drb

So this is a cut-back from three to two weeks. Were sales bad last fall? At least Wheeldon's new company will be at City Center the week before.

Wednesday matinee, June 20, 2007 Murphy/Hallberg An all-American lead cast today, and how rare is that for the American Ballet Company? The three pals today were, in usual order, David Hallberg, Carlos Lopez, and Jared Matthews. Gillian Murphy entered her anteroom as a very child-like girl, very much into her dolls. Indeed, when it was time to say "hi" to Paris DeLong, she still had her dolly in hand, tried to hide it behind her back, wiggling it so nurse Ellis-Wentz would discretely take it from view. *None of that surveying Paris head-to-foot that Mr. Macaulay loved in Monday's performance*, for Murphy's Juliet was much more interested in going back to playing with her dolls and nurse. Her parents were Veronika Part (how well she tells Lady Capulet's not insubstantial tale, and such beauty) and Victor Barbee (what a two weeks for him in filling two MacMillan roles so deeply). Noble Mr. Hallberg stole the dancing show outside the Capulet house, and once inside he, like Gillian, also emphasized youth. Shortly after the beginning of the ballroom PdD, his Romeo gave Juliet a quick little kisslet on the back of her right shoulder. Her electric response, spinning with acceleration to face him, set off a magnet between them and marked her maturity: never again would she look at a young man and think dollies. A wonderful moment for Ms. Murphy, advancing the story with a flash of pure dance! By the end of the scene that magnet rules even her posture, as she tilts toward his direction. The Balcony. Dancing as the wind: after so many near misses at kissing, the closest when he kisses his fingers and brushes them across her lips, they finally are left standing, facing each other, a couple of feet apart. There is no choregraphy left to do, so ever so slowly they approach. He pulls her up on pointe, so they are level with each other... In Act 2, why is it that the letter-bearing nurse cannot tell which of the three guys is Romeo? She's just witnessed a lot of his hassles at the ball. Today, Mercutio danced the mandolin variation, where Benvolio did so on Monday. Surely makes more sense, since Mercutio's death includes miming the playing of a mandolin. (That Mr. Matthews would dance that variation on Monday was announced just prior to Act 2, but his name was also so listed in the printed program, so it could not have been some last moment injury to Mr. Cornejo...? Odd that Mr. Macaulay did not note that irregularity.) Frederic Franklin is again the Friar. His movement and mood is so finely attuned to the score. He really is dancing his role! I have never seen Gillian Murphy so beautiful as she was in Act 3. She had a sort of resignation in her face, a serenity that was almost as of a Saint, beauty in sorrow. Even after David took his leave, she wasn't totally empty, she had something left. Once she'd returned home with the Friar's potion and tucked it under her pillow, she stood motionless stage left forward. Serene, yet suddenly her hands took force, becoming fists. Energy shot inward, into an accelerating spin toward the bed. To the potion. This mirrored her earlier spin toward Romeo and maturity. This time it was toward all the rest of her life. Gillian told so much of the story with just those two potent turns. Today, as David Hallberg's Romeo drank his poison, he succeeded in kissing Gillian Murphy goodbye. Later, she brought his hand to her lips, and was gone. *[Added for correction June 21]: Thanks to Zerbinetta for pointing out that Macaulay was referring to choreography in Act 3, not Act 1

In performance she especially relates well with old team-mate Diana. Giselle/Myrtha, for instance. (If ABT ever gets a production of Sleeping Beauty, what an Aurora/Lilac they'd make!) When she entered Monday night she received quite a hand, especially for a parent character! In the final bows, too. Not for any over-acting or scene-swiping either, just lifting the character out of the furniture and into the story. Some writers, and even we just-viewers, simply don't cotton to certain dancers... In Macaulay's case, it is worth figuring who these dancers are, so the rest of his reviews can be read for their true merit. I, certainly, learn a great deal from him. And that wasn't nearly the case for any Times reviewer before him. Thanks, Zerbinetta!

Wow! The good neighbor policy, NYCB to the rescue! Perhaps ABT could loan the occasional tall male dancer to NYCB in return? WHY NOT?

Must have been a typo. Both the program and my eyes say Benvolio = Matthews, Paris = Saveliev. I really liked this, which he suggests he hadn't noticed before (I wonder if, just possibly, it wasn't in the original choreoraphy and was a DV-ism?): I really like it when Macaulay gives the essence of the aesthetic experience like this!

Monday, June 18, 2007 Vishneva/Corella Tonight it was a pleasure to see Diana Vishneva sufficiently recovered from her bout with bronchitis to dance full-out, with energy to spare. This is, I believe, the sixth performance of this partnership, and it showed in tonight's interpretive harmony. Joining Romeo Corella in the opening scene were sidekicks Mercutio Cornejo and Benvolio Matthews, as well as future cousin-in-law Tybalt Radetsky. In Juliet's anteroom, Vishneva enters a playful 13-year old, still youthful as she plays with nurse Susan Jones, and not quite sure what to do, but sort of shyly interested, when her parents, Victor Barbee and Veronika Part present her with the very proper Paris Saveliev. Later, we find the first indication that this Juliet is a sensualist, as she expressively responds to her nurse's tactile touching of her breasts, as a way of telling her that she's ready for marriage, in more ways than one. The three sidekicks each danced with virtuosity before entering the ballroom. As Diana displayed her virtuosity on the mandolin, Angel's display variation was a perfect combination of his virtuosity and a special gentleness, as his every move seemed keyed to her responses. He definitely knew he wanted her, and his dancing was such that it would attract and impress, yet not scare her away. They hit it off just fine and their PdD played on her awakening sensuality. Careful not to touch her too soon, his hand traced very near her neck, and she responded, throwing back her head as if actually touched. . When finally he embraced her waist, she was ready for ecstacy. But this was also a very aware and intelligent Juliet, who quickly grasped the gravity of the situation as Tybalt confronted Romeo. She needed more than just first love... In the balcony scene Mr. Corella combined great force with his old speed and virtuosity. Sometimes this results in diminished perfection, but not tonight. This force, that he was a man, was keyed to Diana's sense of gravity in the prior scene, it was just what Ms. Vishneva had shown she needed. It gave her the confidence to go on with it. She matched him, penchee for leap, epaulement for lift, Russian back for Latin passion, as both combined to create wild abandon from classical purity. Finally they kissed. When departing, she fulfilled his earlier gentle gesture with her own hand, tracing his hand's path, but actually touching her neck, then fingers passing to her lips... He was for real, and she could trust him. In Act 2 Benvolio, Jared Matthews, performed the mandolin dance, to strong audience approval. Romeo receives the letter and heads for the Church. Friar Sir Frederic Franklin (BRAVO!) blesses their union. Then Romeo's idot pals ruin his life. Corella attacks Tybalt with such rage, so vicious that Sascha Radetsky deserves overtime, even hazzard, compensation. And after it was over, and he's seen what he'd done, he wept with the power that could only bring Julio Bocca to mind. In the bedroom Juliet awakes, fully aware that all is lost. They dance with last passion. Heartbroken, her arms dangle limp, and he kisses her. Her arms slowly struggle to raise toward his head, but just as they close in embrace he slips away from her hands, and is gone through the window. The unpleasantness with parents and Paris, the intense prayer in her room, she downs the potion. And to the tomb. Angel's intense despair, he takes his poison and tries to give Juliet a parting kiss. He reaches his face toward hers, but dies and crumbles, even failing to make that final contact. She wakes, and after knowing he is truly dead, she shrieks to heaven, then joins him.

Sorry, Farrell Fan, I didn't mean to suggest that some of their children appeared in the dance, rather that the pair danced by Nichols and Askegard represented the domestic aspect of their multidimentional relationship: the tragic finale that they danced was brought on, in particular, by his awareness that his illness placed their children in physical danger. I felt that Kyra conveyed more than just feelings about their one-on-one relationship, but beyond to that of the whole family.

Sunday, June 17, 2007 In Kyra's Words: From the printed program notes. I did not like this ballet at the premiere but fortunately was told I was an idiot, so I kept going till I liked it. The like turned to love, and it became one of my Top Ten Balanchines. Reading the life of Robert and Clara, one of history's greatest love stories, and absorbing his music, helped. And, especially, I am in deepest debt to Mr. B. for giving me this composer. Today's cast included Kyra Nichols/Charles Askegard as the parents of their children, Maria Kowroski/Philip Neal as Muse and Creative Artist, with other aspects of the couples's life portrayed by Jenifer Ringer/Nikolaj Hubbe and Jennie Somogyi/Nilas Martins. Early on the driving force in this ballet was, for me, the Muse of Suzanne Farrell. There was the obvious second story of Ms. Farrell and Balanchine approaching his final illness, and this in the reality of the times was what obviously resonated. There was a gap in time, till Maria Kowroski began dancing Farrell, and for me eventually reaching (mea culpa) Suzanne's level. Then, the last go 'round the role was taken from her. But today she was back home, and so was the ballet. I found her to be on, technically, both in allegro and adagio. Since it is in part about Farrell, a dancer with a true and monumental arabesque and great physical beauty of a spiritual kind is mandatory (for me) in this Muse role. For this alone, I loved this performance. But as the mother of Schumann's children, I have never from the first day on, seen such a performance as given today by Kyra Nichols. There comes a point where Charles Askegard portrays Schumann's complex mental illness with pure intensity: the evil scribes come out in black, those critics who tormented his paranoia with their reviews, of course, but other aspects too. Even Clara as Muse, Maria, trying to dance him back into his identity of creator, cannot distract him from his overriding love of his children and his terror from that moment of madness when he actually struck one of his beloved daughters. Clara as Wife, Kyra, tries with all tenderness to bring him back to his anchor of family; such powerful gentle touches, love and hope pouring from her eyes, but with his last drop of sanity, his last act of transcendent love as a father (on this, Father's Day), he turns his eyes and body away from hers, and walks toward the sea, one last glance over his shoulder to see the object of musical history's greatest inspiration... We know the story. A fisherman pulled him out, but he would not risk his children by going home, and finished out his life in an institution. Recently Mr. Macaulay of the Times wrote his testament to Ms. Nichols's greatness, that versatility, the transparency she gave to every role, so that we would know its essence, but never see the dancer as herself, she remained a hidden mystery. This past week or so, that is not longer true. I see you, Kyra Nichols. Kyra chose this as the centerpiece for her retirement gala. No better woman for no better choice.

This is to set up a theft. The beggar "falls" three times, each enabling him to move closer the gamblers table that is to his left. Then, crawling, he gets to GM's pocket and steals a pocket watch. Later, GM looks around suspiciously and the beggar "falls" one more time. At the end of the beggars scene he is held aloft, joyfully waving the watch.

Nina's site http://www.ananiashvili.com/ has added reviews of Swan Lake (with Nina) and Laurencia, as well as new photo sets for Swan Lake (with Nina), Don Quixote (with Nina) and Laurencia.

One might have hoped for more of Sara with Tyler. They've shown partner potential since the SAB performances in 2003. You may find a photo here (click the photo set): http://www.sab.org/workshopperformances.htm Mr. Angle was clearly considered a hot prospect then, as he merited at least four of the photos (including Aurora Ana Sophia Scheller's Prince). Odd that 2003 was the last year that SAB's site bothered with the workshop...

Friday, June 15, 2007 Assoluta: Manon the Innocent Tonight Diana Vishneva's Manon entered the scene as a young innocent, dancing with light airiness, a tone of wariness as she regarded the patrons in the inn's courtyard. Fragile, pointes delicately tip-toeing backward from M. G. M. Not paying much attention to Marcelo Gomes initially, while he sat staring, transfixed by her. But during his display solo, she began to stare at him in shy wonder. She'd divert her eyes downward toward the stolen purse in her lap, only to have them force themselves back on Marcelo. As infatuation built, she placed the purse on the floor beside her, she'd still divert her eyes downward from time to time, but now he could see her interest becomming a First Crush, she was in Love. The duet was all in discovery, strange new feelings, her epaulement her heart opened to him. But not yet an actual kiss. The Bedroom pas de deux was grandly windswept, Diana enfolding Marcelo and all the space around, and quite a kiss! At first she was wary of M. G. M.'s gifts of furs and a necklace, but gradually the sense of her power over men deceived her into enjoying them. At Madame's party Ms. Vishneva was inhabiting her role to the extent that as she "drank" from the (empty) champagne flute she actually swallowed. As she is being displayed by G. M., being passed from man to man, just after the swoops she comes face-to-face with Marcelo and she becomes very unsettled. You see her great distaste--he (love) shouldn't be here in this world. Later, she is even passed to his arms, and that is even worse. She wants him away. Later, during his soliloquy, she enters with her brother's card shark plan, a way out for them. All goes wrong, and they escape to his room. She tries to regain him, dancing young and girlish memories, or suggestions, of their first act PdD. She wins him back, and they approach the bed. He sees the bracelet from G. M. And he becomes a man. Totally unlike those things that she thinks she controls with her power. But too late, for their power over her sends her to prison. When she enters the prison's port she is all weakness. Helpless, half dead, her only strength is Gomes. She is taken to the gaoler, and is so frail and without hope that she can barely offer resistence. The humiliation, as he forces the bracelet on her wrist. Marcelo enters, kills the gaoler with a knife in the back, she is nearly blank, a quiet horror at what she's led him to, but just enough strength to drag him out. In the swamp her eyes are wide but with a catatonic blankness. A moment of seeing, as in the background the card game is recalled, then blank again. For both triple spins, at the zenith of each lift's toss, her body goes lifeless, outstanding partnering. After the second, Diana is to our right. Her eyes suddenly see Marcelo, a great smile dawns on her face as she charges toward him. The lift. She is dead. The curtain reopens. They are standing together, wobbly, each face buried in the other's body. For most of the bows, he supports her head on his chest or shoulder. A large bouquet of yellow flowers is brought out to her. As Diana faces him and plucks one from the bunch, she staggers backward a few steps, her face lights to an adoring smile as she charges back to him with it. Once, she just stood and blew air from her mouth. Another Manon, another brand new story told by Ms. Vishneva. For all her gifts, the magic arms, the Russian back, the technical marvels, the otherworldly beauty, what I love most about Diana Vishneva is her mind. And her Soul. She is a Russian Ballerina. Just yesterday, the sound of bronchitis ravaging her voice. And yet today she danced. From the bows, and from her interpretation in Act 3, you knew that even she was amazed that she'd gotten through it. Spasibo.

Well, Friday wasn't Ferri's last Manon. The Met site now lists her for Saturday night!

Actually she's a member of the Corps.... But the shoes are from Ashley Bouder and Darci Kistler, so doesn't that make her, on the bottom line, a Principal? A beautiful and refined ballerina! Agree that the company is a fabulous collection of dancers, young and old!

Thursday, June 14, 2007 Heartbreaking Manon Tonight Alessandra Ferri gave us her last Manon. The lights went up eight minutes late, but all the leads danced superbly, no hint of any curtain-delaying injury. Since everyone's already been reviewed on these pages, I'll just mention a few high points. Throughout the evening Herman Cornejo managed to dance beautifully while still making us hate Lescaut's guts. Craig Salstein's Beggar-in-Chief had to follow Mr. Cornejo's first variation and did so fearlessly, with virtuosity. Gillian Murphy supplied grand ballerina quality as Lescaut's girlfriend. Roberto Bolle's display variation was far more brilliant than I'd expected and drew a powerful ovation that was far from completion when the action recommenced. But, then, he was dancing to Alessandra! Generally, tonight the performance hurried forward through well-earned ovations, perhaps due to that delayed start? Through the years Ms. Ferri's interpretation has generally moved from the basic "wanton girl drags innocent boy down to her level" to (as especially the case for Vishneva/Malakhov) "innocent boy raises wanton girl to salvation." Such was especially the case this evening. By mid Act II, after the scene in which M. G. M. displays her to the other gentlemen at Madame's (the variation when she's passed overhead by them, including the brilliant pair of S-to-inverted-S swoops)--when she joins the lone Des Grieux on stage--Ms. Ferri has already turned the corner. After the murder of her pimp brother, when she and Bolle are back in his chambers, it does not take Ferri long to remind Bolle that they are in love, thereby setting up the battle of the bracelet (that G. M. had given her: how complete Mr. Barbee has made this character). Bolle wasn't even buying the idea that they could hock it for Francs, she had to give it up as proof that she had changed. As always, the shorn, starving boatload of women prisoners was touching. Ms. Ferri was so intense, so deep. Yet her dancing was both grand and technically brilliant. She is famed for her perfect feet; she knows it, her fans do too, and despite the emotional significance of this performance her care for such details was itself a great gift to all. The rape by the gaoler was relatively discrete (of course such a Sin never really is) tonight, even the scum of the earth must pay some respect to the great ballerina. The final death scene, with those remarkable triple spin lifts, especially high tonight, was off the charts, yet so believable... The house exploded for the next quarter hour, round after round of flowers, with numerous bows after the impatient Met raised the house lights. Brava! Bravo! Bravi!

We don't know when the interview was given during the five weeks she's been in NYC. As above, re time of interview. Also she's not the editor. The top photo (Bayadere), at least, was taken four weeks ago. If this is so, how sadly cynical life must be in L.A. As a respected artist who rarely cancels, history would not make this plausible. Nor would the loss to her in performance fees. Thank you for your kind wishes.

Today's Times has a long story on Diana Vishneva. I assume someone official will soon post it on Links. For what it's worth, the last lines of the article are:

Vishneva watch: She's just added answers to some questions on her website (nothing re health or performances), surely a positive sign. Here is one of her most recent responses (see through the English to the wisdom):

I especially enjoyed Olga Dvorovenko's portrayal of Madame last night. You can see where daughter Irina's good looks come from! By the way, has Irina ever danced the lead in Manon? Seems to me she's a natural for it. Certainly ABT seems to be short of Manons. I don't know why Reyes was replaced this afternoon, but if both she and Vishneva were to miss the weekend, well, just how many more performances can two senior ballerinas be expected to add on? Shouldn't there be a back-up? Has ABT ever had to cancel a performance for lack of a lead dancer?

ABT's site has just replaced Reyes by Ferri for Wednesday matinee.

There will be a free Lincoln Center symposium on the relationship between architecture and dance during the week that such a ballet is being shown. Tickets for the Festival are now on sale. http://www.lincolncenter.org/show_events_l...ventcode=-59185

Here's Willi Burmann prepping Ferri and Bolle in Manon, as reported in the NY Sun: [my bold type] Evidently Mr. Bolle is not small... I plan to see them Thursday. Any reports on their performance last night? On the Vishneva front, her site has also noted today's cancellation, but no other performances have been removed. All Russian information I can find is completely consistent with the "ill" as reported by ABT. http://www.nysun.com/article/56182

Two more venues, LA and Iowa, have been added to the 2008 tour. So here is the picture so far: Berkeley, February 14-17 UCLA, February 21-24* Chicago, March 5-9 U. Iowa, March 11** U. Minnesota, March 14, 15 *Feb. 21: Chaconne, new Possokhov (to Georgian music), new Ratmansky Feb. 23 8 PM: Giselle with Nina Ananiashvili Feb. 23 2 PM, Feb. 24 2PM: Giselle http://www.uclalive.org/event.asp?Event_ID=474 **Giselle http://www.culturalcorridor.org/calendar_d...ls.asp?R=177207

ABT's site has replaced Diana Vishneva with Julie Kent for Tuesday. All other casting for the Manon run remains unchanged. The change has (yet) to be posted on the Met ticket site. [Added 5:30: the Met now has this update as well]

Sunday, June 10, 2007 A Lioness, and Holy Water After three of those notorious SB's across the plaza, even the interspersed Philharmonic's Brahms Requiem and Lang Lang's Emperor were insufficient medicine, and so I came to NYCB for cleansing, and was cured. Walpurgisnacht began the afternoon and is now so restored by Sara A. Mearns that it could fix a thousand fiascos. If ever you have the chance, see this minor Balanchine wonder. Regarding that SB, I am so thankful for the beauty of our Sleeping Beauty, I've seen Lilac Mearns tell the whole story on her own! Also in this cast is NYCB future Aurora Ana Sophia Scheller, again classical perfection and restraint in the role of Petipa Ballerina. In my favorite mini-role for her, Alina Dronova had the flawless Fairy form that would help make any 'Beauty glow, and Rachel Piskin offered perfect contrast as her fellow demi. But Ballet-is-Mearns. Everything is daring, last year's Ms. Adagio is this year's angelic Daredevil. After that now famous hairific diagonal, there she is center stage, and she spots Ask la Cour front and toward her right. A Cheshire look crosses the face of this Lioness. She charges, mane aflight, then somewhere during that first preparation jump transforms, a panther pounces onto his shoulder. These are special times at NYCB, as Sara A. and Ashley are charging into Balanchine. Add the recently reenergized Tess Reichlen, and sensational newbies, and things are looking up for the old geezer. Tears As an immensely intense Liebeslieder approached its half-time break, Kyra was dancing that duet of great sadness with Nilas Martins with overwhelming emotion, it neared completion--and then her tears could not quite wait. Her second half was one great arc of feelings beyond words. Were there more tears? Perhaps my own eyes were in an insufficient state of clarity to testify. In the pointe half Darci joined Kyra in emotion. I thought she was dazzling too, but then I always read "No" about her in Liebeslieder, yet alway experience "Yes." It fell to Jenifer Ringer to grant us a moment of tranquility, with Nikolaj Hubbe, and then they burst into ballet to bring us home. The dancers were Darci Kistler, Kyra Nichols, Rachel Rutherford, Jenifer Ringer, Jared Angle, Nikolaj Hubbe, Nilas Martins, Philip Neal. Women first, and alphabetical. The way it has always been. Kyra left it all on that stage today. And why not? It is hers. That wonderful Stravinsky conductor Nicolette Fraillon concluded with his Symphony in Three Movements. But my eyes were still full of Ms. Nichols.