Oberon's Grove

Where's Faycal?

Faycal Karoui seemed to disappear during the final days of the New York City Ballet's Spring season. Thanks to one of my European readers, Anne, we can find out what he was up to: conducting his own Orchestre de Pau - Pays de Bearn in a concert featuring the Berlioz SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE and a selection from WEST SIDE STORY with a massed choir in which Anne participated. She sent me the following note about the concert:

Hi Philip,
Thought I would tell you about our concert last Saturday. The first part was Berlioz's 'Symphonie Fantastique' which the orchestra played incredibly well, led by Faycal in his usual spectacular way.
Then our turn came - The arranger had combined various instrumental themes of WSS with our four songs : Somewhere, Maria, Tonight and America. Let's say, we did our best!!

I was interested it what you wrote about Fayçal's tempo choices because he decided to play America REALLY fast. Most of our choir members are not native English speakers and so it was quite hard. Imagine a French person, singing at top speed 'Chromium steel in America, Wire spoke wheel in America, etc", trying to pronounce it with a Portorican accent!! But that's what is so great about Faycal : he is prepared to play with people like us and ENJOY it. He came to have a drink with us after the concert and he said he had had a good time.

Here is a link to a review of the event; it's in French, but you'll get the gist of it. Thank you, Anne!

Images and Imagination

Everyone who attended the New York City Ballet's DANCERS' CHOICE evening on Friday was greeted by Company apprentices who handed out complimentary booklets of photographs by Kyle Froman. In his book IN THE WINGS Kyle used the advantage of his status as a Company member to tell us - in words and pictures - what a day in the life of a NYC Ballet dancer is like. His unlimited access (and the fact that his subjects are also his friends of long-standing) gives IN THE WINGS a perspective that an 'outsider' could never attain. I guess I expected the newest photos to carry on that 'backstage glimpse' feeling but instead Kyle has now produced a series of unusual images which not only highlight the beauty and allure of the dancers but also reveal the photographer's keen imagination. Over the years that I've been going to the ballet I have seen some truly spectacular photographic documentation of what is in essence an elusive art form. In these photos, Kyle seems to extend the possibilities of what the camera can tell us about the dancers and the dance.

The great appeal of these images for me - beyond the fact that these are the dancers I care about most - is the way Kyle uses the Company's home as a setting and brings his colleagues out from their dressing rooms and studios and lets them take over the New York State Theatre's promenades and the auditorium itself. The warmth and wrap-around feeling of the City Ballet's performing venue has always played a big part in their appeal for me. I simply love being there. Kyle shows us the Company totally inhabiting the house that Mr. B built.

When I saw these pictures I thought that they needed to be seen by more than the 2,000+ people who were at the gala. When I asked Kyle via e-mail if I could feature his work on my blog he not only replied in the affirmative but generously sent me the shots directly which are a lot sharper than the ones I had scanned. I hope you all will enjoy them as much as I do. Thanks, Kyle! (Click on the images to enlarge).

NYC Ballet: DANCERS' CHOICE

Friday June 27, 2008 - The much-anticipated DANCERS' CHOICE evening at New York City Ballet was worth the wait. With the programme and casting devised by principal dancer Jonathan Stafford, NYC Ballet fans got to see several favorite dancers stepping into new roles as they appeared in excepts from the Company's large and varied repertoire. Highlighting the event was the premiere of an "in-house" work, FLIT OF FURY/THE MONARCH, choreographed by Adam Hendrickson to a score by Aaron Severini. The dazzle of the evening spilled off the stage and onto the Promenade where everyone was buzzing about our favorite ballet company, buying the t-shirt and bidding on silent-auction items.

In a way the evening was more like a family gathering than a ballet gala. There was a tremendously enthusiastic and very full house cheering the dancers all evening. Before the performance we met Wendy Whelan and Lydia Wellington, saw Peter and Darci, beamed greetings to Abi and Kaitlyn, wondered if Sean Suozzi was going to shave off his goatee before dancing (he did) and chatted with Teresa Reichlen's mom and aunt. Inside we ran into Kyle Froman who steered us to the Apprentices who were passing out complimentary copies of his out-of-this-world photo booklet - it's like a whole new realm of dance photography. Lydia graciously gave me an extra copy (which I'll be sending to Kay and Georgia in Copenhagen). During the intermission the bloggers and friends met up; we wanted to look at the Silent Auction items but we couldn't get anywhere near the table. We got a chance to wish William Lin-Yee all the best in his grand jetee to PNB. At the end of the evening we sat outside for a while and met the delightful Kathryn Morgan and Sophie Flack, watched all the girls in their party frocks passing by and ended our NYCB season chatting with Faye Arthurs and Gwyneth Muller who were so sweet and looked so Summery. Evan wrote about the evening here and Ariel here. Sarah writes about the evening and reflects on the season here.

Yes, in the midst of all this there was dancing. Lots of dancing. There was the new Hendrickson-Severini ballet FLIT OF FURY/THE MONARCH which won an enthusiastic reception. Driven by Aaron's pulsating score with its ever-shifting harmonics - played on two onstage grand pianos by Steven Beck and Stephen Gosling - the four boys (Rob Fairchild, Sean Suozzi, Allen Peiffer and David Prottas) traded bursts of virtuosity centered in classical technique but with a contemporary edge. In the central duet, Gretchen Smith and Sean Suozzi danced while the three other boys knelt in silhouette. Gretchen's role was rather fleeting and she was a bit hampered by an unflattering costume; Sean  showed all the power of his personality which makes him one of the Company's most exciting dancers. The four boys then drove the ballet to its conclusion with their relentless energy. Adam knows his fellow dancers and their capabilities and he gave   them combinations which make them look their best but which also push them outside their usual frame of reference. He also designed the men's costumes, dark and sleek with just a hint of colour to match the flame-coloured back panel. The pianists were in complete command of Aaron's music which percolates with rhythmic vitality while ominous undercurrents continually rise to the surface. I hope we will have future opportunities to see this ballet - and judging from the cheers that greeted the creators, dancers and musicians I would say the audience agreed with me. (photos by Paul Kolnik from the performance).

There were four extraordinary partnerships to be seen in the course of the evening, starting with Janie Taylor and Craig Hall in PURPLE; they continue to explore their charismatic partnership which has been so striking in AFTERNOON OF A FAUN and THE CAGE. I'd love to see them together in OPUS 19 or IN G MAJOR. Janie's hair drew much comment during the intermission. Amanda Hankes opened the excerpt from DANCES AT A GATHERING with great sense of dramatic urgency. Amanda has made memorable impressions as the Lilac Fairy and as a demi-soliste in TCHAIKOVSKY PIANO CONCERTO #2 and she was one of several  corps dancers who shone in expanded opportunities tonight - an indication of the enormous depth of talent in the Company. Megan Fairchild was outstanding as the Girl in Apricot with Tyler Angle, Amar Ramasar and a fleeting appearance by Austin Laurent making me wish this cast could be seen in the entire ballet. Over the years in so many performances of GATHERING I have seen some stellar dancers perform the central duet but I have to say Rachel Rutherford and Jared Angle moved me deeply tonight with the tender lyricism and pure musicality of their phrasing, creating such an atmosphere that you almost sensed time standing still as we eavesdropped on their world of private romance. Rachel and Jared have both had extraordinary seasons and tonight was both a culmination and a reason to look forward to what they will do in future seasons.

Sara Mearns and Stephen Hanna in BEETHOVEN ROMANCE created a wonderful interlude of romantic classicism; they dance beautifully together with Stephen's tall and elegant cavalier ardently responding to the flowing effortlessness of Sara's style with her expressive port de bras. They were warmly supported in their reverie by violinist Kurt Nikkanen's clarity of tone and phrasing. When the Shostakovich music for the adagio from MERCURIAL MANOEUVRES began, I thought "This won't work out of context." Wrong. It  turned into probably the most compelling passage of music expressed in motion all evening. This adagio isn't about steps, it's about stops. Three times the ballerina is caught and frozen in the air by her partner and tonight Abi Stafford and Tyler Angle made it not only visually arresting but musically inspiring. Tyler can no longer be viewed as a 'rising young dancer' - he's already there. Abi's given some beautiful performances this season but she surpassed herself here, finding just the right sense of mystery to make the pas de deux all the more intriguing. I always praise Abi as one of the most musical of dancers; her sense of timing, anticipation and 'finish' is always so alert and polished. That's why watching her is always a joy and Wei agreed that her performance tonight was really special. It would be nice to see the complete MERCURIAL again - with Abi & Tyler in the leading roles, of course.

Andrew Veyette, in the solo from SQUARE DANCE and Teresa Reichlen dancing EMERALDS provided an oasis of Balanchinian calm and refinement. I was wondering how these two solos would work as 'gala' items but thanks to the technical command and presence of these two dancers both solos held the audience under their spell. Tess needs to be seen in EMERALDS at the next revival; she may become one of those Three-Jewel ballerinas who are very rare. Savannah Lowery and Troy Schumacher showed us Balanchine's extroverted side as Savannah relished her dance to the beating drums from UNION JACK and Troy easily flashed thru the zillion pirouettes and air turns of the 3rd Regiment solo from STARS & STRIPES. Opening the evening, Ellen Bar's solo girl in the RUBIES excerpt made me want to see her in the whole ballet. Ashley Bouder and Daniel Ulbricht let their astounding technical powers unfurl in bravura combinations which wowed the audience.

The INTERPLAY except works nicely out of context; Giovanni Villalobos was charming and Ana Sophia Scheller stood out for her precision. Ashley Laracey, Georgina Pazcoguin, Tiler Peck, Antonio Carmena,  Vincent Paradiso and Christian Tworzyanski turned what I often think of as a silly ballet into something very entertaining. The finale of GLASS PIECES was a great ending for the first half and evoked a big audience response. At the end of the evening, Tiler Peck glitteringly kicked off the final movement of SYMPHONY IN C and was joined by Jason Fowler and later by Sterling Hyltin, Jared Angle, Rebecca Krohn, Ask LaCour,  Megan Fairchild and Antonio Carmena plus a bevy of delightful demis and the full Corps. A quick sweep with the opera glasses and it was easy to find Lydia weaving her way thru the Balanchine patterns; it will be fun to witness her progress onstage.

Crowd? What crowd!? The film When We Were Kids featured a score by Henry Seth and Ask LaCour and revealed several of our favorite dancers in 'home movie' footage from their youngest dancing days. A big Bravo goes to Jonathan Stafford for master-minding the evening which I hope will become an annual event. I wonder how the Silent Auction went?  Next year they might consider having Dancers' Choice on a Sunday afternoon with a meet-and-mingle for dancers and devotees on the Promenade afterwards. That way the dancers won't have to get up the next morning and go to work.

Introduced to Katie Morgan, I could think of nothing more original to say than "You're so pretty!" There's nothing like stating the obvious. She took it graciously. I was glad, since Wei has been able to come to the ballet so rarely this season, that he got to see Faye. He loves all the dancers but he adores Faye. All evening the dancers we met were so kind and generous and made us feel part of the extended NYC Ballet family. Tonight certainly reaffirmed the talent, creativity and dedication of the dancers as individuals and as a remarkable Company.  

Tonight's the Night: DANCERS' CHOICE

Watch a brief video about the new ballet FLIT OF FURY/THE MONARCH here. Choreographed by Adam Hendrickson to a score by Aaron Severini (photo), the ballet will be the centerpiece of New York City Ballet's Dancers' Choice evening on Friday June 27. The performance will benefit the Dancers' Emergency Fund. Principal dancer Jonathan Stafford has selected the works to be performed and is also in charge of the casting. The evening will reportedly feature two filmed segments: one on the creation of the new Hendrickson/Severini ballet and another showing the dancers when they were kids (that'll be fun!) and there will be a t-shirt and booklet commemorating the event. Wei and I got our tickets as soon as the show was announced and we're looking forward to seeing everyone there.

When I ran into Kristin Sloan at the ballet last week she and I were enthusing over Aaron Severini's music, which you can sample at his site.

Here is the announced programme for the GALA:

Rubies (Excerpt): Bouder, *Ulbricht, *Bar

Ecstatic Orange (Excerpt): Taylor, *Hall

Square Dance (Excerpt): Veyette

Emeralds (Excerpt): *Reichlen

Interplay (Excerpt): Peck, *Pazcoguin, Laracey, Scheller, Carmena,
                           *Villalobos, *Tworzyanski, *Paradiso

Dances at a Gathering (Excerpt): *Rutherford, M. Fairchild, *Hankes,
J.Angle, Ramasar,*T. Angle, *Laurent

Glass Pieces (Excerpt): NYCB Ensemble


INTERMISSION


*Flit of Fury/The Monarch (premiere): Smith, R. Fairchild, Peiffer, Prottas, Suozzi                                

Beethoven Romance: *Mearns, *Hanna

Union Jack (Excerpt): *Lowery

Stars and Stripes (Excerpt): *Schumacher

Mercurial Manoeuvres (Excerpt): *A. Stafford, *T. Angle

Symphony in C (Fourth movement and Finale): T. Peck, Fowler, *Hyltin, J. Angle, *Krohn, la Cour,  M. Fairchild, Carmena

Robbins/Tharp at NYCB

Wednesday June 25, 2008 - As the New York City Ballet's Robbins Celebration season draws to its conclusion Rob and I saw tonight's double-bill of GOLDBERG VARIATIONS and a revival of the Robbins/Tharp collaborative creation BRAHMS/HANDEL (Paul Kolnik photo of the alternate cast). I run hot and cold about GOLDBERG; sometimes it seems like a masterpiece and sometimes it merely seems long and drawn-out. The BRAHMS/HANDEL was one of the few ballets that prompted me to scribble a note on my Playbill during the dancing. I wrote: "...busy, busy, busy..." and as the curtain fell, Rob turned to me and said: "That was exhausting!" Yes, it was exhausting to watch and I can only imagine how exhausting it was to dance. And all to little or no avail.

GOLDBERG tonight was danced to near-perfection, opening with the stately theme set forth by Kaitlyn Gilliland and Jason Fowler. In the first half, Abi Stafford and Megan Fairchild were lovely; Adam Hendrickson stood out despite almost losing his balance at one point. Andrew Veyette, Amar Ramasar and Tyler Angle all looked great. The corps girls were particular favorites of mine and I so enjoyed watching them: Faye Arthurs, Glenn Keenan, Ashley Laracey, Likolani Brown, Lauren King and Katie Bergstrom. In the second part, Rachel Rutherford and Jared Angle were simply sumptuous in their duet; Wendy Whelan was light and brilliant, Sara Mearns lush and expansive. Stephen Hanna's solo was quietly humourous and Gonzalo Garcia is so good-looking it wouldn't matter whether he danced or just stood there. Fortunately he does dance, and very impressively. I took an opportunity to watch Meagan Mann tonight - a beautiful dancer -  and Rob was rightly impressed by Devin Alberda's poise and style.

I don't really have anything positive to say about BRAHMS/HANDEL except that the dancing was fantastic, tireless and committed. It reminded me very much of Tharp's recent RABBIT & ROGUE for ABT. Non-stop combinations, wave after wave of pirouettes, turns and leaps with the dancers wafting all over the stage in solos, duets, groups. Endless coming-and-goings, one climax topping another. A very fussy entrance is devised for Sara Mearns, borne aloft. She then has to stay aloft and be passed about - pointlessly. It all seems so gimmicky: let's throw in the quirkiest partnering stunts we can think of; let's toss the girls around or have them on the floor and yank them about. Most of all, keep everyone moving. For all the time and energy that must have been consumed learning it and then performing it, the ballet rings hollow. I'm sure if the piece was twice as long the choreographers would have gone on and on churning out  clever steps with great facility. Kudos to Abi Stafford for making her complex steps align so perfectly to the music. Everyone in fact danced their butts off but it simply didn't matter.

THEN & THERE II

Tuesday June 24, 2008 - A new Prodigal and Siren and cast changes in THOU SWELL and BRAHMS-SCHOENBERG QUARTET made this evening at New York City Ballet a necessity.

Sara Mearns in THOU SWELL with Jared Angle, Charles Askegard and Nilas Martins (Paul Kolnik photo). Amar Ramasar was the forth tuxedoed gent tonight. Sara has now moved into Darci Kistler's role and Rebecca Krohn has taken over from Sara. Yvonne Borree and Faye Arthurs retain their usual roles. Rebecca surprised me with her convincing jazz-baby-vamp and she looked stunning in the slit black-and-red gown and black toe shoes. Sara was simply grand in her new role, spinning off some gorgeous turns. Faye has a great opportunity to shine here - the role seems tailored to show off her soaring extension - and Yvonne also has a congenial role. But the ballet itself doesn't hold up so well with repeated viewings.

Kaitlyn Gilliland and Joaquin de Luz (Paul Kolnik headshots) gave us a vivid and moving performance of PRODIGAL SON. The ballet is nearly nearly eighty years old but seems fresher than ever; the remarkable Rouault sets could never be improved upon and Balanchine's use of the Prokofiev score in terms of both dance and narrative is perfect. Joaquin's skills as a virtuoso assured that all the leaps and turns in the opening scene were brilliantly executed. What amazed was the power of his characterization: his boyish stature and clarity of expression and the growing sense of vulnerability as he ventures out of his depth and falls victim to seduction and deceit. The scene of his degradation and his shattered, pathetic return home were rendered with extraordinary poignancy by Joaquin; he really showed us the Prodigal's soul. Kaitlyn's youthful Siren played perfectly off Joaquin's  interpretation; in a way they both seemed like lost children. But the Siren has learned to be shrewd and manipulative at an early age - out of necessity. Kaitlyn looked superb: pale and aloof. Her dancing was authoritative using her long legs to hypnotic effect. How fortunate we are to have two top-class Prodigals (Ulbricht and de Luz) and no fewer than three grand Sirens (Maria K, Tess Reichlen and Kaitlyn) all in our own Company.  Dena Abergel, Pauline Golbin, Ask LaCour, Kyle Froman and Antonio Carmena added so much to the atmosphere of this very impressive performance. Despite sustained applause and numerous bows, we could not persuade Joaquin to step out for a solo call.

In the first movement of BRAHMS-SCHOENBERG we could welcome soloist Ellen Bar back after what seems like a very long absence. I'd almost forgotten what an attractive dancer she is. Rachel Rutherford has newly assumed the principal role in this section and it suits her superbly. She has in fact never seemed so luminous onstage as she did here, swept thru the music by the dashing Philip Neal. Another B-S Q newcomer, Sterling Hyltin gave a beautiful yielding quality to her swoons and danced with a nice lightness of touch. Stephen Hanna was her ardent, protective partner. Yvonne Borree and Andrew Veyette moved persuasively thru the changing  musical moods of the third movement which goes from romantic restraint to bursts of extroverted joy. In the finale, Sara Mearns and Amar Ramasar threw caution to the winds and danced with full-out bravado, relishing all the gypsy flavour of the score. BRAHMS-SCHOENBERG is a great corps-watchers ballet; the girls look prettier than ever in their glorious Karinska costumes. It seemed like the first movement was a virtual role-call of favorite dancers. Later the two trios (Muller/Beskow/Abergel and Golbin/Dronova/Laracey) brought so much grace to the stage picture - each girl so distinctive in her own right. An additional flutter of excitement accompanied the 3rd Movement tonight as the newest Apprentices, Lydia Wellington and Megan Johnson, have stepped into the corps here, looking perfectly at ease among their more seasoned 'sisters'. I wish bonne chance to these two young dancers.

Part-Gomes-Wiles in ABT's BAYADERE

Monday June 23, 2008 - Veronika Part and Marcelo Gomes in ABT's production of LA BAYADERE in a Gene Schiavone photo. All this Spring, Ms. Part had been rumored to be leaving ABT but as it happens she will be staying with the Company. In past seasons I have seen her in some maddeningly uneven performances but tonight as Nikiya, Part danced like the consummate prima ballerina she is. With Marcelo Gomes on magnificent form as Solor and Michele Wiles in a spectacular performance as Gamzatti, this was a great evening. I think probably BAYADERE is the best thing ABT does and now I'm trying to find a way to squeeze another performance of it into my already-full week.

For the first few years that I was attending the ballet, BAYADERE was only a name. I heard people talking in hushed, reverent tones about something called The Kingdom of the Shades which was supposedly the most perfect single act of ballet ever created. In 1978 the National Ballet of Canada brought it to the New York State Theatre (far left panel) and I fell instantly under its spell. It wasn't until 1983 that I finally saw the entire ballet in ABT's production; at that time I thought much of it was pretty dreadful (I have since made peace with it) but again the Shades scene wove its spell. People who've never seen BAYADERE in the theatre know a bit of it from the film TURNING POINT where it plays under the opening credits.

The melodic goldmine of the Ludwig Minkus score with its rhythmic variety, unapologetically expansive adagios and touches of Orientalia makes BAYADERE as pleasing to hear as to watch. How well I recall the excitement when Natalia Makarova first staged this ballet for ABT; there were stories of her arduous drilling of the corps for the Shades scene, working on style and unity of expression. Tonight the ABT Corps - despite a few swaying balances and not-quite-in-sync arms - again did Makarova's vision proud and won a sustained applause after the entree. (Rosalie O'Connor photo).

One of the problems I have attending ABT is the distancing effect of the Met: the stage seems far away and the dancers can look very 'small' but tonight the stature of the Part/Gomes/Wiles trio and the scale of their dancing read clearly and profoundly throughout the House (I was upstairs for Act I and then downstairs for Shades). When Veronika Part's Nikiya is 'unveiled' I had a momentary illusion of Cynthia Gregory but as soon as Veronika began to dance, it was All-Part-All-Evening. The tall beauty looks gorgeous in these costumes. Her dancing was revelatory in its grandeur and flow, ideally showcased by Marcelo's ardent sincerity as a partner. Beyond that, Part brings something extraordinary in terms of presence. I was trying to put it into words during the intermission and Susan summarized it in one sentence: "She creates her own world and draws you into it." So true: so often when you focus on Veronika she has an almost visionary expression; there's no theatricality in her performance, just a sense of purity lit from within.

Let's say right off that Marcelo Gomes is the handsomest man ever to grace the Met stage. You might have someone else in mind, but you'd have a hard time convincing anyone who was there tonight. What's so great about Marcelo is that his good looks don't seem important to him in the least: he could easily coast along and win hearts on his face value alone. Instead, he is a phenomenal dancer, partner and presence. He is also something of a rarity: a very tall man who is also a top-class technician. He and Veronika were so compellingly committed to expressing all the beauty, tenderness and poetry of the music and of the dramatic situation.

Michele Wiles (in a photo from the Baltimore Sun) was a Gamzatti unlikely to ever play second-fiddle to anyone: both in terms of character and technique, she brilliantly upheld her corner of the romantic triangle. The role suits her somewhat cool temperament ideally; she looked aristocratic and 'entitled'. Michele's dancing all evening was at such a high level and if her fouettes in the Betrothal Scene looked brilliant, you should have seen her pristine pirouettes in Act III. Uncanny - she just kept spinning effortlessly. The sense of spaciousness and full-out grandeur that Michele, Marcelo & Veronika displayed all evening made this a thrilling BAYADERE.

As if the principals weren't providing enough magic, the soloists danced grandly as well. Carlos Lopez was an especially precise and exciting Bronze Idol, nailing his three tricky combinations to the knee. Yuriko Kajiya in the second Shade variation has a very appealing song-like quality; her 'sisters' were the technically dazzling Sarah Lane and the very accomplished Melissa Thomas. Craig Salstein's big leaps and dramatic intensity made a high-profile cameo out of the Head Fakir. Ever-alert during intermissions, we spotted Amar Ramasar, Sara Mearns and Ashley Bouder on the Grand Tier.

There was a good-sized audience but again a lamentable lack of enthusiasm. An intrepid gathering of the faithful at the orchestra railing at least managed to obtain an extra set of solo bows but really, dancing at this level should have provoked prolonged fits of screaming, barrages of bouquets...and bleeding palms.

Perhaps people have simply become too blase or self-absorbed to care passionately about such things.  When I tell some of my younger opera and ballet friends about the ovations of the past they seen somewhat disbelieving. I suppose from an artistic point of view it is irrelevant whether a great performance gets three minutes of applause or thirty. But in terms of atmosphere, things have certainly changed.

SPIRITS: Christopher Caines Dance Company

Sunday June 22, 2008 matinee - Having enjoyed an excerpt from his work at LaMama earlier this Spring, I was looking forward to this opportunity to see the Christopher Caines Dance Company again. This afternoon they performed SPIRITS at the Jazz at Lincoln Center space at Columbus Circle. In the Andrew Clearfield photo, dancers Jackie McConnell and Andrew Garfield. The title SPIRITS made me think this might be about ghosts or lost souls but: No... it's about libations! Beverages are cleverly linked to the musical selections of each section:  SLIVOVICE (Martinu), WATER OF LIFE (Gaelic folk melodies), COGNAC (Faure), ABSINTHE (Satie), WATER & SALT (Meredith Monk) and a joyous CHAMPAGNE finale (music by Nicholas Stoia commissioned by the Company).

Michelle Vargo (photo: Chris Woltmann) in the WATER OF LIFE segment. The Caines style is firmly rooted in classical ballet technique and most of the girls danced on pointe. The live music was a special attraction of the performance. Mr. Caines himself sang the Gaelic folk  tunes for WATER OF LIFE. Mezzo-soprano Silvie Jensen has an appealingly individual timbre that made her Faure songs in COGNAC the musical highpoint if the afternoon. Among the dancers I was very impressed again with the four I saw at LaMama: Jacqueline McConnell,  Lauren Engelman, Andrew Griffin and Edgar Peterson; Ms. Vargo is a distinctive presence and in ABSINTHE Jamy Hsu and Justin Wingenroth provided a comic interlude as they stopped emphatically to catch their breath.

The performance unfortunately took place in an unsuitable venue which hampered the dancers by lack of space and of wing areas for entries and exits. The audience sat at tables cabaret-style at one end of the studio space from which vantage point the steps and patterns (which looked so nice from the steep rake of the LaMama seating) sometimes lost effectiveness. Lighting, which was also lovely at LaMama, was lacking here. I'm sure that cost constraints dictated the confinements and I am hoping some benevolent angel will come along and provide the Company with the funding needed to appear in a more congenial setting when I see them again. The dancers carried on sportingly, undeterred by limitations.

But such concerns vanished during the really enjoyable CHAMPAGNE finale of the afternoon; to the lively Prelude and Waltz by Nicholas Stoia Mr. Caines devised an expansive dance for six couples which mixed elements of balletic lifts and patterns with a ballroom-dance feeling. Earlier in the production some of the female costuming was unflattering but here they were beautifully gowned in the exact shade of the Veuve Clicquot label and the men wore tuxedos with cumberbunds and bow-ties of the same hue. I will be looking forward to future performances by this ambitious Company, hopefully in a setting where they will truly be able to shine.

MUSICAL MUSES at NYC Ballet

Saturday June 21, 2008 evening - An all-Balanchine evening with Wendy Whelan in MOZARTIANA sharing a programme with two of my personal favorites from the Balanchine catalog - TOMBEAU DE COUPERIN and BAISER DE LA FEE -  provided more than enough reasons to attend tonight (as if I needed reasons!) even though it meant sitting thru LA SONNAMBULA at the end of the evening. It was a good opportunity to invite my friend Reese, poet & writer, who this season has been expanding his ballet horizons with lots of visits to both NYCB and ABT. Before the performance started I avoided telling him too many of my own impressions of the ballets we were to see or of the dancers since I love hearing the totally un-tainted opinions of people who haven't yet formed prejudices. Reese was thoroughly captivated by the ballets themselves and liked SONNAMULA far more than I do.

Casting her spell over the theatre from the moment the curtain rose on MOZARTIANA, Wendy Whelan immediately posed the eternal problem of writing about her: how do you describe perfection? What an atmosphere she created in the Preghiera tonight. Maybe the highest compliment I can pay her is: she makes you see the music. Purity of musical expression is always Wendy's signature, and its never been clearer or more beautiful than tonight. It takes a  true prince of the dance to hold the stage with Wendy in this ballet and what an immaculate, elegant and - again - wonderfully musical performance Philip Neal gave. His partnering was so silky and refined. At the curtain calls, Wendy and Philip generously deflected the audience's accolades to their colleague, Tom Gold, who was bidding farewell to NYC Ballet tonight. (Photo of Wendy by Paul Kolnik).

"Beloved NYC Ballet soloist" is more than just a catch-phrase when it comes to Tom Gold. Over the years, Tom (Paul Kolink photo) has endeared himself  to audiences night after night with his technically buoyant dancing aligned to his sprightly personality with its little dash of irony thrown in. He officially 'retired' in May with a performance of Stroman's DOUBLE FEATURE but sneaky Tom has popped up since then in THE CONCERT and tonight we had a chance to see him in one of his signature roles, dancing the Gigue in MOZARTIANA. His dancing certainly showed no sign that he'll be collecting Social Security any time soon: it was as light, precise and jubilant as ever. NYCB insiders knew what was happening; Tom came out for the bows and immediately went to the four demi girls (Saskia, Dena, Dara and Gwyneth) for some serious hugging. Then Wendy and Philip came out, skipping their own turn to bow and applauding Tom. Tom and Wendy had an enormous mutual embrace for themselves and both Wendy and Philip gave Tom a deep reverence when they all came before the curtain. Then Tom was called out alone and the audience had a chance to express their gratitude which he received with gallant grace. I hope Tom plans to do some more choreographing, since his colorful and dazzling MASADA at the Miller Theatre a couple years ago remains vividly in my mind.

TOMBEAU DE COUPERIN thrives on its delightful Maurice Ravel score which Balanchine transformed into an unusual ballet in which the corps are the stars. Stepping out from the ranks, sixteen of NYC Ballet's dancers show us the impeccably tailored steps Mr. B created in response to Ravel's masterpiece. The ballet is a corps-watchers dream-come-true and no matter where I looked tonight, someone I love was dancing his or her heart out, whether it was Pauline Gobin or Kyle Froman,  or Henry Seth or Ellen Ostrom...I simply couldn't take it all in. TOMBEAU is a treat.

The evening produced its third enchanting musical score with BAISER DE LA FEE. Megan Fairchild and Joaquin de Luz (photo by Paul Kolnik) took the leading roles and Faye Arthurs and Alina Dronova were the demis. With a corps of NYCB beauties, they gave us a performance lovingly danced and rich in atmosphere. Joaquin's solo was spellbinding in its phrasing and sense of mystery; Megan danced with clarity and spun off some brilliant turns along the diagonal. Together they imbued the final moments of the piece with an other-worldly quality. I promised myself that I would not devote myself exclusively to watching Faye whenever she was onstage. But like many promises, this one was broken.

Maybe if you aren't an opera fan you won't be put off by Vittorio Rieti's horrible arrangements of melodies from the bel canto masterpieces of Vincenzo Bellini. It always amazes me that Balanchine would have condoned such trashy adaptations, and every time I hear this music I want to get up and run out of the theatre. The ballet Balanchine created is as contrived as the music, at least up to the point that the title heroine appears. Amar Ramasar was the brooding Baron and Sara Mearns totally glamourous as the Coquette, her dancing lavish and lyrical. In the divertissement, Rachel Piskin, Lauren King, Troy Schumacher and Austin Laurent were a lively quartet and Ana Sophia Scheller and Vincent Paradiso looked exotic in the 'mechanical' pas de deux. Daniel Ulbricht triumphed as Harlequin and climaxed his bravura solo by taking a diving leap into the wings.

The absence of Darci Kistler brought us Yvonne Borree's Sleepwalker opposite Sebastien Marcovici's debut as the Poet. Sebastien certainly has the feeling of romantic intensity the role calls for; as his curiosity about the sleeping woman develops into an obsession, the kneeling Sebastien swoons into a deep backbend. Yvonne's lightness as she skimmed the stage in bourrees had a ghostly feel; she was wistful and mysterious. Yvonne and Sebastien honed the timing ideally in those moments where the poet blocks the sleepwalker's path. Despite my perpetual dislike for this ballet I have to say that Yvonne and Sebastien were very moving, thanks largely to Yvonne's delicacy and vulnerability and Sebastien's poetic response to her. Reese liked SONNAMBULA very much and was really taken with Yvonne's performance.

During the intermission we had a chance to talk with Kristin Sloan who is continuing her filming of the repertoire for future projects; and also I finally met Deborah, a great NYCB enthusiast. My evening ended on the highest possible note as I was heading for the subway and met Miranda Weese. I wasn't just being polite when I told her how much I miss her; then on the long train ride home I started flipping thru a mental picture book of all the images Miranda left us with when she headed West to join Pacific Northwest Ballet. In the Paul Kolnik photo, Miranda and Seth Orza in Christopher Wheeldon's EVENFALL - one of the most memorable of all Miranda's roles at New York City Ballet. I was so glad to  have seen her again and to have a chance to express - awkwardly, as usual - my admiration.

ABT Improves Their SLEEPING BEAUTY

Thursday June 19, 2008 - Last year, ABT's new SLEEPING BEAUTY was widely criticized for its visual atrocities and lack of a cohesive theatrical statement. Dance and mime were treated with a helter-skelter feeling while certain scenic or costuming elements were simply garish and off-putting, making a long evening seem endless. Press, fans and dancers alike all seemed to share in a sense of dismay over ABT's efforts to create a new BEAUTY. (Set design sketch by Tony Walton).

ABT wisely took several of the complaints to heart and they have brought the production back - greatly improved though still needing work. Gone is the great eyesore: the 'shower curtain' which caused much mirthful comment last year. Gone also are the foolish interpolations of Prince Desire drinking from an enchanted river and later being kidnapped and bound in spider webbing. The hunting scene looks to have been shortened a bit. Some of the cheap-looking costuming has been remedied, most notably the four suitors in the Rose Adagio who have lost their crayola-coloured garb and now wear attractive, muted tones which better highlight Aurora's presence. The Fairies also seem less glitzy. Carabosse still arrives with a pyrotechnical flourish but the amount of smoke has thankfully been reduced so the fumes don't linger as they did last year.

Hopefully this is still a work-in-progress because more can be done to make it a smoother, more appealing show. The scene with the four village women being apprehended with a spindle and threatened with execution is superfluous and much too long - I wonder if more than a handful of audience members know (or care) what is happening here. Earlier, the Fairies' big set-piece still seems disorganized...too many people onstage, odd comings-and-goings, and the Fairy Knights are over-employed; they should appear simply as porteurs. Carabosse's muddy-coloured costume doesn't set her off and her 'creatures' are too sci-fi looking and not menacing at all. The Garland Waltz now seems to have more couples but they are hindered by their uni-coloured mustand-yellow costumes and the choreography and structure of this classic piece are underwhelming (study Mr. B's version!). The Fairies reappear needlessly - the Lilac Fairy doesn't need any assistance once the plot is in motion. It's harmless to have them dance at the wedding - but pointless as well. The storybook characters appear at the festivities but their numbers are cut and they are reduced to being spectators at the divertissement where they should be its stars.    

I chose this performance specifically to see Herman Cornejo in a leading, classical role. After watching Herman in last summer's memorable Slow Dancing installation at Lincoln Center I realized what an intriguing dance personality he is and decided that I must try to see him more frequently. This evening's cast had the additional appeal of seeing Sarah Lane as Aurora and Maria Riccetto as the Lilac Fairy - two ballerinas whose performances in the new Tharp I especially admired.

Ms. Riccetto is a tall, elegant Lilac Fairy who wisely doesn't overdo the sweetness: she's secure in her powers and doesn't need to be a Miss Goody Toe-Shoes. She danced with regal poise and great assurance in her solos and over all she cast the graceful strength of her personality. The other Fairies danced their solos impressively and looking fetching: Melanie Hamrick, Kristi Boone, Renata Pavam, Jacquelyn Reyes and Simone Messmer. I used to think that Matt Murphy featured Jackie Reyes on his blog so often just because they are friends; but now I can see what a warm and luscious dancer she is. All these girls in fact are distinctive and I'll look forward to seeing them in future performances.

Blaine Hoven, Sascha Radetsky, Roman Zhurbin and Craig Salstein as the prospective bridegrooms gave Ms. Lane handsome support in her Rose Adagio and I couldn't help but notice that even in this rather anonymous role, Craig managed to create a living person - eying his competitors warily and eying the prize with romantic desire, he hopefully inhaled the fragrance of the flower before presenting it to Aurora as if to say: "I hope this rose does the trick!".

Sarah Lane's wonderful success in the Rose Adagio set the tone for her entire performance. Her childlike appearance and her easy sense of being a princess (no false modesty here) gave her enormous appeal right from her entry. She achieved the long balances of the Adagio with complete command and then  danced her solo with technical assurance and a delicious charm that was never syrupy. In the Vision Scene, Sarah knew just how to linger on her balances with a dreamy quality. As time goes on she will come to develop more of a sense of 'prima ballerina' regality in the final scene but as it stands now, Sarah Lane is a truly delightful Aurora.

With the Wedding Scene bereft of its familiar character pieces, the Bluebird pas de deux sticks out like a sore thumb. It was nicely danced by Yuriko Kajiya and Gennadi Saveliev, though the latter is rather taller than most Bluebirds. Ms. Kajiya responded warmly to the music and has a nice light touch.

Overall then this would have been a highly enjoyable evening in terms of dance, and featuring a very appealing and entirely satisfying Aurora; what turned this BEAUTY into something more was Herman Cornejo's perfect Prince Desire (Paul Rodriguez photo). From the moment he came soaring onstage in an opening salvo of leaps and turns (backed by four huntsmen) Herman raised the temperature in the Met and gave the whole evening the glow only a superstar can radiate. But what is gorgeous about Herman is, there is never a hint of showing off or grandstanding; he executes the bravura passages with such sincerity, grace and musicality that the framework of the story-situation is always maintained and he never seems to say "Now watch this!"  Added to all that, he's a refined and ardent partner and in the Vision Scene there was a real gleam in his eye as he found his heart's desire. His port de bras and hands are always elegant and expressive without fussiness and everything about his dancing is so clean and pure. Rob and I felt at the end that the ballet might rightly have been re-titled PRINCE DESIRE.

The audience however was another matter. There was a substantial house though certainly not a full one; however they could not muster anything more than lethargic applause most of the evening. Despite the excellent performances of Sarah, Herman & Maria it took a mighty effort from a small clan of fans at the orchestra railing to evoke an extra bow. In the 'old days' this trio would have been bowing and dodging bouquets for several minutes. The Family Circle was full of restless children who talked non-stop thru Act I with no reprimanding adult intercession. ABT makes the mistake of leaving the curtain-lights on half for the entr'actes and the unsophisticated crowd takes this to mean they can converse freely since the music is...only Tchaikovsky. Between scenes in Act I half of the Family Circle decided to migrate to the Balcony, hauling their shopping bags and kids with them and totally destroying the mood. I was glad when Rob told me there were plenty of seats in the Grand Tier and I moved there. The only distraction there was the three women in front of us who felt compelled to comment on everything. Then, just as the Wedding pas de deux started, they got up and left.

Anyway, the pared-down production is now only about ten minutes longer than New York City Ballet's version: the Peter Martins production which many people find insultingly compressed. Would that ABT's had the visual appeal of NYCB's - and the magic of the Balanchine Garland Waltz. Still, it was all worth enduring for the sake of watching Herman Cornejo.