|
home
forum
magazine
features
reviews
interviews
events
links
gallery
whoweare
| | New
York City Ballet
at Saratoga Performing
Arts Center
by Kate
Snedeker
July 23 - 24, 2003
-- Saratoga Springs, New York
7/23/03 -- ‘Chaconne,’ ‘Carnival of
the Animals,’ ‘Symphony in Three Movements’
I seem to have brought the rain
to Saratoga with me. My last and only previous trip in 2000 coincided
with a massive day-long downpour that "swamped" the gala performance
and the earlier matinee. The rain held off during the actual performance
last night (7/23), but it's damp and looks like rain is coming this morning
(7/24).
“Chaconne” was well done though
it was not the best performance of the ballet I've ever seen. Some of
the dancing appeared a bit loose, not surprising since the SPAC [Saratoga
Performing Arts Center] stage is notoriously slippery and the very damp
weather was probably making it even worse. Amanda Edge and Antonio Carmena
stood out in their brief pas de deux – he has such exuberance in his dancing
and she was very precise.
The corps in “Symphony in Three Movements” was a bit ragged, but the three
main pairs were excellent. Jennifer Tinsley capably replaced Alexandra
Ansanelli, though she seemed to be a bit big to be paired with Tom Gold.
Wendy Whelan and Jock Soto were fabulous in the main pas de deux and
it was a joy to see Jared Angle back on stage.
The audience seemed to love "Carnival of the Animals," but I
thought it lost some of its punch at SPAC. First of all, Andrea Quinn
is apparently not here at SPAC, at least this week, and it didn't seem
like Richard Moredock was entirely comfortable with the score (which was
at least partially arranged by Andrea Quinn). In several sections, the
dancers and the music ended at different times, and the music didn't seem
to have enough energy & volume to fill the amphitheatre. Also, the
production seemed a bit overwhelmed by the SPAC stage, which appears to
be wider and deeper than the New York State Theater’s. There is very
little of a set in the ballet and, so, the stage needs to have a very
cozy feeling. Some of the sections seemed to lose effectiveness because
there was so much empty stage, and the music seemed distant and diffused
in the large amphitheatre.
Jennifer Ringer made her debut as the mother, a role which was originally
set on her before she was injured early in the spring season. Aaron
Severini also debuted as one of the mice, a role which I suspect was also
set on him (since the mice are the shortest corps men). Overall, though
not the best I've seen the ballet performed, it was delightful and the
dancers seemed to be having fun with their roles.
‘Coppelia’ -- 7/24/03 matinee
Megan Fairchild was delightful
this afternoon. She looked a bit tired by the end of the final pas de
deux, and I hope she has enough energy to get safely through the ballet
again this evening. She managed all the tricky steps, though with experience
there will be more flow. However, for a corps member in the company
less than two years, Fairchild did a tremendous job. She is really tiny,
and that may be an issue if she dances with Woetzel again tonight. Even
on pointe, she was shorter than Millepied and he had to lean way over
to set her back on pointe or lift her up from the waist. However, her
small figure made the leaps into Millepied's arms very dramatic and the
lifts were extra easy (at least they appeared that way).
Millepied, for his own part, was also in fine form. The stage was probably
quite slippery, as thunderstorms have been passing through all day, which
made his performance all the more impressive. I got the feeling that
like many of the dancers the strange stage set up was making him a bit
unsure of the placement of certain steps. The seats at SPAC stretch very
far to the sides, and, to allow the people in those side seats to see
the production the set is placed farther back on the stage. And, the
front three wings are undecorated and narrower as you go towards the front
of the stage -- the result being that the ballet seems rather distant
and the dancers seem not as sure how far forward to dance. They have
to dance farther forward than the set extends, and some exits are into
the forward wings. It must be very strange to dance way in front of
the set that normally is right next to you.
‘Coppelia' -- 7/24/03 evening.
Major kudos due to Megan Fairchild for TWO wonderful performances in “Coppelia.”
There were a few minor bobbles in the evening performance, but otherwise
a fine performance. Woetzel was in top form with stunning pirouettes
and double tours during his first and third act solos. It's amazing
how fast he rotates. At one point in the series of double tours that
snap to second position on the landings, he did a double tour-double tour-second
position, right into a perfectly balanced multiple pirouette. He also
made the most of the acting parts providing a different and intriguing
interpretation of the character of Franz. I did feel that there was
as much chemistry between Woetzel and Fairchild (he is nearly twice as
old as she) as there was with Fairchild and Millepied, but it didn't affect
the enjoyment of the ballet.
LaFosse was also excellent as Coppelius, showing more tenderness than
in previous performances this year. There was one fairly unnerving moment
in the second act when Austin Laurent, who was dancing the acrobat doll,
slipped very awkwardly going up into one of his high splits during his
solo. Something was clearly wrong and LaFosse spent a while talking to
him while "straightening" him out (after Swanilda's friends
had turned all the dolls on). Kudos to him for managing to sit through
the entire rest of the act, a good 15-20 minutes, as if nothing had happened.
Laurent did not reappear in the third act, and I hope it is not a serious
injury.
The third act solos were all well performed with Carrie Lee Riggins as
the Spinner, Aesha Ash and Seth Orza in Discord and War (Orza was ON in
the evening performance!), and Lindy Mandradjieff in the Dance of the
Hours. The final pas de deux had a few less than completely smooth moments
in the end, but Woetzel was a gracious and accommodating partner and Fairchild
danced with aplomb.
Edited by Jeff
Please join the discussion
in our forum.
| |
Archives
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
|
