Royal Blue

Other than wanting Unity Phelan to reprise her role in Afternoon of a Faun, I deliberately refrained from reflecting about what other woman from the roster I would like to see in a likely second cast of the ballet this spring. For reasons to be explained after viewing her performance on Sunday afternoon, I was not in the least disappointed to see Dominika Afanasenkov cast in the role of the young female dancer, even though she has only recently joined the company and I have barely seen her before. (Glad that she performed one of the fairy variations in The Sleeping Beauty during the winter.) Additionally, in response to a comment earlier in the thread, I must observe that Unity Phelan looked as marvelous as she always has, both in Concerto Barocco (a debut), and in Afternoon of a Faun, and should not lose an ounce of weight if she can help it.

What a sobering piece of magic is the NYCB full-length narrative ballet currently staged, and on Presidents' Day in the middle of its run this season. The story by Charles Perrault which inspired The Sleeping Beauty was published in 1697. In 1700, the population of what became "The United States" was 250,888, and of NYC "roughly 5,000". The "Father of His Country" was not born yet. This "fairy tale" has survived all the epochal social, economic, political, cultural, scientific, and technological upheavals the world has undergone since then. And rightly so. One can legitimately perceive its "Awakening Scene" as incorporating nothing less than all of human experience. Of course, this type of work is no specialty of the company, and yet (according to the program) Balanchine ironically acknowledged, "Thanks to Sleeping Beauty I fell in love with ballet." Every one of the five scenes which comprise NYCB's production is beautiful. Nevertheless, I am partial to a couple of them. Even though it is brief and contains no dancing, The Awakening bears extraordinary thematic significance. And The Vision, which immediately precedes the intermission, hauntingly epitomizes all the yearning for profound love and connection that has existed in the human soul since the beginning of time. Additionally, the ballet's conclusion with that spine-tingling tonal shift in the music from the celebratory to the solemn and majestic is one of the most stirring in the performing arts. Criticize this or any production of The Sleeping Beauty all you want, the fundamental work underneath remains stupendous. All three casts I have seen so far during this run --Megan Fairchild, Joseph Gordon, Mira Nadon, Maria Kowroski; Tiler Peck, Chun Wai Chan, Ashley Laracey, Ashley Hod; Indiana Woodward, Anthony Huxley, Emilie Gerrity, Megan LeCrone-- were wonderful. From the moment of her entrance at Sunday evening's performance, Woodward sparkled as the sixteen-year-old Princess Aurora, and danced superbly throughout the ballet. Huxley's demeanor as Prince Désiré from the start was equally impressive, and his short solo before the curtain came down for intermission was breathtaking. Leaving the question of how much imperial grandeur is (or can be nowadays) displayed at the end aside, neither encountered any major issues during the resplendent Wedding pas de deux. Emilie Gerrity as the Lilac Fairy was gorgeous. Strong support was provided by dancers throughout the rest of the considerable cast. All this only a few hours after a rousing The Sleeping Beauty led by Tiler Peck and Chun Wai Chan. The role of the Lilac Fairy is not only pivotal storywise, but exquisitely beautiful, even in the ways she mimes, poses and moves her arms and hands. Rooting big-time for Unity Phelan, Isabella LaFreniere, Miriam Miller and Emily Kikta this week. [Needless to say, I agree with the specific observations of Belka about Sunday evening's performance.]

Sunday afternoon's performance of Fancy Free with Roman Mejia, Harrison Coll and Jovani Furlan as the sailors, and Alexa Maxwell with Mary Thomas MacKinnon as the two women they try to impress made a convincing case for how fun and rewarding watching the ballet can be. As typically interpreted at NYCB, the scene where the sailors grab the woman's purse seems lighthearted rather than threatening —although individuals can validly still consider it problematic. With or without the Paul Taylor solo, Episodes —the last ballet of the program— remains one of Balanchine's most ultramodern, experimental and forward-looking works. Combined with Webern's atonal music, the atmosphere of the ballet is cold, spare, enigmatic, its intimations of the future both menacing and thrilling. A challenging work, to be sure, whose appreciation hinges on whether the viewer can perceive any beauty in its ambience, the music, and the type of movement showcased by the choreography. Nevertheless, set to Webern's orchestration of music from Bach's Musical Offering, the ballet's last segment is palpably suffused with a frosty but impressive majesty and spirituality. Despite the distracting mishap with her belt, there was ample evidence Sunday afternoon of the grandeur and authority which some suggest would make her ideal as the Lilac Fairy in Isabella LaFreniere's performance during the first section of Episodes. Ashley Hod and Gilbert Bolden III executed the rigorous steps of the pas de deux in a manner which made its mysterious and haunting qualities register. The intensity and focus brought to bear by Emilie Gerrity in the following part of the work was electrifying. Although a tremendously gifted dancer, Mira Nadon could not match a certain hallowed quality characterizing Miriam Miller's demeanor and countenance in the Ricercata this season. In my view, the middle part of the program was an unqualified triumph for NYCB this winter. On Sunday, I was beaming with joy inside throughout the 10-minute duration of Rondo. What a gorgeous performance by Indiana Woodward and Olivia MacKinnon of a beautiful work! And it came only hours after Woodward gave an outstanding performance in a very different type of role, in Voices. Thematically, Solo —even its very title— has had immense resonance for me from the instant it appeared in Sofia Coppola's film, evoking the feelings and thoughts I experienced after viewing A Suite of Dances from the Fourth Ring at Joaquín De Luz's farewell, and later watching the Paul Taylor solo in Episodes. Viewing it live in the theater has made me more appreciative of the beauty of the choreography, and Anthony Huxley's magnificent interpretation. As I have pointed out previously, Sara Mearns is also ideal in this role. However, it is fitting that only Huxley interpreted it during this season, given his forthcoming performances as Prince Désiré. Scheduling Solo on the same program as Episodes and during the same season as a revival of The Sleeping Beauty was a marvelous idea.

Of the six women "heard" in Ratmansky's Voices, I had awareness of only two previously: Nina Simone and Setsuko Hara. Now I am interested in learning more about all of them. Once a viewer accepts the nature of the music for this work, the ballet is both fascinating and beautiful. How does the piano accompaniment and the choreography combine in a given performance to enhance whatever message each of these notable women had to impart to the world, one naturally wonders? Simply put, the segment titled "To Live in the Hearts We Leave Behind" in Everywhere We Go would tempt me mightily if I were in Faust's shoes to utter "Linger a while -- thou art so fair!" This and the section labeled "The Gate of Heaven Is Love" make the ballet irresistible to me. Apart from these, there are other moments which pique my interest throughout the rest of the work, and the entire "I Am In The House And I Have The Key" part is particularly absorbing. When it premiered in 2014, the ballet featured a magnificent cast of principal dancers, two of whom (Tiler Peck and Andrew Veyette) are still performing their original roles. Five women have principal roles in both ballets in the two alternate casts of Voices, and Everywhere We Go this season: Megan Fairchild, Indiana Woodward, Unity Phelan, Emily Kikta and Isabella LaFreniere. Due to their excellence in performing their respective roles, I would be loath to miss any of them in either ballet. As I saw it, Ashley Hod's debut in Justin Peck's ballet was wonderful. Both Miriam Miller and Megan Fairchild display a solid grasp of what they need to do —down to the movement of the head, expression of the face and downcast eyes— to heighten the impact of the key moments in Everywhere We Go. In addition to his excellent partnering of Miriam Miller and overall performance, Peter Walker made me notice something in the compelling fourth segment that I had failed to appreciate during many previous viewings of Everywhere We Go. Thrilled to have been in attendance Thursday evening for Mimi Staker's debut in Voices. Not only for her personal beauty, but for her expressive dancing of Ratmansky's marvelous solo. Plus, I love Setsuko Hara.

After watching Indiana Woodward in that attire, coiffure and makeup make her splendid debut in Fancy Free a couple of nights ago, it occurred to me that in its way this impersonation of a mid-twentieth century American woman was every bit as moving as those of the long-ago women represented in Antique Epigraphs and other ballets. Mightily glad that I did not miss this! Moreover, any implication that this season's debuts in Fancy Free are unimportant from my neglect to specifically mention them in my previous post is completely misleading and false. The entire first cast, which included Daniel Ulbricht, Joseph Gordon and Jovani Furlan (in his debut) as the three sailors, made watching this popular work again a pleasure. All three other works in the program were as captivating as I surmised they would be. Mira Nadon and Isabella LaFreniere were sensational in Rondo. Danced by Anthony Huxley, Solo was expectedly affecting. Emily Kikta and Unity Phelan were nothing short of spectacular in Episodes. As the Princess in Firebird, Miriam Miller's warmth and liveliness demonstrated how engaging she can be, and belied her occasionally remote and cool demeanor in other works. For me, her otherworldly remoteness seems entirely appropriate in the midst of the austere, architectonic grandeur of Episodes, and she danced in the Ricercata segment beautifully. Tuesday's conclusion of the ballet, in sum, left me spellbound and found me soberly reflecting how far this remarkable opus had come in my estimation.

A famous piece of Americana, Fancy Free is often presented at Lincoln Center by both major companies. Both for its evocation of a critical era in American history, and its significance as a milestone in the nation's culture, it is a vital work. Nevertheless, this is a ballet I personally am willing to watch again only in the context of an enticing program. The other three works with which it is offered this season —Rondo; Solo; and Episodes— all interest me greatly. Rondo may be a small-scaled, minor work by Robbins, but it is lovely, and I am delighted that New York City Ballet programmed it. The casting bears promise, and offers a particularly important opportunity for Olivia MacKinnon to shine. Although women should unquestionably dance Solo also, it is unlikely that anyone (besides Ashley Laracey) can currently match the gravitas Sara Mearns brings to it. In addition to Rondo, Mira Nadon has an important debut upcoming this week in Episodes. As do Isabella LaFreniere, Indiana Woodward and Olivia MacKinnon in the former ballet, and Alec Knight and Ashley Hod in the latter.

Without undervaluing the essential contribution of either the male lead (Roman Mejia this season) or the participating eight corps dancers in the slightest, one can only marvel at how ideally suited the combination of Tchaikovsky's music, Balanchine's choreography and Tiler Peck's dancing in Allegro Brillante is to thrill and impress. Nevertheless, this ballet sparkles with such quality that I thoroughly enjoyed it with the second cast also (Megan Fairchild and Tyler Angle). An audience's reaction to a performance of a ballet should, of course, not affect or alter our opinion of it. For the record, however, its response to the performances by both casts of Liturgy this season (Unity Phelan and Chun Wai Chan; Sara Adams and Jovani Furlan) was enthusiastic. Christopher Wheeldon's modernistic pas de deux to Arvo Pärt's spiritual music, for me, was not misplaced in this wonderful program. Unlike the three excellent principal dancers, Adams appears less often on the stage in critical roles, but the ethos implied in her interpretation was deeply moving and brought to mind her earlier work in Year of the Rabbit. As pointed out previously, neither Emilie Gerrity nor Unity Phelan dances the leading female role in Walpurgisnacht Ballet with the force and authority summoned by Sara Mearns. Nonetheless, loveliness was characteristically hardly missing from the performance of either. Additionally, it is virtually impossible for the concluding section of the work —with the stage filled by members of the female corps dancing with loosened hair to resounding music— to be unexciting. As during last spring, Isabella LaFreniere was again spectacular in her performances as the Firebird. Although similarly tall, Ashley Hod's build is frailer —which upon further consideration also proved suitable for a portrayal of the mythical bird, along with the individual features of her physiognomy. Despite a few glitches in her dancing, Hod's enactment manifested care and craftsmanship. Recognized especially for his excellent partnering during the later years of his career with New York City Ballet, Jared Angle as Prince Ivan fittingly danced with both women in his final role with the company. Truthfully, there are vague recollections in my memory of Firebird feeling overlong. Today this thought puzzles me since in every way (music, choreography, costumes, set design and lighting), and for its entire duration, this ballet is one of the most exquisite in New York City Ballet’s repertory. For certain, however, my appreciation both of old tales that have survived the relentless passage of time, and of the way artists have used metaphor and fantasy to communicate the deepest feelings and thoughts about the human condition meanwhile has skyrocketed.

Last evening at the ballet was one of those which makes braving the elements (wind and rain in this case) eminently worthwhile! Also, one of those nights which makes buying a last-minute ticket such a potentially thrilling experience. This was the penultimate performance of the season's first program: Donizetti Variations; Haieff Divertimento; Valse-Fantaisie; Stravinsky Violin Concerto. And, in my view, it boasted overall the finest cast of the run —respectively, Tiler Peck and Andrew Veyette; Unity Phelan and Alec Knight; Indiana Woodward and Roman Mejia; Ashley Laracey, Joseph Gordon, Mira Nadon and Adrian Danchig-Waring. The divided opinion about Haieff Divertimento makes the ballet a perfect example of why we need to experience things ourselves. Not a grand masterpiece, but a lovely piece, with Unity Phelan smashing as the female lead. Ditto for Indiana Woodward in Valse-Fantaisie, a work whose dazzling momentum and enchanting music can drive a person wild with delight and make their spirits soar. The program demonstrated throughout the important function of the corps and why none of its members should ever take their role in any ballet for granted. Particularly striking during this run were the four women in Valse-Fantaisie: Olivia Boisson, Meaghan Dutton-O'Hara, Olivia MacKinnon and Mimi Staker. Any slight mishap that occurred in the beginning of Aria II of Stravinsky Violin Concerto between Laracey and Gordon did not detract from the conspicuous poetry of their performance. Furthermore, while discussion about the nature of their pas de deux and its conclusion is fascinating, one should note how quickly the solemn mood established disperses due to the character of the Capriccio movement that follows —one of the most exuberant and joyous in ballet.

Hopefully, this turn of events somehow benefits everyone involved. Absolutely adore New York City Ballet, but I also love ABT. If I were wealthy and influential, my motto respecting anything untoward happening to either company would be "Not under my freaking watch!" Voices has an experimental score, and I want to get a better feel for the ballet this season. The rest of Ratmansky's work for New York City Ballet has been exemplary. While I am not nearly as familiar with his output for ABT, I consider Serenade after Plato's Symposium to be among the most important and moving ballets I have ever seen.

You use a glass mirror to see your face; you use works of art to see your soul. [George Bernard Shaw] Each to each a looking-glass, / Reflects the other that doth pass. [Charles Cooley] Is Afternoon of a Faun as substantial and meaningful if two dancers enact it in an empty theater with a large mirror downstage facing them, or in a studio with no one else present? How infinitely deeper and potent is the ballet with that imaginary/metaphorical mirror instead of a real one, and with an audience in attendance! The issues of identity, intimacy, and the meaning of art broached by this enthralling pas de deux concern not only the dancers but every person. These issues are, therefore, properly highlighted, reflected and explored in the theater rather than the studio. Like all works of art (especially the greatest), the ballet serves as a mirror for the audience. Yet it also astutely reminds everyone that —from the perspective of all artists— the audience also in fact serves as a mirror. All the time spent by dancers for instance performing various works publicly onstage, and the audience's response, inevitably has a profound impact on their self-perception. For those so inclined, whichever side of the footlights they may be in, Afternoon of a Faun is indubitably one of the ballets most likely to spark a momentous private conversation.

I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was. Both A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Dream are magnificent ballet adaptations which enhance our understanding of Shakespeare's magical play. Through this fantastical play —with its abundant humorous aspects and inspired whimsy— the playwright gently prods us to reflect on the connection between life and a dream, the state of wakefulness versus being asleep, between imagination, memory and reality. At the same time, this work represents one of the wisest and most salutary efforts in art to deal with that ubiquitous human affliction of —unrequited love. In light of its noblest incarnation in The Sleeping Beauty, furthermore, it is fascinating to observe the playwright's multiple use in the play of the motif of falling in love with the first being seen when awakened (a variation, obviously, of the notion of falling in love at first sight). Before attending the last two ABT performances of The Dream this season, I watched the video from 2004 a couple of times. Two moments in Ashton's version had a profound impact on me this fall: the instant Titania and Bottom respectively awakes after their "affair". Following Sunday’s matinee, I felt compelled to look up the speech cited above, in addition to revisiting these moments on the DVD. Julio Bragado-Young's interpretation of this pivotal spell is unforgettable and splendidly filmed. Ditto for Alessandra Ferri's stellar enactment of the affecting part in question. At the theater, I observed carefully how Cassandra Trenary and Gillian Murphy handled this section. Trenary’s Titania appeared to recollect the amorous episode with a mixture of sadness and remorse, and turned to gaze at Oberon afterwards with a sense of guilt. In contrast, Murphy’s reminiscences elicited a smile on her face, and —despite turning over the Indian boy to him— she peered at her consort proudly and suspiciously. (As indicated earlier in the thread, Daniel Camargo portrayed Oberon in both performances.) To be sure, the pas de deux for Titania and Bottom in NYCB's A Midsummer Night's Dream is marvelous and hilarious, and the minute the latter rejoins his mates is touching. The significant aftereffect of the relationship between the Queen of the Fairies and the weaver, however, is comparatively abrupt and lacking in Balanchine's version. When awakened by Oberon, Titania in Balanchine's ballet views with consternation an ass next to her. In The Dream, significantly, the Queen at that exact moment is surprised and embarrassed to find a strange fellow lying beside her. Certainly, there are references in the play to the royal couple's infidelities, and Oberon manipulates Titania in the episode with Bottom. Nevertheless, would the affair have been any more proper if the name had been "Beauman" or "Longhard", and the weaver happened to be the handsomest and sturdiest man not only in Athens but the entire world? Clearly, the metamorphosis of Bottom into an ass does not occur simply for the audience's amusement. Four centuries plus later and counting, the biting social criticism the playwright implied here is unlikely to ever date, and will therefore forever sting. During the course of the tale, each of the four young lovers —Helena, Demetrius, Hermia and Lysander— experiences heartbreak, and is responsible for breaking the heart of another. Initially, Helena is lovelorn while two men pursue her friend Hermia. Later, the same two men chase Helena, while Hermia is suddenly the one who is lovelorn. In Balanchine's version, we witness at one point a string of rejections within the space of a single minute. Before everything sorts itself happily and there are handshakes, hugs and kisses, the two males and the two females in both ballets want to kill each other. Throughout, the two women remain constant in their affection for the man each loves. On the other hand, the men come across as foolish, fickle and prone to violence. Both A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Dream portray all this action humorously yet beautifully. In accordance with Puck's "Lord, what fools these mortals be!", Ashton depicts the four lovers in a buffoonish manner. There are moments in Balanchine's ballet, by contrast, when the plight of Helena and Hermia is quite moving. Regardless, both great choreographers succeed brilliantly in conveying through their sublime adaptations the play’s message that humans should view the twists and turns of their love affairs philosophically. From the Fourth Ring, ABT's production of The Dream appeared mesmerizing, and the dancing by the corps was scintillating. (Greater differentiation in the costumes, of course, would be fine also.) Likewise, several posters rightly highlighted Gillian Murphy's spectacular dancing as Titania. Although on Sunday afternoon Daniel Camargo executed some steps in Oberon's dazzling but exacting choreography more effectively, his interpretations so far of at least three roles suggest that he is a splendid acquisition for ABT. Even at this late stage of his career, Herman Cornejo is ideal as Puck —his performance being phenomenal both in terms of characterization and dancing. There were many children at ABT's final performance of its fall season. One little girl on crutches seated directly behind me made not a single sound throughout The Dream. Contrariwise, the youngest child in a family of four in the row in front (another little girl) talked and could not sit still the entire time. No doubt, NYCB’s A Midsummer Night's Dream boasts some of the finest use of children in the whole repertory. Yet both of these ballet versions of Shakespeare's play contain so many comical elements as to justifiably qualify them as being "family shows". Additionally, they are great for teenagers and young people as a means of teaching them to put any love-related pangs they may be experiencing into perspective. Nothing could be clearer, nonetheless, than that A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Dream are wondrous ballets for people of all ages, and that the combined work of Shakespeare, Mendelssohn, Balanchine and Ashton constitutes one of the greatest artistic triumphs of the human spirit and imagination.

Coming serendipitously at a time of heightened appreciation for Balanchine's Vienna Waltzes, Sterling Hyltin's performance with Robbie Fairchild in the "Rosenkavalier" section last evening was for this viewer one of the most moving of this or any other New York City Ballet season. Following a career filled with highlights, Hyltin's magnificent dancing during the Spring and Fall seasons of 2022 in a variety of works amounts to an ideal demonstration of how to retire with elegance and poise from ballet. And, personally, her performance(s) in Afternoon of a Faun will always be the gift that keeps on giving. That mirror upstage during the finale of Vienna Waltzes was never so noticeable or meaningful to me before ...

Sunday's performance of Apollo with Emilie Gerrity as Polyhymnia was superb. Next to the fantastic Tiler Peck, Indiana Woodward and Adrian Danchig-Waring, Ashley Laracey at this juncture unfortunately appeared frail. That casting change, therefore, was entirely justified. On the other hand, Laracey is glorious in Vienna Waltzes and Stravinsky Violin Concerto, and is still happily scheduled to dance in both this week.

Three of the sections of Symphony in C are among the most uplifting and brimming with life in the entire repertoire; the other provides one of the highest emotional peaks in ballet. Watching the company perform the work brilliantly a week ago —for the first time since the hiatus in performances, after what the world has been through during the past two plus years, and in view of all the dangers and uncertainties lurking on the horizon— was a deeply moving experience. Grateful for the miraculous way I was able to obtain a ticket and enter the theater! Watching Anthony Huxley magnificently performing Solo live was equally affecting. Solo is a work with a unisex role if ever there was one. Naturally, women must perform it also! Sara Mearns' sublime, transcendent performance last Saturday in Symphony in C's second segment demonstrated why she should be the first woman of the company to perform Solo. Ideally, of course, all seating areas of the theater should be open to the public. In any case, one should view Vienna Waltzes and Solo at least once in a while from higher up in the theater, preferably the Fourth Ring.

Die Zeit, die ist ein sonderbar Ding. By definition every ballet performance involves the present —contemporary dancers are performing a work on the stage for today's audience. Although Episodes premiered more than half a century ago, and notwithstanding that its score includes an arrangement of a piece by Johann Sebastian Bach, musically as well as choreographically it remains a ballet pointing to the future. By contrast Balanchine's Vienna Waltzes evokes the bygone era of the second half of the 19th Century / early 20th Century Austro-Hungarian Empire. This thought-provoking juxtaposition of past, present, future, as well as the sharp variance in the music, choreography, set designs and costumes of Episodes and Vienna Waltzes makes New York City Ballet's last program of the fall utterly fascinating. To be sure, Vienna Waltzes is a strange ballet since its three most substantial sections involve a different type of dance. Nevertheless, being dismissive of the work's beauty or taking it for granted is a mistake. Beneath the ballet's surface pomp and gloss lies a discernible mine of surpassing irony and poignancy.

Our love for the art form and the greatest ballets —of which Divertimento No. 15 is decidedly one— supersedes any differences of opinion we may have about the rest of the repertoire and/or performances, cobweb.

Divertimento No. 15 is one of the ballets uppermost in my mind when reflecting on the purpose and significance of the art form. Among those artworks, for me, that give the impression of encompassing the answer to the mystery of life ... beauty ... art … love … Is it any wonder, consequently, that it is choreographed to music by a towering composer whose body of work —astonishing in its range and quality— during a short lifespan itself amounts to a monumental enigma? An excellent example of Mozart's genius is how in a type of composition deemed "light and entertaining" he introduces during its andante movement a sublime note of gentle melancholy. Balanchine's response in choreographing this section for successive pas de deux instead of a single one is masterful. Considering (for one thing) how gorgeous the "Minuet" segment for the female corps is, there is no weak role out of the sixteen in the cast of Divertimento. Nor a weak moment in the entire work, actually. That slight step and/or thrust of the body backwards, however, makes me somewhat partial towards the glorious third and fourth variations. While unhesitating in my preference for the second cast (led by the phenomenal Tiler Peck), the first is immensely satisfying also —with the performances by Unity Phelan and Joseph Gordon notably being utterly thrilling and unmissable. Amongst the fantastic dancing by the members of the second cast is the welcome debut in Divertimento this season by Isabella LaFreniere, whose majestic way of reaching out with each arm successively during the pas de deux especially enraptured me. Categorically, Divertimento No. 15 is the highlight of an outstanding program! Though lesser works, Scotch Symphony and La Sonnambula are undoubtedly worthwhile and beautiful also. The cast of the latter two ballets having Sterling Hyltin as the lead —charming and ethereal in one role, emphatically electrifying and haunting in the other— is particularly effective.

In the first program of the fall, much as I would like to see Scotch Symphony and La Sonnambula neither is as beautiful as Divertimento No. 15.

In response to the question "WHAT BALLET OR ROLE WOULD YOU LIKE TO DANCE BUT HAVEN'T YET AND WHY?" Sasha De Sola's reply on the San Francisco Ballet website partly reads: "I love the concept of Afternoon of a Faun and I feel like there is so much beauty and truth intertwined in the work that I would love to interpret it." Our views here are in complete accord! That she and I may have different notions on what this "beauty and truth" precisely consists of is both immaterial and understandable in this instance. Crucially, the concept of Afternoon of a Faun engenders contemplation of vital issues: it, therefore, confers on this ballet the power and potential to stay permanently in the mind of certain dancers and audience members alike. That is the crux of the matter. Particularly given her opinion, this principal dancer deserves the opportunity to perform in this work. In truth, it would be fascinating to know the performance history of this Robbins ballet by all major American and European ballet companies. While its allotted number of performances —as with every important ballet— should be judicious, Afternoon of a Faun should nonetheless be a fixture in the repertoire of the greatest companies.

"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.” Trying to grasp the most important implications of John Milton's astonishing, superlative quote from Paradise Lost —a quote constantly in my thoughts. Composed when he was blind(!), Milton's epic poem is undeniably magnificent. However, the 17th century English language, the numerous references and allusions, the powerful yet convoluted descriptive passages all make it a chore to read. Frankly, my post is a means of prodding myself into rereading it. For certain, though, Milton's imagination is truly awe-inspiring! All physical entities, from elementary particles to the entire universe, can —at least in theory— be measured. Yet, how does one measure the breadth of the human mind/imagination/soul?

Despite a few conspicuous flaws in her dancing, Gillian Murphy's performance as Odette/Odile Wednesday evening was —from my perspective— emphatically inspiring and replete with exquisite moments, including breathtaking turns. Eminently glad that I bought a (basically) last minute ticket to see her! Although one naturally wishes that Thomas Forster had danced with greater precision, his turn as Prince Siegfried was arresting. Viewing this production five times in ten days forced me to reconsider my opinion of Act I. All its encompassing celebratory music and dancing makes Siegfried's solo particularly poignant and unforgettable. Indeed, this run of Swan Lake has left me more immersed than ever in this gorgeous and gripping work! Ballet as an art form seems intimately linked to this particular opus in a way which makes the two appear inseparable.

Ballet is (or should be) a beautiful art form! Claques and "organized fandom" sound to me as being both deeply unethical and a terrible nuisance. Agree with your comments about young fans. However, they should be taught proper etiquette by whoever brings them to the theater!

During ABT's Monday afternoon performance of Swan Lake cheers erupted at inappropriate moments, something preposterous and irresponsible —as well as distracting for both the preponderance of the audience and (I should think) the performers. Could the offenders have been "a contingent of Ukrainians who [were] cheering her on for their own reasons"? Indeed, anything is possible in this world. For all we know, the culprits could have been a bunch of aliens from Neptune. Nevertheless, if Ukrainians were to blame it was peculiar to be doing this during a performance of Swan Lake, under the current tragic circumstances their country is facing. Does anyone seriously dispute that Swan Lake is a great Russian work of art? (Whether a particular work of art, or artist, or performance is “great" by definition is subject to debate. However, the consensus among ballet authorities and ballet-goers is that Swan Lake is undeniably so.) Personally, using "cheerleader" in this context strikes me as infelicitous, since I associate the term with sporting events. Despite the tremendous athleticism required of dancers, though, ballet is undoubtedly a form of art —not a sport! A secondary definition of the term on the internet, nonetheless, is "an enthusiastic and vocal supporter of someone or something". By this definition, I am a cheerleader of Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, New York City Ballet, Central Park, the New York Public Library, Don Carlos, Serenade, Der Ring des Nibelungen, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, The Goldberg Variations, innumerable other works, many singers and actors and dancers etc. Those two performances by ABT of Symphonie Concertante at City Center during the fall of 2018 are among the finest of ballet I have attended. Since then, I have observed Devon Teuscher and Christine Shevchenko dancing a few times, and have been overall impressed by their work. During the current run of Swan Lake I have seen two performances by each as Odette/Odile and considered them both superb in the role (the divergent opinions expressed by others here notwithstanding). There is no perfection in ballet, but if they can improve over time their mastery of the most demanding role in the classical ballet repertoire so much the better! Be that as it may, the comment I responded to obliges me to observe that I do not hail from either Pennsylvania or Ukraine.

Barring the unlikely creation of an extraordinary full-length narrative ballet masterpiece, Swan Lake will continue indefinitely to be regarded as the quintessential and most iconic work of the art form. Typically, Swan Lake served as my own introduction to the world of ballet. There was never a time when I did not value the work, although naturally not every performance impacted me equally. Yet after numerous viewings with Nina Ananiashvili, Susan Jaffe and Veronika Part (among others) in the magnificent dual role of Odette/Odile, it is clear that I have never been more attuned to the beauty and power of Tchaikovsky's glorious music or the masterful choreography of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov than presently. No doubt, Devon Teuscher and Christine Shevchenko (no less than the NYCB ballerinas who essayed the part in recent years) benefited from this, but how is that their fault? Fundamentally, both were splendid enough as Odette/Odile on Monday evening and Wednesday afternoon respectively to have fired me up about attending more of their performances, and becoming reacquainted with the classic works in ABT's repertoire. Having the same individual portray both Odette and Odile confers psychological depth to the story, while at the same time providing a unique opportunity for a dancer to showcase her various skills. In any effective performance, every second Odile is onstage in the Third Act is electric, since the ballerina is simultaneously “seducing" both Siegfried and the entire audience. Teuscher and Shevchenko both offered forceful, alluring portrayals as Odile. Nevertheless, the immortal beauty of the ballet resides foremost in its two lakeside Acts. At the two performances I viewed, there were instants and indescribable details here of great beauty galore! Both women were at once deeply touching and stately as Odette. Teuscher's tremendous use of her long, gorgeously proportioned limbs in her enactment of the Swan Queen was not only ravishing in itself but served wonderfully to differentiate her from the other swans. While not as tall, Shevchenko's considerable artistry made her own interpretation of the role as exquisite and soulful. In addition to the rest of the music, Act I of Swan Lake contains one of the greatest waltzes ever composed. Unlike the two Acts by the lake that essentially one can watch endlessly, however, it can seem to drag after many viewings. Still, in Kevin McKenzie's version there is a short section for Siegfried which to my mind is one of the most sublime moments for a male dancer in ballet. In the midst of the abundant revelry occurring during his birthday celebration, the Prince dances a gorgeous solo to a pensive piece of music by Tchaikovsky of heartbreaking loveliness. This remarkable musical evocation of Prince Siegfried's character and soul by the great composer virtually begs a committed dancer to make every effort to perform the solo unerringly and poetically. Both Joo Won Ahn and Calvin Royal III are excellent dancers with a lot of potential, impressive jumps and beautiful lines. However, Ahn was relatively passionless in both the solo and generally in the ballet. Royal, on the other hand, appeared engaged throughout, and his solo was —thrilling! Without familiarizing myself with the dancers in the current roster, mentioning names is not possible. All the same, the Cygnettes, the “Two Swans" and the rest of the swans at both performances were simply fabulous and adorable. Interestingly, in contrast to the ending in NYCB's production, in ABT's version the swans have to dance to the stirring music at the ballet's conclusion without Odette on the stage. They were magical in this monumental segment! And a nice touch afterward: at least during one part of the final bows the swans in perfect alignment stood straight-faced with downcast eyes.

While more cautious than daring, Lesley Rausch nevertheless gave an indubitably regal performance in Diamonds. In the male lead role James Kirkby Rogers was outstanding also. Ironically, it was the first performance of Diamonds at this theater since the start of the pandemic. Absolutely delighted to watch the ballet again ... with a company sadly unfamiliar to me, yet considered one of the premier ballet companies of the USA! (NYCB regulars in attendance likely noticed one recognizable face among the female corps.) Waiting at the Station is way less morbid than one might surmise given the subject. In every respect —overall production, music and choreography— it is a gratifying work. And what dancing! Particularly noteworthy were the performances by James Yoichi Moore, Kyle Davis, Angelica Generosa and Elizabeth Murphy.