Oberon's Grove

Re-Connecting with ABT

This Spring I'm determined to get more involved with ABT. Over the past several seasons I have found myself attending their performances only once or twice a year and that's no way to get connected with a big Company like ABT. And it's a Company that includes some of my most-admired dancers - people like Julie Kent (photo left), Gillian Murphy, Marcelo Gomes, David Hallberg, Herman Cornejo, Angel Corella and Craig Salstein - all of whom deserve more of my attention. I'm sure I'll find lots of other people on their roster to enjoy as well.   

Last year we (like so many people) were really disappointed with ABT's SLEEPING BEAUTY. Despite the excellent dancing of Diana Vishneva, David Hallberg and Stella Abrera, the over-ladened narrative and some garish costuming and scenic oddities killed it dead. But I've heard that changes have been made so I will be giving it another go. Beyond that I have booked for BAYADERE with Marcelo, a starry CORSAIRE with Julie, David and Craig, and of course David Hallberg's debut in GISELLE.

The other day Craig - who was an opera buddy of mine before I even knew he was a dancer - spoke enthusiastically of the new Twyla Tharp ballet, Rabbit & Rogue (to a Danny Elfman score) which has a big cast and shares the bill with ETUDES, which I've never seen. So that is on my "to see" list and maybe I can even squeeze in a SWAN LAKE or try MERRY WIDOW.

I'm hoping that by going more frequently I'll get to know and enjoy more of their dancers among the soloist and corps ranks. So I'm really looking forward to the ABT Met season.

Met Young Artists Workshop

Thursday May 15, 2008 - Lisette Oropesa invited me to this workshop for the Met Lindemann Young Artists at the Danny Kaye Playhouse. Several luminaries from the opera world were present as James Levine coached and critiqued operatic arias and scenes which the singers have been working on for the past season.

I've never really enjoyed watching master classes; I'm just not sure who benefits from them. Some members of the public love eavesdropping on this process; I always find it somehow uncomfortable and invariably it seems that one or two singers get subtly snubbed or humiliated all under the guise of 'the learning process'. However, I couldn't pass up an opportunity to hear Lisette sing the ABDUCTION duet which she did to ravishing effect, blending beautifully with Mathew Plenk's distinctive tenor. Their level of polish and musicality and the way their timbres played off one another produced a very satisfying preview of what we can expect from them in coming seasons.

It's probably a little unfair to comment on the performances because it was not really a public event. In general I would say the level of singing was quite high but some of the repertoire choices were oddly unsuited to the singers assigned. Some of the performances seemed stage-ready: Jennifer Black for instance sang Servilia's aria from CLEMENZA DI TITO far more appealingly than the current incumbent at the Met. Ashley Emerson would make a perky Blondchen anywhere, and Erin Morley sang circles around the Met's most recent Zerbinetta - Erin actually SANG the notes rather than giggling and fluffing her way through this fiendish display piece.

Grazia Doronzio used her expressive native Italian to lovely effect in Mimi's narrative from BOHEME and Levine's coaching here especially helped her to illuminate the character. The very attractive Emilia Costa has an appealing, flavorful timbre which made her Carmen 'Seguidilla' as alluring vocally as it was physically. Jordan Bisch in a scene from MAHAGONNY did not really have an opportunity to shine. In the same scene, one of the most impressive instruments of the evening - that of Courtney Mills - was wasted in the dialogue-heavy character role of Widow Begbick. Serious miscasting, even if it was just for a workshop. Courtney clearly has a plush spinto - rich and warm - and she should have been singing Ariadne or Desdemona.

Sasha Cooke always turns whatever she is singing into something special and tonight she gave us a  glimpse of EUGEN ONEGIN's Olga in the Act I aria. This is a role we need to see her in at the Met. She maintained the lightness of touch and youthful quality that Levine asked for, and she is one of those singers who always makes a genuine connection with her audience. John Moore, in the MAHAGONNY scene, gave a complete performance with keenly inflected diction and complete physical and facial engagement in what he was singing. Added to all that, the warm and persuasive sound of the voice puts John in a special category: a singer with limitless possibilities. (Repertory note for John: Barber's DOVER BEACH).

I wonder if Levine consciously saved Shenyang for last so as to end the evening with a bang. If so, it was a smart move and in fact Shen had a double success by first singing the intensely dramatic and wide-ranging Schubert song 'Der Zwerg' and then pulling a complete about-face and delivering the most remarkable performance of ELISIR's Dr. Dulcamara I've ever encountered. Shen's capacity as a lieder singer  is mind-boggling: that such a young singer should emerge from China with this seemingly innate feeling for the German language and style (and with the instrument needed to convey it) is really pretty uncanny. And then he just instantly transformed himself into a delightful buffo - a buffo who can SING - and joined Ms. Doronzio in the Donizetti duet in which his every note and word conveyed the effervescence of the situation without ever stinting on the musical values. As a further astounding note, Shen is slated to sing the 'Fliedermonolog'  from MEISTERSINGER tomorrow night when the singers reconvene with the Met Orchestra under Levine's baton. I hope someone records it!

A special note to commend the three excellent pianists tonight: Pei-Yao Wang, Laura Poe and Vlad Iftinca. They really contributed so much. The singers are lucky to have such collaborators. 

TAKE Dance

Thursday May 15, 2008 - TAKE Dance, the exciting young Company of former Paul Taylor dancer Takehuro Ueyama, starts a series at the Miller Theatre tonight. I'll be going on Friday and I'm anxious to see these dancers again after having watched them in rehearsal a couple of weeks ago. In the meantime I've had an opportunity to see another of Take's creations FOOTSTEPS IN THE SNOW which he set on the dancers from the New School. In addition to presenting four of his own works at the Miller, Take will be dancing a solo, HUELLA, created for him by Asun Noales. The photo from Take's ONE is by Philip Echo.

Wendy's Adagio & Damian's Last WESTERN

Tuesday May 13, 2008 - I wish I'd been able to see all four performances of the SYMPHONIC BALANCHINE programme this season but I was limited to two and by good fortune there were just enough cast changes to make the second visit truly worthwhile. SYMPHONY IN C, which is usually a closing ballet was here the opener. I don't think this ballet has ever 'spoken' with such clarity as it did tonight. I was sitting in the orchestra and the atmosphere right from Maestro Karoui's downbeat was electrifying; there was a profound sense of concentration and stillness that one doesn't always get in that part of the house. Aside from waves of applause at appropriate moments - and a lot of yelling after the adagio - this state of awe lasted right to the end and then there was a one of those very satisfying, full-bodied ovations that don't happen all that often but which was so richly deserved tonight - along with the dancers coming out three times before the curtain. If they hadn't been so hasty to bring up the houselights, there might have been a fourth call.

Things got off to a fabulous start with Ana Sophia Scheller and Jared Angle (Paul Kolnik headshots) dancing with brilliance and with an elegant response to the music. Ana Sophia has evolved from princess into a young and beautiful queen; she has such a 'classical' feeling, always dancing with consummate clarity. One thing I love about her is the way her neck and head always achieve such a natural connection with her body as she dances: from toe shoes to tiara, Scheller is ravishing. Jared is so polished, his partnering steady and sincere and his solo dancing ever-increasing in both technical poise and sheer beauty. His hands and the way he finishes everything off always highlight his performances. Megan Fairchild and Benjamin Millepied were likewise on very fine form for the third movement, unfazed by the brisk tempo from Maestro Karoui. I like Megan's sense of joy which expands as the piece unfolds; Benjamin's dancing had a nice suspended quality in the air and successful flurries of pirouettes. Later, coming down the diagonal in a series of lifts, Ben's "hands off' tossing of Megan was an extra little bit of dazzle. Can anyone reel off multiple turns with the crispness and speed of Tiler Peck?  Her opening solo passage in the finale was sparkling and then she was joined by the ever-impressive Tyler Angle as they propelled the ballet towards its breath-taking climax.

Wendy Whelan (Joachim Ladefoged photo) and Philip Neal have danced the SYMPHONY IN C adagio dozens of times together; how do they keep it fresh and meaningful? I don't know their secret but by the time they got to that extraordinary passage where Wendy falls back three times only to be caught by Philip inches from the floor I was so high that the theatre disappeared and it was only them and me and Balanchine and Bizet. Wendy's entire body senses this music so acutely; tiny nuances seem to float right off the violin strings into her upper body, arms and hands. Transfixed, I was startled when the spell was broken by the applause.
    
Kyle Froman's photograph of the NYC Ballet corps girls in the opening line-up from SYMPHONY IN THREE MOVEMENTS from his book, IN THE WINGS. SYMPHONY IN C set such a high standard tonight that anything that followed would have to be pretty special. And this was. Right from the moment the curtain rose, the palpable mood of the evening was sustained.  Adam Hendrickson's first  entrance - rushing to the center of the stage and bounding skyward - sent a wave of anticipation thru the house and both Adam and his partner Sterling Hyltin sustained the excitement to the end of the ballet. Abi Stafford and Amar Ramasar took their cue for the adagio from the rather breezy flute melody that sets the tone; this is a more youthful approach to this duet than we sometimes see but it works thanks to Abi's technical prowess and sense of the music. I think this was Amar's finest performance I've seen to date at NYCB; his dancing was expansive, his gestural language vivid and his partnering secure...and both he and Abi revel clearly in the musical atmosphere. Savannah Lowery was powerfully appealing and Adrian Danchig-Waring continues to impress me as one of the Company's most remarkable dancers, one with an unusually compelling presence. Among the demi-solistes Faye Arthurs as always drew our appreciation as did Georgina Pazcoguin (subbing for Pauline Golbin) and some velvety, big-scale dancing from Henry Seth. Earlier, Henry stepped in as a demi in SYMPHONY IN C - his height a key asset - and Dena Abergel danced serenely (unannounced)  in the first movement.

After these classic and contemporary masterpieces, WESTERN SYMPHONY was joyously danced and sent the crowd home in a good mood. Jennifer Tinsley-Williams and Jonathan Stafford had a lot of fun in the opening segment without stinting on the demands of the choreography - which are many. The pairing of Kathryn Morgan and Albert Evans was a further delight; they built their little dream-romance with cozy comic touches but maintained a classic feel for the actual steps. This apparently was our last chance to see Damian Woetzel in one of his most celebrated roles; if anyone looks and dances anything less like a retiree it's Damian. He simply tossed off his turns and free-wheeling footwork with devil-may-care aplomb. Teresa Reichlen not only danced like a charm - what a spiffy set of fouettes she reeled off - but her characterization here is now full of sass and glamour. The audience greeted them with affection and we were hoping for a Damian solo bow but I guess they're saving that for his actual farewell. He deserved one, though. And so did Tess. (Photo of Damian in class by Rick Friedman).

Another Busy Week

New York City Ballet on Tuesday and Saturday, Lisette Oropesa and her Met Lindemann Young Artist colleagues at the Kaye Playhouse on Thursday, TAKE Dance (photo) at the Miller Theatre on Friday and AIDS Walk 2008 on Sunday. There is still time to donate to support the NYC Ballet team for the AIDS Walk. Let's hope the weather is nice for this important event.

Tau, Craig & Gigli

Today I had lunch with a friend from my Tower days whom I hadn't seen for almost two years, the tenor Ta'u Pupu'a. The tall (6' 5") and very good looking Ta'u  - a former NFL football player - has had the incredible good fortune of befriending Dame Kiri Te Kanawa who has taken him under her wing.  Here in New York City, Ta'u successfully went thru the audition process and has been accepted at the Juilliard Opera Center starting this Fall.  In recent seasons Ta'u has sung the leading tenor roles in ADRIANA LECOUVREUR and TOSCA with Houston's Opera in the Heights. He hails from the exotic Pacific Island kingdom of Tonga.

After lunch I was heading for the library and ran into one of my opera buddies (and ABT soloist) Craig Salstein; we hadn't seen each other for a few months so we went up to Craig's place and he regaled me with items from his I-Pod including the Tomb Scene from AIDA (Met 1963) with Leontyne Price and Carlo Bergonzi both in spectacular voice; a phenomenal PAGLIACCI prologo by Mario Sereni (from 1964); lots of Tebaldi and Tucker and then a wonderful selection from his favorite Beniamino Gigli 'live' performances. The Gigli stuff was so thrilling that I came home and put on a disc of early recordings by the great tenor and simply basked in the beauty of sound and his magical way of spinning a phrase.

ABT opens in a week and Craig has plenty of assignments including his first Birbanto in  CORSAIRE and he's featured in the new Twyla Tharp ballet, Rabbit & Rogue, (with a Danny Elfman score) which opens on June 3.

Dancer's Choice

Sarah tipped me off about this on Sunday and I have since received further information. On Friday June 27, the New York City Ballet will present the first of what is hoped to be an annual event: Dancer's Choice. Peter Martins has tapped principal dancer Jonathan Stafford to select the repertoire and do the casting for this gala evening which benefits the Dancers' Emergency Fund. Jon & Sara Mearns are pictured here in DIAMONDS from Balanchine's JEWELS. I wonder if Jon has scheduled himself to dance on his own programme? I hope so.

First reports are that Jon has chosen excerpts from RUBIES, SQUARE DANCE, SYMPHONY IN C, UNION JACK, DANCES AT A GATHERING, GLASS PIECES, INTERPLAY, MERCURIAL MANOEUVRES, ECSTATIC ORANGE and BEETHOVEN ROMANCE. As if that were not an attractive enough proposition, the evening will also boast a world premiere ballet choreographed by Adam Hendrickson to a score by Aaron Severini (Kolnik headshots of Adam and Aaron). This in-house creation will be introduced by a short "the making of..." film and Ask LaCour and Henry Seth are creating an original score for this video.

But that's not all. Everyone seems to be getting involved. Amanda Hankes, Daniel Ulbricht and Adam Hendrickson are on Jon's planning committee. Craig Hall is designing a logo, poster and t-shirt to commemorate the event, and Kyle Froman will follow up on his super NYCB-behind-the-scenes book IN THE WINGS by creating a souvenir programme booklet featuring more of his photographs.

The Dancers' Emergency Fund sprang from an idea Jerome Robbins had to provide financial resources for City Ballet dancers in situations of extraordinary need. Special ticket prices of $25 and $45 have been arranged for the evening. Ticket information here. Luckily, I purchased my tickets even before I knew just how much fun it was going to be. I was expecting your run-of-the-mill gala but this is going to be a lot more special.

Janie Taylor in THE DYBBUK

Sunday May 11, 2008 matinee - Looking at the announced programmes at New York City Ballet this season, I assumed this was one I could skip. Neither FANCY FREE nor WEST SIDE STORY appeals to me in the least and although I did eventually make peace with DYBBUK I wasn't feeling a need to see it again so soon. But then the casting went up and Janie Taylor was announced and so I bought a ticket just to see her. It was also a good chance to see Joaquin de Luz again since he was absent during the Winter season due to injury.

Nothing could induce me to watch WEST SIDE STORY SUITE again - well, maybe if they got Rafael Nadal and David Nalbandian (photo) to be the leaders of the rival gangs - and FANCY FREE is a snooze; I just don't see what people think is so interesting about these "ballets" but I sort of felt sorry for those audience members who trekked to Lincoln Center for the two Broadway-style hits and then had to endure the complicated and somewhat off-putting DYBBUK (at least NYCB had the kindness not to put WATERMILL as the middle ballet).

I thought about sitting FANCY out or even arriving late and just seeing DYBBUK and maybe that's what I should have done. FANCY FREE was wonderfully danced and the three guys - Adam Hendrickson, Amar Ramasar and Rob Fairchild - put their hearts & soles (OK, bad pun...) into it but I just find it tedious and even mildly annoying at times.

On the other hand DYBBUK was very powerful this afternoon. Not only did Janie Taylor look extraordinarily beautiful, she and Joaquin seemed to find a spiritual connection. Janie's dancing has that sense of lustre and also of daring that makes her so thrilling to watch. Joaquin here proves himself to be so much more than a good-looking virtuoso; he has a potent dramatic side to him as well and his unwavering commitment to the piece led him to pull out all the stops. He and Janie were superb together.

In the central Kabbalah Variations, Sean Suozzi (Paul Kolnik rehearsal photo) led off with a vivid solo - you always feel Sean is dancing beyond your highest expectations. He in fact is one of the few dancers on the roster that I could imagine taking over some of Damian's roles; he has the same offbeat attractiveness and "American" sensibilities. Adrian Danchig-Waring, Amar Ramasar and Antonio Carmena danced with great energy and Giovanni Villalobos always makes a strong impression. Robert Fairchild, Christian Tworzyanski and Allan Peiffer were the mysterious winged Messengers. Adam Hendrickson and Tyler Angle as the two fathers impressed in their duet. In the ballet's one passage of calm, the Maidens' Dance, Faye Arthurs, Amanda Hankes, Glenn Keenan and Stephanie Zungre backed Janie to lovely effect.

Clotilde Otranto (heading to work in a Nicholas Roberts photo) had the huge orchestra under her immaculate control; the two vocal soloists, Jeremy Kelly and Philip Horst, were extremely powerful. This performance should have won new converts to DYBBUK though it is not an 'easy' piece.

It was a pleasure to meet Sarah's mom during the intermission on this Mother's Day; and it was also good to see the a substantially full house after yesterday's under-attended matinee.

Wendy Whelan in BUGAKU/RUSSIAN SEASONS x 2

Saturday May 10, 2008 - The same programme with the same dancers twice in one day. Reason to go twice: Wendy Whelan debuting in Balanchine's BUKAGU in addition to repeating her mysterious role in Ratmansky's RUSSIAN SEASONS. Equally attractive components of the day: Teresa Reichlen debuting in THE CHAIRMAN DANCES, Darci Kistler & Jared Angle in VALSE TRISTE - a favorite duet - and Tiler Peck, Damian Woetzel, Sara Mearns and a 'cast of thousands' in AMERICAN IN PARIS. I was upstairs for the matinee and downstairs for the evening. If they'd scheduled a midnight showing I would have done that too. The photo of Wendy is from Kyle Froman's book, IN THE WINGS.

Evan has written about the matinee performance for her blog DANCING PERFECTLY FREE. I love Evan's special perspective on things since her own dance training gives her a keen view of technical matters and a deeper understanding of and appreciation for what the dancers are called upon to do in a given ballet.

BUGAKU is a ballet that Wendy once named in an interview as something she would really like to dance. A few years back when it was revived she happened to come in the store and I said: "BUGAKU?" and she gave a wry smile and said  "No...but I've learned it!"  Fast-forward to a later series: I saw outside the theatre and said "BUGAKU?" and she laughed gently and said "Not yet!" And so today her wish and mine came true. Can you understand why I would want to be there twice?

Over the years that I've been going devotedly to NYC Ballet I've tried to define what it is about Wendy Whelan that so hypnotizes me. But more recently I've given up trying because it's indescribable, really. Musicality, clarity, strength, delicacy, mystery, allure, spirituality, refinement, vulnerability, humor, romance, grace and passion are all words that come to mind while watching her. She has all of that. And more. It's the "more" part that eludes me. And keeps me addicted.

All of the qualities listed above were part of Wendy's success in BUGAKU. Of course the ballet calls for incredible stretch and flexibility on the part of the woman. This was undoubtedly the most torrid rendition of the BUGAKU pas de deux I have seen. Wendy's elasticity and weightless quality allow Albert Evans to easily manipulate her into the uncanny poses. And manipulate her he does, with a sort of tender ruthlessness that had the audience watching the ritualistic de-flowering in a state of awed silence. Later, in a series of lifts it almost seemed like Wendy might float skyward. (Photo: Paul Kolnik).

In their opening solos, Wendy and Albert had each defined their characters: Wendy with a refined, demure quality that also has a gentle air of irony and Albert in his stylized macho posturing with an interesting trace of vulnerability thrown in. These elements were sustained in the pas de deux even as their passion reached the boiling point. Wendy and Albert sustained the sexual tension right to the final moment of the ballet and as the curtain fell there was a collective ripple of sighs throughout the house and the man behind me summed it all up with his quiet "Wow!" as the applause began. 

The four attendant couple have some very complex partnering of their own to deal with as well as the manipulation of the gauzy trains of the women's costumes. At the evening performance Wei and I were afforded the added benefit of watching Faye Arthurs and Kyle Froman showing us what Balanchine had devised for these couples and to be dazzled yet again by Faye's effortless, silky extension.

My admiration for BUGAKU and its evocative score has grown steadily over the years and today's double viewing set it clearly in my top echelon of Balanchine favorites. Wendy and Albert seemed very happy to have shared their success but BUGAKU only took up half of their dancing day because after a break they reappeared in another joint delight, Ratmansky's RUSSIAN SEASONS.

This was a very long programme but I would not have wanted to give up any of the three ballets in the middle section. Damian Woetzel, getting down to the wire at NYC Ballet, was his genial self in Wheeldon's colorful AMERICAN IN PARIS with an exceptional performance from Tiler Peck and a joyously sexy beret-girl from Sara Mearns. Georgina Pazcoguin, as always, was a scene-stealer with her sultry street-walker.

In VALSE TRISTE, Darci Kistler and Jared Angle look wonderful together and their shared sense of the music and of the illusionary quality of their encounter made the short ballet very attractive.

Teresa Reichlen has another very congenial role as she dances her way into new repertoire: THE CHAIRMAN DANCES. This visually splendid ballet about the 'Hollywood" aspects of Madame Mao's younger days has a brilliant, witty John Adams score. Tess was at her most relaxed and playful while her pretty facial expressions indicated she was always "ready for my close-up!" Among the girls, Kaitlyn Gilliland and Briana Shepherd seemed especially captivating.

RUSSIAN SEASONS is a ballet I have enjoyed many times but today's performances made me appreciate it all the more. Aside from its folksy humor and underlying sense of spirituality, it is also a very demanding ballet technically. I guess in the past I'd been too wrapped up in trying to determine what RUSSIAN SEASONS is 'about' to see beyond themes and motifs to the combinations the dancers are called upon to deliver as they tell their stories. As the Leonid Desyatnikov score and Mr. Ratmansky's choreography have become more and more familiar over the past two years I find that I anticipate certain passages. Seeing it twice in one day, the ballet seemed to me to be one of the Company's strongest current offerings. (Photo: Amar, Sean, Rachel & Jon)

Violinist Arturo Delmoni and mezzo Irina Rindzuner along with Clotilde  Otranto's expertise on the podium made the score more mysterious and compelling than ever; Ms. Rindzuner was is especially fine voice with some amazingly sustained piano singing.

Albert's spacious dancing of his opening phrases captured my imagination right from the start of the matinee performance and the fascination with RUSSIAN SEASONS carried right thru to the final curtain in the evening. Albert's performance shows us both his partnering perfection and his generous heart as well as his velvety technique. Wendy, in a filmed interview being shown in the lobby, remarks on the difficulties of this ballet  - difficulties which she and her fellow dancers turn to their advantage with their generous, expressive performances.  She and Albert reign over the community and gently send them off to their dreams at the end. Rachel Rutherford's wonderfully detailed performance has continued to deepen emotionally each time I've seen it. Abi Stafford has some really complex speed-of-light footwork and rises into unexpectedly sustained balances; she seems to revel in the demands and in her partnership with Adam Hendrickson. Adam and Antonio Carmena have some gently competitive passages which they dance with flair. Jon Stafford's character has a humorous aspect but also an air of tender sincerity and Sean Suozzi continues to impress with his committed, full-out style. Glenn Keenan and Alina Dronova bring their distinctive personalities to the ensemble. In a most impressive performance today, Rebecca Krohn (in Red) danced her opening solo with commanding technique and a vibrant dramatic edge; later her duet with Amar Ramasar further enhanced her success - they make a very intriguing partnership.

After a long and arduous day, the dancers basked in the audience's warm applause at the close of the evening's performance; Albert's spontaneous, courtly welcoming of Ms. Rindzuner for her curtain call was  a nice moment, and the day ended with everyone in good spirits as the diminutive Ms. Otranto gazed up admiringly at Albert and Amar.

All-Robbins at NYCB: DREAMER & NOCES

Friday May 9, 2008 - To be honest, I'd rather have a Diamond Project than a Jerome Robbins Celebration. Reading about San Francisco Ballet's current crop of new works (lots of them) makes me wish I liked to travel. But I'm here and the Robbins season is underway. I like and/or admire several of the Robbins ballets but I find that - unlike Balanchine's - there are quite a few Robbins works that don't really sustain my interest thru repeated viewings. Tonight we had the pretty and innocuous ANDANTINO and the over-long PIANO PIECES (which seems to me to be two ballets trying to mesh - unsuccessfully, in my view) and the new production of LES NOCES which is impressive without being truly enjoyable. Gleaming beautifully as ever was the mysterious and musically inspiring OPUS 19/THE DREAMER - one of the Robbins works I truly love. OPUS 19 thoroughly entranced my friend Rob; he couldn't stop talking about it and wants to see it again.

Megan Fairchild and Joaquin de Luz (in a Paul Kolnik photo from BAISER DE LA FEE) led off the evening with the lyrical duet ANDANTINO. It was great seeing Joaquin onstage again after he missed the Winter season due to injury. He and Megan danced expressively although for a moment I thought they had a partnering gaffe - but that was quickly smoothed over.

OPUS 19/THE DREAMER seemed dreamier than ever tonight. Faycal Karoui, the NYC Ballet orchestra and guest violinist Erin Keefe stressed the shining quality of the music. The corps of twelve in muted shades of blue contribute so much to the other-worldly feeling of this ballet; tonight they seemed especially tuned-in to the slow port de bras which sustain the trance-like atmosphere. The six boys - Kyle Froman, Adrian Danchig-Waring, Allen Peiffer, Christian Tworzyanski, Giovanni Villalobos and Aaron Severini (welcome back!) propel themselves across the stage in flying combinations which echo and enhance the principal male dancer - Gonzalo Garcia in a magical performance.

This Spring Gonzalo has truly hit his stride at NYCB and tonight's performance affirmed his status on the roster and gave me reason to think he may have as memorable a career here as Peter Boal's. The Dreamer was one of Boal's greatest roles and in fact he danced it at his farewell; Gonzalo shows the same full-bodied lyricism and attention to detail but he's also already put his own stamp on the ballet most notably with his expansive arms and the poetic nobility of his presence. I can't wait to see him in this ballet again.  Wendy Whelan's got just the right mixture of angularity and flow in her dancing of this ballet - the occasional jagged combination Robbins throws into the role eventually smooth out as the dream deepens. Wendy's slowly accelerating series of turns as she swirls into the wings is always breath-taking. She and Gonzalo seemed thoroughly entranced by one another. OPUS 19 ends with the couple falling asleep, their heads resting on one another's open palms.

Using Tchaikovsky's opera EUGEN ONEGIN as a jumping off point - an opera in which  peasants dance in Act I and the landed gentry dance at Tatyana's birthday party - I tried to find a key to enjoying PIANO PIECES tonight. A group of peasants in their white tunics bordered in red - led with charm and strong technique by Antonio Carmena - open the ballet. And then there is a changing of gears and a trio of romantic duets is presented. Sara Mearns and Jared Angle expanded on their SEASONS/Spring partnership with a sustained, poetic feeling. Abi Stafford and Amar Ramasar responded vividly to their music and they are two dancers who always convey a sense of joy. Abi's solo in particular felt the singing pulse emanating from Susan Walters' keyboard. Kaitlyn Gilliland (Kolnik headshot) and Stephen Hanna were an interesting new pairing. Kaitlyn's softly sailing extension and Stephen's attentive partnering meshed smoothly and culminated with him sweeping her into an unusual upside-down pose as he carries her offstage. 

For all the fine dancing, PIANO PIECES never captures the imagination. The choreography seems so facile but always dutiful rather than inspired. Each number goes on just a little too long. Rob agreed with me that the ballet is perfectly pleasant but also unmemorable.   

This interesting article about LES NOCES is well worth perusing if you are planning to see the ballet his season. I can recall the last revival at NYCB with Alexandra Ansanelli and Robert Wersinger as the young couple.  In this new setting, we have the four grand pianos, chorus and soloists onstage against a towering backdrop with looming iconic figures. LES NOCES is musically relentless; the musicians, chorus & vocalists never have a moment of repose. Choral director Judith Clurman had impeccably prepared her  ensemble and they threw themselves into the complexities with gusto.

Tiler Peck and  Adam Hendrickson ideally conveyed their numb, youthful terror at being cast into marriage with no say in the matter. Manipulated, pushed and pulled by their parents (Rachel Rutherford & Stephen Hanna, Rebecca Krohn and Jonathan Stafford) and the crowd, the young couple didn't stand a chance against the rhythmic onslaughts of the music and the stomping, swaying masses of villagers. Gina Pazcoguin and Benjamin Millepied as the Matchmakers went around, overseeing the details with the efficiency of rural wedding planners. Ben's dancing was especially vital.

When LES NOCES ends you sort of have a feeling of not knowing what's hit you. I'm sure that is how the young wedded couple feel, too.

After a warm ovation - the audience seemed somewhat puzzled by the piece but in the end overwhelmed by its sheer energy and force - we went back to see the tenor, Bryan Griffin who is a client of Rob's. And there I met up with a dear lady who I'd rather lost track of, soprano Sari Gruber. The singers commented on the demands of the score and what a rigorous - but in the end, exhilarating - experience LES NOCES is to sing. Along with mezzo Elizabeth DeShong and basso Jason Hardy, Sari and Bryan (photos) made strong contributions to the musical success of NOCES. Sari is lovelier than ever and I got to see a picture of her little daughter.

I felt in the end that, for all its driven quality and somewhat off-putting harmonic structures and its lack of choreographic variety, LES NOCES is a masterpiece in its own right and I look forward to seeing it again...even though I can't say I really enjoyed it.