ROBERTO BOLLE IN THE LA TIMES

Here’s an article in the L.A. Times by NY writer Susan Reiter. It’s focused on Roberto Bolle, in anticipation of his debut there, in ABT’s season kick-off, which happened last night. There’s a sweet little interview with him that she conducted back here, in the Met. Aw, he pronounces “ballet” with the final “t”! My Argentinian tango teacher used to do that too.

But some of the words that most struck me in the article were:

“He admits to being stunned by the intensity of ABT’s eight-shows-a-week schedule during the eight-week Met season. He is accustomed to the less intense pace of the opera-house ballet companies of Europe, which share the theater with the opera, performing throughout a long season, but fewer times per week.”

I think that may be one reason why ballet is generally more popular in Europe than here; opera is popular in both places and in Europe it’s more integrated with ballet. With longer seasons, there would definitely be a bigger audience throughout — though ABT was pretty packed this season. Actually, VERY packed. But they would have that packed house all throughout the year, and there would be a “trickle down” effect on other ballet companies. Oh can’t you work something out with Peter Gelb, Mr. McKenzie? Please please.