From the New York Times:
For escapist entertainment and some of the best male dancing in ballet, there is nothing like American Ballet Theater's spectacular staging of ''Le Corsaire,'' a 19th-century adventure yarn about life on the bounding main.
Haglund quite agrees with Anna Kisselgoff's assessment. However, after seeing Alastair Macaulay figiding, frowning, and catty-talking to his friend at the opening performance last night, no doubt thinking, "But it's not like the po-o-e-em" and "Why can't we have the version by Ratmansky who I discovered?" and "I'm so tired of hiding my ethnicity-based resistance to Stella Abrera and disdain for all beautiful women everywhere," it's doubtful that we'll read anything of value when he gets around to penning out his spit.
There may never be another performance of Le Corsaire to match the one on Noche Latina years ago when Bocca, Carreno, Corella, Cornejo, Herrera, and Reyes took the pirates and slave girls to such enormous theatrical proportions with such seriousness of ridiculous purpose that for three hours the Met Opera House became the Met Soap Opera House. But these days, you still get a high dose of chaos, comedy, and spectacular dancing when Marcelo Gomes, Ethan Stiefel, Sascha Radetsky, Craig Salstein, Gillian Murphy, and Stella Abrera take over the stage in the production conceived by Anna-Marie Holmes.
Gotta say that Stiefel has come back to town in fine shape – with a more muscular upper body than we've ever seen on him. Ever. And his Ali was working it last night, channeling his inner-Arnold, while reeling off beautiful classically formed split jumps and turns that we remember from years ago. During his final turns en a la seconde in the famous PdT, the feather headband started to slip down over his eyes, giving rise to a new American saying that He spun his turns until he slipped his feather. Finally the feather got thrown into the wings.
When his big moment in Act II was over, Stiefel stood at the foot of the stage and graciously accepted the enormous ovation that he so deserved. In the house, there was a sense of relief but also a sense of elation that Damn, he not only did it, but he did it all really well. When you see someone like that come back with such commitment and focus and effort, it makes you go home thinking Damn I gotta try harder myself in whatever it is I'm doing. Hopefully, someone filmed this act for Stiefel's charges in New Zealand to see, because it would have a profound inspirational effect.
Gomes was a terrific Conrad. The guy should let his hair come apart more often – it's a nice look. His grand allegro solos were huge with impressive manèges of jetes and gigantic split jumps. Pirouettes were all in very good form. But, really, who gets inside a character better than Gomes? He can snarl and make you shake or he can snarl and make you laugh. He can emote and bring you to tears or he can emote and make you hurt with his hilarity. He had to play off of a lot characters last night which kept him pretty busy thinking and creating. None kept him more busy than Craig Salstein's Birbanto.
Salstein's performance last night was both technically and theatrically superb. The guy dances with guns and shoots bullets with his feet. You always have the feeling that he's thinking about doing things that he knows he shouldn't do. Very good all around pirating last night. His pirate lady, Kristi Boone, was spirited as well.
Radetsky as Lankendem had the best technical performance that Haglund has seen from him in quite a while. He seemed inspired with confidence and joyous over the opportunity to dance so much with his wife who he partnered expertly. There was a special softness with which he lowered Stella down from lifts.
Abrera's Gulnare was beyond beautiful last night – pristine perfect in her classical execution while imbuing it with lovely musicality and sparkling personality. She can pull off melodrama almost as well as Gomes. Stella had an especially fine evening of gutsy turning.
Gillian Murphy's performance as Medora was full of candy. Lovely arms overhead in fifth position during fouettes. Chaines at a blistering pace. The chemistry with Gomes was perfect. They were oh so serious without really being so. The adagio in Act II was way, way too fast – almost too fast for Murphy and Gomes to keep up with in places. Thank goodness ABT didn't make Gillian wear that awful robin egg blue tutu in Act II. She seemed to be wearing a tutu that looked like Nina Ananiashvili's dark purple one. Still, the prettiest, most complimentary tutus for Act II are the light gray or light any color that doesn't clash with Ali's pants.
Adrienne Shulte was a beautiful brisé Odalisque who didn't always get her desired tempo. Sarah Lane substituted for Maria Riccetto as the first Odalisque and was perfect. Isabella Boylston as the third Odalisque was technically efficient although the upper body was less than classical. Victor Barbee, always an excellent pasha, bounced his belly with every step. His assistant was comically played by Julio Bragado-Young almost like a Turkish Pat Brady. The corps pirates and corps ladies in the Jardin Animé section were all excellent.
Everyone in the audience had such fun last night. You know how once a year at the Yankees games, it's Bat Day when the first 2000 people all get free bats? Well, why not make Saturday night Le Corsaire Sword Night and give everyone a free sword so that everyone can be a pirate.
The Pump Bump Award with unobscuring feather is bestowed upon Ethan Stiefel for his spectacular dancing and whose leadership could not have been more evident or more appreciated last night.
40 responses to “ABT – Le Corsaire – Age Will Not Stifle the Stiefel”
So lovely that we got a vivid evocation in today’s New York Times of Mr. Macaulay in bed!
So lovely that we got a vivid evocation in today’s New York Times of Mr. Macaulay in bed!
omg, I guess I should thank you for calling that to my attention.
omg, I guess I should thank you for calling that to my attention.
Great review – Thank you once again! Ethan’s strong will and (resulting?) ability to just do it against expectations (and I have read quite some pessimistic things in advance) was displayed again clearly it seems. Very inspiring indeed, and definitely a good thing to have in his position.
Would have loved to see Stella as Gulnare. And I can very well imagine Marcelo Gomes as a pirate!
Great review – Thank you once again! Ethan’s strong will and (resulting?) ability to just do it against expectations (and I have read quite some pessimistic things in advance) was displayed again clearly it seems. Very inspiring indeed, and definitely a good thing to have in his position.
Would have loved to see Stella as Gulnare. And I can very well imagine Marcelo Gomes as a pirate!
Hi Kallima. The whole cast was awesome – all these people who really care for one another were dancing together. It made a strong impact that was felt by the audience.
Hi Kallima. The whole cast was awesome – all these people who really care for one another were dancing together. It made a strong impact that was felt by the audience.
Nanushka, Mr. Macaulay’s review just went up on line. It seems that he’s been shamed into saying a few nice words about Stella and Sarah. Woot.
Nanushka, Mr. Macaulay’s review just went up on line. It seems that he’s been shamed into saying a few nice words about Stella and Sarah. Woot.
The cast does indeed look awesome. Not only each one seeming good for their role but also with each other. I’ve watched the curtain calls (like with many of these recent performances) and ‘Lankendem’ patting ‘Ali’ on the shoulder was a nice little detail.
The cast does indeed look awesome. Not only each one seeming good for their role but also with each other. I’ve watched the curtain calls (like with many of these recent performances) and ‘Lankendem’ patting ‘Ali’ on the shoulder was a nice little detail.
Kalima – i love watching the curtain call videos as well & agree this one seemed special 🙂
And hag, thanks for the fab review!
Kalima – i love watching the curtain call videos as well & agree this one seemed special 🙂
And hag, thanks for the fab review!
hey quite a lot of praise for sarah lane’s gulnare on twitter last night- yay!
hey quite a lot of praise for sarah lane’s gulnare on twitter last night- yay!
That’s great! Sarah Lane in a classical tutu – beautiful! BTW, her husband, Ribagorda, is a very good and charismatic dancer and deserves more chances. Their Anyuta PdD together a few years ago was lovely.
That’s great! Sarah Lane in a classical tutu – beautiful! BTW, her husband, Ribagorda, is a very good and charismatic dancer and deserves more chances. Their Anyuta PdD together a few years ago was lovely.
Oh, i didnt know he was her hubby- my goodness, what a gorgeous couple!!
Oh, i didnt know he was her hubby- my goodness, what a gorgeous couple!!
An encouraging review, Haglund, we’re getting this production in Los Angeles in July 2013. Unfortunately, the chances of Ethan Stiefel gracing the stage of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion are about zero, but it will still be nice to see a full production of this ballet.
An encouraging review, Haglund, we’re getting this production in Los Angeles in July 2013. Unfortunately, the chances of Ethan Stiefel gracing the stage of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion are about zero, but it will still be nice to see a full production of this ballet.
Hi Henry. Looooong time, no comment.
Le Corsaire is a nice production and can be extremely entertaining with a cast that works well together. The critics who complain so loudly about it are really trying to write more about themselves and their lofty standards. By the time ABT finishes with Le Corsaire in Wash DC and next year at the Met, all the new-ish casts should be in fine form when the production reaches you. It’s a lot more than the character “Ali”.
Good to hear from you, Henry.
Hi Henry. Looooong time, no comment.
Le Corsaire is a nice production and can be extremely entertaining with a cast that works well together. The critics who complain so loudly about it are really trying to write more about themselves and their lofty standards. By the time ABT finishes with Le Corsaire in Wash DC and next year at the Met, all the new-ish casts should be in fine form when the production reaches you. It’s a lot more than the character “Ali”.
Good to hear from you, Henry.
You probably don’t like Osipova because she’s not home grown but I saw her again tonight and she was really into it (last performance for her this season). She sure likes those curtain calls.
And you make not like Vasiliev but the audience loves him. He would do well at Cirque du Soleil if Ballet doesn’t work out.
You probably don’t like Osipova because she’s not home grown but I saw her again tonight and she was really into it (last performance for her this season). She sure likes those curtain calls.
And you make not like Vasiliev but the audience loves him. He would do well at Cirque du Soleil if Ballet doesn’t work out.
Hi Ted. Your last sentence hit the nail on the head. Vasiliev is circusy, as is Osipova. As you attend more and more ballet performances and acquire knowledge about what the balletic aesthetic is supposed to look like, you’ll be less impressed with the circus acts.
Hi Ted. Your last sentence hit the nail on the head. Vasiliev is circusy, as is Osipova. As you attend more and more ballet performances and acquire knowledge about what the balletic aesthetic is supposed to look like, you’ll be less impressed with the circus acts.
That entire ballet, and especially the 2nd act, seems a circus performance. I thought that was by design. It sells.
I very much liked Agon, for example. It’s more “pure” dance to me. No showy sets or “acting” — just dance. But when I saw Agon next door they didn’t even try to sell the 4th ring.
The Pirate, on the other hand, has been selling very well (maybe just below Swan Lake numbers in terms of filling seats though the prices for The Pirate are somewhat lower, it’s a very slow week in the city and they had the 2 for 1 kids show). And when Osipova performs they sell more seats. I’ve been to enough shows to see the greater demand for seats with the guests.
That entire ballet, and especially the 2nd act, seems a circus performance. I thought that was by design. It sells.
I very much liked Agon, for example. It’s more “pure” dance to me. No showy sets or “acting” — just dance. But when I saw Agon next door they didn’t even try to sell the 4th ring.
The Pirate, on the other hand, has been selling very well (maybe just below Swan Lake numbers in terms of filling seats though the prices for The Pirate are somewhat lower, it’s a very slow week in the city and they had the 2 for 1 kids show). And when Osipova performs they sell more seats. I’ve been to enough shows to see the greater demand for seats with the guests.
That’s a bit sad to me because I do not share this taste at all. I’ve read it in many places – more favourable and more detailed reviews for performances that included some ‘exciting’ guests. Speaking about blogs and such.
That’s a bit sad to me because I do not share this taste at all. I’ve read it in many places – more favourable and more detailed reviews for performances that included some ‘exciting’ guests. Speaking about blogs and such.
Haglund, I just read this quote in NYTimes http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/06/arts/dance/american-ballet-theater-at-metropolitan-opera-house.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all from Macaulay regarding ABT Shades scene: “No company now dances this celebrated scene as well as Ballet Theater.” No offence to ABT but really? What about Mariinsky or POB? What an ignorant fool.
Haglund, I just read this quote in NYTimes http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/06/arts/dance/american-ballet-theater-at-metropolitan-opera-house.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all from Macaulay regarding ABT Shades scene: “No company now dances this celebrated scene as well as Ballet Theater.” No offence to ABT but really? What about Mariinsky or POB? What an ignorant fool.
Hi Al. You couldn’t be more right. Macaulay provokes aggressive complaints when his assessments of performances are so off-target, which they usually are simply because he has no technical knowledge about what he’s watching. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about, but he has to pretend to be god’s appointed expert in all things dance. It’s a characteristic imbedded deeply in the New York Times culture.
So in response to all of the criticism, he has decided to engage in a little pandering. Few ever complain about compliments.
One of the great flaws in Macaulay’s writing, and one of the great failures of his editors to curb it, is his use of superlatives. His reviews are more about Macaulay shining the light on himself as the one who anoints who is best at this or that or who is worst – all of this when he has no technical knowledge about the art form. I’ll repeat what I’ve said before: if you showed Macaulay a beginner classroom allegro combination on the diagonal, he wouldn’t be able to identify the steps. Macaulay is morbidly ignorant about ballet.
Hi Al. You couldn’t be more right. Macaulay provokes aggressive complaints when his assessments of performances are so off-target, which they usually are simply because he has no technical knowledge about what he’s watching. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about, but he has to pretend to be god’s appointed expert in all things dance. It’s a characteristic imbedded deeply in the New York Times culture.
So in response to all of the criticism, he has decided to engage in a little pandering. Few ever complain about compliments.
One of the great flaws in Macaulay’s writing, and one of the great failures of his editors to curb it, is his use of superlatives. His reviews are more about Macaulay shining the light on himself as the one who anoints who is best at this or that or who is worst – all of this when he has no technical knowledge about the art form. I’ll repeat what I’ve said before: if you showed Macaulay a beginner classroom allegro combination on the diagonal, he wouldn’t be able to identify the steps. Macaulay is morbidly ignorant about ballet.
There is a nice clip of Xiomara and Herman Cornejo in Le Corsaire up on youtube. The pas de trois with Vasiliev (unfortunately), but he has some nice moments as Conrad there, in his variation.
There is a nice clip of Xiomara and Herman Cornejo in Le Corsaire up on youtube. The pas de trois with Vasiliev (unfortunately), but he has some nice moments as Conrad there, in his variation.
Yes, indeed, that is a nice clip. Here’s the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5d6XcPS9o0
Yes, indeed, that is a nice clip. Here’s the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5d6XcPS9o0