The David H. Koch building/ “Concerto Barocco”/ “Kammermusik No.2″/ “Raymonda Variations” Tuesday April 18th, 2023.
Welcome back friends!
Yay!
Welcome this week, back to the dazzling world of ballet!
Yay!
And as we are in April, a month rich in wonderful ballet performances in NYC, welcome this week, to a truly, exciting, joyful, at times daring, and delightful neoclassical evening of 20th century NYCB ballet, to start off their Spring season.
Yay!
1)”Concerto Barocco” is a pure classical ballet wonder from 1941, set to gorgeous music (the double violin concerto in d minor), by German composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), and choreographed by the great Georgian-American George Balanchine (1904-1983), a master choreographer, considered as the most influential choreographer of the 20th century, interested in harmonious lines and interesting shapes and patterns.
Wow!
What a true short ballet delight, especially for those of us who especially enjoy neoclassical ballet.
A true joy.
Let’s listen to a few words by Corps de ballet Ashley Laracey, about the strength and unity necessary for the dancers to dance this piece with great technique and joy, whose movements are perfectly set to Bach’s music, and who dance it not only with their entire body, but also with their soul.
Enjoy!
And what beautiful, harmonious music by Bach.
Yay!
And principal dancers Unity Phelan and Tyler Angle, as was Ashley Laracey, were especially fun to watch, as they danced away with great ease, grace, charm and technique. And as always, they seemed to be truly enjoying themselves last Tuesday, as did the rest of the dancers on stage, who at times looked like charming fireflies to me.
Yay!
2)”Kammermusik No.2″ is a short, groundbreaking, witty, fun, speedy, original, unusually modern looking, 1978 ballet, set to disruptive and equally modern sounding music (written from 1923 to 1933), by late 19th early 20th century German composer Paul Hindemith (1895-1963), and choreographed as well, by the great Balanchine.
Wow and yay!
I especially loved the entertaining and highly interesting musical explanations, given to us by Music Director Andrew Litton, as a prelude to the ballet, to allow the audience to appreciate even better the ballet’s wonderful edgy and disruptive musical and movement intricacies, about to follow.
Yay!
I also especially enjoyed the quirky, playful, almost “mime like” movements of the eight men ensemble, dancing with great personality, to the orchestra.
And loved as well, the stunning, form fitting, abstract looking, and sleek costumes by Ben Benson.
Let’s listen to to few words from Emilie Gerrity about the technical difficulty of dancing “in canon”, and so close to her partner, without being swayed over by her close presence, and how much energy and concentration is required to do so, flawlessly.
Wow!
Enjoy!
Just mesmerizing.
And listen especially, to this truly fast paced, and modern sounding classical music piece, truly enhanced by Balanchine’s original, at times so unusual, and yet, neoclassical choreography.
Yay!
And 2 wonderful soloists, principal dancers Mira Nadon (left below) and Emilie Gerrity (right below), were dancing beautifully last Tuesday (except that personally, I would have liked to see more expression on their faces), and I was amazed at one point, by Nadon’s speedy and graceful recovery from a short unexpected “fall” (ballet is indeed a truly difficult art form, and this can happen at times).
That’s ok, it makes you appreciate even more its beauty.
Yay!
And Gerrity and Nadon were also respectively partnered with Harrison Coll and Aaron Sanz, and all 4 of them danced with great energy, to the complex and highly technical passages for piano, in counterpoint to the orchestra music.
Wow!
3)And now, let’s move on to a 1961 gem, adapted from a longer and illustrious 19th century “fairy” ballet, a 3 act classical ballet (which premiered in 1898): “Raymonda”, set to imaginative and romantic Russian music, reminiscent of works by (Pyotr Ilyich) Tchaikovsky, from Russian composer Aleksandr Glazunov (1865-1936), a student of another iconic Russian composer, Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908).
Wow!
And “Raymonda Variations” is/was, as the rest of the program featured last Tuesday, again choreographed by the incredibly gifted Balanchine.
Yay!
Also, keep in mind that Glazunov’s 1898 highly popular “Raymonda” ballet, was originally choreographed by French born, Marius Petipa (1818-1910), a dancer and especially a major ballet choreographer (who eventually became chief choreographer in 1869), who worked for nearly 60 years in Russia, at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg.
Wow!
Petipa had a profound influence on ballet and on modern classical Russian ballet repertoire (and on Balanchine of course), and directed many of the greatest artists in Russian ballet.
Wow!
Other great ballets choreographed by iconic Petipa include amongst others, notably, by Austrian composer, Ludwig Minkus (1826-1917), his “Don Quixote” (1869), and his “La Bayadère” (1877).
Wow!
Petipa also choreographed great ballet revivals such as by French composer, Léo Delibes (1836-1891), his “Coppélia” (1884 and 1894), or by French composer Adolphe Adam (1803-1856), a great revival in 1903 of the most important ballet of that era (to me), his “Giselle” (1841), as well as earlier a revival in 1899 of (also by Adam), his terrific “Le Corsaire” (from 1856).
Wow!
So to sum it up, Glazunov’s 1898 “Raymonda”, is one of the great classical “fairy” ballets, comparable in stature to Adams’ original 1841 masterpiece, “Giselle”, or to Tchaikovsky’ iconic and equally foundational ballets, 1876 “Swan Lake”, or 1889 “The Sleeping Beauty”, or even 1892 “The Nutcracker” ballets.
Wow!
These days though, ballet companies from around the world generally prefer (but not always), to show excerpts or “variations” from the full 3 act ballet, and feel, as Balanchine did in 1961, that the ravishing, joyful and playful (Glazunov) music, as he believed: “is enough for me to carry the plot of the dances”.
Hence the “Raymonda Variations”.
Wow!
Yet, the full-length “Raymonda” ballet, though initially choreographed by Petipa (as mentioned previously), has been revived many times throughout its performance history. The most noted productions being staged by Mikhail Fokine for the Ballets Russes (1909), Anna Pavlova for her touring company (1914), George Balanchine and Alexandra Danilova for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo (1946), Konstantin Sergeyev for the Kirov Ballet (1948), Rudolf Nureyev for American Ballet Theatre (1975), and for the Paris Opera Ballet (1983), Yuri Grigorovich for the Bolshoi Ballet (1984), Anna-Marie Holmes (in a 2-act redaction) for the Finnish National Ballet (2004), a version which was then staged for American Ballet Theatre (2004) and the Dutch National Ballet (2005).
Wow!
Yet for fun, what is Glazunov’s “Raymonda”‘s original ballet plot about?
The original story is set in medieval times in the 12th century, during the Crusades. The title character, the bewitchingly beautiful aristocratic Raymonda, is about to celebrate her birthday, as the arrival of foreign nobles in Raymonda’s castle is announced.
Oh boy.
René de Brienne enters the hall together with other knights. He asks for Raymonda’s hand in marriage on his son’s behalf, and presents her with a tapestry portrait, depicting his son, Jean de Brienne.
Aww.
The arrival of other guests is announced, when Abderakhman, a Saracen sheikh, decisively enters the hall. He is unable to tear his eyes away from Raymonda, and resolves to do anything in order to have her.
Oh boy.
The party lasts late into the night. Alone and exhausted, Raymonda sits down in a chair, and falls asleep.
Oh boy.
Raymonda, then finds herself in a “dream” torn between the love of both men, and receives, as well in her “dream”, a terrible warning from the legendary and mysterious ghostly “White Lady”, that her life is in danger.
Oh boy.
As Raymonda wakes up, she impatiently awaits the arrival of Jean de Brienne, but Abderakhman approaches her again and again, with his passionate and ardent declarations of love. He promises her inestimable riches and supreme control of his lands, anything she desires. Having been refused, Abderakhman attempts to abduct Raymonda, but his path is barred by Jean de Brienne.
Oh boy.
Jean de Brienne then, challenges the sheikh to a duel, and Abderakhman dies, slain by the knight’s sword.
Oh boy.
Jean and Raymonda then, finally get married.
Aww.
A tad corny perhaps, but who cares!
Yet, Balanchine wasn’t enamored with the storyline of the original “Raymonda” ballet (so typical of 19th century ballets), and which I must say, still, despite or because of, its “old fashioned” and yes a tad “dated” style, yet personally, these 19th century ballets, (including “Raymonda”), do still entertain me, in particular, because of the often great supernatural elements exuding from it.
Yay!
Balanchine preferred to streamline this gorgeous ballet, and create a shorter and still, wonderfully delightful adaptation in 1961, as mentioned previously, entitled “Raymonda Variations”.
Yay!
And I particularly loved watching last Tuesday, the 18th century, “Rococo” looking set design, or scenery, by Horace Armistead (1898-1980), a British born, American painter, best known for his set and costume designs for a variety of plays, ballets, and operas in the 1930s through the 1950s.
Wow!
Of course, this 18th century “Rococo” looking set design, reminded me of French painter, Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806), and his illustrious “Progress of Love” series (now part of the Frick Madison collection in NYC), in particular his 1771-73 “The Meeting” work.
Yay!
That series of paintings is one of the most powerful evocations of love, and interestingly was owned first, by none other than, wait for it, the Comtesse du Barry (1743-1793), the last mistress of French king, Louis XV, also known as Louis the “Beloved” (1710-1774).
Of course.
How fun to pay homage to Fragonard’s iconic and delightful series of “love” paintings.
Yay!
So as mentioned previously, instead of the full “Raymonda” ballet, last Tuesday, we were equally thrilled to admire Balanchine’s stunning “Raymonda Variations” featuring 10 plotless “scenes”, set to Glazunov’s gorgeous music, and perfectly conducted as always, by NYCB Music Director, Andrew Litton.
Yay!
And my current favorite NYCB principal ballerina, for her unending grace and charm, in addition to a superb technique, Megan Fairchild, was particularly mesmerizing to watch as “Raymonda”, especially while dancing with great joy, alongside the wonderful Anthony Huxley, as Jean de Brienne (in my mind).
Yay!
Let’s listen now, to what the equally spectacular dancer and choreographer, Lauren Lovette, had to say a few years ago, about the “Raymonda Variations”: how fast and “lyrical”, dancers need to be, where everyone (corps de ballet as well as principals), all equally matter, which makes everyone stronger, and what wonderful passion she finds in the beautiful, simple and moving “Pas de deux” choreographed by the great Balanchine.
Wow!
Enjoy!
And listen especially, to the unbelievably romantic and awesome Glazunov music, I just love it!
Yay!
So, to sum up my feelings, about the featured “All Balanchine” neoclassical program, admired last Tuesday, in great company: what extraordinary, stunning, striking, quintessential, sleek, NYCB 20th century Balanchine choreographies, set to an array of superb and varied classical music by German or Russian iconic composers.
Wow!
Just awe-inspiring.
Not to be missed!
Until next time friends!
Soft…
Fluttering…
Sunny…
Joyful…
Happy…
Loving…
Eternal butterflies 😊