Week 3 Spring 2005

[carbro]

What you're seeing and what you think of it.

[oberon]

{Week 3 being May 10-15, I think...}

Tuesday 5/10

Still don't like AMERICAN IN PARIS, but Jenifer Ringer, Carla & Damian give it their all. Giving Peter's TALA GAISMA another look; liked it better than I did last week esp. the Sylve/Jock duet but then it just went on and lapsed into vagueness. Jock was warmly greeted at his bow. Darci & Miranda were lovely but to no avail. Miranda's turns are superb. This ballet, with it's luminous score, could be improved IMO with: plain blue cyclorama backdrop, the girls in silver body tights and uniform hair-dos, and some sort of corps participation. The piece is too long to watch the four (excellent) dancers go through the same-y routines.

Eddie Liang's ballet DISTANT CRIES - my 3rd viewing - is intriguing and a wonderful "snapshot" of the Boal/Whelan partnership.

Beautiful clear & clean APOLLO to start the evening. I have no problem with Nilas as Apollo...he looks like a young god and his partnering is fine. The three very well-matched Muses (Ansanelli, Bouder & Rutherford) all danced very well and the four dancers seemed to be beautifully integrated. The final sunburst pose drew appreciative murmurs from the (very large) audience.

I would just like to add a special note about Ashley Bouder: in APOLLO and last week in Albert's BROKEN PROMISE, she seemed to exude a wonderful new air of maturity and self-containment. The huge technique is there - and amazing - but now the artistry is blooming also.

[carbro]

Thanks Ob! I've corrected the dates.

[Michael]

Allegro not Brilliant Wednesday Night:

For the record, Allegro looked awful on Wednesday night, like a dress rehearsal and not even a good one. The piece was leaden and slow and lacking in spirit. It was anything but Brilliant and pretty much anything but Allegro.

It did not help that the orchestra played the worst I've heard them in a couple of years and that is saying something. Just before, and then just after the curtain

went up, the piano and the rest of the orchestra did not seem even to be playing the same musical score. Or in the same key. Some hugely sour chords in the horns then intervened. It was like a parody.

Then there was the principal couple. I don't know if it was the bad music or what that discouraged Jenny Ringer, although she did dance cleanly. But nothing could leaven this loaf. Nilas Martins was a huge distraction -- looking as bad in this as he looked good in Apollo on Saturday (and he looked good indeed on Saturday afternoon, it was as well as I've ever seen him dance Apollo). Allegro evidently has different requirements. Nilas is not at all the type and the role emphasized and exposed how short legged he is, that he is a little heavy, and that at times his dancing can seem laborious. In Allegro you want someone who can stretch into a long and noble Bolshoi-like line, a Heroic presence. You want someone who can elevate and cover ground in the turning jetees jumped to the rear. Someone who shows some plastique at the moments when the dancer is in the air and his body turns in attitude and stretches back with one arm upraised. That is not Nilas. It would be distressing to think that there is no one in the company who could dance this role but him. However, we know this to be untrue. Philip Neal was certainly in the theater and capable, we saw him in Musagete later in the evening.

In keeping with the orchestra and the principals, the small corps de ballet -- four girls and four boys -- was also all over the map. Enough said.

[Michael]

Thursday -- Harlequinade and Suite # 3

What a difference 24 hours made -- Both Harlequinade and Suite #3/Theme looked perfectly wonderful Thurday evening.

Harlequinade, which has been very well coached (Mikhail Baryshnikov's work with the company on this last week shows) had the Ben Millepied and Alexandra Ansanelli cast. Both of whom were dramatically restrained (a good thing) and technically sharp. Adam Hendrickson and Amanda Edge were Pierrot and Pierette and in many ways I even preferred them to Fairchild et al. -- if only to see more of both of them. Both are particularly strong dramatic and comic dancers, use their faces well and mime clearly. But what really made the production was how sharp, clean, technically beautiful and appealing the entire ensemble was, particularly the girls in black (Korbes, Krohn, Beskow and Muller) and the Birds in Act II (Scheller, Wolf, Labean, Keenan, etc.). When something has been brilliantly rehearsed, it certainly shows. Although the Ballabile des Enfants does get a little tedious for me.

In Suite # 3, Sofiane Sylve has restored Theme to the repertory quite nicely. The entire Suite was very sharp and satisfying.

[nysusan]

I, too thought the company looked great last night. This was the first time I'd seen Harlequinade. It's not the kind of ballet that I will want to see over & over, but it had it's charms. I was surprised at how comfortable the dancers looked in it (since it's the type of material NYCB doesn't do very often), so it was interesting to read Michael's comments about the coaching. I thought all the lead characters did a great job, but especially loved the corps and the children. And Ansanelli yet again brought just the right touch to a role that could easily have been over the top.

Sylve looked so much more comfortable in Suite # 3 last night compared to the performances I saw from her last season. The technique & presence were all there, but this time she really looked like she was having fun, especially at the end. I also thought Rutherford's phrasing looked much more dramatic than I remembered from last season.

Did anyone catch Weese in T&V last Saturday night? The luck of the draw got me the Sylve & Fairchild performances. I'm very happy with the casts I have, but I'm wondering if I'm really going to regret missing Weese in it this (I've never seen her T&V). I love Suite # 3 - could easily watch it 5 nights in a row but I'm pretty busy next week, so I've been debating about going to another performance...

[jimmattimore]

Never have I see Alexandra A. dance as superbly as she did last night. Thank the Lord she is fully recovered from her horrendous injury.

I sadly note three missing principals: Jock, jenny, Janie.

"Harlequinade" was just a delight. A romp for all.

And oh what a good fairy was Tess R.

And as the lead aloutte, Sterling Hyltin was wonderful.

I could see "Jewels," and "Serenade" and "Themes and Varioations" and "Tschaikovsky Suite Number 3 " every night of my life.

Kudoes to all the dancers In "T 3" of 5/12: Korbes, Hanna, Rutherford, Fayette, Bouder, Ulbricht, sylvie and Askegard.

I know Gottlieb hates Peter and seems also to hate NYCB, but after reading his article on the gala in the Obserever, I agree wuth him---for a rare time. The Wheeldon grows worse in my mind with each day.

Give me Ballanchine-please.

jim

[oberon]

Friday 6/13

One of the most enjoyable nights at the ballet in recent seasons, starting with the beautiful ALLEGRO BRILLIANTE. Jenifer Ringer danced like a breath of Spring, she practically "sings" the music with her body. Philip Neal's looking near peak form; he has thrown off the caution that marked his earlier post-injury appearances. Super demis: welcome back Abi Stafford! Rachel R, Carrie Lee Riggins and Dana Hanson supported by Craig Hall, Kyle Froman, Christian Tworzyanski & Andrew Veyette, all of who seemed to be dancing in a state of joy. The score was well-played by the orchestra but Moredock does not seem a very cohesive conductor.

Seeing the Millepied and Evans pieces in a mixed setting rather than a string of premieres made each of them far more impressive. Some people thought the music for DOUBLE ARIA was unpleasant; tonight it sounded almost beautiful to me and surely the virtuosity of violinist Timothy Fain plays an integral part in the success of the piece. What an incredible partnership Maria K and Ask LaCour have formed in this piece...you'd think they'd been dancing together for years. LaCour reminds me very much of Peter Martins as a partner: cool and confident. His beautiful and expressive face and endless legs are the perfect compliment to Kowroski. I have never seen her dance with such elasticity and sheer daring. The partnering demands are extreme - my partner thought some of it was downright dangerous - and these two dancers just sailed. They and the violinist received a loud, whooping ovation which was much deserved. Hardly to be out-shone, Ashley Bouder & Stephen Hanna responded with a breath-taking performance of Evans' BROKEN PROMISE. I don't sense Albert has let us down with this piece after HAIKU...not one bit. It's exciting, lyrical & edgy by turns, and demanding great precision, stretch and emotion from the dancers. Ashley & Stephen danced with total technical command and a trememdous sense of risk at certain points. The fact that they are two of the Company's most attractive and sexy dancers is an added advantage. Watching them I sometimes felt: can human beings really do this stuff? Again, big & enthusiastic audience response. And the excellent quartet of musicians gave a polished performance of Matt Fuerst's score.

Darci bowed out of BARBER VIOLIN CONCERTO so we had Wendy in a double header, two ballets which play to her remarkable presence and hypnotic technique. The adagio of the Barber shows her vulnerable, lyrical side and the mesmerizing, extra-terrestrial duet in GLASS PIECES is pure Whelan mystique. She had excellent partners: Albert in the BARBER and Robert Tewsley in the GLASS; both men danced beautifully while exuding their individual brands of charisma. Bouder had her own little triumph as the pesky, bare-footed girl and Askegard as the put-upon visionary was perfect. Abi danced in the sextette of "aliens" (or angels?) who materialize in the opening section of the Glass. She seemed happy to be back onstage. Always a treat to see Rebecca Krohn & Rachel; Jared Angle and Ask LaCour looked great and Adrian Danchig-Waring, subbing in the second duet, danced very well and then sportingly took on his regular corps part in the third segment.

It was really good to see the audience response to the two newest ballets; sort of made up for the uninteresting Martins & Wheeldon offerings this Spring. I hope Albert's, Benjamin's and Ed Liang's pieces all find their niche in the repertoire. I'll be happy to see them several more times in coming seasons.

[Farrell Fan]

Friday 6/13

It was really good to see the audience response to the two newest ballets; sort of made up for the uninteresting Martins & Wheeldon offerings this Spring. I hope Albert's, Benjamin's and Ed Liang's pieces all find their niche in the repertoire. I'll be happy to see them several more times in coming seasons.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, but...It was discouraging to me that both those ballets, as well as the Barber and Glass got more enthusiastic ovations than the excellently danced Balanchine. I also think that Bouder is totally miscast as the "modern" dancer in Barber. Like Bobbi, I want to see her in classical roles. And I have a radical suggestion for the next choreographer of a pas de deux ala the Millepied and Evans pieces: turn on the lights!

[charlieloki]

i hate to pick on dolly dinkle -- she may have suffered enough adverse comments

however, i think bouder's costume in the evans piece might have come from the dinkle school of costume design -- it is simply awful

also, it's my feeling that if the guy wears tights, the girl wears tights

why mess up a serious and wonderful piece of choreography with what looks like a cheerleading getup?

anyone out there agree with charlieloki on this?

[carbro]

May 14 Mat.

I don't know how Michael managed to take in two Harlequinades in one week. The ballet is just a bit of sensory overload for me. I can barely take in one a year. BUT . . .

There is much good to be said about the performance I saw. As Pierrette, Edge gave some of the loveliest phrasing I've seen from her. And Teresa Reichlen was everyone's idea of a Good Fairy. Ben Millepied's landings were noisy throughout -- very distracting. But it was very much Ansanelli's afternoon. She saw the role as a girl-into-woman transformation, not unlike Aurora's, Juliet's or more closely related, Swanilda's. Her dancing was clear and unaffected. She kept the character just on this side of too coy in Act I, and her Act II variation was tender, warm and filled with wonder. The highight of the afternoon.

Allegro Brillante opened the program, with Ringer and Neal in the leads. Good dancing all around. The ensemble, not exactly ragged, still could have been sharper. Great seeing Abi Stafford looking so good there. I sometimes wish Ringer, who is extremely musical, would be less literal in responding to the orchestra.

Oh, and charlieloki, I do agree with you on Ashley's costume. Not so much on the ballet though.

[Colleen Boresta]

I also went to the May 14th matinee, and it was a great afternoon of Balanchine ballets. I don't remember ever seeing "Allegro Brillante" before. What a beautiful little jewel of a ballet it is! Jennifer Ringer was radiantly lyrical in the ballerina role. Oberon said it perfectly - she does "sing the music with her body".

Philip Neal gave a very strong performance. I don't think Neal gets enough recognition in the press. I've seen him dancemany many times, and he's always a superb partner, and a very elegant solo dancer.

I hadn't seen "Harlequinade" in at least ten years. (The last time I saw it Ethan Stiefel and Margaret Tracey danced the leads.) I had forgotten just how much I enjoy it. And the performances at Saturday's matinee were particularly strong. I agree with what Michael and Carbo have already said about the five main dancers - except for Carbo's comments about Millepied's landings. They didn't seem noisy to me at all. However, I especially liked what Carbo said about Ansanelli's performance. (I wish I could put it so well.) I kept thinking about "Coppelia" while I was watching "Harlequinade". It was probably due in large part to Ansanelli's performance.

I really liked all the little comic touches in "Harlequinade" - especially the tipsy soldiers and the three Harpo Marx-like Les Shires. I thought all the children were wonderful, and was very disappointed that they didn't get to take a bow at the ballet's conclusion. Did anyone post about DeLuz/Borree "Harlequinade"? I can't imagine that Borree was as perfect as Ansanelli in the role of Colombine. But maybe I'm wrong. I saw Borree dance "Coppelia" a couple of times and she was actually quite good.