When Good meets Evil at the ballet, usually Good wins out. But Wednesday night, Ashley Hod’s Carabosse nearly ran away with the show until she went up in smoke & sparklers after witnessing a kiss and had to be hauled out by her handlers. That left Miriam Miller’s Lilac Fairy to bring the show home with her majestic grace. On Friday evening, Ashley Laracey’s refined elegance as the Lilac Fairy came up against the wicked sins of Brittany Pollack’s Carabosse in another ferocious face-off.
Of course, we’re talking about The Sleeping Beauty at New York City Ballet, the company’s best non-Balanchine full length ballet which was staged by former Ballet Master in Chief Peter Martins 35 years ago. It’s an unusual Beauty where Petipa’s ballet has been adapted to this company’s strengths and to the attention span of its audience. One intermission. Few pauses for applause. The scenery is, well, functional. Aurora seemingly slips into her birthday party from a backdoor offstage instead of arriving at the top of a magnificent staircase. The costumes by Patricia Zipprodt reflect where the money was spent. Every tutu, character dress and suit, hat and shoe conveys a Dubai-sized wealth and opulence of the kingdom. They are gorgeous – every last one of them, even those of Carabosse’s hideous minions whose beetle wings vibrate when the bugs are stationary.
The abundance of outstanding performances during Wednesday and Friday nights revealed deep strength throughout the company. We were like Aurora being kissed awake when we witnessed corps members Kloe Walker’s Fairy of Tenderness and Ruby variations, Mia Williams’ Fairy of Eloquence, Grace Scheffel’s Fairy of Vivacity, Sarah Harmon’s and Meaghan Dutton-O’Hara’s Fairies of Generosity, Owen Flacke’s gallant Cavalier to the Lilac Fairies, Charlie Klesa’s chivalrous Suitor from the East, and Keenan Kiefer’s uncontainable joy and explosive energy as a Court Jester. We see what’s on the horizon and we’re running toward it as fast as we can.
From the soloist ranks, David Gabriel’s Bluebird flew through the long series of brisé volé with crystal clarity and lightness. Olivia MacKinnon’s Princess Florine was uneven from a technical perspective; her Emerald variation from The Jewels quartet was more assured. Sara Adams’ Princess Florine was calm, confident, and correct in response to Principal Daniel Ulbricht’s blistering Bluebird. Neither Diamond, India Bradley nor Mary Thomas MacKinnon, overcame the awkwardness of this forced variation.
On opening night, Megan Fairchild’s Aurora was lively in personality but technically contained and unremarkable. Droopy, loosely squared attitude positions in the Rose Adagio revealed Aurora’s struggle rather than her celebration. Arguments can be made for lower leg heights in The Sleeping Beauty because they would support Petipa’s original style. However, one cannot argue to do a lower arabesque on one side because of a physical limitation and then zing it on one’s strong side. Nor can an argument be made for lower Petipa legs combined with neoclassical port de bras.
Anthony Huxley found just the right tone and authenticity for Prince Désiré. Still scrupulous if no longer perfect, Huxley’s ability to cover space calmly at high speed remains unmatched. His stylish partnering was on full display in this performance but for whatever reason didn’t result in the rapport with Megan that we expected. We look forward to hopefully seeing how his maturity and elegance impacts Emma Von Enck’s dancing.
On Friday night, Aurora finally arrived in the form of Indiana Woodward who extended birthday party invitations to all 2000+ people in the audience. We were at the party living her story right along with her. She arrived with the radiance of the sun, full of life, and a blazing technique that further energized a performance which had already been at a fairly high level. Her Aurora possessed a charming, unforced modesty that revealed the beauty and grace of her royal upbringing. Basically, we fell in love with this fairy tale all over again.
In this performance Prince Désiré found his rapport with Aurora before he set eyes on her. Chun Wai Chan gave a full accounting of his character’s search for his true love — from his discontent at a festive picnic to his fallen spirit rejuvenated by the Lilac Fairy to his discovery of his life-affirming love snoozing away under an odd quilt — Chan made us believe in his journey. His dancing looked as fresh and strong as during his Houston Ballet days. There were beautiful 90 degree arabesques, huge tours en l’air, authoritative pirouettes, and exquisite partnering of Aurora.
The corps de ballet was exceptional at both performances: the Lilac Fairy attendants’ precision and especially the Nymphs in the Vision Scene whose balloné sequences were perfection — it all was truly lovely dancing.
The children in the Garland Dance and the Wolf scene at the Wedding were, of course, what SAB children are: stage animals who want you to remember that they are stars, too. Every one of them was an asset to the performance.
It is always wonderful to see the NYCB Orchestra pit packed wall to wall with musicians. The music was glorious (except for some confusion from the right side on Wednesday night), and we appreciated the experienced guest ballet conductors on the podium: David Briskin from the National Ballet of Canada (no stranger to NYCB or ABT) and Beatrice Affron from the Philadelphia Ballet.
Our H.H. Pump Award, a rose & vines stiletto, is bestowed upon Indiana Woodward for her utterly believable and beautifully danced Aurora.
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