One of Kristin Sloan's great short films introduced us to Santiago Calatrava. Peter Martins recalled the Balanchine/Philip Johnson 'season' when Mr. Johnson's glass-like set pieces provided the decor for several ballets; but the notion of great contemporary artists and designers creating dance settings goes back to Diaghilev. Perry Silvey spoke of the excitement of watching the Calatrava designs become realities. Peter then stepped before the curtain and offered a vodka toast to the architect and his wife. Then Faycal Karoui took the podium and the dancing began: we have two new ballets - as different as night and day in every respect - both of which call for additional viewings as they are visually (and musically) rich and complex.
Benjamin (above) has set his new work to music by Thierry Escaich (brief sample here); the ballet arrived on stage with a late-in-the-day cast change when Kathryn Morgan took over for an injured Janie Taylor.
Entitled WHY AM I NOT WHERE YOU ARE, Benjamin's ballet provides the first look at Mr. Calatrava's work (model above): a fan-like arch which is beautifully lit throughout...
...in colours echoed from Marc Happel's costume designs (above). The work is mysterious and rather sinister, and there is never a wasted moment musically or choreographically.
The curtain rises on Sean Suozzi alone onstage clad all in white in what seems to be a futuristic ballroom. The corps of sixteen dancers sweep on, the girls in dark tulle skirts a la LA VALSE and the boys in colorful, fitted tuxedos. Kathryn Morgan appears and it soon becomes evident that Sean is a ghost or spirit who cannot be seen by the others. A second couple, Sara Mearns and Amar Ramasar, act as catalysts and leaders of the various groups of dancers who swirl on and off to the turbulent, hallucinatory Escaich score. As the ballet evolves, Sean slowly adds pieces of costuming over his whites; he now becomes visible to Kathryn and they dance together - passionate yet fleeting. Then suddenly the dancers begin to tear Katie's costume off leaving her all in white - and invisible. Sean seeks her madly as the ballet careens to its dramatic close.
Benjamin's choreography visualizes the dark density of the music, which is both other-worldly and relentless. The dancing is grand: Sara Mearns gives a striking performance of lyrical abandon and Amar Ramasar looks fantastic and tosses off a couple of fanciful, fluttering aerial combinations that defy analysis. Kathryn Morgan looks beautifully lost and mystified as she seeks her ghostly lover - her dancing plush and velvety but with a steely, nightmarish edge. Her vulnerability after being attacked and de-frocked was lovely. How wonderful to see Sean Suozzi deliver such a spectacular performance - technically vivid and emotionally intense - in a big role crafted just for him. Sean, the man who created MOPEY, was rightly cheered in his solo bow.
The corps play a large part in this ballet and Benjamin chose some of the Company's best and most committed dancers who created an ominous atmosphere while in the meantime dancing superbly. I'll want to see WHY AM I NOT WHERE YOU ARE again (and again) as its drama, choreography and visual setting invite further delving. Bravo Benjamin!
Alexei Ratmansky (above) looked to the past for his music: Edouard Lalo's nearly forgotten exotic ballet score entitled NAMOUNA. I wondered if he would follow
Danced against a bare back-panel illuminated in muted shades from copper to slate-blue, the ballet opens with a striking entree for sixteen corps girls, each clad in a creamy diaphanous pleated skirt and a black bobbed-wig (or helmet-like cap - I couldn't tell, having left my opera glasses at home). Their opening set piece was reminiscent of the BAYADERE Shades though totally different in mood. Later in the same costuming they played small hand-cymbals during Robert Fairchild's solo, one of the work's highlights.
Robert was in fact the central character; clad in a sailor suit he danced handsomely and with technical aplomb. Here is a man with a harem, or at least a liberal list of girlfriends, of which three in particular claim our interest: Sara Mearns, Jenifer Ringer and Wendy Whelan. They arrive in pretty 'petal' tutus and beach turbans and each stakes a claim on Robbie's attentions.
Jenifer Ringer, in the languid Valse de la cigarette, was spellbinding: a peerless dance-actress, she created a complete character and looked superb doing so. When her choreography turned more technical, she responded with wit and finesse. A perfect and delightful performance.
Sara Mearns was splendid in her solo which was danced with grand amplitude and Hollywood glamour, with the excellent NYCB corps men giving her strong support. Both here and in the Millepied Sara seemed to be having a fabulous time and her dancing was on peak form, which is saying a lot.
Meanwhile a trio of the Company's top technicians (Megan Fairchild, Abi Stafford and Daniel Ulbricht) interjected sprightly combinations and mischievous personalities into the proceedings: each of them had moments in which to shine as individuals, and Daniel was a willing sidekick to Robbie as their beach adventure went on.
Costumes (by Marc Happel and Ruslam Khamdamov, sketch above) enhance the Ratmansky ballet while also making the corps dancers anonymous. Visually, NAMOUNA is a constant pleasure. And the music is enchanting. Despite feeling that Wendy had been seriously under-utilized, I thought when the ballet ended with Rob, Daniel and the boys rushing off (to find more women?) that we had a masterpiece on our hands, something to savour repeatedly. Except: it wasn't over.
Now Wendy's role became clear as she and Robert embarked on a beautifully atmospheric and romantic pas de deux marked by stunning partnering sequences and Wendy's perfection - all in white - as Muse and Siren. The other dancers and the ensemble had still more to do but the ballet does end with just Rob and Wendy alone onstage in a passionate, prolonged kiss.
And so, like DANCES AT A GATHERING, Ratmansky's NAMOUNA is simply too long. But - as with the Robbins - it begs the question: what should be cut? And the answer is: none of it!
One thing that could be deleted is the prelude which is lovely in itself but which - being played with the curtain down - seemed to merely provide the audience with background music for continuing their intermission conversations. It's atmospheric but with the undercurrent of chatter it really did not draw us into the work; our attention is only seized when the dancing starts.
So, it's a long piece but beautiful and unusual and - like the Millepied - it invites repeated viewings.
Poster for the Festival...
...and here is the Promenade being decked out for the Gala party. So nice to see all the off-duty and after-performance dancers in party attire; I wish I was more confident in asking to photograph them - several stunning ballerinas (Savannah, Ashley Bouder, Jenifer Ringer and Elysia Dawn) should have been immortalized. Perhaps some party pictures will turn up on
Set and costumes design images from the Company's Architecture of Dance website. The Festival is off to a fine start and we've much to anticipate.
Lovely write up Philip! I was also reminded of La Valse in Millipied's work (and a bit of Prodigal as well) and look forward to seeing it again as I have a feeling it will reveal even more in a second viewing. I especially loved the Ratmansky piece. It was a feast for the eyes; costume and dancing and movements like we have never seen before! It comes up 2 more times on my volunteer schedule and I can't wait to devour it again.
Posted by: Laura | April 30, 2010 at 06:07 PM
This may be copping out a bit but I find it hard to adequately judge these two ballets without a second and third viewing. The important thing to note, however, is that both of them merit additional viewings. There are powerful images and memorable moments that I can't wait to see again. I did feel that the Ratmansky ballet was a bit too long (like you, I thought that when the boys went offstage that time, the ballet was over)and actually, I felt that the Millepied piece was somewhat too short, in the sense, that I would have liked a more complete or coherent ending to it. Still, it was a grand night for dancing and the NYCB dancers were in mid-season form throughout the evening.
Posted by: Bob | May 01, 2010 at 12:37 PM