ABT – La Bayadere – 5/22

Veronika Part, Marcelo Gomes, and Gillian Murphy overcame the bland, passionless sounds from the orchestra to deliver a glorious opening performance of La Bayadere.  The subpar music throughout the run so far finally made Haglund curious enough to look to see who these dismal musicians were.  And right on page 28 of last night's program, all was revealed in the + and *.  ABT has hired no fewer than 10 guest artists for its orchestra.  How one becomes identified as a guest artist in a rag-tag pick-up orchestra is a little hard to understand.  But leave it to ABT to pull the guest artist card out of its sleeve whenever possible to cheat us all.

But there were a few miracles on stage last night.  Veronika's Nikiya was heavenly.  It seems like this could be another transformative and ascending season for her, judging from the results of her off season training.  Some of her gorgeous curves have been replaced by crystalline lines of diamond brilliance.  Every line is longer.  Every step is more secure.  Her passion is deeply embedded within the technical architecture of this ballet.

Among the many highlights from last night were Veronika's Act II series of pirouettes that opened to arabesque.  She made the swift pirouettes look like a preparation for the huge ending arabesques.  It all made such beautiful sense.  Her Act I solo around the fire was as sensual and passionate as legally allowed.  Then Marcelo's Solor entered the picture and all laws were broken.  The two of them together always seem bigger than life.  When Veronika flew to Marcelo's shoulder in the PdD, it was one of the purest statements of passion on the stage.   Marcelo was in top form last night as well, and at the end of his variations, he delivered the expected deep backbends when his head nearly touched the back foot.  His solo at the beginning of Act II was filled with emotion, nearly desperate at times.  All of his movement was geared toward reaching for Nikiya.

Gillian Murphy is a natural Gamzatti who can bring off the I'm-spoiled-but-I'm-hurting-too-so-have-some-sympathy act by way of blistering technique.  It wasn't her best performance of Gamzatti that Haglund has seen, but Gillian doesn't need to be at her best in order to be one of the best.

Daniil Simkin's Bronze Idol missed the mark again this year.  Why McKenzie keeps casting him in this role is hard to understand.  When Johan Renvall debuted this role, he set a pretty high standard.  Then Angel Corella came along, met the standard, and exceeded it.  Then Herman Cornejo came along, met that standard, and exceeded it.  We need Daniil to get this role with all of the required upper body staccato.  There was too much balletic languishing between the movements.  And unfortunately, he tripped at the top of the steps and landed inside the buddha instead of on the top of the first step.

Craig Salstein was fantastic as the Head Fakir.  His dirty little beggar had a bit of savage in him as well.  He was especially likable when pawing at Nikiya.

Sarah Lane among the Shades (Lane, Yuriko Kajiya, Devon Teuscher) was a standout for her clarity and musicality.  The light seems attracted to her face and she was utterly beautiful last night. 

The corps de ballet in The Kingdom of the Shades was fairly studied and seemed determined not to err even if it meant being a bit underpowered.  But they were lovely.

The evening's Pump Bump Award, a snakeskin under the flower stiletto, is bestowed upon Marcelo Gomes and Veronika Part with the hope that someday we may again see their Swan Lake.

Comments

[nanushka]

A gorgeous, magnificent, heart-wrenching performance by Veronika and Marcelo, with Gillian rounding out what must be *the* dream cast for this ballet, at least in this part of the world (which is all I really know). Veronika looks fantastic, seems wholly confident and at ease, and has lost none of her passion and radiance, which are only enhanced by increasingly solid technique. I too long to see her paired more often with Marcelo, as I think they make a perfect pair. Cory is fine (at times a rather more than fine), but he just does not have the presence to stand up to Veronika's overwhelming qualities.

[Angelica Smith]

Haglund, you have captured, in your vivid description, the transformation of the already eloquent Veronika Part into the "new and improved," heart-stoppingly eloquent, luminous Veronika Part. Nanushka too, above. I can't find anything to add, except that in my next life I want to come back as Veronika Part. I did, however, find Gillian rather stiff, especially her head and neck, and that God-awful costume she wears for her first entrance should definitely be retired. Also, the ABT orchestra isn't a pick-up orchestra, it has permanent members, although perhaps some of them should be retired also.

[Haglund]

I thought the flutes were okay. Are there any ballets for just flutes?

[nanushka]

Wow. Just read Gia Kourlas's review in the Times. I've always kind of liked her, but this is just unbelievable. Maybe one and a half sentences, tops, about Veronika's performance? And the last two whole paragraphs are all about the shades in general, and could have been just copied and pasted from some years-old text document on her computer. Ridiculous. Is she getting paid to produce this?

[Haglund]

Nanushka, Kourlas is just following Macaulay's lead in trashing Veronika wherever possible. Did you note how she did not mention the very off performance of Simkin? So much for fraternization not killing your objectivity. She had to mention a corps dancer falling, but she didn't mention a soloist's trip - even when it was a repeat trip from the first time he danced the role. So much for Kourlas' objectivity. I really doubt that she was even at the performance. She may have sent an NYT wannabe critic to pick up details to insert in her pre-written review.

[nanushka]

She was definitely there, I saw her schmoozing during intermission. Maybe she should have been working on crafting some, you know, actual original sentences instead. Before I saw her I was almost wishing Macaulay were there, daring him in my mind to find fault with V's performance. I thought for sure this one must win him over. But I'm sure he's holding off to write about one of the non-ABT casts later in the week.

Quite tasteless, Kourlas's calling attention to AG by name in such a short, contentless "review". I'm surprised. I've liked her work in TONY, where she seems quite supportive of young, home-grown talent.

[Kallima]

I was looking forward to your review because this cast is so promising. Not full of flashy guest artists and the roles are fitting. Glad to read that it all went very well, with the exception of the orchestra. Was the one sentence from Kourlas' review at least positive, or even just neutral? Given the usual tone when it comes to Veronika Part, one could almost see this as a 'triumph' - seems like there was at least nothing to overly criticise even for those who like doing so.

[Haglund]

Nanushka, you have to remember that Gia's technical "knowledge" about ballet comes from her days as a subscriber to NYCB performances and her friendliness with dancers around town. She rubs a lot of backs and they rub hers. Professional distance is not her strong suit.

[Haglund]

Kallima, out of the entire three act performance, Kourlas chose to write that she didn't like Part's eyes and her preparation for pirouettes. Lordy.

[sillypants]

I honestly almost cried watching Veronika Part in act III, it was so heartbreaking to see her (spirit) dancing with Solor esp when he lifts her in the grand jete-looking lift, I don't know the technical term but its still vivid in my mind. Acts one and two were stunning for her as well but that moment in act 3 really stood out for me. I hope the step I'm trying to describe makes sense. Anyways, bravo Veronika, and if I read anything by Macauley about how she's too tall and broad shouldered or whatever to be dancing principals roles I will have a cow

[Haglund]

Sillypants, I know the moments in Act III you are talking about. They're beautiful. VP always gets me in the heart when she dances around the sacred fire.

[B]

I was there, too. Loved your review, Haglund. I have tickets to two more performances--on Friday and Monday--but I doubt they'll compare with Tuesday night's. It was a magical evening, wasn't it??

[Haglund]

Ha! When ISN'T it magic having those two together?

[nanushka]

Veronika will dance Nikiya (with Marcelo again) instead of Diana Vishneva tomorrow evening, Friday 5/25. Anyone who didn't get to see her on Tuesday: GO!

[Haglund]

Thanks for the update!