Opening Night: MORPHOSES @ City Center

 

Wednesday October 1, 2008 - It's been a long wait, but MORPHOSES , the Wheeldon Company are back in Manhattan for two programmes/six performances at the New York City Center.  Above, in an Arthur Elgort photo, two of the dancers who make MORPHOSES so special - Wendy Whelan and Edwaard Liang. Christopher has drawn together a Company of dance luminaries - both familiar and relatively unknown to New York audiences - for three Gotham premieres, revivals of two of his own highly successful ballets, and a pair of Sir Frederick Ashton gems.

After last evening's exciting SALOME at the Met and a sleepless night I was feeling out-of-it as I waited for the performance to begin. It was soothing to watch a silent film of dancer Celine Cassone sewing her toe shoes; this put me in a good mood for the evening of dance - the familiar and the new - which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Christopher welcomed us and told us briefly about the works to be presented and then the curtain rose on the silent opening section of POLYPHONIA. I tend to think of this Ligeti ballet as Christopher's first masterpiece. He had previously created some very fine works but POLYPHONIA really sort of put him into the top echelon of contemporary choreographers. I've seen it several times at New York City Ballet and it's one of those works that keeps revealing new facets with each viewing. And as the casting has changed over the seasons, each dancer could bring something unique to it. Tonight's cast made POLYPHONIA look new once again.

Wendy Whelan retains her original role, full of mystery and cool allure; she is now partnered by Tyler Angle who showed himself equal to the task. This is a quintessential Whelan ballet, one in which her elasticity, strength and musicality are ideally displayed. (An Erin Baiano photo: Tyler & Wendy). Teresa Reichlen and Jason Fowler launch their duet with 'propeller' arms and weave in other quirky bits. These two dancers cover space effortlessly with their long limbs; Tess looks superb. Jason has a duet with Gonzalo Garcia where they dance wittily in sync; Gonzalo's waltzy duet with the glowing Tiler Peck was another highlight. Craig Hall is quietly powerful and he flawlessly partnered Beatrice Stix-Brunell. This fifteen-year-old ballerina looked thoroughly at ease in such company; her solo was danced with silky smoothness and she has a lovely presence. Cameron Grant's expertise at the keyboard was an added blessing in a wonderful performance.

In the days leading up to the MORPHOSES opening it was announced that Ashton's MONOTONES II would be added to the Gala programme; I'm totally unfamiliar with this ballet which Christopher described as being set in a lunar landscape. Maria Kowroski, Rubinald Pronk and the Royal Ballet's Edward Watson (John Ross photo, above, from the new Molnar) are dressed in white body tights and caps, looking otherworldly and dancing mostly in unison to the orchestrated Gymnopedies of Erik Satie.

Maria K (Kyle Froman photo, above) was of course all grand extension and sustained line. Rubinald seemed a bit constrained in this piece - he thrilled us later in the two premieres - but Edward Watson was very much at home in this Ashton setting and he is one of those dancers who can make double pirouette a real work of art.

Above, a John Ross photo of Edwaard Liang and Celine Cassone in the new Emily Molnar SIX FOLD ILLUMINATE to a Steve Reich score. With six phenomenal dancers in perpetual motion on a stage dappled with pools of light, I thought Molnar's ballet was really exciting. She demands powerful technical work from her dancers, laced with edgy gestures, and she responds vividly to the driven, glittery qualities of the Reich music. 

Drew Jacoby (John Ross photo above) is a commanding dancer with imperial extension and a fearlessness of attack. Dancing with her established partner, Rubinald Pronk, she brings a compelling presence to the stage.

Rubinald's solo was the high point of the Molnar ballet. Like a danseur noble with a strong dose of street savvy, Rubinald moves effortlessly from flowing expansiveness to gritty intensity as his body reacts instinctively to the music.

Celine Cassone (above, photo by Shawn Koppenhoefer) and Rory Hohenstein (below, photo by Eric Tomasson) are two fascinating dancers who have joined MORPHOSES this season. They appeared in both the Molnar and the new Wheeldon. Ms. Cassone's technical strength and her very 'European' look (with her fringe of bangs) are at the service of her intriguing personality as she shifted from cool control in the Molnar to witty dazzle in the Wheeldon. She should be a wonderful inspiration for Chris in creating future works. 

Rory Hohenstein is a lithe, agile dancer with an appealing personality. He looked great in the Molnar and even better in the new Wheeldon, COMMEDIA, where he was showcased in a lively solo.

 

And here they are, Rory Hohenstein & Celine Cassone (in a John Ross photo) costumed for COMMEDIA. Using the familiar and wonderfully danceable Stravinsky PULCINELLA Suite, Christopher has created what is - for me - his most purely enjoyable ballet to date. Ruben Toledo has designed a backdrop of commedia dell'arte masques (the domino) which are illuminated in changing colours as the ballet progresses. The eight dancers appear at first in bright, fanciful capes and hats. These are doffed to reveal white body tights trimmed with a subtle allusion to the traditional lozenge design. A series of solos, duets and ensembles ensues always keenly attuned to Stravinsky's classic-sounding score. Jacoby and Pronk seem to tower over their colleagues and they dance spaciously. Ms. Cassone and Edwaard Liang suit one another beautifully as partners. Rory Hohenstein gets to dazzle us with his joyously fleet-footed solo; he also has a very pretty duet with Beatriz Stix-Brunell who displays yet again her complete ease onstage and her sense of joy at being there.

Central to COMMEDIA is a beautifully-crafted pas de deux in which the Royal Ballet duo of Leanne Benjamin and Edward Watson treat us to a delightful display of great balletic partnering. Here is Wheeldon's choreography at its most expressive as Watson effortlessly sweeps Ms. Benjamin into airy lifts; the duet floats blithely on the music.

In both the Molnar and Wheeldon ballets, a constant source of sheer enjoyment was the dancing of Edwaard Liang (masked, above, with Ms. Cassone). Edwaard's dancing is always so deeply classical in its grounding, even when choreographers give him a contemporary gloss. Having watched dancers for 30+ years, I have to say Edwaard is always one of the most thoroughly satisfying. Like Wendy Whelan, he shows us the beauty of the body in motion in all its pure clarity.

After the cast of COMMEDIA took their bows, Christopher called the entire MORPHOSES Company onstage with Maria, Wendy, Tiler and Tess all in their party frocks.

So lovely to end my evening by running into the wonderfully elegant Pauline Golbin. We also noticed Damian Woetzel and Heather Watts, Tom Gold, Adam Hendrickson and Rebecca Krohn, and Megan LeCrone among the crowd.

I can't wait to see this programme again - tomorrow! Having the excellent Orchestra of St. Luke's in the pit - conducted by Alan Pierson and with keyboard reinforcements for the Reich - really gave the evening a terrific boost. They were especially fine in the Molnar ballet, and played the Stravinsky PULCINELLA with obvious joy. I must also praise the brief films by Benjamin Pierce which preceded the new Molnar and Wheeldon works.

I'd like to express my gratitude to John Ross who has allowed me to use his photographs from the London season. 

Comments

[jolene]

Thanks for the short update on Rory. It was a shock when he took his final bow at SF Ballet b/c it looked like he was moving up since he'd been cast in so many things last year. But it sounds like he's doing well in Morphoses, even though he'll still be horribly missed!

Love the photos, sounds like a good performance.

[Philip]

Rory is a captivating dancer; his solo in COMMEDIA really lit up the stage.

[Deborah]

A most gracious and well-written review, Philip. I can't add anything except how incredibly exciting it was to see dancers whom I've never seen before. Chris has put together quite the thrilling group.
As I mentioned to you at intermission, Wendy was so spectacular in Polyphonia that I found myself with tears running down my cheeks. Also, Tyler Angle,
as her partner (filling the simply irreplaceable Jock), did a fantastic job.
And what a treat to see Edwaard Liang again (once a year isn't enough). He was always one of my favorite NYCB dancers. Finally, to add to the list of
"our" dancers in the audience -- I sat right near Adrian Danchig-Waring (whom I think is dancing in Morphoses tonight). Adrian looked very handsome -- wearing a beautiful suit -- and was happily talking to fellow dancers and fans alike (will this outstanding dancer make it out of the corps this year? I sure hope so!). See you Sat. afternoon!

[Philip]

Wendy was extraordinarily beautiful in POLYPHONIA; I can see how she moved you to tears.

It is a really spectacular Company of dancers and I'm looking forward to finding more facets in the Molnar and in COMMEDIA tonight.

[KayDenmark]

Sounds like a fantastic performance. Thanks for the review.

[Philip]

Hi Kay: wish you were here!