American Ballet Theatre -- Sunday,November 2, 2014

On Sunday afternoon, November 2nd, we went to the State Theater for American Ballet Theatre's matinee.  There were some casting changes announced at the start of the program, but the p.a. system is so mushy that I couldn't catch the changes -- here's what was in the printed program:

Sinfonietta (Jiri Kylian/Leos Janacek)
       Company

Bach Partitia (Twyla Tharp/Johann Sebastian Bach)
       Misty Copeland, Gillian Murphy, Stella Abrera, James Whiteside, Marcelo Gomes,
       Calvin Royal III
       Violin Soloist: Charles Yang

Gaite Parisienne (Leonide Massine/Jacques Offenbach)
     Hee Seo, Isadora Loyola, Herman Cornejo, Marcelo Gomes

Jiri Kylian's 'Sinfonietta' choreographed to Leos Janacek's music of the same name was first staged for Nederlands Dans Theater in 1978 and premiered at ABT in 1991.  It is danced
by 14 dancers against a backdrop of a stylized landscape of a low plain surmounted by a clear blue sky.  The men wear loose shirts and tights and the women wear knee-length dresses of various colors with soft shoes.  The set and costumes for ABT's production are by Walter Nobbe.

Cast in the final moments of Jiri Kylian's 'Sinfonietta'.  Photo by MIRA from ABT website

The orchestra, conducted by Charles Barker, is augmented by a brass choir of 10 musicians on the stage aprons during the first and fifth (final) movements.  The sound was glorious and provided a strong platform for the dance.

Created nine years after Robbins' 'Dances at a Gathering', the format of this work is hardly original -- a group of dancers coming together in various combinations to interact and celebrate their connection to the earth.  Yet it is viewed as Kylian's masterpiece. 

Much of the cast swirls on and off stage in the four outer movements.  The central movement is a pas de six for three couples -- Veronika Part with Blaine Hoven, Devon Teuscher with Thomas Forster, and Isabella Boylston with Calvin Royal III (according to the printed program).  Each couple sometimes danced independently of the others; sometimes two couples danced the same steps while the third danced different steps.  Since we don't know the ABT dancers very well, it's hard to pick out any dancer for special recognition, but the overall work struck me as disappointing and the level of dancing as unexceptional.

ABT dancers in Santo Loquasto's costumes for Twyla Tharp's 'Bach Partita'.  Photo by Gene Schiavone

Twyla Tharp's 'Bach Partita' was choreographed in 1983 for ABT to Johann Sebastian Bach's 'Partita No. 2 in D Minor for Solo Violin'.  It was revived in 2013 by Susan Jones.  The Bach was played in the pit by Charles Yang -- I'm sure played very well, but solo violin music is not a great favorite of ours -- more to be endured than enjoyed. 

The costumes by Santo Loquasto are incredibly unattractive -- short skirts and sleeveless tops for the women; short shorts with sweater vests over T-shirts for the men, all in beige and dove grey; knee-length dance dresses in mouse brown for the 16-woman corps that appears in the final movement.

There are three principal couples -- Misty Copeland with James Whiteside in the first movement; Gillian Murphy with Marcelo Gomes in the second; and Stella Abrera with Calvin Royal III in the fourth.  The third movement is a pas de six for the three couples.  In the first movement Copeland and Whiteside are joined by four demi couples who also appear with Murphy and Gomes in the second movement.  In the fourth movement, Abrera and Royal are joined by three different demi couples.  In the fifth movement the three principal couples are joined by all seven demi-couples and the corps of 16 women.

Stella Abrera with Calvin Royal III, Gillian Murphy with Marcelo Gomes, and
Misty Copeland with James Whiteside in the third movement of Tharp's 'Partita'.   Photo by Darren Thoms

Tharp's choreography is less quirky and mischievous than much of her work for ABT during the Baryshnikov era (1980-1989).  The blips and squiggles that often seem so effortlessly right in her work are kept to a minimum in 'Partita'.

Copeland and Whiteside were limpid in the first movement.

Misty Copeland and James Whiteside in Tharp's 'Partita'.  Photo by Julieta Cervantes for NY Times

Murphy and Gomez danced the second movement with great technical assurance and sensual undercurrents.

Gillian Murphy and Marcelo Gomez in Tharp's 'Bach Partita'.  Photo by Gene Schiavone

Abrera and Royal bring flair and polish to their fourth movement pas de deux, but they lack rapport.

The seven supporting couples all danced with crispness and enthusiasm;  the 16-woman corps less so (maybe they were thinking 'why do I have to wear this ugly brown dress?').  It was certainly the most interesting choreography of the afternoon and was generally well-danced.

The biggest disappointment of the afternoon was 'Gaite Parisienne'.  The ballet by Leonide Massine to the music of Jacques Offenbach was created in 1938 for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.  It joined the ABT repertory in 1970 (I remember that production fondly because Mimi Paul, a favorite ballerina, danced the Glove Seller).

Michael Smuin as the Peruvian and Mimi Paul as the Glove Seller in the 1970 ABT production of 'Gaite Parisienne'.
Uncredited photo from internet

Wikipedia says of the 1988 ABT production (revived last spring) that it features 'cartoonish sets by Zack Brown and extravagantly patterned and colorful costumes by French fashion designer Christian Lacroix'.  I'll add the designs are chaotic and distracting.

The set features an inner proscenium arch that is too small for the State Theater stage, cutting off views from supposedly full-view seats and adding to the overall clutter of the production. Massine was primarily a choreographer of character, creating movements that define each dancer's identity -- the gauche, antic Peruvian; the preening, supercilious officer; the grandly swanning La Lionne; the shy, insecure Baron; the pushy, competitive Flower Girl; and the confident, ardent Glove Seller -- are clearly drawn by their movements.

Unfortunately, Massine was less assured at using choreography to focus audience attention on specific characters or activities -- a severe handicap in this messy production.  Superstar dancers like Herman Cornejo as the Peruvian and Marcelo Gomes as the Baron are simply swallowed up in the visual chaos.  Cornejo may be a wonderful dancer, but as the Peruvian he just seemed silly.

Herman Cornejo as the Peruvian with the admiring Cocodettes (ladies of the evening)  in 'Gaite Parisienne.
Photo by Andrea Mohin for NY Times

Hee Seo has long, beautiful limbs and an exquisite line, but as the Glove Seller -- a role that is all about glamour and passion -- she is far too restrained and surprisingly unmusical.  She ignored crescendos and climaxes and often seemed a half beat behind the pit.  As the only character en pointe, the Glove Seller really must validate the suitability of this work for the company's repertory. 

Hee Seo as the Glove Seller and Marcelo Gomes as the Baron in 'Gaite Parisienne'.
Photo by Gene Schiavonne

Marcelo Gomes as the Baron is a strong and gallant partner, and the role requires little more.

Secondary characters and groups seemed inadequately rehearsed and danced with little panache or enthusiasm.  The Can-Can Dancers seemed particularly bland in what should be a rowdy dance of extremes.

Charles Barker lead the orchestra in a lovely, nuanced performance of the Offenbach score.  If only the dancers had responded with an equally musical performance on stage the the crazy quilt set and costumes could have been forgiven.  Alas, in their Lacroix creations and with indifferent dancing, the dancers simply added to the visual cacophony. 

American Ballet Theatre -- Sunday, October 26, 2014

On Sunday at the unlikely hour of 1pm we went to New York State Theater to see a performance by American Ballet Theater.  The theater was only about half-to-two-thirds full.

Sunday, October 26th, at 1:00 pm

With a Chance of Rain (Liam Scarlett World Premiere/Rachmaninoff)
H. Seo, M. Copeland, G. Bond, D. Teuscher, M. Gomes, J. Whiteside, J. Gorak, S. Baca
E. Wong (piano soloist)

Jardin aux Lilas (Tudor/Chausson)
M. Hamrick, T. Forster, L. Underwood, A. Hammoudi
D. LaMarche (conductor), B. Bowman (violin soloist)

Thirteen Diversions (Wheeldon/Britten)
S. Lane, I. Boylston, G. Murphy, C. Shevcheko, C. Salstein E. Tamm, C. Stearns, T. Forster, B. Hoven
O. Wilkins (conductor), B. Bilach (piano soloist)

'With a Chance of Rain' choreographed by Liam Scarlett to seven Sergei Rachmaninoff piano pieces had premiered at the Company's opening night gala on Wednesday, October 22nd.  The Rachmaninoff pieces were played beautifully by Emily Wong, providing musical support from the pit.

Scarlett costumed the eight dancers in various shades of grey with varying amounts of skin displayed -- Marcelo Gomes bare-chested with ankle length tights; James Whiteside in long sleeves, short shorts, and bare legs; Hee Seo in a long-sleeved leotard; Misty Copeland's arms, shoulders and legs bare.  Maybe Scarlett gave them a choice of what parts of their bodies they wanted to expose.

Cast of Liam Scarlett's 'With a Chance of Rain' in costumes by Scarlett.  Photo by Andrea Mohin for NYTimes

After an introductory section for the full cast, there is a much discussed pas de deux for Misty Copeland and James Whiteside.  After several minutes of a quite lovely adagio he places his hands on her breasts and massages them.  A bit later he puts his hand on her butt twice and she slaps it away both times.  Later she puts her hands on his chest and 'twerks'.  The pdd ends with his hands back on her breasts.

James Whiteside and Misty Copeland in Liam Scarlett's 'With a Chance of Rain'.  Photo by Marty Sohl

Misty backs away and Marcelo Gomez walks up to Whiteside's hands which are now on Marcelo's bare chest.  Startled, Whiteside stiffens, but then the two men engage in a short 'buddy' pas de deux.  The audience tittered nervously at the various sexual references.

The two secondary couples have some lovely dancing and there is a beautiful pas de deux for Hee Seo and Marcelo Gomez.  

Marcelo Gomez and Hee Seo in Liam Scarlett's 'With a Chance of Rain'.  Photo by Marty Sohl

Near the end there is a wonderful solo for Marcelo Gomez.  The only thing more beautiful than his body is the technical control he displays in this dance.

The choreography throughout is athletic and often off-balance and relates nicely to the music.  Scarlett has some interesting ideas, but they are unfortunately marred by too much bare skin and too many tasteless, juvenile and irrelevant antics.

'Jardin aux Lilas' (Lilac Garden) was choreographed for Ballet Rambert in 1936 by Anthony Tudor to 'Poeme' for violin and orchestra by Ernest Chausson.  It entered ABT's repertory in its first season in 1940 when Tudor was one of the founding members of the Company as both a dancer and the resident choreographer.

Hugh Laing, Maude Lloyd, Anthony Tudor, and Peggy van Praagh in the original 1936 production by Ballet Rambert.  Laing and Tudor were long-term domestic partners and moved on together to ABT in 1940.
Photo from the Dance Division of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

The ballet is set in a lilac garden where a party is being held for a newly engaged couple.  On Sunday, the bride-to-be, Caroline, was danced by Melanie Hamrick.   Thomas Forster was Her Lover, Alexandre Hammoudi was The Man She Must Marry, and Leann Underwood was An Episode in His Past.  There is a corps of eight Friends and Relations.

We have seen this work many times.  The introduction of fresh, young corps dancers (Hamrick, Forster and Underwood) doesn't keep it from seeming tired and stale.  The shabby set doesn't help either.  Hamrick as the central figure hasn't found a way to integrate her character's mimed emotions of longing and despair into her dancing.  Forster and Underwood do better at incorporating the mime into their performances, but they remain too subtle to convey their characters' emotions.  Hammoudi is priggish and withholding in a role that has always seemed thankless to me -- maybe Tudor himself was able to humanize it.

'Thirteen Diversions' by Christopher Wheeldon to Benjamin Britten's 'Diversions for Piano (left hand) and Orchestra' closed the program.  There is a large cast -- four principal couples and eight corps couples -- costumed by Bob Crowley (the principals in dove grey with flashes of violet at the hems of the women's knee-length skirts and the corps in black with flashes of yellow for the women's skirts).  Frankly, these costumes with hints of bustles on the women and tail coats on the men seemed rather dowdy.

The action occurs behind a black scrim which contains the stage smoke that hangs in the air, reflecting the changing colors and shapes of the harshly effective lighting design by Brad Fields.

As usual, Wheeldon deploys his large cast in complex and interesting patterns -- there is a large wheeling circle for the corps couples that left a vivid after image.  The couples start out together moving in a clockwise circle.  As each couple nears the front of the stage the man spins out and joins an outer circle of men moving counter-clockwise to the women's circle.  It's like a scene from a Busby Berkeley musical juxtaposed with one from Fritz Lang's 'Metropolis' -- brilliant.

Wheeldon's choreography for the four principal couples varies.  I was disappointed by Sarah Lane with Thomas Forster and Isabella Boylston with Cory Stearns.  Gillian Murphy seemed mismatched with Eric Tamm in a role that she had created with David Hallberg in 2011.

David Hallberg and Gillian Murphy in Christopher Wheeldon's 'Thirteen Diversions'.  Photo by Rosalie O'Connor

Christine Shevchenko and Blain Hoven danced well, primarily in pas de quatres with one of the other three principal couples.  This was certainly the best of the three works on the program, but we've seen better Wheeldon works and Wheeldon works danced better elsewhere.

Ormsby Wilkins conducted the orchestra and piano soloist, Barbara Bilach, in a nuanced performance of the Britten score.