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Vogue
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Gillian Murphy Left It All on the Stage
Nine days before her final performance with the American Ballet Theatre, Gillian Murphy is struck by a realization. 'I've never done retirement bows before,' she says to Amanda McKerrow, the company's director of repertoire and a former principal dancer, after a rehearsal. Until last Friday, Murphy, 46, was ABT's longest-standing member. In her 29 years at the company—23 of them as a principal dancer—she conquered every leading lady one can imagine: Kitri, Giselle, Aurora, Juliet, Swanilda, the Sugar Plum Fairy. But Murphy is most famous for the dual role of the gentle Odette and beguiling Odile in Swan Lake, the work that she chose to end her career on. Far from an easy victory lap, the ballet is notorious for its demanding choreography, including a series of 32 rapid-fire fouetté turns in the Black Swan's grand pas de deux. When Murphy performed them on Friday, the crowd at the Metropolitan Opera House let out a roar, leaping to their feet. Murphy was a 12-year-old living in South Carolina when she performed the Black Swan pas de deux for the first time (something she acknowledges was 'a very strange choice for a young child'). 'I didn't really know about turnout, I didn't know about port de bras, I wasn't fully aware of whether I was pointing my feet or not,' she recalls. Still, she had never felt so invigorated. 'I was just living my best life, feeling so exhilarated to be on stage and to be doing this thing that I absolutely loved. I remember feeling like it couldn't get better than that.' Not long after, she was off to high school at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts; then along came ABT, where she joined the corps de ballet at 17. Murphy made her debut as Odette-Odile with the company 24 years ago, before being tapped to dance the part in a telecast for PBS in 2005. 'It's one of several reasons why I chose to finish my career with this ballet,' she says. 'The messages that I've gotten, the cards that have been written to me…I still get DMs on a regular basis about what that film meant to people, which is so beautiful.'
The Independent
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
What does one do on their last day as a ballerina? Gillian Murphy will jump off a cliff (gracefully)
In every career, there are plenty of consequential decisions to be made. And they tend to get more consequential as time goes on. So it was when Gillian Murphy, one of the most admired American ballerinas for nearly three decades, began contemplating not only when, but how to retire from American Ballet Theatre. She knew she wanted to go out on a high note. Murphy, at 46, is in incredible shape; at a rehearsal earlier this week, she was leaping and twirling like colleagues in their 20s. But in what role should she take her final bow, after 29 years at ABT? Should it be as Juliet? As Giselle? The first of these ends up stabbing herself to death. The other goes mad. The best (and most athletic) option, it turned out, was to jump off a cliff. That's what Odette, the swan queen, does at the end of ABT's version of 'Swan Lake' — followed in this dramatic leap by the prince who loves her, to be joyfully reunited in the afterlife. (In real life they leap onto a mattress offstage, dust themselves off and clamber back for the finale.) Murphy, who's known for her Odette/Odile — especially those fouettés, Odile's fiendishly hard whiplash turns — will be retiring with 'Swan Lake' on Friday night, ending her career in a blur of bouquets, hugs, tears and maybe confetti at the Metropolitan Opera House. 'We will all miss her incredible work ethic, her exacting attention to detail, her strength and her joy of dance,' ABT head Susan Jaffe said in an email. The day after, Murphy will sleep a bit late, hopefully, and start a new life focused on coaching other dancers. She'll also have more time with her 6-year old son, Ax, whom she shares with husband Ethan Stiefel, himself a celebrated former ABT principal. Murphy spoke to The Associated Press in the rushed moments between rehearsals, classes and delayed commuter trains in the days leading up to the big occasion. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. AP: You were only 17 when you joined ABT. Now you're 46. Did you imagine such a long career? MURPHY: I would have never expected to be dancing this long, honestly. I think in my mind I always had 40 years old as a time frame. But I didn't expect to feel this good at this point! I've truly loved my career at ABT, and it's given me the opportunity to dance all over the world. So I'm happy I'm still here.' AP: Ballet takes a huge amount of athletic ability. But you need to be an actor, too. How have your abilities developed as you've gotten older? MURPHY: I do feel that life experience really does come out in performances. And when we're telling these stories about true love and forgiveness and loss, all the dramatic sort of themes that come out in these ballets, it does make a difference when you've experienced those things in your life. AP: Speaking of true love: Some ABT ballerinas have chosen Juliet for their retirement performance. You've chosen a much more physically demanding role: 'Swan Lake.' Just seeing you rehearse it was exhausting. MURPHY: (laughing) It doesn't get any easier, yeah. I have so many favorite roles, but 'Swan Lake' includes two of my most favorite, Odette and Odile. It's always been incredibly challenging, but also so fulfilling. When I was a kid, my dream role was the Black Swan (Odile), actually. So just in a full-circle moment, it feels special to finish with this ballet that I dreamed of doing as a kid, and first did as a young soloist with ABT 24 years ago. AP: Let's not forget that you're known for Odile's fouettés (32 whiplash turns on one leg that the Black Swan performs). Are you still throwing in double turns? MURPHY: Well, I used to throw in triples, triple pirouettes in the middle of the fouettés. Anything could happen on Friday night, but I think I just want to finish strong ... and take risks elsewhere. I'll probably aim to do the 32, possibly with a few doubles in there. AP: It's such a tough call in any career — how did you make the decision to retire now? MURPHY: It's never an easy decision for any dancer. It's a calling from a very early age ... but I've always wanted to finish strong and with my own sense of agency. I really relish when that sense of imagination and life experience and artistry is integrated with the physicality, the athleticism, the technique. And I feel like I'm still in that place where I can do that. So I want to finish with that sense of fullness. AP: How have you managed to keep your conditioning so strong, for so long? MURPHY: I never knew what to expect in terms of how long I'd be able to do this job that I love so much. But I've always had strong feelings about getting plenty of sleep and rest. I try to keep a daily practice of class and sometimes several hours of rehearsal, but also to take at least one day off in the week to recover. And I've always put a priority on being as fit and strong as possible in terms of my nutrition. So, having a really balanced diet and also enjoying desserts and just good quality, good nutritious food, I think that has helped with longevity. AP: It sounds like you're talking about a healthy attitude toward food. MURPHY: A healthy attitude towards food, and also a sense of humor about myself. You know, dancers are not robots. Like an athlete, we can have an off day and (we should) not let that be too discouraging. That's par for the course. AP: Have there been any major injuries or setbacks along the way? MURPHY: I've been pretty fortunate about bouncing back from muscle strains and things like that. I'd say coming back from pregnancy and an emergency c-section was not easy ... but I was able to get onstage and do a full-length 'Giselle' when my son was 8 months old. And then, a couple of weeks after that, the pandemic hit. I had just gotten everything back together. AP: So when you hang up those pointe shoes ... how do you envision spending your time? MURPHY: I'm going to lean into coaching and staging, especially (husband) Ethan's choreography, for the immediate future. I also want to take some time to process this huge transition and consider options and think about what I really want to do. I would be really surprised if it doesn't involve giving back or working in some way in the dance world, because it's so meaningful to me. Clearly, this is a lifetime pursuit.
New York Times
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Ashton's ‘Sylvia' Is a Test of a Ballerina's Versatility
The names of several classic ballets tell you that the heroine is the most important character, but 'Sylvia' is particularly imbalanced. In the version that Frederick Ashton created in 1952, once Sylvia arrives, she barely seems to leave the stage. The role, made for Margot Fonteyn, is a test of stamina and technique but maybe even more so of range. Each part of the story calls for a different attitude, differently expressed. One ballerina must be many. At the Metropolitan Opera House last week, as American Ballet Theater performed Ashton's ballet for the first time since 2016, four ballerinas took up the challenge, making their debuts as Sylvia. There's more to the production than the lead role: Léo Delibes' 1876 score, one of best from the 19th century; the many felicities of Ashton's choreography, sweet, silly and intricate at every scale. But the performance of Sylvia is the focus. 'Sylvia' has one of those flimsy conventional story-ballet plots that's mostly just a scaffolding for dance. A chaste nymph devoted to Diana, goddess of the hunt, Sylvia doesn't just spurn the affection of the shepherd Aminta; she kills him with an arrow. Then Eros, the god of love, strikes her with his arrow, making her moon over Aminta, whom the god revives. But Sylvia is captured by a dumb villain and must escape his Orientalist cave by distracting him with a hoochie-coochie dance and getting him drunk. Rescued deus-ex-machina style by Eros in a boat, she is reunited with Aminta in a big classical celebration. Intentionally old-fashioned in 1952, it's less a love story than a story about Love. The brutish approach of the hunter fails; the delicacy of a pas de deux wins. It's a nice change that the heroine doesn't wait around for her beau or get betrayed by him — in a reversal of 'Sleeping Beauty,' the woman has a vision of the man she must find. But an upshot is that the hero is ineffectual, close to a place holder. Dramatically, Sylvia carries the show. On a technical level, there wasn't a lot to distinguish the four debuting Sylvias. They all got through it admirably. The differences were subtle, and the similarities were related to a general shortcoming: Demonstrations of range were on the narrow side. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Gilded Age' Season 3 Episode 4 Ending Explained: Morgan Spector, Taissa Farmiga, and Julian Fellowes Break Down Why Gladys Marries the Duke
The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 4 'Marriage is a Gamble' finally reveals whether or not Gladys Russell (Taissa Farmiga) marries the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb). Ever since the HBO show debuted in 2022, history nerds have noticed how much the Russell clan resembles the Vanderbilts, a real life robber baron clan of the period. Like Alva Vanderbilt, Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) spent fortunes trying to impress and then surpass Caroline Astor (Donna Murphy), first using Mrs. Astor's own daughter's invitation to a ball as social leverage before spearheading the creation of the Metropolitan Opera House. What else was Alva Vanderbilt known for? Orchestrating her daughter Consuelo's marriage to an English Duke. So does Bertha succeed as Alva did? Does Gladys make the wedding as difficult to pull off as the real Consuelo did? Will George Russell (Morgan Spector) do anything to stop it? Here's what went down in The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 4 'Marriage is a Gamble'… **Spoilers for Season 3 Episode 4 'Marriage is a Gamble,' now streaming on HBO MAX** For most of The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 4 'Marriage is a Gamble,' it remains unclear if Gladys will go through with her wedding to the Duke. She keeps herself locked up in her bedroom, seemingly regretting her choice to agree to the engagement in the first place. Taissa Farmiga told DECIDER that Gladys only agreed to marry the Duke because she was 'tired of feeling shitty.' The heartbreak she suffered with Billy Carlton (Matt Walker) and the pressure she felt from society finally broke her resolve. In The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 4, Gladys considers calling it off in a tense, but tender, scene with her father. She wonders if there's any way out of the massive society wedding, but George explains that if she does so, her reputation will be ruined. Gladys should have spoken up earlier. 'It's a very complicated moment for George because I think he wants to say to her like, 'Look if you really—'' Spector said, before stopping himself. 'Actually, I think it's unfair what he does in that scene,' Spector said. 'He's like, 'Hey, if you want, if you're willing to take the take the heat for this, I'll call it all off. I'll fix it. I'll still be, you know, Big Papa and make it all better.' 'But he's blown his opportunity to do that and now the only person who can really make that decision and also embarrass herself and incur huge social cost is Gladys. And he has not protected her from that.' Gladys reluctantly goes through with the marriage to Hector, aka the Duke. The episode ends with them sailing away for England, 'enjoying' their wedding night on a yacht. 'I think, at the end of the day, it was just the pressure of everybody,' Taissa Farmiga told DECIDER. 'Like, there's this societal expectation. There's the expectation from her mother. All her friends are coming. And they talk to me, but they're still trying to guide her along to make the decision to say, 'Yes,' to the marriage. Even her father is like, 'You should have said, 'No,' sooner.' 'I mean, he's sorrowful at having put her in that position. I think he's still trying to sort of play the good guy a little bit,' Spector said before reiterating how he really feels. 'I actually don't think it's really fair what he does in that scene.' Up until now, Gilded Age fans have safely assumed that Gladys is meant to be an avatar for the aforementioned Consuelo Vanderbilt. But while Gladys merely sequestered herself in her room before agreeing to walk down the aisle, the real Consuelo had to be locked in hers and kept on watch. She literally tried to run away to be with her preferred fiancé and was forced, crying, down the aisle to her Duke. 'There are about six hundred [American Gilded Age heiresses] who married into the British peerage. Some of them were happy, some of the were not, some were neither,' The Gilded Age creator Julian Fellowes told DECIDER. 'So I don't feel constrained to tell a 'Consuelo' story because that is the advantage of it not being Consuelo and not being Alva and not being any of them. We can use incidents of their life, but we don't have to do the whole thing.' Fellowes added that he hopes that The Gilded Age audience has 'some sympathy' with Bertha's plan. 'She knows she's giving [Gladys] a position that can make her a world figure, as many of those English American Duchesses and Marchionesses achieved,' he said. 'If you are wanting to get something done, you know, you couldn't have a better send-off.' For Farmiga, Gladys's wedding day wasn't quite a great 'send-off,' but a moment for her to move forward with her life. 'Yeah, it was emotionally exhausting, but sometimes you have to you have to move through to find peace,' she said. So what's next for Gladys and the Duke? You'll have to keep watching The Gilded Age Season 3 on Sundays on HBO and HBO MAX to find out…
New York Post
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
I covered Prime Day then performed at the ballet after — my 11 survival products
New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change. I'm a writer at the New York Post, a Juilliard-trained violinist, and a three-time marathon runner. At times, my life can feel…a little full. And as a commerce writer, I've tested thousands of products, but today I'm sharing my unadulterated thoughts and the beloved products that have seen me through hell and back. This past week, as Prime Day took over everyone's carts and my calendar, I found myself thinking about just how extreme this balance is. Because while the world sees Prime Day as a chance to score deals and move on, for me, as a commerce writer, it's a high-stakes sprint. Weeks of prep, early-morning call times, and 10- to 12-hour writing days that start around 4 a.m. Advertisement During this time, brands compete for the best discounts, and we track every flash sale, algorithmic shift, and surprise restock like we're trading on the floor of the NYSE. I wish that were an exaggeration, but I'm as serious as calling my 55-pound Sheepadoodle back during off-leash hour at the park. We're talking hands-on-hips serious. Nate Williams But the madness doesn't stop when I log off. That's when my second life begins. Most days, I squeeze in a break to run four miles because marathon habits die hard, and then write 1,000 words on the thriller I've been writing as part of an 80-day 1st draft challenge I've been publicly documenting on Instagram to hold myself accountable. And yes, I know it sounds like a full day's work, but then, I run down to Lincoln Center to perform with the American Ballet Theatre. I am a violinist for some of the most legendary dancers this world has ever seen: Skylar Brandt, Catherine Hurlin, Herman Cornejo to name a few of my faves (but also the iconic Misty Copeland in a legendary hall: the Metropolitan Opera House). It's exhilarating, exhausting, and makes life a little more beautiful. And in a world filled with chaos and despair at every turn, isn't that worth striving for? People always ask me how I keep it all together. And the truth is, I really don't, I just have a very patient husband and loving dog who support me every step of the way. But I also have products I rely on for survival mode, and it gives me so much joy to share them with you. I know you'll enjoy as much as I do! Cozy Earth When I'm not styled to the nines in the office, I wear this PJ set as my off-duty uniform. It's so soft and hangs on my skin with a comforting weight, but since it's made from viscose, it's also cooling. Plus, it's available in inclusive sizing from XS to XXXL. Save an additional 35% with our exclusive coupon code: NYPOST. Amazon I love ending my day with a good book instead of mindlessly scrolling through my phone. Clémence Michallon is the bestselling author of The Quiet Tenant, which I enjoyed immensely. If one can say that about a serial killer book? I highly recommend picking up a copy of her newest release, Our Last Resort, to slip away for a much-needed vacation. Don't worry, your life will be there when you get back. Michallon has a beautiful way of writing with such vivid detail that it feels like you've stepped into the pages; everything she writes is a must-read. CozyEarth It's the next best thing to having a dog, weighted, cushy, and so comforting, I want to snuggle in it all day, even in the summer with the AC blasting. I look forward to it after work, and honestly, I'll probably buy a new one every year for the rest of my life. It really is that good! CozyEarth, please never stop making it. Save an additional 15% with this coupon code: COZYDAYS Roborock I never cared about vacuums at all until I started writing for The Post. That's when my vacuum testing journey began, and this robot quickly became a standout. It's saved me hours cleaning my apartment. I just tell Google to activate 'Winston' (yes, I named him), and he gets to work, vacuuming and mopping while I write, practice violin, or head out for a gig. You can read my full review to see how he performs and judge for yourself. I have this laptop for work at The Post, but if you can splurge on one for yourself, I highly recommend it. It's a great way to reset the brain and not be bothered by work on off-work hours. I love my Apple MacBook Air because of its lightweight, which makes it easy to travel with and take to a coffee shop or park to finish out my word count. Unagi Owning a scooter has saved me so much time; I no longer have to wait for public transportation or pay for every swipe. There are tons of options on Amazon, and with fast, free shipping for Prime members, they're well worth the investment. Just think how much you'll save in the long run, I know I have. Emma Sutton-Williams Marcella I love this dress because I often find myself in the office, but also performing at Lincoln Center. It's very hard to find a dress that can go from day to night, but the midi length of this makes it easy for me to do a round trip to home and back only once. And it's under $100! INEZ Hear me out. These shoes are three and a half inches tall, and yes, that normally sounds like a horrible idea, but they make me look like a supermodel and actually feel really comfortable. I would never lie to you about this, and I will be honest: I did lie to my third-grade teacher. However, I'm a changed woman. Emma Sutton-Williams I also own these shoes in a 2.5-inch height for walking around and running errands, but the 3.5-inch height is better suited for shows and fancy events. INEZ shoes are handmade in Spain and will treat you right. Be gentle with the soft leather, as it can wear easily if handled roughly. OZLO Sleepbuds If I'm going to get through these long days, I need sleep desperately. As much as I adore my husband, he can be a loud sleeper with snoring that will kiss my sweet ZZZs goodbye. I love to turn on my book at night or listen to ambient waterfalls to help me off to sleep. These noise-canceling headphones block unwanted noises like snoring and horns. They also turn off your podcast or music when you fall asleep and use a gentle alarm in your ear to wake you. These headphones sense when you fall asleep and then switch off your preferred streaming service to play built-in soundscapes instead, including babbling brooks and deep brown masking noise. Emma Sutton-Williams The price is a little steep, but if you struggle with getting solid shut-eye, they're worth the investment. Read my full review here. Amazon As I've stated, I'm a reader right before bed, but I also read in the Broadway pits between rests while performing. It's an ar,t but I am really good at multitasking. But I will say it can be very dark, so I keep my reading light with me to pull me through the long days and keep my spirits high. It has soft, warm light and rarely needs to be charged. I've tried a lot of running shoes, but the Brooks Women's Glycerin 21 has been one of my go-to shoes recently. It has enough cushion to help me cover lots of miles in a day while still being structured with lots of support from heel to toe. If you're just getting into running or have years under your belt, I highly recommend giving these a try. And since running shoes need to be replaced regularly once the cushioning wears down, why not make these your next six-month go-to? This article was written by Emma Sutton-Williams, New York Post Commerce Writer/Reporter and resident fashionista. Emma is one of the best-dressed ladies in The Post's office, and also known for finding an unbelievable deal on any one of her stylish outfits. Divulging on everything from the most-popular and most-underrated purse brands to her honest thoughts on Kim Kardashian's Skims undergarments and apparel, Emma has cultivated an eye for style and an expertise for identifying the clothes and accessories worth your coin. At the same time, she proudly models the products she picks so you can see their fit and function first-hand. Emma has been creating shopping guides for The Post since 2024, and previously held bylines in Rolling Stone, Oprah Daily, Parents, InStyle, StyleCaster and more.
