Ivy Lin Posted June 17, 2017 Author Share Posted June 17, 2017 Sarah Lane debuted as Odette/Odile at the ABT: http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2017/06/sarah-lanes-swan-lake.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted June 24, 2017 Author Share Posted June 24, 2017 Diana Vishneva bade farewell to ABT tonight: http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2017/06/farewell-diana.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted July 22, 2017 Author Share Posted July 22, 2017 Here;s my thoughts on the Superjewels festival: POB did Emeralds, Bolshoi and NYCB traded off in Rubies and Diamonds: http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2017/07/superjewels.html 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 Great review - thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted July 22, 2017 Author Share Posted July 22, 2017 I compared the POB I saw these past two days with the POB I saw in 2011 and also in the 2005 video of Jewels and their company style has really deteriorated. It seems like there are no dancers like Aurelie Dupont and Clairemarie Osta anymore. You know, dancers who had that stately French style but also the delicacy and personality to really dance the classics. In 2011 I fondly remember watching Dupont and Osta back to back in Giselle. Ah, great memories ... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted July 27, 2017 Author Share Posted July 27, 2017 I saw Taming of the Shrew and I dont think I'll be in a rush to see it again: http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2017/07/taming-of-shrew-waitress-hat-trick.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddy Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 I don’t believe that I’ve ever read two more enthusiastic reviews. Alena Kovaleva — Diamonds “Yet everything in this performance paled in comparison to the ravishing splendor of 18-year-old Alena Kovaleva in the lead role. “The audience had never heard of her, but from her first moment, there was a collective holding of breath, and at the end, a wild, heartfelt ovation; really, a burst of love.” Robert Gotlieb http://observer.com/2017/07/jewels-lincoln-center-review/ “Alena Kovaleva, a member of the Bolshoi Ballet’s corps who joined the company directly after graduating from the Vaganova Ballet Academy in 2016 (last year!), assayed the lead ballerina role in Diamonds at the Lincoln Center Festival’s five-performance Jewels celebration yesterday afternoon, and delivered one of the finest portrayals I’ve seen. Ever.” Jerry Hochman http://criticaldance.org/lincoln-center-festival-jewels-gems/ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane S Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 (edited) The Vail Dance Festival has just put a video on its Facebook page showing snippets from two multinational programmes over the weekend, including a tantalising short clip of Francesca Hayward and Marcelino Sambe in Rhapsody - also Marcelo Gomes, Misty Copeland, Tiler Peck, Lauren Lovett, Devon Teuscher etc etc - some line-up! Edited August 7, 2017 by Jane S 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane S Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 They've now added another video, of the 2nd International Evening, featuring many of the same dancers in different works - Hayward and Sambe this time in the Romeo and Juliet balcony pd2 . (and Lauren Lovette whose name I misspelt last time) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrewCo Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 Macmillan's Mayerling has had its first performance by an American company--the Houston Ballet. I'm posting about it here mostly because the premier has taken place under rather poignant and unusual circumstances as one might expect given the devastation visited on the city by Hurricane Harvey a very few weeks ago. The company normally appears in the Wortham Center which was badly damaged by the storm, and will be closed for a while. But they found an alternative venue that seems to have been workable. They still had to cancel a number of planned performances, but the premier took place with the Mayor of the City in attendance and I think there will be three more performances. (I'm not a local, so I don't know if the Mayor usually attends Houston Ballet premiers or not.) Anyway, here is a review/report on the performance. Presumably a lot of goodwill is involved in reviewing the home-town company under these circumstances, but it sounds like a fine performance: http://houston.culturemap.com/news/arts/09-23-17-houston-ballets-mayerling-surges-above-the-storm/#slide=0 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 That review plus 2 others are now in today's Links. Molly Glentzer's includes a 7-minute video chat with Houston's AD Stanton Welch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted October 1, 2017 Author Share Posted October 1, 2017 I saw 4 separate casts of NYCB's Swan Lake: http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2017/09/nycb-fall-season-4-swan-lakes.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted October 17, 2017 Author Share Posted October 17, 2017 I saw Robbie Fairchild's farewell to NYCB as well as the bill of new works: http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2017/10/nycb-fall-season-hello-new-works.html 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_emeralds Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 Great insight as always, Ivy Lin! Duo Concertant is one of my favourite ballets too - you lucky thing to have been there for Robbie Fairchild's last NYCB performance. Thanks for sharing! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted October 23, 2017 Author Share Posted October 23, 2017 I saw the Mariinsky Ballet in La Bayadere this weekend: http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2017/10/mariinskys-dreamy-la-bayadere.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 I saw Christopher Wheeldon's Brigadoon last night: http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2017/11/brigadoons-music-wakes-audiences-up.html 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 Watch Robbie Fairchild take on the sword dance here. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted December 14, 2017 Author Share Posted December 14, 2017 Well I did attend 6 performances of the Nutcracker as the crisis with peter martins unfolded. Here's my thoughts on them: http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2017/12/nutcracker-season-sweets-amid-turmoil.html 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted January 28, 2018 Author Share Posted January 28, 2018 A post-Martins NYCB Winter Season has begun ... http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2018/01/winter-season-diaries-all-balanchine.html 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted February 10, 2018 Author Share Posted February 10, 2018 Winter Season continues with the debut of a new work and Robbins' Four Seasons: http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2018/02/winter-season-diaries-groundhog-says.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 A wrap-up of the winter season: http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2018/03/winter-season-diaries-all-stravinsky.html 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 Thanks for that very interesting post, Ivy. Please keep them coming. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 10 hours ago, Ivy Lin said: A wrap-up of the winter season: http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2018/03/winter-season-diaries-all-stravinsky.html Thanks for that Ivy Lin I so enjoyed reading it, wish I had the opportunity to see American dance more often - but hopefully will see SFB next month 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 Hi, thankfully there are now more videos of American ballet companies. I think SFB has a Cinderella, Nutcracker, Othello and Little Mermaid out. NYCB has a Nutcracker from 2011 and a great all-Balanchine program of Walpurgisnacht/La Valse/Sonatine/Symphony in C. They've also released a host of vintage Balanchine programs on the vai label here: http://www.vaimusic.com/category/Balanchine.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted May 20, 2018 Author Share Posted May 20, 2018 David Hallberg and Natalia Osipova finished their Giselle performance here in the USA. Here's what I thought: http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2018/05/robbins-festival-ends-supergiselle-at.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annamk Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 It’s a very interesting read thanks for posting the link & I hope you don’t stop permanently ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 Ivy Lin please don't give up blogging. I've really enjoyed reading your posts and it has been really good to read your thoughts from across the Pond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capybara Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 28 minutes ago, Ivy Lin said: David Hallberg and Natalia Osipova finished their Giselle performance here in the USA. Here's what I thought: http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2018/05/robbins-festival-ends-supergiselle-at.html You write so well, Ivy Lin, and I hope that you won't stop doing so. I understand what you mean about 'amateur' writing being a form of conceit but I am not convinced that many professional critics are particularly experienced in ballet terms, at least, not to begin with. I shall never forget sitting in front of two women at the ROH and hearing the older one, whom I vaguely recognised, ask the younger one, "So how did you become a critic, then?" The reply was to the effect that she was really a trainee who had been sent along that night because noone else was available. She nevertheless continued to review ballet and dance for that newspaper for many years thenceforward - and she did so rather well! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Wall Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 39 minutes ago, Ivy Lin said: David Hallberg and Natalia Osipova finished their Giselle performance here in the USA. Here's what I thought: http://poisonivywalloftext.blogspot.com/2018/05/robbins-festival-ends-supergiselle-at.html Ivy Lin ... I Completely get where you are coming from… and very much admire your forthright courage In the follow-through . It speaks volumes. Would that many others had similar gumption! All best wishes for your future choices and thanks for your present and past insights. They have been sincerely appreciated. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizbie1 Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 30 minutes ago, capybara said: You write so well, Ivy Lin, and I hope that you won't stop doing so. I understand what you mean about 'amateur' writing being a form of conceit but I am not convinced that many professional critics are particularly experienced in ballet terms, at least, not to begin with. I shall never forget sitting in front of two women at the ROH and hearing the older one, whom I vaguely recognised, ask the younger one, "So how did you become a critic, then?" The reply was to the effect that she was really a trainee who had been sent along that night because noone else was available. She nevertheless continued to review ballet and dance for that newspaper for many years thenceforward - and she did so rather well! I'd add that all the book-learning about ballet in the world doesn't guarantee a good eye, which, together with love of the art form and humility, is the essential basis of good criticism. Certain well-known critics fail on one or more of these counts IMO. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyTurk Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 https://balletomanehk.com/2018/05/20/giselle-natalia-david/ Here is another beautifully-written review of Hallberg and Osipova by a "regular ballet-goer." Interesting how I often prefer reading commentary from audience members more so than "real critics." The reviews even on this forum are so much more detailed and substantial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyTurk Posted May 20, 2018 Share Posted May 20, 2018 While I'm at it...Here is another review by New York Times dance critic Alastair Macaulay on David Hallberg and Natalia Osipova's performance of Giselle, as well as the rest of the run with Sarah Lane and Misty Copeland starring as Giselle. Very interesting and enlightening remarks! Beautiful pictures as well. Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/20/arts/dance/giselle-natalia-osipova-american-ballet-theater.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Lin Posted May 21, 2018 Author Share Posted May 21, 2018 I appreciate all the kind remarks but as I said, I'm no more qualified to talk about dance than a fruit fly is. It was this realization that made me think "Wow I should stop." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now