Wednesday, September 27

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A review of the Birmingham Royal Ballet in "Black Sabbath: the Ballet" by Mark Monahan in The Daily Telegraph.

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The improbable juxtaposition of the beloved Brummie heavy-metal pioneers and the (supposedly) most ineffably refined art form in existence has clearly tempted thousands. All 16 nights of the new show’s tour, from Brum to Plymouth to London, have sold out – in the context of a new ballet, I have never known anything like it.

 

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A review of New York City Ballet by Ivy Lin for Bachtrack.

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Thankfully, Stars and Stripes closed the program. This ballet always works, even with a less than scintillating cast. But last night’s cast delivered the fireworks. Roman Mejia as El Capitan was every bit as great as you’d expect him to be. Mile high frog leaps and natural showmanship. Megan Fairchild as Liberty Bell was a marvel. She is now a 21 year veteran of the company, but her footwork is still fast, her technique preserved in amber. She is also terrific in roles that showcase a sense of humor. She and Mejia were joy in a pint-sized package. The rest of the campaigns were cast well. Sara Adams, who had been so miscast in The Unanswered Question, shone as the baton twirling First Campaign. As I said, petit allegro.

 

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Leigh Witchel reviews  NYCB in "Jewels" for dancelog.nyc.

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In the Mimi Paul role Megan LeCrone had the mystery but not the abandon. She may have been thrown by a partner swap; Adrian Danchig-Waring was announced for Aarón Sanz. She grabbed at Danchig-Waring’s hand in a balance; they almost tripped one another at the bows.

If it’s not clear exactly what kind of ballerina LaFreniere or Phelan is, Nadon is coming vividly into focus. She would be a no-brainer for “Diamonds.” It would be a loss to be robbed of her “Emeralds,” but if that meant we got her “Diamonds,” it would be worth the sacrifice to romance the stone.

 

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A review of Pacific Northwest Ballet by Darren Davis for SeattleMet.

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They’re young. They’re fun. They’re diverse. The three performances in PNB’s 2023–24 season opener highlight the company’s strengths, and make for a loose, crowd-pleasing night of ballet.