drb

I agree that Hallberg”s Apollo has room to grow, in time I’m sure he’ll show the transitions more clearly. Still, I thought it was an auspicious debut, already better than many current interpreters. I loved the sense of wonder he conveyed during his early interactions with the muses, his growing sense of his own power. And his line is so gorgeous, he shows the choreography really well. Some of his dances with the muses had a very archaic look, he emphasized the 2 dimensionality more than I’m used to seeing.

I won't see Hallberg's Apollo till Thursday, but from his account in the blog "The Winger", he was coached by Ib Anderson, and some of what you describe could have described Ib's performances. He also mentions the Robert Garis book titled Following Balanchine.

How are the dancing clips? Is there new stuff that we haven't seen?

And who's interviewed? di Valois? Ashton? Nureyev? Keith Money? Other Royal Ballet dancers? Although I know this film will be released on dvd in a month I am just really curious about this film.

Its like, I want to see it, NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

You MAY see some of it now! Back in late November the whole thing was broadcast on the Ovation network and discussed under Heads Up:

http://ballettalk.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=21111

I just checked and the Ovation link given still works. You can read about the program and click on to two clips, one dancing (REALLY good!) and one about her gun-runnig for Tito.

Saturday night, May 27

One Bird with the Wings of Three

Tonight's program concluded with Maria Kowroski's Firebird. Right from her entrance she was an overpowering creature. Huge, yet with such sharp and precise movement, filling the stage with danger. No wonder Ivan (Charles Askegard) was so cautious, her wings could have scythed off his head. Yet there came a human touch and this killer bird suddenly grasped the possibility of trust, and willed to return this feeling of trust to the human, and her wings became the wings of a swan. Humans, at least male humans, trust swans. And with this mutual trust came her promise. And he could believe she would keep her promise--unlike deceivable humans, swans keep promises. When the time came Maria exploded to his rescue, filling the stage to the rafters with her presence, combined with Bouder-power dancing. Kaschchei (Henry Seth) didn't have a prayer. A switch to Mariinsky wings in final gratitude to Ivan, and then she left. But not as what she had been before their encounter. Her exit, wings reaching back to leave one last message. In an expression worthy, yes, of Maya, Queen of the Wings, Maria somehow integrated Firebird and Swan. A new winged creature had been born. An Eagle.

This New Maria, I think I'm going to love her.

Two birds, too sad to fly

The Bonnefous/Sheng ballet is one that didn't sing. The music was an inauspicious debut for the resident composer. We know he is a significant composer, and the score had its neoclassical moments. They didn't even bother to include the text, or summary thereof, of the two songs. Sofiane Sylve and Andrew Veyette were the leads, the two birds (people) who we are told are in love. It looks like choreography by Yuri Grigorovich on an uninspired day. I suppose one could, like Mr. Rockwell, find the man to be a sort of Spartacus figure. There is a scene for six male dancers, his troups, formed in a 1-2-3 triangle, dancinig with virtuosity. Mr. Bonnefous was given a very luxurious male corps of Tyler Angle, Robert Fairchild, Craig Hall (last winter's sensation, where has he been this season?), Jonathan Stafford, Sean Suozzi, and Daniel Ulbricht, dancers that Grigorovich could have used to far greater extent. No invention. They eventually raise Mr. Veyette into a cross-like pose, very remiscent of Spartacus. If only they'd had those round shields that Grigorovich used for the famous tableaux. At least we'd have had a circles echo of Wheeldon's Evenfall genius. Then we see Phrygia Sylve alone in eternity. They bring Veyette to join her. But this is an Eternity of Sorrows. She tries, but all they can do is feel miserable. They can't take-off. I couldn't even find one wing, let alone a pair to share. There were six women also, but I know that the printed list is wrong, and once I saw that Kaitlyn Gilliland was, unannounced, among them and partnered by Tyler Angle, no less, I was grateful to have something ballet to watch, and didn't take the time to take attendance.

M and M

The new cast in this revivified pair of Balanchine dances continue to proclaim their ownership of the roles. Reichlen extending her mastery of the first piece overall, and finding her charisma's place in it. Krohn, who started with a full conception of her piece, now beginning to amplify her interpretation. I still wish I could see each have a chance at the whole pair. The corps is also alive in each.

A Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter ballet would probably make a mint.

And talk about building a new audience!

Problems: copyright, royalties.

Grown men don't cry. But maybe grown old men can. What a great art we love. Thank you for this, Giselle V.

(forgive me for I have sinned)

The Amazon link, which had finally reappeared up top is now gone again. Do you think they read your confession?

June 3: in Saturday night's Episodes Mearns replaces Kistler in Bach.

Thank you, Giselle05. Thank you! Thank you!! What a great collection. The two Other Dances photos show exactly what isn't in most performances of this ballet: their physical and emotional involvement is more alive in these still photos than others achieve in real life! Have you ever seen a more happy ballerina than Alessandra in the 1992 Balanchine photo?

Please keep your promises about your tribute and that translation. I'm sure you'll also be posting some intense reviews later in June.

Wonderful news in the article previewing Jewels in this afternoon's links:

Soloist Carla Korbes, on track to be named a principal dancer this summer...

And why hasn't ABT yet offered Acosta the highest paying contract to stay here??!!!

But as an artist, what could ABT offer him to compare with his Royal partnership with Tamara Rojo? Especially from a company that has a random partner policy.

They got the date for the Swan Lake performance wrong by five years (but Peter had it correct in his intro). More importantly they showed the dancers in their weakest part (BS turns), when what was needed for posterity was Natasha's Odette exit, back to the audience and her real wings rippling from her solar plexus to the stage's wings.

Misha, even in this his least successful performance of Albrecht, was still a marvel.

But it was Mr. B's "hooker" (a drink of Vodka) for everyone that still lingers in heart and memory. And the Apollo excerpt was very generous, and fine preparation (and challenge) for ABT's upcomming performances. I was so incredibly fortunate to have attended all these performances.

In an era in which partnerships have been devalued at ABT, one has stood the test of time, that of Alessandra Ferri and Julio Bocca. As it is about to end in three weeks, perhaps we might take some time to share our experiences and favorite photos of this dance romance. Here is a set of seven recent photos by Gene Schiavone:

http://www.geneschiavone.com/gallery/album13

The link so helpfully provided by drb no longer works.

The competition, which takes place 15-30 July, gives schedules, rules, acceptable choreography and the like at (via Google):

http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:cUUvc...us&ct=clnk&cd=2

But I can find no list of competitors. Perhaps it is too soon.

M. Cote is replacing Angel Corella. Hmmm, Angel was in fine form this afternoon in Corsaire...

Still, quite a two weeks for Xiomara, with two evening Giselles as well.

I thought Gomes & Sylve looked really good together in the YAGP gala.

And, given his outstanding Balanchine dancing at ABT, wouldn't they be a dream team at NYCB! Fortunately there are six photos of their YAGP performance here:

http://www.geneschiavone.com/gallery/album07?page=2

They've also worked together at the Dutch National Ballet, La Sylve's other company.

Laura Jacobs writes on Mr. B's Liebeslieder Waltzer and Vienna Waltzes for Playbill. It is now available online:

http://www.playbillarts.com/features/article/4428.html

Regarding Liebeslieder:

"In the first act," Balanchine told his biographer Bernard Taper, "it's the real people that are dancing. In the second act, it's their souls."

Regarding Vienna, Jacobs writes:

When the stage is overwhelmed by a climactic corps of identically dressed women in white, their gowns rising like whitecaps on the wind and the ballet pitching and flashing in ecstatic apotheosis, the connection is complete: It's the swan song of the waltz era. As for that young woman so deeply lost in thought, a role made on Suzanne Farrell, she might be any dancer alone in the studio with the mirror. In her person--drifting, dreaming--ballet and the waltz are one.

... Sylvia is a lovely ballet but the excerpt was pretty anti climatic....

But, in the final tableaux Terpsichore, a very minor part in Sylvia, is held high, above the leading couple, Ashton's salute to his Muse. It was the Gala's only moment for ABT's Terpsichore, Veronika Part.

An e just received from Lincoln Center says that Peter Martins will introduce Dance and mentions the 6/30/76 Swan Lake and also a Vienna Waltzes from 5/5/04.

Thanks for the wonderful story from Villella, bart.

I'd almost want to change your "though" in

quite "right" though also quite unique

... Balanchine left a margin for each dancer to do it his way. His choreography is just a framework, and it’s fascinating to watch that every dancer does it differently. The piece has its plasticity, its technique, and you just breathe a new life in it. Besides, every dancer has a different body and that also an important factor.”

Of course I'm just back from seeing Carlos Acosta's way with Apollo (the Terpsichore excerpt) at ABT's Gala. By making it his, he made it Balanchine's (for me).

Gillian, triples en couronne,

Casting and program as scheduled, except of course Shadow Song which was skipped, not replaced.

Perhaps the most sustained ovation was for Julio Bocca's Chaconne(Limon/Bach). So different from Nureyev's efforts to dance Limon, athough Rudik was very sincere and helped Limon and his company. Bocca just simply let the work be seen through him.

Carlos Acosta is an awesome Apollo, his growth and transcendence during the Terpsichore part of the ballet had the refinement and subtlety, and power and charisma, that just may make him the best I've seen since Martins. A Kingdom for a Farrell tonight, alas...

Other Dances, well-danced by Kent, well-relished by Corella. But this ballet was so dancer-specific, Makarova's sponteneity, Baryshnikov's quest for Perfection, and the dynamics of the partnership itself: Natasha fighting for the freedom for last second improvisation, Misha not wanting to risk the classical Ideal(just the opposite dynamic in the Kirkland/Baryshnikov partnership). It is easier for men, because of present day technique, but the decorations with childhood dances, the Russianness of Natasha, have never been duplicated.

All the classical pieces were very well danced, all the tricks worked, the charismatic dancers, were.

Happily, I've got my Vishneva Manon tickets: it is her favorite role, and she showed it.

Unfortunately the Pollen-cast for Manhattan tomorrow is in the Red Zone, for Very High. I wonder if they'd dance to a recording, as this isn't exactly the easiest thing to sing. Maria Callas's recording?

Wow!

Both photos on ABT's home page are by Mr. Schiavone, and he discusses his relationship with ABT on his new statement page:

http://www.geneschiavone.com/gallery/Photographers-Statement

Don't forget to click to page 2 of the statement page for a cool photo.

I think I'll be checking his site pretty frequently during ABT's Met Season.

Thanks sz for your recent comments on Kyra Nichols and Tyler Angle in Liebeslieder and for bringing up the concern about having Reichlen dance three significant parts in one night.

I have to admit that was my plan - to see the Wheeldon and make an early night of it. Do you think the company anticipated that?

Yes. Looking at the timings, the pointe-break in Liebeslieder would also have been at 10:20, and since Part 1 is the "less exciting" part, and itself would have followed a somewhat uninvolving middle work, a mass exodus was anticipated. So you might say the change was out of respect for Mr. Balanchine.

Saturday evening, May 20

Wrong reversal for right reason

Evenfall became the closer (which Leigh Witchel considers its natural place in the rep), changing places with Liebeslieder. The Red Violin remained the hole in the center of the doughnut, holding back the start of Evenfall to 10:20 PM, normally exit time at City Ballet. As people entered one could overhear grumbling about the change. At 10:20 it was clear why: nearly everyone stayed, they wanted to see Wheeldon's controversial new ballet.

Evenfall

Yes, it is a work of phenominal invention, extending and enriching classical choreography for yet another century. The classical tutu transformed from a disc to fly on to a circle to symbolise and pattern with: a semiotic extender for ballet-speak. It is possible that Evenfall will become a seminal work, an icon of the art. But unlike some breakthrough works, Apollo and Serenade for example, it is not yet a great ballet, because there is a hole in its center. The Pas de Deux for Weese and Woetzel, running through most of the ballet, gets lost, the ground more interesting than the figure. Their choreography is much more standard than that of the corps, but I don't think that is a problem. When someone complained to Balanchine that there was no story in his ballet, he replied that you put a boy and a girl together on stage, that's already a love story, what more story do you need? Sure, at Evenfall's end the couple separates. Perhaps symbolic of Bartok's leaving his wife by passing away before he could complete the last few bars of this concerto, that was composed as a love offering to his wife. Or maybe not. But for all the great dancing by Weese and Woetzel prior to this end, love wasn't. One can't blame Wheeldon for putting so much of his effort into the corps, there must have been a thrill in getting caught up in the white heat of such invention. There just might not have been time. This is so close to being a masterpiece... Hopefully, with time.

At times, in line of sight, behind the leads was the corps pair Gilliland & Lin-Yee. They had the choreoraphic advantage, perhaps. They drew the eye. If Kaitlyn is hired for the corps, her height should be of no concern. She has her partner.

Liebeslieder

In the pointeless first half, there is silence between the waltzes. The spell is kept. Time out for the ballerinas to put on their pointes. After the first waltz of the second half, applause. Is it that dancing on pointe is such a wonderful trick? Then there must be applause after each succeeding waltz, not to be impolite to each succeeding couple. Amid these broken spells the right dancer at the right time can create The Spell. Goosebumps. The body is the final judge. Thank you Darci. Blessed Belle of the Ball. While spellbound, yet another gift from Darci, a thrilling circle of explosive turns.

Regarding the Times review, and others, Tyler Angle was not a last minute replacement. The week before, he was posted for the role on City Ballet's casting board. He has worked his way into the part to become an ardent and confident partner. And at half the age of the other three men. While the present cast leaves nothing to be desired, Mr. Angle's success may warrant looking to the future of this ballet. Who, in what part?

The Red Violin

In a pre-Diamond interview, Peter Martins said he was giving all the guest choreographers first choice on casting, and he would settle for what was left. Somehow what was left were some of the most exciting young stars in the company. The ballet belongs to Jennie Somogyi, who must love it as she dances it with joy and decorates the steps beautifully. She looks both eager and relaxed. It perhaps gives Jennie the opportunity to show something about where she wants to go as she breaks with some of the purely technical dancing of her past. The prognosis is VERY favorable. Ms. Mearns dances much the same steps, but I think for Sara Peter uses the role to broaden her technical skills. The music does not offer much to Sara's strengths. The audience responds nicely to this ballet, or to the dancers in it.