Every year it seems that we depend on Veronika Part’s Swan Lake to save us from so much misery in ABT's season. Not only did she save us again last night, but she gave us new reason not to jump off a cliff ourselves: Veronika’s Swan Lake is even better than ever.
After the rather small dancing in Act I on Wednesday evening, Veronika's entrance in Act II was an avian miracle that dropped gently from the night sky, legs outstretched reaching for the Earth, her body high and straight to brake against the wind. Her wings lifted above her head with a flutter, and then, oh lord, Odette began her story….
“The lake is filled with my mother’s tears; the evil one turned me into a swan queen; I need someone to swear his love to rescue me.” Just as Haglund was about to jump over the side of the tier and rush to save Odette, her Prince Siegfried, Cory Stearns, showed some signs of life. "Before I agree to save you, we need to dance a little and test the waters, so to speak,” he seemed to convey. Haglund wanted to scream, “Just look at her! Siegfried, when in your career are you ever going to dance with anything more miraculous?”
Veronika’s expressiveness in the role of Odette has always been honest, genuine, and heartbreakingly beautiful, but last night she exhibited a new depth of emotion conveyed through the slow unfolding of her long limbs and the pliancy of her torso that devastated the viewer. One knew that she was living Odette’s predicament – not acting it – and that her deep reach into Odette’s soul was possible only because of decades of absolute devotion to her art form.
The delicious evil in Veronika’s Odile came not from glaring looks or an imposing lifted chin. There was nothing haughty about this Odile; she was pure seduction. Siegfried wasn’t her first victim. Her playbook and history already had so many chapters that it was as thick as a Manhattan phonebook. She had Siggy’s number, alright, and he was helpless.
Technically brilliant throughout the night, Veronika balanced, turned, jumped, and drew shapes and stories with her limbs like Aivazovsky's brushstrokes creating The Ninth Wave and The Storm. Her fouettes travelled slightly forward but maintained clear form and she firmly held Odile’s character while performing them.
Regardless of what other companies may have done, this company’s and most major companies’ 21st century stagings require the ballerina to make the effort to do the 32 counts of fouettes. Every ballerina has to invest the effort to make them happen. Sniff at them, if you will, but they are a rite of passage, a measure of technical ability and fortitude, and if a ballerina can’t do them and other spectacular technical maneuvers when they are part of the staging, she has no business demanding that she be handed the role to perform. ABT History may have been made yesterday afternoon at the matinee performance when the dancer attempting to convince everyone of her exaggerated worth became the first ABT ballerina in history to bail out of the sequence at the halfway point having possibly planned to in advance. Less time spent cultivating celebrity and more time spent addressing glaring technical deficiencies should be the mandate. Those who sniff at the 32 counts of fouettes never give any valid reasons for doing so. Everyone who CAN do them, DOES.
Let’s talk a little about the other players in last night’s performance. Cory Stearns’ Siegfried didn’t come alive until Acts III and IV. The great energy he showed in his variations in La Bayadere earlier in the season was gone. He had difficulty getting up in the air except, curiously, in Act III when Marcelo Gomes’ Von Rothbart was observing from his throne. Stearns always performs better when Gomes is on the stage, too. There is more life in his step, more energy in his dancing, more drama in his posture. Stearns’ partnering of Veronika was fine except for a little mess up in a finger pirouette in the Act II PdD. He finally convinced Haglund that he cared about Odette in Act IV, but seeing that earlier would have been better.
Happily, Marcelo Gomes’ Von Rothbart becomes more operatic each season. Every year we wonder where he will take the character next. It’s evident that not many on the stage even know in advance where beyond the steps Marcelo will take the character. Everyone in Act III always seems to be a little more alertly on his or her toes when Marcelo is performing this role so as not to miss an opportunity for spontaneous interaction.
Thomas Forster as the Von Rothbart swamp creature acquitted himself well. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to catch his performance of Von Rothbart’s alternate personality on Tuesday night, but we heard it went well, also.
The Pas de Trois was a minor event in last night’s performance. Cassandra Trenary was lovely but inserted way too much Princess Florine into her variations. Luciana Paris had some nice moments but it was disappoiting to see her not be able to manage the flying entrechat six or the entrechat six in place. She didn’t even try to do them, but come to think of it, neither did Hee Seo ever make the effort. Zhiyao Zhang had some nice qualities in his dancing last night but there was no sense of urgency at all. It was all too pretty. This Pas de Trois crew needs to go back and take a look at the Cornejo-Reyes-Cornejo tapes or more recently the Hoven-Abrera-Riccetto tapes to see how to sell this dance. Last night’s interpretation had McKenzie’s boredom in every step.
Melanie Hamrick was drop-dead gorgeous dancing among The Aristocrats, as one of the Two Big Swans, and in the Spanish Dance. There has always been such incredible potential there and it hurts more and more to see it go to waste.
The corps de ballet was exceptionally brilliant last night. Haglund was so surprised at their crispness and energy. They all seemed totally up to the standard being set by Veronika Part.
We wish Veronika could dance another Odette this week but alas it seems that won’t happen. She’s such a treasure to this company – whether they know it or not – and is one of the greatest Odette/Odiles of our time. We have a special H.H. Pump Bump First Position Award that we have been saving all year for Veronika:
26 responses to “ABT Swan Lake
Veronika takes flight – 6/24 Evening”
Thank you for your thoughtful review. I wish I could have been there. I did have the opportunity last Monday to see Veronika’s dress rehearsal of Act III. I was struck (and impressed by) her choice to smile delightedly at the Prince, Von Rothbart and the party guests throughout the Act. It underscored Odile’s confidence and power in a way I haven’t seen in other interpretations. It was totally credible why the Prince would “fall for her” and betray Odette.
Thank you for your thoughtful review. I wish I could have been there. I did have the opportunity last Monday to see Veronika’s dress rehearsal of Act III. I was struck (and impressed by) her choice to smile delightedly at the Prince, Von Rothbart and the party guests throughout the Act. It underscored Odile’s confidence and power in a way I haven’t seen in other interpretations. It was totally credible why the Prince would “fall for her” and betray Odette.
Hi, Jennifer.
I hope Veronika knows how much we appreciate the details of her interpretations and the obviously never-ending thought that she puts into her artistry. Every year I so look forward to her miming the lake waters and her mother’s tears that flow off the tips of her fingers. It is all so clear and heartfelt.
Hi, Jennifer.
I hope Veronika knows how much we appreciate the details of her interpretations and the obviously never-ending thought that she puts into her artistry. Every year I so look forward to her miming the lake waters and her mother’s tears that flow off the tips of her fingers. It is all so clear and heartfelt.
I was at that performance too, Haglund, and also felt that Veronika outdid herself. In particular, she exhibited a new confidence and was so secure in her turns and balances that I was no longer chewing my nails when she got to the 32 fouettes. Most of all, I felt that her acting was exquisitely refined and detailed, perhaps because she no longer felt that she had to act for both herself and Cory. He is slowly but surely improving in that regard. But when he lifted her above his head and carried her upstage, all I could think of was “Do you know how much responsibility you’re taking on there?” Actually, I think he did, and was trying his best to be a good partner to her. This performance was surely the highlight of the season.
I was at that performance too, Haglund, and also felt that Veronika outdid herself. In particular, she exhibited a new confidence and was so secure in her turns and balances that I was no longer chewing my nails when she got to the 32 fouettes. Most of all, I felt that her acting was exquisitely refined and detailed, perhaps because she no longer felt that she had to act for both herself and Cory. He is slowly but surely improving in that regard. But when he lifted her above his head and carried her upstage, all I could think of was “Do you know how much responsibility you’re taking on there?” Actually, I think he did, and was trying his best to be a good partner to her. This performance was surely the highlight of the season.
I agree, Angelica, that Veronika’s confidence seemed strong and newly reinforced. Every time she dances this role, I feel like I’m listening to her story for the first time.
I also noticed that every time Siegfried lifted her, her form took on a sense of flight. She literally looked like she might continue to ascend from his hands.
It was one of Veronika’s most glorious performances.
I agree, Angelica, that Veronika’s confidence seemed strong and newly reinforced. Every time she dances this role, I feel like I’m listening to her story for the first time.
I also noticed that every time Siegfried lifted her, her form took on a sense of flight. She literally looked like she might continue to ascend from his hands.
It was one of Veronika’s most glorious performances.
Haglund!! You MUST see Stearns with Hee Seo. I understand completely what you’re saying about him. He’s very anemic, — when he’s with the wrong partner, which is almost all the time, because McKenzie is a fool.
He’s an understated actor, and his technical style is more about punctuated phrases, energetic turns and nuanced, very physically close partnering; he doesn’t look right with Veronika Part, who’s melodramatic, creamy smooth, and has a much more expansive style. They look like they’re dancing in completely different ballets, and I get the feeling they don’t have much chemistry at all.
BUT. When you see him with Hee Seo, suddenly there’s magic. I’ve been saying for years she’s Ferri come again (especially in R&J). Unlike Alessandra, who had Wayne Eagling, Julio Bocca, and a host of other partners of her own choosing, Seo hasn’t been allowed to dance with HER partner, the person she notoriously likes to dance with who likes to dance with her: Stearns. I know, I know, you’re going to say “oh but I don’t like Seo or Stearns, and isn’t the dullness double when they’re in the same place?” You’d think so, but it’s really something transcendent. Saw their R&J last year and their Giselle this year and was in tears the whole night, and I’ve been going to the ballet for twenty years. They’re completely in sync with each other and it’s a rare privilege to watch.
His Albrecht is unique. His Act I is arrogant and boyish, and Giselle’s death seems to shock more than hurt. But there’s this marvelous moment at the close of their Act II PdD where he suddenly understands how wonderful she is, and begins to see what he’s lost; and as she disappears at the end of the night, it occurs to him that THIS is what it feels like to love someone, and becomes a man. He doesn’t have the petit allegro of Cornejo, but his turns have a surprising blend of elegance and sharpness that I haven’t seen since Ethan Stiefel was in his prime.
Your reviews about Stearns hop back and forth based on his partners, and well they should! Keven McKenzie is wasting Stearns, Part, and Seo by not pairing them together with people they connect with or match stylistically. I mean, come on, the man was putting Hallberg with Osipova (imagine Hallberg with Abrera!), and Kent with Bolle (imagine Bolle with Part!). And forget about finding a regular partner for The Great Cornejo (what about Lane?). Good partnerships used to be the key to ABTs success, and I think it still is.
Please please give Stearns/Seo a chance though! Just try their R&J or their Giselle. I’ve never seen you review any of their shows together, and I’d love to hear what you think of them together. Sorry for the long post!
Haglund!! You MUST see Stearns with Hee Seo. I understand completely what you’re saying about him. He’s very anemic, — when he’s with the wrong partner, which is almost all the time, because McKenzie is a fool.
He’s an understated actor, and his technical style is more about punctuated phrases, energetic turns and nuanced, very physically close partnering; he doesn’t look right with Veronika Part, who’s melodramatic, creamy smooth, and has a much more expansive style. They look like they’re dancing in completely different ballets, and I get the feeling they don’t have much chemistry at all.
BUT. When you see him with Hee Seo, suddenly there’s magic. I’ve been saying for years she’s Ferri come again (especially in R&J). Unlike Alessandra, who had Wayne Eagling, Julio Bocca, and a host of other partners of her own choosing, Seo hasn’t been allowed to dance with HER partner, the person she notoriously likes to dance with who likes to dance with her: Stearns. I know, I know, you’re going to say “oh but I don’t like Seo or Stearns, and isn’t the dullness double when they’re in the same place?” You’d think so, but it’s really something transcendent. Saw their R&J last year and their Giselle this year and was in tears the whole night, and I’ve been going to the ballet for twenty years. They’re completely in sync with each other and it’s a rare privilege to watch.
His Albrecht is unique. His Act I is arrogant and boyish, and Giselle’s death seems to shock more than hurt. But there’s this marvelous moment at the close of their Act II PdD where he suddenly understands how wonderful she is, and begins to see what he’s lost; and as she disappears at the end of the night, it occurs to him that THIS is what it feels like to love someone, and becomes a man. He doesn’t have the petit allegro of Cornejo, but his turns have a surprising blend of elegance and sharpness that I haven’t seen since Ethan Stiefel was in his prime.
Your reviews about Stearns hop back and forth based on his partners, and well they should! Keven McKenzie is wasting Stearns, Part, and Seo by not pairing them together with people they connect with or match stylistically. I mean, come on, the man was putting Hallberg with Osipova (imagine Hallberg with Abrera!), and Kent with Bolle (imagine Bolle with Part!). And forget about finding a regular partner for The Great Cornejo (what about Lane?). Good partnerships used to be the key to ABTs success, and I think it still is.
Please please give Stearns/Seo a chance though! Just try their R&J or their Giselle. I’ve never seen you review any of their shows together, and I’d love to hear what you think of them together. Sorry for the long post!
Hi VGN. I hear ya. I hear ya.
I saw Stearns and Seo in La Bayadere this year – was happy with him but not with her. I only attended because Abrera was Gamzatti, and I must say that her connection to Stearns was far more theatrically compelling than Seo’s with him.
I really think that I have to give up on Seo for a good long time because she has seemingly stopped trying to improve her technical deficiencies. In that La Bayadere, her difficulties with simple technical matters continued, e.g., double pirouettes. Maybe ABT’s management has conveyed to her that she’s good enough and doesn’t need to improve. Regardless, a dancer should never stop trying to improve and be perfect: it’s part and parcel of the blessed balletic personality disorder (BBPD).
VGN, I’ve concluded that Stearns’ problem isn’t just his projection, but also the the small facial features that are close together that make it hard to see what he’s doing in that area. But isn’t this why we have lighting professionals?
My solution is to begin pairing him up with the lovely, cool, small-featured Devon Teuscher, who hasn’t had the best spring season at the Met this year (her first as a soloist) but clearly has some awesome technical chops at her disposal. Then, the lighting guys need to get busy and figure out how to get it right and make the two of them more visible on stage. I’m confident in their pairing.
My other solution, which is probably the best one, would be for Stearns to move to the Royal Ballet which is where he could be enormously successful because he is a perfect fit for their style and rep.
Hi VGN. I hear ya. I hear ya.
I saw Stearns and Seo in La Bayadere this year – was happy with him but not with her. I only attended because Abrera was Gamzatti, and I must say that her connection to Stearns was far more theatrically compelling than Seo’s with him.
I really think that I have to give up on Seo for a good long time because she has seemingly stopped trying to improve her technical deficiencies. In that La Bayadere, her difficulties with simple technical matters continued, e.g., double pirouettes. Maybe ABT’s management has conveyed to her that she’s good enough and doesn’t need to improve. Regardless, a dancer should never stop trying to improve and be perfect: it’s part and parcel of the blessed balletic personality disorder (BBPD).
VGN, I’ve concluded that Stearns’ problem isn’t just his projection, but also the the small facial features that are close together that make it hard to see what he’s doing in that area. But isn’t this why we have lighting professionals?
My solution is to begin pairing him up with the lovely, cool, small-featured Devon Teuscher, who hasn’t had the best spring season at the Met this year (her first as a soloist) but clearly has some awesome technical chops at her disposal. Then, the lighting guys need to get busy and figure out how to get it right and make the two of them more visible on stage. I’m confident in their pairing.
My other solution, which is probably the best one, would be for Stearns to move to the Royal Ballet which is where he could be enormously successful because he is a perfect fit for their style and rep.
Haglund,
Do you think it is also an issue with Stearns’ makeup (or lack thereof)? It seems sometimes like you can’t see his face onstage.
I have had a lot of reservations to Stearns in the past, but I really enjoyed his Romeo (with Seo) this year. Seo was good, not great, in the Monday performance but far better on Wednesday.
Haglund,
Do you think it is also an issue with Stearns’ makeup (or lack thereof)? It seems sometimes like you can’t see his face onstage.
I have had a lot of reservations to Stearns in the past, but I really enjoyed his Romeo (with Seo) this year. Seo was good, not great, in the Monday performance but far better on Wednesday.
Hi, MRR. I think it’s a combination of things. First, Stearns’ head and face are small. One of the things that strikes me as odd about the Stearns/Seo pairing is her face and head look huge next to his even though he is so tall. Stearns’ facial features are small, close together, and his eyes are not an open shape. Add to that a tendency to squint. If he’s dancing with a much shorter partner (e.g., Xiomara Reyes in The Dream), he has to look down at her. None of this facilitates projection to the audience. Probably people in the first 3 or 4 rows have no problem picking up his dramatic signals, but the rest of the house does. I’m sure it can be fixed, because I’ve seen him light up (eyes open, face open) in confrontations with Gomes or other men his approximate height. That’s why I say to match him up with Devon Teuscher, who has the same type of face, and let the lighting professionals try to work their magic. I think that those two dancers are possibly an ideal match physically, although I haven’t a clue whether they could create chemistry.
Hi, MRR. I think it’s a combination of things. First, Stearns’ head and face are small. One of the things that strikes me as odd about the Stearns/Seo pairing is her face and head look huge next to his even though he is so tall. Stearns’ facial features are small, close together, and his eyes are not an open shape. Add to that a tendency to squint. If he’s dancing with a much shorter partner (e.g., Xiomara Reyes in The Dream), he has to look down at her. None of this facilitates projection to the audience. Probably people in the first 3 or 4 rows have no problem picking up his dramatic signals, but the rest of the house does. I’m sure it can be fixed, because I’ve seen him light up (eyes open, face open) in confrontations with Gomes or other men his approximate height. That’s why I say to match him up with Devon Teuscher, who has the same type of face, and let the lighting professionals try to work their magic. I think that those two dancers are possibly an ideal match physically, although I haven’t a clue whether they could create chemistry.
I do think MRR is right that the problem could be partly alleviated by better use of stage makeup — in addition to the solutions Haglund suggests. I was sitting very close on Wednesday, and even there it looked like he had virtually nothing on his face. Giving his eyes some definition, for instance, could really help. Marcelo, on the other hand, was beautifully made up. His cheeks were given strong prominence by vertical shadows on the sides and his eyes were made to really penetrate through the space. Ironic that he, who hardly needs it (being so expressive) had all the added benefits of makeup while Cory had so little.
I do think MRR is right that the problem could be partly alleviated by better use of stage makeup — in addition to the solutions Haglund suggests. I was sitting very close on Wednesday, and even there it looked like he had virtually nothing on his face. Giving his eyes some definition, for instance, could really help. Marcelo, on the other hand, was beautifully made up. His cheeks were given strong prominence by vertical shadows on the sides and his eyes were made to really penetrate through the space. Ironic that he, who hardly needs it (being so expressive) had all the added benefits of makeup while Cory had so little.
I’m sure you’re correct about the makeup, but I wouldn’t want to see Stearns adopt the overly liberal use of eye and lip product that we see with Whiteside. Addressing his face up into the light more, as opposed to addressing center orchestra (which is a downward angle) would probably also help.
I’m sure you’re correct about the makeup, but I wouldn’t want to see Stearns adopt the overly liberal use of eye and lip product that we see with Whiteside. Addressing his face up into the light more, as opposed to addressing center orchestra (which is a downward angle) would probably also help.
Ahhh that’s a shame about Seo. I must admit I’ve never seen her in a ballet with a lot of turns, more the romantic parts than the classical. Thanks for the advice! I’ll check out her Nikia or Swan next year and see how I feel.
It’s interesting you say that about Stearns! He trained with the RAD if I’m not much mistaken. I was speaking to an older woman at last night’s SL about how ABT should try to get Mayerling while they have Gomes and she immediately said she’d want Stearns in the role. You’re right, his technique is very English. Also, spot on about his features–handsome, but need more lighting. Good to hear your thoughts!
Ahhh that’s a shame about Seo. I must admit I’ve never seen her in a ballet with a lot of turns, more the romantic parts than the classical. Thanks for the advice! I’ll check out her Nikia or Swan next year and see how I feel.
It’s interesting you say that about Stearns! He trained with the RAD if I’m not much mistaken. I was speaking to an older woman at last night’s SL about how ABT should try to get Mayerling while they have Gomes and she immediately said she’d want Stearns in the role. You’re right, his technique is very English. Also, spot on about his features–handsome, but need more lighting. Good to hear your thoughts!
Haglund, I love this review! Thank you so much for your honesty. Everything you said here is right on. I also love your choice of words for the matinee lack of talent performance. I was fortunate enough to be at Veronika’s Swan Lake on 6/24. Ever since Irina’s retirement from ABT, I was at a lost. I just could not find my excitement with Swan Lake anymore. I was also at Hee Seo’s Swan Lake 6/23 which made me want to jump off a cliff myself. Then Veronika’s performance saved me the following night, I was ecstatic! I am beyond happy to have found my new swan queen.
Haglund, I love this review! Thank you so much for your honesty. Everything you said here is right on. I also love your choice of words for the matinee lack of talent performance. I was fortunate enough to be at Veronika’s Swan Lake on 6/24. Ever since Irina’s retirement from ABT, I was at a lost. I just could not find my excitement with Swan Lake anymore. I was also at Hee Seo’s Swan Lake 6/23 which made me want to jump off a cliff myself. Then Veronika’s performance saved me the following night, I was ecstatic! I am beyond happy to have found my new swan queen.
Hi Angelique.
I miss Irina, too. I wish she would help out with some of the newer ones’ SL interpretation AND technique. Both Irina and Max could be gold to ABT’s artistic staff if only ABT cared enough to hire them….
Hi Angelique.
I miss Irina, too. I wish she would help out with some of the newer ones’ SL interpretation AND technique. Both Irina and Max could be gold to ABT’s artistic staff if only ABT cared enough to hire them….