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 American
Ballet Theatre
'Theme and Variations,' 'Tchaikovsky Pas de
Deux,' Mozartiana,' 'Ballet Imperial'
by Kate Snedeker
May 31, 2004 -- Metropolitan
Opera House, New York City
On the final Monday of May, American
Ballet Theatre's celebration of the the Balanchine Centennial continued
with a superb evening that showcased Balanchine's choreography to Peter
Ilyitch Tchaikovsky's music. The program included two ballets that have
long been in the company's repertory, "Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux"
and "Theme and Variations," as well as "Mozartiana,"
new to the repertory this season, and "Ballet Imperial," which
has returned after a long break. All four displayed the full range of
ABT's talents, showcasing both bravura dancers and the elegant "princes"
of the company.
The evening's most wonderful performances came from two of the company's
top soloists, the elegant David Hallberg and Carlos Molina. Hallberg and
Michelle Wiles led a solid performance of Balanchine's "Theme and
Variations," set by Kirk Peterson. Though Theoni Aldredge's pink
costumes give the ballet a candyland-like feel, it is replete with technical
challenges. Both Wiles and Hallberg were solid, with Hallberg's long lines
and beautifully pointed feet adding to his elegant performance. He sailed
through the tricky tour-pirouette sequence and was a gracious partner
to Wiles. A dancer who has been "one to watch" over the past
few seasons, Hallberg has come into his own this year. He is no longer
a prince-in-the-making, but a prince. David K.H. Elliott designed the
lighting.
The next ballet, "Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux" provided a change
of pace, with the company's newest principal dancer, Herman Cornejo, a
high flying cavalier for Ashley Tuttle. Cornejo seems to defy gravity
in his leaps, but yet has found the right blend of flash and control.
His jumps are breathtakingly high and his pirouettes stunningly fast,
but all clean and neatly finished. If the test of a real principal dancer
is the ability to not just do the fancy tricks, but to do them with control
and blend them seamlessly into the rest of the performance, than Cornejo
has passed with flying colors. Tuttle also delivered a satisfying and
nuanced performance, bringing out the emotion in Tchaikovsky's music.
Though there were a few rough edges in the partnering, the final dives
were completed without a hitch.
Elegance reigned in "Mozartiana," set on ABT this year by former
New York City Ballet dancer Maria Calegari. With her refinement and depth
of dancing, Nina Ananiashvili was perfectly suited to the main role. Each
footstep and each hand position seemed to have meaning, yet flowed into
a seamless whole. Angel Corella was a solid partner in the “Theme et Variations,”
but is perhaps not best suited for this role, which is more prince than
bravura. Though his beats were crisp and dancing tidy, he sometimes seemed
to be cramming more dancing into his solos than appropriate to the music.
Yet, the dancing was exciting and his obvious joy in performing always
makes him a pleasure to watch. Jesus Pastor, who joined the company last
fall, was crisp in the "Gigue." The costumes were designed by
Rouben Ter-Arutunian, who was also responsible for the ones in "Ballet
Imperial" and the lighting by Mark Stanley.
The evening closed with Balanchine's regal "Ballet Imperial,"
a piece originally choreographed in 1941 and wonderfully staged by Colleen
Neary. With chandeliers, glittering tiaras and rows of dancers in pink
and blue, it's a ballet full of visual and choreographic grandeur. Monique
Meunier was powerful in the secondary ballerina role, her dancing sure
and sweeping. As the lead ballerina, Gillian Murphy whipped off stunning
multiple pirouettes (quadruple, quintuple??) with nary a wobble. But the
real joy in this ballet was the understated, but most noble and elegant
performance of Carlos Molina. A dancer of the "prince" mold,
Molina has a long-limbed and beautifully proportioned body, his line unmarred
by the heavily-muscular thighs that many of the male dancers have developed.
Thus, his line seems to start in one finger tip and continue in one unbroken
sweep down to the tip of his toe.
Never one of the high-flying "boy wonders" of the company, it
seems that Molina has been allowed to develop slowly and carefully as
a solid and noble partner. In this performance, his elegance and gracious
partnering brought a surprising poignancy and emotionality to the ballet.
This was a cavalier who was honored and moved to be dancing with his ballerina
-- and this seemed to bring out the best in Gillian Murphy. The corps,
with Anna Liceica, David Hallberg, Maria Riccetto, and Ricardo Torres
as demi-soloists, came together for a rousing finale! Jennifer Tipton
lit the ballet.
Edited by Lori Ibay
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