Tuesday December 23, 2008 - Teresa Reichlen as the Sugar Plum Fairy in Paul Kolnik's perfect photo. It was to see Tess and her cavalier Charles Askegard as well as a host of other favorite dancers that I went to my fifth NUTCRACKER of the current season. Tess and Charles gave a sterling rendition of the pas de deux, topping off a very enjoyable evening.
Joshua Shutkind and Maria Gorokhov (Andrea Mohin photo, above) as the prince and Marie led the children's cast which also featured Jeremy Wong's very rambunctious Fritz. Robert LaFosse was a rather subdued Drosselmeyer tonight while Ask LaCour and Gwyneth Muller as the Stahlbaums used their expressive arms and hands to fine effect in the party scene. Erica Pereira, Brittany Pollack and Austin Laurent were characterful dolls and Max van der Sterre an animated Mouse King. Are the dancers sick of NUTCRACKER? If they are, it doesn't show.
With Faycal Karoui on the podium, things moved along briskly. He gives the score a full-bodied symphonic feel but sometimes throws in subtle textures, as in the sort of echo effect he obtained in the Mother Ginger number (which he concluded with a brilliant prestissimo). Kurt Nikkanen's playing of the Act I interlude is really dreamy.
It's always fun to spot dancers in the big numbers who aren't supposed to be there and tonight one of the Snowflakes caught my eye with her regal femininity: Amanda Hankes. She used it as a warm-up for her Spanish senorita in Act II, where she danced with the authoritative Jason Fowler.
Kathryn Morgan also had double duty, leading off the Snow scene with lyrical grace and then dancing a spectacular Marzipan. With her pretty back-up quartet (Faye Arthurs, Katie Bergstrom, Lauren King and Stephanie Zungre) Katie reveled in the demands of the choreography while captivating us with her lovely face. Giovanni Villalobos sprung out from his Chinese box into a couple of high leaps, and then spun off a dazzling flurry of air turns. Daniel Ulbricht wowed the crowd with his effortless, personable Candy Cane. Justin Peck was Mother Ginger; Rachel Rutherford and Saskia Beskow led a stylish Waltz and it was very thoughtful of the powers that be to put Kaitlyn, Sophie and Lydia next to each other in the opening segment.
Dena Abergel was a vividly dramatic Arabian, an unattainable icon dancing in her own private world. In the finale, Dena came down the diagonal striking one long arabesque balance and then holding a second one even longer. I thought for a moment they were using freeze-frame. Brava!
Megan Fairchild (Paul Kolnik photo, above) danced Dewdrop this evening. She opened the Waltz standing in utter stillness on her pointes; then the feet begin to trill and she's off on her myriad spins and jumps, a complete delight. Buoyed by continuous waves of applause, she swept thru each solo passage with sparkling lightness. [Megan is featured in Kristin Sloan's latest video.]
And so we come to Tess Reichlen's Sugar Plum who looks like a goddess when she first bourees out; the solo is mesmerizing with her long arms flowing thru the port de bras and her pristine footwork. With her prince of a partner, Charles Askegard, Tess gave a majestic adagio - everything really smooth and refined with her two breath-taking leaps to Chuck's shoulder. The metal plate on which the cavalier leads the Sugar Plum's magical glide was very stodgy tonight, giving them a momentary jolt. But what a plush ending: a big balance from Tess and then Charles pulled off the final fish-dive to perfection. Tess looks so gorgeous...totally captivating.
{Headshots: Paul Kolnik}
Thanks for the review! I may try to come get standing room for tomorrow's matinee.. do you know where the standing room is located in the NYST?
Posted by: Sandi | December 24, 2008 at 09:24 AM
Yes, it's way up at the top of the Fourth Ring...you get a full view of the stage even though you are rather far away (if you have binoculars, bring them) For a few dollars more you can usually get a 5th Ring seat; you cannot see the backdrops and you are looking 'down' on the stage but it's a closer view than the one from standing room.
I'll be in the 5th Ring today. Maybe I'll see you there!
Posted by: Philip | December 24, 2008 at 09:29 AM
I wish I had seen Dena Abergel as Arabian!!
She is one of my favorites. She can dance Queens with regal authority and sexy Arabian dancers with dramatic allure.
Thank you for you vivid and wonderful reviews Oberon!
May your holidays be filled with happiness, joy and light.
Posted by: perky | December 26, 2008 at 09:06 AM
Perky, it's nice to see you here...hope you had a great Christmas!
Dena is wonderful, I'm always glad to find her in the cast of any ballet.
Posted by: Philip | December 26, 2008 at 09:10 AM