oberon

Saturday evening = SHAMBARDS was fascinating and I regretted not having seen it earlier. It is dark and brooding; even the more extroverted segments have an underlying tension. The lighting and sombre costumes create a rather threatening atmosphere; Ask LaCour seemed almost sinister on his first entry but his duet with the beauteous Carla Korbes had a sensuous quality (albeit with violence lurking under the surface). Korbes is a magnificent dancer but she could lose a few pounds. In the closing section, Ashley Bouder was nothing short of thrilling...her speed and clarity brought a momentary break in the darkness. Megan Fairchild was thoroughly overshadowed and just seemed to be doing the steps while Bouder lit up the stage. Ulbricht likewise seemed to overwhelm Joaquin de Luz. The central adagio provided a masterpiece for Miranda Weese and that paragon of partners, Jock Soto. Nowadays, Miranda is mainly cast as a romantic or virtuoso ballerina but I remember a time when she did some of the edgier roles, notably the frozen delights of SONATAS & INTERLUDES. Here she was amazing as Jock put her through the difficult partnered turns and lifts. When the pianist began to play direct quotes from the Mad Scene of Donizetti's LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR I began to think of Miranda as the put-upon heroine of that opera and Jock as her dastardly brother. This idea carried thru in the final section where the musical quotes recur as the woman is beaten into submission and dragged off ominously to her fate. In the opera, of course, she has her revenge by stabbing her unwanted bridegroom 37 times on their wedding night. (The story is based on a true incident, embellished by Sir Walter Scott). I am ready to see SHAMBARDS again and hopefully soon. The best thing about UNION JACK is, you get to see EVERYONE...the opening gathering of the clans is the best part; Damian and Wendy were striking in their solo passages here. Abi Stafford, Tom Gold, Steve Hanna, Arch Higgins and Jared Angle were among those swelling the ranks. The music hall number, well done by Ringer & Martins, gets a bit tedious...tonight the donkey rebelled and took off unattended into the wings, his cart catching and tearing one of the side panels of the set. The finale is a big romp, Wendy & Eddie Liang, and Maria Kowroski all seemed to be having an especially good time.

I'm going...what would be the reason to boycott? Is Eifman a Republican? There are very few ballets at NYCB that I have not seen, one glaring exclusion has been WEST SIDE STORY...I never liked the show or the movie and though I have been at many performances where WSS is the closing piece, I always leave before it starts. Other ballets I don't care for are LA SONNAMBULA, I'M OLD FASHIONED, STABAT MATER, HARMONIELEHRHE, VESPRO, INTERPLAY and ORPHEUS. I always try to see every new ballet, twice if possible...

Hmmm...were we all at the same GATHERING? I sometimes wonder if our own state of mind affects the way we view a particular performance. I was actually going to skip GATHERING this season but it was the only night I could see B-S Q, which I love. Sometimes GATHERING seems too long and "same-y" to me but last night it drew me in from the moment Damian walked on. Strange, I thought Bouder was pushing in DIVERT but just right in Yellow. The part with the tossing of the Girl in Yellow has changed over the years, starting with a performance I saw where Kipling Houston (usually the most reliable of partners) almost dropped Jenifer Ringer. To my knowledge, Houston never danced the part again; Fayette took over at the next performance and the position into which Jenifer landed in his arms was modified. And Bouder's landing was modified further, I am not sure if it was planned that way or it ended up that way.

It can't be Week 3 already, can it? Tuesday = Was anyone else there tonight? Was this a fantastic DANCES AT A GATHERING or was it me? I have seen this ballet so many times, back to the days of McBride & Verdy, but I thought tonight's cast was just perfect. The long-time DAAG personalities, Kyra, Jock & Damian, have become so enmeshed in these roles, and the music so ingrained in them, that it is hard to imagine a time when they will no longer dance them. Each strikes just the right note; Kyra is on incredible form and surpassed her many previous appearances in the role over the years. Damian's solo was mesmerizing, and Jock's encounter with the Girl in Green was priceless. That role went to the grandiose, enigmatic Sylve...great to see her back in action. People wondered which role Bouder would be dancing and I guess we all assumed Mauve but Ringer has moved to that role and Bouder takes on Yellow and what a performance she gave...it suits her to perfection. One tiny glitch was glossed over by Marcovici's quick thinking; I will look forward to seeing Bouder again in this part. Ringer, basically a lyric dancer, always brings those little touches that make her not just interesting but engrossing to watch...she was always great in Yellow but she is superb in Mauve. Rachel Rutherford was a breath of fresh air in Blue, Marcovici was ideal in Green, and Carmena & Fayette excellent in Brick & Blue. Perfect pianist Cameron Grant. I was surprised that this magnificent performance did not draw a more fervent audience response. After this, BRAHMS-SCHOENBERG, in a very fine performance...Weese and Hanna evoked the romance and elegance if the opening section, with Ellen Bar a lovely soloist. The guests, Pantastico & Wevers, are fine dancers but I would just as soon have seen Ringer & Fayette in this piece which they dance so beautifully. Wevers' jabot came off and lay on the stage til he snatched it up at his bow. Three beauties, Korbes, Golbin & Beskow, were more than mere back-up dancers. Borree and Hubbe have always had a good partnership and they danced well tonight...after bowing they started to head offstage in opposite directions. Maria Kowroski's brilliant, large-scale gypsy lass provided an exciting climax to the evening...what extension, and what sheer abandon she brings to the part. Askegard gave his all but can't quite match Damian's bravado in this role. I got dizzy trying to keep up with all the corps dancers that I love (Edge, Riggins, Krohn, Dronova, Walker, Hankes, Arthurs, Labean...etc etc etc) my opera glasses whirling madly from place to place. Anyone who like GATHERING should try to see this cast...Kyra, Bouder & Ringer are at their best.

Froman is the bare-chested boy cradling what looks like Jessica Flynn (the hair)...Adrian is in the other 2 photos. The clothes are vastly over-priced, but the dancers are beautiful.

Both Kyle and Adrian are featured...

I think it is "last week's issue" as I got the last copy at the newstand. But most vendors keep their unsold copies for a day or two before returning them for credit; so you should still be able to find it...or at the library. The cover shows some guy with his pant-legs rolled up standing in pond. I think putting Dronova & Froman on the cover would have sold more copies!

Not sure if this has been mentioned elsewhere, but there are some nice photos of some of the NYCB corps dancers in the May 10th issue of NEW YORK magazine...the dancers are not identified but I recognize Reichlin, Dronova, Beskow and Faye Arthurs...and Kyle Froman looks pretty sexy.

Michael (or anyone else who was there): Can you comment further on the Taylor/Tewsley FAUN? I really wanted to go but being Mother's Day I couldn't get anyone to take my shift at work...hopefully they'll be cast in the piece in the future. Thanks, Oberon PS: Michael's notes on SHAMBARDS now have me feeling keen to see it.

I won't be seeing it til this Thursday, but I am already a little apprehensive...I do not like to see dancers dragging one another unless it is very brief (IN THE NIGHT) or very comic (THE CONCERT). I seem to remember in Tharp's BEETHOVEN FIFTH there was quite a bit of dragging going on and I just kept wondering "Is that all she can think of to do with this music?" I don't like to see dancers on the floor too much unless it is to dream (TWILIGHT COURANTE) or to "expire" (SERENADE), or waking up (MORPHOSES)...I hated seing Darci on the floor in GUIDE TO STRANGE PLACES, she is not a floor-type in my estimation. Nor can I picture the beauteous Miranda being tugged about. Could anyone figure out what point was being made? I read somewhere that Fairchild and Bouder were supposed to represent swords...hmmm... My question is, what was the audience reaction? Was there booing? Did Christopher take a bow and how was the response? When I saw the cast announced I was excited as it's all people I like...but now I'm a little skeptical. So far, POLYPHONIA is Chris's masterpiece, and I like MORPHOSES and MERCURIAL alot, and liked LITURGIE and thought SCENES DE BALLET, VARIATIONS SERIEUSES and CARNIVAL OF ANIMALS were entertaining but nothing to see more than once. I liked CAROUSEL the first time, less so the second. How do all of you rate Wheeldon's work at NYCB so far?

Jennifer Dunning writes beautifully about EPISODES in the NY Times today...computer dunce that I am, I do not know how to place a link here but maybe someone else can. Her remarks on Liang & Tinsley, Reichlin & Fayette seem very accurate and renewed my memories of this superb performance. She didn't say much about Wendy & Albert...but Michael & I already did. Dunning goes on to call the performance of DIVERT #15 "dismal"...whoa! Yes, it had it's bumps & lumps but Bouder, Alexandra, Abi and Steve Hanna were excellent and even the people who had glitches redeemed themselves. People are discussing the problematic Black Widow section of VIENNA WALTZES; I am not sure what we should be looking for from Nilas...to me, he is exactly like his father (not as tall, and not technically of course)...but handsome, aloof, the big hands & nice manners. I know the subtext people like to see in this segment: that these two had been lovers and meet again by chance. Maybe so, maybe not. For me, since Helene left, it is the female role that hasn't been captured. Darci & Jenifer Ringer are both beautiful women and lovely, lyrical dancers but they do not catch the allure or mystery of this role. My dream (well, one of several dreams...) is to see Wendy do it! Perhaps if the woman brings the right "perfume" the partner, whoever it might be, will respond in kind. And at the Thursday performance, the segment was dampened by the lights blacking out just a trifle too soon.

(Am I the only person going to the ballet this week?)... Thursday 5/6 = Thrills and Spills at NYCB...many years ago I was at a performance if DIVERT #15 where Merrill Ashley took a nasty spill. Fall-downs always look worst in a tutu ballet. Tonight Yvonne Borree fell during her solo; the audience had just recovered from this faux pas when Robert Tewsley & Rachel Rutherford got into some sort of partnering snafu and Rachel tumbled. Later, Ansanelli in a supported attitude turn clipped Tewsley in the stomach. Despite these distractions, I love this ballet and Ansanelli gave a thoroughly satisfying performance. Ashley Bouder was exciting though she could tone down the somewhat "pushed" feeling of some of her movements. Abi Stafford (welcome back!) was lovely, Steve Hanna excellent. Aside from the unforced errors, Borree, Rutherford & Tewsley had some fine moments. But the audience response was very muted. This is such a beautiful ballet. EPISIODES was magnificent and quickly brought the level of the evening way up. Jennifer Tinsley, so impressive and so under-utilized, was partnered by the amazingly musical & charismatic Edwaard Liang. Teresa Reichlin gave the most exciting performance I have seen from her; with the enigmatic James Fayette, they played into the mystery of their duet. Wendy & Albert were thrilling in their edgy, difficult pas de deux; Kowroski & Askegard more lyrical in their duet as the music turns prettier with those somewhat ominous tympani beats. Rachel R brings demure beauty to the opening section of VIENNA WALTZES (with Fayette)...Miranda Weese and Damian Woetzel sailed thru the bravura passages of Voices of Spring with easy brilliance. Amanda Edge seemed to be having fun with the Polka while Megan Fairchild sportingly stepped into her old corps part to replace Melissa Barak. Jenifer Ringer is blindingly attractive but she lacks mystery as the Black Widow. Kyra's beautiful interpretation of the ROSENKAVALIER section is one of those perfect matches of dancer to role...and dancer to gown, for that matter. And everyone looked glorious waltzing away at the end.

It is an open board...Juliet and I and several others seemed to enjoy the performance more than you did; you are as entitled to your disappointment as we are to our enthusiasm. Earlier this year I was "attacked" by some members here for not thinking Ashley Bouder's first Aurora was an earth-shattering triumph. I didn't take it personally, nor did I change my mind about her performance. And since then I have admired her in other things.

I'm with Juliet on every point...the dancing last night was teriffic from everyone and should put to rest complaints that things are so much worse there than they used to be. I've been going since '75 and I'm more excited about NYCB now than at any time in the past. Yes, it's different...it can't help but be different. Yes, the dancers I fell in love with retired and I miss them, but now I'm in love with a whole new set. My partner and I were watching on TV and we let out a whoop when Wendy struck that big balance in B-S Q...like Sampras dishing up a big ace or Matsui hitting it out of the park. I felt like sending her a telegram and 12 dozen roses...and in the more lyrical moments, Kyra, Darci & Jenifer Ringer floated and swooned to perfection. And any time Peter Boal dances...

The singers in LIEBESLIEDER were Nancy Allen Lundy, Jennifer Roderer, Bruce Sledge and veteran Jan Opalach...the men in particular were very good.

Domingo has always had a short top, and now he's nearing the end of his (singing) career he has NO top...the night before this gala he ran out of gas at the end of Act I WALKURE at the Met. But it is still a nice, burnished sound and I thought he & Carter Brey did a lovely job. Sills hurt her ankle a couple weeks ago, so I guess she didn't want to hobble out. I enjoyed the dancing; I was especially taken with Darci (I didn't notice her going off-pointe), Wendy, Ringer & Peter Boal. And I thought Nilas and Yvonne Borree, those two dancers everyone seems to love to hate, were excellent... I would have omitted Parker, Kline & Stroman and just had Peter host the evening...and I do wish that they could have had a clip of Kyra and Darci and Peter Boal, the three remaining dancers who actually worked with Mr.B, just talk about him briefly. But overall it was fun...the dancing says it all.

Tuesday 5/4...my 3rd WALPURGISNACHT of the season, with Wendy & Lindy Mandradjieff giving delightful performances. Faye Arthurs was esp. lovely in the corps, Walker & Riggins very fine. I believe this ballet is a gathering of witches, and they were certainly bewitching tonight. LIEBESLIEDER is a unique ballet, something that I think can't be seen too often. The atmosphere of the first half has to be perfectly caught by the dancers, which it was tonight. I noticed several members of the audience left during the pause; they missed a remarkable 2nd half as four of NYCBs grandest ballerinas held the stage...Miranda Weese, simply luscious; the elegant & refined Wendy Whelan; the incomparable Kyra Nichols and a breath-taking performance from Darci Kistler, whose incredible series of turns and melting lyrcism were mesmerizing. The men (Soto, Hubbe, Neal & Angle) are here mainly to show off their ladies...Soto was especially moving as he knelt to kiss Kyra's hand, a beautiful moment capturing two of NYCBs legends in mutual admiration. FOUR SEASONS was again alot of fun; Carrie Lee Riggins danced brightly in Winter (with Hendrickson & Severini) and Jenifer Ringer was again lilting & lyrical in Spring...Edwaard Liang was amazing, such airy leaps & beautiful placement. He also truly conveys the sheer joy of the dance. Korbes & Tewsley were sexy & sultry in Summer...Korbes radiates, her face & body seem to glow...and she can linger on a balance, just giving that extra touch of magic. Tewsley danced beautifully and caught the sensuous hip movements to perfection. Weese gave a us feast of turns and a gorgeous face in Autumn, and Carmena has a perfect role as the Faun. But the handsome Benjamin Millepied was a bit off his best form here; partnering isn't his forte and the bravura moments didn't quite flow. But he is such an appealing dancer; I'm sure he'll get back into his groove as the season progresses...

Sunday matinee 5/2 = Wendy's dazzlingly crisp WALPURGISNACHT opened the programme, Askegard gave perfect support and Mandradjieff was spectacular in the soloist role. STABAT MATER is one of Peter's most tedious ballets, to me. The music (superbly sung by Amy Burton & David Walker) is lovely and the costumes and lighting are nice but all the dancing is too same-y...it just seems to go on and on, pleasant but aimless. A sextette of fine dancers (Kistler, Weese, Borree, Nilas, Jock Soto & Millepied...) I would much rather see MORGEN or BURLESKE. Robbins' FOUR SEASONS was a crowd-pleasing finale with excellent dancing from Bouder, Carmena, Suozzi, Rutherford & Fayette. Daniel Ulbricht's seemingly-impossible flying turns and leaps drove the public to cheers, then Damian tossed off a barrage of turns just to remind everyone that he's the King. Ansanelli, at her most daring and alluring, scored a big success and flowers were thrown to her at the end. Jenifer Ringer's lyrical radiance in Spring was a pleasure and it was great to see Edwaard Liang back onstage...his elegant, spacious dancing and astute partnering make us realize what we've missed in his absence.

For those of us who go to NYCB 2 or 3 times a week, injuries - even among the corps - are a source of aggravation. I buy tickets up front for programmes I want to see, and then I buy additional tickets when the casting goes up. You'd be surprised at some of the seemingly tiny bits of casting that have induced me to go. There are certain corps dancers who, if they get a featured role of even just a few moments duration, I'm there. Then if they cancel, I have to "suffer" thru someone else's performance Some of the people who post here know certain dancers personally and if an inquiry is made as to a dancer's injury status, a personal message reply can clue the inquirer in as to when the dancer might be back in action. I knew about Wendy's injury 2 days after it happened. I knew it was serious and that she'd miss the winter season but I couldn't say anything here because it was gossip. But I did send personal messages to other readers who asked about her. We don't expect the management to post and update a list of everyone who has a tummy ache, sore toe or stiff neck...nor do we expect the moderators to keep bugging the press office. But as justafan says, "if not here...where?"

Tewsley & Korbes danced at the opening night...and Abi is listed for DIVERT next week.

Thank you, Alexandra, for posting the Tobi Tobias quote about Kyra... "...luminosity..." : Tobias has found just the right words to describe this unique dancer at this stage of her long & admirable career.

I too was very disappointed when Taylor dropped out of the first week. Rachel Rutherford did a beautiful VALSE at the opening night and I am always happy to see Rachel. But the long absence of Wendy & Janie put a slight damper on the winter season; they are two ballerinas who really excite me...it was great watching Wendy's triumph last night and let's hope within a week or so Janie is back in business. But: where's Abi???

Kyra Nichols, dancing with greater abandon than she has for a couple of years, made a wonderful impression with her flowing lyricism in WALPURGISNACHT...it's nice to have a living legend dancing on this kind of form. Askegard & Lindy Mandradjieff added to the success of the piece and Kyra was enthusiastically cheered by the large & attentive audience. SONATINE, danced attractively by Aurelie Dupont & Manuel Legris of the Paris Opera Ballet, is an innocuous bon-bon. The lack of Janie Taylor was appeased by fine portrayals of the doomed lovers in LA VALSE from Rachel Rutherford and Robert Tewsley; Jock Soto was an eerie Death figure and several excellent contributions from the soloist/corps dancers most notably Stephen Hanna who is a mesmerizing stage presence...Krohn, Edge,Tinsley, Bar, Beskow, Muller all lovely. Jenifer Ringer's gracious beauty lit up the opening movement if SYMPHONY IN C with Nilas Martins her ever-attentive cavalier. Wendy Whelan's adagio enthralled me, both in her dancing and in the air of mystery she creates...she was very warmly welcomed back by the audience, called out twice after the adagio. Askegard took perfect care of her. Bouder & Millepied gave a joyous 3rd movement, brilliant dancing from both. And Jennifer Tinsley made a fine impression with her speed and clarity in the 4th movement (with Arch Higgins)...as the stage filled for the finale the energy seemed to overflow. It was, as always, a joy to see the dancers again including Sarah Ricard whom I missed during the Winter season. If I were to start listing all the corps people who caught my eye at various points this posting would become very long. Anyway, it was for me a super evening and a thrill to have Wendy back.

Nice story about Wendy in the Times...with a striking rehearsal photo of her & Askegard. I am smitten with this woman, and my opera glasses will be trained on that corner of the stage when she enters on Tuesday to dance the SYMPHONY IN C adagio. It was great seeing her at the Joyce, but it will be even better to welcome her back home.

At the 50th Anniversary Season Gala, a stageful of former NYCB dancers bowed in three separate groups: former corps dancers, former soloists and former principals. Though there was not time to introduce each guest individually, it was a grand sight to see them all there...Merrill Ashley made a lovely gesture of presenting her bouquet to Wendy Whelan. And right there, looking like an arch-angel in a flowing white gown, was Suzanne Farrell...as I recall, she and Peter embraced. (There was a photo of this massed curtain call in the display of pictures marking the Balanchine 100th.) Of course we would all like to see all our favorites onstage and I'm sure they would all like to be there but some live far away, some are now rather elderly, others are not in the best of health, and some are working elsewhere. I cannot imagine anyone was left off the invitation list. When the Metropolitan Opera celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1983 many special guests were invited who could not attend. And five reigning divas (Behrens, Rysanek, Lorengar, Scotto & Christa Ludwig) were singing elsewere at the time. However, it was still a spectacular celebration... It was at the time of the "50th Gala" that I had the pleasure of meeting Patricia McBride thru the courtesy of her daughter. Thanks, Melanie!