Le Corsaire- June 22 eve.

[Paquita]

Just a few quick notes from saturday's performance, which was a great show. The evening belonged to Angel Corella, even though he doesn't have that much 'stage time', he made it count during the pddat in Act 2. His variation was full of energy and attack. His turns also seemed to go on forever. In the coda, his switch-split leaps (that's what we used to call them in gymnastics) are so high, and he travels halfway across the stage with each one! And of course the pirouettes with the working leg going into a deep plie were a hit with the audience. His manege was just amazing. I don't know whether I like the bringing of the working leg down during the end of pirouettes though. Ethan Stiefel kind of brought his passe down in the middle of his pirouettes, but not quite down to coup de pieds, and then brought it back up to passe again and it looked a bit awkward. Overall though, I was extremely impressed with his clean jumps and extension (as usual). It was a little competitive between Ali and Conrad in the pddat, and I felt a bit bad for Stiefel because the audience was much more responsive to Corella's performance, though I thought he danced wonderfully as well.

Malakhov delivered a great performance, though he opted not to do the assembles into grand plie, he does the best manege of grand jete en tournant that I've ever seen- effortless, light, stretched. Xiomara Reyes was also very light and delicate. I'd never seen her dance before, and I think she's a delightful performer with lots of potential too. Gillian Murphy's variation included a diagonale of triple and quadruple pirouettes- wow! Nice to see Michele Wiles' after the Erik Bruhn competition. She danced with a big (but not cheesy) smile. Not sure who danced the 1st odalisque variation, it was supposed to be Maria Ricetto but someone else danced.

Julie Kent was beautiful, a bit off in the 1st Act but stunning in the rest of the ballet. Her grand pirouettes a la second (en dedans) were always flawless.

By coincedence, NBoC's regular conductor, Ormsby Wilkins was conducting here!

Wish I was staying in NYC longer, to see Giselle...