38 replies to this topic

[cobweb]

Wow, thanks for pointing out that Lauren King is getting a major role. I look forward to it!
There has been a rash of injuries and replacements this season. I'm glad to see Ashley Bouder scheduled for next week, I've missed her. It seems Sara Mearns is going to miss the whole season (although they haven't posted the final week of casting yet).
I've seen several performances over the past few weeks. Will try to get it together to post some more comments. But I have to note the amazing Adrian Danchig-Waring, who I saw twice in Agon. Just amazing energy and form, every movement articulated to its absolute fullest with crispness and clarity, and jumps so effortless it almost looks like he's not even moving -- an uncanny effect. If this man isn't principal material, I don't know what is!

[atm711]

I saw the trilogy last Saturday night and my disappointment was with "Orpheus"  The performance fell flat due in a large part to Marcovici's Orpheus.  I saw no longing, desperation or resolve in uniting with Eurydice in his performance.  It was a distant laid-back performance---was Eurydice truly the love of his life?  The anticipated "Curtain" also literally fell flat...it looked like an ordinary scrim.  I am sorry if I come across as too negative but my long memory goes back to the  first performance by Ballet Society....Magallanes, while not a technical dancer was a devastated Orpheus, and Tallchief,  who I have always thought of as an actress-dancer was spellbinding as Eurydice....and that Curtain!!  It  had a life of its own---and literally ate up the stage and the performers.

[kfw]

atm711, on 28 September 2012 - 06:30 AM, said:

I saw the trilogy last Saturday night and my disappointment was with "Orpheus"  The performance fell flat due in a large part to Marcovici's Orpheus.  I saw no longing, desperation or resolve in uniting with Eurydice in his performance.  It was a distant laid-back performance---was Eurydice truly the love of his life?  The anticipated "Curtain" also literally fell flat...it looked like an ordinary scrim.  I am sorry if I come across as too negative but my long memory goes back to the  first performance by Ballet Society....Magallanes, while not a technical dancer was a devastated Orpheus, and Tallchief,  who I have always thought of as an actress-dancer was spellbinding as Eurydice....and that Curtain!!  It  had a life of its own---and literally ate up the stage and the performers.

It's wonderful to hear from someone who saw the first performance, atm711. Marcovici (and Taylor) did move me, and in memory still do. It was the Dark Angel that disappointed, especially because in the person of Jonathan Stafford, he was of smaller stature than Marcovici’s Orpheus; also because of the rust color of his costume, which the black and white shots hadn’t prepared me for. Between the two, I found the character physically unimpressive and a little cartoonish looking. Likewise, the Furies struck me as the Funnies. Still, given the historical importance of the ballet, I was thrilled to see it again.

I’m curious about what you or anyone else who was there thought of Chase Finlay’s Apollo earlier. He sure does look the part, but even apart from his stumble, there were moments where he didn’t seem quite on the music. I expect he’s given better performances in the role.

[abatt]

I thought Finlay's Apollo was marvelous at the Saturday evening performancem except for that one major stumble near the end of his second solo.  He was brimming with excitement and energy.  I also have to mention how wonderful Tiler Peck was in Baiser- so wonderfully musical and lyrical.

Some might be interested in this article, titled "Going Hollywood", in the Times regarding  the Fall Gala, and how arts institutions are trying to incrrease their profile and their bank accounts by attracting celebrities to their galas.

http://www.nytimes.c....html?ref=style

[Drew]

I have been surprised not to be reading more about the Stravinsky festival at NYCB--wonderful programming for many of us I should think and based on what I saw this weekend, the ballets are receiving some excellent performances. I went up to NY with a special eye to the program w. Stravinsky Violin Concerto/Monumentum/Movements/Duo Concertante/Symphony in Three Movements.  I have to say that, previous to this trip, the last time I saw Stravinsky Violin Concerto at NYCB it was a dull affair and though I tend to defend NYCB in the Martins era, after that particular performance I thought 'well, that it is the sort of thing his detractors are talking about.' And the last time I saw Monumentum/Movements at NYCB it was with a past her prime Kistler. So I was particularly curious how this program would look.  

I thought that at the Saturday matinee and Sat evening performances with partly overlapping, partly differing casts the company looked energetic, intelligent, and engaged. Overall, the dancers were terrific. And the ballets!!!  Classical ballet broken down and reassembled from the inside out--to become something utterly astonishing and deeply moving. I have to admit that for me it's also a very challenging program, even mentally exhausting, like a blockbuster art exhibit; by the time you are looking at your 60th Cezanne you are just a little dizzy...

I don't have time to go into detail re performances plus or minus, but I will say that Sterling Hyltin was electric in Symphony in Three Movements and Megan Fairchild playful, womanly, and quietly radiant in Duo Concertante.  Fairchild was also excellent--musical and even witty--in Danses Concertantes the night before, despite an opening slip; in fact, these three performances were the best I have seen her by far; she seems to have reached a new maturity and artistry as a dancer. In Duo Concertante Finlay and she made a nice Martins/Mazzo after image, but by comparison with her, he needs seasoning.

This weekend was also my first chance to see Robert Fairchild in a substantial dancing role (the Martins role in Stravinsky Violin Concerto) and I was very impressed. I had seen him in Double Feature and Liebeslieder last spring--in both of which I thought he was excellent,but this performance really sharpened my impressions of him as a dancer.  In some ways, he seems to me the quintessential American male dancer of our era. I'm not forgetting Hallberg, but the latter seems to belong more to the Bruhn/Dowell line of elegant classicists; one recalls Hallberg's French training, supplemented more recently with the note of drama that the Bolshoi seems to be injecting into his persona.  Fairchild more obviously recalls the NYCB lineage of D'Amboise, Villella, and Woetzel -- while also being just entirely himself. He is wonderfully easy and yet still precise in the quality of his movement--likewise boyish and yet manly, graceful and yet sculptural. The last quality  is something particularly pleasing to see in a role created on the very sculptural Martins. Call me a fan.

Other highlights? Well, when the curtain went up on Stravinsky Violin Concerto Saturday afternoon and Janie Taylor was standing facing the audience with two men on either side of her, there was something so relaxed, attentive and subtly galvanizing in the way she held her body while just standing for the first few bars of the music, that I felt instantly that this was a performance it had been worth my while to get on a plane to see.

Lots more to say about the weekend--including my enjoyment of Reichlen in Movements for Piano and Orchestra Sat night (and the final sensual moments of her berceuse in Firebird the night before)--but I'll stop. For myself, I think that if NYCB can consistently perform the major Balanchine modernist works at this level, then they are doing very well indeed. Was every performance a home run? No. And in patches Symphony in Three Movements could perhaps have used more of a charge from the entire ensemble. (Actually I was a little pooped myself at that point in the program.) But no-one I saw dance was lax or out of their depth, as I have sometimes seen at NYCB.  As for the ballets: I find them to be among the most wonderful works of art ever created. Sorry I can't see the Agon program as well.

[Drew]

Apologies...I got all tangled up trying to edit something and ended up posting in response to myself. There's a metaphor...

[vipa]

abatt, on 01 October 2012 - 11:30 AM, said:

I thought Finlay's Apollo was marvelous at the Saturday evening performancem except for that one major stumble near the end of his second solo.  He was brimming with excitement and energy.  I also have to mention how wonderful Tiler Peck was in Baiser- so wonderfully musical and lyrical.

I'm so glad to hear that Finlay did so well.  I've seen from you past reviews that you and I are very often in agreement! I haven't seen Finley yet this year - last year he seemed over his head in the things I saw him in, but I always thought he has it in him.

Agree with you about Tiler Peck in Baiser - one can't say enough.

[vipa]

I went to tonight's performance (Tuesday).  A couple of thoughts, but I'd love to read reviews if anyone else was there.
1.  M. Fairchild and DeLuz looked great in Rubies.
2. Enough can't be said about Tiler Peck - her musicality and upper body are wondrous
3. Erica Pereira has been a soloist for a while now and continues to underwhelm.

I have other thoughts, but would love to hear from others.

[abatt]

Hi Vipa.  I was there last night, too.  Fairchild has improved tremendously in Rubies since her debut a few years ago, but Bouder is still my favorite in this role.  DeLuz was fantastic.  I agree with you about Tiler Peck in Andantino.

I thought the most significant debut last night was Reichlin in the second movement of Symphony in C.  I think this is still a work in progress for her.  She is, in my opinion, a more natural choice in neoclassical ballets than tutu and tiara roles. (I would love to see Reichlin move up to the lead in Agon.)  Last night sometimes Reichlin was tentative and/or not with the music. The bigger issue, though, was lack of interpretive nuance or connection w. J. Stafford.   I thought her performance fell short overall, but I'm sure it will improve over time. This is an iconic and difficult role to master.

Scheller was marvelous in the first movement in her debut.  Such speed and precision.

I think Pereira (third movement) is at a disadvantage because she still looks like a teenager, especially in a sophisticated tutu ballet like Symphony in C.   I  thought Lauren King (fourth movement) did well, but her performance, I'm sure, will look more polished in future outings.  Carmena and Adrain D-W were very impressive in the thrid and fourth movements.

[KrystinW]

The Thursday 10/4 performance at NYCB was a good one! All tickets were $29 dollars and the house was absolutely packed. I ended up on the fourth ring, where I have never sat, and loved the vantage point. I was on the side, so I wasn't very far from the dancers. I was almost on top of them, but it was a great way to watch them.

The program started with Sterling Hyltin and Robert Fairchild in Duo Concertant. Their energy was refreshing. Sterling has always appeared almost coltish to me. Her lines are precise, and her footwork was clean. It probably doesn't hurt that she has beautifully arched feet. She really seemed to be having a great time while dancing. Fairchild was good, and I appreciated his attack. I have to say my focus never veered far from Sterling though.

After the Rain was next with Wendy Whelan and Craig Hall, and I felt very lucky to have been there to see it. This has to be one of Wendy's best roles. It fits her like a glove. Craig was a great partner but Wendy and the choreography of this piece just seem to be meant for each other. It was emotional and she came off as vulnerable.  Beautiful.

Moves was next, and it's just not really my thing. It seems like there are a number of interesting things you could do in a ballet without music but this had none of them.  The dancers were good, but the piece seemed long. Even the leotards worn by the women seemed unflattering and outdated.  Just not my favorite!

After intermission the program concluded with Hallelujah Junction.  This was the first Martins ballet I have ever seen. I loved the music and it was great to see the dancers moving at such a quick pace. As the lead, Janie Taylor was captivating.  There were times when her technique didn't seem as strong as some of the other dancers in the company, but she is a dancer that you want to watch. It's hard to take your eyes off of her. Daniel Ulbricht was a firecracker, plain and simple. He's a small dancer that packs a huge punch. The corps couples seemed to have just as challenging of choreography as the principals. Lauren Lovette stuck out to me for having a truly lovely movement quality. She's musical, and she has beautiful lines. Surely she'll be dancing more soloist roles soon.

[vipa]

abatt, on 03 October 2012 - 05:42 AM, said:

Hi Vipa.  I was there last night, too.  Fairchild has improved tremendously in Rubies since her debut a few years ago, but Bouder is still my favorite in this role.  DeLuz was fantastic.  I agree with you about Tiler Peck in Andantino.

I thought the most significant debut last night was Reichlin in the second movement of Symphony in C.  I think this is still a work in progress for her.  She is, in my opinion, a more natural choice in neoclassical ballets than tutu and tiara roles. (I would love to see Reichlin move up to the lead in Agon.)  Last night sometimes Reichlin was tentative and/or not with the music. The bigger issue, though, was lack of interpretive nuance or connection w. J. Stafford.   I thought her performance fell short overall, but I'm sure it will improve over time. This is an iconic and difficult role to master.

Scheller was marvelous in the first movement in her debut.  Such speed and precision.

I think Pereira (third movement) is at a disadvantage because she still looks like a teenager, especially in a sophisticated tutu ballet like Symphony in C.   I  thought Lauren King (fourth movement) did well, but her performance, I'm sure, will look more polished in future outings.  Carmena and Adrain D-W were very impressive in the thrid and fourth movements.

Abatt I agree with your comments but just want to add.  I'm glad Lauren King was given a shot at a principal role in this ballet.  She alway brings a beam of light to the stage.  She fell short technique wise particularly with her turns, but I'm sure she will improve.  I think she should be a soloist.

Reichlin is very much a work in progress in the role, but I agree she will improve.

Pereira - unfortunately I have never seen her do a satisfactory performance in any role.  

Rubies - I just want to add that I liked Savannah Lowery in the "big girl" role.  She wasn't as clean as Reichlin in the role, but I love her go for broke attitude.  IMO she delivered.

[Drew]

Would be interested to hear reactions to Justin Peck's new ballet....

[abatt]

I saw the new Peck ballet on Friday night. It wasn't my cup of tea.  Frequently, there seemed to be no relationship between the music and the choreography. The music was often just background music.  DeLuz and Bouder were employed for their jumping and spinning abilities, respectively, but nothing they did was memorable in the context of the ballet.  The heart of the ballet was a lovely little pdd for Taylor and Hall. The corps spend a lot of time laying down on the floor, or sliding on the floor.  One particularly pretentious and annyoying thing was when the corps exited once he had them all make the "SHHH" noise. How juvenile. It was not a disaster (I've seen much worse), but it's not something I would recommend to a friend either.

I wanted to take this opportunity to praise Reichlin's tall girl earlier this week.  I know it's been said before, but she was incredible. Her jumps were huge, and she had the right combo of sex appeal and technique. She completely eclipsed everyone on stage.

[KrystinW]

Wanted to put my two cents in on Peck's ballet. I loved it. I saw it Sunday afternoon, and it was wedged between the latest Millepied and Wheeldon ballets for NYCB, Two Hearts and Les Carillons. I didn't expect it to be better than the other two, but in my opinion it blew them out of the water.

For me, the real excitement in this ballet is the corps. Their formations are inventive and change in the blink of an eye. They really were a force.  Sara Adams had a few beautiful moments where she was featured. I really want to see more of her.  It was very strange for me to focus more on the corps when people like Tess Reichlen and Ashley Bouder are dancing, but that's where my focus went.  Reichlen looked very good in the choreography, much more comfortable than she did in Symphony in C the previous evening.  

I loved the music, especially since it wasn't what I would think of for ballet music. I think Justin Peck has a unique talent. It was a huge success in my book.

[flo]

I agree w/ Krystin.  loved the ballet which was so entertaining.   I would add that the pdd for Taylor & Hall was beautiful and just the right touch in the midst of all that excitement.  So many curtain calls - the audience was crazy about it!