NYCB's second week of mixed results

The most incredible thing is that even though it's the Year of the Rabbit again -- and again, and again, seemingly everywhere we go with choreographer Justin Peck's works -- it really should be the Year of the Firebird. What a fabulous flock we have in the making! Isabella LaFreniere and Ashley Hod are both simply divine in the principal role.

Ashley Hod's debut in the title role on Tuesday evening revealed all the anticipated perfect lines and generous jumps, but what stunned us was the bending beauty of her upper body and port de bras during the Firebird's bourree solo. This was, perhaps, Hod's most significant debut to date and secured her place as a major ballerina in the company -- one who is just now entering the sweet spot of her career. Her work respectfully reflects the traditional Balanchine style from the time he led the company while just beginning to incorporate an individual style. It's as though we are watching a flashback that has been updated.

Miriam Miller was captivating in the role of the Prince's Bride. All that length and bend combined with the ever increasing expansiveness in her dancing really demanded that we watch this character in every scene she appeared.

This production of Firebird is rich in so many ways that it almost leads to sensory overload. The stirring Stravinsky music, the overpowering scenery, the nightmarishly appealing Kastchei costumes, the ravishing Firebird, and the brilliant choreography create a theatrical experience that Haglund could sit through night after night. In fact, now that we have two new Firebirds who are burning brightly, we want to see the rest of the latest class of soloists illuminate the role. Kikta, Miller, Nadon, and even the little Von Enck would all be very individual stunners as Firebirds.

As for Justin Peck's new Copland Dance Episodes which premiered last evening, let's just blurt it out: No, not ever again. First, most of the Copland music we heard last evening (Rodeo, Appalachian Spring, and Billy the Kid) wasn't just used previously for dance, it was commissioned by choreographers who had specific artistic plans for its use. The music is stirring, just as stirring as the Stravinsky works that Balanchine commissioned. Why doesn't Peck "re-work" those into his own vision? Answer: Because he knows that doing so would be bad form and would neither enrich the art nor stand up to the art for which the music was originally made.

Copland Dance Episodes included only a few moments of inventiveness. It was an interminably long, intermissionless 72 minutes. Peck applied his formulaic choreography in the same way that he has applied it in his other works. It was the same swoopy, gosh-this-is-fun-to-do-but-tiring-to-watch choreography that tried way too hard to be hip and accessible. The formula applied to the costumes as well: women in leotards dyed to look like various colored underpants and tops; the men in various colored tights and shirts. All the colors were apparently derived from the front panel curtain designed by Jeffrey Gibson seen here:

The most interesting moment of the ballet came during the Appalachian Spring music when Haglund looked away from the stage and glanced up into the darkness at the people in the side tiers: a single line of still, serious faces slightly illuminated by the stage lighting who could have been Worshipers in Martha Graham's landmark Appalachian Spring. Miss Graham's masterpiece. Miss Graham's commissioned score. Miss Graham's 1944 story of a community of 19th century American pioneers in Pennsylvania. Miss Graham who built her own company from scratch and included Asian and Black dancers long before most any other company. Miss Graham who nurtured Paul Taylor and Twyla Tharp.

Back in 1958 when Miss Graham's Appalachian Spring appeared on TV, Haglund was deep into ballet's circus side and didn't appreciate the brilliance of this composition. Years later, another visit to her Appalachian Spring brought an emotion-filled appreciation of Graham's brilliance, inventiveness, style, and her extraordinary dancers. In this 1958 video, Graham performs in her mid-60s along side Matt Turney (pictured right) and Yuriko. A character similar to the stiff and serious Preacher, danced by Bertram Ross, would later show up in Paul Taylor's Speaking in Tongues but with a less than wholesome side.

The one redeeming characteristic of Peck's ballet was that it conveyed how much the dancers like to dance together as a large group and how they support each other as a little democracy. Principals danced among the corps as much as they were featured alone. Corps dancers were spotlighted throughout the ballet. Everyone was having a wonderful time on the stage. Haglund was looking at his watch.

Without a doubt, the New York City Ballet Orchestra saved the night. What a joy it was to hear them dive into Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man at the opening of the piece. But no amount of fanfare would help what was about to take place on the stage. Take us back to Firebird, the most incredible thing -- pronto.

Our H.H. Pump Bump Award, a fiery stiletto for hot feet, is bestowed upon Ashley Hod for debut as the Firebird.

 

 

Comments

[Zachary]

I was at the performance of Firebird on Tuesday and completely agree. I have always admired Ms. Hod's upper body and port de bras (especially as Sugarplum Fairy this Nutcracker cycle) and portraying birdlike qualities came so naturally. She was stunning, the music was stunning, and I have/had Sleeping Beauty on my mind so her second solo reminded me of the Lilac Fairy coming to put all the kingdom to sleep. Manifesting great things for her for the Sleeping Beauty run.

I'm very sad to hear your reports about Copland Dance Episodes, but I will likely still attend. I'm very curious about the Jeffrey Gibson panel. I don't really understand why that was commissioned instead of a more intricate set design. I personally love whenever there's something other than a mono-color background (the sets for Jewels springs to mind as a nice backdrop for a non-story ballet). Regardless, looking forward to hearing that music performed live and I really enjoyed the NYCB orchestra feature that the NYT put out recently!

[Akiko]

I will be boycotting Peck's new work. Appalachian Spring was commissioned by Congress to be Martha Graham and Aaron Copland's joint and singular vision of America. It is a celebration of the end of WWII. It is meant to be performed with black dancers who dared to brave the segregationist South and Japanese Americans who escaped internment. To be narcissistic enough to choreograph over such a masterpiece is frankly racist and unpatriotic.

Also is it not disturbing to any other women that a straight white man insists on revising the most famous 20th century works by female choreographers? First, Agnes de Mille's Rodeo and now this? Why isn't he tackling anything by Ashton or Merce? No balls or creativity I guess

[Akiko]

Also haglund, you forgot to mention that Miss Graham championed Native American rights and Appalachian Spring is the culmination of her belief in the freedom of the western frontier. And the most famous bit of Appalachian Spring (Simple Gifts) was only added because Copland saud Martha introduced him to Shaker music.

[Haglund]

Thank you, Akiko, for your important observations including that Peck has choreographed over top the works of the two most important female choreographers of the 20th century.

[Birdsofafeather]

Some valid points, but I have to disagree about the use of previously commissioned music.

This has always been a common theme in the arts, particularly if you think back to the 1960's, when musicians of all varieties were covering each other's music - much of it no less culturally important than this.

I also object to another commenter referring to this as 'racist' and railing against 'straight White men'. With all due respect, that is absolutely bigoted in and of itself. If only we could hold the entire world this accountable.

[Gerry]

It boggles the mind why Peck chose this music. All it does is force comparisons between he and Graham and DeMille and he comes out the loser.

[Zachary]

Hi Haglund, I went and attended Copland Episodes last night. I can't comment on the music and entwined choreographic history as I'm ignorant on the subject, but overall I did enjoy my evening as did my companion.

That said, I do want to know what the definition of a "full-length" ballet is. I feel like Copland Episodes was heavily promoted as the first non-narrative full-length since Jewels. However, the 76 minutes or so was only one act, and I felt like the ballet was artificially elongated to serve as a standalone piece. With some editing it could have come down to 40-50 minutes and could complement another ballet as a double-bill quite well (I'm thinking like the Episodes-Vienna Waltzes double bill). Additionally, I felt that there was a strong, even overt, narrative in the piece, something Jewels affirmatively lacks unless you really read into the Diamonds pas. To me, it didn't take much effort to read a story into the ballet, so I think it might've been more interesting and artistically compelling for Mr. Peck to explicitly write out a story for the audience. I don't think it should've been left to our imaginations.

[Haglund]

I agree about the narrative within the ballet, and I think the four dancers (Nadon, Stanley, Peck & Chan) were definitely trying to create and impart the idea of a story. Why in the world would Peck & NYCB go out of their ways to hype this as the first non-narrative full-length ballet since Jewels and intentionally build expectations that would never be met and simply REMIND US of how much we miss Jewels?

[Allie Kenney]

Zachary; As best a I can recall, The Goldberg Variations runs 10 or so minutes longer than this new Peck and is always done as part of a double bill. I suspect they will do that for the Peck in the future too; it's just they had publicized and made a big deal of the new Peck as being full length and didn't know maybe until it was too late how short it really was.

[Meretricious]

Haglund, do you know why Ashley Bouder is not being cast in any ballets? My understanding is she's no longer injured. Thx

[Haglund]

I believe she is still recovering from a medical procedure on her foot.

[Allie Kenney]

I love Copland's music and was really looking forward to the new Peck. Actually, when I received a promotweet from NYCB I wrote back and asked if they could reveal which Copland music was being used, so I could listen to it. Never heard a thing. Then read the Litton interview where he said when Peck said he wanted to use Copland music he (Litton) had sent over some music for Peck to listen to. AHA, I thought, so Litton with his vast knowledge of Copland is helping identify some little known or under-appreciated works. Hmm, I thought, maybe "El Salon Mexico,"" Danzon Cubano," "Short Symphony," or even some of his many movie scores (including "THe Heiress," for which he won an Oscar).

Good grief. This week, in trying to refresh my memory on what is in ABT's repertoire, I went to their online archive. Yes, "Appalachian Spring," "Rodeo" and "Billy the Kid" are all there. But so are two other works set to Copland that I'd never heard of -- "Polyandrion" and "Hamlet Connotations." Both were presented in the 70s. "Polyandrion" was choreographed by Tomm Ruud and set to Copland's "Dance Symphony." "Hamlet Connotations" was choreographed by Christopher Newton and set to Copland's "Piano Variations," "Connotations for Orchestra," and selections from "Piano Fantasy." This second work also had a cast that included Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gelsey Kirkland, Marcia Haydee, Erik Bruhn and William Carter.I think it was that type of work I had expected of Peck -- something that combined music from different Copland works. But certainly not the most well known ones, the ones that he used.

To add insult to injury, one of my favorite NYCB principals gushed on social media about how great this experience was, how terrific was this music she'd never heard before (huh?), how terrific it was to be dancing with dancers she hadn't seen since SAB. I had (obviously incorrectly) assumed an experienced dancer would have already heard music like Appalachian Spring. I also wonder, given so much recent commentary on who is and who isn't being cast or promoted or whatever, if, given how happy all the principals are to be dancing with the corps as equals, maybe NYCB should consider doing what very few companies still do -- have no ranks, everyone just a "dancer" or "artist." Whoever is dancing the lead best in rehearsals this week gets to do that role. Whoever dances best in a season gets the highest pay next year. No "tenure" for anyone.

Had thought I might see this in spring season. But now not sure I want to pay full price for roughly 2/3 of a program. So will maybe wait until they present it with something else.