Rep 1 of Pacific Northwest Ballet's Digital Season

[Jeannette]

PNB’s opening digital program was a delight! I had no problems accessing it...sharp, crisp, clear sight and sound. 

 

The dances offered a mix of traditional ballet (bits of Swan Lake, Jewels and Robbins’ DAAG), modern ballet (the late Albert Evans’ One Body -  gorgeous male solo by the elegant Christopher D’Ariano) and perhaps too much time devoted to non-balletic modern dance (including a 15-minute solo to a mixture of Bach & ‘80s rock that seemed to never end). Why? - in a 75-minute program, why? Sigh.

 

but...

 

Heck, it was a start & I loved seeing the dancers in their main theatre in downtown Seattle. AND the remaining five programs between now and June 2021 will feature complete classical works, such as Balanchine’s Coppelia and Maillot’s Romeo&Juliet, so I’m a happy camper.

 

Favorite moment for me: The “bracelet solo” from Emeralds, performed by PNB’s quintessential Romantic ballerina Leta Biasucci. She captured that Violette Verdi Spirit perfectly!

Edited October 16, 2020 by Jeannette

[Cherilyn]

In case any of you are wondering what this strange new world of digital ballet seasons feels like, here's my thoughts on PNB's Rep 1 opener.

[Jan McNulty]

Thanks Cherilyn.

 

 

[alison]

I've moved Jeannette's response to the programme to this thread as well for ease of access.

[SheilaC]

I was slightly disappointed by the programme, given the company is one of my favourites. I enjoyed the Jewels excerpts, although I was surprised that the Diamonds pas de deux, which Sarah Lamb danced so well in the Royal's streaming, wasn't included. But I was very impressed by Lucien Postlethwaite in the opening solo of Dances at a Gathering. He performed it so much better than in the recent Royal performances, much like Johan used to. It's very unusual for an opening section of a ballet, seemingly tentative at first and very atmospheric, it must take a lot of confidence to pull it off.

[Cherilyn]

8 hours ago, SheilaC said:

I was surprised that the Diamonds pas de deux, which Sarah Lamb danced so well in the Royal's streaming, wasn't included.

 

I'm thinking this choice was made due to sanitary precautions; they didn't even touch hands during the bows!

[Cherilyn]

13 hours ago, Jeannette said:

perhaps too much time devoted to non-balletic modern dance (including a 15-minute solo to a mixture of Bach & ‘80s rock that seemed to never end). Why? - in a 75-minute program, why? Sigh.

 

Modern is definitely not my preference either, but to be fair, 15 out of 75 minutes is only 20 percent of the program. I think being just one piece, and a solo to boot, made those fifteen minutes feel really dense!

[Jeannette]

2 hours ago, The Traveling Ballerina said:

 

Modern is definitely not my preference either, but to be fair, 15 out of 75 minutes is only 20 percent of the program. I think being just one piece, and a solo to boot, made those fifteen minutes feel really dense!

 

If you add up the rest of the truly moderns - not the two balletic moderns, One Body and Red Angels - it was way more than 20% - more like 50%. Not just all of the second half of the show except for the 4-minute finale of Red Angels at the very end, but also, in the first half, the two excerpts from FOIL: the three women with naked backs, facing backstage and moving arms...and the solo by the woman surrounded by corps members carrying a lit coronavirus cluster in each hand (or so it appeared). Like you, I was happy to finally see the words “Swan Lake” flash across the screen.

 

The 15-minute dopey MOPEY was just the worst of them. However, I appreciate the effort and am thrilled that this company is back on its feet. Hence, the overwhelming feeling at the end of the show was   delight...and hope, in the knowledge of what’s being offered in the five other regular-season programs. In sum, my money well spent, in the long run.

Edited October 17, 2020 by Jeannette

[Ian Macmillan]

I can commend the substantial review by Rachel Howard for Fjord Review in today's Links.