancouver for both hockey & figure skating, so will totally miss the Bolshoi at the KennCen. If Obraztsova dances in Beauty, I pray that it be one of the weekday performances, before Olympics.

May I ask when roughly the cast announcements might be made for the Kennedy Center?

What do members do about trying to see their preferred cast there?

The triple bill is Birthday Offering, On the Dnieper, and Variations on a Theme by Haydn.