ABT 2016 - The Golden Cockerel

Practically this whole season at ABT has been new-to-me ballets, so that's been fun.  In fact, it may have been the perfect post-Julie season I could imagine.  I'm not missing her as much as I normally would, because she wasn't doing a lot of these newer pieces anyway.  Of course, I have a couple of goopy story ballets coming up, so I'm sure I'll start to miss her again soon.  But last Monday's ABT premiere of The Golden Cockerel was another new experience - I think I liked it, but I also think I'd need to see it again.  There was a LOT going on in a very short time...

Alexei Ratmansky choreographed a new production of The Golden Cockerel a few years ago for the Royal Danish Ballet, based on Michel Fokine's original from 1914 (and update from 1937).  The ballet is based on an opera by Rimsky-Korsakov, which was in turn based on a Pushkin folk tale (which was itself based on a piece by Washington Irving - that's a lot of 'based on'!).  The designs are based on the originals, as well.  So this felt like a modern version of a folk tale, a loving homage to a far-away time of dance.  Because the original texts are so dense, and characterization so important, there is a big emphasis on mime rather than classical ballet steps.  I'm sure some ballet purists are put off by that, but when you have such experts in mime part of the ABT company, it didn't bother me very much.

I will be compressing the detailed plot for you here (and spoilers will abound):  the ballet begins with a prologue where we meet The Astrologer, an ancient gent dressed in wizard-type clothes, who has a vision of a beautiful Queen.  He comes up with a plan to try to capture her.  The plan involves a Golden Cockerel.  The rest of the plot concerns the foolish Tsar Dodon, his foolish sons, his staff and the probability of war.  The Astrologer gives the Tsar the Golden Cockerel, who will warn the kingdom of any warlike threats.  In return, the Astrologer asks to be given whatever he desires.  The Tsar agrees.

War of course comes, the Golden Cockerel warns the kingdom, and everyone goes off to fight.  Plot-wise, we see death on the battlefield and fevered dreams of a beautiful Queen.  When it turns out the Queen is real, the Tsar falls in love and takes her back to his realm to be his wife.  The Astrologer comes to claim the Queen, but the Tsar refuses, kills the Astrologer, then the Golden Cockerel pecks out the eyes of the Tsar.  Kinda gory ending, right?  Oh, but then the Astrologer gets back up and shows us it's all been a story! Everyone except for the Queen and himself are not real, so all that's left is the Astrologer's eternal quest for the Queen.  

That's a lot of stuff in a ballet that lasts less than two hours!  In fact, it might have been better as a one-act, instead of stretched into two.  But it didn't bother me a lot.  I thought the ballet was whimsical and funny and sad and silly.  I loved the beautiful designs (the sets and backdrops were astounding), the beautiful music, the wonderful miming and the lovely dancing (though there could maybe have been a tad more).  I thought it was a rather enchanting evening, if a little muddled, especially at the end of each act.  The music and dancing just sort of...stopped.  It was a little odd, but I'd definitely like to see the ballet again to see if I missed the lead-ins to the act breaks.

photo credit: Fabrizio Ferri

I thought Skylar Brandt was terrific as the Golden Cockerel - very strong and sure, with quick movement and a kind of weightlessness.  She completely transformed into a bird and made the choreography seem natural coming out of her being.  The stunning Veronika Part was the Queen and she was (as always) gorgeous.  Those long legs were so seductive and voluptuous - she was sexy and teasing and hard all at the same time. You could see why everyone wanted her and you could see how she enjoyed her power over everyone and how she could really care less about anyone.  Gary Chryst as the Tsar was very funny and very foolish; his role was completely mimed but he did it so well.  He and (my ABT MVP) Roman Zhurbin had a delightful relationship done completely in mime.  Zhurbin also had a bit of dancing in the second act and he was fantastic - I wish more of his character parts would combine the two.  

photo credit: Andrea Mohin

The foolish sons were danced by Joseph Gorak and Jeffrey Cirio and they were fantastic. They had most of the 'dancing' per se, along with Veronika Part, and they were so good at doing the same steps but making them separate in a character-way.  I know I sound like a broken record, but I am always so impressed with how Gorak moves through space - he just seems to have more time than anyone else. Or he stops time.  Something like that. I just love watching him. But Cirio is quite special, too. He has an expansiveness to his dancing, a real joie de vivre that is compelling to watch.  And the manner in which their characters exit the drama is pretty darned cool.  

All in all, I enjoyed myself at The Golden Cockerel and hope ABT brings it back soon.  I would definitely like to see how other dancers tackle the roles, especially Stella Abrera as the Queen, I would love to see her take on it.  I'd also like to hear the orchestra get another crack at it - the brass section was a little off and it was unfortunate that the opening notes were kinda squeaky.  But I'm not sure if it will come back. The response seemed to be rather tepid in the house and it wasn't full by any measure. Oh well.  I was excited - when Ratmansky himself came out for curtain call, I went all fangirl! Couldn't help myself.  It's been the Season of Ratmansky and I'm looking forward to catching the return of his Sleeping Beauty in a few weeks.  Fingers crossed I get to see the dancers currently scheduled for that date - let's put that happy thought into the universe...