Jeannette Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 I traveled to sunny Costa Mesa, California, for last night’s premiere of Alexei Ratmansky’s new full-evening ballet, titled Of Love and Rage. I’ll prepare a true report on all three casts, upon return home. For now, suffice to say that the ever-inventive Ratmansky has created a new huge hit for ABT and the opening-cast lead ballerina, Catherine Hurlin, is on a rocket path to stardom, with her leading gent, Aran Bell, also quite impressive. In a secondary lead male role, crazy & charismatic James Whiteside almost stole the show! All production elements blend together in a delicious meal - elegant yet substantive decors, choreographic compositions, lighting, that lovely Khachaturian score (mostly from his 1940s Gayane). Ratmansky & his team somehow manage to make sense of a truly cockamamie tale; for example, the work culminates in a battle scene between Babylonians and Egyptians...set to the famous Sabre Dance (!). Every ancient western civilization seems to make an appearance here....yet, it works and is great fun, with moments of sublimity. Christine Schevchenko and Tom Forster lead tonight’s 2nd cast, with Hee Seo and Calvin Royal the 3rd on Saturday night. I’ll try to report on all upon my return home on Monday. What a ballet! Excited to read other opinions on this from this initial run or the Met season in NY, in a couple of month’s time. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 Many thanks for that report, Jeannette; this sounds like so much fun! Just what we all need right now... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Macmillan Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 For anyone who has missed it, there's a substantial background/preview article from the LA Times at the top of this morning's Links. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted March 6, 2020 Author Share Posted March 6, 2020 Adding to the initial report: I meant to say that Ratmansky has peppered this ballet with many small solo, duo and trio moments for Corps dancers. For instance, young corps member Courtney Shealy shined in the bit role of Plangon - servant to Dionysius (the James Whiteside character) - in which she performs a sprightly character solo to music that’s famous in the old Soviet-Kirov ballet Gayane...made famous by Tatyana Vecheslova as Nune. Many of us have seen and loved that treasure of a film. I thought of Vecheslova as I watched Shealy...the new Vecheslova! In so many ways, Ratmansky is unconsciously (or consciously?) honoring the memories of great 20th-C Soviet dancers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 8 hours ago, Jeannette said: Christine Schevchenko and Tom Forster lead tonight’s 2nd cast, Woo, second cast! I definitely look forward to hearing about that one - haven't seen much about Forster recently. This sounds fascinating, but I don't imagine it will ever reach these shores ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 6, 2020 Share Posted March 6, 2020 From the link which Ian mentions: “Christine and Thomas are more experienced. They’re like late bloomers,” Ratmansky said. “It’s only last season that both of them started to really shine with everything they did on the stage. So, this is an exciting couple.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted March 6, 2020 Author Share Posted March 6, 2020 (edited) Forster is a dancer who many of the “ABT regular fans” have long admired but for whom opportunities in top roles don’t come often. This is one of those rarities. Just think of all of great ballets in the ABT repertoire that could tour to the UK - this, Harlequinade, Whipped Cream...just naming the full-evening Ratmansky works. Edited March 6, 2020 by Jeannette 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted March 6, 2020 Author Share Posted March 6, 2020 9 minutes ago, alison said: From the link which Ian mentions: “Christine and Thomas are more experienced. They’re like late bloomers,” Ratmansky said. “It’s only last season that both of them started to really shine with everything they did on the stage. So, this is an exciting couple.” Ratmansky is a big reason why Forster is blooming. Also the Cathy Marston ballet, Jane Eyre. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted March 7, 2020 Author Share Posted March 7, 2020 (edited) 11 hours ago, alison said: Woo, second cast! I definitely look forward to hearing about that one - haven't seen much about Forster recently. This sounds fascinating, but I don't imagine it will ever reach these shores ... Forster and Shevchenko were exquisite last night. I particularly enjoyed their solo work - both have incredible jumps and well-centered turns. Forster’s feet and leg lines are so textbook perfect! In the many acrobatic adagios and other pdd work, they were a tiny bit more labored than Hurlin/Bell, eg, one of the high “torch lifts” came down a bit early. Most of the secondary solos were better cast at the first night, with the major exception of Zhongjin Fang as Dionysius’ maid dancing to the aforementioned Vecheslova music. Fang danced with the attack and accents of a woman possessed! An unintendedly funny scenic blooper occurred last night at the start of Act II. As the curtain goes up, depicting a large wall across the back of the stage, one could see that two stagehands in black had remained at the top of the wall. As the character Mitridantes performed a dance with his guards, it was hilarious to spot the two heads slowly slinking down until they were out of view...sort of like the Mistake Waltz In Jerome Robbins’ The Concert, when one girl turns the wrong way & tries to correct it by slowly shifting to the right direction, drawing even more attention to the error. Hey, it’s live theatre! Edited March 7, 2020 by Jeannette 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted March 7, 2020 Author Share Posted March 7, 2020 Unfortunately, Calvin Royal is out of tonight’s 3rd-cast performance, with Hee Seo. Replacement not yet announced...hopefully Seo can go on with understudy-new partner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted March 8, 2020 Author Share Posted March 8, 2020 As I sit at the Costa Mesa airport, awaiting my flight home - After four performances of this masterpiece, I have so many thoughts racing through my mind, first and foremost Ratmansky’s ingenious use of the corps de ballet throughout the two hours of solid dancing. I promise a detailed analysis here in the coming days. I owe it, if anything, to the glorious corps that delighted in the plethora of small- and large-scaled ensembles...for, despite the fabulous soloists, THEY - the ladies & gents of the corps - are the true stars of this work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted March 10, 2020 Author Share Posted March 10, 2020 (edited) Alexei Ratmansky has peppered Of Love and Rage with rich and substantive dancing for both male and female corps de ballet. This is not a traditional classical full-evening work in which the corps spends 50% of the time on stage milling about, waving arms at the soloists. From the very beginning, in which a mass grouping of ladies pays homage to a bust of Aphrodite in inventive patterns, to the end, when all villagers form interesting “couples” formations to celebrate the reconciliation of the ballet’s heroes (Callirhoe and Chareas…C & Ch) the ABT corps is forever active. A highlight of their work is lots of same-sex partnering and men-lifting-men…in some cases, men throwing men. Scene by Scene Description of the main corps de ballet segments in ABT’s Of Love and Rage – ACT I Sc 1 – Town square in Syracuse (south coast of modern Sicily)…notice that not a single scene of the story takes place in Greece-proper…but the dancers are magnificent in it, regardless of anachronisms! - Hymn to Aphrodite – 12 female corps in mass groupings before C and her unnamed maid – wonderful Luciana Paris at 1st cast – join them. - Entrance of Ch and his buddies – The male corps not only carries Ch in on their shoulders but the men who follow form interesting cluster patterns as if to declare, “Make way for the guys!” Note that one of Ch’s buddies is the character Polycharmus, who gets a lot of virtuosic dancing moments throughout the ballet (in the 1st cast, the brilliant Tyler Maloney) - Corps pleads to the feuding fathers to allow C and Ch to marry…very Romeo & Juliet-like! The dads agree and the lovers exchange silver “wedding bracelets.” - Wedding of C and Ch’s Festivities, with most of the corps “pairing off” and dancing gorgeous choreography that complements that of C and Ch. In this segment, there’s an interesting pas de trois for C’s maid and two male attendants (Luciana Paris and two guys unnamed in the playbill) Sc 2 – Garden outside C and Ch’s house, Syracuse - Interesting dances-patterns for the three scheming suitors, who are angry that C and Ch married. In the 1st cast, their leader was Joseph Gorak, with Duncan Lyle and Eric Tamm – all so effectively nasty while performing amazing steps! - Corps of villagers’ beautiful pdd “pairings” after Ch brings C’s apparently-lifeless body out to the garden (after which C is carried off by four corps men, reminiscent of Sleeping Beauty) Sc 3 – Inside a Tomb beside the Ionian Sea, Syracuse - (One of my favorite moments in the ballet) Procession of Mourners into the tomb, forming ever-changing patterns while in rows…like figures on Greek vases…reminding me a bit of Nijinska-like patterns in Les Noces or even at the end of Ashton’s Apparitions (in which he surely copied his mentor Nijinska). - Dance of the Five Pirates, as they enter the tomb, raiding it for treasure, then finding the living Callirhoe. Some great steps for the leader, Theron (at 1st cast, Aaron Scott). Theron and his crew cart C on board their big ship, to sell C to Dionysius of Miletus…as Ch and his buddy enter the tomb to find C gone…they follow the ship to Miletus (not sure if they have their own boat to travel so far!). Sc 4 – Garden in the House of the nobleman Dionysius, in Miletus (area in SW Anatolia/Turkey) - Dances for Dionysius’ Household (12 women) This includes an incredible segment, during the wedding festivities, in which the 12 women, led by Courtney Lavine in front, form a “diamond” pattern, then shift position to a "square" patterns, by slowly hopping on the flat of one foot as the other is elevated in an attitude-passe. - Celebratory dances, including Pas de Trois for Dionysius’ confidante, Plangon (Courtney Shealy in cast 1 or Zhong-Jing Fang in cast 2 – both fabulous), with two male attendants (Luigi Crispino and Joao Menegussi, both impressive in cast 1). This is the dance to the lilting Khachaturian tune danced by Tatyana Vecheslova-Nune in the famous Soviet film of the condensed Gayane. ACT II Sc 1 – Inside the city wall, at the court of Mithridates (king of Pontus, I assume; this is in northern Turkey, on the Black Sea coast) - Dance of Mithridates’ Six Guards and their leader (wonderful Marshall Whitely) - Entrance of the Chained Slaves, including Chareas and Polycharmus – this part is all very Spartacus, even the way that they dance, each with a short chain binding the hands together. - The Dream Scene – after Mithridates spots the expensive silver “wedding bracelet” on Chareas, he ask the slave to explain his situation, which leads us to The Dream Scene, with the walls of Pontus parting to reveal Callirhoe and her entourage in a garden…another lovely pdd, as the corps dances inventively behind the main couple. - Dance of Mithridates (Cory Stearns, wonderful at 1st cast)and his six harem beauties, a.k.a. “Ladies in Red” - The Danced Dispute between Dionysius and Mithridates over Callirhoe…as the corps of guards and “Ladies in Red” dance pdd’s in unison behind the stars. Dionysius and Mithridates agree to take this dispute to the Court of Arbitration, just “down the road” in Babylon (the group walks off from the Black Sea coast to the middle of modern Iraq…check the map – over 2,000 km – 1,362 miles – from Istanbul to Baghdad; it’s theatre – time to suspend disbelief!) Sc 2 – Inside the Ishtar Gates of the Kingdom of Babylon, at the court of the unnamed “King and Queen of Babylon” - (my other favorite “corps moment” of this ballet!) – Dance of the Six Babylonian Guards (in sea-green long Georgian-style coats!) – This is the dance that everyone will remember in this ballet, a tour de force for six virtuosi jumpers and turners, of which one performs the most amazing moves, such as grand jetes around the rest, leaps ending in slides to the floor, and spectacular tours a-la-seconde. The leader of the six is uncredited as such in the playbill, but it was Sung Woo Han at 1st cast. Bravo!!! - Dance of the Queen of Babylon (Kathleen Williams), two Ladies in Waiting (Courtney Lavine and Alexandra Basmagy) and six attendants – Wearing sea-green lame gowns dripping in gold beads that clang with every quick releve onto pointe…as the six corps ladies often clasp waists and perform in a manner similar to Petipa grouping such as Cygnets in Swan Lake or the Lilac Attendants in Sleeping Beauty. - Corps reactions to the Court of Arbitration, as Dionysius and Mithridates state their cases… a real highlight of the ballet (James Whiteside and Cory Stearns led this at 1st cast) - “Jealousy” Pas de Huit, as the corps dances in pairs in the background, as yet another powerful man – this time the King of Babylon – falls for Callirhoe…so a “Jealousy pas de huit” danced by the Queen with the 2 attendants, Dionysius alone, Chareas with Polycharmus, and the King with Callirhoe. Ratmansky at his most inventive in allowing dance to speak (no mime). Sc 3 – Battlefield in Babylon, where the Egyptian Army attacks (the army of Ptolemaic Egypt must have had good means of transport; it’s not that close from Alexandria to Babylon!) - Battle Dance #1 to the famous Sabre Dance of Gayane – Chareas, having been rejected by the King of Babylon, finds himself leading the Egyptian Army versus Dionysius at the head of the Babylonians. Lots of amazing leaps and falls for the male corps! - A lull in the fighting, as the Babylonian Court Ladies and Callirhoe sneak onto the battlefield to watch…. - Battle Dance #2 – More amazing leaps and falls by the male corps until Egypt Victorious, as Chareas is hoisted by his army! Sc 4 – Reconciliation Scene (assume we’re still in Babylon, as the ruined stones of the battlefield are still there…but the citizens of Syracuse are miraculously there to celebrate!) - The Swan Lake Moment: Chareon searches for his beloved Callirhoe among the bodies of the Babylonian women, who are reclining in clusters among bits of marble ruins. He moves from cluster to cluster and cannot find his wife…until Callirhoe calls out to him. There follows the Reconciliation PDD. - Forgiveness Finale – beautiful poses and lifts by the townspeople (friends of C & Ch) as Dionysius and his loyal lady Plangon present C & Ch with their child. Much joy as all is forgiven and the curtain drops. Edited March 10, 2020 by Jeannette clarity 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridiem Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 It sounds amazing, Jeannette! Thanks for all the info. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted March 11, 2020 Author Share Posted March 11, 2020 1 hour ago, bridiem said: It sounds amazing, Jeannette! Thanks for all the info. You're most welcome! The amazing thing is that all of the above happens in less than two hours of performing - 60 minutes for AI and 45 minutes for A2. Doesn’t feel like it, it moves along so quickly. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrewCo Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 Thank you Jeannette for these detailed reports. I don't think I will get to see this for some time, but I would LOVE to do so! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted March 14, 2020 Share Posted March 14, 2020 What a wonderful review Jeannette. Thanks so much, and please keep them coming (once things are back to normal!). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted March 14, 2020 Author Share Posted March 14, 2020 2 hours ago, Sim said: What a wonderful review Jeannette. Thanks so much, and please keep them coming (once things are back to normal!). Thanks, Sim. Alas, the next planned trip (Sarasota R&J) is a no-go. Hopefully, my “second chance” at Sarasota, at the end of April - Dante Sonata/ Bintley’s Spider’s Feast / In the Night - will happen. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted March 18, 2020 Author Share Posted March 18, 2020 (edited) On 14/03/2020 at 06:47, Jeannette said: Thanks, Sim. Alas, the next planned trip (Sarasota R&J) is a no-go. Hopefully, my “second chance” at Sarasota, at the end of April - Dante Sonata/ Bintley’s Spider’s Feast / In the Night - will happen. Further update: No Dante Sonata 3ple bill in April, as the rest of Sarasota’s home season was canceled today. ABT’s wonderful Of Love and Rage was “it” for me in 2019/20. 😃 Edited March 18, 2020 by Jeannette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted March 18, 2020 Share Posted March 18, 2020 Hmmm Bintleys Spiders Feast sounds like one I might need to avoid 😳 Seriously thanks for all the detail of this new Ratmansky ballet sounds great. I wish ABT would come to UK but looks like one of these days I'll just have to get to them instead. Sorry to hear the Sarasota news for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted June 19, 2022 Author Share Posted June 19, 2022 (edited) Bumping up this thread, as ABT prepares to FINALLY premiere OF LOVE AND RAGE (Ratmansky/Khachaturian) in NYC…a full two years + three months after I witnessed those magical preview performances in California! It will be interesting to finally read professional reviews… beyond that by Robert Greskovic of the Wall Street Journal who seems to have been the only “regular” to have made the trip from NY to Calif back then. Scroll up to my 10 March 2020 post above, for a play-by-play refresher on the corps scenes…and earlier for the soloists and overall thoughts. How will the ballet fare tomorrow/next week? Has Ratmansky made alterations? Will the A2 “Dance of the Six Babylonian Guards” stop the show in NY, as it did in Costa Mesa? One sad truth: James Whiteside - nearly stealing the show in the role of Dionysius in 2020 - won’t be dancing this time, due to a serious injury. 😢 Toi, Toi, Toi to all in this exciting NYC premiere! Edited June 19, 2022 by Jeannette 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannette Posted June 21, 2022 Author Share Posted June 21, 2022 The NY Times’ Gia Kourlas loved Of Love and Rage…crazy story snd all! https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/21/arts/dance/review-ratmansky-of-love-and-rage.html?smid=url-share Hopefully all can read this. As I’m a NYT digital subscriber, I can share a few articles each month. Fingers crossed! (It will also be in our Links soon ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 46 minutes ago, Jeannette said: The NY Times’ Gia Kourlas loved Of Love and Rage…crazy story snd all! https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/21/arts/dance/review-ratmansky-of-love-and-rage.html?smid=url-share Hopefully all can read this. As I’m a NYT digital subscriber, I can share a few articles each month. Fingers crossed! (It will also be in our Links soon ) As in tomorrow - already culled ready! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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