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Fall Season @ State Theater Oct 16-27


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I went last night and saw the Zahorian/Karapetyan/Yamamoto/De Sola/ Blanco cast. I thoroughly enjoyed the production - this has now officially become my favorite version of a ballet that I don't generally like very much. I thought it was inventive and entertaining. One of my problems with Cinderella in general is that I just don't think the music allows for much grand dancing but I loved the big 2nd act pas de deux and the 3rd act pas de deux. I loved how Wheeldon handled the narrative and that in this version the stepsisters were still funny but more than just annoying caricatures (in the Ashton I'm really sick of them by the 1st intermission).

I regret not being able to see the Van Patten/Helimets cast, but I enjoyed this one. Everyone did well and I especially enjoyed Zahorian. Her dancing was lyrical and expansive with great phrasing. I like the way she varied the dynamics of her dancing. She was also a very engaging Cinderella, she gave her lot of depth - sometimes Cinderella can become very one note (sad & downtrodden). I liked her much better here than in the mixed bills I saw last week.

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Well I tried to like it, but ended up leaving after two acts. I found it choreographically very empty. Bored out of my mind.

On Saturday night, the theatre was packed, but a lot of people left early. I rushed out right after the at the end of the third act, because I feared problems getting out of the congested parking lot, but it was half empty when I got there, and the attendant confirmed that many people left early. Oddly, there were no curtain calls. I thought YYT deserved one. Her dancing is unique. She generally does not take steps, but rather, flows. Her lifts demonstrate true flight, without hesitation or weight.

In total, I saw four ballets from this company. None left me with any hint of emotion. Much of the choreography lacked impact or emotional significance. Even Cinderella did not truly express suffering or evoke pathos. She had a smile on her face most of the time. The dancers were talented and interesting, but I was not moved.

The production values of Cinderella, though, excelled. The audience was awed by the puppetry and the development of the coach that took Cinderella to the ball.

Wendy Whelan was in the audience, on crutches. I guess that is why she did not dance this Fall.

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"On Saturday night, the theatre was packed, but a lot of people left early. I rushed out right after the at the end of the third act, because I feared problems getting out of the congested parking lot, but it was half empty when I got there, and the attendant confirmed that many people left early"

> This strikes me as a 'New York thing' as I just don't see this behavior at West Coast performances - even if the program proves to be less than inspiring, you won't see droves heading for the exists. There isn't a reaction of "I have better things to do than be at this theatre!".

"Wendy Whelan was in the audience, on crutches. I guess that is why she did not dance this Fall."

> I have been wondering if any of the NYC dancers had been showing up to any of the perfromances (and if they have time off for such things right now).

It would seem that a certain (large?) proportion of the audience doesn't think much of the choreography they are seeing. I'm trying to think of the last time I read reviews of a new ballet that made me think: this may prove to be a new masterwork. To take as an example from this tour, Ewaard Liang's Symphonic Dances - Is the ballet less finely crafted than ballets of say, 50 years ago? Or are we too used to the particular movement language being used? Is it the ballet's lack of depth? Or the audience's lack of commitment and involvement with what is going on before them?

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Well I tried to like it, but ended up leaving after two acts. I found it choreographically very empty. Bored out of my mind.

On Saturday night, the theatre was packed, but a lot of people left early. I rushed out right after the at the end of the third act, because I feared problems getting out of the congested parking lot, but it was half empty when I got there, and the attendant confirmed that many people left early.

The section I was sitting in remained full thru out the 3 acts. Avery Fisher Hall and Lincoln Center Theaters finished earlier than State Theater, may be that's the reason why the parking lot was half empty. The parking garage is for all the halls in the campus, not just State Theater.

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It would seem that a certain (large?) proportion of the audience doesn't think much of the choreography they are seeing. I'm trying to think of the last time I read reviews of a new ballet that made me think: this may prove to be a new masterwork. To take as an example from this tour, Ewaard Liang's Symphonic Dances - Is the ballet less finely crafted than ballets of say, 50 years ago? Or are we too used to the particular movement language being used? Is it the ballet's lack of depth? Or the audience's lack of commitment and involvement with what is going on before them?

Are you saying that if one does not have a positive review of a choreographer or his work, it means that the audience lacks commitment? The audience does not control the choreographer's creativity, ideas, viewpoint, choice of subject matter, taste, choice of words or vocabulary, or manner of expression. Nor can the audience generally take credit for a choreographer's success, either.

The newspaper and blog reviews seem more positive than negative. The reviews on this board seem positive, too. Are you referring to any specific reviews beyond this board when you say that a "certain (large?) proportion of the audience doesn't think much of the choreography?"

I did not see Liang's work, so I cannot comment.

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Are you saying that if one does not have a positive review of a choreographer or his work, it means that the audience lacks commitment? The audience does not control the choreographer's creativity, ideas, viewpoint, choice of subject matter, taste, choice of words or vocabulary, or manner of expression. Nor can the audience generally take credit for a choreographer's success, either.

Sorry if my statement was confusing, Puppytreats - I was just thinking about the people who had left the performance early.

I was just throwing it out there as a general question, but I would say that theatre/ballet do involve a certain level of 'participation' by the audience - it's not something you can watch out of the corner of your eye, so to speak. Regardless of the choreography, or level of dancing skills, or level of conductor/musician's skills, it is up to the individual to derive something worthwhile from the experience. Perhaps some people have their list of "must haves" for an event to be worthwhile for them. I'm more of the mind that I look for what is working or worthwhile in the performance/game, whatever it is, and try to come away with something I can use (soemthing to inspire me). Does that make sense?

"the newspaper and blog reviews seem more positive than negative" - you may be right, but in my reading of the reviews there's been a general feeling of disappointment with the choreography. I remember a couple of critics liking the Mark Morris piece, and another being disappointed by it. So it is hard to get a consensus.

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Yuan Yuan Tan is perhaps too regal and mature to play Cinderella, but her dancing surely was ethereal. There were some minor partnering glitches, but nothing too terrible. For those people who only saw the Sat evening show, the end of Act I with the carriage should have looked even better. Tan had a problem with the big cape for a few seconds, so instead of looking like the roof of her her horse drawn carriage it ended up completely covering her face.

There was no mass exodus at the performances I attended, although I have to say that ending a kid friendly ballet at 10:40 PM is a little nutty. Not sure why they didn't begin their evening shows at 7:30 instead of 8PM.

This was a very enjoyable and successful tour, and I hope SFB returns to New York soon.

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There was no mass exodus at the performances I attended

I did not mean to suggest this, but I was surprised by how many people must have left, given that the Lincoln Center packed parking lot was unusually full when I arrived, and half empty immediately after the third act when I rushed out. However, the parking lot serves other Lincoln Center performances, not just the Koch Theatre. I probably should not have said anything about it :<

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Just checking to see if others noticed this detail in Cinderella. In the scene where various family portraits are hanging, did anyone else notice that one of the portraits was Wheeldon in drag?

I could barely see from my angle, even when the portraits digitally changed. Were they blurry from other angles before the changes?

What was Cinderella's mother's name on her grave - Amelie __ __?

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