ABT 2015 - Classic ABT, program two

I purchased a ticket for last Saturday's ABT matinee because I really really wanted to see a particular dancer dance a particular role.  As is often the case, that dancer pulled out.  But I wasn't disappointed in the least with how the afternoon turned out.  I saw two ballets that I had never seen before and returned to an old favorite.  It was a lovely afternoon.

This was the second configuration of the Classic ABT program (the one I saw last week had three 'classic' ABT pieces and this program had three more).  First up was "Les Sylphides," choreographed by Michel Fokine, with music by Chopin.  It has been in the ABT repertory since 1940.  I have long wanted to see this ballet - when the overture started, the music was immediately familiar to me.  As was the music of the whole ballet!  And then I remembered that "Les Sylphides" was the first cassette tape of ballet music I ever bought.  I didn't remember that until about halfway through the ballet; as each movement started, the music was still familiar.  It was a little eerie, knowing the music before it started, but not knowing the ballet itself.

photo credit: Gene Schiavone

"Les Sylphides" is often touted as the first 'plotless' ballet - it emphasizes a classical, romantic ideal of beauty and time and space.  It's simply gorgeous.  The curtain opens in a sort of moonlight garden, to a frozen tableau of dancers, who slowly come to life and move rapturously through space.  The beautiful music and the fluid choreography complemented each other perfectly.  Joseph Gorak, who has definitely become one of my favorites, was terrific in the male lead.  He has such a timelessness and a weightlessness to his dancing - he seems to have all the time in the world.  He's never in a rush, the steps just flow so smoothly.  And he lands so lightly.  He's quite gorgeous to watch.  The three principal ladies - Veronika Part, Sarah Lane and Stella Abrera - were flawless.  So graceful and ethereal.  The whole effect of the piece was stunning and I loved it.  I hope they don't retire this piece after the anniversary season is over.

The second piece was Antony Tudor's "Pillar of Fire," which he created for ABT in 1942. It uses the music of Schoenberg to portray a sexually repressed woman, Hagar, who tries to find release in the wrong man.  Hagar loves The Friend, a good man, but can't quite bring herself to show him.  Plus, he seems to be courting Hagar's willful, flirtatious younger sister.  To try to pull herself out of the monotony, Hagar gives herself to The Young Man from the House Opposite, who runs a brothel.  She finds that sexual liberty is not what she thought it would be and she's ostracized by her family and the community, until The Friend comes back and accepts her as she is.

photo credit: Andrea Mohin (not the cast I saw)

Tudor's choreography is so tight and so brilliantly illuminating of character.  Hagar's character uses her body frequently in a stiff, straight line, all repressed with no give and no curves.  As she begins to accept herself, her body begins to soften and move more freely.  The evolution of her character, through dance, in only a half hour or so is quite astounding.  The young gal playing Hagar, Devon Teuscher, is new to this role and I thought she was spectacular.  I'm sure she'll find more shadings as she does the ballet more frequently, but she was really wonderful for her first time out.  Roman Zhurbin, another of my favorites, was quietly compelling as The Friend, and Cory Stearns, who I usually find rather bland and stalwart, was sinuous and slinky as The Young Man from the House Opposite.  He was all fire and ice, sex and steel.  I was surprised at the different layers in his performance.  Again, I loved seeing it and I hope it comes back again soon.

(not the cast I saw)

"Fancy Free" was the third and final piece of the night.  I've seen it many times before but it never fails to put a smile on my face.  Jerome Robbins choreographed this ballet for ABT in 1944 and he even danced in the premiere cast (I think he also danced in the premiere "Pillar of Fire" cast, which is cool to consider).  The music is by Leonard Bernstein.  Although this ballet was the inspiration for the musical On the Town, the music isn't quite the same.  But it still tells the story of three sailors on shore leave during WWII.

The whole cast was terrific, though maybe a notch less exciting than the last cast I saw dance (it's hard to beat Marcelo Gomes and Herman Cornejo).  But I did think James Whiteside did a terrific rumba variation and Sterling Baca was endearing as the young, naïve sailor.  Everyone seemed to be having fun and delivered strong characterizations.  It was a nice way to end the afternoon. 

After the ballet, I went over to Le Pain Quotidien for lunch.  I had a delicious prosciutto and ricotta tartine, though I was at the restaurant for way too long.  It was busy and they only had one (extremely slow) server on board.  I hope that was an anomaly because I'd love to make it part of my ballet matinee rituals... :)