Tuesday June 16, 2009 - First night of the New York City Ballet's revival of Balanchine's MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. Above: Darci Kistler as Titania and Gonzalo Garcia as Oberon in a Paul Kolnik photo. The production looks really fine, the music is enchanting and we are able to see a large number of our dancers moving thru the magical Balanchine patterns. Humour, romance, mischief and transformations are all on the agenda...and one of the transformations was unexpected.
After dancing with his usual virtuosity in the Scherzo, Joaquin de Luz vanished and Oberon re-appeared in the guise of Gonzalo Garcia who finished Act I. An announcement of the change was made before Act II. Above, Paul Kolnik's headshots of Joaquin and Gonzalo. Gonzalo, who is scheduled to debut the role this Saturday afternoon, looked like a young god. And, speaking of young gods, could we have his Apollo please?
Let's hope Joaquin's problem is not a serious one.
The always-delightful Erica Pereira's debut as Butterfly started the evening off on a brilliant note; this delicate-looking dancer is technically crystal-clear and precise, and her every move indicates her joy in being onstage. Teresa Reichlen's benevolently majestic Hippolyta was another pure joy to behold; the tall and ravishingly lovely ballerina is about to become a Titania but she's unforgettable in the huntress role with her spacious jump and sweeping fouettes. Above, Erica and Tess by Paul Kolnik.
In Paul Kolnik's photo, above: Jenifer Ringer's sigh-inducing poetry of motion in the pas de deux with Philip Neal stood out in an evening of fine dancing. After their beautifully meshed interpretation of this, one of Balanchine's loveliest duets, Jenifer and Philip provided one of those dance images which will long linger in the memory as Jeni in a supported balance slowly drifted from Philip's right arm to his left and then sank into a deep swoon while a collective murmur of intoxicated pleasure swept over the House. In the split second before the applause began I heard whispers: "Gorgeous!" "Wow!" "Perfect!" "Ooooohhhhh...!"
Darci was an impetuous Titania and seemed happy dancing with the elegant Charles Askegard; in this ballet more than any other I miss Darci's blondeness. Daniel Ulbricht was as always superbly fleet of foot as Puck, and vastly appreciated by the crowd. The mortal couples - Jennie Somogyi and Jon Stafford, Rebecca Krohn and Amar Ramasar - danced very well and were romantic and comic by turn: it's amazing how Balanchine compressed all the important action of the play into an hour. Henry Seth's Bottom again showed him to be one of the Company's best actors; his quartet of rustic buddies were appealing as individual characters: Max van der Steere, Anthony Huxley, Matthew Renko and Chase Finlay.
Try to imagine me watching this group:
As their ensemble came to an end I wanted to call out: "Play it again, Maury!"
Rob had never seen this production before and was thrilled and moved by it, and most especially by Jenifer Ringer who he hadn't seen dancing much in the past. I tried to tell him beforehand what she is like as a dancer but it's like trying to describe a perfect rose or a matchless pearl.
Puck takes to the air: above, in Paul Kolnik's final image from the ballet. A wonderful evening, and I have two more DREAMS coming up. Thank you, Mr. B!
Now I wish I would have tried to go after my previous engagement last night. I really really REALLY want to see Gonzalo, but I'm not going to be able to make it on Saturday. I hope he dances this again sometime. I'm getting so depressed that the season is almost over.
Posted by: tonya | June 17, 2009 at 04:31 PM