RUSSIAN TREASURES III - Season Finale

Sunday February 24, 2008 matinee - The final day of the NYC Ballet's winter season is always the second saddest day of the year for fans of the Company. Sadder still is the end of the Spring season when we know we have to face five months without seeing them. Today's all-Tchaikovsky programme had the effect of really tugging at the heartstrings even more so than usual as we contemplate the two month absence. The house was substantially full and very enthusiastic, and many of the most devoted NYCB fans were out including Susan, Sarah, Laurel & Monica; I was in the orchestra next to a woman who told me she started attending in 1975 (same year as I did) and that she thinks the Company is looking as good as it ever has.

SERENADE certainly looked as fine today as at any performance of the many I have seen of this, my favorite ballet. I wonder if any other ballet looks as radically different from the orchestra as it does from the 4th Ring; I have been fortunate this season to have both perspectives. 4th Ring is the corps-watchers delight; armed with binoculars you can observe anyone at any point on the stage, as well as marveling at Balanchine's genius for patterns. Downstairs the focus is more on the principals, on facial expressions and dramatic nuance. The floated spaciousness of Kaitlyn Gilliland's dancing was stunning today; her long arms arc in a magically expressive flow. (Paul Kolnik photo of Kaitlyn). Dacri Kistler's interpretation puts the emotions in full play. At times she can be slightly fussy or fastidious but overall the sweep of her dancing and the way she builds the role are striking. Of course there has always been a debate as to what SERENADE is 'about'; surely as the ballet progresses, images of romantic loss and allusions to the mystery of death are woven in. Darci plays these up and the moment near the end when she realizes she cannot escape her fate is quite staggering and is summarized by the look of resignation and acceptance - tinged with fear - she gives Christian Tworzyanski, one of the men who have come to bear her away. (Kolnik photo of Darci and Stephen Hanna). In a third beautiful interpretation today, Yvonne Borree's gentle, hopeful expression and the smooth flow of her dancing mark this as one of her most appealing roles. Charles Askegard and Stephen Hanna were excellent. Demi-soliste Ashley Laracey, about to embark on a pirouette combination across the stage, held my attention with her elegant poise. I also want to mention the delicately measured tiny bourees of Dara Johnson as she follows the cortege heavenward.

MOZARTIANA (Wendy Whelan photographed by Paul Kolnik) is one ballet that looks immaculate from any point of view. From the orchestra one feels the work on a grander scale. Maurice Kaplow had been conducting this programme this season but today Faycal Karoui was on the podium giving slightly more urgent tempi which may have caused Wendy and Benjamin Millepied to make a few adjustments; they had one slight gaffe from which they recovered with good-humoured grace. The finesse of Ben's beats, the elegant energy of Tom Gold's Gigue and the profound calm of Wendy's Preghiera were high points of a very satisfying performance. Four of the City Ballet's most accomplished ballerinas transformed the Minuet into another memorable passage: Saskia Beskow, Dara Johnson, Dena Abergel and Gwyneth Muller. Their wonderfully coordinated steps and port de bras shone in this musical setting.

Someone asked me if I preferred Ashley Bouder or Teresa Reichlen in the prima ballerina role of the Tchaikovsky PIANO CONCERTO #2 and my answer is, I prefer both! They are vastly different, of course, but don't ask me to choose because I want to enjoy both of them in this ballet for years to come. How I wish it was coming back in the Spring since the Company are dancing it so well now. This afternoon, Bouder reminded me of a young queen who has the key to the crown jewels and is only too happy to put them on display for us. She has had a really stunning Winter season, piling up the triumphs one after another. It's exhilarating to watch her. Jon Stafford is going from strength to strength as partner, virtuoso and in terms of sheer presence. Savannah Lowery's dancing is commanding in scale and her lovely facial expressions are a definite enhancement. Christian Tworzyanski and Vincent Paradiso were both impressive.

I was thinking before the Piano Concerto started: what am I going to do if I start crying during the second movement (actually it was not "if" but "when")? Upstairs I can sob to my heart's content and no one knows (except Wei) but here I was with two members of the mainstream press on my left and a kindly but unknown woman on my right. I surely didn't want to distract them with my sniffling. Things were under control until the second arabesque phrase for Amanda Hankes and Faye Arthurs started and then I began losing it.  After Jon withdrew I quietly swiped my eyes with my shirtsleeve and then noticed that the woman next to me was having her own quiet little cry.

Corps-watching - even from the orchestra - had major rewards today when a couple of unannounced replacements piqued my fancy. Lauren King, standing in for Alina Dronova in a demi role in SERENADE, was a complete joy. I've been watching this extraordinarily pretty blonde ballerina for the past 2 or 3 years and one of the (many) things I like about her is the way she can draw the audience in with her eyes.  Lauren and Likolani Brown really captivate me in the Piano Concerto and, with Alina out, Brittany Pollack seemed to have stepped into her vacant spot in the line up. I sometimes wonder how it must be to  switch corps assignments in the big ballets; how do you keep track of which steps you should be doing and when? Brittany was coolly at ease and she drew the task of the big supported sustained balance (along with Likolani) in the third movement. This is one of those balances that goes on and on and on while Maestro Karoui takes his sweet time. Likolani & Brittany looked like they were prepared to stay up there forever. (Brittany, Lauren & Likolani in Paul Kolnik headshots).

So the season regrettably has come to an end. There was an affectionate ovation for the dancers and a strange mixture of euphoria and dejection among the fans. Now we're home waiting for the Oscars. Faye and Amanda deserve 'best supporting' trophies...I wonder what their acceptance speeches would be like?

And while I have sometimes been tempted to give out 'best of the season' awards in numerous categories I usually abstain because quite frankly I can't say that one dancer was 'better' than another. But I think this season no one in the Company would begrudge the mention of Georgina Pazcoguin's incredible accomplishments starting with her Arabian in NUTCRACKER on thru her WEST SIDE STORY and fantastical Woman in Red in RUSSIAN SEASONS to the unforgettable impression she made in OLTREMARE. Tonight in the large corps ballets Gina always captured the imagination even though she was just one of two dozen onstage. That kind of allure can't be taught. (Photo from The Contact Sheet).

If readers want to mention some of the dancers who particularly impressed them this Winter, use the Comments section below. I'd love to read your views.   

Comments

[Sarah]

I have my review of today up on my blog http://allwillknow.blogspot.com so instead of talking about today, I'd rather answer your question.

Winter season has been about Ashley Bouder, Daniel Ulbricht, Maria Korowski, Savannah Lowery, The Stafford siblings and Wendy for me. Also, it's been about watching all the Corps members take on challenges (Vincent Paradiso and Adrian Danchig-Waring, Faye Arthurs, Erica Perreira, and Kathryn Morgan in particular). I can't wait to see what Spring has in store for us (especially since I think some of our injured will be returning!!!!)...

Can May really be that far away???

[philip]

At the moment, May seems as far away as the moon to me...but one of the nice things about getting older is: time moves faster.

[Bob]

Yes, Sunday was a bittersweet experience - a glorious program but at the same time, the end of a season. However, let us think positively because as Sarah suggests, May is really not that far away. As for highlights of the season, there are far too many to mention, but if forced to cite just a few that immediately come to mind, I would start with Ashley Bouder in EVERYTHING that she danced, but especially her performances in Ballo, Apollo, Four Seasons, and above all, Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 (I would include Stars & Stripes and Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, but unfortunately I missed both of her performances in those ballets this season). Then I would add Maria Kowroski in Western Symphony (the Hubbe farewell program), Danny Ulbricht's debut in Prodigal Son, Wendy in Mozartiana, Jon Stafford in Tchaikovsky Piano Conerto NO.2, Gina Pazcoguin in West Side Story and Oltremare, Andrew Veyette in Oltremare, Darci in Valse Triste, Nikolaj Hubbe in everything he danced at his farewell program, Tiler Peck in Double Feature and Fancy Free, Kathryn Morgan as Juliet, the Sugar Plum Fairy, the leader of the First Regiment in Stars & Stripes, and in the Flower Festival in Genzano Pas de Deux, Faye Arthurs in Thou Swell, and Kaitlyn Gilliland in her debut in Serenade. Have I left out some highlights? Oh yes, I haven't even mentioned some of the wonderful
performances of Yvonne Borree, Sterling Hyltin, Abi Stafford, Sara Mearns, Tess Reichlen, Rebecca Krohn, Damian Woetzel, Ben Millepied, Amar Ramasar, and Rob Fairchild but one can't go on forever (though it probably seems like I'm doing that at this point). Suffice it to say that I too attended my first NYCB performance in 1975 and I agree with the lady who said that the company is looking as good as (and I would add,or better than) it ever has.

[philip]

Then there was Erica Pereira & Allen Peiffer in ROMEO; and the excellent cast of the new Wheeldon: Sara Mearns, Sterling Hyltin, Adrian Danchig-Waring and Giovanni Villalobos...and the Angle brothers in everything.

You're right, Bob: the list is endless.