NYCB 2/1/15 Matinee Performance

SUNDAY MATINEE, FEBRUARY 1, 3:00 PM [Conductor: Sill] 
SYMPHONIC DANCES: *Reichlen, *Catazaro 
THE CAGE: Hyltin, *Kikta, *J. Peck, Suozzi 
ANDANTINO: Bouder, Veyette [Solo Piano: Walters] 
CORTÈGE HONGROIS: Kowroski, *Janzen, *Pollack, *LeCrone, Pazcoguin, Hall

* First Time in Role on Friday, January 30th

It's hard to imagine a more disheartening New York City Ballet program on paper than the one we attended on Sunday afternoon.  Subtitled 'Hear the Dance: Russia', it consisted of second rate works by Peter Martins and George Balanchine flanking a masterpiece and a slight but glistening pas de deux by Jerome Robbins -- all to Russian music.  Fortunately, there were several dancers who had debuted in their roles on the previous Friday evening to add some novelty and hopefully some energy to the afternoon.  Super Bowl Sunday is an odd time to be at the ballet I suppose -- the theater was only about 60% filled (no-one in the fourth/fifth ring and lots of empty seats lower down).

It began with Peter Martins' energetic, but generally uninspired 'Symphonic Dances' to the music of the same name by Sergei Rachmaninoff.  Danced by a principal couple, four demi-soloist couples, and 8 corps couples, it was created in 1994 for Darci Kistler and Nicolaj Hubbe.  Teresa Reichlen and Zachary Catazaro (who had debuted in the roles on Friday, 1/30) seemed poorly matched and generally cautious.  Martins choreography for couples is often so difficult and awkward that it is impossible to say if there were actual slip-ups or just planned but ungainly partnering moves.  Kistler and Hubbe could mask such treacherous terrain, but Reichlen and Catazaro in their second performance in these roles often looked clumsy and exposed.

As usual, Martins choreographs brilliant entrances and exits for the large cast, but if they stay on stage for any length of time the moves and patterns become repetitious and unexceptional.  Especially, the four demi-soloist men (Harrison Ball, Joseph Gordon, Spartak Hoxha and Peter Walker) are given some wonderful, explosive entrances.  

Santo Loquasto's costumes are problematic.  The demi-soloist couples are beautifully dressed in teal and rust outfits that look like Russian nobility masquerading as serfs -- although why two of the four men had differently patterned tunics is a mystery.

Demi-soloist couples in Santo Loquasto's costumes for Peter Martins' 'Symphonic Dances'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik

The corps is similarly attired in slightly less brilliant shades of aqua and peach -- the women with less elaborate Russian style headdresses.  The principal couple wears the palest aqua and peach costumes with little decoration and only a few jeweled clips holding up Reichlen's hair.  Near the end she suddenly appears with a ponytail -- looking almost as if she's getting ready for bed.  She and Catazaro just fade into the background when the entire ensemble comes on stage for the finale.

Jerome Robbins' 'The Cage' is danced to Igor Stravinsky's 'String Concerto in D'.  Robbins created 'The Cage' in 1951 for the great dramatic ballerina Nora Kaye as The Novice.  The scenario is clearly derived from the second act of 'Giselle' -- a band of female creatures led by a queen with two henchwomen is initiating a novice when their precinct is invaded by two male intruders in succession and the queen and her band encourage the novice to dispatch them.

Emily Kikta was sensational as The Queen.  Probably the tallest woman in the company, Kikta has long arms and legs and an incredible extension which give her commanding authority in The Queen's opening solo.  Sterling Hyltin was intense and predatory as The Novice -- emphasizing the weirdly nonhuman aspects of a creature learning to tantalize and victimize her prey.  She makes quick work of the first intruder, Sean Suozzi, barely giving Sean time to make an impact.  By the time she gets to the second intruder, Justin Peck, Hyltin has learned to entice and toy with her victim. There is a wonderfully angular and lustful pas de deux before he too is killed.

Justin Peck and Sterling Hyltin in Jerome Robbins' 'The Cage'.  Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Kikta and Peck had debuted in their roles on Friday evening.  Both made a considerable impact and the audience reacted with an extended ovation for the entire cast.

After a pause, Ashley Bouder and Andrew Veyette danced Jerome Robbins' 'Andantino'.  Robbins created 'Andantino' to the Second Movement (Andantino-semplice--Prestissimo) of Tschaikovsky's First Piano Concerto in 1981 for the Company's Tschaikovsky Festival.  Susan Walters played the solo piano part which is mostly contemplative, unlike the more bombastic outer movements of that concerto.

Ashley Bouder and Andrew Veyette danced this pas de deux with refinement and attention to detail.  There is little opportunity for technical bravado, but their well-honed technical skills were put in service of elegance and beautifully controlled unison passages and partnering.  This brief (8-minute) work was like a refreshing shot of ice-cold premium vodka in the midst of a long, heavy Russian banquet.

Balanchine created 'Cortege Hongrois' in 1973 as a parting gift for Melissa Hayden who retired at the end of the 1973 Spring season.  It was also a sort of apology for having ignored Ms. Hayden in favor of younger ballerinas, particularly Suzanne Farrell, for much of the previous decade.  It is not among Balanchine's finest work -- it is mainly a rehash of Petipa's 1898 choreography from the original 'Raymonda'. 

The music is from the third act of 'Raymonda' by Alexander Glazunov -- a melodious score that Balanchine turned to frequently throughout his career ('Pas de Dix' in 1955 and 'Raymonda Variations' from 1961 which is still in the active repertory).  The ballet that Petipa choreographed in 1898 is about Raymonda, a countess loved by a Hungarian crusader knight, who is seduced by a Saracen but ultimately stays faithful to the knight.  The third act celebrates Raymonda's wedding to the knight.  

'Cortege' is for a principal classical couple (Maria Kowroski with Russell Janzen on Sunday) backed by a classical corps of eight couples; and a principal Hungarian character couple (Georgina Pazcoguin with Craig Hall) backed by a corps of eight Hungarian couples.  The costumes by Rouben Ter-Arutunian are white decorated with gold for the four principals and white decorated with gold and emerald green for the corps.  The character men wear white boots (for stomping) and puffy 'Hungarian' hats.  The overall effect is garish and somewhat silly.

Rebecca Krohn and Sean Suozzi in the ridiculous Rouben Ter-Arutunian costumes from 'Cortege Hongrois'.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

Janzen had debuted in the role on Friday evening and his partnering and solo work were still somewhat tentative.  With his height, he is an ideal partner for Kowroski and they look good together.  Kowroski was regal and cool in her solos.  Somehow, she makes the Hungarian mannerisms of her variation seem tacked on rather than integral to the choreography -- perhaps because Balanchine just tacked them on.

Pazcoguin and Hall led the stomping, heel-clicking Czardas with charisma and authority.  Brittany Pollack (a Friday evening debutant) was radiant in the first classical variation, but Megan LeCrone (also new on Friday evening) seemed distracted and pinched in the second.

'Cortege' relies for impact on its courtly parades and massing of dancers in serried ranks.  Instead of innovative choreography one settles for warmed over Petipa with half-hearted Hungarian appliques -- but done to a suite of first rate Glazunov ballet music.

Finale of 'Cortege Hongrois' with Jon Stafford and Maria Kowroski flanked by Sean Suozzi and Rebecca Krohn.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for NYC Ballet

The real pleasure of an uninspiring program like this is in seeing favorite dancers undertaking new roles.  Certainly, Russell Janzen and Brittany Pollack in 'Cortege'; Emily Kikta and Justin Peck in 'The Cage'; and Teresa Reichlen in 'Symphonic Dances' fit that description -- although they accommodated the roles with varying degrees of success.  When the choreography doesn't provide surprises, I can always search the corps for familiar faces -- Silas Farley in both 'Symphonic Dances' and 'Cortege' is always totally in the moment with his elegant, stretched lines and exceptional height; Lydia Wellington and Megan Johnson also in 'Symphonic Dances' and 'Cortege' can always be counted on for anchoring lovely moments of corps dancing; Mimi Staker with her sparkling dark eyes was vivacious in the Czardas corps of 'Cortege'. 

Silas Farley dancing the lead in 'Cortege Hongrois' in School of American Ballet's 2012 Workshop Performances.
Photo by Paul Kolnik for SAB

And it's always good to see the pros -- Bouder, Kowroski and Veyette -- in almost any context.  As an alternative to the Super Bowl this was still a super afternoon.