The David H. Koch building/ “La Source”/ “Namouna, A Grand Divertissement” Wednesday May 3rd, 2023.
Welcome back friends!
Yay!
Welcome this week, once again, to the gorgeous world of ballet, to close my posts for this 2022-23 season, and prepare for the upcoming 2023-24 next cultural outings.
Yay!
And welcome this week, fittingly, to a 19th century, French, bubbly, witty, evening of 20th and 21st century NYCB ballet, as we keep moving along, further into their wonderfully varied Spring season, which was perhaps, to me, the most entertaining evening of the dancing season, so far.
Yay!
1)”La Source” as its title suggests, is a charming French classical ballet from the 19th century (1866). And the history of this French ballet is fascinating.
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Originally, “La Source” was choreographed by a French dancer, Arthur Saint-Léon (1821-1870), who also became in 1859, a ballet master for the Imperial Russian ballet.
Wow!
Saint-Léon spent his summers in Paris, once the dancing season was over in Russia, where he choreographed various works. And in 1866, he choreographed “La Source”, set to the gorgeous music of a relative newcomer to the world of ballet, iconic French composer, Léo Delibes (1836-1891).
Yay!
Delibes interestingly, had previously composed an acclaimed “pas des Fleurs”, in 1858, to be added to a ballet piece (1856 “Le Corsaire”) by Adolphe Adam (1803-1856), a French composer himself, especially illustrious for his musical composition of of the iconic 1841 “Giselle” ballet.
Wow!
And Delibes would later compose many other lasting ballets, such as “Coppélia (1870), or as well, “Sylvia” (1876).
Yay!
And eventually, Delibes’ and Saint-Léon’s 1866 “La Source”, was later revived, shortened, and choreographed, a little over a century later, by Balanchine (1904-1983), in 1969.
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And of course, it was choreographed, as often found with the great Balanchine, with fun, witty and joyful repeated patterns.
Yay!
And interestingly, initially, “La Source” is wonderfully imaginative 19th century, 3 act ballet, which tells a convoluted and charming love story:
Let me summarize it for fun: on her way to marry, a young and beautiful veiled princess, rests by a rocky desert, and admires a flower growing in an inaccessible spot, which a young hunter will pick for her.
Aww.
He asks as a reward, to see her face, but the angry princess orders then (to her entourage), that he be tied up, and left to his fate.
Oh boy.
However, a magical “enamored” nymph will rescue him, and help him win back the princess.
Aww.
By Act 2, we see wonderful entertainment (more dancing), offered to the guests of the upcoming wedding. The disguised hunter will then eventually “drop in” on the pre-wedding party, offer presents, and will ask the princess to choose one. The princess will choose a jewelled flower, and when the hunter throws it decisively on the ground, magically, a spring (“La Source”), will gush forth, and the rescuing “enamored” nymph, previously seen in the rocky desert, will also magically appear, and will woo/”entrance” the groom, who immediately, will ask the nymph to become his wife, which the nymph will agree to, only if he (the groom) dismisses first, the princess, which he (the groom) does.
Oh boy.
By Act 3, the young hunter still pursues the princess, who still, rejects him.
Oh boy.
The young hunter appeals to the nymph for help, who then tells him, that if he gets the princess to love him, the nymph herself will die.
Oh boy.
The hunter agrees, departs with his princess, and the spring dries up while the “enamored” nymph disappears.
Oh no.
Happy for the hunter, but so sad for the magical” enamored” nymph.
Oh no.
Yet again, here is another imaginative supernatural tale, involving magic and unrequited love, which can sometimes, lead to dire consequences.
Oh boy.
But Balanchine staged the initial plot in such a light hearted way, focusing mostly (in my opinion and imagination), on the love struck princess and “her” hunter, as they meet in the rocky desert, and making the nymph or water sprite, dance among other nymph “sisters”, beautifully, without any drama, that, therefore, this Balanchine rendition, remains joyful, stunning, fresh, fun, and most of all, extremely well performed, and super entertaining.
Yay!
And principal dancer Anthony Huxley, partnered again this week, with the vivacious Erica Pereira, with great stamina, charm, and unending grace, and were just a delight to watch.
Yay!
Let’s now admire, a short excerpt from a few years ago, of this highly poetic, uplifting, and quintessential Balanchine “La Source” ballet, performed by a different company, so you can get a sense of the gorgeous choreography, whether in the romantic “pas de deux”, or when performed by a greater ensemble of equally graceful and magical “nymphs”.
Enjoy!
Wow!
Just awesome.
And what gorgeous music by Delibes.
Yay!
2) “Namouna, A grand Divertissement” is another 19th century (1881-82) French ballet, set as well to incredibly striking, poetic, and unendingly romantic music, by French composer extraordinaire, Edouard Lalo (1823-1856), and choreographed at the time, by French dancer, Lucien Petipa (1815-1898), brother of iconic Marius Petipa (1818-1910), also a ballet master of the Russian Imperial ballet.
Wow!
Interestingly, the basis of the ballet’s scenario, stems from an illustrious autobiography, by 18th century Italian adventurer, Jacques Casanova (1725-1798), from his voluminous “Mémoires of J. Casanova”, which he started writing in 1789, until the original version was finally published, centuries later, between 1960 and 1962.
Wow!
Fast forward a few decades, and pause in 2012, at which time, illustrious Russian dancer, principal dancer with the Ukrainian National Ballet, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and the Royal Danish Ballet, Artist in Residence of the American Ballet Theater, and future Artist in Residence of the NYCB (in the fall of 2023), and choreographer, the very accomplished, Alexei Ratmansky (b. 1968), revived this iconic “Namouna, A grand Divertissement” ballet, shortened it, “transformed” it somewhat, into a humorous “pastiche”, involving for fun, multiple “Namounas”, which some evoked to me, the heroine of Georges Bizet’s (1835-1875) iconic 1875 “Carmen” opera (which at the time of its “release/premiere” initially, famously shocked audiences, until it eventually became one of the most critically acclaimed operas, which even the great Tchaikovsky, at the time of its initial premiere, foresaw).
Wow!
“Carmen” featured, as the original “Namouna” did, in addition to a few “high class” characters, other new and modern characteristics, mostly “common folk” / “verismo/every day” characters: in the case of “Namouna”, essentially slaves and pirates, and for “Carmen”, mostly gypsies, factory workers, smugglers etc…
Wow!
So, for fun, here is what the original “Namouna” plot was about:
Here again, it is another 3 act exotic ballet plot, filled with beautiful women, piracy, and adventures of all sorts.
In Act 1, as a count is gambling away with a lord, the lord having lost his money, stakes his ship, loses again, and then stakes his “favorite” slave, Namouna”. She pleads him not to do it, but the lord does it anyway.
Oh boy.
By the end of Act 1, as the gambling ends, with the count having won everything, the count then offers graciously and with chivalry, to Namouna, not only the ship and money won, but most importantly, her freedom.
Yay!
Namouna gratefully accepts.
Yay!
Later, Namouna, declares her love to the count, during a party, and gives him flowers.
Aww.
By Act 2, on an island, the count, Namouna, and others arrive by boat. The count follows a slave dealer as Namouna takes her veil away, revealing herself. She then, orders that gold and jewels be brought, and buys all the slaves.
Wow!
Her former companions remove their veils, dance, and at her request, leave. The count realizes that Namouna brought him to the island, out of affection, and women return offering flowers, to the happy pair.
Aww.
By Act 3, the lord reappears with pirates, makes the count prisoner, and refuses to free him. Namouna then, orders her friends to “wine up” the pirates and the lord. Once they are all drunk, Namouna then, frees the count, throws money at the bandits, and Namouna, the count, and their friends flee, to board their own ship.
Aww.
So, Ratmansky in 2010, in my mind, in order to modernize this exotic, a tad “passé” (slavery), and adventure filled initial “Namouna” 1882 ballet, and give it a fresh, funny, joyful, whimsical, optimistic expression, Ratmansky only kept from the plot in his choreography, the idea of a young man searching for his love, while paying homage with great musicality, wit and versatility to the universality and equality of all mankind, and to the utmost importance of freedom, liberation, and respect, via as previously mentioned, direct references to a great operatic masterpiece, Bizet’s iconic 1875 “Carmen”.
Yay!
And specifically, as an example of slapstick humor, decided to feature at one point, “smoking” liberated “women/”Namounas”, while dancing.
How provocative!
And this huge and beautiful ballet filled with joy and often great acrobatics, and even at times, great laughs, and often involving a great number of dancers, visibly thrilled all of them, all clad in gorgeous and almost futuristic looking costumes, by Mark Happel and Rustam Khamdamov.
Wow!
And a few dancers particularly stood out.
Yay!
As always, principal dancer Daniel Ulbricht, as the evil “lord” always surrounded by 2 slaves, was just electric, awesome, and incredibly acrobatic.
Wow!
And I was also especially awe-struck, by the dancing of a few others.
Yay!
Roman Mejia as the “count”, and Ashley Laracey, as one of the many “Namounas”, were both, literally on fire, giving it their all, with incredible passion, fun, and joy, to the audience’s delight.
Yay!
And as for Georgina Pazcoguin, she danced, especially the “Carmen-like smoking” passage, as another “Namouna”, as always, not only, with her unique amazing ballet technique, but also, by letting loose in her dancing, her free, joyful, and great sensuality.
Wow and yay!
And Sara Mearns, also, as another “Namouna”, was as well, just as beautiful to watch, also dancing as she typically does, not only, with great control, but also, while being visibly inspired.
Yay!
Let’s admire and listen now, to what she (Sara Mearns), has to say about learning a wonderfully striking solo from this ballet: how difficult it is to dance, and see how athletic, fast, and gorgeous it is:
Enjoy!
Wow!
So impressive and what beautiful jumps and floor work.
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So, to sum up my feelings, about the featured “Balanchine and Ratmansky I” program, which revived with great panache, and sometimes even as a pastiche, 2 former and illustrious 19th century classical ballets, admired last Wednesday, in great company: what joyful, athletic, artful, witty, whimsical, often funny, glorious, wonderful, NYCB 20th and 21st century choreographies, set to two stunning classical music gems, by iconic, romantic, and unendingly poetic, French composers.
Wow and yay!
Just awe-inspiring.
Not to be missed!
Until next time friends, at the beginning of next season!
Yay!
Soft…
Fluttering…
Sunny…
Joyful…
Happy…
Loving…
Eternal butterflies 😊