Opera Chic

NYC Ballet Season Opening Peaks with ABT Spring Gala

While the New York City Ballet's season opening gala bashfully-bowed last week in a low key, celebrity-lean celebration, last night's opening gala at the American Ballet Theatre swanned with pomp & circumstance into the Metropolitan Opera House, led by its cultivated board and a handful of mismatched stars. The repertory-spanning buffet was watched by Uma Thurman (above), Bebe Neuwirth, Sigourney Weaver, Ashlee Simpson, Lucy Liu and Dior-clad models hoping to snare one of the many billionaires in attendance (such as Roman Abramovich). ABT principal Roberto Bolle was there (and woefully under-papped) for a Marcelo Gomes-choreographed piece, danced with Julie Kent.

Sigourney Weaver

Bebe Neuwirth

Ashlee Simpson

Lucy Liu

Rachel Roy

...and this festively-dressed hawt piece called ~Di Mondo~

American Ballet Theatre Goes Town & Country

ABT discusses its sponsorship program in the April 2012 edition of Town & Country and profiles some deep-pocketed philanthropists who sponsor ABT dancers. Sponsorships start at 15k a year, which goes to the ABT's general fund. The piece highlights the sponsors, including ABT board president Sharon Patrick and a retired ABT dancer Carmen Barth and the dancers.

It's followed by a fashion spread of ballet-inspired gowns that cost more than an annual ABT sponsorship -- Oscar de la Renta (18k), Christian Dior (35k), Louis Vuitton (48k) and Donna Karan New York (18k) among the collections.

Black Swan Preview Now Online

Darren Aronofsky's upcoming thriller Black Swan takes us backstage in NYC's competitive ballet world where Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis star as two rival ballerinas to net the lead role in Swan Lake. The long-awaited trailer is up!

Black Swan: Where the Backstory is More Interesting than the Actual Movie

 

We've been resisting to post about Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan, a forthcoming psychological thriller flick about the uber-competitive world of NYC ballerinas clawing their way to the top of Swan Lake's Odette -- where the supernatural plot doesn't really even matter because in the end, the screenplay boasts an angsty lesbian secks scene between the two star ballerinas, Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis (and also a rape -- Vincent Cassel's "Yevna" gets his rape on with Portman's "Nina" -- the two of them pictured above) (and also Winona Ryder as a washed-up ballerina). Currently being shot in and around Lincoln Center, Portman and Kunis even showed-up for the American Ballet Theatre Fall Gala back in October.

But while we find the plot totally uninteresting, the behind-the-scenes action could make its own screenplay:

French dancer and choreographyer Benjamin Millepied, who calls NYC his home as a New York City Ballet principal, and was brought on by director Aronofsky to supervise the choreography, has been liberally pilfering from the set. It seems in the months together coaching lead Natalie Portman, the two have grown fond of each other, enough that Millepied kicked his former live-in girlfriend of three years, American Ballet Theatre ballerina, Isabella Boylston, to the curb:

Is Natalie Portman a home wrecker? The notoriously private actress has reportedly been dating Benjamin Millepied, 32, the New York City Ballet dancer who's choreographing her new movie, "The Black Swan." "They've been dating since the fall, although she told friends that she hasn't gone public with it because she was waiting to see if things got serious," a source tells Page Six. "But the real reason she was quiet about things is that Ben had a live-in girlfriend of three years when they met. She was a ballerina at the American Ballet Theater. She had been talking about marrying him and was blindsided by the split. She moved out right after New Year's Eve." 

 

You can find a clip of Isabella dancing on Millepied's YouTube account here (and the [formerly happy] couple above). We just hope Millepied knows that he's dating Devendra Banhart's leftovers (see below)...

The Nutcracker's Star Ballerina Speaks with W Magazine's Editors' Blog

At 4'3" & 59 lbs., Maria Gorokhov is larger than life. The 11-year-old sixth-grader is the star of the New York City Ballet's The Nutcracker,  dancing Marie in Balanchine's seasonal production that's playing right now in NYC's Lincoln Center. She's living OC's dream -- really, what little girl didn't want to be a star ballerina in The Nutcracker? You want me to be one of the Stahlbaum children? NO THANKS! -- and made the the cut.

Between her hefty load of dancing, the 11-year-old chatted with W Magazine's Catherine Hong in a feature as sweet as a Sugarplum Fairy.

You Down With ABT? Yeah You Know Me.

Earlier tonight the American Ballet Theatre opened their 2009/10 season with a Fall Gala at Avery Fisher Hall. Celebrities in atten(dance) included Natalie Portman (in Chanel), Mila Kunis, former supermodels Veronic Webb & Iman, JoAnna Garcia, and Emmy Rossum (in Marchesa & Louboutins with rebound boyfriend Adam Duritz from Counting Crows). The stars were entertained by three premiere ballets choreographed by Aszure Barton, Benjamin Millepied and Alexei Ratmansky.

Mister Jones and (Em)Me

 

Click to see the rest!

More ABT Red Carpet: Renée Walks The Walk

Opera Chic reader Francesca D. dropped by the ABT season opener red carpet and papped Renée Fleming, her nice burgundy dress, and her bewbs.

Yesterday's photos are here and here.

Paps Pics from the American Ballet Theatre 69th Season Opener

Here's a sampler of paparazzi shots from last night's American Ballet Theatre Gala at the Metropolitan Opera House.

(Above and below: Supahwoman Lynda Carter)

(Above: Model Coco Rocha, who posed as Juliet to Roberto Bolle's Romeo in that infamous Vogue Leibovitz photoshoot)

(Above: Actress Mariska Hargitay with her goddaughters)

(Above: Calvin Klein looking very-well rested for Calvin Klein standards)

 

(Above: Rene Zellweger)

Click the link below to keep marveling at the fabulousness of free ticket holders and various NYC VIPS!

American Ballet Theatre Attracts Michelle Obama; Arm Wrestling Match With Caroline Kennedy Ensues

ABT Honorary Chairwoman & First Lady, Michelle Obama, was wooed by the American Ballet Theatre's 2009 Opening Night Gala, and was in attendance last night to take in a sampler of season highlights performed by ABT principals and a guest appearance by Herbie Hancock.

The 69th Annual Gala was held at the Metropolitan Opera House, where the ballet company performs their 8-week season.

Guests in attendance were a mixed bag of celebrities and included Rene Zellweger, Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy, Ivanka Trump, Kelly Ripa and husband Mark Consuelos, Anna Wintour, Calvin Klein, Matthew Modine and wife Cari, Coco Rocha, Lynda Carter, Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia, Randy Jones, Suzanne Vega and Veronica Webb. 

 

Michelle and Caroline Kennedy open the arm wrestling ballet season.

 

They're Invading Again!

Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima and Serbian NBA basketball player Marco Jaric bask in the glow of the paps Tuesday night at NYC's Metropolitan Opera house for the 3rd Annual American Ballet Theatre's "Noche Latina". 

A celebration of Latin American and Spanish artists, the evening was held to honor fashion designer Carolina Herrara and former ABT Principal Julio Bocca. Don Quixote was performed for the house with dancers Paloma Herrara and Angel Corella dancing the leads.