Thursday, February 23, 2017

Boston Ballet.....getting ready.

So it's been almost 3 years since I blogged....I found it was dampening my enjoyment of the ballet to critique and complain.  A lot has changed since then, but not all for the better.

Since then, my dream came true when American Ballet Theatre finally (finally!) promoted the beautiful and gracious Stella Abrera to principal.  Since then, Yuriko Kajiya and Jared Matthews are now winning the west down in Houston.  Maria Riccetto was just nominated for a Benois for her work down in Uruguay.  Cedar Lake is no more (the saddest news of all), but at least Ebony Williams is killing it dancing with Beyoncé.

But also in this time away, ABT has also promoted and given many performances to other newer principals I can't bear to watch.  In many cases I'd rather watch a corps member do a lead role than these dancers.  It makes me sad and wistful for 2005-2007 when ABT was a shining cosmos of near perfection.  Times have changed.

Honestly, that actually helped with my decision to escape New York City and venture back north.  It's been about six months now.   But I miss the Joyce Theater and Lincoln Center. I miss City Center and Alvin Ailey.  I miss all the international theater companies coming through.  I miss ABT - well, some of the company anyway.  Very few touring companies up here in New England.  

Boston Ballet's Le Corsaire came too soon after my move, so I skipped it.  I wasn't ready to let new dancers into my heart.  (I may never be ready, actually, as I've only seen one performance of Corsaire since the a-ma-zing night Ethan Stiefel retired.  I can't imagine any four principals ever coming close to that night.) The upcoming presentation by Boston Ballet (Forsythe/Artifact) doesn't tempt me much, so I'm waiting for the Kylián/Wings of Wax program at the end of March to venture into new waters.  I've already got tickets to see their Sleeping Beauty in April though, and then hoping to make it to New York for at least a couple of ABT performances.  As Haglund would say, the Stella Acela is ready and waiting.  And as long as Alessandra Ferri continues to dance, I will continue to find a way to be there.

I know a little about Boston Ballet, and grew up watching their Nutcracker, but not enough yet to have any opinion.  Anyone have any thoughts to share?

Shall I be a ballerinerd once again?