It felt like a gala last night, didn’t it?
The lobby and promenade crackled with excitement from the high-powered patrons, high-voltage balletomanes, high-heeled junior bunheads, and the high-fives among friends “Good to see you! It’s been a long three months.” Damned long, if you ask Haglund.
But this was not an official gala, only the opening night of New York City Ballet which delivered what the crowd always wants: top drawer Balanchine. Truth be told, the crowd craves Balanchine whether it comes from the top drawer or the lower shelf — it doesn’t matter.
Balanchine was a Master Jeweler long before he choreographed Emeralds, Rubies, and Diamonds. He borrowed liberally from previous gem ballets to make the evening-length Jewels. The formations in Emeralds, the little wrap around of the arms when the man stands behind the woman in Rubies, much of the adagio in Diamonds — it’s in his earlier works. But what the Master Jeweler did was to assemble some of his life’s best ideas and apply a lifetime of craftsmanship and an ever-evolving musicality essentially to re-create to make something totally new.
Last night’s cast featured some of the company’s most senior veterans along with a mingling of blazing upstarts and solidly evolving soloists.
Emeralds, led by Abi Stafford with Amar Ramasar and Unity Phelan with Ask la Cour, had some very lovely moments. The corps de ballet, which included several apprentices, experienced isolated problems lining up, but as a whole captivated with sweeping movements and elegance. Unity Phelan has grown enormously into the role of the woman who walks the length of the stage on pointe and ticks off time as she lifts her arabesque. Ask la Cour provided her with all the security she could ask for and conveyed warmth and nobility. Amar Ramasar looked to be in fine shape; his legs in those white tights were stretched tautly and lined all the way to the toes. Abi Stafford delivered lovely musicality in her dancing, but we have witnessed her dance much better than last night. Her back was noticeably stiff, and she occasionally had to re-set the positions of her feet in the first adagio. Abi isn’t the only dancer in NYCB who has sagging triceps, and that problem does much to mar performances where the choreography calls for beautiful port de bras. Hyperextending the elbow or the little pinky finger does nothing short of making the problem more apparent. The soloist trio of Georgina Pazcoguin, Sara Adams and Sebastian Villarini-Velez were not optimally matched. Sara has lovely feet which are always strongly pointed no matter how high the leg is thrown; not so with Georgina who also exhibits sagging triceps. Sebastian handled the partnering efficiently and displayed some handsome lines of his own.
Sterling Hyltin and Andrew Veyette were sensational in Rubies. She skittered across the stage like a stone skipping across the surface of a brook. Sometimes it looked like her feet weren’t even touching the floor. And there was Veyette, gall dang, having his own Renaissance and looking more vigorous and engaged than we have seen him in years. But this night’s Rubies was stolen by Emily Kikta whose dazzling “Tall Girl” –– surrounded by the shortest corps dancers available –– grabbed the black & white keys away from pianist Stephen Gosling and played them for all they were worth. So commanding, so stylish, and so, so likable.
Maria Kowroski and Tyler Angle delivered a sublime Diamonds. The softness of the feet as Maria walked with heels lifted along the diagonal on her first entrance is a new element that appeared last season, and it has an exquisite effect. On this night, Maria most evoked the poetry that the company wants us to think about this season in its Poets of Gesture campaign. As difficult as this role is and as many times as Maria has danced it, she continues to try to make it richer for us each time. It has been such a blessed gift to have watched all of these years. Tyler danced a superb variation and seemed to be in top shape at the beginning of this season. Gallant and noble to the power of 10 doesn’t sufficiently calculate how he impressed with his partnering of Maria. We have yet to figure out why in his variation he beats the assembles going left but not to the right. Perhaps there is no deep meaning to be mined from it…
Our first H.H. Pump Bump Award of the season is bestowed upon Emily Kikta, who dances with the saturated color of a Sunrise ruby, which by the way, was named after a 13th century poem.
10 responses to “NYCB Opening Night 9/17
NYCB arrives adorned with Jewels”
Couldn’t agree more re Kikta, Haglund! My husband asked if she was 6’6″. She was utterly captivating.
Couldn’t agree more re Kikta, Haglund! My husband asked if she was 6’6″. She was utterly captivating.
Oooooo Gurl! ‘Sagging Triceps’!?! I saw Jewels last night. Just sayin’.
Oooooo Gurl! ‘Sagging Triceps’!?! I saw Jewels last night. Just sayin’.
I was there, too, GS. Bouder in Emeralds was a huge misfire — again. Not only were her arms an unpleasant shape, short in length, wide in width, flapping triceps — all of which made the performance look like a caricature of the Emeralds ballerina — but she finally split the seam on her costume. Her hyperactive eyebrows didn’t distract attention from any of that.
Bouder can still do allegro roles that do not require any grace or charm, but when it comes to Emeralds or any kind of role that requires beautiful port de bras — GS, catch your breath — Time’s Up for Ashley.
I was there, too, GS. Bouder in Emeralds was a huge misfire — again. Not only were her arms an unpleasant shape, short in length, wide in width, flapping triceps — all of which made the performance look like a caricature of the Emeralds ballerina — but she finally split the seam on her costume. Her hyperactive eyebrows didn’t distract attention from any of that.
Bouder can still do allegro roles that do not require any grace or charm, but when it comes to Emeralds or any kind of role that requires beautiful port de bras — GS, catch your breath — Time’s Up for Ashley.
H, Oh Lord, did she really split a seam??? When I read the Emeralds casting I was like “This gotta be a misprint!” What was she doing in that role??? All I could think of is that she ‘asked’ to perform it. And yeah, there was some wacky fly-swatting port de bras happenin’ on that stage last night. But what did you think of the rest of the evening? Im not a big Fairchild fan, but I thought she was terrific last night. Or maybe I was just relieved the ‘green ballet’ was over…….
H, Oh Lord, did she really split a seam??? When I read the Emeralds casting I was like “This gotta be a misprint!” What was she doing in that role??? All I could think of is that she ‘asked’ to perform it. And yeah, there was some wacky fly-swatting port de bras happenin’ on that stage last night. But what did you think of the rest of the evening? Im not a big Fairchild fan, but I thought she was terrific last night. Or maybe I was just relieved the ‘green ballet’ was over…….
Yes, GS, she really busted out a seam.
I thought the rest of the evening was superb! Fairchild, Garcia, and Nadon just killed it in Rubies.
Yes, GS, she really busted out a seam.
I thought the rest of the evening was superb! Fairchild, Garcia, and Nadon just killed it in Rubies.