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.

Comments

[Bob]

The subjectivity of individual responses to works of art never ceases to amaze me. I have seen both Fancy Free and West Side Story Suite countless times and always enjoy them and consider both of them great dance creations. But then again, there are ballets that you love that I have never been able to appreciate. It's just the nature of things and no doubt a good thing too - if we all liked and hated the same ballets, operas, symphonies and plays, it would be a terribly conformist and dull world.

[Deborah]

Janie (love her) was great this afternoon. I saw her in this ballet last week (I must be nuts but I really like The Dybbuk). I like Fancy Free (a lot), but I understand why you (and so many others) find it tedious. The men were, as you said, terrific! I did stay for West Side Story (although I've seen it so many times, including last week). I like it but it's disjointed. Andrew V. and Amar were outstanding (not crazy about Ben as "Tony". Robby did Tony last week and he was excellent). Still, it's time to retire this ballet for a while.

[Sarah]

Philip, thank you for mentioning meeting my mom! She said it was lovely to meet you and I'm so glad she got out of her seat for it!

I've just finished my review of this program on my blog http://allwillknow.blogspot.com.

I have the West Side review too- as you know I love it!