The gala evening began by Kevin McKenzie appearing before the curtain to thank the audience for showing up in spite of the difficult times – a vague nod directed at the rich patrons who have suffered losses as a result of the crisis on Wall Street but who are supporting ABT with their glittery appearances and, hopefully, their cash. Reminding well-heeled patrons that they’re not quite as rich as a few weeks ago probably didn’t help them feel festive.
McKenzie spoke briefly about Ratmansky joining the company as Artist in Residence. Real change is coming.
The opening piece on the program, Theme and Variations, was danced with ebullience and elegance and crackling sharp technique by a corps and soloists that included Kristi Boone, Melissa Thomas, Maria Riccetto and Renata Pavam. Paloma Herrera and Marcelo Gomes in the lead roles were initially a bit subdued but warmed up to deliver a lush and luxuriant interpretation that filled the music with style and substance. America wants both, you know. T&V looks fine on the smaller City Center stage, but Haglund enjoys it much more on the mammoth Met stage where he can watch Paloma fire up all cylinders. Maybe T&V will be part of the 2009 Met repertory program.
Next came four excerpts.
Romeo’s farewell to Juliet PdD by Tudor was performed by David Hallberg and Gillian Murphy to the Delius score. As with most dramatic excerpts, except those involving Bocca and Ferri, this one didn’t sweep Haglund into the world of Romeo and Juliet, although the choreography had its expectedly interesting Tudoresque moments, especially the final vision of Juliet kneeling on the foot of her bed in arabesque. Not much for Hallberg to do technically which was probably a disappointment for the gala audience. His energetic entrances tend to make audiences snap to attention. Starting off with him snoozing in bed didn’t have the same effect.
Craig Salstein choreographed a solo for Michele Wiles for a Dancers Responding to AIDS benefit last December, and it was repeated last night. Time, to Schumann’s “Traumerie”, is something Haglund would like to take another look at. As with her past performance in Fall River Legend, Michele showed that she can make an audience move to the edges of their seats with uneasiness when she stands in a hostile posture and stares out at the dark house. Haglund observed that there was no axe in sight and wondered just what she was going to do. Michele whirled around with intensity and an abandon that is uncharacteristic for this dancer who generally exhibits a cool control over her classicism.
Julie Kent, Gennadi Saveliev and Jared Matthews performed “In Tears” from Kylian’s Overgrown Path to Janacek’s piano cycle of nearly the same title. Haglund is looking forward to multiple viewings of the whole piece. Kylian’s choreographic voice is truly unique in the way Tudor’s was. And Julie Kent, well, honestly she is stunning. Haglund predicts that Julie will inspire Ratmansky to venture in new directions.
And what would any gala be without Jose Manuel Carreno strutting around the stage tossing off his perfect pirouettes with his irresistible smile and making each audience member believe that he was doing it all just for them? Last night the vehicle was the Don Quixote PdD with Xiomara Reyes. The piece was completely out of place on the overall program, but a thinking person never turns down J.M.’s offer of Don Q. Xiomara’s costume was a marvel – especially during supported pirouettes when looking at the revolving circle on the tutu made one dizzy.
Finally, we got a 10 minute intermission which of course stretched into 20.
There is so much to say about ABT’s first effort at Taylor’s Company B, but most importantly, these dancers have embraced Taylor’s style with such love that you have to hope he will honor them with a new work before too long. The men seem to have even cut their hair for him. Arron Scott (Tico-Tico), Misty Copeland (Rum and Coca-Cola), Craig Salstein as the geek in Oh Johnny, Oh!, Isaac Stappas, Simone Messmer, and Gillian Murphy with her frizzy red hair flying were phenomenal. Copeland exhibited enough sass to get every guy’s undivided attention – without getting into trouble for it. Scott, looking like a dark, handsome composite of Thomas Patrick and Andrew Asnes, Tico-Ticoed himself from one end of the stage to another. Herman Cornejo was the Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (of Company B). Haglund couldn’t believe his eyes, but the solo appeared to tax the stamina of Cornejo. Nonetheless, it was a brilliant solo packed with humor and unexpected twists and turns that only Cornejo can muster.
All in all, Haglund’s Heel awards two prestigious Pump Bumps to the gala performance, mostly for the corps and ensemble work of everyone.
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