American Ballet Theatre seems to be having its own democratic socialist movement, and the citizenry is going bananas with joy. The summer season, which ends today, has seen a great wealth of roles distributed among deserving soloist and corps de ballet artists — to an extent that never occurred under the former oppressive patriarchy. SunMi Park, Jarod Curley, Jake Roxander, Michael de la Nuez, Andrew Robare, and Lea Fleytoux found themselves in an array of leading principal debuts through which they shimmered, sparkled, and blazed. Three were elevated to principal level in on-stage promotions that allowed the audience to participate with roars of appreciation and approval. Two were promoted to soloist level along with four other corps de ballet artists who were brilliant in either secondary principal or demi-soloist roles. Many more were deserving. But what is clear is that merit matters to a degree that it has not in a very long time.
This last week of Swan Lake performances has made the current staging look better than it has ever looked in 25 years: details of a turned hand, a look into the upper tier, a fine-tuned spacing among swans and within the character dances, theatrical content along the sidelines, projection that pushed to the walls of the Met. It’s like when Mom gives the house a good clean-and-polishing to make it its most beautiful after which she rearranges the crystal glasses to bring the less-used stems forward, and all of a sudden, the place looks like new.
Of the Odette/Odile performances we saw this week, Chloe Misseldine continued to stamp her interpretation with intensity and individuality although the performance opposite Daniel Camargo inched too close to nonstop histrionics. When one is blessed with arms of such length, it isn’t necessary to beat them together in parallel like a pair of Pickup Sticks slamming against the ears. There’s opportunity to create a gentler, rounder visual with the shoulders down occasionally to shade Odette’s temperament. Also, the extra step her Odette takes before her first arabesque after entering detracts from the moment. Camargo is a dream of a Prince Siegfried from head to toe. He didn’t have his best technical performance this past week but he showed that he could turn an awkward ending into a moment of beauty. The match up with Misseldine was not more than the sum of its parts and there were coordination problems throughout the various pas de deux, most notably a ghastly drop in Act IV that was covered brilliantly by Misseldine.
SunMi Park and Thomas Forster delivered the fine performance that concluded with Park’s promotion to principal dancer. Forster amended some of the choreography in the Prince’s solos in Act 1. Saut de basques landing in arabesque were not going to be his thing. However, the substitutions were elegant and cleanly landed. Park had nothing to worry about from a partnering aspect. Forster gave her all the freedom she needed in order to deliver a spectacular performance that was on the level or above anything we have seen in recent times. Her distinction between her two O’s was, well, like the difference between black & white. Haglund has to admit that he has never sought out Park in the casting after seeing her principal debut in Like Water for Chocolate, a production which served to reduce his opinion of every dancer who ever participated in it. So, it was a special thrill to discover what an exquisite performer Park is with her blend of emotion-laden artistry and catholic classical technique. Those slow triple a la second turns as Odile were to die for. Where others push through such turns with panic, Park coaxed out the revolutions with calm and love.
Jarod Curley and Devon Teuscher led the wonderful performance that concluded with Curley’s promotion to principal dancer. After a sputtering Sylvia in the previous week, Teuscher roared back with a statement-making performance of Odette/Odile. Liquid port de bras, supple shoulders, carefully placed feet, and crystalline mime told Odette’s heartbreaking story. And then came Odile — wicked, wired with agitation, spooky with speed, and burning through pirouettes and allegro. Jarod danced an exceptionally clean performance of Siegfried and supplemented it with delicious Dowell-like drama. We cannot wait to see how this guy’s imagination informs his Oberon.
The Jaffe-Jones refreshed Don Quixote with the addition of the “cup solo” from Baryshnikov’s exquisite production along with a little added music proved that when people tire of something, it’s not always necessary to throw it out and replace it. Just tinker. The production’s 30+ year-old Loquasto set & costume designs will never be bettered or even equaled any more than the Met Opera’s Chagall murals will be. Tinker & refresh seems to be a very good strategy. We’re eagerly looking forward to the tinkering that’s going on with Alexei Ratmansky’s Sleeping Beauty which will be part of next summer’s season.
Onegin and Sylvia were sheer blessings, even with an uneven performance or two, making this Summer Season a full success. Decades ago, there was the 64 Club, a group of balletomanes who would hit up every ABT performance during the Met Season. We may be a ways away from reaching that level of audience devotion again, but for once in a very long time, it seems possible.
Our final H.H. Pump Bump Award of the season is bestowed upon our three new principals — SunMi Park, Jake Roxander, and Jarod Curley — who along with the many other exceptional company artists knocked us out with their performances and had us seeing stars.
14 responses to “Merit Matters”
So excited to see Lady of the Camelias on the Spring 2027 calendar! I saw it for the first time in Paris this May and really loved it. I think there are a lot of talented dancers at ABT that can rise to the drama of this one.
Hi Hobbit. Yes, Lady of the Camellias will look exquisite on the Koch stage. The audience will feel like it is smack dab in the middle of the play. Seven performances should permit an equitable sharing of the lead roles and the several secondary opportunities. Bell, Camargo, and Curley were all born to be Armand. I am so looking forward to it.
Did you know that Antony Tudor did a one-act version of Lady of the Camellias for NYCB in 1951 set to selections from Verdi’s operas? Diana Adams and Hugh Laing starred; Tudor cast himself in a secondary role. NYT’s John Martin thought it was good. I wonder if there is any footage of it or if it is completely lost.
Hagland, what a glorious review! I have been feeling the excitement from New York all the way to the Midwest. I remember being moved by Jake Roxander and Jarod Curley when I saw ABT perform Giselle on tour in Nebraska three years ago. I didn’t know of them at the time so had to find out who they were in my program. Now they are Principal dancers! Susan has done wonderful things as AD. Her collaboration with Susan Jones sounds very successful in their renewal of Don Quixote. I remember when each of them started at ABT. I saw Susan Jaffe’s Juliette in the 80s and Susan Jones as the Cowgirl in Rodeo starting, I believe, in the 70s, both in Chicago.
Congratulations to those promoted and all who dance so beautifully! I am hopeful we are on the brink of another Golden Age of ABT!
Thanks, Georgiann. The company was looking very good this summer. Hopefully they will find opportunities to perform between now and mid October. It would be a very long and difficult layoff if they didn’t. It would be nice if they could find a place in Wash DC to perform if things haven’t settled down enough to go back to the Kennedy Center.
Hi Haglund, long time reader of your insightful reviews and beautiful prose. I am still deeply saddened by the loss of all the performing arts in Washington due to the Kennedy Center shenanigans. I used to spend a lot of money on tickets to see many shows throughout the year there. My dollars went to New York’s economy this summer instead, and it was well spent to see Roxander perform Basilio! Kudos to Jaffe for re-igniting my interest in ABT at a level not seen in some time. I hope to make it to NY more often now, despite the (much) higher cost of attending shows not at KC. I wonder if it will ever re-open?
Hi, Kristine. KC will come back. The current regime’s efforts to erase our cultural identity and re-write history won’t succeed. Not here.
Hello Haglund. I know this isn’t the place to discuss ABT’s Fall and Spring seasons per se…..but…. I am thrilled to see “Paquita”, “Symphonie Concertante” and “The Dream” on the horizon…… Thoughts on anything else? Seeing how Miss Jaffe has programed these upcoming wets the appetite for solid mixed rep offerings…..my only quibble is that Anthony Tudor’s work has been left off the roster….. surely she could have found room for “Jardin eux Lilas” or maybe even the work he set to the Mahler “Kindertotenlieder” (having a brain freeze on the name of the ballet proper….ugh). Anyhow, thanks for all of your reviews over these past five weeks…..
Hi, Beth! You may have been thinking of Dark Elegies. Yes, it’s been far too long since we’ve seen that and Jardin aux Lilas. I think the solution is to augment the Met season and two Koch Seasons with a week of solidly popular rep at City Center, perhaps at the beginning of January. A program of Bruch Violin Concerto, Dark Elegies, and Theme and Variations would be pretty cool. Or how about Etudes, The Moor’s Pavane, and Kylian’s Sinfonietta or Symphony in D. Or a rep program of big Tharp, big Ratmansky, and big Balanchine. How about all three programs during one week at City Center? Part of the problem with ballet rep programming is that it’s no longer diverse enough or it’s padded with inconsequential work that is cheap to produce. ABT and NYCB schedule the fewest number of ballets and then try to re-arrange them on the plate every night to make them more palatable.
Except if you look at the ABT Fall and Spring schedules, there is no more “rearranging them on the plate every night.” Each performance, fall or spring, is one of the three programs. Simple.
“Dark Elegies”….yes! Surely an underrated master work….and as I type this what do you comes floating out of my radio speaker? None other than the last movement of the “Symphonie Concertante”! Lol! Foreshadowing for sure! Re: mixed rep programming-maybe ABT should sponsor a contest for the audience to participate in an “Assist the AD Programming Challenge”. Thinking there would be an enthusiastic response….. of course that doesn’t mean everything submitted would be do-able but it definitely would be a lot of fun to see what people select……sigh…one can dream…..
As far as ABT next year their rep in many ways looks lame. Helen Picket again? Really? Kyle Abraham who doesn’t know basic ballet terminology, a new dancer choreographing bc he was on Dance Moms and Upper Room for the 90th time? Yes, would be great to see Sinfonietta, Petite Mort, Moor’s Pavane, Paul Taylor’s Airs or Arden Court, Twyla’s Sweet Fields, Symphonic Variations, Green Table, can go on forever.
True–ABT’s new ballet planning is like the MLB player who is intent on hitting a home run during every at-bat but can’t keep his eye on the ball. Constant strikeouts. So-called contemporary choreographers are not going to “save ballet from itself.” Dumbing down the art will not help it or make it more “accessible.”
Just wanted to let you know how much i enjoy reading your reviews. Thanks.
Thank you, Fan. Appreciate it.