Sylph Wrap

On Thursday night, La Sylphide ascended into the heavens for the last time this season with a more than respectable performance by Megan Fairchild, new to the role this season, and Gonzalo Garcia. Megan might have been our favorite Sylph last year if she had been around to benefit from all of the attention given to the original staging. But alas, Bonne Megan was on Broadway at the time. The only thing missing from her interpretation on Thursday night was the skimming quality in grand jetes and petit allegro, all of which bobbed up and down too much. Otherwise, she was spot on with her character while her articulate feet were as pliable as a soft stick of butter.

Her James, Gonzalo Garcia, was vivid in his theatrical storytelling but less so in his allegro which needed some Vitamin Battu. Earlier in the run we expressed unhappiness when a James opted to spring three double tours to the right without the middle one going to the left. Garcia chose to do all three to the left without changing direction for the middle one. Come on, folks. This is New York. This is New York City Ballet. Why can’t the gentlemen do double tours to left and to the right? Perhaps Martina can help. So, today we introduce our new column entitled ASK MARTINA.

First question: Martina, the men at New York City Ballet are having trouble with double tours. Can you give them some pointers?

Martina’s answer:
(hover over picture and click on white arrow)

 

A video posted by Só bailarinos (@sobailarinosrenato) on Dec 2, 2015 at 11:38am PST

Thank you so much, Martina. We will file that away for the next time Theme and Variations is on the bill. Just to clarify, that was 10-year-old Martina Miró who has been on the YAGP circuit since the time she started walking.

Megan LeCrone and Joseph Gordon repeated their sparkling performances as Effie and Gurn.

The witches, Harrison Coll, Spartak Hoxha, Ghaleb Kayali and SAB student Sawyer Reo have been outstanding each night throughout the run during their brief scene when Madge (on this night, the marvelous Gretchen Smith) stirs up the pot and poisons the scarf that she tricks James into wrapping around the Sylph which ultimately kills her.

We noticed something about the witchwear. While all of it is appropriately drab, only Madge is in frayed tatters. Her garb is mostly black but underneath are shreds of fabric that bear the clan colors of the community that abhors her but respects her fortunetelling abilities.

What is Madge's story? Did she at one time wear a tartan plaid smock or perhaps a kilt? Was there a James figure in her history? It's worth considering and enriches the sense of story. Unfortunately, the only thing that the New York Times could come up with was a flippant remark about Madge looking like a 1960s hippie. Perhaps the Washington Post will do better in a couple of weeks when NYCB takes this fine production to The Kennedy Center. WP certainly couldn't do worse.

Also on the bill Thursday night was Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 led by Tiler Peck, Amar Ramasar, and Lauren King. Wow, did these three ever elevate the brilliance of this ballet in only their second performance of this masterpiece. This was PC2 at breakneck speed, just the way we like it. Tiler mined diamonds from the musical passages throughout her solos and the elegant PdD. Amar was attentive and worked hard to achieve in most cases the clarity in his allegro solos. The revelation of the night was Lauren King's bold, musically vivid, technically pristine, mature interpretation of the turning ballerina. Whoever has been working with this dancer deserves our admiration. The way she snapped the torso to the front on turns made us snap to attention in our seats. On the horizontal scale of soloist to principal, Lauren is at an 8-to-9 right now having made tremendous strides in the past year.

We wish that NYCB would update this ballet's costumes. Haglund has never liked the idea of tiaras with this type of dress gathered at the waistline. The dresses look too much like the woman's costume in Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux and the colors of the corps, soloists, and principals are neither distinguished nor do they compliment the choreography.

The HH Pump Bump Award, a stiletto of silver leaves from Giuseppe Zanotti, is bestowed upon Lauren King whose steady progress along with that of a number of other soloists keeps us eternally in the ticket line.

 

Comments

[J]

I wonder how tall Martina is.

[Haglund]

Don't know. But if you compare her to the height of the table behind her, she appears to be the typical munchkin-sized 10-year-old. There are many other videos of Martina on YouTube that might give a better clue. She's very active on the competition circuit.

[Bell]

On a very non-dance note, I really wanted to see Megan's Sylph because it's one of those roles that I think better suits a petite ballerina. And she's delicate and small enough to make a convincing fairy sprite. Never really understood why someone like Ashley Bouder was cast in this role (apart from her wonderful jumping and allegro abilities). She's very muscular and not the most wispy of dancers.

[Haglund]

Ashley Bouder was phenomenal as the Sylph last year, at least I thought so. I was so surprised that it was hard to believe that I was looking at Ashley Bouder. She had completely transformed herself into another style. There's no question in my mind that she achieved the expected wispy-ness for the role of the Sylph.

[KConway]

I too was lucky to be there Thursday evening. I thought both ballets were smashing and Tiler Peck was of course dazzling, but as you said, Lauren King made me really sit up and take notice. For me, King almost stole the show from the always marvelous Peck. Almost. In my mind's eye I began picturing King in a whole of other Balanchine prima roles. That's how much her dancing wowed me.

[Haglund]

I totally agree with you KConway. When Lauren rose to soloist with her group a few years back, she clearly had catch-up work to do to be on a par with several of the others. She, IMO, has made the greatest strides and evolved the most. While there is more work to do, I have no doubt that Martins sees her value and potential and will grant her the opportunities she needs to grow.