Spring 2004 - Week 7

[bobbi]

Terrific All-Balanchine evening last night, Tuesday, June 8: Mozartiana, Firebird and Symphony in Three Movements.

The leads in Mozartiana were Kyra Nichols and Nikolaj Hubbe (who was subbing for Damian). Kyra must have the smoothest bourrees of any female dancer past or present. The lady just floats across the stage in one smooth continual movement. Needless to say, I bring this up because she gave one of her most wonderful performances ever last night. Although Hubbe has never been an especially bravura dancer, he has always been one of the most musical of dancers; last night was no exception. He and Kyra work exceedingly well together. Daniel Ulbricht danced the Gigue, and did very well. The Menuet (the "waiting for the jello to set" section) was beautifully done by Dena Abergel, Ellen Bar, Dana Hanson and Rebecca Krohn. The music in this section is so appealing to me, and I always think it (as well as the dancing) is not as appreciated as much as it should be. The applause when the four ladies exit the stage is sadly usually perfunctory.

The Firebird cast was James Fayette as the Prince and Rachel Rutherford as the Princess. Both acted very convincingly. Rachel has the look of a princess and conveyed the message that she was the leader of the maidens. Her line was lovely to look at in the satin costume. Alexandra Ansanella was a fabulous Firebird: very birdlike with the "rubbery" arms and bent wrists. But what was especially outstanding was her facial expressions, especially the use of her eyes. And the makeup!! Wow!!! She was totally mesmerizing. I wish she had taken a solo bow at the end in front of the curtain. You just felt the audience wanted to show how much they enjoyed her performance. (I'm looking forward to seeing Ashley B. as the Firebird tonight, as I had missed her debut.)

The leads in Symphony in Three Movements were Sylve and Angle, Tinsley and Gold and Whelan and Soto. Jennifer Tinsly and Tom Gold had the requisite huge jumps that this ballet calls for. Despite a little spill, Jennifer did very well. The heart of the ballet, of course, is the duet with Wendy and Jock. I think these two now "own" this section, with every little nuance in place. My only quibble was that the black leotard dancers didn't seem to be as well rehearsed as the rest. The end of this ballet has one of those "After Images" that Arlene Croce has written about. It's a picture that just stays in your mind.

Apropros of nothing -- and I know I'm comparing apples and oranges -- I was at Monday evening's fabulous "over the top", "it doesn't get any better than this" ABT performance of Don Q. with Nina, Marcelo and Manuel. As happy as I left after that performance, I felt that I had really "been to the ballet" after last night at NYCB. Go figure. . .

[oberon]

Thanks for the review, bobbi...I wanted to go last night but couldn't. Going tonight.

I understand exactly when you talk about feeling you have "been to the ballet" after attending NYCB as opposed to ABT. I wonder if part of this stems from the fact that, in my opinion, the Met is simply too big for ballet. At the State Theatre you get a sense of intimacy, even if you are sitting up top. At the Met, even sitting in the orchestra, I feel so distanced from what is going on...sitting upstairs, I feel like the dancers are on another planet. Anyone else have these sensations

Oddly, the opposite is true of opera...much as I like NYCO's rep I'd rather see opera at the Met. Maybe this is all because State was built for dance and Met was built for opera...

[oberon]

Wednesday = a very good programme, starting with Wendy's beautiful MOZARTIANA. After a refined and poignant Preghiera, she makes the Theme and Variations section a joyous, life-affirming experience. Her inner musicality lets her seem to linger on balances yet keep the steps flowing. Incredible. Hubbe was dancing quite well and they seemed to enjoy their partnership. Tom Gold's vibrant Gigue was enjoyable and the 4 corps girls, as bobbi mentiond, were excellent.

Wendy went from this little bit of Heaven to the dark side of CAGE...I have seen her do it a dozen times and tonight was one of her best. Jock's super-partnering gives her the freedom to go beyond what would seem to be the bounderies of speed and stretch. I was wondering if any other ballerina has done these two very diverse roles on a single night. Rebecca Krohn danced superbly and revelled in conveying "the hunger"...more & bigger opportunities for her, please!

Yvonne Borree gave an assured, lyrical performance in ANDANTINO...one of the best things I have seen her dance, and it is always a pleasure to see Peter Boal, whose performances have become quite rare. He looks great, and their partnership has always been a fine one.

Ashley Bouder's amazing Firebird capped the evening...beautifully made-up, she has the speed, the clarity and the stretched-out jumps which draw you in to this exotic creature. Fayette was an ardent Prince, though somewhere along the way he lost the feather. Abergel was a luscious Princess, and it was nice to see Mary Helen Bowers back onstage among the maidens. I always wish that the Firebird would swoop in a the final tableau to crown the performance since it is thru her magic that the wedding takes place.

All the lights in the theatre blacked out as the first intermission was ending (they eventually came back on), and there was a very loud and annoying electrical "hum" during ANDANTINO. The audience response was rather muted...Wendy and Ashley B got some bravas, but none of the ballets got that increasingly elusive third call before the curtain.

[Farrell Fan]

I always wish that the Firebird would swoop in at the final tableau to crown the performance since it is thru her magic that the wedding takes place.

So do I! I think she does in DTH's version.

[Helene]

Wendy went from this little bit of Heaven to the dark side of CAGE...I have seen her do it a dozen times and tonight was one of her best. Jock's super-partnering gives her the freedom to go beyond what would seem to be the bounderies of speed and stretch. I was wondering if any other ballerina has done these two very diverse roles on a single night.

...

Yvonne Borree gave an assured, lyrical performance in ANDANTINO...one of the best things I have seen her dance, and it is always a pleasure to see Peter Boal, whose performances have become quite rare. He looks great, and their partnership has always been a fine one.

I'm so happy to hear about Whelan's performance in The Cage. I saw her in it the first season in which she danced the ballet, and I was blown away by her performance. That was the day she became a Ballerina in my eyes.

Nice, too, to hear that Borree has another fine role.

[Balanchinomane]

Yes - the DTH version is also 1 act and has a similar Wedding Scene

at the end and as the final music swells and soars the Firebird is

hoisted by wire up to the rafters. It is a thrilling sight. On Tuesday

night I trained my binoculars Center Stage but no Bird appeared.

However the tableau is gorgeous.

I have read that Fokine's original production had the Firebird preside

over the wedding on a high platform and Karsavina was afraid of

heights. It may have looked like the scene in Act 3 of Swan Lake

when Odette's image appears high upstage and spoils the Party.

[oberon]

As fascinating as Wendy is in each of her roles, it is the range of her repertoire that really astounds me. MOZARTIANA and CAGE on a single night...when you think of those two ballets they might seem mutually exclusive. She reigns in both.

I'm convinced she could dance anything. One afternoon I was passing the stage door and she was going in, the ballet was COPPELIA and I said: "You aren't dancing today" and she said: "COPPELIA...no...no ribbons and curls for me!" but you know, I think she'd be a riot in the part, not to mention dancing up a storm.

But the ballet I most want to see her dance is a ballet not in NYCB rep: GISELLE. Ever since I saw her Sonnambula I have been craving to see her as the Wili. If I had the money, I'd buy her a production of her very own.

[Ari]

I have read that Fokine's original production had the Firebird preside

over the wedding on a high platform and Karsavina was afraid of

heights.

Do you remember where you read that, Balanchinomane? It doesn't sound right to me -- I've never thought of the Firebird as being benevolent. She's always seemed dangerous and alluring to me, rather like a wild Russian version of the Sylph, an otherworldy creature who tempts the hero away from his earthly fiance.

[art076]

I understand exactly when you talk about feeling you have "been to the ballet" after attending NYCB as opposed to ABT. I wonder if part of this stems from the fact that, in my opinion, the Met is simply too big for ballet. At the State Theatre you get a sense of intimacy, even if you are sitting up top. At the Met, even sitting in the orchestra, I feel so distanced from what is going on...sitting upstairs, I feel like the dancers are on another planet. Anyone else have these sensations

I agree completely about this. I saw in the Orchestra, 4th row center at the Met for ABT, and the house still managed to make it seem like the dancers were miles away. When I was watching from the balcony at another performance, I felt like I was seeing everything through a little hole in the wall that they had cut out in the bottom of gigantic stage wall. Strangely enough, I still felt this sitting in the fourth row orchestra - not to mention that the orchestra section of the Met is barely raked at all so you often cannot see over people's heads. The head obstructions are usually so bad that they often cover the ENTIRE dancer, not just their feet as would be normal at most theaters. So yes, I agree, the Met is not an ideal dance house; clearly it was designed for opera and its grand spectacle (understandable, since it is after all the Metropolitan OPERA House), and its not the most audience friendly place.

The New York State Theatre, though, is a wonderful house - great sightlines and it feels intimate from most places in the house. I'm usually in Tier 3 and it feels much better than being in most places at the Met.

[Farrell Fan]

Friday, June 11 --

These days, it's as good as it gets: Ringer's Raymonda, Whelan's novice in The Cage, and Ansanelli's extraordinary Firebird. The exception was Duo Concertant, which was nicely danced by Darci and Nilas, but inevitably seemed like another episode of The Martinses -- A Family Saga, instead of two dancers discovering Stravinsky and themselves.

The lighting seemed a little off in The Cage and Firebird. As a result, Chagall's painting at the beginning of Firebird failed to generate the customary applause. Is it me, or are the Robbins monsters gentler than they used to be? They seemed very careful not to treat James Fayette's prince too roughly or upset him in any way.

[Dale]

Farrell Fan, I was thinking the same thing about the monsters. That section didn't have the force it used to, or maybe I'm just used to it and it doesn't surprise me anymore. What was with Ansanelli's no tights look? I've seen red tights and white/pink tights on NYCB's Firebird, but never no tights. I didn't like it. And I thought she fussed too much with her arms during the lullaby, like she was trying to wipe lint off her tutu. Where did she get these ideas from? But from the waist down, she was very exciting - beautiful jetes.