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[mom2]

I attended the Sunday matinee performance.  Have read that Paula Citron liked Richard Landry's character in Four Seasons....here are my thoughts about the program:

In this performance (Sunday mat here) Richard Landry's character was (to me at any rate) the personification of death - and not a very nice one at that.  I don't recall ever seeing it danced quite that way - but then again perhaps it was just my seat, or that performance..........

I always enjoy the Four Seasons and yesterday was no exception.  One standout for me was Julie Hay in Winter - but you all know that I'm partial to her.  Others were wonderful also - in particular the work seen by some of the younger corps members.

Polyphonia was superb, and Bridgette Zehr the best I've seen her this season.  She has an amazing facility - gifts from god without a doubt.  I was also quite impressed with Lavoie...perhaps he'll get a nod for a promotion???  The news re hirings and promotions CAN'T be far off - PLEASE Ms Kain - DO tell us!!       

Wolf's Court - well, perhaps this is one that grows on you?  Or perhaps I just don't know enough about dance to fully appreciate it.  All I can say is that it wasn't something that sticks out as a work I really would like to see again.

I look forward to other's impressions!

m2

[Paquita]

Just briefly:
I was there on opening night. I saw Aleksandar Antonijevic in the Four Seasons. He brought a lot to the role. I think this role requires a more mature dancer, and Antonijevic definitely has a lot of experience. Chan Hon Goh and Greta Hodgkinson danced the roles that were created for them, Spring and Summer respectively. Rebekah Rimsay danced Autumn (originally created on Martine Lamy, I believe). All of them are so familiar with the work and comfortable with the tricky choreography; the whole performance was near flawless. I agree that Landry was quite a convincing and menacing death figure.
I did enjoy Polyphonia very much. The whole cast was superb and the Wheeldon's choreography is witty and fun, while highlighting the beautiful simplicity of classical ballet vocabulary. I continue to be impressed by Bridgette Zehr. I went to the on stage class that same day (part of the LuminaTO festival) and she definitely stood out to me. I was amazed by the precision and speed of her allegro, and the purity and openness of her positions in the adagio. She was also outstanding in the recent Stars of the 21st Century gala (she performed with Zdenek Konvalina). I would like to see her promoted in the near future.
I was very excited to see the premiere of Wolf's Court, as I really liked A Delicate Battle. But I share your sentiments, in that I did not find it overall very memorable or stirring. The music (by Alexina Louie) was interesting and set an ominous tone, and the designs were quite striking, but it seemed to me a little too theatrical, without much in terms of innovative dance. I still need to think about it some more... I went to the talk before the ballet, where Matjash Mrozewski and Alexina Louie were interviewed. It is certainly an ambitious work, dealing with themes of empire, conquest, politics, etc. However, I am not sure that it really "works". I have to say that like his "Monument", "Wolf's Court" was a bit of a dissapointment...