Another night, another interesting triple from the New York City Ballet. I do wish they'd stop putting out a continuous, near unbroken stream of Balanchine, they have so much more variety in their rep, but on the plus side they do dance his work extremely well.
Up first was the spectacular and spectacularly uninteresting "Donizetti Variations". An overlong party piece with lots of fun but also extensive longueurs. The central pas de deux is a classic, a peasant "Tchaikovsky Pas de deux" of sorts, but the endless flitting about of the small corps brought little but yawns. Megan Fairchild and Joaquin de Luz were perfect as the central couple. Both delivered strong solos and de Luz's partnering is gorgeously devotional, the pair achieving their best when together. I don't fully understand why the NYCB continue to revive these samey Balanchine fluff ballets (they don't even sell well) but this was pleasant enough I suppose.
Up next was the polar opposite, "In Memory Of...", a ballet that has grown on me immensely since I last saw it and I have no doubt will continue to reveal depth with every viewing. Wendy Whelan truly embodies this fragile girl who is so painfully captured by the creepy Ask la Cour before conjuring spirit raising wonderment in the final transfiguration sequence. A non-narrative work that cries out with emotion, the Berg music and Robbin's choreography perfectly in tune. A stunning ballet that captures what dance can really be about.
"Firebird" is what it is and my only regret is that even Balanchine couldn't quite capture the impact of the music in his choreography. The best of his material is for the Firebird herself, a role that Ashley Bouder delivers with a powerful energy and oodles of sex appeal, but too much of the evening is lost on vaguely trying to tell a story that doesn't make much sense without a synopsis (and even less sense in Balanchine's pared back version). The Chagall cloths are eye-poppingly beautiful, particularly the front drops, and the costumes delectably overblown. Stravinsky's monumental music was capably if not superbly played by the NYCB Orchestra under Clotilde Otranto, not lacking for volume but rhythmic clarity was not always a highlight. A strong performance of a work that never quite achieves the genius it aspires to (but comes very close).
A very interesting triple with some great performances, Whelan and Bouder absolutely stunning. I'd love to see the NYCB perform fewer of Balanchine's party pieces but they're pleasant enough in a forgettable sort of way. Still one can't complaint, performing a dozen works every week, this is a season of riches.
(Review of Performance on Thursday, January 26th, 2012 at the David H. Koch Theater)
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