drb
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The Spring issue of ABT's magazine arrived in today's mail. The cover is Fabrizio Ferri's Christ-like photo of Julio Bocca in Manon, and there's a feature acknowledging his farewell season. Julie Kent's 20th season celebration and David Hallberg's promotion to Principal also have small photo-accompanied stores. Obituaries of Fernando Bujones, Rebecca Wright and Trustee Patricia Hagan are balanced with wedding announcements for Erica Cornejo (Boston Principal Carlos Molina) and Adrienne Schulte (John Froelich), and the birth of Nina Ananiashvili's daughter Helene. It is encouraging that Nina is id'd as Principal Dancer.
I had missed the fact that PBS's broadcast of Swamp Lake had won a Gold Award from the Parent's Choice Foundation. It is unfortunate that telecasts of both local Swan Lakes were of performances below typical quality.
There are two pages on the Kudelka Cinderella, photos include Kent/Gomes, Cinders Murphy with sisters E. Cornejo and C. Corella. Also two society pages from Fall and Winter events. A couple of pages on various company programs, as well.
The 12 pages are dominated by color photos, including a generous center spread on Fabrizio Ferri's work. Although he doesn't seem to really be a ballet photographer there is one of Alessandra Ferri in Manon in which she is standing on her insteps. I know she has very strong feet (her last Juliets with Julio were danced in shoes with the insoles ripped out), but does she really do this in live performance? Other Fabrizio photos are of a charming Xiomara Reyes (tieing her shoe in his studio), the by now familiar Murphy/Stiefel wet Swan kiss, Hallberg facing six unnamed soloists, and the familiar Carreno rope (Corsaire) picture.
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Opus Arte's site says, specifically for this DVD:
CATALOGUE NO: OA 0951 D
FORMAT: All Formats
REGIONS: All Regions
PICTURE FORMAT: 16:9
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Times critic A. O. Scott also says
But of course movies of that ilk rarely deal with issues like the divinity of Jesus or the search for the Holy Grail. In the cinema such matters are best left to Monty Python.But of course let's not turn this thread into something completely different.
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And when he looks a little more grown up. Tyler looked like a schoolboy in love with his baby sitter, and Miranda like his babysitter joking with him.
Well, think Brahms (1833) and Clara Schumann (1819). Not the kind of love teenaged student Brahms was unfamiliar with...
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Wednesday, May 17
Watching Mearns Grow
Tonight's program concluded with B-SQ's Rondo alla Zingarese. Sara Mearns had quite a success in her role debut last February, with a performance in which she played beautifully with Brahms's tempo changes. The orchestra was having a bad night then. Tonight it played far better, Maurice Kaplow guaging the tempi just right for the dancers in each movement. This time Sara's partner was Amar Ramasar, whose technical dancing is up at least a notch from last season, with no loss in charisma. They clicked. Sara built on her magical way with tempi changes, adding more relating with partner and others on stage. She also used her eyes most effectively, reminiscent of those sly secret glances Suzanne Farrell would shoot to only you, something special between balletomane and her/his Casta Diva. Among current dancers, Maria K is adept at this, and Tess Reichlen is catching on. Ms. Mearns's special gift for phrasing was also given full reign in the just-right musical ocean supplied by Mr. Kaplow. She can shape a note in such a way that I can only liken to pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (my non-ballet addiction). Because of his control of what were to become his dvd's, you can see how he got such swell and color in a single note. I don't know Sara's secret, but I could watch her do it forever and blissfully remain ignorant. I think tonight's success also helps me understand what was lacking in last week's (still beautiful) Symphony in C Adagio. Time. It just has to be played slower. Give her room within time and she will stop time.
Most of the casting was the same as reviewed earlier, but all may have benefitted from Mr. Kaplow's consideration. Prima Balanchina Tess Reichlen opened B-SQ, Allegro, with her customary amplitude and style, setting the stage for Nichols/Askegard. She seemed free and technically in form. And how does he, so many years after his liberation from ABT, stay on form and continue to enjoy himself? Tall ballerinas, be thankful. In Intermezzo, Ringer/Martins, she was really "on her leg." Her turns were on a dime, and her allegro had the grace of adagio. I can see why this is among her most special roles. Borree/Veyette reprised their perfomance of the Andante. The "martial" section worked musically and was successful for both dancers. She looked pleased with her variation from stage left to right, and he showed some ballon and his double tours en l'air clicked.
M and M
Albert Evans supplied continuity between M (with Teresa Reichlen), and and M (with Rebecca Krohn). While Tess's solo was technically sound, it was not yet spritually complete. But the PdD that leads up to the end of Monumentum Pro Gesualdo was already magnificent. Of course credit to Evans's throws, but has anyone ever looked better during throw-through-catch? She may not have had to propel herself, but these throws were danced. Brava! It was also a fine, consistently realised, performance of Movements for Piano and Orchestra by Rebecca Krohn. One advantage of splitting the female roles is that both worthy dancers could dance. Each made me want to see her in the other half. In an ideal world, I'd like to cast them once more this way, then reverse roles for a couple of additional performances. Then let each have a turn at dancing it whole. I think that dancing the first part sets up the audience to see the ballerina in the second part, gives her more instant visibility, focussing the eye on her choreography more quickly. In any event, the two, and Albert Evans, seemed to revitalise this ballet. Maurice Kaplow didn't hurt!
In Vento
What a ballet! While I've only seen Edwaard Liang do it, after two viewings I can't imagine that this is not really great dancing. Facial expression is important here, and Mr. Liang is wonderfully expressive in this regard. He can convey emotion without emoting. Early on in his first solo he turned in an absolutely beautiful spin, and overall was technically and emotionally astounding. It must be a career role, and is a performance to remember forever. Bigonzetti makes significant use of the corps throughout. Lighting is often used to bring the corps in or out of attention. Lighting and all colors are toward the warm side of the spectrum, which adds bearability and humanity to the mysterious often plaintive emotion of the ballet. There was an unannounced corps change, but I don't have the eye to identify the new dancer. A conductor change too: tonight's was David Briskin.
But for me the heart of this ballet is the PdD for Kowroski and Fowler. It is very impressive choreographically, very much relating to the deep adagio composed by Bruno Moretti--nothing at all note-by-note, spiritually totally in synch with the score--full of invention. At one moment, Maria stands facing us, left arm and shoulder disharmoniously higher than her right side. He grazes her arm with the side of his face. Harmony restored. A lot of intricate tangles/untangles yet never as tricks. As this duet nears conclusion the reentrance of Liang beneath their arms, as a stunningly beautiful new adagio theme begins, is a coup de theatre. The serene finale with the corps simply lined across the stage brings the audience to a cheering frenzy. I think this very modern ballet fits in NYCB as a kind of grand nephew of Agon. It is worthy of its dedication to Balanchine.
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The article said it was close to the model Tallchief wore, but not exact.
In the B&W photos the tutus and headdresses, basically 3 or 4 long feathers sticking up and curving back from the top of the head, look quite similar. But where Tallchief's problem was one of fit--and the headress arrived 10 minutes before curtain and had to be pinned in place--Ashley's problem was one of interpretation, as Robbins and Moncion had given conflicting instructions and she had to work out for herself what kind of bird Mr. B would have wanted her to be.
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I've had the good fortune to see at least a dozen different Apollos (both versions) over the years. Igor Zelensky remains my favorite, although I don't know if he still dances the role. The word I found myself using to describe his Apollo was "feral" -- a quality which others may or may not find appropriate to the role, but which I think fits it very well....
Igor is currently dancing Apollo with Nina Ananiashvili's company in Tbilisi, Georgia, where he learned ballet in Vakhtang Chabukiani's class. He has danced both versions, but says in an interview in "Georgia Today" that he prefers the one without the beginning birth of Apollo scene. He has danced it at NYCB, and especially admires the way it is danced there, and the coaching by Peter Martins for this role. Perhaps the association with Martins explains why he feels the role suits him well: "A blond, tall guy surrounded by three muses," and he feels that he is trying to choose one of the three, which is an interesting take on the ballet (perhaps a little tongue-in-cheek?).
He takes what I would consider a very Balanchinian view when he says
“every time you do it, it’s a different piece. You modernize it, you grow with it. There are so many details in it, and I think it’s great that 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.”He has danced about 30 Balanchine ballets and finds that "work on each one was never the same. With time he was growing as a person and as a choreographer."
His fans might be interested in the reaction to his performances in Georgia: "Igor Zelensky almost stole the show last weekend, when his Apollo literally lit up the stage and proved that his great jump, excellent stage presence and partnering skills are not just words." He also made it clear that he feels a part of Nina's company and wishes to dance with them frequently.
The entire interview:
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My copy of New York City Ballet News, Spring 2006, finally arrived. In addition to an obvious feature on the Diamond Project choreographers, there are two feature articles, one on the history of Firebird, the other on Jennie Somogyi's return.
Firebird
This comes with five photos, a large one of Tallchief/Moncion, the familiar one of Kirkland not enjoying Mr. B's adjusting her costume, von Aroldingen/Martins, Nichols, and Ashley. Some dancers are interviewed, surprisingly even Kirkland, who is not surprisingly not enthusiastic: after listing her objections to Karinska's costume she adds "I am very grateful, however, to have escaped having to wear the black pageboy wig that was originally planned." Maria Tallchief originated the role with a fire red costume. Karinska and Mr. B "didn't like the way it fit...They also didn't like the headress." But it was too late to change, and she had a great success. Ms. von Aroldingen liked the costume and wig, "But luckily I didn't have to wear the mask they made for me, because I couldn't see out of it." Ms. Nichols had yet another costume, with gold train and wings, which Mr. B liked so much that he altered his choreography to accomodate it: "He loved that costume and would always bring people to see it up close." The current red costume was created for Merrill Ashley in 1985, as Robbins wanted to get closer to the 1949 version of the ballet.
Jennie Somogyi
This is about Jennie's return from a severely torn tendon in her foot. Pre-surgery they were not even able to assure her that she would ever be able to walk, and making it back to dance "would be a miracle."
"I had to wear a hard cast for 13 weeks. I didn't even walk for three months. The whole procedure was really scary." About her return, after a year and a half, in Chiaroscuro, she says that after the performance "I burst out crying. There was such a huge relief--I had done it!"
While she feels people are anxious to see her in her old roles, she's "excited to learn new roles... A lot of my roles were physically demanding...sometimes I wasn't having as much fun as I should have been." But now she feels "much more relaxed on stage. I'm finally getting to be myself out there, and I have a chance to develope my artistry." ..."I think people just want to see the athlete, but I have so much more than that to give." She is especially looking forward to dancing Liebeslieder Walzer, and a photo of her in that role is included (with Hubbe).
Other photos include Ashley Bouder's Rose Adagio and Tess Reichlen in Western Symphony. Departures from the corps of Amanda Edge, Sarah Ricard, and Jamie Wolf are also noted.
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Did anyone attend Sunday's pre-performance chamber concert by orchestra members? Seems a great idea for orchestra morale. As posted on NYCB's site:
”1/2 HOUR AT THE BALLET:” A SERIES OF MATINEE CHAMBER PERFORMANCES...On four selected Sunday afternoons, May 14, May 28, June 11, and June 25, at 2:30 pm, members of the New York City Ballet Orchestra will perform chamber works for ticket holders on the Promenade prior to the start of the matinee ballet programs. The selections audience members can look forward to follow: May 14: Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Opus 49--a lyrical, graceful work that is one of the composer’s best known works; May 28: Serenade in D Major, Opus 25 by Ludwig van Beethoven--this is Beethoven in his lightest mood, writing for flute, violin and viola; June 11: Ballet Brass--Renaissance brass music will fill your afternoon with bright sound; and on the last day of the season June 25: Beethoven’s Septet in E-flat Major, Opus 20 for Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Clarinet, Bassoon and French Horn--a masterwork for string and woodwinds from the youthful Beethoven.
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The Royal Ballet in Ashton's version, with the perfect cast of Sibley and Dowell (and Ashton himself) (1969) would be hard (impossible) to beat. But be aware that this is a work of art, not a mere vehicle for star turns.
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Saturday, May 13
More "illness and injury"
On the casting board In the Night was replaced by Intermezzo again. But the program insert replaced that by Mother Goose. Well, at least there was beautiful blogger Kristin "The Winger" Sloan aptly cast as Beauty!
Maria musing
Bigonzetti/Moretti In Vento, Wow! Edwaard Liang's debut, I believe. Since I didn't see Ben Millepied's performance, I can't compare, but certainly Liang danced expressively, hard and very well. More work on the floor than we'd expect at NYCB, but did not have any "Euro-trash", neo-angst look to it. The score is beautiful, and the cello-dominated strings of the orchestra (baton: Paul Hoskins) were outstanding! Derivative score, I suppose. There was a sense of Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet as Tiler Peck and Liang began their PdD, by which time I realised this was something to see more than once. Then it was time for Maria Kowroski. It seems like everything coming together at just the right time. The choreography stepped up another notch, enough to make one wonder whether Maria was inspiring Bigonzetti. In any case, he brought out new expressive dimensions in her; seemingly from the recent Times article, the very thing she's worked on during her extended interval of recovery. Solo, the famous legs and arms, of course, and partnered by Jason Fowler, always good with her, the music went Bruckner adagio and the dancing went to the heights of depth. Something to see over-and-over-again.... Then a second, searingly songful Bruckner-like theme, still adagio, as Liang came between them.
And so it went. The house roared, and demanded still more curtain calls after the house lights were coming back on. This is a keeper. The other dancers, all of whom mattered intensely, were Saskia Beskow, Maya Collins, Tess Reichlen, Antonio Carmena, Craig Hall, Jonathan Stafford, Sean Suozzi. Credit to the company, for allowing Mauro Bigonzetti this rich talent pool.
Debuts in C
Symphony in C closed the program, with debuts by Sara Mearns (Adagio, partner change from Hanna to Askegard), and Sterling Hyltin (Third movement). It began with Jenifer Ringer (replacing Jennie Somogyi) and Jonathan Stafford. Can't say how they did as Tess Reichlen, partnered with Tyler Angle, were one of the secondary couples. Selfishly, since she must have been created by Balanchine and sent to us as a perfect vessel for his genius, I stayed glued to them and was lost in beauty.
Sara's debut was surely casting against type, as she does not possess a penchee that would come within a couple of feet of Wendy's. But of course that is not the point with Ms. Mearns. Her way with music, that brought an utter newness and glory to her debut in Brahms-S-Q, would suffice. It doesn't always happen the first time (although with her it usually does), and I think that was so here: she hasn't yet found her way with the adagio (some arm movements in the choreography didn't seem in-the-flow). Still, she is very beautiful and was warmly received.
Lyrical Sterling Hyltin dealt with the hyper allegro of the third movement with substantial success, finding moments to let her lyrics flow through her arms and hands. A marked success. Partner Antonio Carmena thrilled the audience with his pyrotechnics.
Abi Stafford (partnered by Arch Higgins) was wonderfully free and open in the finale. A level above last season, a joy to behold.
On the casting board: In next week's Liebeslieder Sebastien Marcovici has been replaced by Tyler Angle. While Sebastien will be missed, this could be a special debut for Tyler Angle, who's had a sensational week.
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Friday, May 12.
Partnering
The dreaded program insert, "due to illness and injury, Intermezzo #1 will be performed in place of In the Night." Three couples replaced by three couples, the holdover pair being Rachel Rutherford and Tyler Angle. They were the ones that captured my attention, because they weren't ones they were one. NYCB isn't a company where partnering is the biggest of deals (but where is it?), yet till recently they had one of the legendary couples, Whelan/Soto. What a pleasure to watch Rachel/Tyler: she wasn't lifted, she was billowed. When supported she had such confidence she could freely grace each pose with a completing sigh or swoon. I think part of it was the way Mr. Angle presented himself to his ballerina: a rapt look that seemed to say "let me absorb you", in a way reminiscent of young Nureyev. Presentation of oneself to one's partner (not just to the audience) doesn't seem as valued now. Tyler Angle could build a career on just that. Very beautiful dancing.
The Apprentice
The fascinating Kaitlyn Gilliland danced her 12-minute solo Etoile Polaire in the middle of the second third of the program. Legs Gilliland to go with Legs Reichlen and Legs Kowroski. Certainly there were the strength and flexibility. Stamina, too, but not unexpected as she'd danced in every performance of Nutcracker. I was tranfixed by her always being balanced when off-balance, a la Farrell, always in control dancing out-of-control choreography. All smooth, connected regardless of what body parts twisted or shot out in any conceivable direction while other parts were going elsewhere. Where to go in the standard rep? A Wendy role, the Agon PdD. Suzanne roles, Terpsichore and Queen of the WRENS in Union Jack. As for this solo, it could be a gala showpiece, attention folks who put on Stars of the XXIInd Century!
Maria Kowroski
Maria's wonderful return continued as she danced the Finale of Mr. B's Western Symphony, honored by being partnered by the charismatic Damian Woetzel. She ripped off the Odile turns and was very much her old high-kicking self. Can't wait for her Swan Lake, either version! The First Movement was headed by Jenifer Ringer and Nilas Martins. Kaitlyn was in the corps and I watched her as often as possible. But I had to sneak the occasional peek at beautiful Jenifer and this is one of Nilas's best roles, rather like his Union Jack Costermonger, bringing out his big heart and generous spirit. The Second Movement was headed by the happy and nicely matched pair, Megan Fairchild and Adam Hendrickson.
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I guess new reviews were supposed to be under week 1 & 2, but the only thing new was In Vento, which was covered on the Kowroski thread. Otherwise, in week 2 rep there was only Feld, except for three Symphony in C's, each with the same cast already seen frequently last season. A week for trading in your subs tix for later on in the season...
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Moderator's note: This thread was opened, covering rep programs in both Weeks 1 and 2.
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Oddly, last season was an attendance record for me, in the post-Balanchine era. And I was generally very pleased with what I saw. But ticket buying was almost soley dancer-based, unlike the ballet-based choices decades ago. For me that meant Bouder-Reichlen-Bouder-Mearns-Bouder. With no Bouder this season, and no big roles so far for Reichlen, I've cut back greatly, but am looking forward to Mearns's debut in Symphony in C Saturday. And, of course, the new Wheeldon.
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I use internet explorer, too. The amazon link is now a small box just to the left of center, top of the page.
Not for me....
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I see the box to the right of the logo. I'm using Firefox. What browser are you using?
Internet Explorer. No Amazon in sight.
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our amazon.com link
I've always used the Amazon Link, but where has it gone???
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And don't the City Ballet staff travel the world setting these ballets on other companies?....
The omission is that the Balanchnine Trust has helped these companies build their Balanchine repertories, and that they do it selectively--one or two ballets per season at most.
I wasn't aware that the City Ballet staff did that. Of course the Balanchine Trust does, but does not set a limit of one or two per year. In fact, nine Balanchine ballets were set on Nina Ananiashvili's company in Tblisi, Georgia in the past year. Of course he was Georgian. Nina, by the way, was taught Mozartiana by its co-creator, Suzanne Farrell.
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But in the same interview
Morris says that it is only now that Peter Boal has become director of PNB that he is comfortable with having the company do one of his pieces.and yet the prior administration certainly had a fine record with Balanchine. On the other hand he's worked with ABT, a company that can't even take care of Swan Lake (they had a fine one ). Could you imagine NYCB inserting Swamp Thing into Symphony in C? Perhaps things are more complex than the article might suggest. At any rate I look forward to seeing his Sylvia (SFB) and full evening of Mozart (Mostly Mozart Festival) this summer, both in the House of Balanchine.
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Thanks for the great news, Dale! In case anyone missed the fine print, the addition is:
...the solo and adagio from Act II of Manon performed by Diana Vishneva...ABT's gala casting on their website has been updated to:
May-22
6:30 PM
Opening Night Gala
Giselle Harvest Dance
Company
Other Dances
J. Kent
A. Corella
Piece D'Occasion
S. Abrera
G. Saveliev
Le Corsaire Suite
G. Murphy
M. Gomes
J. Carreño
X. Reyes
H. Cornejo
Manon Act II solo and adagio
D. Vishneva
Apollo pas de deux
P. Herrera
C. Acosta
Swan Lake Act III pas de deux
I. Dvorovenko
M. Beloserkovsky
Chaconne
J. Bocca
Sylvia Act III pas de deux
M. Wiles
D. Hallberg
Sylvia Coda
Company
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You can catch up on Mr. Hallberg's earlier (to age 21) history in one of dance teacher Finis Jhung's Barre Side Chats at
http://www.danceart.com/barreside/default.htm
Many other fine interviews there as well.
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From VAI's site:
...The film is about the life of a composer creating in the darkness of a tragic era. Like most Soviet citizens, Khachaturian hid a complex private life behind a mask of Communist loyalty....Musical segments include excerpts from Spartacus and Gayne ballets, the Violin Concerto and as a DVD bonus Mstislav Rostropovich in a complete performance of the Concerto- Rhapsody for Cello and Orchestra ...State Orchestra of the USSR/ Aram Khachaturian....133 min. B&W and Color. -
The penchee ending of the adagio dates back to Sergeyev, at least. This can be seen in the 1968 Kirov movie (it was originally shown in theaters), attributed to Sergeyev, but with some slight alterations (not, I think, in the adagio) in order to show off certain modern effects possible with film. In the early '80's it was released by Kultur as a video cassette ($60, isn't progress wonderful?), but somewhat cropped for format. It still is a very pleasing, nicely filmed version (you see the whole adagio, no stupid reaction or audience shots).
Makarova was to have danced O/O, but a late change gave the role to Yelena Yevteyeva. Siegfried and the Jester were, respectively, Markovsky and Panov.
Yevteyeva's Odette looks very much like the version Markarova danced in the 70's and 80's with ABT. The complete and quite beautiful Act II has been on google's video site for three years, but I don't know if I can give the link here. If one of the moderators wishes to PM, I will send her/him the link and the moderator can decide (one might suspect that google would be "legal" about this, but I know that I don't know).
From the for-ballet-lovers-only site one learns that Yevteyeva, then just 21, later taught Pavlenko and Zakharova, and was coach for Sologub, Makhalina, and the greatest Odette of them all, Veronika Part.
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Tickets are now on sale here:
http://www.lincolncenter.org/default.asp?s...sion=&ws=&bc=99
Select your date and section and they offer specific seats. They say best available and I believe them, because in the Rings they offered Row A Center (3 digits) and in the orchestra (unlike the Met) middle distance, dead center (high 120's). There is a $5.50 charge per ticket, but I decided perfect seats were worth the premium.
"On Point" Spring '06
in American Ballet Theatre
Posted
Don't really ask me for the odds: I've taught Probability! But I'm sure this was a non-random bit of casting. Oh, and just think if ABT'd gone for the Ashton version: how good would it have been to see the sisters' brothers play the sisters?!