Looking at the the Andrea Mohin/NY TIMES photos from ABT's performance of Twyla Tharp's BRIEF FLING (Xiomara Reyes and Herman Cornejo, above) made me wonder if I do need to stay on Saturday afternoon and watch it again. My reaction during Tuesday's performace was that it was a piece I would never want to see again and that I could have a short afternoon on Saturday by skipping out after JARDIN. But the Mohin photos (Herman and the guys, below) are making me think about certain things that have stayed in my mind about the piece.
Since Saturday's matinee boasts a different pair of principals (Herrera and Gomes) it will probably be worthwhile to stay. I'm pretty sure in retrospect that it was the music that killed it for me. But I won't know for certain unless I give it another shot.
I saw Marcelo and Paloma last night and Marcelo was excellent! But of course I'd say that... But, no, really he was -- objectively! He made that piece -- and I think he knew it. Without him, I would have thought what you did. Actually I did think what you did... I feel like Tharp is like the Joyce Carol Oates of dance -- extremely prolific, but sometimes too much so and quality gets sacrificed for quantity. I like much of her stuff, but after a while it all starts to feel the same. And some pieces that basically do the same thing are just so much better than others. Anyway, I agree with you about the ballet itself, but I would definitely recommend staying to see Marcelo.
Posted by: tonya | October 30, 2008 at 10:42 PM
Yes, I have decided definitely to stay...how could I walk out when Paloma and Marcelo are about to take the stage?
Posted by: Philip | October 31, 2008 at 07:53 AM