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.
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