ABT 2019 - Harlequinade

Yes, it's that time of year again - the most wonderful time of the year!  Ballet season!  I had my first ballet of the spring season the other night and it was a lovely evening all around.  For some reason, last year I completely spaced out on the night I had a ticket to the newest (then) Ratmansky reconstruction of Petipa's Harlequinade.  I've been chastising myself all year, so I was thrilled to finally be able to see it.  Thank you, ABT, for bringing it back so quickly.

Of course, having said that, I did find the ballet a little slight.  Lovely, charming, sweet, but slight.  It's only about 105 minutes, including the intermission, and so I would've loved more dancing, but all in all, I had a good time.  I would actually like to catch the ballet again, to be able to pay more attention to specific moments, since the first time I see something, I feel as if my focus is all over the place, trying to catch it all.

Like many ballets, the plot is ridiculously simple - Columbine loves Harlequin, her father wants her to marry someone else.  He locks Columbine in the house and instructs his servant, Pierrot, to stand guard.  But Pierrot's wife, Pierette, is a romantic and helps the lovers escape.  There's a wedding and lots of group dancing at the reception.  The end.  Well, no, there's more, but that's the basic story.  And this ballet, in its desire to replicate early 20th century Petipa, uses a lot of mime and group dancing, though there are a few lovely solos and pas de deux here and there.

photo credit: Rosalie O'Connor

I thought Isabella Boylston was a sassy and spunky Columbine and her footwork was sublime.  She has some really tricky, fast choreography and she delivered it beautifully.  James Whiteside, who I sometimes don't enjoy as much in the story ballets, was terrific as Harlequin.  He has a sense of joie de vivre about his person and it really plays well in this ballet.  He is a strong dancer and attentive partner, and since he's not called upon to deliver too much storytelling, he is very successful in his characterization. These two are very close friends in real life and it shows in their comfort and rapport with each other.  I found them to be delightful throughout.

photo credit: Marty Sohl

Thomas Forster, who is becoming one of my favorite ABT dancers, was very funny as Pierrot.  He doesn't have a lot of dancing, mainly due (probably) to his hysterical commedia-inspired costume, but his mime and physical characterization was great.  He has one moment that the audience ate up, when he's trying to sneak out and not be seen, but those sleeves kept getting in the way.  It was really funny.  Stella Abrera was an adorable Pierrette, very light and bubbly and a sweet troublemaker.  Her dancing was full of lightness and fun.  Alexei Agoudine's mime in his role as Columbine's father was clear and bold and Duncan Lyle was truly inspired as Leandre, the snooty suitor for Columbine's hand.  He was delightful and I will have to keep my eyes on him this season.

There's an extended sequence during the wedding scene for children, all students at ABT's school.  They were all adorable, wearing miniature versions of the adult's costumes.  There was one boy who is going to be a star - he was doing all of the same steps as the other kids, but there was just 'more' going on with him; you could tell he was building a character instead of just doing steps.  There's no way to know his name, since there were dozens of kids up there, but I hope he stays with ballet.  That kind of innate talent can't really be taught.

The physical production was lovely and the costumes were gorgeous.  I loved the wigs and the hats, too.  The orchestra was terrific and sounded very well-rehearsed for an early performance (that hasn't always been the case).  I should commend the corps de ballet, too.  Sometimes at the beginning of the season they look a little ragged, but they did a fine job in Harlequinade.  For me, I could've used more 'dancing' and less 'mime,' but the show is sweet, short, and fun.  Actually, it was the perfect ballet for me to see this week - I've been out every night and it gets to be tiring at my age!  I'm too old to go out every night!  I was so tired, I forgot my binoculars and my camera, so sorry about this goofy curtain call shot.  I was hoping my new phone would do a better job, but...no.  Oh well.  I'm just ever so glad ballet season is here.  I'm looking forward to a lot of beauty and music and dance and love; can't we all use a lot more of that right about now???