ABT - La Bayadere

Last night was the second in my ballet subscription at ABT - La Bayadere.  I've only seen this ballet performed once and it was quite a long time ago.  So long ago that Angel Corella, who is retiring this year, danced the featured role of the Bronze Idol.  And was amazing.  So amazing that he's the only thing I remember from that long-ago night.  Of course, I'm also familiar with the Kingdom of the Shades piece, most notably from The Turning Point.  So I was greatly looking forward to last night's performance, most epecially because it was going to star my uber-favorite David Hallberg, alongside Polina Semionova, who I loved last year in Don Quixote and Swan Lake.

They did not disappoint.  I found their dancing spectacular.  Polina's supple back and feet were perfect for Nikiya, the temple dancer.  She got fantastic extension in her prayer positions and was just meltingly in love with David, as Solor.  She can also stay en pointe forever, which just takes your breath away.  Not in a 'look at me' sort of way, but it a way that really deepens the choreography and characterization.  Her solo after she found out Solor was marrying her rival was just heartbreaking.  The sadness on her face and oozing throughout her body was so evident, especially when she looked at Solor. 

David, as usual, was a gorgeous partner, and interestingly, partnered his two women differently.  He was so open and free when partnering Nikiya, but stiffer and less certain (in a character way, not a dancer way) when partnering Gamzatti, Nikiya's rival. She was danced by Hee Seo, who I found underwhelming.  She danced prettily enough, but with no characterization.  So there was no conflict and no real reason for Solor to be captivated by her or to leave Nikiya.  Plus, it seemed as if Hee Seo was a little off pointe a couple of times and would finish variations with her back to the audience, which doesn't seem quite right to me.

The Kingdom of the Shades variation was spectacular - the Shades had nearly perfect unision and they were just gorgeous throughout.  And Polina's solo was simply stunning.  Then, her pas de deux with David was also rapturous, as was the applause.  There were quite a few holds for the thunderous applause during that second act.

The last act's pas de trois was lovely, though again Hee Seo's lack of characterization lessened its impact.  David was trying to act up a storm, but he can only do so much when he's not geting anything back.  It could've been sublime, but oh well.  I do get annoyed by the 'letterbox' aspect of the set which makes it hard to see blocking that happens upstage from the balcony.  Someday, I'll win the lottery and get myself downstairs.  :)

Oh, and I almost forgot: Joseph Phillips danced the Bronze Idol variation and was terrific, if maybe a little bit too careful.  I remember Angel Corella as dancing with electric abandon that was thrilling.  I was impressed with Phillips, but not thrilled.  Maybe he needs just a little more seasoning. 

The crowd gave rapturous and sustained applause, which was nice.  Polina is very generous with her curtain calls, making sure she acknowledges everyone else on stage.   I'm ever so glad I decided to include La Bayadere in my series this year.  I won't forget the loveliness of the whole ballet again.

Just a note about the pain in the patootieness of the commute to and from the Met: the humidity made it necessary for me to go sleeveless, which I don't do very often anymore.  I carried a cardigan, in case it got cold in the theater.  Which it didn't, so the cardigan was dead weight.  Along with the ginormous umbrella I carried - not ten minutes before I left my apartment, there was a monsoon.  I'm so grateful to have missed the monsoon, but my golly, the humidity was nasty.  I was a sweaty smelly mess by the time I got to the theater, so I guess I should apologize to my seat neighbors, both for the smelliness and for the sleevelessness.  It wasn't raining when I left either, so I walked over to the R train and waited forever for the train to come.  More smelliness.  THEN, once we got to Queens Plaza, they made us get off the train and wait for the next train.  I got home around 12:30, and was a hot flash/smelly mess.  Blech.  Please, everyone throw 'no more humidity' vibes out into the universe.  My hot flashes can't take it... :)