Joel Lobenthal of the NY Sun: “As Gamzatti, Gillian Murphy imprinted infallibly etched images of pride, love, and ruthless will. She has studied the role so thoroughly and respectfully that even when she brings her own time and culture to Gamzatti’s rarified reactions and body language, they don’t coarsen her performance, but rather add to its vitality. Ms. Murphy has refined her natural facility for turning, so that her multiple fouettes in the Pas d’Action coda were smooth as silk, and her pirouettes in her last act solo, followed by an echoing spiral into the upper body, were mesmerizing.” Or, says Jennifer Dunning of the NYT: “Once again Ms. Murphy made Gamzatti as pitiable a creature as she is evil, but this is a ballerina who needs a substantial work created for her.” Yes, it’s ABT’s summer season time at the Met, and once again Gill is rocking the house. I’ve caught her in Othello and The Dream (that’s her as Titania at right) thus far, and both times she was grand. If you’re in the NYC area and looking for an evening out, check the listings — you won’t be disappointed.
Tag: ABT
Pas de Vingt-Huit.
A very happy (and belated) birthday to my sister Gillian, who turned 28 yesterday. (She, I, and her friends and colleagues celebrated with a dinner at Rosa Mexicano last night.) Which, reminds me: tickets are now on sale for ABT’s 2007 Spring season at the Met (May 14-July 7), in which Gill will be performing in Romeo and Juliet, Othello, and several other new pieces. Get ’em while they’re hot.
Ethan elocutes.
“Not to be crass, but Ethan Stiefel, the American Ballet Theatre principal who starred in the film Center Stage, has had a shitty year.” Time Out: New York publishes an extended interview with my sister’s boyfriend, Ethan. Which reminds me: ABT’s City Center season is now in full swing, so get your tickets while you can. (I’ll be going several times over the next few weeks.)
Sylvia Path.
“Fonteyn could not jump the way ABT’s Gillian Murphy did on Monday night…” My sister Gill (recently interviewed here) gets a pair of nice reviews today for her recent turn in ABT’s Sylvia. ‘Gillian Murphy, who danced the title role on Monday, was born to play Sylvia…even early in her career she had a gift for ornamenting bold, bravura dancing with filigree musical phrasing, and that gift serves her well.”
Surfacing.
Hey all. So, as you may have noticed from the radio silence, it’s been hectic in these parts of late, what with trips out of town and around town, guests visiting, my sister Gill‘s ABT season at the Met, and many errands to run and a rather large work project to complete before I hit the road for a dissertation research trip later this week. That being said, the work wave seems to have crested, so hopefully normal update patterns should resume around here in very short order.
Lake Effect.
As spotted in the new Money magazine (p. 100), my sister Gillian and her longtime boyfriend Ethan are featured in ABT‘s ad campaign for their upcoming Spring season at the Met — Tickets are on sale now.
Grace in Gotham.
“As quintessentially American as Ms. Part is Russian, Gillian Murphy joined ABT in 1996, instantly raising our national banner of strong, brisk, technical prowess.” By the way, my sister’s fall ABT season began on Wednesday, so if you’re in the New York area and looking to partake of some choice offerings of world-class ballet, head on down to City Center. The Fall Repertoire includes Afternoon of a Faun, Apollo, Dark Elegies, Gong, The Green Room, In the Upper Room, Kaleidoscope, Rodeo, and Les Sylphides.
Digital Swans.
A programming note: If you missed Gill‘s performance of Swan Lake last night, it’ll be rebroadcast a few times in the next few days (check your local listings) and is available for DVD pre-order.
Little Sisters Make Good.
Yep, the sisters are doing it for themselves. Gillian‘s earlier-touted performance of Swan Lake will be broadcast on PBS tomorrow (Monday) at 9pm. And, congrats are due also to Tessa, who graduated from Oscar Smith High over the weekend, and was recently profiled (as valedictorian) in The Virginian-Pilot. Y’all go, girls!
Sylvia on Pointe.
“Gillian Murphy, who danced Sylvia on Friday, looked as if she were born to dance this role. Her natural, bold attack and imposing presence make her the perfect Sylvia.” Gill’s star turn in ABT’s revival of Sylvia (which I caught at the Met on Friday) opens to stellar reviews. In addition, Gill is profiled in this month’s Pointe Magazine. (Unfortunately, the text is unavailable online, although the pics are here.)