ABT danced out the 63rd and final performance of its 2009 Met season like it was Opening Night.
There were incredible efforts from Craig Salstein, Blaine Hoven, and Gennadi Saveliev. Craig’s Mercutio employed less jester attitude as compared to Tuesday’s performance and blasted through turn combination after turn combination like he could go on for another week. And Hello Blaine – in full Benvolio character and dancing with full force and confidence (with only 2 or 3 Firebird flips of the wrists)! Saveliev’s Tybalt was Shakespearean from head to toe, and he carried his arrogant, menacing manner with great smirk. Yeah, he carried himself with great smirk.
Roman Zhurbin and Kristi Boone brought darkness and weight to the roles of Lord and Lady Capulet. Haglund just loves Lady Capulet’s Act I parade upstage with her arms stretched in that dramatic, sweeping fourth position elonge pose. It’s one of those things that is perfectly safe to try at home. Everyone who Haglund saw perform Lady Capulet this week did well, but everyone still needs to give it more Georgina-Zing during the hysteria over Tybalt’s death. It’s not supposed to look like formal Martha Graham. Georgina Parkinson really knows how to bring down the curtain on Act II!
The spunky harlots, Misty Copeland, Stella Abrera, and Melanie Hamrick, mixed it up well with the townsfolk, the principals, and each other. As always, great spitting and jostling, Ladies. And it was such a relief to see Lovely Stella moving at full speed once again.
Alexandre Hammoudi as Paris was tall, dark, and serious but not particularly interesting. He needs some Saveliev lessons in that role. Hammoudi has been dancing impressive steps all season, but is a little blank dramatically-speaking. He has one good expression that he uses all the time – like poor Nicholas Cage.
Mr. Franklin as Friar Laurence drew the arc of the music so perfectly when he crossed In the name of the Father, the son, and the holy spirit after marrying Romeo to Juliet. Haglund looks forward to that moment every year.
Roberto Bolle and Irina Dvorovenko as Romeo and Juliet are approaching perfect. Haglund is jealous of those who get to see their third performance in Los Angeles next Thursday, because it is going to be – in LA-LA-speak – outstoundingly ah-some!
Last night Roberto and Irina danced brilliantly individually and as partners. It was the most satisfying Romeo and Juliet that Haglund has seen since Alessandra Ferri’s departure.
Irina’s Juliet was naïve, innocent and willful if a bit frightened to be so. Such a complete characterization coupled with sensational dancing – arabesque turns that lingered on balance without an ounce of showiness; courageous leaps toward Romeo – particularly, the ones that required a half turn so that she finished the leap with her back toward him; a tremendous effort to stretch her pointes to their maximum. At no time did Irina assume artificial ballerina-mode, as Vishneva did with some of her poses. All in all, it was the most enjoyable performance Haglund has seen from Irina in a very long time.
Roberto had an exceptional night as well. His technique was breathtakingly beautiful. His variation while Juliet played the mandolin was stunning. When he concluded his solo with a gorgeous, sensual pirouette to a long fourth position, the collective sighs of 2,000 satisfied women could be heard in the opera house. No lie. Roberto’s Romeo was deeply passionate and tormented. The corpse PdD was brilliant with Romeo coming to the very edge of the stage with a lifeless Juliet hanging on his arms. A tremendous performance! This guy is gold.
Haglund has to pull out the Golden First Position Pump Bump Award for all of the principals, soloists, and corps who danced to the edge last night:
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