ABT - Firebird, Apollo, Thirteen Diversions

Last night was the next in my ABT subscription series - the mixed repertory evening of a new production of Firebird, Balanchine's Apollo, and Christopher Wheeldon's Thirteen Diversions.  I saw Thirteen Diversions last season and enjoyed it.  For some reason, I was a little less impressed with it this time.  I don't know why.  It was well danced, and the solo pianist played the Britten score beautifully.  Maybe I just wasn't in the best mood at the start of the evening - I wasn't feeling all that great and I was trying very hard not to cough throughout the entire performance.  That may have distracted me.  But the dancing was mainly lovely, especially Misty Copeland and Gray Davis, who weren't originally announced to dance last night.  When the little slip of paper fell out of the program, I was worried about later soloists, but whew.  The changes were to the couples in Thirteen Diversions, and I couldn't really tell any differences.  For some reason, I had memories of a different ending to that piece, but I guess my mind was just playing tricks on me.  Again.  It was a very nice beginning to the evening.

Next on the program was Balanchine's Apollo.  I've only seen it danced once before, a long time ago, at New York City Ballet, plus I've seen video snippets of Suzanne Farrell and Peter Martins dancing it.  So I was going in pretty fresh to it.  I thought it was terrific.  David Hallberg was stunning as Apollo - his line is so beautiful.  I used my binoculars during his opening scene and his face was just as expressive as his body.  The extension he gets through his legs is sublime.  Veronika Part was a gorgeous Terpsichore and their pas de deux was just lovely.  Hee Seo was Polyhymnia and Stella Abrera was Calliope.  I'm thinking I'm just not in love with Hee Seo - her dancing is technically lovely, but she doesn't really fill each moment.  At least not in my opinion.  But Stella was grand.  David partnered them all well, though there were some shaky holds when all four were dancing together.  I'm sure that will get straightened out with future performances.  And their final ascent was gorgeous.  Thumbs up from me.  For some reason, I didn't get my camera out, so I only got photos from the final curtain call, darn it.

The piece I was most excited about was the new production of Firebird.  I've never seen a production of it before, but the Stravinsky score is one of the first classical scores I ever listened to.  It's been a long time since I listened to the whole thing, though.  I enjoyed Alexei Ratmansky's Nutcracker last season, with some caveats about the over-cutesiness of some of the choreography.  I guess I can say the same thing about this Firebird.

On the whole, I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to seeing it again (I'm seeing another mixed repertory night that includes Firebird alongside two different pieces).  But I do have some quibbles with it.  I found the choreography for the maidens to be a little too scattered - it was hard to tell which gal was supposed to be the lead Maiden that Ivan falls in love with, though, once I figured it out, I thought Simone Messmer danced beautifully.  I didn't love Marcelo Gomes' costume - he kinda looked like he was wearing one of those disco glam costumes from the end of Mamma Mia.  Only in white.  (when I see characters in white, I groan.  I can't photograph white costumes.  too much glare.)   The shiny flooring looked pretty, but I think it caused the dancers some issues - Marcelo in particular made a lot of squeaking noises when he pirouetted.  Plus, putting that floor in made the intermission extra-long.  But as always, I loved Marcelo.  How can you not?  He's charming, virile and danced with a little extra whimsy. 

I very much enjoyed Natalia Osipova as the Firebird.  I thought she captured the wildness of the character well.  If some of her choreography didn't seem vital enough, maybe that's me.  But when the music is so propulsive, I like the choreography to match.  And I did get tired of the sliding.  But you immediately knew she was the focal point whenever she was on that stage.  She OWNS it and she danced well with Marcelo - their first pas de deux was terrific.  Even with the squeaky boots.

I thought David Hallberg was terrific as the evil Kaschei.  (OK, I know, I always think he's terrific.  Sue me.)  He looked great in his costume, green hair and all, and he seemed to have so much fun with the campy evilness of his character.  When the four leads were dancing all out right before the ending moments, the ballet finally started to come alive for me.  And once the trees released all the cursed souls, and everyone came on stage, in the white (oy) costumes, purified by the death of the evil one, it was gorgeous.  Gorgeous.  I just wish some of that symbiotic joy had found its way into the earlier part of the evening.  When I see the ballet again, I'll know if we were just seeing opening night jitters last night.  The reception at the curtain call was quite rapturous, and Ratmansky came out to take a bow, along with the designers. 

All in all, I had a grand time.  I saw some gorgeous dancing and heard some wonderful music.  I should probably apologize to my seat neighbors for succumbing to coughing towards the end of the evening, but I just couldn't hold it in anymore.  And four cough drops in a two-hour period is too many, especially without dinner. My next ballet is Romeo and Juliet with my Julie.  I'm starting to tear up just thinking about it.  Please, no little slip of paper falling out...