New York City Ballet at Sadler's Wells Theatre, 7-10 March 2024

[Mary]

Lots of varied reactions, yes, to individual pieces,  and very enjoyable to read,  thank you all, but I would suggest there is also a common theme  and that is - slight disappointment  - and the fact that noone seemed to like all of it....

 

Not really what one would expect from a NYCB visit, is it?

 

I think we have all taken Bruce's amply-made point that this is not their normal fare.

 

 

 

 

[Sim]

I was at the Saturday matinee.  I really didn't like Rotunda.  Bland, boring, uninventive and unoriginal.  I quite liked the Peck piece that Australian Ballet performed here last August, but this just didn't hold my attention at all.  The costumes were hideous and the music dull and repetitive.  I am glad it was first;  had I stayed until the end and was served this I would have been very annoyed.

 

Duo Concertant was very well danced, as one would expect from this company, but it was as much a live concert as a piece of dance, and it was way too short.  This was almost a cursory nod to their founding choreographer before they could get on with the rest of it, and I felt cheated.  

 

Much to my surprise, because I couldn't stand the Tanowitz that the RB did last season, I liked Gustave .  When the curtain rose to reveal four tall ladies in long red costumes, I thought 'uh oh, the Hand Maid's Tale.'  But no.  I thought the costumes here were interesting and the choreography quite clever and really well danced.  Not sure about the moving piano, but maybe it signified opposites or the circle of life or something.  Who knows?!  What I WOULD like to know is who (if anyone) Gustave Le Gray is!

 

Love Letter (on shuffle) - I liked this much more than I was expecting to.  It was nice to see a costume that was actually a costume, that brought some fun and colour to the stage.  The choreography had quite a lot of classical ballet steps in it, but I agree with others that perhaps hip hop and classical ballet don't blend too well.  If I ever, ever, even think of going to a piece of dance using James Blake's music again, please tie me to a chair.  It is whiney, sameish, and here played way too loudly.  A real assault on the ears.  I am sure I would have liked this much more if it had been choreographed to different music.

 

NYCB was the company that first hooked me into ballet.  When I was a little four year-old girl, my mother took me to see The Nutcracker, which she then did every year.  I loved it, and when I was older started seeing them in many more things.  My parents were at the premiere of Jewels (I was too young at the time).  So, seeing this company again after such a long time should have been an emotional and exhilarating experience for me.  Instead, 'meh' was about the most positive thing I could come up with.  To be back in London after such a long absence, and to serve up this programme, was a real disappointment for me.  Why not do a Balanchine that shows us more of the company than two dancers?  Why not bring a Robbins?  I had an American lady sitting next to me and she was also really disappointed.  Of course it is always wonderful to see these great dancers, but this programme did nothing to show them at their best, and what they are really capable of.  But hey, I am obviously not the target audience for this kind of show at Sadler's Wells.  

 

[Ianlond]

Went to last night’s performance and enjoyed it very much, mostly I think due to the dancers rather than what they were dancing (sounds familiar?). I was extremely impressed by the quiet/ silent landings from the men (other companies take note!) and musicality on display. 
Rotunda was ok I suppose, I didn’t hate it but I *did* hate the hideous brown costume inflicted Adrian Danchig-Waring (some of us do buy programmes to assist with spelling lol). The most memorable part, for me, was the solo section featuring (I believe) Daniel Ulbricht (not Albrecht as my autocorrect suggested!) which I found very moving due to the music & his performance (those beautiful soft landings from hardly any plié!). The rest was very forgettable. 
Due Concertante was, unsurprisingly, beautifully danced by the pin-sharp & very stylish Megan Fairchild and Anthony Huxley. His beautifully controlled & correct dancing reminded me somewhat of James Hay. However, it didn’t wow me & some of the choreographic ideas seemed a bit too obviously linked to the music/ playing an instrument (sorry Balanchine!). 
Other than the piano pushing section (why??), I loved Gustave Le Gray for its clear movement (much influenced by Cunningham) & intensity. The amount of unison movement is very difficult to pull off & is a testament to the fantastic control of the dances involved. I also rather liked the costumes which I thought added to air of quiet drama. 
Love Letter (on shuffle) was enjoyable enough (I quite like James Blake) but didn’t really hold up to comparison with Forsythe’s Blake Works. Taylor Stanley was an obvious stand out, their combination of classical/ modern/ street dance very impressive. They were also very well matched with (I’m guessing) Harrison Coll in a moving duet. 
While it is interesting see new choreography from NYCB (which still seems more classically influences than much of the RB’s new work), it really would b great to see a more representative programme. Is the Coliseum stage really too small?? (Or perhaps it’s just the memory of losses during the last visit). 

Edited March 10 by Ianlond

[OnePigeon]

Having read about Forsythe’s Blake Works on here I presumed he was a big fan of William Blake and had choreographed pieces inspired by his art or poetry: it’s only now I’ve had the unfortunate introduction to James Blake that I’ve fallen in.  Of all the glorious music created in the world over hundreds of years, in many genres, what on earth is so inspiring about this bland, self aware drivel? My mind boggles.

[San Perregrino]

2 hours ago, Sim said:

What I WOULD like to know is who (if anyone) Gustave Le Gray is!

Sounds to me very much like a shady spy character from Blackadder or a felon in a Pink Panther cartoon. 

[Roberta]

3 hours ago, Sim said:

What I WOULD like to know is who (if anyone) Gustave Le Gray is!

 

This one?  https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/gray/hd_gray.htm

 

More about the work and a short video here.

 

https://www.nycballet.com/discover/ballet-repertory/gustave-le-gray-no-1/

Edited March 10 by Roberta

[Tango Dancer]

1 hour ago, OnePigeon said:

Having read about Forsythe’s Blake Works on here I presumed he was a big fan of William Blake and had choreographed pieces inspired by his art or poetry: it’s only now I’ve had the unfortunate introduction to James Blake that I’ve fallen in.  Of all the glorious music created in the world over hundreds of years, in many genres, what on earth is so inspiring about this bland, self aware drivel? My mind boggles.

Me too.  I had the same impression and as someone who loves William Blake's visionary and slightly hallucinogenic poetry, I was disappointed.  

 

I went to the Blake works and thought the choreography was wonderful and inspired and the music was dull and the singer was dreadful.  I think it would have been much better if they had to use that music to have got someone with a decent voice to sing it rather than using the recording of the nasal whining singer.    

[MJW]

I've read everyone's comments with interest and the offering at Saturday's matinee was certainly a mixed bag.

 

On the plus side I enjoyed Rotunda (though perhaps a bit bland) and surprisingly I enjoyed Pam Tanaowitz's work (despite having thought her offering as part of the Diamond Celebration at ROH appalling). I could have done without the piano being moved across the stage which added nothing.

 

I can't say I was overly impressed with Duo Concertant - the dancers standing at the piano at the start was fine but didn't need to be repeated. I struggled with the Stravinsky. 

 

Lastly, Love Letter (on Shuffle). Parts of this worked really well but it was marred by the terrible costumes, lighting effects and the music accompaniment which I found painfully loud (the chap next to me put is headphones on at point). For some reason this work produced quite a lot of whoops and cheers (though perhaps they were reacting to the rugby score?)? It would be interesting to see this work again with better music and fewer lighting effects so one can actually see the dancers.

 

Anyway, that was my first visit to Sadler's Wells and the first time I have seen NYCB. Given I'm not likely to see them very often, I'm still glad I went.

[Sim]

1 hour ago, Roberta said:

 

This one?  https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/gray/hd_gray.htm

 

More about the work and a short video here.

 

https://www.nycballet.com/discover/ballet-repertory/gustave-le-gray-no-1/

Thanks so much, Roberta.  So the composer wrote some music to celebrate the photographer and Tanowitz liked the music so in turn made a piece on it.  I had never heard of Gustave, so this was very interesting (except the bit where he abandoned his wife and children).  

[Roberta]

55 minutes ago, MJW said:

Duo Concertant

 

This is worth watching.  

 

 

 

There is also (and I have watched it several times as I find this work intriguing, sorry!) a wonderful piece of 'vintage' film on YouTube but I cant link (copyright). If I find an original source I'll add it.

 

Duo Concertante: Kay Mazzo & Peter Martins (Balanchine) from attitude-devant  

 

and a short clip (poor quality) on stage Duo Concertante: Peter Martins & Suzanne Farrell (1982) from attitude-devant  

 

The interview to which Anthony Huxley refers is this. 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 10 by Roberta

[Cayetana]

 

6 hours ago, Roberta said:

This is worth watching.  

It is!!  THANK YOU, Roberta, for the top links and references re Duo C - I had never seen this ballet and found it wonderful as danced by Indiana Woodward and Taylor Stanley on Friday.  Seemed to me like a "history of dancing" with the last, unexpected, movement a sort of narrative dance in the spotlight, as lyric as the lyricism of the music, and as "cinematic" as I have now learned listening to your sources. I found it exhilarating - music and dancers alike. The film of Key Mazzo and  Peter Martins dancing the piece is tremendous too. 

 

I thought that on paper the programme was interesting in its parallels, convergences and contrasts . As most people,  Rotunda did not grip me, bar the solo of Megan Fairchild. The role of the musical instruments in both middle pieces made me happily think, as they were used so differently after opening the ballets exactly in the same manner, with the dancers listening intently. I loved in the GustaveleG how percussion and balance seemed (to me) to be at the centre of the dancing, and the apparently pointless piano displacement made me, again, small and think. I didn't see it gratuitous in the end, but a coda to the narrative (the listening bit around the piano) beginning. The red costumes were both abstract columns of colour and reminiscent of some monastic order -  it really worked for me, as the last piece, the Love Letter, did. I was up in the second circle and the volume was not distracting and I did not mind much that it was recorded. I found the piece rich in every aspect, and the unusual (for me) music made sense in context. I totally suspended disbelief and was intrigued from beginning to end (that was also the case with Duo C and GlG). The pdd of the two male dancers towards the end was beautiful. The breaks between movements could have been done more interestingly. As someone pointed out, the costumes had 17c touches and were whimsical in a sort of sarcastic way - a bit burlesque of the classical tradition. Two male dancers looked great in and made good use of their outsized feathered headdresses a la Bayadere etc. The lighting was mesmerising even if I concur with someone who said that it made it difficult to distinguish the faces of the dancers, but they are so individual that soon I knew who was who even if anonymous. I know is sad, but what a team!!!!  A great night overall.

 

Thank you again Roberta for the links!!!

 

[ChrisG]

Having been at the first performance of this programme on Thursday afternoon it's been really interesting seeing the reaction to it from others and how everyone seems to have reacted differently. Here are my final, extremely personal, thoughts having digested what I saw for a few days:

 

Whether this was a programme that NYCB would themselves have chosen or whether it was one thrust upon them by Sadler's Wells, what I saw in the programme that was on offer was a synthesis of what I'm assuming is the direction that Stafford and Whelan want to take the company in the post-Martins era, i.e. honouring the past but moving boldly into the future. Yes, of course I would have liked a Symphony in C or a Serenade, but what I saw was very much a 21st century company, respecting the past but not bound by it. 

 

I've only seen NYCB twice before, both occasions on a visit to New York back in late 2012, and the two programmes I saw then just consisted of works by Balanchine and Robbins (which I will freely admit I loved, especially my first exposure to Symphony in C) and a bit of dull as ditchwater choreography by Peter Martins. It was fine, but it seemed somewhat stuck. This Sadler's Wells programme did not. Yes, it could have had a little bit more Balanchine and/or Robbins, and some things worked better than others but it took chances, which I respect. Now that I've had a chance to think about it I realise that I really loved the Justin Peck work - the choreography, the music, the costumes, everything - (which seems to place me in a minority!), and the Kyle Abraham work wasn't far behind. I still am not sure about the Tanowitz work but that's the thrill of the new - you're never going to like everything

 

It's the same with the Royal Ballet - I love watching Macmillan and Ashton and the 19th century classics but if that's all I ever saw at Covent Garden I would know I was seeing an art form that was fossilised. Ditto with the music I sing - I absolutely love singing a Messiah or a Brahms Requiem as much as the next person, but the music I've sung that has thrilled me most over the last 10 years has been music by contemporary composers such as Emily Howard and Brett Dean - it's music that helps me believe my art form has a future as well as a distinguished past.

 

So in summary thanks to New York City Ballet for coming over and thanks to Sadler's Wells for the invitation. It was exciting to see how you have developed in the 12 years since I last saw you and I'm excited as to what the next 12 might bring. Come back soon and share it with us!  

[Geoff]

A long and thoughtful online comment from Alastair Macaulay:

 

https://slippedisc.com/2024/03/review-alastair-macaulay-on-the-state-of-new-york-city-ballet/

[bridiem]

2 hours ago, Geoff said:

A long and thoughtful online comment from Alastair Macaulay:

 

https://slippedisc.com/2024/03/review-alastair-macaulay-on-the-state-of-new-york-city-ballet/

 

This interesting article was in yesterday's Links, along with other reviews.

Edited March 11 by bridiem

[Bruce Wall]

There is so much Peck which would have been preferable.  Thinking of pieces that would have been appropriate for smaller UK stages I can think of In Creases and Belles Lettres off the top of my head.  Still, they were simply making good on a Wells' commission commitment made prior to the pandemic otherwise this little 'tour' I suspect would not have happened at all.  After all it occurred right at the short NYCB holiday break period for the dancers following the long Winter Season (and remember they have performances during this period between Tuesday and Sunday with two matinees each week and at least three varying programmes each week).  They are back in rehearsal for the Spring Season tomorrow at State Theater and with a greater swathe of the company on tour to Chicago (at the Harris Theater which was the first multi-use cultural unit to open in the US in 1929) over five days the next week following.  The Spring Season then runs 23rd April to 2nd June at State Theater with a similar performance schedule and a further two new works premiering following which they go to Washington for their annual Kennedy Center stint and then on to their traditional summer sojourn at Saratoga Springs in Upstate New York.  They then have a well deserved break returning mid-August for preparation for the Winter 24/25 NYCB season which leads into Nutcracker with the Winter Season following.  The 24/25 season should be announced next month with advance subscriptions being available to established patrons at that time and single tickets for the entire season then being generally available in early August.  

 

 

 

Edited March 11 by Bruce Wall

[Jan McNulty]

Do take a look at today's links.

 

There is a review for NYCB from Bruce Marriott who founded Ballet.Co in the late 1990s and its successor - this forum as well as the much-missed DanceTabs.  It's so good to see Bruce back on the reviewing scene!

 

 

[Emeralds]

Went back to SWT last Sunday to see the second cast in the Sunday matinee (despite the rail engineering works and traffic jams trying their best to deter us).

 

Sadly, although Sara Mearns recovered from illness to dance on Saturday evening, she didn't get an opportunity for a second bite at the cherry in Rotunda on Sunday afternoon.

 

Rather unlucky as Mearns was originally the headline star for Rotunda when it was first announced in 2019 to be coming to SWT in March 2020 (which was cancelled due to pandemic restrictions). I hope Sara Mearns gets invited back for other performances (not just one!) very soon.

 

I think this mixed bill grows on you after watching it again.

 

Starting with Rotunda, this time Roman Mejia danced the central male (who is lying on the floor when the show starts) role that Daniel Ulbricht danced on the first night. The two have different approaches to the role but both are equally good and I'm glad I had the chance to see them both. Ulbricht also reprised his role in the lively pas de cinq with Sara Adams, Indiana Woodward, Unity Phelan and KJ Takahashi (Takahashi taking over from Sebastian Villarini-Velez). Peter Walker partnered Megan Fairchild in the pas de deux this time, both marvellous, and overall, delightful virtuosity and artistry from the whole cast. 

 

Having got a little more accustomed to the unflattering costumes and finally being able to find a cast list before the performance meant I could concentrate on the dancing and choreography. Once the slightly twee looking posing in the first group dance is over, there is some inventive passages of beautiful classical dance for the pas de trois, the pas de cinq and the solos. 

 

Duo Concertant- beautiful performance by Indiana Woodward and Taylor Stanley. The piece is so beautifully constructed that after one gets used to the idea that they don't run into the wings to rest in between solos and duet passages, but have to stay on stage behind the piano, it's not such a short ballet, clocking in at 17 minutes. (In contrast a pas de deux like Le Corsaire is only 8 minutes of music and dancing). Woodward was delicate and lyrical, Stanley brought speed and charisma to his role. Both very different to the experienced and masterful duo of Fairchild and Anthony Huxley, but also delightful to watch. 

 

Gustave le Gray #1 was danced by four women this time, with soloist Emily Kikta replacing Adrian Danchig-Waring in this cast. All four dancers were accomplished and committed to the ballet (once again I couldn't help being reminded that the lighting and red costume fabric came off looking the best) but despite the technical mastery of Kikta, Naomi Corti, Ruby Lister and Mira Nadon, this piece still  feels gimmicky, the score (called Gustave le Gray because of the effect of "blurring edges" in her notes) that inspired the piece sounds lacklustre, and perhaps should be left as the occasion piece in Washington DC it was meant to be. That said, some have enjoyed it so it wasn't a complete waste bringing it, despite being disliked by many.

 

What a relief after the interval to see actual ballet costumes, professional ballet technique (jetes, pointe work, partnering, variations) rather than grade 4 exercises and real dancing to the music again in Love Letter (On Shuffle)! There was one Romantic length tutu/skirt, two modern tutus, and some Tudor style with a dash of commedia dell arte, with contemporary fabrics like patterned lycra tights. The opening tableau and dances were the most striking, but the solos (incredible choreography in the solo created on and danced by Sebastian Villarini-Velez) and various  pas de deux (perhaps to make up for no partnering in the previous piece we now have many, including one for two men- maybe there is method in the mad programming after all!) The recorded score of James Blake songs with some remixing provides a complete contrast to the music of the other 3 ballets but not overly loud (quieter than Thom Willems' scores in Forsythe ballets and the scores for Akram Khan's Giselle and Creature).

 

Without a playlist or running order of solos, pas de deux in the cast list (neatly pinned up in advance on all 3 levels this time) and dark lighting throughout the ballet, it was difficult to identify everyone apart from Taylor Stanley (who dances the lead character presumably looking for the love described in the title), Villarini-Velez, and Olivia Bell, who danced some fast impressive solos. I couldn't help being reminded of choreographer Kyle Abraham's ballet The Weathering for the Royal Ballet 2 years ago- with louder music and costumes, but still entertaining in a different way. I would have enjoyed this ballet more with brighter lighting- whether a spotlight on the dancers during the pas de deux and solos or just brighter for the whole stage.

 

My friend and I rated our final preferences for the ballets as Balanchine first, Rotunda second, LLOS third and GLG#1 fourth. As a mixed bill, it didn't seem so different from some contemporary mixed bill evenings at ROH- rather like an RB bill comprising Untitled 2023, Corybantic Games, Joseph Toonga's See Us!! and Voices of Spring perhaps....a programme that we would not want to pick for a tour (or any time!) and would have everyone asking "Where is the MacMillan ballet?? Not even a pas de deux?!" However if such a programme was toured for 4 days in the capital city of a country that hasn't seen the Royal Ballet in 16 years it would probably sell well too.

 

I do wonder if (or hope!) this was a test run for bringing more of the company and having a bigger orchestra and more ballets soon -in which case, more Balanchine ballets and can we have some Jerome Robbins please. I think Tanowitz is already well served in London: 5th Tanowitz ballet - one a full length- now in the last 3 years versus only one Robbins!) 

 

My conclusion: how wonderful to have New York City Ballet back at last, what brilliant dancers, and also - not that one would expect any less from NYCB and very sad that nowadays we have to say this - what a relief that the ballets with live music were played live (so beautifully) by musicians Elaine Chelton, Kurt Nikkanen, Stephen Gosling and the Britten Sinfonia. Please don't wait 16 years to come back again, NYCB, and thank you all for coming. Safe travels!

Edited March 12 by Emeralds

[Bruce]

13 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

Do take a look at today's links.

 

There is a review for NYCB from Bruce Marriott who founded Ballet.Co in the late 1990s and its successor - this forum as well as the much-missed DanceTabs.  It's so good to see Bruce back on the reviewing scene!

 

 

Janet - you sweet thing! Thank you very much. Hope to see you at a BRB or NB show at some point,