New York City Ballet 2021-2022 season

[MarzipanShepherdess]

20 hours ago, canbelto said:

How was the new Tanowitz? Good?

Yes! Would love to see it again. A lot to take in and engage with. I really enjoy how Tanowitz continues to twist and subvert classical ballet conventions (for example, doing a lot with flexed instead of pointed feet, doing these movements that are kind of burlesques on pliés, etc). Throughout Law of Mosaics, I kept seeing things I hadn't seen before in ballet, like arabesques that then fracture into off-kilter backbends. Sara Mearns has an unusual solo which closes the piece, very emotional and heavy, weighted down, slow and constrained movements...it made me think of some comments Sara made during a talk following her evening at the Joyce this spring about being interested in exploring "small" in her dancing now after years of striving to dance really big. Tanowitz definitely gave her an opportunity to do that and challenge herself artistically, hard to imagine anyone else doing that solo. I hope they bring Law of Mosaics back for future seasons.

Gustave Le Gray, Tanowitz's other piece on the program, is not brand-new like Law of Mosaics but is new to City Ballet and I also found it fresh and engaging. Four dancers and an on-stage pianist, who towards the end of the ballet gets recruited into movement and continues to play the piano in a crouch as the dancers slowly move the piano across the stage--again, something unexpected that was exciting and impactful. Naomi Corti subbed in for Anthony Huxley--she also subbed in for Mira Nadon in Law of Mosaics, quite a night for her. The costumes have these strips of fabric that attach at the ankle and shoulder, which create an orb effect when the dancers are turning; one of the more successful creative costume choices I've seen in a while, which felt like it enhanced the choreography rather than distracting.

Edited April 24, 2022 by MarzipanShepherdess

[uptowner]

I was there tonight as well and absolutely loved the costumes for the Gustave le Gray, they were fascinating to watch as the dancers moved and then were still, and I really liked how the fabric would part and reveal their body underneath. The still photos don't really capture the effect well. I also quite liked the costumes for Law of Mosaics (at first when they came on stage I didn't, but as they began to move in them, I found it visually arresting). 

[abatt]

I attended the Sat matinee.  I've never seen Miriam Miller dance better.  Maybe the promotion has given her new confidence.  Her Dark Angel was terrific.  Also refreshing to see a tall Russian Girl (Hod) for a change.

Isabella LaFreniere was the standout for me in Goldberg Variations.  She and Adrian look great together.  I missed the last revival of this work, so it's been a while since I've seen it.  Part II flew by and was wonderful, but Part 1 just goes on for far too long with too much repetitive choreography. 

[JuliaJ]

I was also at the Saturday matinee and was blown away by Miller's expansive dancing. I used to find her dancing a little stiff but she's grown a lot as an artist. 

In Goldberg Variations, LaFreniere showed that she can fully handle (and further grow into) the Mearns/Kowrowski/Reichlen rep. My favorites were Woodward and Hyltin though. Woodward is really peaking in artistry right now, and her technique is on par with the very best at NYCB. It took me a couple years to fully appreciate Hyltin's talents but I'm savoring every second of her dancing while we have it! She has such a unique way of making everything look light and effortless. Will miss Ramasar as well; he looked great on Saturday. 

[Royal Blue]

For the Saturday matinee performance I wavered slightly before buying a ticket in the last row of the Third Ring. There were several reasons for attending. First, the thought of missing even a single performance of The Goldberg Variations displeased me. Second, to show my appreciation for the second of two superb casts (particularly Isabella LaFreniere and Indiana Woodward who made excellent debuts in their respective roles on Thursday evening). Third, to see Sterling Hyltin's final appearance in this great work before her impending retirement. And finally, the desire to experience the ballet from that perspective. Only the potential disruptive activity of anyone in the audience was a concern. During the intermission I actually had to move to the other side of the theater in order to avoid a little girl who was talking throughout Serenade —despite the fact that there were a couple of children over there too (in addition to that section being more crowded). In the event, neither the children nor the adults for the most part on that side proved disruptive. The performance was marvelous, and The Goldberg Variations looked simply fabulous from the Third Ring.

Part I of the ballet in this year's run had the same soloists for all performances: Miriam Miller, Preston Chamblee, Emilie Gerrity, Ashley Laracey, Daniel Applebaum, Jovani Furlan, Aaron Sanz, and Sebastian Villarini-Velez. For Part II there were two different casts. The first consisted of Unity Phelan, Sara Mearns, Tiler Peck, Taylor Stanley, Tyler Angle and Joseph Gordon. In the second were Sterling Hyltin, Isabella LaFreniere, Indiana Woodward, Amar Ramasar, Adrian Danchig-Waring and Chun Wai Chan. (The names in bold signify those making their debut in a  role.) Hats off to all these people for their lovely performances, as well as to every single member of the corps who participated, and to the pianist (Susan Walters).

NYCB's repertoire contains many wonderful ballets. However, there is none that I craved to see more right now than The Goldberg Variations. Full-length, medium or short, narrative or abstract, this is one of the greatest of all ballets. No other evokes the awe-inspiring sweep of history, and its connection to the present and future remotely the same way. True, this is due to a great extent to the magnificent composition Johann Sebastian Bach created 281 years ago! So what? A choreographer chooses the music for his work. The opening of the ballet is an exquisitely simple and elegant pas de deux. Starting with the dazzling 29th Variation (spectacularly led by Joseph Gordon and Tiler Peck last Tuesday and Wednesday), the entire concluding segment is one of the most brilliant and poignant in all the performing arts. In between, Robbins filled the work with choreography of considerable variety and great beauty. One does not have to understand every choice that he made, any more than one has to grasp all the technical aspects of Bach's music. What the main message might be is encapsulated in the repetition at the end of the composition of its melting opening musical theme, and the different costumes we observe the elegant couple wearing in the beginning and close of the ballet.

I am grateful that the artistic team revived The Goldberg Variations during a challenging season, that it scheduled the ballet for the spring, and that it took care to cast it well. Serenade and The Goldberg Variations together —what an irresistible program! For me, the Thursday evening performance of the former (with arresting debuts by Ashley Hod and Miriam Miller as the Russian Girl and Dark Angel respectively) jelled together as one wishes it would every time for this glorious ballet. Its surpassing "Elegy" section with the stunningly beautiful Dark Angel trio of Sara Mearns, Miriam Miller and Aarón Sanz was so powerful on Saturday afternoon also that no disruptive behavior could blunt its impact.

During the opening night of the season on Tuesday, the orchestra played the short but affecting Melody for String Orchestra by the late Ukrainian composer Myroslav Skoryk as an expression of solidarity with the Ukrainian people. How ironic that it was fortuitously followed by the sublime work of a famed Russian composer on the one hand, and the towering one of an illustrious German composer on the other!
 

Edited April 25, 2022 by Royal Blue

[MarzipanShepherdess]

Also attended the Saturday Serenade/Goldberg Variations matinee and felt it was a wonderful afternoon. I really liked the duo of Serenade and Goldberg Variations and felt they balanced each other well. Serenade is such a lush, profoundly emotional, intense 30 minutes, and GV to me feels more playful, less emotional weighty but lots of intellectual interest and beauty. Each great in its own way.

Agree with @abattand @JuliaJthat Miriam Miller is a fantastic new Dark Angel, her gorgeous lines, port de bras, and arabesque all on show to great effect. IMO Hod's made a fine debut with room to grow--hopefully she will dance Russian Girl bigger and with some more fire as she gains confidence in the role (and I recognize it was no mean feat to even make the debut given her recent recovery from COVID). I was just blown away by Sara's Waltz Girl; I've seen her dance this role a number of times but it really feels like she continues to evolve it in such moving ways. On Saturday, I was particularly struck by the intensity with which she clung to Aaron Sanz's hand as Miriam was leading him offstage, really trying to pull him back towards her: this Waltz Girl was not going to just accept that parting peacefully. That moment really informed the ending sequence for me, making the final resignation to fate that Sara projected while kneeling before the final lift, and the sense of transcendent acceptance in her final backbend, that much more moving.

Thought the whole GV cast looked great and will add to the praise for Isabella and Sterling that I was especially struck by Miriam and Preston as the opening and closing pas de deux couple (such gravity and elegance), Chun Wai Chan in the second part knocking out some amazing turns, and Ashley Laracey who was lovely and light in her part I solo.

[cobweb]

I know this comes up from time to time, but can anyone recommend a reasonably priced restaurant, close to the theatre, for a sit-down dinner before the show on a weeknight? I could go with Le Pain Quotidien, but was wondering about other options. 

[FPF]

1 hour ago, cobweb said:

I know this comes up from time to time, but can anyone recommend a reasonably priced restaurant, close to the theatre, for a sit-down dinner before the show on a weeknight? I could go with Le Pain Quotidien, but was wondering about other options. 

The last time I saw the ballet at Lincoln Center (February 2020), my friend and I enjoyed dinner at La Boîte en Bois: http://laboitenyc.com

[Marta]

6 minutes ago, FPF said:

The last time I saw the ballet at Lincoln Center (February 2020), my friend and I enjoyed dinner at La Boîte en Bois: http://laboitenyc.com

Nice Matin is good and reasonably priced.  At 79th & Amsterdam it's a bit less close than La Boite en Bois, but a very quick ride on the bus or #1 subway.

https://nicematinnyc.com/

[MarzipanShepherdess]

1 hour ago, cobweb said:

I know this comes up from time to time, but can anyone recommend a reasonably priced restaurant, close to the theatre, for a sit-down dinner before the show on a weeknight? I could go with Le Pain Quotidien, but was wondering about other options. 

The Smith (which is right across the street) is my reasonably priced pre-ballet go-to. For meat eaters, Bar Boulud also has entrees under $30. 

[abatt]

The Smith is, in my opinion, the noisiest restaurant I've ever eaten at.  

I would recommend Il Violino (Italian) or Sapphire (Indian), both a few minutes walk away from Lincoln Center. 

Edited April 26, 2022 by abatt

[FayBallet]

3 hours ago, cobweb said:

I know this comes up from time to time, but can anyone recommend a reasonably priced restaurant, close to the theatre, for a sit-down dinner before the show on a weeknight? I could go with Le Pain Quotidien, but was wondering about other options. 

The Ribbon is about a 15 minute walk away. I think the menu can get on the pricier side, but you can get a sandwich/burger and fries for under $30.

[FauxPas]

This Sunday I went to the "Visionary Voices" program which included two pieces that were company premieres.  The program was reshuffled with Law of Mosaics going first.

Anthony Huxley was out of two ballets and Mira Nadon was out of Law of Mosaics.  Naomi Corti did very well replacing Anthony Huxley in Gustave Le Gray No. 1 and Nadon in Law of Mosaics.  Victor Abreu was excellent replacing Huxley in Emanon - in Two Movements.

LAW OF MOSAICS (NEW HEARNE/TANOWITZ): Mearns, M. Miller, LaFreniere (replaces Durham), Naomi Corti (replaces Nadon),  Lister, Janzen, Danchig-Waring, Grant, Chamblee, Applebaum  [Guest Conductor: Hearne] 

NYCB World Premiere.  This frankly was boring.  The problem is that Ted Hearne's score (which he conducted in the pit) is dry and boring - just a bunch of random string chords banging away with little sustained musical development or steady rhythms.  It was not "dansante" as the old ballet masters would say.  The choreography included pointe work but used unimaginatively - the male dancers had better choreography.  It also had a false ending with everyone onstage and then more dancing by a few soloists and sort of ended with a whimper.  Sara Mearns had a rather cold distant principal role that did her no favors nor elicited the warmth or expressiveness we want from her.  It would have better suited the retired Tess Reichlen or Maria Kowroski.  Russell Janzen looked great in the body suit but Preston Chamblee has bulked up and didn't look good and some of his movements looked clumsy and not well-controlled.  Miriam Miller was striking and elegant.

Intermission

EMANON – IN TWO MOVEMENTS (Shorter/Jamar Roberts): Phelan, Woodward, Kikta, E. Von Enck, Abreu (replaces Huxley), Furlan, Walker, Fahoury

This has a bright funky jazz score by Wayne Shorter and a sense of fun with colorful costumes.  It wasn't important or weighty or particularly new but it was enjoyable and gave the dancers a chance to shine.  It seeks to entertain and does.  Jovani Furlan has a sense of the jazz style and really shone in his solos and duets.  Like a lot of Alvin Ailey (not Ailey's classics but the new stuff) or DTH choreography it is fun to watch once and the dancers really sell it but it is forgotten immediately after you see it.

Intermission

GUSTAVE LE GRAY NO. 1 (Shaw/Tamowitz): Applebaum, Naomi Corti (replaces Huxley), Hutchinson+, Santos+   [+Guest Artist, Dance Theatre of Harlem; Solo Piano: Gosling]  

NYCB premiere.  This ballet has two couples - two of the dancers were from Dance Theater of Harlem.  This was a watchable piece that doesn't use much ballet technique.  Thus Naomi Corti could replace Anthony Huxley since it was all flat feet.  You didn't need NYCB dancers to perform it but they add a lot to the choreography.  (This is a trend among the Wendy Whelan curated pieces at NYCB under this administration.)  There are very striking unisex red costumes with a draped fabric attached to the ankle.  Men and women (one of the couples was supposed to be male/male but was replaced by a woman) dance the same choreography.  Fun moment where the dancers interact with the solo pianist (no spoilers!)

I didn't love it but I didn't hate it but it made the last third of the program too long when combined with Justin Peck's Partita.

pause

PARTITA (Shaw/Peck): Kretzschmar, Bradley, Woodward, Hod, Coll, Chan, Fahoury, Stanley

This was seen last season.  I saw it back last January and liked it well enough but it made less of an impression the second time.   Another Peck sneaker ballet.  Seemed overlong but it was in combination with the Tamowitz ballet and that added to it.  Love the set design by Eva LeWitt.  Not a big fan of Caroline Shaw's music which goes in one ear and out the other without making an impression.  Filler.  Claire Kretzschmar (androgynous looking) has two striking duets with India Bradley who shines.  Chan as always looks great.  I hadn't noticed Jonathan Fahoury much before this but he shone in both the Roberts and the Peck ballets.  Harrison Coll works a wife beater well and really had the style down. 

Edited April 26, 2022 by FauxPas
not dissing Ailey

[cobweb]

Thanks to all for the restaurant suggestions! I think we’re going with Sapphire. 

[cobweb]

Week 4 casting is up. Many interesting debuts. I look forward to Apollo with debuts by Ashley Laracey and Sara Adams. Erica Pereira in Rubies, hmmmm. We shall see. 

[vipa]

38 minutes ago, cobweb said:

Week 4 casting is up. Many interesting debuts. I look forward to Apollo with debuts by Ashley Laracey and Sara Adams. Erica Pereira in Rubies, hmmmm. We shall see. 

Erica Pereira has leads in Baiser de la Fee and Rubies. She's been a soloist since 2009, but cast infrequently. Could be her do or die time. Glad to see Alexa Maxwell get a shot a the Cage.

[cobweb]

5 minutes ago, vipa said:

Erica Pereira has leads in Baiser de la Fee and Rubies. She's been a soloist since 2009, but cast infrequently. Could be her do or die time. Glad to see Alexa Maxwell get a shot a the Cage.

If it were Maxwell in Rubies, I would be there come hell or high water. With Hyltin leaving, they have room for another petite promotion, and I vote for Maxwell. 

[vipa]

19 minutes ago, cobweb said:

If it were Maxwell in Rubies, I would be there come hell or high water. With Hyltin leaving, they have room for another petite promotion, and I vote for Maxwell. 

I too have been a Maxwell fan since she joined. I believe she was out with an injury for a while and that may have stalled things for her, but I always found her outstanding both in presence and technique.

[Jacqueline]

I must say I was very impressed with Pereira in Serenade during winter season. (She was cast with Hyltin and Gerrity and it was a glorious trio to my eye.)  Glad to see Veyette back (he studied under Yvonne Mounsey at my daughters' studio in LA).  I am also super happy to see more opportunities for Ashley Laracey. And can't wait to see Week 5 casting for Four Seasons and Piano Pieces since I'll be there from Texas for my birthday.   I will have dinner at the Smith AFTER the show.  It is noisy, but fun and lots of times, dancers are there.

Edited April 27, 2022 by Jacqueline
added thoughts...no big deal!

[BalanchineFan]

16 hours ago, cobweb said:

Thanks to all for the restaurant suggestions! I think we’re going with Sapphire. 

One of my favorites is Indie Food and Wine, which is part of the Elinor Bunin Film Center, part of Lincoln Center. It's on 64th St, more or less underneath the pool with the huge sculpture in it. They are less formal during the day, more like a cafe where you order and take the food to your seat yourself. At night it becomes a proper restaurant with waitstaff and candles. The food is quite good and reasonably priced. They have a nice selection of wines, but probably not a full bar.

https://www.filmlinc.org/visit-us/indie-food-and-wine/

13 hours ago, vipa said:

I too have been a Maxwell fan since she joined. I believe she was out with an injury for a while and that may have stalled things for her, but I always found her outstanding both in presence and technique.

Alexa Maxwell looked gorgeous in the corps of Goldberg Variations. A real stand out. I could see her getting cast somewhat like Lauren Lovette and Sterling Hyltin. She is tiny.

[yukionna4869]

A couple of changes to casting so far. 

Most notably for me: Huxley, Chan, and Nadon have been replaced in 4Ts. 

[canbelto]

Chan posted on his IG stories that he's really sick too.

[Royal Blue]

On 4/25/2022 at 3:42 PM, MarzipanShepherdess said:

GV to me feels more playful, less emotional weighty  

 

 

A perfectly valid position, as there are many lighthearted moments in The Goldberg Variations! Nearly all those moments, however, I find to be extremely beautiful (the most powerful naturally being the 30th Variation with all the dancers splendidly arrayed on the stage). And since I am burdened with what psychologists call the "Xerxes complex" they are transmuted for me into poignant ones. Significantly, poignancy is not to be equated to sadness: a performance of The Goldberg Variations is for yours truly always an eminently wholesome experience. Simply a ballet that carries much, much greater "emotional weight" from my standpoint though! Additionally, I consider Bach's opening theme (with which the composition also concludes) to be one of the greatest expressions in music of this "Xerxes complex” —so it invariably triggers a strong emotional reaction.

                                                                                                                               ------

All the dancing by Sara Mearns and Tiler Peck with downcast eyes in their respective serious pas de deux was absolutely divine last evening. And there was another blazing performance by the latter in the wondrous 29th Variation. The decision to cast the six soloists in Part I for all five performances was anything but excessive to this viewer, since they were all thoroughly delightful. Watching Ashley Laracey and Emilie Gerrity especially dance these roles is always exhilarating.

Edited April 27, 2022 by Royal Blue

[cobweb]

8 hours ago, BalanchineFan said:

One of my favorites is Indie Food and Wine,

This looks very interesting, I didn't know it was there. Will have to check it out.

Also, thanks to @abatt for suggesting Sapphire Indian restaurant. I just had dinner there with a friend. Delicious Indian food (we had the Achari Tikka, which was amazing, and the Aloo Gobi Muttar, also excellent) in an elegant, blissfully quiet and peaceful setting. Attentive service, and no problem walking in at 5:30 and getting a table. Highly recommend! Now, on to the performance.

[abatt]

13 hours ago, cobweb said:

This looks very interesting, I didn't know it was there. Will have to check it out.

Also, thanks to @abatt for suggesting Sapphire Indian restaurant. I just had dinner there with a friend. Delicious Indian food (we had the Achari Tikka, which was amazing, and the Aloo Gobi Muttar, also excellent) in an elegant, blissfully quiet and peaceful setting. Attentive service, and no problem walking in at 5:30 and getting a table. Highly recommend! Now, on to the performance.

Glad you enjoyed Sapphire.