New York City Ballet 2022-2023 season

Gordon's fish dives with Fairchild were flawless on Wednesday.

The pacing/length of NYCB Sleeping Beauty is an interesting question. Running time is about 2.5 hrs with one intermission. Both the Royal Ballet & ABT's Ratmansky versions are about 3 hrs with 2 intermissions. Personally, I'd rather have just 1 intermission, but it does mean plowing ahead through prologue, 16th birthday, hunting party into vision scene, all in one gulp. 

Still, I would take the tempos down, just a little bit, for the prologue fairies and I'd also keep the act 3 "jewels." I'm not a bit fan of full length narrative ballets in general, but one of the reasons I like SB so much is because I get to see so many different people dance. 

So, clearly I have no answer for any pacing or running time issues!

6 hours ago, canbelto said:

The fairy variations during this run were the slowest I've ever heard them. In fact, the whole evening was longer -- both nights the ballet was about 2 hr 45 minutes total. Friday night it was close to 11 when we finally got out.

Not this afternoon, at least. I left the auditorium right after Tiler Peck brought on Andrew Litton, and I remember it was 3:36 when I checked my phone.

The first three fairy variations were fine, but the fourth and fifth were definitely too fast, distorting the choreography. The Lilac variation was faster than I like, but not as bad as the previous two. Parts of the final act were also too fast — one or two of the jewel variations, I think, and part of Bluebird (I think it was the coda where I noticed similar distorting effects on parts of Florine's choreo).

I saw Fairchild and Gordon on Saturday evening. Fairchild was just stunning in her characterization, gorgeous solo from Gordon, Cainan Weber as Bluebird got a huge response from the audience, Mejia, a great jester, you couldn’t keep your eyes off him.. Nadon was very beautiful. Maybe a little too.. lyrical for the character? But I’m nitpicking. I’m really not a huge fan of Martins choreo, but watching Fairchild these days is never not a special experience. 

Speaking of Fairy variations, has anyone seen this

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CoxAkUQgL-0/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
 

It’s been awhile since I’ve seen any of the fairy variations danced with such dynamics and authority. Whelan practically does a straddle split leap into that 4th position to start. I’m not sure how the tempo compares, but it’s clear that THIS is the tempo she wants. So, so musical!

Peter Walker is now dancing with LaFreniere on Thursday and Sunday: https://res.cloudinary.com/new-york-city-ballet/image/upload/v1676885499/Documents/Casting/2023 Winter/NYCB_Casting_February_21-26_2023_lobby_20230217.pdf

26 minutes ago, matilda said:

Peter Walker is now dancing with LaFreniere on Thursday and Sunday: https://res.cloudinary.com/new-york-city-ballet/image/upload/v1676885499/Documents/Casting/2023 Winter/NYCB_Casting_February_21-26_2023_lobby_20230217.pdf

Wow.  Interesting.  Thanks.

Complete Fairies entrance & variations from above, w/Wendy Whelan “Courage.”

What's with the finger pointing in the courage fairy choreo?  Why?? It's distracting. 

1 hour ago, Balletwannabe said:

What's with the finger pointing in the courage fairy choreo?  Why?? It's distracting. 

It's symbolic of an electric current.

Wendy Whelan was my favorite Aurora, too, through the last NYCB performance of SB I saw in 2004.

9 minutes ago, Marta said:

If you google that question, it says the finger pointing was first seen at the Paris Opera, after the opera house had just been electrified.

I'm pretty sure Google is mistaken. By the time The Sleeping Beauty reached the Paris Opera, it had been running on electrical power for a long time. More likely Petipa was inspired by the recent electrification of the Mariinsky Theater.

In some versions of SB, the same fairy is known as the "Fairy of the Golden Vine."  I cannot find any information to back this up, but I remember reading in a program long ago that the "pointing" is meant to encourage said vine to grow upward.

15 minutes ago, Jacqueline said:

In some versions of SB, the same fairy is known as the "Fairy of the Golden Vine."  I cannot find any information to back this up, but I remember reading in a program long ago that the "pointing" is meant to encourage said vine to grow upward.

 

I can get on board with this explanation.  I'll keep this is mind when watching next.

2 hours ago, volcanohunter said:

I'm pretty sure Google is mistaken. By the time The Sleeping Beauty reached the Paris Opera, it had been running on electrical power for a long time. More likely Petipa was inspired by the recent electrification of the Mariinsky Theater.

I was a bit skeptical. The explanation was attributed to Doug Fullington, but  there were other "theories". 

Ratmansky's version of the "finger fairy" variation, based on the notations from 1903 (if I'm not mistaken), includes the pointed index fingers, so it's safe to assume they've been part of the choreography all along.

One of the differences in Ratmansky's staging is the sequence where the fairy extends her arms to her right four times going from low to high (and then repeats). In Ratmansky's version the elbows are bent and the hands remain at shoulder height every time.

33 minutes ago, volcanohunter said:

Ratmansky's version of the "finger fairy" variation, based on the notations from 1903 (if I'm not mistaken), includes the pointed index fingers, so it's safe to assume they've been part of the choreography all along.

One of the differences in Ratmansky's staging is the sequence where the fairy extends her arms to her right four times going from low to high (and then repeats). In Ratmansky's version the elbows are bent and the hands remain at shoulder height every time.

I don't know if this is true or if it really makes sense, but years ago and old Russian teacher ballet teacher told me the finger thrust in different directions represented fate thrusting you this way and that. The fairy gives you courage to stay strong no matter what. That teacher might have made it up, but I guess it's as good an explanation as any!

2 hours ago, vipa said:

I don't know if this is true or if it really makes sense, but years ago and old Russian teacher ballet teacher told me the finger thrust in different directions represented fate thrusting you this way and that. The fairy gives you courage to stay strong no matter what. That teacher might have made it up, but I guess it's as good an explanation as any!

My Russian teacher gave a similar explanation! She called this one "Fairy of the Unexpected Fate." Makes more sense to me than a golden vine when you're trying to give a future queen some helpful gifts.

23 hours ago, abatt said:

Wow.  Interesting.  Thanks.

When I saw the show on Sat night, during Walker's Gold variation I was thinking that he should be Prince Desire - his technique is really strong and I think he can carry the prince role.

There were a few mishaps in the evening show including Megan dropping one of the roses in the Rose Adagio but it's so interesting going to see shows with someone who knows nothing about ballet. My partner kept saying that he thought everything was intentional (like the dropping of the rose) and found it funny within the scene. He also commented on the speed of the music and said that he preferred it - probably because he's not interested in seeing the quality of dance, but I can see this making sense to non-dancer audiences, for better or worse.

I thought Mira's lilac was great - her variations were quite nearly perfect and I enjoyed her pantomine; her arms are so musical and expressive

Also, I really liked Unity's post about not feeling right for Aurora - I think in our comments about the casting we weren't really acknowledging how the dancers themselves could feel unfit for a role but they still have to go and do it. I thought it was uplifting insight that made me change how I think/judge the casting. https://www.instagram.com/p/CoztpA_uAuo/

I think we associate Aurora with small dancers because the tall ones tend to look older. So they aren't as convincing as 16 years old Aurora especially when they're pushing 30+ themselves. Same with Giselle. It just looks better with a small dancer because it better conveys the delicacy and youthfulness of the role.

Aurora in Petipa's production was 20 years old. In Diaghilev's 1921 production, Aurora's age was changed to 16. I prefer 20 years old and believe it's a more palatable and relatable age for our time.

Despite ABT being in town with Romeo and Juliet, my friend and I decided instead to drive up to NYC from Washington to see Sunday night’s Sleeping Beauty, featuring Woodward, Huxley, and Gerrity. I am usually only able to see City Ballet when they tour DC, so usually two shows once a year. I’m a long time reader but infrequent contributor on this board—after reading so much about the different casts, decided it was worth my time and money to make the journey! I wish I had been able to see Fairchild, but the timing didn’t work out. But we were both so incredibly pleased with the cast we did see—it was all just enchanting! I envy the posters who have the privilege of seeing NYCB routinely. For us out-of-towners, seeing NYCB at Lincoln Center was a truly incredible experience!

I thought Indiana was a perfect Aurora, just so full of energy and joy in her dancing. It is always a treat to watch a dancer and just know that there is no need to worry about execution or mistakes, she was just fantastic! Sure, there was a tiny bit of uncertainty in the Rose Pas promenades, but she did not come off pointe and had some admirable balances, even if not every single partner change allowed for a perfect balance. Burned into my memory is the incredible control she exhibited after going for broke in the sets of coupe jetes en manege followed by pique turns ending with a suspended-in-time, perfectly held final passe before finishing with total control. It was breathtaking and it happened twice! (once in the Spell and again in a different manege section in the Wedding variation)

I enjoyed watching Emilie Gerrity as Lilac Fairy, she was very regal and commanding, and her dancing expansive. Anthony Huxley looked handsome and his dancing was so crisp and clean that I mostly did not notice the little bobble in the chaine turns in his own variation in the 2^nd act. I think the entire audience held their breath as he struggled and struggled to get his cloak off before the Vision scene—extricating himself from it *just* in the nick of time! We breathed a HUGE collective sigh of relief when it finally came off right before the dancing started! I thought Huxley and Woordward danced spectacularly together in Act II. The fish dives seemed so secure and precise that we were barely breathing.

Megan LeCrone was great as Carabosse, beautiful yet deliciously evil! My friend asked: “are those cicadas?” when her creatures first appeared. Not sure if NY had the cicada invasion a few years ago, but they briefly were the only thing people could talk about in DC a few years ago. Their giant red bug eyes did look cicada-like!

I thought Emma von Enck and Roman Mejia were flawless and completely nailed the Bluebird pas de deux. They brought down the house with the applause, demonstrating that they are absolutely ready for bigger roles. The entire third act was a joy. I had no idea NYCB used a tiny child for Little Red Riding Hood, and was astounded by her ability to keep up with the adult dancers. Wow!

KJ Takahashi subbed for Villarini-Velez as the lead (center) jester and killed it as well—all three of them delighted, in fact, but I couldn’t stop watching Takahashi. I don’t think I saw any weak performances, honestly. Standing out for me among the First Act fairies was Baily Jones (so precise and speedy in Courage) and Mary Thomas MacKinnon (beautiful a la second jumps in Vivacity), as well as Ashley Hod (Diamond) in Act II.

Now that I know how relatively easy it is to go to NYC on the train, I am hoping to make this journey more often. I’m also hoping to catch Washington Ballet in its All Balanchine program this week.

@Belka I’m so glad you felt the magic!