Tag: Ballet

Christmas Eve 2022 @ Carnegie Hall

Above: violinist Rubén Rengel

Saturday December 24th, 2022 – Spending Christmas Eve at Carnegie Hall with my longtime friend Rob Scott, we enjoyed the New York String Orchestra‘s annual holiday concert which brought us music by Elgar, Mozart, Bach, and Tchaikovsky. Jaime Laredo was on the podium, and the Venezuelan violinist Rubén Rengel was the soloist in a Bach violin concerto. The venerable Hall was packed to the rafters with music-lovers who ventured out on an extremely frigid, windy night to hear great music in the most perfect setting.

The New York String Orchestra is a young orchestra: as the players in this pre-professional ensemble took the Carnegie Hall stage, we were struck by their youthful energy and by their sense of dignity. Moments later, we were thrilled by the sheer richness and beauty of the sound they produced.

Edward Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro, Op. 47, opened the concert. Composed in 1905 for performance in an all-Elgar concert by the newly-formed London Symphony Orchestra, the score calls for a string quartet and string orchestra. The NYSO’s concertmaster, Steven Song, led the quartet which further featured Minji Lee (Principal violinist), Raphael Masters (Principal violist), and Camden Michael Archambeau (Principal cellist).

From note one of the Elgar, the players filled the Hall with music of abundant warmth, played with passion and poise. Among the quartet, violist Raphael Masters’ playing of a solo passage early on exemplified the high level of musicianship and tonal polish these young people have already achieved. The Elgar flowed on, with the agitated Allegro sections alternating with stretches of big lyricism that had the feeling of a classic film score. A fugue highlighted the sonic allure of each of the orchestra’s sections, and – all evening, actually – the basses were extremely pleasing to hear.

Mozart’s Divertimento in D-Major, K. 136, was luxuriantly played; the opening Allegro, with its familiar theme, was taken at a perfect tempo by Maestro Laredo. The Andante was noble and gracious, highlighted by silken sustained tones from Mr. Song’s violin. The steady pulse of the concluding Presto was finely sustained, whilst the music winks at us with sly touches of wit.

Mr. Rengel now joined the orchestra for J. S. Bach’s Violin Concerto in A-Minor, BWV 1041. We had heard – and greatly enjoyed – Mr. Rengel’s playing earlier this season with Ensemble Connect at Weill Hall. Tall and slender, the handsome Venezuelan caught the dancing spirit of the concerto’s lilting Allegro. In the Andante, his sweet tone and technical finesse produced enticing subtleties, his control of dynamics drawing us in to the music. The concluding Allegro assai again had a dance-like feeling, and Mr. Rengel’s fluency in rapid passages was a delight to the ear. The violinist, who had held the Hall in a palpable state of silence during this performance, was warmly cheered by the audience at the end, his colleagues onstage joining in the applause.

Above: Maestro Jaime Laredo

Very high on my list of favorite musical works is Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings. Like so many other people, I fell in love with this moving and melodious work through performances of Balanchine’s ballet Serenade at New York City Ballet. Tonight, hearing it in concert form, with the movements in their original order (Mr. B had placed the fourth movement before the third) was an immersive experience for me. The music was played with such heartfelt tenderness by these young people, the celli and basses constantly sending waves of poignant nostalgia thru me as memories – both sad and lovely – of past loves filled my mind.

The love of music has, from a very early age, meant so much to me…most especially thru the dark years of my teens. Music is a constant lover: always there for me with its timeless, saving grace.

~ Oberon

December 24, 2022
Lydia Johnson Dance @ NYLA ~ 2022

Above: the dancers of Lydia Johnson Dance in Lydia Johnson’s For Eli; photo by Dmitry Beryzokin

Saturday September 17th, 2022 – Lydia Johnson Dance performing at New York Live Arts in Chelsea. Having missed two New York seasons due to the ongoing pandemic, the Company took the opportunity to appear at NYLA in September rather than wait until their accustomed performance time in the Spring: the dancers of course were anxious to perform again, and guest artist Craig Hall of New York City Ballet fame was available…so: on with the show!

Unfortunately, I was feeling sick and could not attend any of the performances; but I did see all four of the works being presented when I dropped in at a studio rehearsal the previous week. My friend Dmitry Beryozkin photographed the dress rehearsal, and sent me some images. So this is not a review, really, but simply a photo gallery.

The Company were not idle during the long shutdown: they spent a week at Kaatsbaan, where Lydia worked on new creations, they danced (outdoors) in Connecticut, and they gave a warmly-received studio showing at the Martha Graham Studio Westbeth on May 2022, previewing two new works: Glide Path and For Eli.

Glide Path opened tonight’s show: it’s set to music by the contemporary quartet ETHEL. Here are some of Dmitry’s evocative photos from the dress rehearsal of Glide Path:

Minseon Kim and Chazz Fenner-McBride

The ensemble of women

Katie Lohiya

Chazz Fenner-McBride and Willy Laury

Emily Sarkissian, Minseon Kim, Amanda Egan, Michael Miles, and Michelle L. Siegel

Willy Laury and Laura DiOrio

Laura DiOrio and Willy Laury

Next came For Eli, a poignant work commissioned by New Jersey-based artist Laura Lou Levy, in memory of her pianist-son Eli, who loved playing the music of Frédéric Chopin.

A series of Dmitry Beryozkin’s images from For Eli:

Michelle L. Siegel, Michael Miles, Minseon Kim, Amanda Egan, and Laura DiOrio

Willy Laury, Michael Miles, Katie Lohiya, Amanda Egan, and Minseon Kim

Katie Lohiya

Amanda Egan, Emily Sarkissian

Chazz Fenner-McBride and Willy Laury

Following the interval, Craig Hall joined Lydia’s dancers for Time…and again, a new work set to Oscar Peterson recordings of jazz standards. This marked a return engagement for the former New York City Ballet star, whose performances in Lydia’s haunting Night and Dreams in 2019, dancing with Laura DiOrio, were deeply moving. Craig and Laura have reunited for Time…and again, joined by three other couples for a series of duets.

Photos from this jazz work by Dmitry Beryozkin:

Katie Lohiya and McGee Maddox

Katie & McGee, Amanda & Laura, Minseon & Michael

Laura DiOrio & Craig Hall

‘

Craig Hall & Laura DiOrio

Laura & Craig

Amanda Egan & Chazz Fenner-McBride

Katie Lohiya & McGee Maddox

Crag Hall

Katie Lohiya with Michael, Laura, and Willy

The music of Henryk Górecki makes a colossal impression in the evening’s concluding work, Undercurrent. Here are some of Dmitry Beryozkin’s pictures from this ballet:

McGee Maddox, Chazz Fenner-McBride, and Michael Miles

Students from Lydia’s school participated in the finale of Undercurrent

The Company women in swirling red skirts

The full Company onstage

Michael Miles and Minseon Kim, center

Michael Miles and student dancer Stella Weihrauch

Laura DiOrio, aloft, as Undercurrent come to an end

All photos by Dmitry Beryozkin

~ Oberon

September 17, 2022
Farewells: Amar Ramasar

Above: New York City Ballet principal Amar Ramasar

Author: Oberon

Sunday May 29th, 2022 matinee – This afternoon, we bade farewell to one of New York City Ballet‘s most popular stars: Amar Ramasar. I remember so clearly seeing the handsome young man with the engaging smile for the first time on Mr. B’s stage during the 2000-2001 season. His ascent thru the ranks came quite soon and seemed inevitable: a soloist by 2006 and a principal in 2009.

Thru the ensuing seasons, I enjoyed seeing Amar countless times. Among the ballets in which he made a vibrant impression were Balanchine’s AGON, BRAHMS-SCHOENBERG QUARTET, FOUR TEMPERAMENTS, LIEBESLIEDER WALTZES, STRAVINSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO, SYMPHONY IN C, SYMPHONY IN THREE MOVEMENTS, UNION JACK, and WHO CARES?; Jerome Robbins’ DANCES AT A GATHERING, FANCY FREE, FOUR SEASONS, GLASS PIECES, IN THE NIGHT, and WEST SIDE STORY; Bigonzetti’s OLTREMARE, LUCE NASCOSTA, and AMARIA; Peter Martins’ CHICHESTER PSALMS and FEARFUL SYMMETRIERS; Jorma Elo’s SLICE TO SHARP; and Ratmansky’s RUSSIAN SEASONS and PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION.

Amar has also appeared on Broadway in CAROUSEL and WEST SIDE STORY.

Amar discusses Ratmansky’s PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION here.

Here’s some photos of Amar with his renowned partners:

With Rebecca Krohn in RUSSIAN SEASONS; photo by John Ross

With Sterling Hyltin in SYMPHONY IN THREE MOVEMENTS; photo by Paul Kolnik

With Teresa Reichlen in FEARFUL SYMMETRIES; photo by Paul Kolnik

Again with Tess, in POLYPHONIA; photo by Paul Kolnik

With Tiler Peck in DIVERTIMENTO #15; photo by Paul Kolnik

With Teresa Reichlen in IN THE NIGHT; photo by Christopher Duggan

With Maria Kowroski in Mauro Bigonzetti’s AMARIA, danced at Maria’s farewell performance

Above: in 2010. Amar appeared with Sara Mearns and Amanda Hankes in Kristin Sloan’s brief film, TWIRL; I was planning to post a link to the film here, but it’s no longer available. Sara was to have danced Titania in Amar’s farewell performance this afternoon, but she was out with an injury.

I met Amar in passing several times, and once at one of Emery LeCrone’s rehearsals. He was always extremely friendly and upbeat, and always ready with an infectious laugh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’ve loved Mr. B’s MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM ever since I first saw it in May of 1977 with a fantastic cast headed by Karin von Aroldingen and Robert Weiss as the fairy queen and king, Patricia McBride and Helgi Tomasson in the second act pas de deux,and Jean-Pierre Frohlich (no less!) as Puck. You can see how I became spoiled rotten from my early days of ballet-going.

For his farewell, unfortunately, Amar did not have an evening of ballets of his own choosing, but rather he was scheduled to dance the divertissement pas de deux in Act II of MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM with Sterling Hyltin (photo above by Paul Kolnik). In the days running up to the farewell matinee, there were numerous cast changes due to illness and injury; then Amar himself sustained an injury, and it was arranged that he would dance only the adagio in today’s performance; sportingly, Andrew Veyette took over the allegro sections, squiring Sterling handsomely. When Amar finally appeared, the crowd went absolutely berserk, with a roaring flood of applause that obliterated several bars of music.

Amar looked very serious throughout the adagio, partnering Sterling with tender loving care. They won a tumultuous, extended ovation, embracing frequently as the applause rolled on. In the ballet’s grand finale, Amar finally began to smile – that dazzling smile that has won the hearts of so many ballet fans over the years.

The entire performance had a special glow. The orchestra, under Clothilde Otranto’s genial baton, sounded wonderful in this magical score to which Balanchine tells the tale so very clearly, without a wasted note or gesture. Unity Phelan, my first dark-haired Titania since Karin, was lovely, and Daniel Ulbricht’s Oberon was simply delightful both in his virtuosity and his acting. Harrison Ball was a spectacular Puck, his characterization tinged with just a hint of darkness.

As the mortals Helena and Hermia, Isabella LaFreniere and Ashley Laracey were finely-contrasted: Isabella the more lyrical and wistful, Ashley the more dramatic. Ashley’s solo, alone in the woods at night, was a masterpiece all its own. Their suitors, Aaron Sanz and Peter Walker, were lively and played their parts engagingly. Gil Bolden was a terrific Bottom, the recently-promoted Chun Wai Chan looked dashing as Titania’s Cavalier, and Alexa Maxwell was a brilliant Butterfly, having her own personal triumph. Dazzling me – and the entire House – with her vivid beauty, spacious dancing, and fabulous fouettés, Emily Kikta displayed full-fledged star-power as Hippolyta, causing the noble Preston Chamblee, as the Duke of Athens, to fall to his knees and ask her to marry him.

With Puck drifting skyward in the ballet’s final moments, the audience burst into applause; after some bows before the curtain, Amar finally stood alone on the big stage and the audience unleashed a deafening hurricane of cheers. Amar leapt off the stage to embrace Peter Martins, then resumed his place center-stage as a procession of well-wishers came forward to greet him. How wonderful to see the gorgeous Lourdes Lopez and her husband carrying bouquets to Amar; and moments later, Gonzalo Garcia surprised Amar by bringing forth the beloved Joaquin de Luz. The ovation went on and on and on, Amar clearly moved by the outpouring of love. He pounded his heart and seemed on the verge of tears.

Outside the stage door, a huge crowd gathered to wish Amar well. But after an hour, he still had not emerged, and people began drifting away. If he’d come out sooner, he would have been there til nightfall, signing autographs and being photographed.

Above: Amar Ramastar, photo by Igor Burlak

Hail and farewell, Amar! Thank you for brightening our lives. I hope I’ll see you around town from time to time in the years ahead.

~ Oberon

May 29, 2022
György Ligeti ~ Requiem

Above: soloists Victoire Brunel and Makeda Monnet

A performance of György Ligeti’s Requiem from Paris, 2018. Watch and listen here.

Makeda Monnet, soprano / Victoire Bunel, mezzo-soprano
Chœur National Hongrois / Csaba Somos, Chef de chœur
Orchestre du Conservatoire de Paris / Ensemble intercontemporain
Matthias Pintscher, direction

Above: members of the Chœur National Hongrois

I first took an interest in the music of György Ligeti (1923-2006) after seeing Christopher Wheeldon’s 2001 masterpiece POLYPHONIA at New York City Ballet. Chris turned to the music of Ligeti again for his 2002 ballet MORPHOSES. Both these danceworks featured the beloved NYCB partnership of Wendy Whelan and Jock Soto.

May 25, 2022
Limón Dance Company @ The Joyce

Above: choreographer José Limón, photo by Paul Draper

Tuesday April 19th, 2022 – The Limón Dance Company celebrating their 75th Anniversary Season with performances at The Joyce Theatre. This evening marked my third experience watching the Limón troupe: the first was in 2008, and more recently in 2019. There have been quite a few changes in the Company’s roster since my last viewing, including the departures of such entrancing dancers as Jacqueline Bulnés and Jesse Obremski. But the current ensemble is a staggeringly beautiful assemblage of forms and faces.

Each work was prefaced by commentary from an unseen narrator…spoken by my longtime friend, actor Dion Mucciaito. These brief speeches provided us with interesting background material for the works being performed. But I wish Dion had appeared onstage to impart this information, because…he’s such a great-looking guy!

Doris Humphrey was José Limón‘s inspiration and mentor. Watching Humphrey’s achingly gorgeous AIR FOR THE G-STRING, created in 1928, gives us a sense of the timeless resonance – and the great necessity – of dance in our lives. Bringing to mind the iconic female danced-rituals of Isadora Duncan, AIR FOR THE G-STRING shows us the value of great music as the inspirational springboard for creating danceworks that will endure.

Above: from Humphrey’s AIR FOR THE G-STRING; photo by Christopher Jones

From the curtain-rise – on the dancers in silhouette against a rose-coloured back-panel – to final pose, AIR FOR THE G-STRING held us under its spell. Five women, clad in simple gowns of varied hues and long Renaissance-style golden cloaks with trains, move slowly in processions and circling motifs. Though not in any way religious in feeling, it conveys a depth of spirituality that speaks to me poignantly.

This evening, Frances Lorraine Samson, a petite woman with a space-filling presence, led the ensemble: Mariah Gravelin, Deepa Liegel, Jessica Sgambelluri, and Lauren Twomley…distinctive beauties all. This Humphrey work is part of that long continuum of dances of sisterhood that spans the centuries from the swans, slyphs, shades, and Wilis of classical ballet, through the more intimate Duncan, to Graham’s epic CHRONICLE, Balanchine’s SERENADE, Robbins’ ANTIQUE EPIGRAPHS, and Lydia Johnson’s CROSSINGS BY RIVER. Watching this spell-binding work tonight gave me an incredible lift of spirit – something so desperately needed in these bleak days as the world sometimes seems to be crumbling around us.

Two Limón masterpieces were central to this evening’s program. The first of these, PSALM, dates from 1967. The choreographer drew inspiration from the French author Andre Schwarz-Bart’s semi-historical novel, “The Last of the Just,” which traces the martyrdom of the Jews through thirty-six generations of the Levy family, ending at Auschwitz.

Above: Nicholas Ruscica in Limón’s PSALM; photo by Christopher Jones

For PSALM, Limón was unable to obtain the music he wanted to use – Stravinsky’s “Symphony of Psalms” – so he created the work in silence. Nearing the date of the premiere, the choreographer asked composer Eugene Lester to provide a score, based on his “million counts”. Later, Limón disciple Carla Maxwell, feeling the choreography called for something grander, commissioned a score from Jon Magnussen which included a full chorus, ten instruments, and a baritone soloist; it was to the Magnussen score that I saw PSALM performed in 2019. This evening, the Lester score – more intimate and highly personal – was back in place. Lester’s score is percussion-based, features a male singer/speaker, and somehow feels right.

Superbly lit Al Crawford, PSALM is a story of the triumph of the human spirit over death, created by Limón at a time when his own untimely death from pancreatic cancer loomed before him. The Lester score, while quite spare in contrast to the Magnussen, provides vividly contrasted rhythms which give the dancers an aural roadmap for the movement.

Eight dancers appear, seemingly searching for someone…or something. The whole Company then takes the stage, moving in finely-wrought patterns. In one passage, they kneel in a row, reminding me yet again of Robbins’ ANTIQUE EPIGRAPHS. Dancer Nicholas Ruscica was the central figure in tonight’s performance, commencing with a solo to the sound of a baritone voice. We hear the word “Adonai” (Hebrew for ‘God’) which put me in mind of Krzysztof Penderecki‘s monumental SEVEN GATES OF JERUSALEM; with such references, PSALM became more and more meaningful to me as it progressed.

Mr. Ruscica’s dancing was very subtle and expressively detailed. As the comings and goings of the populace surged around him, the danseur‘s movement took on a hypnotic, other-worldly feeling. He collapses; to delicate music, the women tend to him. He then awakens and begins to dance, first on his knees, and then – gathering strength – he rises. The group swarm about him in a celebratory dance. Circling in a dazzling passage, they lift him aloft.

PSALM thrilled me tonight, even more than it did in 2019. To me, it seems a dance very much for our time. All of the dancers are captivating to watch, and each has a distinctive personality. Mariah Gravelin, Savannah Spratt, and Lauren Twomley had featured roles among the women, with the ladies from the opening Bach work all dancing divinely here. Terrence D. M. Diable, B. Woods, Joey Columbus, MJ Edwards, and Johnson Guo are the Company’s wonder-men, and it was great to see Robert M. (‘Buddy’) Valdez again, very tall and handsome, with eyes that dazzle. In this large-scale scale work, dancers from Limón 2 – Erin Hollaman, Nicole Miera, and Sabrina Olivieri – joined the full Company.

José Limón created the solo CHACONNE in 1942 to the familiar music from Bach’s violin Partita #2. Onstage tonight, standing in separate pools of light, were violinist Johnny Gandelsman and guest-artist dancer Shayla-Vie Jenkins. Ms. Jenkins, a poised beauty with the gift of lyrical grace, wore trousers and a soft, loose-fitted blouse. When Mr. Gandelsman struck up the familiar Bach piece, the dancer began to move in place, her expressive arms and hands speaking to us in dance’s silent language. Later her movement becomes almost balletic, her dancing at once supple and courtly. With the violinist’s subtle nuances tempting the ear, the two made this Limón gem a sheer delight.

Above: Samantha Spratt, MJ Edwards, and B Woods in Tarpaga’s ONLY ONE WILL RISE; photo by Christopher Jones

In line with the current quest for choreographer-based companies to find new works to provide fresh opportunities for their dancers once the founding choreographer has passed away, tonight we saw ONLY ONE WILL RISE, choreographed by Olivier Tarpaga. This work tells of the ‘dark horse’, the person who unexpectedly triumphs in the end: in this case, it was the the youthful-looking MJ Edwards, who made a very fine impression both in movement and presence, with a poetic face. The choreographer provides brief solos for the other dancers, too, as well as well-constructed ensemble passages. The work is quite dark, and the final illumination of the dancers, with Mr. Edwards having risen in their midst, was a beautiful moment.

Above: Johnson Guo, Nicholas Ruscica, and Lauren Twomley in ONLY ONE WILL RISE; photo by Christopher Jones

What gave ONLY ONE WILL RISE its appeal was the music, composed by the choreographer and guitarist Tim Motzer, and played live onstage by Mr. Motzer, with his fellow musicians Daniel Johnson and Saidou Sangare. They were fantastic.

It’s not easy to find danceworks that can appear on programs alongside the masterworks of some of the world’s all-time greatest choreographers without being eclipsed. The Balanchine, Graham, and Taylor companies have to work in this current situation, as does Limón. Perhaps though, it’s true that – as Miki Orihara once said – “To find the future of dance, we must look to the past.”

~ Oberon

April 19, 2022
Paul Taylor Dance Company/City Center/2022

Above: John Harnage and Madelyn Ho in Paul Taylor’s Roses; photo by Steven Pisano

~ Author: Oberon

(Click on each image to enlarge…)

Wednesday March 24th, 2022 – Opening night of the Paul Taylor Dance Company‘s 2022 season at City Center. Two Taylor masterworks book-ended the program, with a premiere by the Company’s recently-designated Resident Choreographer, former New York City Ballet principal ballerina Lauren Lovette, in between.

This was my first time seeing the Company since several popular Taylor stars left, starting with Michael Trusnovec and followed by Laura Halzack, Parisa Khobdeh, Michelle Fleet, Jamie Rae Walker, Heather McGinley, James Samson, Robert Kleinendorst, and Sean Mahoney. Incoming new dancers were just getting their feet wet two years ago when the pandemic caused a prolonged pause in their progress. So, for me, tonight was a reunion and a re-discovery.

As an ardent admirer of the music of Richard Wagner, Paul Taylor’s Roses is one of my favorites among his numerous masterworks. It moves me so deeply each time I see it…and hear it. The story of the first performance of Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll, played on the staircase at Villa Tribschen on the morning of December 25, 1870, by a small chamber orchestra, is one of my favorite tales out of musical history. It was the composer’s birthday and Christmas gift to his beloved Cosima, and marked one of the happiest days of their life together. You can read about it here.

Above: Jessica Ferretti and Shawn Lesniak in Roses; photo by Steven Pisano

Roses opens with five couples onstage, the women in long black gowns. The pairings tonight were: Jessica Ferretti with Shawn Lesniak, Christina Lynch Markham with Jake Vincent, Raechelle Manalo with Alex Clayton, Madelyn Ho with John Harnage, and Kristin Draucker with Michael Apuzzo. Watching these beautiful creatures in a series of duets summoned many emotions in me – all of them warm and reassuring – for they are the future of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, and that future is in good hands. All these dancers radiated confidence, and their performances were suffused with poetry and light. The audience took a special liking to Ms. Ho and Mr. Harnage…understandably: they were superb.

As the Siegfried Idyll reaches its end, we have found a place of tranquility in an ever-darkening world; the music and dancing have nourished the spirit, and one cannot imagine that anything more beautiful and poignant could possibly follow it. But then Jada Pearman and Lee Duveneck, clad in pristine white, appear to dance one of the most entrancing of Paul Taylor’s duets. Set to a score by Heinrich Baermann which features a clarinet solo played sublimely by the Orchestra of St. Luke’s inimitable Jon Manasse, this pas de deux had a particularly hypnotic effect tonight. Mr. Duveneck towers over the petite and radiant Ms. Pearman, his partnering so protective and tender, and her dancing a vision of grace. The five couples remain seated on the floor at the rear of the stage during this duet, keeping echoes of the Siegfried Idyll in our consciousness. A genuine “Taylor ovation” greeted the dancers during their bows.

Anticipating Ms. Lovette’s new work, I was pleased to read of her choice of music, and intrigued by the piece’s title: Pentimento. I first discovered the music of the Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera many years ago when a pianist I was dating played some of it for me on his baby grand, which took up most of the space in his little studio apartment. “Pentimento” is an Italian word meaning repentance; in the art world, it refers to a painter’s regret when a piece he is working on does not come out quite as he wanted it to; he paints over and re-uses the canvas, but with the passing of time, the original picture may bleed thru, causing a ghostly image.

Above: Lee Duveneck and the ensemble in Lauren Lovette’s Pentimento; photo by Whitney Brown

My expectations for the Lovette work were high, and the opening moments, with the dancers in silhouette against a glowing backdrop, boded well. Christina Lynch Markham, her hair down, has a dramatic solo passage which finds her in a state of worry and agitation; she clutches a red scarf as she dances…and finally collapses. Now the scarf will be passed from dancer to dancer, each one having a featured solo amidst the ensemble. Thus we watched the lively Lisa Borres, a tormented Jada Pearman (who emits a scream at one point), the willowly and wonderful Maria Ambrose, the pale and somewhat mysterious Lee Duveneck, and the bold and beautiful Devon Louis being put thru their paces.

Clad in dreary costumes that might have come off the racks at Old Navy, the community perform athletic combinations, with Tayloresque gestures; they roll about on the floor, form brief alliances, strike quirky poses, and gather – with expressions of care and concern – to watch their colleagues go thru the motions. Meanwhile, the Ginastera music, not his best by far, has become sort of an after-thought. My mind started to wander; the audience, so engrossed by Roses, began to get restive.

Pentimento was well-received, but during the intermission I could not sense the sort of buzz that usually follows a premiere. I suppose having your new work debuted between two classics by one of the great choreographers of all time would be somewhat daunting. We shall see where this collaboration goes in the future.

Above: Jada Pearman and the Taylor men in Brandenburgs; photo by Ron Thiele

Paul Taylor’s festive Brandenburgs, to the immortal music of Johann Sebastian Bach, made for a perfect end to the evening. Tonight, the ballet looked as fresh and vibrant as it ever has…and that music! The magnificent Taylor dancers soar on the wings of Bach’s score; they inspire and uplift us at a time when hope and joy are in short supply.

Above: John Harnage and Maria Ambrose in Brandenburgs with Madelyn Ho and Jada Pearman kneeling; photo by Ron Thiele

The male ensemble – Lee Duveneck, Alex Clayton, Devon Louis, Adam Dickerson, and Jake Vincent – race about the stage in trademark Taylor patterns. Blindingly handsome and charismatic, John Harnage held the audience in the palm of his hand simply by being there. His dancing is so clear and so poetic. And later – standing stock still as he watches his three muses (Maria Ambrose, Jada Pearman, and Madelyn Ho) dance solos to dazzle him – he looked like a young god. Mr. Harnage’s adagio pas seul, was a portrait of masculine beauty. Then Brandenburgs sweeps onward to its final pose: an uplifting celebration of music and dance, and of the human spirit.

Danceworld luminaries among the audience included Justin Peck, Troy Schumacher, Damian Woetzel, and Edward Villella.

All photos by the credited photographers, courtesy of Paul Taylor Dance Company. Many thanks to the Company’s wonderful press liaison de luxe, Lisa Labrado.

~ Oberon

March 24, 2022
Farewells: Gonzalo Garcia

Above: Gonzalo Garcia in George Balanchine’s immortal APOLLO

Sunday February 27th, 2022 matinee – Gonzalo Garcia, one of the handsomest men ever to grace the ballet stages of the world, bade farewell to the New York City Ballet this afternoon.

Gonzalo, a native of Zaragoza, Spain, won the Prix de Lausanne in 1995 at the age of 15 – the youngest dancer to win that coveted prize. He joined San Francisco Ballet in 1998 at the age of 18, and at 22 he became a principal dancer there.

In 2007, Gonzalo made a great leap from one coast to the other, leaving San Francisco Ballet to join New York City Ballet. Since then, he has performed many roles for us here; among them, I have especially loved his Apollo, Oberon in MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, the Princes in the Peter Martins productions of SWAN LAKE and SLEEPING BEAUTY, Franz in COPPELIA, the principal male roles in BALLO DELLA REGINA, RUBIES, and BAISER DE LA FEE, the leads in Jerome Robbins’ OPUS 19/THE DREAMER, DANCES AT A GATHERING, and GLASS PIECES, in Christopher Wheeldon’s POLYPHONIA and LES CARILLONS, and Alexei Ratmansky’s CONCERTO DSCH. Most recently, I greatly enjoyed seeing Gonzalo in Justin Peck’s ROTUNDA, an excerpt from which he danced at his farewell gala.

Some wonderful Gonzalo Garcia partnerships:

Above: Gonzalo Garcia and Ana Sophia Scheller in SLEEPING BEAUTY; photo by Paul Kolnik

Above: Gonzalo with Sterling Hyltin in RUBIES; photo by Paul Kolnik

Above: Gonzalo with Tiler Peck in OTHER DANCES; photo by Erin Baiano

Above: with Megan Fairchild in NUTCRACKER

When time has allowed, Gonzalo has danced as a guest artist:

…in STARS AND STRIPES at a gala in Italy…

…and, in Madrid, as Albrecht in GISELLE

Closer to home: dancing with MORPHOSES in Central Park 2009; photo by Kokyat

And in this charming film, Gonzalo shows us how he kept in shape at home during the pandemic.

““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““

For his farewell performance at New York City Ballet, Gonzalo danced works by Balanchine, Robbins, and Justin Peck. The program was book-ended by ballets set to two of Sergei Prokofiev’s most fascinating scores: the Violin Sonata #1 in D-major sets the stage for my favorite Jerome Robbins ballet – OPUS 19/THE DREAMER – and PRODIGAL SON, which marked the only time George Balanchine used Prokofiev’s music. In between, a studio film of Gonzalo working on a solo from Justin Peck’s ROTUNDA (to a fine Nico Muhly score) was followed by a live performance of part of the ballet, with its cast of twelve. Andrews Sill was on the podium, and Kurt Nikkanen’s playing of the violin concerto was simply spectacular. How meaningful it was today to hear the scores of Prokofiev, a son of the Ukraine.

During the interval, I loved running into Carlos Lopez, Charles Askegard, David Fernandez, and Wendy Whelan.

Gonzalo was alone onstage as the curtain rose on OPUS 19, and the audience greeted him with a warm round of applause. His opening solo as the restless dreamer was hypnotically beautiful…his arms and hands are so expressive. For this occasion, two ballerinas took turns dancing with Gonzalo: first, Sterling Hyltin skimmed about the space with an airy lightness before their sublime pas de deux. Tiler Peck then appeared for the allegro passages, and then Sterling returned; it was Tiler who ended the ballet, resting her head on Gonzalo’s palm. The corps danced splendidly, and the three principals exchanged embraces of mutual affection during the curtain calls.

The filmed excerpt from ROTUNDA gave us an up-close view of the danseur at work, whilst the soundtrack included accolades from Gonzalo’s colleagues and his own words about what it means to be a dancer. The live performance went brilliantly, Gonzalo sharing some moments with another of his frequent partners, the spirited Megan Fairchild. The ballet ends with Gonzalo rushing forward into a sudden blackout.

The distinctive setting for PRODIGAL SON was created in 1929 by painter Georges Rouault. This poignant ballet tells of a young man who leaves his home and his gentle family to find excitement in the wide world; seduced, beaten, and abandoned, he returns home in shame and abject misery only to be enfolded in his father’s loving arms. Gonzalo, looking youthfully handsome, danced the role with the verve and commitment of a spirited teenager. His degradation and downfall were poignantly portrayed, and the moment where he creeps into his father’s forgiving embrace was extraordinarily moving.

Sara Mearns was the deceitful Siren. Harrison Coll and Lars Nelson excelled in their dancing “duel”, and Mary Elizabeth Sell and Jenelle Manzi were lovely as the sisters. Arron Sanz made a profound impression as the father.

The gala ended with a massive ovation which Gonzalo accepted with humility and great joy, pounding his heart with his hand to express his love for us. His colleagues came out one by one, presenting flowers and hugs: they all seemed genuinely sincere. Then Gonzalo’s husband came out, and they shared a kiss, to the audience’s great delight. And so, Gonzalo finished his dancing career while still at peak form, truly one of the finest – and best-loved – dancers I’ve had the pleasure to watch.

~ Oberon

February 26, 2022
YCA Presents Martin James Bartlett

Above: British pianist Martin James Bartlett

Author: Oberon

Thursday February 24th, 2022 – Young Concert Artists presenting pianist Martin James Bartlett in recital at Merkin Hall.

Opening his refreshing and unique program with two Bach transcriptions, Mr. Bartlett immediately established himself as an engaging artist with his performance of the Busoni arrangement of Ich ruf du dir, Jesu Christ, BWV 639, wherein an air of mystery was created and the sustained to spellbinding effect. This was followed by Dame Myra Hess’s arrangement of Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring in which the lyrical flow of the music was enhanced by Mr. Bartlett’s mastery of dynamics.

The lively animation of Rameau’s Suite in A-Minor, RCT 5/VII. Gavotte et six doubles, was played as a gallant invitation to the dance, with virtuosic spirit in the changing dance rhythms, and a grand finish.

Haydn’s Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major; HOB. XVI:46 began life as a divertimento. Mr. Bartlett’s marvelous agility and sense of fun made the opening Allegro moderato a delight. The Adagio, commencing with a left-handed opening passage, is quite gentle, with some elegant little trills etched in. In the concluding Presto, Mr. Bartlett dazzled us with his virtuosity, whilst introducing sly subtleties along the way. By this point, the engaging young pianist had the audience in the palm of his hand.

Following the interval, Franz Liszt’s solo piano arrangement of the Liebestod from Wagner’s TRISTAN UND ISOLDE was a wonderful treat, starved as I am for live performances of the music of the Master of Bayreuth. Mr. Bartlett played with great passion, and also great tenderness; again, his dynamic range put a personal mark on this sublime music.

Contemporary British composer Julian Anderson wrote She Hears to honor the memory of Imogen Holst. Ms. Holst was the daughter of Gustav Holst, and was a composer herself as well as an educator and writer; she was known for her uncanny gift for hearing music on a transcendental level. The Anderson work, and Mr. Bartlett’s playing of it, had a fascinating sense of introspection that seemed to captivate the audience.

Three Rachmaninoff gems came next. The first two were transcriptions by Earl Wild: both the melodious flow of Where Beauty Dwells and the rhapsodic qualities of the Vocalise, Op. 34, No.14, displayed Mr. Bartlett’s true affinity for the music of the Russian composer. The third Rachmaninoff work, Polka de W.R. was jaunty, and spiced with wry hesitations: music that played to the young pianist’s sense of humor…and his brilliant technique.

My ballet-loving companion and I were so pleased to hear Ravel’s La Valse as the concert’s closing work, our thoughts drifting back to the many performances of Balanchine’s haunting ballet of the same title that we have witnessed. From its rumbling start, and thru the moods of mystery and drama in which Ravel’s score abounds, we were drawn deeper and deeper into the music. By the final madness, Mr. Bartlett seemed possessed, his fingers sweeping the keyboard with fiery passion to summon the vision of dancing on the edge of a volcano.

The audience had clearly taken this personable and vastly talented young pianist to their hearts, and he responded to our avid applause with a silken rendition of Gershwin’s Embraceable You.

~ Oberon

February 24, 2022
Vengerov/Trpčeski @ Carnegie Hall

Above: violinist Maxim Vengerov and pianist Simon Trpčeski onstage at Carnegie Hall; photo by Jennifer Taylor, courtesy of Carnegie Hall

Thursday January 20th, 2022 – My first concert at the Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall since March of 2020. I was very happy to bring my friend DK to see one of his favorite artists, Maxim Vengerov, in recital. The Macedonian pianist Simon Trpčeski was at the Steinway for a wonderful program.

The audience gave the musicians a hearty welcome as they walked out onto the stage. People are simply aching to hear great music played live again after the the long months of uncertainty. And so the opening Mozart seemed like a transfusion of peace and hope, though still tinged with darkness.

Above: Maxim Vengerov, photo by Jennifer Taylor

Mozart’s Violin Sonata in E-Minor, K. 304 was composed in 1778; this is the only one of Mozart’s violin sonatas written in a minor key; its underlying wistfulness might be connected to the fact that the composer’s mother had passed away while he was working on it.

Departing from the norm, this sonata is in only two movements. The Allegro takes its character from the poignant opening theme, played in unison by violin and piano. The piano brings forth a second, more animated theme, though the mood remains restrained. A lovely dovetailing of dynamics marked the Vengerov/Trpčeski partnership’s playing, the violinist’s repeated insistent notes met by the pianist’s wonderful subtleties.

Mozart marks the second movement Tempo di Minuetto, but it has a forlorn quality not usually heard in a minuet. Solo piano introduces the grave yet graceful opening melody, and soon the two instruments take turns with it, their voices entwining. A major-key interlude gives us an unexpected ray of light, with sublimely soft playing from Mr. Trpčeski. The minor mode resumes, the melody flowing on to a rather sudden stop.

Photo by Jennifer Taylor

In direct contrast to the Mozart, Mssrs. Vengerov and Trpčeski next offered the Prokofiev Violin Sonata No.1. Prokofiev is one of my A-list composers, and this sonata encapsulates everything I love about his works: the rough-edged drama, the heartfelt lyricism, the chiaroscuro dynamics, and the subtle wit of his music always fascinates me.

Following the four-movement structure (slow-fast-slow-fast) of the Baroque church sonatas, Prokofiev opens this sonata with a somber passage from the piano. The violin joins, edgy and buzzy, and then the two instruments blend in a unison lament. The piano’s dolorous notes draw the violin into a yearning, dramatic passage. Then the violin skitters softly on high as the pianist intones soft chords; it sounds “like the wind in a graveyard” as Prokofiev told David Oistrakh, who played the sonata’s premiere performance.

The second movement, Allegro brusco, begins vigorously, lapses into a songful state, then turns fast and furious. Things subside briefly, but accents soon propel the piano forward again as the violin makes agitated remarks. Calming to lyricism, the music then gets grand – with a soaring melody leading to a wild finish.

In the third movement, Andante, the Vengerov/Trpčeski transported us with their spectacular playing. An opening passage of piano filigree is taken up by the violin. A gorgeous violin melody is heard, whilst the piano sustains a magical atmosphere. This ethereal music puts us in a blissful state, with Mr. Vengerov finishing his reverie with a miraculously sustained pianissimo trill. Heavenly!

Brilliant playing from both artists drove the sonata’s concluding Allegrissimo forward in spectacular fashion. A melodious interlude lets us again savour the warmth and serenity of Prokofian lyricism, and then some biting staccati dazzle us yet again. Another whiff of the “wind in a graveyard” motif leads on to work’s quiet closing.

Photo by Jennifer Taylor

Following the interval, César Franck’s ever-popular Violin Sonata was given a thrilling performance by the Vengerov/Trpčeski duo. This sonata was inspired by the marriage of the great violinist Eugène Ysaÿe to Louise Bourdeau in 1886. Franck’s initial idea for the sonata was to commence with a a slow and reflective opening movement, but Ysaÿe persuaded him that it worked best at a quicker tempo, so Franck marked it Allegretto, ben moderato. This movement juxtaposes rather than develops two themes, the first given almost exclusively to the violin, the second to the piano. These themes, particularly the violin’s, will return in the following movements. From note one, I fell under the spell of this music, which seemed so fresh and vivid as performed tonight. Mr. Trpčeski’s playing was positively rhapsodic, whilst Mr. Vengerov poured so much passion into the thrilling melodies the composer has given him.

The agitated, dramatic second movement casts its own spell, with the players again displaying their intriguing dynamic range and their peerless legato. The music is at once propulsive and poetic. Then comes the pensive Recitativo-Fantasia, wherein Mr. Vengerov’s rapturous playing in the high range is heard over the piano’s gently rolling misterioso figurations.

The familiar and beloved themes reappear in the sonata’s final movement, which builds to a glorious finish. The inevitable reaction of the audience to the playing of Mssrs. Vengerov and Trpčeski was a fervent ovation, richly deserved.

Ravel’s Tzigane was a late addition to the program. Familiar to me mainly from the ballet that George Balanchine created for his muse, Suzanne Farrell, to this music, it’s a Vengerov specialty: he played it here at his February 2020 concert, just days before the pandemic shut everything down.

In July 1922, Maurice Ravel met the young Hungarian violinist, Jelly d’Aranyi, who was the grand-niece of famed 19th-century violinist Joseph Joachim. The composer was intrigued when he heard the violinist playing gypsy melodies at a party. Inspired, he fashioned a gypsy rhapsody, working on it over a period of two years. Ravel completed it just a few days before the premiere: on April 26, 1924, in London, Mlle. d’Aranyi and pianist Henri Gil-Marchex gave the premiere of Tzigane.

Tzigane is a legendary showpiece, and tonight the amazing dexterity of the violinist (later joined by the pianist) kept the audience on the proverbial edge of their seats. After a giant “pre-cadenza”, the music starts to dance, by turns high and shimmering, then wildly earthy.

At the concert’s end, Trpčeski and Vengerov were greeted with a lively ovation. They returned for three encores: two delicious Fritz Kreisler treats, and then Gabriel Fauré’s sublime Après un rêve, which was sublimely played. Bravo, gentlemen! Bravissimo!!

All photos by Jennifer Taylor, courtesy of Carnegie Hall.

~ Oberon

January 20, 2022
CMS ~ Music From Four Countries

Above: cellist Nicholas Canellakis and violist Yura Lee

Sunday November 21st, 2021 – This evening at Alice Tully Hall, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center gave us a wonderfully satisfying program of music by composers from Russia, Germany, Hungary, and France. The works were all composed between 1849 and 1890.

A very high level of playing is maintained by the Society, making it almost impossible to single out certain concerts as being of particular merit; but tonight was surely one of the most impressive and enjoyable programs have experienced since I started going to CMS concerts regularly a few seasons back.

The program opened with the Andante Cantabile from Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No. 1, performed in a 1888 arrangement for solo cello and strings. “Cantabile” is an Italian word meaning “singable” or “song-like”, and that’s exactly how cellist Nick Canellakis performed it: as if singing an operatic cavatina.

From the work’s tranquil start, Nick gave us impeccable playing: warm of tone and alive with dynamic subtlety. Seated next to him, the Society’s co-Artistic Director David Finckel threaded a lovely line to compliment his cellist-colleague. Mr. Finckel and violist Misha Amory offered a gentle plucking accompaniment as Nick’s cello continued to sing a melody with a vaguely Asian feeling. Violinists Cho-liang Lin and Alexi Kenney gave silken textures to the music. The work ends on a sweetly blended pianissimo. Mr. Finckel urged Nick Canellakis to stand first; then the other players refused to rise, leaving Nick with a solo bow, much to the delight of the crowd.

Above: Cho-liang Lin

Johannes Brahms’ Quintet in G-major for Two Violins, Two Violas, and Cello, Op. 111, was written in 1890, at the start of the last decade of the composer’s life. It provides a veritable feast for the ear to listeners who – like me – love the sound of stringed instruments. Mssrs. Lin, Kenney, Amory, and Canellakis were joined by that delectable violist, Yura Lee. Ms. Lee, who always delights with her choice of footwear, tonight wore white pumps; her one-shoulder black frock showed off some beautiful tattoos.

The opening movement, marked Allegro non troppo, ma con brio (“…fast, but not too fast, but with a lively feeling…”) gets off to a joyous start, the violas begin duetting in a passage taken up by the violins. The music is so melodious and congenial, with Cho-liang Lin’s poignant violin theme standing out. The music turns mysterious; then Yura Lee’s passionate playing leads back to a reprise of the earlier pairings of violins and violas. Meanwhile, Mr. Canellakis’s cello is giving everything a velvety cushion. The entire movement kept me entranced: simply fantastic playing from everyone.

The ensuing Adagio, in D-minor, has a feeling of melancholy as Yura Lee leads off with a familiar melody. Soon the music had me so engrossed that the rest of the world seemed to vanish: they were playing this music sublimely, and playing it just for me. Yura’s ‘cadenza’ near the end was hypnotically beautiful.

Mr. Lin’s violin sets the third movement, Allegretto, in motion. This is essentially a scherzo, and the melodies flow merrily on. Inspired by Hungarian folk dances, the quintet’s finale is marked Vivace ma non troppo presto (“…lively, but not too fast…”). Yura Lee’s viola is aglow, and Mr. Lin relishes his opportunities to spin more silk with his subtle playing. Suddenly the pace doubles, and the players break into an exultant dance. The crowd went wild: the only possible reaction to this kind of playing.

Pianist Inon Barnatan (above) kept the audience under a spell with his magical playing of Franz Liszt’s “Funérailles” from the Harmonies poétiques et religieuses, written in 1849. The pianist, who in 2016 gave us a mesmerizing performance of Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit in this very hall, was spell-binding again this evening.

This piece, which my companion Monica Wellington soon recognized as the music to which the late Liam Scarlett’s 2014 ballet for New York City Ballet, Funérailles, is set. I did not see that pas de deux, costumed by Alexander McQueen, but hearing the music tonight, it’s hard to image a dancework set to it: the music seems to wander thru many mood swings, but Mr. Barnatan’s playing made it cohesive.

The piece opens with gloomy funeral chimes in the slow register. A plodding rhythm reminds us of mourners in a cortège; this stops, and a somber fanfare-like passage is heard. The sense of doom lessens, and then a nostalgic melody is heard, which gets rhapsodic. Animated figurations for the left hand give rise to militaristic passages, followed by a great rise in passion, Full stop. A soft, sad tune is played, whilst low-register rumblings are heard. The music ends suddenly. All this was splendidly played by Mr. Barnatan.

Above: Alexi Kenney

The concert concluded with Gabriel Fauré’s Quartet No. 2 in G-minor for Piano, Violin, Viola, and Cello, Op. 45. The piece premiered on January 22nd, 1887, at the Société Nationale de Musique; it is dedicated to Hans von Bülow, the pianist and conductor who was the first husband of Cosima Liszt who later married Richard Wagner.

Above: Misha Amory

Inon Barnatan returned to the Steinway for this evening’s de luxe rendering of the Fauré; he was joined by violinist Alexi Kenney and violist Misha Amory, both displaying exceptional beauty of tone, whilst Nick Canellakis rounded off his stellar evening with still more phenomenal playing.

The opening Allegro molto moderato commences dramatically, and with passion. The restless piano supports unison strings; the violin, and then the viola, have solo melodies, exquisitely played. Mr. Barnatan continues to work his magic with the music, whilst the strings bring us gorgeous blends, with Mr. Kenney’s upper register truly affecting. Nick Canellakis keeps the cello line prominent without being over-bearing. The opening restive piano and unison strings return, moving to a sublime finish.

The Scherzo: Allegro molto contains lively string pizzicati heard over the piano’s dazzling agitato; though the music is tinged with a strange sense of worry, there is a forward impetus. Marvelous flourishes from the keyboard lead to a sudden stop.

In the Adagio non troppo, in which the composer drew on childhood memories of the sound of church bells, provides lyrical passages for each instrument. There is much subtlety and also much passion in their playing. A curious little interlude develops into a feeling of yearning. This quietens, as piano and viola converse; then the violin takes over. Cello and piano, soon joined by the higher strings, bring us a dreamy ending.

The Finale : Allegro molto has a vibrant start; again Mr. Kenney’s heavenly high-range lures the ear. The music gets bouncy, and then quite grand, as the quartet sails on thru shifting moods. The audience expressed their delight in the music – and with the the playing of it – with a joyous ovation, calling the artists back for a second bow. I felt elated as I headed out into the chilly evening air.

~ Oberon

November 21, 2021