Sigh - a roundup already...

I need to take a class in time management, apparently.  Or use one of those time-turners we discovered in a Harry Potter book.  I just cannot find the time to share anything on the blog; since I have shows coming up, I'm going to cram a few thoughts on a few things together, so I can start again on a clean slate.  I mean, it's only January, so how can I be behind already?!?!

As I've already mentioned, I went to see Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker recently.  You may remember that I enjoyed the first two installments of this current trilogy - The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.  I enjoyed the new film, though maybe not as much as the other two; this one seemed a little forced and seemed to be trying a little too hard to please everyone, and in all that trying, the sense of joy and freedom was lost.  But I did have a good time and laughed out loud with delight several times, much to the chagrin of the extreme fan gents who were sitting next to me.  No spoilers here, but there's a plot point about a spy in the bad guys' organization (I can never remember the names), and when that spy was identified, I laughed so loudly at the utterly right absurdity, I was afraid the fan gents would beat me up later.  Thankfully, they didn't.

It was so bittersweet to see beautiful Carrie Fisher 'act' in this film; I thought they did a terrific job of editing her into the movie, though there were maybe a couple of shots that looked a little 'green screen-y'.  But it was worth it to see her.  Oscar Isaac is all that and a bag of chips and my boyfriend Adam Driver was again mesmerizing.  I did wonder, however, how his costume change happened, but I digress.  Daisy Ridley is a strong beautiful role model for all of us and it again struck me, HARD, that the diverse, inclusive, kind folks were the ones having to fight for their literal existence against the group of beautifully groomed white men.  I overgeneralize, of course, but still.  I was satisfied with this last chapter, if not blown away, and I will look forward to what they dream up next.  

Last week, I picked up a discount ticket to see New York City Ballet; they were performing an evening billed as Stravinsky & Balanchine.  The program had three ballets that were entirely new to me, and one that I've seen before.  Side story:  I stopped at Starbucks on my way to the theater and I saw a NY celebrity chef standing in line for the bathroom.  All I could think was 'can't you afford to find a swankier bathroom, Mr. Celebrity Chef?'  I guess they had to go, but still.  Anyway.  When I got to the theater, the box office couldn't find my ticket.  Much to my chagrin, I saw that I actually had reserved my tickets for two nights earlier, which was weird, because I had a work event that night and couldn't have gone.  The box office gent was quite nice about it and said it happens all the time.  "Not to ME!," I said.  He very kindly found me another seat, though it took quite a while.  I was worried that the evening was sold out, but...no.  My row in the third ring turned out to be empty, other than me, so I had a nice quiet evening by myself, watching beautiful dancing.  Oh, and I was thrilled to see the orchestra was gorgeously conducted by Clotilde Otranto.  In fact, I was also quite impressed with the diversity of body types on stage as well.  Well done, NYCB, well done.  Moving on.

photo credit: Paul Kolnik

First up was "Danses Concertantes," a piece that was first choreographed in 1944, but Balanchine rechoreographed it in 1972 for the Stravinsky Festival.  It's quite a sweet and lively piece, that begins and ends with a parade, in front of a handpainted drop with Stravinsky's, Balanchine's, and Eugene Berman's (the costume and set designer) names on it.  There are four trios of dancers, all in different brightly colored costumes, doing very intricate choreography, not really interacting with each other per se, but definitely all had a lighthearted quality.  I enjoyed watching this a lot.

photo credit: Paul Kolnik

Next up were two brief ballets now always paired together: "Momumentum pro Gesualdo" and "Movements for Piano and Orchestra," both new to me.  The first piece was composed in 1960 by Stravinsky to honor Italian composer Don Carlo Gesualdo, the ballet was made soon after. I thought this piece was gorgeous - danced in rehearsal clothes, it was elegant, inventive and pretty hypnotic.  The stage pictures were simply amazing - there was one section where each couple did the same movement, but maybe two seconds apart, and I felt like I could feel the air move.  Balanchine's quote (here butchered by me, I think) that you should be able to see music and hear dance really came true for me during this piece.  And the end move is simply exquisite.  I would love to see it again.  After a brief pause, we saw mostly the same group dance "Movements for Piano and Orchestra," which was even more spare and exacting, but maybe a little less memorable.   I really enjoyed both ballets and look forward to seeing them again.

photo credit: Paul Kolnik

Last up was "Stravinsky Violin Concerto," which I have seen before (remind yourself of my thoughts on that performance HERE) and enjoyed again.  The violin soloist, Kurt Nikkanen, was fantastic, and I was very taken with new NYCB principal Joseph Gordon.  I felt much the same way about this piece as I did the last time I saw it, so I don't have a lot that's new to describe, but I will say that I noticed throughout the entire evening that there is a lot of the same flavor to the choreography of each Stravinsky composition.  There is a lot of arms stretching out with the wrist flexed, and feet moving from pointed to flex, as if the music stirred an off-kilter impression in Balanchine.  Or...I'm just full of it.  One or the other.  In any case, I had a lovely time, in my row all by myself, enjoying a beautifully conducted (by a woman!) orchestra with gloriously talented dancers.  A night to be savored.