NYCB Week 7 already?

[ViolinConcerto]

Visionary Voices -- Wheeldon, Ratmansky and Balanchine

A friend noticed that having Balanchine close the program could be interpreted as a bow to his role as the epitome of the Visionary voices. One could refer to him as "Musagete," leading the muses for all to follow. (That "one" being myself.)

On the whole, the program was excellently danced -- The 4 T's outstandingly. I find Klavier impenatrable -- a graceful but somewhat morose, dominated by yearning and restlessness. But it was excellently danced. No one has the "perfume" of yearning like Miranda Weese, for me at least.

Russian Seasons is a delight, like a wonderful antique store packed to the gills, and you only have forty minutes to take it all it -- that's not enough!! Of course, Jenifer Ringer, Wendy Whelan and Albert Evans were wonderful -- but so were Rebecca Krohn (whirling like a dervish in her first solo), Abi Stafford and Adam Hendrickson.

There was a small revelation in The 4 T's, for me -- Ellen Ostrom, dancing the first theme with Adrian D-W. I've never seen her in a solo role before, and this introduction was perfect. She has a body that is both strong and flexible. She defined every movement precisely, and she was both generous and sharp in their outline. Amanda Hankes and Allen Peiffer were not paired well, and she landed on the floor for a moment as a result in the 2nd theme. Megan LeCrone (who was outstanding in Tribute) and Seth Orza (always strong and dignified) were beautiful in the exquisite 3rd variation.

Tom Gold replaced Sebastien M. in Melancholic, and I appreciated his strenghth and maturity. He was wonderful. Savannah Lowery and "Chuck" did the Sanguinic, and being not too fond of Chuck, I felt that he was a bit too sanguine (relaxed).

Ask LaCour was beautiful in Phlegmatic -- I wondered if he had been coached by Adam Luders, whose interpretation, for me, was sublime. Ask is very musical, and his phrasing was excellent. I still feel that Teresa Reichlen does not have the musicality needed for principal roles, I know I'm in the minority here.

The corps was uniformly very good -- they got those other-worldly postures and extreme extensions beautifully. And, of course, that glorious finale -- was.......glorious.

[justafan]

I agree with a large part of Violin Concerto's comments about Tuesday night's performance. I found Klavier a little dull and repetitive. I adored Russian Seasons and thought it very well danced.

But I thought 4T's was very uneven. It's one of my favorite ballets and my heart sometimes races when I watch it. Not Tuesday. Nevertheless, I would agree that Ask La Cour was magnificent in Phlegmatic. For the first time, I saw that he could become a major star at NYCB.

Still, I think Tuesday's performance is an example of how a member of the audience brings so much of themselves to the ballet. My companion had never seen 4T's before and thought it was breathtaking -- and the highlight of the evening. On the other hand, the review of both Russian Seasons and 4T's in today's Times were very harsh. Much more harsh than they deserved, in my opinion. All I can think is that a reaction to a ballet -- particularly a non-story ballet -- has more to do with mood, expectations, and past performances than it might have with the current dancers.

[GeorgeB fan]

Here's hoping someone will be gracious enough to give a review of Feb. 16th evening performance of "Afternoon of a Faun". I would love to read the opinions about the pairing of Janie Taylor and Craig Hall. The pairing seems promising but there is no guarantees. Pretty please, pretty, pretty please.

[Klavier]

I found Klavier a little dull and repetitive.

Quite all right. I don't take it personally.

[carbro]

Unfortunate homonym there.

[drb]

Sunday, February 18

The dreaded insert re illness and injury was of more substantial concern than usual, for it included Maurice Kaplow, who on Friday night was unable to return to the podium for the final piece, Evenfall. Much praise and appreciation to David Briskin for his work conducting Russian Seasons and The Four Temperaments.

Russian Seasons was danced by the original cast, save The Woman in Red where Rebecca Krohn replaced Sofiane Sylve, who is otherwise occupied dancing Nikaya in Amsterdam. Ms. Krohn danced the technically demanding role very well, and with beauty, yet the light applause by just a few people after her first solo contrasted with the thunderclap that greeted Ms. Sylve at the premiere. The dramatic side of Ms. Sylve that creates a character was lacking. In this ballet "Red" is an aggressive counterpoint to the solemn lead role, she flavors the ballet with a large dollop of spice.

Still there was much to admire in this probable masterwork. Jenifer Ringer, Green, seems to have even deepened her character, the soft and delicate one. A kind of Romantic ballerina. In the ballet's central Pd4 (to the first movement of the Autumn Concerto, Postovaya), she plays a wandering Soul in search of Eden (or perhaps a higher paradise) partnered by three angels, Amar Ramasar, Jonathan Stafford and Sean Suozzi. They lead her in its direction and give her a raised platform to get a better view by forming a path to walk on: stepping into each angel's hand then onto his knee, and so to the next, the path being extended as the last moves to the head of the line. In the song we learn that these angels sit on flowers in Eden. This has been a year of renewal for Ms. Ringer, what with her moving performance in Dybbuk, a ballet I don't like, but could not avoid watching for Jenifer.

Posledniaya. Wendy Whelan was profound as the one who dies. She enters in white, with Albert Evans in priestly white as well; for her old friends she is but a spirit they are commemorating. Early in her solo is a nod to Act 2 Giselle, then another to the Sylphe in La Sylphide. Already non corporeal, she takes her leave toward rear stage right, pausing to kneel as if a Russian woman in church, toward some alter in the wings. Or more likely toward that which believers believe is made manifest there. As Mezzo Susana Poretsky sings Alleluia.

The Four Temperaments. Looking more rehearsed today, the corps was impressive throughout. Ellen Ostrom again impressed in Theme 1 and Glenn Keenan danced in place of Amanda Hankes in 2. Tom Gold danced with more clarity than amplitude in Melancholic, again replacing Sebastien Marcovici. Ask La Cour filled space and commanded attention in Phlegmatic. Looking like that tall Principal the company has needed for years, and what a partner he'd be for this afternoon's Choleric Teresa Reichlen! Her space-swallowing extensions and moves were there of course, and by there I mean the music. These last two temperaments were thrilling, as were the leads, soloists, and the CORPS in that fabulous finale.

[ViolinConcerto]

Sunday, February 18 The dreaded insert re illness and injury was of more substantial concern than usual, for it included Maurice Kaplow, who on Friday night was unable to return to the podium for the final piece, Evenfall. Much praise and appreciation to David Briskin for his work conducting Russian Seasons and The Four Temperaments.

So sorry to hear about Kaplow! Hope he's OK soon.

Russian Seasons was danced by the original cast, save The Woman in Red where Rebecca Krohn replaced Sofiane Sylve, who is otherwise occupied dancing Nikaya in Amsterdam. Ms. Krohn danced the technically demanding role very well, and with beauty, yet the light applause by just a few people after her first solo contrasted with the thunderclap that greeted Ms. Sylve at the premiere. The dramatic side of Ms. Sylve that creates a character was lacking.

On Tuesday Ms. Krohn received a very warm response.

Wendy Whelan was profound as the one who dies. She enters in white, with Albert Evans in priestly white as well; for her old friends she is but a spirit they are commemorating. Early in her solo is a nod to Act 2 Giselle, then another to the Sylphe in La Sylphide. Already non corporeal, she takes her leave toward rear stage right, pausing to kneel as if a Russian woman in church, toward some alter in the wings.

I've only seen this ballet twice, and did not perceive the narrative that drb sees. I hope to see it several more times and will look forward to greater insight!

[Natalia]

Friday, Feb. 17: "A Banquet of Dance" - Raymonda Variations, Afternoon of a Faun, Antique Epigraphs, Evenfall

A quick stop in NYC on my way to Chicago for the Joffrey's 'Destiny's Dances" program served up a banquet of surprises, both good and iffy:

Raymonda Variations - The frothy Balanchine/Glazunov work opened the program. Yvonne Borree was pretty, if less-than-polished, as the lead ballerina. Benjamin Millepied was downright magnificent as her cavalier, due to both technique (impecable batterie) and audience-grabbing flair. The five female soloists were all delightful, although Rebecca Krohn was particularly brilliant in the brisk 6th solo to flute-accented music that is rarely included in full-length stagings of the classical Petipa ballet 'Raymonda.'

Faun (Robbins/Debussy) - Janie Taylor was a Botticelli goddess to Craig Hall's ultra-handsome 'faunish' dancer in a rehearsal room. What a charismatic pairing; could an Agon pdd be in their future?

Epigraphs - My first 'live' look at this elegant ballet, also to Debussy, a pean to ancient Greece and evocation of Tanagra statues coming to life. It's a shame that this performance was marred by falls and slips, including a particularly baffling moment by the usually-wondrous Sara Mearns. Still -- it's a joy to see this mysterious Robbins work on the stage.

Evenfall (Wheeldon/Bartok) - as reported elsewhere in this forum, a 'bomshell' fell before the houselights dimmed on this ballet, as the orchestra suddenly stood up, packed its instruments and departed the pit. We all thought, "What the heck? A strike?" Then a voice announced that conductor Maurice Kaplow had fallen ill and that the orchestra would be unable to play tonight but, rather, pianist Cameron Grant would essay the entire Bartok piano concerto score alone. And play he did, inspiring very fine performances from lyrical Miranda Weese, handsome Seth Orza and the musical corps (despite a couple of slips from female corps, yet again). The pianist, in particular, was accorded a huge ovation at the end.