| Nadine Lavi's Dance Notes "Highlights of ABT's Spring Season" |
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Well, there has been some remarkable dancing this season, notably at American Ballet Theater at the MET in NY for their annual spring season. In Le Corsaire, Paloma Herrera gave an ebullient performance as Medora; all flowing lines, ease and abandon, especially in the very romantic pas de deux at the Pirates’ Hideout in Act 2. She and David Hallberg, whose beautiful lines, very clean and pure technique, and elegant jumps give him a very commanding and royal air, danced beautifully and passionately. Angel Corella burst into the air and across the stage in arrow-sharp grand jetes as the Slave, and did eight pirouettes in his variation. When he did the last few in plie, the crowd went wild, shouting “Bravo!” after “Bravo!” This is a kind of signature step for Corella that no one else does and which never fails to thrill. His intensity as the Slave is also something to see; he takes the stage and commands it, so that this veritable “evening of tricks,” which is what Corsaire often seems like, is elevated to one of mastery, control and sublime characterization.
Daniil Simkin, replaced an injured Herman Cornejo as Lankedem, the Turkish Bazaar Owner who sells the slaves and he gave a masterful characterization. He was really believable as a selfish slave merchant, adding touches here and there that I have not seen others do with this role. That he takes each role, no matter how small, and makes something of it, shows a true artist at work. He revealed a new step during his variation, a kind of tour en l’air but with a twist – one leg was in passé as he jumped into the air, turning horizontally as easily as if he were relaxing high on a cushion of air, with each successive revolution landing softly before the next ascent. It was definitely a “sit up and take notice” moment, and Simkin always seems to be energized and alive on the stage, with a magnetism that is extremely compelling.
I must confess, though, that it is Paloma who always captures my attention in this ballet, because she dances with such abandon and freedom, such sensuality and skill, that it takes my breath away. In this ballet, and in several others, Romeo & Juliet and Swan Lake to name a few, she seems to embody a kind of ideal that one searches for but never quite finds in life, except on the stage in the vision of the calm, controlled, impassioned, free and silken beauty of her movements.
In Prodigal Son, Herman Cornejo amazed by taking this short ballet and turning it into a powerful dramatic scene that seemed to match Balanchine’s original intentions for the choreography. His technique was perfect as it always is, though in this ballet, the lead does not have that much to dance. It is from a combination of the dancing and the facial expressions and the carriage of his body, that we see the exuberant defiance of the young son leaving home turn to despair when the Siren has her way with him and then robs him of all his earthly possessions. Even when Cornejo was crawling across the stage on his knees making the long journey home, he made this inelegant movement one that was full of yearning and the impossible hope that he could return to his father’s favor again. It was an evening that stands out in the memory for the completeness of his performance. As the Siren, Michele Wiles showed a new command on stage that was very appropriate to the role, and the disparity in their heights only served to enhance the storyline.
That same evening, Gillian Murphy, who continues to grow as an artist each season, plumbing new depths for better and better performances, gave an excellent performance in Desir. Though I didn’t care for all of the choreography in this ballet, Murphy is always worth watching, for sheer technical ability, presence and her dramatic sensibility. In the same ballet, Isabelle Boylston and Cory Stearns had the best choreography in a sensual pas de deux, and Boylston’s feet were a focal point, though perhaps some coaching in terms of a more fluid upper body would be of use.
On the Dnieper, the new Alex Ratmansky ballet, was a welcome surprise. I didn’t expect anything to come close to reminding me of Onegin in terms of sheer quality, innovation of steps and storyline, but this ballet did. Marcelo Gomes seems to have been given the most fantastic steps, with many jumps with beats, pirouettes, and sudden changes in direction to illustrate his character’s frustration of being torn between Natasha, the woman he is promised to, and Olga, the woman he desires. He handled the choreography with skill and flair, and really imbued the character with a full spectrum of emotions that made his the central male character in this ballet.
As Olga’s jilted fiancé, David Hallberg gave him a run for his money though, tearing into the choreography with a wild-eyed look of anger-fueled desperation, all passion and fire. Hallberg gets more and more interesting on the stage; he delves into his characters deeply and makes the audience eager to see more and more. There is the sense of, “What beautiful and exciting thing is he going to do next?” The beautiful lines of his body and his handsome face are already a draw, but he doesn’t rest on his God-given gifts; rather he keeps pushing himself to grow, and in this ballet, though he had less on-stage time than Marcelo, it was his dancing, with its purity and cleanliness, its sharpness, and elasticity that made the greatest impression.
Veronika Part was simply beautiful as Natasha, and though I heard that in other casts the character of Olga was the most compelling, on this night, there was no contest. Part gave an incredibly moving performance, running the gamut of emotions from joy at the return of her betrothed, to despair, heartbreak, resignation, love and forgiveness – that at least her former fiancé should be happy, when she helps him run away with her rival, Olga. I had tears in my eyes by the end of her performance. With Part, it is so easy to speak in terms of absolutes; she has one of the most beautiful bodies on the stage today, and a lovely face, and a near perfect technique - with the kind of fluidity and effortlessness that one longs to see but often only dreams of, or has to resort to old footage of virtuoso dancers to find.
In this ballet, she made even the simplest steps clear and mesmerizing, her transitions – and this is the mark of excellent dancing – were clear and effortless, relaxed and easy; indeed, she looks much more relaxed on stage than usual. Happily, she was promoted to principal dancer this season, and that elevation seems to really be apparent in her confidence, ease, and the impetus to grow as an artist, that we have the privilege of seeing unfold before us.
When it comes to great dancing, one cannot ignore the great Herman Cornejo, and as Albrecht in Giselle, he was simply marvelous. Cornejo makes Albrecht a sympathetic character, unlike some other male stars at ABT, which has made me go from hating this ballet and the nobleman who ruins Giselle’s life, to loving it. Cornejo partnered an able Maria Ricetto, who replaced Xiomara Reyes at the last minute, and in fact, she did very well. But it was Cornejo who had my full attention, so much so, that I was crying at the end, because of the crescendo of emotions that he created and built throughout the story to, when at last, he mourned Giselle on her grave at the end of Act 2.
Albrecht’s variations are known for being fiendishly difficult in that one can see everything; one must be perfect in execution and characterization. The tours en l’airs, the beautiful revoltade and the other jumps must be so light – without any exertion or effort, yet at the same time, they must show that Albrecht is being forced to dance to his death by the Wilis, the ghosts of the unmarried maidens who haunt the forest at night. If the technical ability is anything less than great, then that is the end of the performance; Albrecht is simply not believable as a character. Fortunately, Cornejo’s tours en l’air remind me of those of only one dancer in history, Misha Baryshnikov, because that’s how great they are. To say that Cornejo is matchless in terms of technique is not an exaggeration, but fact. He did ten effortless pirouettes into an attitude turn, which takes enormous strength, focus and control, and then he went into his next variation – which such ease and facility and aplomb, that really it was one of the best performances I have ever seen.
There is still much to see at ABT; Paloma Herrera dances Odette/Odile in Swan Lake on June 25 in what is certain to be a wonderful performance and something I look forward to every year. For sheer technical facility and beauty, her performance in this role is not to be missed. More than any other dancer on the stage, she seems to really become a swan, transporting the audience to another realm. Veronika Part is dancing the role on June 26, and the beauty of the lines of her body in this role are beyond compare.
Herrera will dance Juliet in Romeo & Juliet on July 8th; this is really one of her most beautiful roles. And Herman Cornejo dances Romeo in Romeo & Juliet on July 10. There is much great dancing to be seen at ABT, but these in particular, are not to be missed.
copyright©NadineLavi2009 for Forum Artistico
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Well said Nadine.
I really think that, as New Yorkers, we are really lucky to have Herman Cornejo and Angel Corella in ABT.