Balanchine Evening @ NYC Ballet

Wednesday February 17, 2010 - Two Balanchine masterpieces were on the programme tonight at New York City Ballet. Each time I have seen the Master's LIEBESLIEDER WALZER over the years my admiration for it has deepened. Also perhaps the (supposed) wisdom of getting older frames the work in a different way as the years pass: looking back across a panorama of romances one sees things in the relationships of the four LIEBESLIEDER couples that evoke memories and sighs. Tonight, just as the house lights went down, one of our handsome danseurs and his screen-star lady love arrived, exchanging a kiss as they took their seats just in front of us. This seemed so appropriate to the LIEBESLIEDER mood.

The vocal quartet for LIEBESLIEDER were soprano Ashley Emerson, mezzo Katherine Rohner, tenor Michael Slattery and baritone Thomas Meglioranza. Supported by pianists Susan Walters and Richard Moredock, the young singers blended well and took a lightness of approach that kept the music fresh. Dynamic attentiveness made for some very nice effects, especially from Ashley and Michael.

Despite the starry names of the dancers listed in the Playbill, LIEBESLIEDER is really an ensemble piece. Darci Kistler and Philip Neal have been in this salon so many times and now as their retirements loom it must be wonderfully nostalgic for them to be waltzing together to the haunting Brahms melodies. Both as dancers and as personalities they have given us so many images to ponder over the many seasons they've been on this stage. 

Janie Taylor's delicate beauty and lovingly nuanced dancing was ideally shown off by her tall and romantically handsome partner, Sebastien Marcovici. Their duets were wonderfully floated on the music, and I especially loved the look Janie exchanged with Wendy Whelan when the four ballerinas are seated in a diagonal and simply waft their hands in gentle motion to the music.

Wendy was spellbinding tonight, dancing with that courtly danseur noble Jared Angle. Everything Wendy does seems to make the music sing all the clearer and Jared's ardent presence accentuates her beauty so splendidly. In that magical phrase where they cross the stage in a slow diagonal, Wendy pausing three times in a sort of ronde de jambe a terre, her foot became the center of the universe. I've seen her in this ballet many times and she is always breathtaking.  

I have always admired Jennie Somogyi as a dancer and now this season between her LIEBESLIEDER and her Lilac Fairy (and with EMERALDS coming up) I have fallen totally under her spell. The auburn-haired ballerina looked smashing in her pale pink gown with blossoms in her coiffure, and her dancing was nothing short of perfection, so poetic in expression with just a touch of tartness here and there that suits the 'character' so well. Justin Peck was a dream partner for Ms. Somogyi, his wonderful posture and bearing seemed both to protect and inspire her. The challenge for the men in this ballet is to be elegant and lyrical without sacrificing masculinity and Justin is already there, his long arms and ideal hands always meshing so well with his ballerina's. In a LIEBESLIEDER brimming over with poignant images there was nothing finer than Justin slowly carrying Jennie across the stage, setting her down and sinking to his knee to kiss her hand.

Part of me wanted to get up and go home after this LIEBESLIEDER; this has happened to me before at NYCB when the opening ballet is so perfect you just want to hold onto it.

But if I'd done that I would have missed a brilliant performance by Ashley Bouder in TCHAIKOVSKY PIANO CONCERTO #2. The ballerina (with Jon Stafford above in Paul Kolnik's photo) has been on peak form this season and she danced grandly tonight, truly relishing her supreme balances. Although she is a bit short to thoroughly dominate the proceedings in the ballet her dancing was so radiant and musical that she had a perfect success. Jonathan Stafford was a fine cavalier and danced his solo passages very well and Savannah Lowery's newly-red-hair sets off her tiara and silvery dress very nicely, and her pirouettes were smooth and lush. Sean Suozzi and Christian Tworzyanski were the fine demi-cavaliers.

The second movement of this piece is one of my favorite parts of any ballet ever created. Tonight the conductor Andrews Sill did not quite find the stirring depths of this music which seems so transparent on the surface but which can be so emotionally profound; and there were a few miss-hit notes from the pianist. But: two of the Company's most radiant ballerinas Amanda Hankes and Ashley Laracey wove a beautiful spell with their silken arabesques, queenly demeanor and perfect facial expressiveness. Jon Stafford looked transported by the melodies as he gently swept the girls thru the magical Balanchine choreography. As always here I found myself almost regretting that the prima ballerina enters; I simply wanted Jon, Amanda and Ashley and the lovely corps to go on and on.

I do wish, though, that the corps for the third movement would not enter quite so hastily as Jon departs. It would be so perfect if we could have just one moment to enjoy our reverie.

Throughout TPC2 I found my eye drawn constantly to a certain tall, award-winning ballerina in the corps. There were other tall girls onstage and they're all gorgeous, but there's something about Kaitlyn...

Comments

[Sara P.]

Thank you as always...for making me feel as if I were there...sigh....

[Philip]

Thank you, Sara. That is what I always try to do: make people feel like they were there. I am happy to hear that I succeeded!

[Doug]

'Liebeslieder' was on the program the first time I saw NYCB at City Center in February, 1962, with much of the original cast. Over the years we've seen many great dancers in it, but this was one of the finest ensemble casts we've seen in years. As a ballet about a 'community' dancing, it is a clear predecessor to 'Dances at a Gathering' which we'll see later this week.
I do think the music was a bit slow and pedestrian -- I do miss the nuances and surprises that Robert Irving always brought to this score.
Thanks for your always insightful comments.

[Susan]

I also so very much enjoy your commentary on the programs that you are able to see. I am able to visit NYCB occasionally, and you always help me in filling those gaps!