Departures from ABT...

So ABT finally updated its website and along with a few previously-known departures there are some other faces missing today:

Principals

Irina Dvorovenko - retired in June, still gorgeous and a wonderful actress.  Here's hoping she keeps popping up on the New York stage.

Natalia Osipova - not sure what the official story is here, but I for one thank the Royal Ballet for spiriting her across the pond.  It's probably too much to hope for that she won't be guesting next season and real opportunities will finally go to Stella, Sarah and Yuriko, but I'll keep my fingers crossed anyway.  

Soloists

Simone Messmer - we knew it was coming, but it doesn't make her understandable move to San Francisco any less sad for New York audiences.  I suspect she will be especially missed during the fall repertory season.

Corps

Roddy Doble - don't have any official word on this but a while back I'd heard he was off to the Boston Ballet for better growth opportunities. 

Mikhail Ilyin

Vitali Krauchenka

Renata Pavam

Anyone know anything about these departures?  Vitali in particular I thought was dancing quite well this Met season....

A ballet with a thousand lifts…and a few stumbles

American Ballet Theatre’s Lady of the Camellias seems to be a ballet that people either love or hate.  Unlike the often-cranky New York Times’ reviewers, I really do like this ballet, and even love parts of it.   Based on the novel by Dumas, which has been told a hundred different ways before, including ABT’s Manon, John Neumeier’s choreography and the stark scenery of this ballet mostly works.  The Chopin score is beautiful, and beautifully played by three soloists.  And even though a lot of what happened at Saturday’s matinee was a bit of a mess, I still think that this is a production not to be missed.