In addition to promoting Chloe Misseldine to Principal Wednesday at the conclusion of her matinee performance as Odette/Odile, Artistic Director Susan Jaffe should have draped Chloe's shoulders with a black & white PhD graduation stole with cords. Misseldine not only deserved the promotion, but she deserved to be recognized for academic excellence and achievement which come with great expectations for future contributions to the chosen field. Hers was a doctoral level performance if ever there was one. Haglund was nearly overwhelmed while witnessing this very young Ballerina’s mature choices and the overall integrity of her dancing. It’s hard to remember the last time that the sole of a shoe in the face felt so good. Her pointe shoe soles were so turned forward on each extension that the front row audience members could probably read the imprint on the leather. But honestly, rather than sole, it’s all about soul, to quote Billy Joel (because we cannot believe or accept that his 150th MSG performance will be his last). And as Billy says quite clearly and, in fact, several times - it’s all about faith and a deeper devotion. That’s what we saw on stage on Wednesday afternoon from Chloe Misseldine and Aran Bell: faith in their own artistry and a deep devotion to telling the story clearly and with the utmost respect for their language. To borrow one more of the piano man's most famous adages: like every good ballet performance, it allowed us to forget about life for a while. Man oh man, don’t we need that . . .
It was a spectacular performance from Misseldine replete with gorgeous arabesques, liquid swan arms, intelligent usage of stillness and flight, dramatic conviction, tightly coiled pirouettes, and balletic lines that were acutely geometric but which also synthesized avian and human beauty. We first noticed the little bump-up at the top of Odette’s high a la seconde extensions as though she suddenly engaged a flexor near the pinnacle, and concluded that it needs to be smoothed out. However, when we saw it again during Odile’s Pas de Deux, it came across as an absolutely brilliant detail that corresponded to von Rothbart’s creepy neck cracks and whipping head movements that conveyed his evilness. Conclusion: Misseldine should eliminate it from Odette but wildly exaggerate it for Odile to give her Black Swan a unique sense of danger.
Aran Bell’s Siegfried was superb as well. We noticed that he launched his pirouettes with an unusual amount of caution and did not rip the revolutions as we have seen in the past. However, the pirouettes were still impressive as were the double saut de basques that he landed with perfectly balanced arabesques. But the extra caution or preparatory delay on the pirouettes took some of the magic out of the moment; it conveyed an upcoming trick as opposed to an emotional expression by Siegfried. We’re not nitpicking, just observing. Bell’s projection of the drama was strong, clear, and as traditional as we could ever ask for with balletic integrity from his first descent of the staircase in Act I to his final descent into the lake at the end of Act IV. We sensed a developing rapport with Misseldine coupled with his sense of responsibility to make sure that she had the brilliant performance he knew she was capable of giving. Bell has grown into a very generous, mature artist, and it is easy to forget that he is still very young. What the 25-year-old Siegfried might accomplish with this 22-year-old Odette/Odile in the coming years is something for us all to be excited about.
Patrick Frenette gave a major performance as Benno. Always a star in his Ratmansky roles, he has also delivered impressive performances as Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet. His character of Hilarion drew such sympathy that one hoped that Giselle would wake up and smell the coffee and eventually choose him over Albrecht. Frenette is on the cusp of becoming one of ABT’s most captivating theatrical dancers, and we need to see much more of him. His technical abilities keep growing — because he is constantly working to improve them. His pirouettes on Wednesday afternoon were clean and his grand allegro was storm-filled with energy and urgency. He was animated and mime-oriented, but sometimes dropped his facial expression when preparing pirouettes. His partnering was impeccable - he saved Paulina Waski’s standard fumblings and highlighted Sierra Armstrong’s magnetic placement and confident charm in the Pas de Trois. The landing to the knee of the final double tour was smudged, but at that point it simply did not matter. We kept wondering if Waski will ever be able to manage the cabrioles and entrechat six required in this section or the supported partnering. There comes a time when further chances should be cut off, and it seems that we have been past that point with Waski for quite some time. Her weaknesses made Armstrong’s strengths all the more apparent.
Joseph Markey as the purple von Rothbart gave an exceptional performance as well. Even though we knew exactly what the upcoming steps were going to be, Markey created tension with an unpredictability that made the choreography look new. Not only a good, good dancer, but he is an interesting one. Cy Doherty as the monster von Rothbart had some great moments: he died without a shred of dignity left and suffered dramatically at the wings of the swan corps. The Corps de Ballet did a competent job at this matinee but did not have the spectacular visual effect of corps in years past. The various Princesses and national dances in Act III were also competent but a little sleepy. Carlos Gonzalez and Melvin Lawovi needed to kick it up a notch in the Neapolitan duet. It was too careful and lacked voltage.
Small complaints aside, this was a performance of Swan Lake worth remembering for a long time due to the outstanding performances of our two leads, Chloe Misseldine and Aran Bell. We’re going to toss them an H.H. Pump Bump Award, a pair of magnificent Manolo Blahnik diamond embellished pumps, for their dazzling portrayals of Odette/Odile and Siegfried.
Despite severe back pain, I managed to make it down to Lincoln Center for this performance, and I'm so glad I did. Just to get this out of the way, if I have to watch those national dances in Act III and those swans crossing the stage at the beginning of Act IV one more time, I may have to drown myself in the lake along with the two leads. Please, ABT, get rid of the insufferably boring parts so that we can have a Swan Lake worthy of the new brilliant dancers coming up the ranks!
I was thrilled by Misseldine's New York debut, although I would have liked to see a more birdlike preening of feathers at her first entrance and a longer fearful bourree at downstage left in her opening sequence. After that, it was those gorgeous limbs, the secure technique, the swoon-worthy extensions that made me think I was seeing Veronika Part again without having to worry about technique. Some of those arabesques made my heart stop. Misseldine was magnificent and although I will pay the price for this performance over the next few days, I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I love long limbs in Swan Lake and when they are used to such gorgeous effect as in this performance, it reminds me why I love ballet perhaps more than anything in the world.
Bell was a superb partner, showing off his inimitable swan, but I think he needs a little more charisma in addition to his beautiful and reliable technique. Perhaps this will come in time. For the moment he did justice to the performance.
I simply don't get why everyone is fawning over Markey as PVR. Having seen Gomes in this role, I may never be satisfied by anyone else, but I don't believe that. Someone else will come along. I was simply not convinced by Markey's performance. For me, it was no more than serviceable.
Kudos to Misseldine, for a performance worthy of a world-class Principal Ballerina.
Posted by: Angelica | July 05, 2024 at 01:28 PM
Greetings, Haglund. I was fortunate to be at the Wednesday matinee, too. Bell was superb—so elegant, princely and immaculate as a partner. Misseldine’s extraordinary physique lends itself to otherworldly characters like Odette and Odile. Her concentration is such that her adagio dancing seems to suspend time—I kept having to remind myself to breathe. She is, as the old saying has it, “To the manor born.”
Posted by: Eulalia Johnson | July 05, 2024 at 04:40 PM
Angelica, I feel the same way about that Act IV. Now that McKenzie has time on his hands, why doesn't he fix it?!
Posted by: Haglund | July 05, 2024 at 06:23 PM
Eulalia, so glad that you made it to this matinee!
I also enjoyed Misseldine's Tatiana in Onegin a few weeks ago. It was such a fresh interpretation from start to finish. The other Tatianas I saw conflated their characters with their Juliets -- in one instance a ballerina even covered her mouth like she was nauseated in the R&J poison scene. Since I had not yet met Misseldine's Juliet I was not annoyed by a conflation and could appreciate the freshness and originality that Misseldine brought to this particular role.
Posted by: Haglund | July 05, 2024 at 06:44 PM
Thank you so much for your review, Haglund. I just got back from the Friday night performance dedicated to the ABT corps de ballet. The atmosphere in the theater was electrifying and I couldn’t take my eyes off Calvin Royal III as Prince Siegfried today. His work with Max Belotserkovskiy has really paid off. I saw Calvin and Christine Shevchenko in Swan Lake two years ago and his growth in technique, artistry and even partnering is truly remarkable. There were many notable performances today. Christine fumbled a bit in the white coda finale, but her black swan coda double fouettés with arms in fifth made up for it. Joseph Markey as the ballroom Rothbart was charismatic and captivating. The company had a very sentimental moment at the end saying goodbye to three corps de ballet retirees. It was a performance to remember.
Posted by: Inessa | July 06, 2024 at 12:47 AM
Misseldine the Magnificent! The future is bright...however, I can't get past her gigantic pointe shoes. Why on earth doesn't someone fix her unsightly, unsafe fit???
Posted by: KR | July 06, 2024 at 09:48 PM
KR, I only saw the bows on video and I thought I was seeing things when her shoe totally gapped!
Posted by: Bee | July 07, 2024 at 08:28 AM
I don't know, Haglund. I see your point, but after what he's done to the current Swan Lake, I would keep McKenzie at least a mile from any revision.
Posted by: angelica | July 07, 2024 at 02:36 PM
My feeling is that ABT should bring back the David Blair production and just restore the costumes and update the scenery. The scenery should follow Oliver Smith's themes but brighter. Blair's artistic taste was exquisite and uncluttered musically. A revival would be a lesson to many that great art withstands the test of time and does not need to be adapted to current socio-political tastes or fads. A great production of Swan Lake will hold an audience through two intermissions. No need to truncate the Act IV.
Posted by: Haglund | July 07, 2024 at 03:56 PM
Oh my gosh I am so glad someone else mentioned Chloe’s pointe shoes! I was there 7/3 and she is absolute perfection…however she appears to have extremely narrow feet and way too much fabric on her pointe shoes. It’s quite distracting. There must be a better fit. In any event, a star is born, and I look forward to seeing Chloe and the rest of the incredible dancers at ABT for many years to come!
Posted by: Laura | July 07, 2024 at 09:26 PM
Regarding the wonderful David Blair production: it was about two hours PLUS three intermissions, which could, with some discipline, keep it under the requisite three hours. Each act stands on its own musically and dramatically, and there is no sensible way to join two acts, especially Acts I & II (listen to the original score). The fourth act, as well, is a masterpiece of symmetry and stands on its own. I don't buy that audiences today have to be in a rush to get out - give them some great artistry and theatre and you might be surprised. If you've never seen it (ABT did it for a 30+-year stretch minus the dozen-or-so years when they did Baryshnikov's version), you can find it on You-Tube. It's worth a look.
Posted by: Solor | July 07, 2024 at 11:45 PM
I also noticed Chloe's seemingly ill-fitting pointe shoes. However, as a former professional dancer, I realize each dancer has a unique fit and style they prefer in their shoes. Trust me, she has the resources to get pointe shoes custom made and perfectly fitted to her feet. The fact that she wears shoes with extra room in the box tells me that this is intentional. I have very narrow and tapered feet, but would fill the extra space with toe pads and that worked just fine. Regardless of the appearance, her shoes are definitely not harming her ability to pull off perfectly executed technique. Whatever works!!
Posted by: Arneita McKinney | July 08, 2024 at 04:50 AM
Regarding Chloe's pointe shoes, I agree that she can clearly dance on them, Arneita. But it doesn't mean she has the best fit. I remember Megan Fairchild was a Principal at NYCB before Wendy Whalen pulled her aside and got her a better fit. They did a video on it. So it's possible Chloe (at just 22!) is still figuring out the best shoe.
Posted by: Cream Soda | July 08, 2024 at 07:58 PM
Might it be that Chloe loosened the drawstrings after the performance and before the bows, or could you tell that the shoes were loose during the actual performance?
Posted by: Angelica Smith | July 09, 2024 at 04:06 PM
I've never noticed anything about Chloe's pointe shoes that is disturbing. I don't find her preference for fit unsightly. The shape of her feet are beautiful whether standing on pointe or pointing the shoe in a developpe. Since her mother, who is a former ABT soloist, trained Chloe, I think they've probably got the shoe issue covered. However, drawstring tidiness does count for something. And we take away points for ribbon knots that aren't tucked in neatly.
Posted by: Haglund | July 09, 2024 at 04:26 PM
Were any Haglund fans at R&J? Shevchenko and Forster were impassioned lovers Wednesday afternoon, she thistle in his arms. At that performance, Gonzalez was a beautiful Mercutio, playful but proud, sleek, aristocratic. Roxander at the Saturday matinee was explosive, theatrical, Puckish. Also beautiful Saturday was Ribagorda's Benvolio. What an elegant dancer and how unjust his containment in the corps for twenty years. Undoubtedly, he would make an eloquent Romeo. Seo was a gorgeous Juliet and Stearns turned on the gas for the Balcony Scene. Hats off to Barker for his conducting Saturday afternoon. He got everything there is to get out of Prokofiev's astringent score.
And if Macmillan is on the menu in future, how about "Mayerling"? If Houston can do it--brilliantly--and I went to Texas a few months ago to see it, why can't ABT?
Posted by: Eulalia Johnson | July 14, 2024 at 10:10 AM
Hi, Eulalia. I was not able to get to any of the Romeo & Juliet performances this time. However, I have to agree about Ribagorda's Benvolio. He's an outstanding theatrical dancer and classicist who has shone brilliantly in every soloist opportunity he has been given. Unfortunately, McKenzie never valued that enough to promote him.
Posted by: Haglund | July 14, 2024 at 10:19 AM
I saw Cornejo and Boylston on Wednesday evening, Jake Roxander was definitely the star of the show as Mercutio. What a performance! Besides the superb technique, he created the most compelling character. Luis Ribagorda was also spectacular, it was a real treat to see such a fantastic Romeo/Mercutio/Benvolio trio. Isabella Boylston was the best I’ve ever seen her in any dramatic role ever, and she had a good rapport with Cornejo despite the awkward height difference. I have heard many good things about several R&J casts this week, everyone praising Roxander for his outstanding Mercutio.
Posted by: Inessa | July 14, 2024 at 11:11 AM