NYCB Winter 2008: week 7

[drb]

Thursday, February 14

Tonight's program would have seemed planned for Valentine's Day, but the theme, Matters of the Heart, was seriously flawed.

The evening began cheerily enough with Raymonda Variations led by the company's Heart Ashley Bouder, partnered by Andrew Veyette in place of Ben Millepied, due to "illness and injury." Mr. Veyette had significantly greater stamina in the role than he showed last year, perhaps in part by more careful pacing, so that he was able to whip off many fast multiple turns at the end. But of course this ballet is woman, the woman, Assoluta Bouder. Less mannered this year, playing with the steps not so much to dazzle as to show still more how Mr. Balanchine had enriched the Glazounov score, breathing extra time into the notes so that she could grace them with extra balances, sighs, and grace. The star-studded list of soloists, Savannah Lowery, fireball Tiler Peck, Sara A. Mearns, Rebecca Krohn (good to see her active again, just a year ago she seemed to be dancing every night), all did well by their solos, but Teresa Reichlen the one who danced on a grand ballerina scale.

Next came a pair, the first Balanchine's Hans Christian Anderson entertainment The Steadfast Tin Soldier. Megan Fairchild and Daniel Ulbricht were the flammable doll and tin soldier. Mr. Ulbricht supplied the grand elevation expected, while keeping in perfect rigid precision, as Ms. Fairchild seduced with her theme of diziness. After her first spinning led her to need his support, she leaned back finding her beating heart. Later he reached into his pocket and gave her his heart. But a draft set her spinning out of control and into the fire. All left to find for him was the heart he'd given her, lieing by the fireplace. He picked it up, not broken, and placed it once again into its tin prison. Well-danced, and well-played.

The second of the middle pair, Wheeldon's The Nightingale and the Rose, also featured a heart, this that of a bird who had to drain hers of blood in order to create a red rose for a heartless lout who needed it to please the whim of a heartless teen queen. It didn't. The only love was that of the bird, gloriously played by Wendy Whelan. The lout and teen queen were also played to perfection, by Tyler Angle and Sara A. Mearns.

Ten PM was approaching, with work in store for most the next day, and Valentine matters still left to complete, with depression from the last two tragedies to overcome, and so there was quite an exodus. With a small and tired audience left, the evening's substantial fare was served at 10:08 PM.

There were four debuts in Balanchine's Robert Schumann's Davidsbundlertanze, and a crucial substitution. From the casting sheets in the Lobby, Maria Kowroski is out for the rest of the season, save for one Oltremare where a change has yet to be posted. Thus the only Muse who has been able to attain Suzanne Farrell's level in this ballet was missing. We love Darci Kistler, and thank her for saving this performance, but in fairness, this part has not been in her range for well over a decade. The debuts were of Janie Taylor and Abi Stafford, representing other aspects of Clara Schumann, while Stephen Hanna took on the role of Schumann the composer. The main debut was Sara A. Mearns, taking over Kyra Nichol's portrayal of Clara as wife and mother. This is my favorite of all Kyra roles. I believe that she raised the role of Clara the Wife to the level of Farrell's Clara the Muse, and that playing opposite Kowroski's Muse, the two had made this ballet just about my favorite at NYCB.

Ms. Mearns, dancing with Charles Askegard's Schumann the husband, was from the start a dancing whirlwind of emotion, relating with her frenetic husband; at first there was happiness in the relationship, but soon his complex mix of mental problems became dominant. Stephen Hanna danced well opposite Muse Darci Kistler. Abi Stafford danced beautifully with Nilas Martins, usually reflecting lighter moments of the marriage, while beloved Janie of-the-dancing-hair Taylor hypnotized, as Jared Angle frequently turned her in attitude and we saw the archtype of beauty that so attracted the composer. Around the time, perhaps just before, in the real-life story where loving father Robert had, in a moment of madness slapped one of his girls, we see Clara alone on stage. It is the scene where Kyra had given a sense that each down-reaching dip of her hand was to caress and comfort one of her children. While Sara did not give quite this sense, her emotional reading was a summa of her whirlwind of a performance that had preceded. She knew that her battle to hold Robert to his family and to his art was lost, it was a dance of resignation and loss, yet it was, as dance, a moment of triumph and beauty. Of yielding, yet human courage. He (Askegard) faces his demons, in this instance his paranoia, as his enemies the scribes, critics, appear to torment him. He has a last visit with the aspects of his life as all the dancers appear, together and in groups and pairs. Sara makes one last effort, knowing it can only be a farewell, to hold him to reality, but he slips from her last grasp and slowly walks into the sea to protect his children from his madness, by drowning himself.

The performance could not be viewed as a triumph, for there was no balance between Clara the Wife and Clara the Muse. However it was a triumphant debut for Ms. Mearns, reminding us of her dramatic power as Odette/Odile. Her energy and focus were awesome. All the more amazing as it was her third ballet of the long evening. And one of 13 lead performances scheduled for this week. Is anyone still claiming that Blockhead programming leads to spreading out the work load of dancers? Indeed, each of the new dancers gave stirring performances. Especially, welcome back Janie Taylor. It was a blessing to see you.

As for programming, it was an abject failure. Those who remained at that late hour for this long and quiet ballet gave it a tepid reception.

[Helene]

This is my favorite of all Kyra roles. I believe that she raised the role of Clara the Wife to the level of Farrell's Clara the Muse,

In this Nichols followed the role's originator, Karin von Aroldingen, whose Clara the Wife always was equal to Clara the Muse.

[sz]

Thanks DRB for your lovely, detailed review. I was there too, and agree with many of your comments.

I was sitting very close to the stage, so I thoroughly enjoyed watching Raymonda Variations from such a close perspective, and was especially wow'd by the two big-girl soloists who came flying (jumps) out of the wings during the coda. Then they kicked (fast developes) their long, big extensions and began a series of fouettes, right next to each other. What a thrill! Both Reichlen and Mearns, as these soloists, had the strength, speed and confidence (and experience) to dance this demanding ballet with beautiful comfort and risk taking.

Ashley Bouder, partnered by Andrew Veyette, was also at her best. I agree, I thought she danced it far better this time than last year. It was quite thrilling with luxurious, solid balances and expressive arms on top of bright, brilliant technique. Veyette has a way to go still before he is anywhere near her match, but he did an excellent job, also better than last year. I especially loved how Veyette had to adust his stance at the very end of the ballet when Bouder dove into his arms, towards the floor, and towards the audience, right near the orchestra. Bouder had so much momentum and fearless abandon, that they both could easily have landed into the orchestra pit. And that's exactly how that dive is suppose to look. Exciting, thrilling, far from safe. I must see this all again over the weekend, it was that good--

I also loved Tiler Peck as one of the soloists in Raymonda. She has effortless, bright technique with a joyful, musical ease to every role she takes on.

The Steadfast Tin Soldier was far more than I was expecting with heartfelt and charming performances by Megan Fairchild and Daniel Ulbricht. Danny especially showed us a gentle soul, and sad sweetness, that gave his soldier a quality I hadn't seen before. Danny is never one to skimp on jumps and turns either, but in this ballet, his big, generous heart filled the stage in a role that can instead be awfully coy. Danny made me think of how wonderful he would be in that rose lead of Invitation to a Dance... one day perhaps....

Back to NYCB....

I'll skip The Nightingale and the Rose (Wheeldon's) which made a long evening far too long. Wheeldon's could have easily been cut and I wouldn't have missed it one bit.

Was sorry to hear about Maria Kowroski being out for the rest of the season. Darci Kistler was a poor replacement. It's becoming almost embarassing to watch Darci dance anything these days, and she did very little but distract in Davidsbundlertanze.

But debuting Janie Taylor was hypnotic. It's difficult to watch anybody else when she is on stage... Strikingly beautiful, her own other worldly style. Janie is completely at home in this ballet. Sara Mearns in Kyra's former part also danced dramatically with generous, lush movements, as drb said, "emotional." I'd go see both Janie and Sara again and again in this ballet. It'll be interesting to watch what they learn along the way as they gain more experience in these roles. Though I've seen this ballet many times, I have never stopped watching in awe at Balanchine's complexity (yet simple looking) choreography.

[ViolinConcerto]

Thanks drb and sz. Being very tired, the evening got longer and longer for me and by the time Davidsbundlertanze came along, I was too fatigued to give close attention. It was my first time seeing Nightengale/Rose, and while flawed, had so much originality/beauty in the "birdness" of Wendy Whelan's role that I could overlook many problems.

What sz says

Ashley Bouder, partnered by Andrew Veyette, was also at her best. I agree, I thought she danced it far better this time than last year. It was quite thrilling with luxurious, solid balances and expressive arms on top of bright, brilliant technique. Veyette has a way to go still before he is anywhere near her match, but he did an excellent job, also better than last year. I especially loved how Veyette had to adust his stance at the very end of the ballet when Bouder dove into his arms, towards the floor, and towards the audience, right near the orchestra. Bouder had so much momentum and fearless abandon, that they both could easily have landed into the orchestra pit. And that's exactly how that dive is suppose to look. Exciting, thrilling, far from safe.

is true, but I'd like to add that in this wonderful ballet, Bouder equalled Nina Ananiasvilli in technical prowess and beauty, and that Veyette has grown in his ability to pace himself and respond to his parter, but in confidence and enjoyment. They were both thrilling and if Mr. B was watching, (which he has since Ms. Bouder started taking her energetic falls), he was very, very happy.

On another note, if either sz or drb (or anyone) is willing to sit with me and a tape of Davids....etc, and give me some of their insights into this complex ballet, I would pay dearly in many ways. I'm serious.

Hey, we could start a private audience coaching service!

[tutu]

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Edited July 13, 2019 by tutu