Haglund's Heel

ABT - Fall Season Mixed Rep

        The Czech composer Leoš Janáček was already 72 years old when the majestic orchestral work Sinfonietta came tumbling out of him. The piece had been commissioned for the Sokol Festival, a gymnastics festival in Prague sponsored by the Sokol movement, an all-age gymnastics program that was based on the principle of “a strong mind in a strong body”  and would later became a source of patriotic and national pride.

        The brass fanfares and swirling piccolo flourishes beg for the leaping and turning and the precision duos, trios, and multiples that Czech choreographer Jiri Kylian envisioned for Sinfonietta when he chose it for his eponymous ballet which his Nederlands Dans Theater premiered at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina in 1978. The festival’s theme that year was the celebration of Czech composers.

        ABT’s first performances of the work in 1991 while under Jane Hermann’s direction were critically acclaimed from one coast to the other: “exhilarating,” “bold,” “a perfect showcase [for ABT],” “rhapsodic,” said the real dance critics of the time. But since then, audiences have rarely had the opportunity to see ABT’s dancers in this glorious ballet. Last week’s opening cast boasted eleven principal dancers and three others who should be on principal track in one of the most energized, celebratory, unleashed, unifying, and passionately danced performances that we have seen from ABT in quite a while. In a word, it was uplifting.

        Not so with what followed. Christopher Rudd’s race-based work, Lifted, purportedly represented a journey of self-everything: -reflection, -confrontation, and -love with a healthy dose of -pity and -victimization thrown in. All of this was danced by Black artists whose talents were recognized when they were children and who received the same type of encouragement and financial assistance that many, if not most, of ABT’s dancers have received in their careers: YAGP scholarships, SAB scholarships, Kirov Institute scholarships, ABT National Training scholarships, gold medals in international competitions. The choreography failed to make the argument that the dancers' constant obsession with the mirrors on stage was any different than the mirror-obsessions of their non-Black colleagues. Mirror-obsession is quite simply a dancer thing. And the obsession goes way, way, way, way beyond skin color. So who and what did these dancers represent? And was this dance the “ground-breaking” piece that Kevin McKenzie claimed in his opening remarks? To answer the last question first - no. It was mediocre contemporary anything-goes choreography far beneath these talented dancers to perform. What was the message? Most probably it was a reflection of Rudd’s own personal experiences and views of the world and of how the injustices of the past continue to inform the present. It’s not a bad message to make, but the message will not make up for bad choreography. There is no grade “E for Effort” or “M for Message” that serves as justification for spending oodles of money on lousy work product.

        Or lousy costumes, like in Ratmansky’s The Seasons, his frenetic disoriented concoction to Glazunov’s beautiful music. In a nutshell, it was ADHD spun into choreography. Did it show off the dancers? Absolutely! Did they love the challenge? Seemingly so. Was there a lot of action on stage? Like last night’s Halloween Parade, it just kept coming with one outlandish costume after another. ABT, please put this away until the threads disintegrate and you regain the fabric of your senses.

        ABT’s senses were partially regained and the audience’s senses were rewarded with the return of Ashton’s The Dream. But thank goodness for second chances. Our opening cast led by Gillian Murphy, Herman Cornejo, and Daniel Camargo as a last minute substitute for Cory Stearns weren’t quite ready to bring their imaginations along with Ashton’s. The dancers looked tired and unsure. The corps, less than bright and sparkling. At the final performance on Sunday, however, this crew brought its magic. Cornejo’s Puck appeared to be 20 years old again. Murphy found her inner sassy Titania. Camargo’s Oberon stunned with his control, finesse, and power. And then there was Tyler Maloney as Bottom who stole every scene he was in with his elastic expressions and hilarious hoofing.

        In between these two performances, we watched the absolutely stunning debut of Cassandra Trenary as Titania opposite Camargo. This was Shakespeare’s dream of a Titania, if not Ashton’s. Feisty, impudent, unpredictable. Her mime stung Oberon but her lovely arabesque and soft port de bras bent his will. His authority enraged her but his charm ultimately won her over. 

        Also debuting at this performance was corpsman Elwince Magbitang as Puck. Flashes of brilliance and hints of what will be made this a highly successful debut. Hopefully, he had the opportunity to watch Cornejo on Sunday, because that is the standard that has been set.

        Another startling debut came with Patrick Frenette as Demetrius. Never have we more enjoyed watching this secondary role. Frenette made it Oscar-worthy with dramatic details from his own imagination. Here’s the thing. All of this new-found dramatic power will inform this technically-talented dancer’s Albrecht, Siegfried, and Desire just as soon as ABT opens its eyes and casts him. He is someone to look for in each cast, and he makes every role noteworthy. 

        The H.H. Pump Bump Award is bestowed upon Patrick Frenette and Cassandra Trenary for their remarkable debuts in The Dream.

 

 

ABT Whipped Cream – B.Y.O.C.

When ABT premiered Alexei Ratmansky’s Whipped Cream at the Segerstrom Center five years ago, there were tables set up in the lobby with huge containers of candy. For $6, you got an empty box into which you shoveled as much candy as possible before carrying it into the theater to enjoy during the performance. During Act I there was that expected moment when you thought “Ugh, I’ve eaten too much of this stuff — the stomach feels sick, but the buzz in the brain is fantastic.” And then after a little while, you plowed back into the candy again. What was happening in the story on stage was literally happening throughout the audience at the same time. 

 

Then when the show moved to New York, everybody got all serious and nixed the candy. "Have a cocktail, instead, for $20,” we were urged. Nah, bring your own candy! Twizzlers, root beer barrels, chocolate covered anything — bring your own candy. It will make this delicious, caramelized production all the more enjoyable. Whipped Cream is a scrumptious, delightful affair that ABT has reprised with new intense flavoring during its current run at the Koch Theater. 

 

Designer Mark Ryden shows us the brain on acid. His Snow Yak, Long Neck Piggy, Gumball Lady, and that freaking bouncing out-of-control Bumblebee are to die for. The big-headed Priest with his moralizing gaze, the even bigger-headed Doctor who manages to get his hands under The Boy's hospital bed sheet after which he dips into the booze, the battalion of Nurse Ratcheds with their nightmarish, rocket-sized syringes — all of it mixed in with the sweetest little tea flowers and spices — you can’t imagine-up this stuff without pharmaceutical help.

 

On Thursday and Friday nights, ABT’s dancers performed superbly while the non-dancing Extras nearly stole the show. The company looks so inspired when they dance Ratmansky’s works. Jonathan Klein, slightly wrestling with the overwhelming reality of leading Opening Night, was in top form as The Boy who indulges in too much whipped cream, ends up in the hospital, and has an awful nightmare. May Klein have many more Opening Nights in his future — in our future. His solos were packed with goodies and his characterization was true. The second performance saw Daniil Simkin reprise his original role with the crazy, over-the-top pyrotechnical embellishes that are fructose to his fans. Simkin was out to make us believers. He didn’t just politely taste the whipped cream; he stuck his whole face in the bowl. Who hasn’t done that? Well, you’re all liars.

 

Skylar Brandt took Princess Praline to a new level on opening night. Her brilliance came so easily and so boldly. It was breathtaking to see that level of technical authority on stage. She was, in fact, the very top tier of the beautiful cake that becomes the focal point at the party. Breanne Granlund successfully debuted in the role on the following night but had a couple of technical issues. We look forward to seeing how ABT develops her artistry. 

 

Christine Shevchenko and Calvin Royal danced the roles of Princess Tea Flower and Prince Coffee on opening night while Devon Teuscher and Cory Stearns danced the second night. Both couples were charming and persuasive. Shevchenko offered more effervescence while Teuscher’s brew had more subtle flavors. Royal’s dancing continues to improve rapidly. It seems to rise a level or two every time he has to dance a Ratmansky role. Stearns is still capable of doing most of what he has always done, and on the second night he incorporated real energy into the characterization of Prince Coffee.

 

Joseph Gorak and Eric Tamm shared the role of Prince Cocoa, and each danced brilliantly. Why is it we see so little of them? Blaine Hoven’s Slivovitz with his concern for his manicure was hysterical along with Catherine Hurlin and Connor Holloway on opening night and Zhong-Jing Fang and Joao Menegussi on the second night. Each cast mixed up a potent cocktail of comedy and fun.

 

The H.H. Pump Bump Award is bestowed upon –– wait, there’s a tie –– Long Neck Piggy and Skylar Brandt for their brilliance and imagination on opening night.

 

 

observations 9/12

Haglund misses the dancing of Ana Sophia Scheller so much. Since departing NYCB under a wispy cirrus cloud several years ago, she has evolved into a full service ballerina with stunning classical form and ability. Recently she had to depart Ukraine's national ballet company because of the war. But she has been guesting around Europe and this month danced in a gig in Italy where she performed the PdD from La Bayadere with ABT's dynamo Luigi Crispino.

Crispino dances like he's about to explode and loves to punctuate his phrases dramatically. He makes the viewer feel the music pulse up and down the spine. We just cannot wait to see more of him on stage. Until then, here's the PdD from Ana Sophia's Instagram page. We wish she would come home to New York.

 

And we're off and running . . .

Yesterday the New York Giants announced that they were hiring their first "Intimacy Director on a pilot basis to care for the physical and emotional well-being of the players." Veteran Center Phil Bendover said that while he had always been comfortable with Eli Manning’s hands tucked into his crotch, he was less so with the young Daniel Jones who could get a little frisky during the excitement of the game. Daniel, in his own defense, said that the Center was just trying to be the center of attention by suggesting that he has been or could be the victim of a quarterback’s swift and hidden fingerings.

 

Oh wait. Haglund is confused again, or still. It wasn’t the New York Giants who hired the Intimacy Director; it was the New York City Ballet. Yep, it’s like a strip out of Doonesbury. Our donations are now going to pay Intimacy Director Zipper to give the dancers psychological tummy rubs.

 

Intimacy Director Zipper:    Miss Boopsie, are you feeling threatened by this Stravinsky Violin Concerto choreography that you are not even cast in?

Miss Boopsie:    Yes, I am, I always have, and I will continue to be thweatened by it until I get cast in it. 

Intimacy Director Zipper:    But you realize that black & white leotard ballets are not – ahem – your best look. 

Miss Boopsie:    What??!! You’re thweatening me with your microaggressions! I’ve been studying all about that in college.

Intimacy Director Zipper:    College, as in college? I’m speechless. Come here and let me pet your little head.

 

Miss Boopsie:    Okay, I feel so much better. I feel so present and validated and in control and important to everyone. Thank you, Zipper. Now, can you get me a gig teaching at SAB where I'm basically banned because of that time I snuck into the dorm for a hoochie-coochie with a student?

 

Intimacy Director Zipper:   I'm speechless.

Well, enough about that.

 

We're very excited about the start of NYCB's Fall Season. That curious artistic decision to slot the sleepy La Sonnambula as a closer is finally coming into focus now that we observe that Taylor Stanley and Harrison Ball will debut as The Poet during the run. Each of these artists can be expected to bring a powerful and uniquely dramatic reading to his free verse.

 

Our most favorite costumes return to the stage with Divertimento No. 15. If that wasn't exciting enough, the ballet will be loaded up with our extraordinary soloists and the supremely talented Davide Riccardo.

 

Raymonda Variations should be thrilling if the conductor accommodates the corps and soloists with their preferred blistering tempi. And Tchaikovsky PdD soars back onto the stage with Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia. Given how these two hauled ass in Allegro Brilliante on consecutive nights at the BAAND Together Dance Festival at Lincoln Center last month, we can say that both artists' spines are in fine, flexible shape, and Tiler may be enjoying her own renaissance. Holy moly, did anyone else see that?

 

We also bought some tickets to ABT's upcoming Fall Season. Mark Ryden's designs and costumes for Whipped Cream are going to look fantastical on the Koch Theater stage. No one should pass by the opportunity to witness his imagination in all its magical grandness in the theater. If that wasn't enough, audiences will be treated to Jonathan Klein's reprisal of The Boy. Herman Cornejo's Puck should not be missed. It's likely that this will be the last time that we see Herman, Gillian Murphy, and Cory Stearns in The Dream. Each has had a much too abbreviated run in this ballet over their careers. Stearns is so Dowell-like that at times one thinks one is watching the original. The casting of Ratmansky's The Seasons has been mostly refreshed and will provide a good opportunity to see what some of the newer corps dancers can really do.

 

Off we go . . .

 

ABT 7/8 Redeemed By Giants

Kisses to the new corps, demi-soloist pairs, and principals in last night's Theme and Variations. What a difference from the night before! Not only was everyone supremely elegant, supremely accurate, and supremely glistening, everyone seemed so filled with joy to be dancing this great masterpiece. And when all 26 dancers realized toward the very end that they had truly nailed it, their proud faces were something to behold. Such a great, great job from everyone.

When the curtain opened and the academic tendus began, the posture of our principals conveyed that we were about to see something special. The mature elegance of Skylar Brandt and the calm command of Herman Cornejo grabbed our attention like few other couples in these roles. It was remarkable how these two, as small as they are, managed to look like giants on the stage.

The tempi were blessedly faster than ABT is accustomed to in Theme and Variations, but every dancer on stage seemed ready and eager to fly at the pace. When Herman began his double tour/pirouette series, Conductor Ormsby Wilkins noticeably accelerated the orchestra to give Herman precisely what he needed to attain perfection. The level of mastery in his pas de bourree/six/grand jete entournant and the travelling ronde jambe en l'air was mind boggling – so simply done and so smooth. Skylar's variations were at or near the speed that we see Megan Fairchild take this ballet. She was just beautiful and articulate without any pushiness. The chainees were a blur until Skylar stopped on a dime with seemingly no effort at all.  She got all of the quick changing port de bras in smoothly, and served up this Balanchine like the grand feast that it is supposed to be. Though some credit must go to Tchaikovsky, her pas de deux with Herman brought forth tears. And we must say that the make-up was gorgeous. Skylar, normally youthful and wide-eyed on stage, possessed an elegance that we have never seen before.

Our H.H. Pump Bump Award, a Louboutin in crossed fifth position loaded with kisses, is bestowed upon the corps de ballet, demi-soloist pairs, and our glorious principals Skylar Brandt and Herman Cornejo for the performance of the season in Theme and Variations. The maker can once again rest in peace.

 

 

 

 

 

ABT 7/7 American Splendor an offender

At the end of the first ballet last night a white cloud appeared on the stage. A little old man with receding hairline floated out of it, eyes blinking rapidly as he took little sniffs through his nose. He wore a black string tie and rolled up shirt sleeves and appeared slightly disheveled. He spoke in broken English:

“I rest happily in backstage area since 1983, and then — and then (he scrunches up his face) –– I need to change program right now. Single Zig and Eye Zag do another night. We do over Theme and Variations and make right. I conduct.”

 

He hadn’t just rolled over in his grave as ABT butchered his Theme and Variations, he rose up from it to wrestle back control of his masterpiece from ABT’s outgoing director who has never been able to get it right. This time was just too much for the choreographer. American Splendor was an offender.

 

What is happening to Joo Won Ahn, the male lead in Balanchine's Theme and Variations? Who has gotten into this man’s head to convince him to dance with the caution of someone walking through a mine field? Last night was excruciatingly painful to watch. From the opening moments, he seemed recoiled and defeated. The tendus were like the first ones in the morning, lacking in stretch and importance — and uncrossed. His first set of double pirouettes to fourth position were so slow that any other dancer would have had time to do triples. Hesitate. Hesitate. Hesitate, thanks in part to a lazy tempo. The double tour/pirouette combination was ballet’s equivalent of Chernobyl. Ahn had a complete meltdown. The audience could be heard grumbling in McEnroe tones “Are you serious?! Are you serious?!”

 

At the opening bars, we weren’t sure about Devon Teuscher either. Nerves were apparent. Feet were not planted. But then she seemed to realize that the entire responsibility for this ballet was going to rest on her gorgeous shoulders. The woman took over, and she gave a whopping huge performance – not like anything we would see in the House of Balanchine but something we’d experience at the Palais Garnier. Her majesty matched Tchaikovsky’s measure for measure. Her clarity matched his clarity note for note. Was it all too slow? Yes, definitely: so slow that Devon had to add balances to fill out the music. But if the slow-motion killed the thrill of this ballet, it revealed its glory, too. Unfortunately, we need both thrill and glory. This ballet deserves nothing less. 

 

The demi-soloists and corps were, in part, rough. Those who clearly understood where to dance on the music chaffed against those who didn’t. McCune, Frenette, Tamm, Sebastian, and Hoven anticipated the music and hit their marks beautifully. Most of the ladies were still in Swan Lake mode—and why shouldn’t they dance that way with a sluggish tempo that felt like a raw egg smoothie going down.

 

Single Eye (Alonzo King) and ZigZag (Jessica Lang) required neither orchestra nor affection for ballet but did require great patience. What’s worse than seeing professional ballet dancers as backup to singers? Answer: seeing professional ballet dancers as backup to taped singers. Not that we don’t love Tony Bennett. In fact Haglund’s greatest ever experience in the Metropolitan Opera House was in 2011 when Tony Bennett made his debut singing at the Met. Re-live it here. But Lang’s fluffy ZigZag, a faux Broadway-type revue, is the poor man’s Susan Stroman. It relies on kitschy flounce and costumes that try to recapture the sashaying big dress styles of the 1950s.To its credit, it gives a lot of fabulous, underused dancers a chance to step out and be seen, such as Michael de la Nuez. The man simply explodes every time he catches the spotlight.

 

Single Eye is one more pretentious Angst & Yank ballet that can’t be forgotten fast enough. Nothing new here. Nothing articulated. A lovely gold front curtain and some fetching costumes, but little else. Is anyone else sick and tired of the cliched pose of the turned in leg crossed over the side of the knee of the other leg that one of King’s dancers made famous in a poster decades ago? Every ballerina seems to need to mimic it, and King seems to have made it his signature. 

 

We can’t watch this program again in its entirety but will find a way to see what Brandt & Cornejo do with T&V. The cheap factor is just too overwhelming and it is typical of how McKenzie has missed the mark over and over and over again. No Pump Bump Award for this one.

 

 

 

 

 

ABT's Swan Lake 6/29 mat & eve

Lakes have life cycles. Once a lake is formed by glacial, fault, or volcanic activity, it immediately begins to evolve through its life stages. The constantly changing balance of nutrients in the water affects which aquatic life thrives and which eventually succumbs to stress. And so it goes with ABT’s Swan Lake which has evolved through its 22 year run through constant, though not always careful management of its ecosystem. Years of replenishing with guest artists – an invasive species – proved fatal to parts of the natural habitat. 

 

Of late, though, we’ve seen some stirrings of new life in ABT’s old lake. Skylar Brandt, in an astonishing Odette/Odile debut Wednesday evening, revealed every classical detail with remarkable clarity. As the music cued the iconic moments, she delivered the anticipated phrasing, poses, and temperament of both Odette and Odile as carefully set on her by Irina Dvorovenko and Max Beloserkovsky. Like the daughter whose mother insists on a high level of social courtesy in everyday life but who won’t come to realize the full value of those manners until she matures, we can expect Skylar’s interpretation of Odette to deepen as she absorbs what Irina and Max have so generously given her. Meanwhile, we are simply blown away by the delightful trickery of her Odile — a swindling Harold Hill in black sparkly tutu. Smooth and seductive, balancing brilliantly on her outrageous lie, and spinning a story with fast-talking fouettes, this Odile had little trouble getting Siegfried's wallet, watch, and Social Security number.

 

Skylar is the Odette/Odile that Herman Cornejo should have had much earlier in his career. She is now at a technical level where he was a dozen years ago. But they still make for an awesome match and for that, we are grateful. From his entrance at the top of the staircase to his fatal leap into the lake, Herman’s intensity and energy raised the level of the entire cast’s performance. All of sudden, everyone on stage had extra spark and color. If this was Herman’s local sign-off of Siegfried, it was a darned good one. There is still plenty of juice left in his legs and he delivered the requisite turns and leaps, if not always at the level of his youth. We felt Siegfried's anguish and confusion. His Act IV relentless quest for Odette sunk our spirits which had been soaring since Act II because, well, we already knew how it would turn out even if he didn’t.

 

The Wednesday matinee cast of Christine Shevchenko and Calvin Royal III enjoyed similar highs. Here we had a very different Odette - an old soul through whom we felt the sorrows of past Odettes. She brought our breathing to a stop with her exquisitely beautiful port de bras and the lengthening of lines that seemed to be pulled even longer by the generous conducting of Charles Barker. The gentle curves in her arabesques and attitudes were emotionally exposing. As Odile, Shevchenko maybe wasn’t as soulless or conniving as other Odiles, but she drew a clear distinction from her Odette. There were partnering issues that marred moments such as the famous line of step-over pirouettes that ends with a dramatic attitude pose. Odile ended up on two feet on the other side of Siggy. But the lifts in Act IV were incredible and all but made us forget about any of the awkwardness that preceded them. 

 

This was Calvin Royal’s debut and at times he looked under pressure and his variations were under-powered. Given the fact that his second performance of Chaereas in Of Love And Rage was a spectacular improvement over the first one last week, we are confident that things will go much better for him at Monday’s matinee of Swan Lake. There was a sense of Calvin trying to figure out how Calvin fit into the character of Siegfried rather than simply adopting a theatrical characterization that has nothing to do with the performer’s own circumstances and empathies. Once on stage, it’s too late to be questioning what the character’s motivation is. But because the second performance of Chaereas was so strong, we don’t want to miss what might happen on July 4th.

 

The secondary principals, soloists and demis at the Wednesday performances were a mixed bag. Andrii Ishchuk’s conservative debut as Von Rothbard showed only a glimpse of what we can expect to come. He was hesitant to take the character over the top – which is an absolute must – but the dancing was quite fetching. In the evening, Gabe Stone Shayer chewed up the scenery rather successfully, we thought. It was our first time seeing a short-ish Von Rothbart; so it was kind of a shock. But somehow, Gabe made the character outlandish and cinematic, and it all worked well. 

 

Thank goodness in the evening we stumbled upon Breanne Granlund in the Pas de Trois who seems to be that rare woman at ABT who can manage entrechat-six. What is going on here? How does someone get into the corps of ABT (or get hired back!) without being able to do a few entrechat-six in a row? Granlund, Zimmi Coker, and Patrick Frenette delivered a very respectable PdT full of verve and style. Frenette’s Benno was expertly danced and we look forward to finally seeing much more of him in significant roles. He has such danseur noble potential that it has been almost heartbreaking to see him underused for so long. However, there are a couple of issues that need to be addressed. First and foremost are the odd quick-changing facial expressions that look calculated & unnatural and a proclivity for over-emphasizing details that one does in class in order to get the message into the muscles but shouldn’t do on stage. Then there is the overuse of make-up. Frenette is unfairly handsome and doesn’t need excessive rouge and eye shadow to make that any more clear than it is. Why is ABT’s make-up team trying to make him look clownish?

 

The swan corps de ballet at each performance appeared well-drilled. The Cygnettes did not disappoint. And oh do we love the new Tutor who strode into the village: Ruben Martin (formerly of SFB, now JKO). Big, big theater chops. Hope to see more of him. 

 

Our H.H. Pump Bump Award, a Louboutin crystal-embellished stiletto, is bestowed upon Skylar Brandt, Christine Shevchenko, and Irina Dvorovenko for packing such beauty and artistic integrity into ABT's Swan Lake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABT 6/20, 6/21, 6/22 mat Of Love and Rage

Open your hearts to Alexei Ratmansky's new production Of Love and Rage, which is loosely based on the story of Chaereas and Callirhoe by the Greek novelist Charitan who wrote during the 1st century AD.

ABT doesn't have another ballet that so masterfully allows so many of its dancers to display their gifts. There are so many roles to fill that dancers sometimes have to play five roles in a single performance. Andrii Ishchuk, a young Ukrainian corpsman who danced his feet off on opening night in the major role of Polycharmus, on Wednesday had to perform as one of the Chorus Men, one of Dionysius' Soldiers, a Captive, a Babylonian Courtier, and finally fought a war as a member of the Babylonian Army. That's a lot of character switching and choreography to remember, not to mention costume changing. Even on Broadway where a swing has to learn a lot of different roles, he doesn't have to dance them all in one night!

Dramaturg Guillaume Gallienne simplified the story of Chaereas and Callirhoe and distilled it down to just a few important characters and episodes. Charitan, the author of what is purportedly the world's first ever romance novel, conceived a plot that has the density of a black hole. But fuggedaboutit! This new ballet doesn't strive to convey a story for the sake of conveying a story. The story is merely a vehicle to transport the blisteringly brilliant dancing of ABT's Corps de Ballet to the front of the stage. And for this, we thank Ratmansky who always seems to be able to recognize the talented artists who have otherwise been orphaned at ABT.

Thanks to this ballet, we got to see Ishchuk's beautiful, clear dancing in the role of Polycharmus, Chaereas' friend. The next night our longtime favorite Eric Tamm was back with a bang in the same role. His deer-like leaps with their ever-upward trajectory and his commitment to character have always been meant for the front of the stage, regardless of how the reality played out at ABT. At the Wednesday matinee, Jonathan Klein was superb in the same role - with a face that catches the light and reveals stirring emotion.

The dark, glowering Mithridates received an intensely theatrical and dazzlingly danced performance from Jarod Curley who got his corps contract a mere six months before the pandemic lockdown. We've seen basically nothing from this guy and all of a sudden he's in our faces dancing like a dramatic heavy-weight star at the Bolshoi. The normally blondish Curley was transformed by a nasty black wig and ill-kept facial hair through which his normally handsome smile became a relentless sneer. His use of the head to convey Mithridates' dangerous nature made for a commanding performance which was perhaps the highlight of the show. And Patrick Frenette was superb as well in the role at the matinee. Dark and cunning, Frenette made the most of his character through bold musical choices. His sudden pauses put the viewer on edge. When he leaned into the faces of other characters, it was with the smooth hostility of a serpent.

Where Ratmansky excelled beyond anything else that he has ever made for ABT was in the corps' choreography. It was highly imaginative, inventive, disciplined, and without arbitrary frenetic upper body and arm movements that have crept into earlier works. It looked less impulsive and more edited. In one instance the Chorus Ladies formed a tight triangle with the vertex downstage. While bourree-ing backwards, they expanded the triangle to gorgeous effect -- like air expanding the lungs -- while raising their arms in a V to create a large triangle made up of multiple triangles through port de bras. At another point they grand jete'ed right-left-right-left-right-left in a circle with such precision that they nearly sounded like a single pair of feet landing each time. At times their formations were broken down into smaller trios, duos, and soloists which had the effect of spotlighting so many individuals even though they were in the corps.

It was the same story for the men. They were all doing principal-level variations in unison, trios, duos, and solos. Groups traveled backwards in lightning fast jeté battu combinations, off-balance coupe jetés were thrown in like seasoning -- all of it was fast, fast, fast. Near the end of Act II, the Babylonian Courtier men appeared in brilliant blue costumes to accompany the gorgeous Babylonian Courtier women. All of a sudden, one of the men broke out into an insane variation that included sliding all over the floor and crazy turns -- we think it may have been Michael de la Nuez -- which made a point that we all need to remember: so much to dance, yet so little time. Were it not for Ratmansky, we likely would never have seen this man's valiant dancing.

Yes, there were lead dancers, but they were not the stars of this show. They were there to give the corps de ballet an occasional rest - that's all. But they all did well in choreography that was not as inspired as what was conceived for the corps de ballet. Tom Forster gave the biggest reading of Chaereas of the three performances that Haglund saw. His brilliance was marked by the velocity with which he executed the grandest of the grand allegro moments. His manege of coupe jeté went on for about an hour and seemed to accelerate right to its dramatic end. Forster was more theatrically invested than either Aran Bell or Calvin Royal III with whom he shared the role. Both Bell and Forster managed some epic torch lifts of their Callirhoes whereas Royal truncated his. All three seemed to get all of the steps but there were big differences in how they exploited them or simply did them.

Catherine Hurlin, Christine Shevchenko, and Hee Seo shared the role of Callirhoe. Until the third performance, Haglund was not convinced that this was a principal role. Part of the problem was Callirhoe's costume which was made of heavy-looking fabric that fell nearly to the ankles. She was made to look like the Chorus Ladies only in satiny white. The costumes worked for the Chorus Ladies but not for Callirhoe whose leg lines and choreography were often hidden or obscured by the costume. It needed slits in the skirt or perhaps a different fabric. It just didn't work. Nor did the one-armed tunics for the men. They just looked sloppy. Instead of tunics, they should have had tunic-like forms that hugged the torso.

Hurlin gave a lovely and honest portrayal of Callirhoe with admirable execution of the choreography. Shevechenko gave the strongest technical performance but did not read as dramatically as was needed. Seo had some technical slip-ups, and made some alterations, e.g., the fast stepping horizontal bourrees that changed from front to back to front to back became standard bourrees. However, her dramatic reading finally brought the needed depth. She has all that experience of portraying suffering heroines to fall back on -- Juliet, Giselle, Nikiya, Tatiana, Caroline -- and she used it very, very well. Haglund was completely shocked at how much he enjoyed Seo's performance and how well she pulled the viewer into her story.

All of the Callirhoes were more affecting emotionally when dancing Pas de Deux with the characters of Dionysius and Mithridates than with Chaereas. Daniel Camargo made a sensational debut as Dionysius on opening night. As soon as he strode onstage, the level of tension in the story increased exponentially. We can't say how well Camargo does in white-tights roles, but in this dramatic setting he was a dynamite performer. His allegro felt like it was the relief valve opening on his pressurized character. Both Blaine Hoven and Joo Won Ahn skillfully crafted their characters and danced well, but it was Camargo who, in the final moments, made us feel what he was giving up when he released the hand of the child he long thought had been his own but who was actually Chaereas'.

This production by Ratmansky came as a surprise. The strong elements eclipse the weak elements (costumes in Act I; mundane choreography for the leads) which can be revised over seasons. All in all, it is truly a gift to the hardworking corps de ballet dancers who deserve to shine like they are shining this week. The sets are neither over-stated nor inadequate; they are exactly what is needed to help move the story along without getting in the way. Khachatyrian's music is glorious, and the ABT orchestra is doing itself proud. My goodness it all sounds beautiful in the Met Opera House. The score doesn't have a lot of pauses where an audience can express appreciation and sometimes doesn't meet the drama of the choreography. In one instance of a PdD between Chaereas and Callirhoes, there is a phrase that ends in a spectacular upside down lift but the music doesn't match its potency. But these are trivial issues as is concern for the level of detail in the story. The whole thing works, and works well.

The H.H. Pump Bump Award, Versace's gold & silver stiletto, is bestowed upon the men and women of the Corps de Ballet who are the stars of this important new production.

 

 

 

ABT at the Met People, where are you?!

Have folks forgotten about the Rush Tickets? Have people forgotten how to shrewdly game the system to get them more frequently than once per week? Has everyone forgotten about the TDF discounted tickets? Have the theater rats forgotten how to buy $30 tickets and move to better spots?

People, let's shake off this pandemic misery and apathy and get thee to the theater. Shake it, baby. Come on, shake it!

Last night's presentation of Don Quixote led by Christine Shevchenko and Aran Bell was huge! It's hard to believe that they are not getting another performance. Shevchenko is clearly in the sweet spot of her career at this very moment. No one should miss a single one of her performances. Bell, a last minute sub for Cory Stearns, had a blast with the challenges being thrown at him. He was like the clean-up hitter with the big bat who is number four in the Don Q lineup for a reason –– to hit it out of the park and drive everyone on base home. And that, he did.

Shevchenko's Plisetskaya leaps were thrilling –– right to the back of the head with perfectly oval arms above. She was the sassy, bossy, high-spirited, showrunning Kitri who we remember from Ananiashvili and Dvorovenko. Her lines were exquisite right through the front of the ankle and through the toes –– a lifetime of diligent, hard work on display. All three acts were equally brilliant.

Bell, as big as he is, surprised with his ability to pack virtuosity into the allegro at Minkus's speed. The stage actually looked a little small for him when he tore through a manège of coupé jeté. He wasn't expected to pack revolutions into his pirouettes the way our smaller Basilios do but he sure didn't try to pass off any one-size-fits-all Siegfried-type elegance for the barber's rough & tumble style. He got to the heart of the character with honesty. Such a good job. So openly honest on stage. So, so good.

There were some rough spots in the partnering: the one-armed lifts weren't as coordinated as they should have been and that final push-off that sent Kitri into en dehors turns in attitude in the Wedding PdD was truncated after only one revolution. The rest of it was fabulous, and the chemistry between the two was as convincing as could be.

Bell and Shevchenko will lead the opening performance of Theme and Variations. We can't wait to see if they are able to bring it even close to these two from 1978. Listen, if this big guy gets all of those double tours/pirouettes in his variation, you are going to hear the house explode. We're sure that Shevchenko can go at the breakneck speed that we all want to see. Let's hope that the conductor on that evening inspires her to go for it.

Katherine Williams and Calvin Royal were superb as Mercedes/Dryad Queen and Espada. Royal, head to toe in gold fabric, was as handsome as could be. This is a perfect role for him. All that length moving at high speed while matching the emphatic quality of the music was beautiful. Williams was fetching as Mercedes and elegant as the Dryad Queen. In character-heavy roles such as Mercedes or Myrta, she possesses a quality of unpredictability that makes her very interesting to watch. Her angelic face can switch to a startlingly ominous expression with the twitch of an eyebrow.

Luciana Paris and Jonathan Klein were superb as the Gypsy Couple. We're getting a little frustrated at not seeing Klein in principal roles. He was fabulous in Ratmansky's Whipped Cream, but McKenzie relegates him to Gypsy and Neapolitan stock-type roles. Klein is going on nine years with ABT. He should be carrying it's flag out front, not the sword in the back. Ditto with Cameron McCune -- he would have made an outstanding Espada this season.

We're missing Carlos Gonzalez and Sierra Armstrong so far this season. Hoped and expected to see them soaring.

Our H.H. Pump Bump Award, a pure gold stiletto from Jimmy Choo, is bestowed upon Christine Shevchenko for her exceptional Kitri. She sure knows how to make a guy open his wallet. People, don't miss her in Swan Lake and T&V. And what the heck is going on – or not going on – with the tickets for Love and Rage? Get your tickets – now! Go to TDF – now! Haglund is going to see three performances, maybe more. Just remember that Ratmansky always gives opportunities to upcoming talent as well as talent persistently overlooked. Let's go let's go let's go!

 

 

ABT cuts the bull out of Don Q and finally gets down to business on 6/14

How great it was to renew acquaintance with the work of so many talented ABT artists as they glistened and at times even sparked under the beauty of the Met Opera House’s crystalline chandeliers.

This production of Don Quixote is one of the best ballets in ABT’s stable. It has stood the test of time and has been an extraordinary vehicle for some of the greatest Basilios of our generation –– Bocca, Corella, Carreno, and Cornejo — and some of our most wonderful Kitris –– Ananiashvili, Dvorovenko, Herrera. The Santo Loquasto sets are still gorgeous after 27 years. Emotions still swell when the rich hues of the front scrim that depicts a bullfighting ring scene change from cream to deep red to blue during the musical overtures for the three acts. Minkus’s Russian interpretation of Spanish flair, bold and colorful, has never offended Spaniards or Latino cultures. Rather, they have embraced it and exploited it to celebrate their histories. Nor has the Woke Set descended upon Don Quixote with its nonsense the way it has attacked Minkus’ equally grand and glorious La Bayadere for its Russian imagining of India in the 1800s. The ABT orchestra drove Minkus at full throttle on Tuesday night and the effect was both majestic and thrilling.

 

The draws of Tuesday evening were Herman Cornejo and Skylar Brandt in the lead roles. Herman spent nearly a decade dancing the role of the Gypsy in this production before winning his debut as Basilio in 2008. But that long period served as his invaluable apprenticeship to Bocca, Corella, and Carreno whose composite interpretation Cornejo has carried through his illustrious career while imprinting it with his own swagger and technical marvel.  Though he’s always been a measured risk taker, Cornejo has to be more careful now that he’s 41 years old. He delivered still-startling brilliance — finessing finishes of his quintuple pirouettes to Carreno-type balances. His one-armed overhead lifts of Kitri had the strength of Spartacus. Though we’ve seen it time and time again, Basilio's preening when he turns away from the audience to smooth his hair back is still a hoot. 

 

Skylar spent about as many years dancing the role of Flower Girl in this production as Herman spent as a Gypsy before winning her debut as Kitri this past April at the Kennedy Center. Rather than seeing Skylar as Kitri or Skylar’s interpretation of Kitri, we saw Kitri. Dvorovenko designed and finished Skylar’s interpretation with extraordinary attention to detail. But excuse us, where were the famous Irina spit-curls and magnificent red lipstick?! We used to buy tickets just to see Irina’s spit-curls. This is no time to tone down our blazingly brilliant new Kitri. The character lives through her spit-curls and red lipstick. We’re just playin’ with ya’ll here but, ya know . . . The dancing was sensational in its verve and clarity. Never a hesitancy revealed — not even as she launched herself horizontally into Basilio’s arms where the ending wasn’t quite what she anticipated. Skylar is as fearless and game as they come. If she lived through Daniil Simkin dropping her flat on her face in Nutcracker, she can live through a little uncertainty in a catch near the edge of the stage where it drops ten feet into the orchestra pit. 

 

We loved the speed of the traveling single pirouettes. We loved the control in the attitude turns that actually looked like abandonment. We loved everything about this Kitri in her second ever performance and look forward to Skylar embracing more exaggeration and bossiness in the character as she settles into the production to become one of our all-time favs.

 

Cassandra Trenary and Gabe Stone Shayer as Mercedes/Dryad Queen and Espada were just wonderful. We were prepared for the feisty, hot Mercedes but were surprised and delighted by the grace and benevolence of Cassandra’s Dryad Queen. She created some beautiful, expansive shapes with her port de bras. Gabe held nothing back with Espada. This was a fierce, experienced bullfighter whose cape enticed the fire of Mercedes.

 

Breanne Granlund and Betsy McBride shone brightly as Flower Girls — McBride, especially, should not have to wait much longer for her own Kitri.

 

Zimmi Coker and Elwince Magbitang as the Gypsy Couple gave big performances. Magbitang, in particular, had the acceleration, velocity, and clean lines that caused us to get excited about what might come next for this artist.

 

Within the corps, we observed the continued growth and stymied advancement of Courtney Lavine, Patrick Frenette, Andrii Ishchuk.  In Act III, Courtney anchored one end of the line of jete-ing wedding guests with the most beautiful arm, hand, and finger positions in the history of the world. Why isn’t ABT exploiting this dancer’s beauty and talent? Frenette and Ishchuk along with Luigi Crispino and Cameron McCune made the Toreadors section totally worth watching. And going forward, all eyes on Andrew Robare and Chloe Misseldine.

 

Our H.H. Pump Bump Award, a torero red Louboutin stiletto, is bestowed upon Skylar Brandt (and Irina Dvorovenko) for this delicious new Kitri.