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Ballets:
Le Baiser de la Fee (1937), with Jenifer Ringer, Nikolaj Hubbe
Mozartiana (1933/45) with Miranda Weese , Nikolaj Hubbe
Piano: Nancy McDill
Interestingly, these ballets share anecdotal features. Both are to scores that Balanchine completely rechoreographed (all or in part) later, and both scores are treatments by composers of works by earlier composers.
Ms. Reynolds described the Balanchine Foundation's preservation program and introduced Maria Tallchief, who spoke briefly of her experience as a young ballerina dancing with Nijinkska, meeting Balanchine, working together on Baiser, his first ballet on her and one that helped propel her budding career. She spoke of the dramatic qualities of the role -- that the fairy, initially presented in Gypsy garb, is a strong character -- not soft and fluffy -- who controls the Boy's fate. The music of the first pdd is familiar to us as the male variation in the '72 Divert from Baiser. Interestingly, the pas opens with the Fairy bending over the sleeping boy, and as the music plays the opening, mysterious strains, the she makes circular motions with her hand that, in the later version, are almost repeated by the man in repeat of that theme late in his variation.
Coaching Nikolaj and (mostly) Jenny, Tallchief stressed a fluid rotation of the shoulders and carriage of the arms, complemented by the use of the head and the personality of the character. I had two overall impressions of the choreography. While I can't say specifically what it was, there were moments in the pas that reminded me of Orpheus -- a much later ballet. And the pdd ends with the Fairy directing the Boy offstage with a severely pointing finger -- very different from the gentle pointing finger motif Balanchine devised for Tallchief in Scotch.
There followed some pirated footage of Tallchief dancing the pas. Due to the short lengths of film available in those years, it was not continuous, but a series of moments spliced together -- lots of in-between stuff missing. Still very exciting -- a much more passionate view of Tallchief than I'd have imagined from the footage I've seen.
Reynolds then introduced Frederic Franklin, who described his initial meeting with Danilova. While his recollections were affectionate, he left no doubt that she wanted her partner to meet her at her standards. She demanded excellence. He said that they had two pas de deux in the original Mozartiana, the first calm and serene, the second very fast and brilliant. The pas he coached for us used music from the Tema con Variazioni, and watching Weese and Hubbe perform it, I was so grateful that this ballet is being preserved. It was clearly designed to show off Danilova's famously gorgeous legs. (Ms. Weese's are a pretty good pair, too.) The legs do a lot of big, bold movments. The pas begins with a series of supported ballottees, each landing in the croisee arabesque, the back leg to the outside of the man. There is another series of lifts where the woman makes large ronds de jambe, one leg en dehors, the second leg en dedans -- legs sweeping the air above her partner's head. The choreography was magnificent, and you can't help but sit in more than the usual awe that Balanchine could make two completely different but exquisite ballets (or sections) from the same music. Mr. Franklin addressed the ballerina as "Mi-rrrrrrrraahn-da," with trilled r's -- a treat for the ear!
Then we saw film of Danilova and Franklin in the same pas we'd just seen the younger dancers rehearse.
Finally, each pair came out in makeshift but appropriate costumes to do a run-through of their pas de deux. (Slight delay -- filled with more delightful reminiscences -- for Nikolaj's costume change.)
Very exciting, extremely worthwhile evening.
Oh, and that Freddie Franklin -- what a charmer!!
