Artistic Director Susan Jaffe appeared before the curtain and began the evening with a brief historical talk that emphasized that ABT does new, innovative works to keep the art form “alive.” The evening went on to disprove her point if not qualify it as balletic perjury.
Juliano Nunes’ Have We Met?! had as its basis a story of two people who met beneath the Manhattan Bridge in 1928 and fell in love before he entered the war and eventually succumbed to PTSD in a dramatic death. One hundred ten years later, their souls, now within other people, met again under the Brooklyn Bridge and fell in love again. We’re pretty sure that the other main theme is that of Manhattan as a dark, nasty, stuck-in-the-past place whereas Brooklyn is now where all the cool kids in colorful unitards reside. Well, maybe not, but it seemed that way.
As the ballet progressed and innovated, we saw the same old, same old manipulative gymnast-like maneuvering of the women by the men. Some of us who have been following ballet’s claims of innovation for a while kind of predicted this as soon as the casting went up. Except for one dramatic and very physical solo for Isaac Hernandez who came apart at the mental and physical seams before shooting himself, there wasn’t much that we hadn’t already met in Wheeldon’s choreography. Even the music by Luke Howard recalled After the Rain followed by a little humming of Phillip Glass — all of it seeming like a cinematic score. As we’ve said before, ballet music must stand on its own and make a statement. It holds up the ballet like a foundation, not vice versa. We remember nothing about this music or the musicality of the choreography except for some staccato corps moments under the Manhattan Bridge.
In summary, Nunes’ concept was a nice idea, even an innovative idea, but did not come close to realization even as Hee Seo with Isaac Hernandez and Catherine Hurlin with Daniel Camargo poured their souls into it.
Ratmansky’s Serenade after Plato’s Symposium to Leonard Bernstein’s music by the same name won merit points for giving several talented ABT men the opportunity to whistle their own tunes without the distraction of ABT’s gorgeous ballerinas trying to steal the attention — except that one almost did anyway. It wasn’t necessary to understand the story of Plato’s Symposium to enjoy the ballet anymore than it was necessary to understand it in order to enjoy Bernstein’s music. But for the record, there’s a party where the men give speeches on the meaning and value of love. There’s a contest. There’s an argument. The guys are enjoying themselves doing guy-stuff and then she shows up as a brief distraction for an aerial-emphasized pas de deux before disappearing from where she came.
Dancing highlights included Patrick Frenette taking over Blaine Hoven’s original role and making it his own with his formidable dramatic power and clear dancing. Takumi Miyake danced Daniil Simkin’s original role and, hard to believe, elevated it with astonishing turns and grand allegro. (Simkin was in attendance as were Martine van Hamel and her husband. Man oh man, does she ever look stunning at 80.) Herman Cornejo, James Whiteside and Calvin Royal III — all members of the original cast from 2016 — reprised their roles. Jarod Curley danced the role originated by Marcelo Gomes and performed the pas de deux with the lovely Sunmi Park (originally Devon Teuscher). Tyler Maloney dance a scrupulous, invigorating solo originally performed by Gabe Stone Shayer. If Maloney is truly finished with injuries, we are in for a treat.
The truth is: nearly everyone in the theater was waiting for Balanchine’s Theme and Variations. Some waited too long — Rachel Richardson missed her entrance and bourreed out a phrase after her corps group. The others had already turned to face the back of the stage when out came a smiling Rachel facing front while trying catch up like in Jerome Robbins’ The Concert. Dancing in this ballet is a privilege, or should be. Can’t ABT find a replacement who will be more responsible?
The demi soloist pairs did a fine job. We must remark on the exceptional crossed & tightly closed soutenu turns by the women. Just gorgeous. The demi soloist men were musically uncertain at times and seemed under stress to make the entrechat six and double tours at such a high speed. The corps de ballet was okay until the very last moments when a couple of the men flubbed their double tours. The tempi were just fine, though. The guys just have to get used to it.
Skylar Brandt as the principal ballerina was simply spectacular in articulation and musicality — a thrilling performance even for the usually thrilling Skylar. It’s times like these when we wish she would move to NYCB so that we could see everything that she has to offer. This is what an important ballerina looks like. She’s the one setting the achievement standards for the next generation. She’s the one who values the details that make the artistry shine its brightest. Sung Woo Han, as her principal partner, was reliable in the pas de deux but revealed mushy leg lines with little turnout or stretch. The absence of turnout was what marred his lines the most. While he got through the jumps and turns which is admirable in itself, he made little impact and gave the impression of just getting through them. ABT had other, better options for this spot.
Our HH Pump Bump Award an 18-karat gold version of the Cleopatra Stiletto from the House of Borgezie, is bestowed upon Skylar Brandt for a thrilling Theme and Variations. She carried the point that it’s not innovation that keeps ballet alive; it’s high quality.
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