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3 by Balanchine/Tschaikovsky at NYCB


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Just want to share that Kaitlin Gilliland's Serenade and Teresa Reichlin's Tschaik. Piano Concerto #2 were each beautiful. Gilliland looks so fragile, but she's capable of holding the audience alone on stage. Her arm gestures are grand and graceful, and she really fit into the ensemble perfectly. Tonight's Serenade began as always, with the stunning tableau, and ended with the thrilling walk towards heaven. The only thing detracting from its overall excellence, sad to say, was Darci Kistler, who should no longer be performing this role. She doesn't have the flexibility, and she is too cautious at the wrong times.

I really was amazed at Reichlin's command and presence, as well as her musicality -- which I have always criticized here. Her arabesques were generous, her line superior and her back supple. She and Jonathan Stafford worked beautifully together. I felt that his line and footwork were beautiful.

Wendy Whelan and Benjamin Millepied complimented each other very well in Mozartiana , and had good eye contact. He gave more energy and commitment to his solos than he usually does (IMHO). She was serious when appropriate and lighthearted where appropriate.

That's the short version. I hope others who were there will fill in the details.

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I was there and it was a thrilling evening, building to a spectacular finale and then Tess & Jon & Savannah being called out before this curtain four times. There was a tingling air of excitement in the house as the Piano Concerto proceeded.

My impression of Darci is rather different; I like her very dramatic approach to the role despite her obvious momentary struggles technically. Possibly if Jenifer Ringer wasn't on leave of absence Darci would not have been dancing this ballet; they need to groom new women for several of the big Balanchine roles (giving Tess the TPC2 is a great idea) and the news that Janie Taylor will debut in SERENADE in Washington DC gives us something to look forward to at the next NYC revival.

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I couldn't agree more about Reichlen's first Piano Concerto --

In addition to everything else, it was amazing for its sheer, raw star power. From the moment of her first entrance, she "had" the theater entirely her own; the first pirouettes on entrance over, you could see the confidence build and the sense of excitement in the house was palpable. The company on the stage fed off it and you could see that too -- a few of the corps girls were visibly watching her (Brittany Pollack for one) and once Reichlen took off, you could sense the energy on stage mount. Then at the first exit, huge applause, and it just got better after that.

There are a few performances a season which are remarkable (and memorable) for excitement and for a kind of Elias Canetti, "crowds and power" feeling and this was probably the biggest such outpouring from an audience (or rather between an audience and a performer and the company) that I've witnessed this year at the State Theater. I don't remember another such ovation this Winter, except for Nikolai Hubbe's final Apollo.

But back to the performance: Reichlen made the ballet look very beautiful as a whole and that was probably the best thing about it. You had the regal sense you want -- a sense that's often missed. You will often see that ballet danced as a bravura piece (cf. Gillian Murphy at ABT in Ballet Imperial some years back) but very seldom do you feel in addition to that tour de force, the additional sense of "hierarchy" and "Imperial Baroque," the sense of incandescent beauty that the ballet can have when performed at its best.

There are, for example -- in addition to everything else -- moments in the choreography when the ballerina just stands there and commands the stage as the corps moves around her; when she's a Queen and the 2d Ballerina is a Princess and the corps de ballet is their court; and the extraordinary thing was how good the sense of those moments was last night. Kudos to John Stafford too, the male lead, as he deserves every bit as much credit as Ms. Reichlen for creating that sense and for supporting her. He looked a good deal more relaxed doing that than he did last year with Ms. Sylve, though Reichlen's probably as much of a handful for a partner.

In the Chutzpah department: NYCB really needs to promote both Reichlen and Sara Mearns. Reichlen after this and Mearns after Davidbundlertanze the past couple of weeks. They both totally deserve it.

MP

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Russian Treasures

Friday 22 February

Third Ring

This was my first time seeing Serenade live, and it was quite a thrilling experience. I've seen random taped segments of companies (Mariinsky, Tokyo, etc) performing Serenade, but nothing quite matches the atmosphere of a live performance. The NYCB performs it with much more 'snap' than I had expected. I must confess that I gasped when everyone turned out to first in unison - I knew it was coming but it was quite thrilling to see everyone open their bodies and their feet out to their audience in preparation.

Quite unfortunately the strings sounded quite thin - it could not be avoided, but I was distracted at odd moments by the thinness in the texture of the violin-playing.

I thought Yvonne Bourree was very brittle especially at the beginning of the ballet. She relaxed into the dancing as the piece went on, but her movements did not flow as the choreography seemed to demand. As to Kaitlin Gilliland, I marveled at her port de bras while she was on-stage; her arms were meltingly beautiful, if I may butcher adverbs for a minute. Darci Kistler had some very beautiful moments but they did not sustain themselves. It seemed to be very much of a "end of career" performance as she looked through the corp looking for her place and then at the end, when her body language indicated desperation at being carried away toward Heaven. It was her time but she did not want to go yet. But, as stated, the moments did not last long. Kistler's flexibility was limited and she fumbled with her hair (both hands on her bun, why..won't...it...flow...?) at the crucial moment.

I've seen Mozartiana three times now - first time with Whalen and the second time at the ABT with Part and Beloserkovsky. I'm not a big fan of Mozartiana, unfortunately, as I find it very difficult to get into with its starting and stopping (especially in the Variations). Whalen is very much in command, but I find her dancing to be beautiful in a very cold, earth-bound sort of way.

Tom Gold did an excellent job in the Gigue, very beautifully clean footwork and all. However, I've always thought that the music demanded more authority in the execution of the choreography as counterpoint, otherwise the dancer seems to float on top of the music and become a bit o' fluff. I seem to remember a BT thread talking about Ib Anderson in the role and the subsequent casting in the 80s based mistakenly on size than on personality...?

I can't decide whether the Menuet needed more rehearsal time. It was a very nice performance but occasionally I would focus on the floor pattern and realize that there was none.

The orchestra and piano had a few risky moments nearing going out of sync at the beginning of Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2, but they settled down as the dancing started. This is my first time seeing the piece - and corp posed on-stage with their glittering finery was a particularly beautiful sight. It also establishes the regality of the imaginary setting right away. I took a while to get into Reichlen's dancing - she looked a bit tentative at the beginning but built onto her performance with every appearance. It was, again, a very cold and regal sort of beauty. In comparison, I thought that Lowery as the 'princess' took command of the stage immediately (in contrast). Her dancing was very full and womanly (I can't think of another word for it). My long-suffering friend and I in the Third Ring felt her warmth and wanted very badly to be part of _her_ retinue.

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Tom Gold did an excellent job in the Gigue, very beautifully clean footwork and all. However, I've always thought that the music demanded more authority in the execution of the choreography as counterpoint, otherwise the dancer seems to float on top of the music and become a bit o' fluff. I seem to remember a BT thread talking about Ib Anderson in the role and the subsequent casting in the 80s based mistakenly on size than on personality...?

Ib Anderson was the original male lead, partnering Suzanne Farrell. The "Gigue" role was created on Victor Castelli, but premiered by his understudy, Christopher d'Amboise because of an injury to Castelli. Neither d'Amboise nor Castelli is (was, unfortunately, in Castelli's case) a small man. I believe that the first time the role was done by a small dancer was when Gen Horiuchi did the role.

Two books on the subject, Christopher d'Amboise's memoir, "Leap Year," and "Balanchine's Mozatiana: The Making of a Masterpiece" by Robert Maiorano.

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Wonderful post, Emilienne. Thanks.

I don't know whether you've heard this old story aboutt when Martha Graham first saw Serenade -- she burst into tears when hte corps turned out to first position

ReMozartiana, maybe it would be worth it to see if you could get hold of the video of it with Farrell -- maybe your library has it? The variations make sense when SHE does them (they're hilarious, some of them), and hte opening prayer is sublime. It's a strange ballet. Kyra Nichols and Nina Ananiashvili did make it their own, too, but not many can. AND you should see Castelli in the Gigue. Nothing can make the minuet very interesting, I'm afraid.

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Nothing can make the minuet very interesting, I'm afraid.
It is the weakest movement of the ballet, but I don't think it's entirely without interest.
I can't decide whether the Menuet needed more rehearsal time. It was a very nice performance but occasionally I would focus on the floor pattern and realize that there was none.
I think the floor patterns are the most interesting feature of the Menuet, partly because they are sometimes ambiguous. Are the four women placed three along a diagonal and one not? Is it arbitrary, or do they make a triangle? Are they two rows of two or a diamond shape?

When that movement is at its best, the audience picks up on the conversation among the dancers.

I join Paul in thanking you for your fine review, emilienne. And thanks, too, to Violin Concerto and Michael.

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ReMozartiana, maybe it would be worth it to see if you could get hold of the video of it with Farrell -- maybe your library has it? The variations make sense when SHE does them (they're hilarious, some of them), and hte opening prayer is sublime. It's a strange ballet. Kyra Nichols and Nina Ananiashvili did make it their own, too, but not many can. AND you should see Castelli in the Gigue. Nothing can make the minuet very interesting, I'm afraid.

What a marvelous introduction to Serenade live. I think I dreamt about that snap to first by the corp last night.

Quite unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to see Farrell in the role though I would dearly love to. I don't go into New York very often and I spent the day before in the library feasting on older recordings of Concerto Barocco (though the 16 mm of McBride and Villela rehearsing Rubies did make my afternoon).

As to Mozartiana, I've seen it once in the Third Ring (and unfortunately forgot most of what I saw), and saw Part in City Center from orchestra where I could not see the floor pattern at all (Part remains the benchmark in this ballet for me even despite her falling off pointe at the height of the music). Last night's Minuet did not crystallize into a conversation - there were murmurs and overtures toward coherently ambiguous patterns, but as it was remained a jumble.

Many ovations for Piano Concerto No 2. I've seen Lopatkina in it in a recording but then promptly forgot most of it. Do wish that I had a better frame of reference by which to judge Reichlen but she was indeed excellent in the role. Does the role want more warmth or more regality and command, or are they compatible qualities in a dancer, especially in this ballet? I can't decide, especially after last night's performance with Reichlen as the latter and Lowery embodying the former.

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The Minuet in MOZARTIANA is musically one of the most fascinating parts of the suite with its occasional use of the odd harmonic and its subtly bubbling undercurrents. For those of us who are corps-watchers at NYC Ballet this segment is always of real interest since it's assigned to four tall senior corps girls. The other night we had the unexpected pleasure of having soloist Rebecca Krohn stepping in to the quartet for an ailing Gwyneth Muller. For me the Minuet has always been an integral part of MOZARTIANA.

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My two cents --

Serenade - When is Darci going to retire?! Ditto Yvonne? Both were brittle, creaky, very much lacking in physical execution needed for this lush ballet. Instead we were subjected to overly done acting/mannerisms which is not the style of this Balanchine ballet. Kaitlyn Gilliland, new to the dark angel part, was overall very good. She understands the part and dances it well, but there were some overly done mannerisms there too that ought to be toned down or turned off completely. One does not need to lather on extras to this ballet of already choreographed dramatic beauty.

Mozartiana - danced beautifully by Benjamin Millepied. It was fantastic to see all of the steps once again which he did so clearly and strongly. Millepied also had a cool, elegant, easy presence which complimented the music and style of the ballet. Wendy Whelan, always interesting, was unfortunately starting to look a bit too creaky. I found myself remembering her performances past that were far better.

The four big girls were suppose to be just beautiful in relating, dancing together. A conversational quality too. But that takes a chemistry that wasn't there this season except in Dena Abergel -- one could watch her alone and be satsified. The foursome is definitely lacking three other charming, womanly beauties...

TP2 - I'll add my bravas to Tess Reichlin's command and presence, and musicality -- and her gorgeous, huge lines. I thought this was a fine debut for Tess that started out tight and tense with nerves, but quickly warmed up, loosened up, to a beautiful, elegant performance. Tess and Jonathan Stafford both have this cool youthfulness to their fine techniques. Reichlin has some work to do on this ballet, but I think rather quickly she will become the ballerina to give this ballet it's daring, technically striking, yet lovely, regal quality.

And over the weekend, I couldn't resist seeing Raymonda Variations one more time this season. Saturday night's performance with Megan Fairchild and Andrew Veyette in the leads. Also the same four soloists, three of whom were beautifully amazing in their difficult solos and coda! Sara Mearns, Tiler Peck, and Tess Reichlin. Tess already seemed to be a newly inspired dancer from her wonderful debut in TP2 the night before.

All danced as well as I have ever seen them, and especially Megan and Andrew. Megan seemed to have found a new joy dancing this role. It is full of feminine charming style now where it once was just clean technique to marvel at. And Veyette has improved greatly with confidence and strength, no small part due to having danced *all* of the Raymonda Variations this season - full of very demanding male partnering and solos. He has had two different partners this season, Bouder and Fairchild, in Raymonda, but the male lead was his alone to learn from and enjoy. Bravo to Andrew for making each one better than the one before!

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Ib Anderson was the original male lead, partnering Suzanne Farrell. The "Gigue" role was created on Victor Castelli, but premiered by his understudy, Christopher d'Amboise because of an injury to Castelli. Neither d'Amboise nor Castelli is (was, unfortunately, in Castelli's case) a small man. I believe that the first time the role was done by a small dancer was when Gen Horiuchi did the role.

Two books on the subject, Christopher d'Amboise's memoir, "Leap Year," and "Balanchine's Mozatiana: The Making of a Masterpiece" by Robert Maiorano.

Some interesting Mozartiana trivia...Tallchief/Mejia's Chicago City Ballet was the first company to perform it outside of NYCB, back in 1982 (or 83). Ib was stricken with appendicitis the opening night in Chicago, and Adam Luders filled in (if memory serves me right) with Suzanne F., who of course was married to Mejia at the time. CCB dancers did all the other parts, with Craig Wright, who later joined ABT, in the Gigue role.

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Interesting that for both performances of Piano Concerto this weekend the piano was not in the orchestra pit -- instead the pianist was placed on the stage level, on that stage extension outside the proscenium stage right, where the piano generally is placed when there's no orchestra involved (say for Dances at a Gathering). Because, it's way to the side, there's no way that the pianist can see the conductor or the conductor the pianist from that spot --

I don't remember the orchestra and piano for that ballet being disposed that way before -- the piano is probably more audible at very low touch from there, the pianist can be very subtle. Overall the coordination between piano and orchestra remained quite good. It was in all an improvement in sound.

Friday, Maurice Kaplow took Piano Concerto at a slower pace than Karoui did yesterday for Bouder. Who was tremendous by the way; very lyrical, confident, commanding, and musically subtle - she has grown into the role a great deal in the past year and has her dance interpretation of it down . . . and it's her interpretation, something to see from a very musical ballerina.

I must say that I do not, however, share the general enthusiasm expressed in the press for Mr. Karoui's conducting of the orchestra this season. To my ear, the sound of the orchestra as a whole has deteriorated from its level in the Andrea Quinn era. Quinn often, if not always, lost touch with the stage, that's true; but the orchestra had a very rich tone under her leadership in comparison with the years before she arrived. Karoui also loses touch with the stage -- not as much as Quinn, but enough for one to say it's a fairly regular thing -- and the orchestra as a whole is losing that rich quality.

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>for both performances of Piano Concerto this weekend the piano

>was not in the orchestra pit -- instead the pianist was placed

>on the stage level, on that stage extension outside the

>proscenium stage right...

The piano is heard much stronger/louder outside of the pit, and I think that's where it has belonged in TP2, at NYCB, for years now.

Did anybody notice that Troy Schumacher was the page turner for the pianist on Thursday night?!! It was Troy!!

The pianist was ok, but I agree it was Kaplow's fine conducting overall that made this performance (as with so many others) work so beautifully. Whenever I see Karoui's name in the program, I cringe knowing I'm going to see less dancing, most of the dancers will look rushed, and the music will not be of any finer quality for all of Karoui's rushing.

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The pianist was ok, but I agree it was Kaplow's fine conducting overall that made this performance (as with so many others) work so beautifully. Whenever I see Karoui's name in the program, I cringe knowing I'm going to see less dancing, most of the dancers will look rushed, and the music will not be of any finer quality for all of Karoui's rushing.

I always think when I see TP2 that it must be hard for a pianist to have to play a difficult and expressive piece like this at the service of dancers' tempos.

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Under Kaplow's conducting at NYCB, I don't think TP2 is *distorted* at all to consider dancers' tempi needs. I'll have to listen to a recording or two I have at home to confirm this. But at NYCB, the rule has always been that music/musicians and choreography/dancers are complimentary partners.

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I saw Sunday’s performance, and while I agree that Darci Kistler looks tentative, she still has some of that lyricism that has made her worth watching.

In Mozartiana, Wendy Whelan was lovely, but for me, lacks something in this role.

And Ashley Bouder made the afternoon. She is so sharp in her technique, and truly fills the shoes in this role. In every other role, I find myself thinking of those who have danced it before – for instance, Kyra Nichols, Suzanne Farrell in Serenade and Mozartiana… Ashley made me appreciate the moment.

In the last several performances I have seen, I have found the corps not quite together. They were there for the big finale moments in TP2, but not for most of it. With so many people on stage, it looks sloppy. But this seems to cycle in NYCB – some years I find the corps work outshines the principals.

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I . . . found the corps not quite together. They were there for the big finale moments in TP2, but not for most of it. With so many people on stage, it looks sloppy.

The corps was indeed sloppy in that performance but that wasn't a rule of thumb this season, they've actually been much crisper and better rehearsed overall. The exceptions were the first couple of nights after Double Feature, which had a dress rehearsal look and Sunday afternoon when you felt them stumbling to the finishing line. And also the sense that the season peaked on Friday and Saturday nights. Everything was a little sloppy Sunday afternoon, we saw it in Mozartiana too from everyone (Millepied and Whelan included) and plenty in Serenade as well. Wasn't that moment particularly poetic when Kistler let down her hair?

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Wasn't that moment particularly poetic when Kistler let down her hair?

Yes, that was a lovely moment - especially since someone had commented on how labored it looked in a different performance.

My comments on the corps are based on only a few performances; a few weeks ago in Western Symphony I thought the same thing. I'm glad to hear that except for those few occasions, it probably was just end of season fatigue!

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You are right about that. Western was a bit of a casualty both times I saw it this year -- particulary First Movement -- which looked reduced to a nothing. Of everything performed, that ballet looked about the worst this season. That extends to the newly made costumes (replaced two years ago) as well as to the conducting, orchestra sound and tempi of those performances.

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