Saturday Matinee

San Francisco Ballet principal Nicolas Blanc’s notes on Mark Morris’ Joyride, displayed in the lobby of the War Memorial Opera House

Finally, the crowning glory of an already brilliant 75th anniversary year for San Francisco Ballet is almost here – the much-touted New Works Festival, where ten of the top dance choreographers in the world have been invited to create 10 new works for the San Francisco Ballet. Fitting well with its anniversary year of really looking forward to the future of the company, the company is bringing in some of the greatest names in dance to create and showcase the company to the world in some really great pieces. I really hope the choreography lives up to the hype, but despite that, it will be really interesting to see what these choreographers can create. The invited choreographers are Mark Morris, Christopher Wheeldon, Paul Taylor, Jorma Elo, James Kudelka, resident choreographer Yuri Possokhov, Val Caniparoli, Margaret Jenkins, Julia Adam, and Stanton Welch. It’s a very impressive list, although a few admittedly I don’t recognize, in addition to some glaring omissions (Twyla Tharp comes to mind, as well as Alexei Ratmansky, although it seems like they had to put together this list a few years ago before Ratmansky rose to fame, as shown in the invited letter below).

The next big thing: Christopher Wheeldon and principal Damian Smith paper dolls!

Some more info on the New Works Festival as published in the Contra Costa Times:

Not to be outdone, San Francisco Ballet gives the downtown crowd a run for its money this month when Helgi Tomasson… [will] put… on a torrent of new work by 10 contemporary choreographers from around the globe in the groundbreaking New Works Festival.

Locals in the lineup include San Francisco’s postmodernist choreographer Margaret Jenkins and Berkeley’s Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Adams.

Given free rein by Tomasson in their music choices, some choreographers have hewed to the familiar, as former SFB principal Julia Adam has in her choice of J.S. Bach. Others, like Jenkins, opted to work with longtime collaborators, bringing San Francisco experimental rock composer Paul Dresher on board to create the aural landscape for her premiere of “Thread.”

Brooklyn-based Mark Morris has teamed up with Berkeley’s John Adams in a work tentatively titled “Joy Ride” set to Adam’s “Son of Chamber Symphony,” pegged as a devilishly difficult piece of music that changes meter as often as a chameleon changes color.

Some more highlights: Julia Adams will be choreographing to Bach’s Goldberg Variations, putting her dangerously close to comparison with Robbins’ version of the same piece of music, although there is a chance that it uses video media which would make it vastly different. Also Mark Morris is reconvening with the fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi who will do the costumes for his piece.

During the time that Program 6 was running at the War Memorial Opera House, the lobby held a great museum of paraphernalia promoting the New Works Festival, including video footage of Jorma Elo choreographing on the company. The pictures in this entry are from that great collection. Who can resist a peek behind the scenes, which also increases appreciation for what’s to come?

A letter that Helgi Tomasson sent to Margaret Jenkins inviting her to choreograph for the New Works Festival. Note the letter is dated October 2005

Why You Should Care

When Wheeldon’s pieces traveled from New York and appeared in SF Ballet’s repertory within the span of a few years, it’s amazing how fast a great piece can be incorporated into ballet companies on opposite sides of the continent, as well as all over the world. In this way, this festival is groundbreaking in that 10 new pieces will be put into circulation and up for grabs for other dance companies to perform. I wouldn’t be surprised if international players will be paying close attention to the New Works Festival, followed by the appearance of a few of these pieces in other companies in a short amount of time. And it’s always a special thing to be able to watch choreography on the dancers that it was built on.

The New Works Festival begins on April 22, with Program A (Taylor, Wheeldon, and Possohkov). Casting reveals that Wheeldon and Posshokov are using the company’s biggest dancers for his piece, while Taylor is using dancers with a more modern sensibility. Taylor was also one of the last choreographers to cast his piece, but he picked a great lineup of flashy dancers including Spaulding and Stewart.

Sorry about the lack of posts, it has been pretty crazy lately. In addition to an intermission in the SF Ballet’s performance schedule, I had a big deadline for a fellowship application last week. Since then, I’ve lost all motivation to do any work. In addition, it’s been one of those weeks where I keep on repeating experiments because I kept making stupid mistakes. Thankfully I made it to ballet class tonight, which helped clear my head (although it didn’t prevent me from grabbing someone else’s (thankfully, a friend’s) sweater on the way out). I really don’t like adagio, but we had a fun petite allegro combination that ended the class on an upbeat note.

Previously, listening to jazz music worked for helping me study for finals. This time, I relied on dance videos during the hours of writing and typing on my computer for my felllowship application. I found that the combination of good music with the freedom to lift my head and watch Angel Corella’s slave solo in Le Corsaire, highly satisfying – it tricked me into thinking that I was relaxing and working at the same time. I highly commend the narration given by the dancers in explaining the serpentine plot in ABT’s Le Corsaire in sharp contrast to Caroline Kennedy’s bland narration of ABT’s Swan Lake, complete with Julie Kent’s dry sarcastic take, Angel Corella’s adorably honest encouragement for the viewer to be sure not to miss his dancing, and general confusion over the validity of the plot. Other videos in my repertoire included Mark Morris’ Mozart Dances and his Hard Nut, in addition to ABT’s Giselle with the stunning Carla Fracci and stiff Erik Bruhn.

I also caught NYCB’s ex-principal Jock Soto’s documentary on PBS, Water Flowing Together, thanks to Philip‘s recommendation that it was airing on TV. I couldn’t multitask while watching this, as it commanded by complete rapt attention. My favorite part was watching his rehearsal with Wendy Whelan in Wheeldon’s After the Rain pas de deux, one of my favorite pieces this season at SF Ballet. I loved Tan and Smith dance it in San Francisco, yet there is always something special about watching the original cast perform it. Soto dances with such moving depth that completely encompasses his being, it was riveting to watch, even during rehearsals. I’m sure that’s one of the pieces that Whelan’s reluctant to dance again without Soto in the company. Jock Soto is probably one of those dancers that will never be replaced; he is so unique, from his unorthodox build to his partnering ability (a highly undervalued skill in ballet) with emotional and almost spiritual depth as he dances. It was a great documentary.

Jock Soto and Wendy Whelan in Wheeldon’s After the Rain

On a random note: my friend’s cat got claw covers that happened to match my nails. Just had to share, the picture came out blurry because the cat was en route somewhere else, crossing over my lap, and wouldn’t stand still.

Angela Gheorghiu as Mimi in the Metropolitan Opera’s HD livecast performance of Puccini’s La Boheme

Last weekend, I finally got to view my first HD livecast of the Metropolitan Opera at a local theater, of Puccini’s La Boheme. I feel like in most art forms, I’m the newest to opera. I started watching them way back in high school, and although the genre of plays is newer to me, I took to plays more easily – maybe because I love to read, and I loved the banter and wordplay of plays such as History Boys and the quiet tragic nakedness of Awake and Sing! (my first play, ever, which I saw the revival on Broadway with Lauren Ambrose and Mark Ruffalo). That being said, opera is really trying to make a comeback with modern lavish productions. And the most surprising thing is, although it seems inaccessible and hard to understand for the general public, I’ve been surprised by how loyal opera fans are and how crazy they can be for this art form, even more than Broadway folks. There is definitely an audience out there, and the HD livecast is a great way to make really great opera, accessible to people all over the world, including people on cruise ships, as the livecast announced.

The production was a spectacle; grand sets, with tons of people, gorgeous intricate sets, and superstar performers. Directed by Frank Zeffirelli, the diva Angela Gheorghiu sang the part of Mimi – it was an understated but powerful performance, portraying not the naive Mimi in the first act, but a girl who’s been around the block. It was a different take on things, reminiscent of Mimi in Rent. She seemed to come more alive in the second act, as the stunningly beautiful but tragic Mimi. Ramon Vargas sang the role of Rodolfo; while he definitely doesn’t look like the Rodolfo of my dreams, his soaring tenor brought tears to my eyes when he sang his introduction to Mimi in the first act, and then his singing in the last ten minutes of the show made the entire show worth it for me. His acting was also quietly effective, and translated well on screen.

My favorite part of these livecasts however, are the broadcasts of the backstage events. It was refreshing and eye opening to see the sets up close, and to see what goes on behind the curtain. The livecast was narrated by the beautiful Renee Fleming, whose honest interviewing style often made everyone laugh out loud – she got the kids in the children’s choir to tell on their teacher who described her something like, “She’s not always so crazy”. I much prefer an interviewer such as Fleming who is honest, relateable, and down to earth rather than polished or so professional. She had funny stories too, such as how when she sang Mimi once, she couldn’t stop coughing after she died.

Another highlight was seeing the preview for the next livecast, which is Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment, starring Natalie Dessay and the amazing Juan Diego Florez. The preview was absolutely adorable and hilarious, and although it’s not as well known as La Boheme, it looks like a definite winner. I was looking forward to seeing it as soon as I found out that tenor Juan Diego Florez is in it – he completely blew my mind in Barlett Sher’s production of the Barber of Seville at the Met. I wish I could find the preview that I saw in the theater, but I can’t seem to find it.

Anyways, what a great privilege to be able to experience a Met opera, locally. Despite some gooey slowness and understated staid glamor (although admittedly the three hours passed by quicker than I thought), La Boheme was still a great experience and left me curious about what other operas the Met will be broadcasting.

Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Florez in La Fille du Regiment - Dessay is a hilarious comedic actor.

The Metropolitan Opera: Live in HD

This weekend, I made my way through wine country to see Rasta Thomas and his “Bad Boys of Dance” perform in Sonoma County. Admittedly, I came in with a few expectations – stellar reviews by the NY Times in their performance at Jacob’s Pillow last year, as well as having seen Rasta Thomas on TV and video, with his amazing powerhouse style and extensions. I’ve been a fan of his for a while, and was really excited to see him dance. In short, the show was both what I expected as well as including the unexpected.

First off – every single guy on stage was exploding with talent. There is no weak link in the group, and every single one of them is a stellar dancer. From Robbie Nicholson with a wonderful lyrical sensibility (my personal favorite) to Craig Derosa (from “So You Think You Can Dance”) with an infectious sense of fun and a strong fluidity to the simply hot Anthony Colantone, these guys had sex appeal to spare, with an edge and a very masculine power that appealed to everyone. Add in a dollop of humor, in addition to great dancing, and you’ve got a group of crowd pleasers that everyone went crazy for. The best part was, these guys could really really dance. And Rasta Thomas was everything that I thought he’d be; I wished most that I could have seen him dance more.

The program was a mix of dances, mostly powerfully masculine and thrilling, with a good dose of silliness thrown in as well as a few gems. My favorite piece was Braham Logan Crane’s “Ghost of Things to Come”, which quieted down the audience from the craze of the sexy previous pieces of silly teasing guys and gave the dancers a chance to delve into their movements onstage. This was the piece that showcased beautiful dancing the most, lovingly styled and emotionally moving, with Jason Parson’s “Maps” a close second, which showcased the dancers’ introspective side, which was a welcome respite from the craziness, although you could feel the audience getting restless during these quieter moments. Twin brothers Martin and Facundo Lombard broke up the evening with a jaw dropping hip hop and an improv tap piece.

I couldn’t help but to make the connection with this dance company and the reality tv shows that are dotting the cable channels these days. The biggest difference is, these guys can REALLY dance. I still hold to the fact that really good dancing is going to be the best thing that reel in future audiences to buy dance tickets, and if anyone can do it, these guys really can. This company would be great to introduce newcomers to dance (many of the audience seemed to be newcomers to dance, from what I could tell), and I’d much rather watch these guys dance on tv for an hour than most of the tv dance shows – I could especially do without the random alliterating judges.

There’s a lot to be said about dancing for your audience. The audience seemed to be filled with locals who loved the tricks and the stripteasing the most. The audience went crazy for these guys, especially during the silly fun pieces, even bordering on chaos as even during the quiet moments, people kept on whistling and making noise. During the opener Rasta Thomas and Ashley Canterna’s “LOL (Laugh Out Loud)”, when the guys onstage started rolling around on the floor with inflatable dolls in their arms, it crossed a line in my mind that was hard to salvage after that point. As the piece progressed, my seatmate whispered to me, “When in doubt, shake your butt!” to which I replied, “Or imitate women! Or take off your shirt!”

In short, these dancers are amazingly talented dancers with more than enough sexy charisma to be ambassadors to seduce non-dance audiences into theater seats. I still can’t help thinking though, is it too much to want to see Rasta Thomas dance Lubovitch’s Elemental Brubeck or Othello one day? I realize that this is completely my own personal preference. Perhaps someday, although he’s so hard to catch onstage. But he seems to be genuinely happy doing what he loves to do, choosing to dance the dances he loves to dance. And audiences love him! And he was still worth the drive out to Sonoma County to see for the first time, live. That’s more than many dancers can say, not to mention the unreachable dream of many dance companies.

Rasta Thomas presents “The Bad Boys of Dance”

NYCB’s Jared Angle and Yvonne Borree in Balanchine’s Duo Concertant. © Erik Tomasson

San Francisco Ballet is certainly looking to its future in its 75th anniversary, and although it was a unique approach, Program 6 was no different. It was a fine display of modern ballet, danced by visiting international companies that were invited to pay tribute to the San Francisco Ballet. I was struck most by how diverse modern ballet can be. In my mind, I found that I lumped modern ballet into one category, where movements were angular, asymmetrical, fast, and bendy, sometimes all at the same time. The three international companies that performed not only highlighted different aspects of modern ballet, but seemed to showcase the strengths of each company itself along with it. The National Ballet of Canada was softer, gentler, more subtle yet simmering in its emotion. New York City Ballet was steely and lightning fast, freshly modern in its stark simplicity and logic. Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo danced with raw sexual energy and power, every movement filled to completion with passion and angst. Reminiscent of Program 5 of the SF Ballet, although Program 5 had better pieces, Program 6 showcased the strength of each company well and offered a glimpse into the diverse of modern ballet to its audiences.

The evening opened with the National Ballet of Canada dancing Matjash Mrozewski’s “A Delicate Battle”. With snow slowly falling throughout the entire piece that added a chilly atmosphere to the heated struggles displayed onstage, the stage opens with a group of men and women dressed in simple white leotards and shorts in socks, which added a bedroom intimacy to the couples onstage. The dancing is full of leans, sharp kicks, and leaning arabesques, as couples seem to be struggling internally as well as depending on each other. In contrast, there is another faction of dancers, dressed fully in Victorian dresses and suits, that weaves in and out of the action. The men barrel through the crowd, without regard, while the Victorian women hover protectively. It’s as if the dancers in white are a dream, while the fully dressed dancers are reality, observing the dream. But things get even more confusing as the show progresses; after a brief blackout, a group of fully dressed women stand in a circle, and sign to each other with their hands
in brief furtive movements, and there is another blackout. That entire scene lasted about 20 seconds. I’m still scratching my head on that one. Things start to escalate, as dancers mostly dance in couples, mixing the two factions of people, and there is a sense of struggle in each pas de deux, heightened by the merging of the music of Bach with the dissonant electronic music of Gavin Bryars. In general, the men treat the women aggressively, and the women hold on. (How original.) In a big way, this piece symbolized my biggest pet peeves about modern ballet and modern choreography; a lot of it doesn’t make sense, and doesn’t seem to possess meaning that is understandable to the normal audience. I was trying to wrack my brain on what the Victorian dresses could symbolize, which got confusing when some of the women would take off the dress to reveal a white leotard or someone would hand her a dress to hold in her arms. I’m a big proponent of not having to read a lot of literature before you see a show in order to enjoy it, but when I read the program notes after seeing this piece, it was frustrating to read that the choreographer actually used Victorian dresses not because they symbolized something, but because he “loves the era and the silhouette the clothing creates”. It doesn’t mean that meaning wasn’t assigned to the costumes at the end (symbolizing a stifling strict surrounding), but it was difficult to understand. The dancers were amazing though, sharp and clean in their execution, and displaying the struggle well with their reaching passionate lines.

Sonia Rodriguez and Christopher Body in Mrozewski’s A Delicate Battle. © Erik Tomasson

Alejandra Perez-Gomez and Etienne Lavigne in Mrozewski’s A Delicate Battle. © Erik Tomasson

Next was my favorite piece of the night, NYCB’s Duo Concertant. It was a treat to see Balanchine danced by its home company – my first NYCB experience, actually! The asymmetry in the choreography matched Stravinsky’s quirky music, with a logical inertia that drives the piece, from lightning quick moves to an expansive pause where Yvonne Borree raises her arms, which quickly evolves into a change in direction. Yvonne Borree and Jared Angle danced with witty precision, giving it a freshly modern take despite its starkness (aside from an occasional drifting snowflake left over from A Delicate Battle). Borree was light, fiery, and precise, like a flash of light. Jared Angle was noble and whimsical at the same time. They definitely possessed the snap and verve that was missing in the State of Georgia Ballet‘s performance of the same piece, and the lightning fast speed and precision was thrilling to watch.

Yvonne Borree and Jared Angle in Balanchine’s Duo Concertant. © Erik Tomasson

The piece ended with the Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo dancing Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Altro Canto. Set to liturgical music of Claudio Monteverdi, Giagio Marini, and Giovanni Kapsberger, the ballet was ruled by haunting religious overtones, yet the singing was intensely emotional, like a requiem. Costumes were by Karl Lagerfeld, who dressed half the cast (men and women) in a bubble skirt and a wifebeater tank, with the other half in a corset top and pants, which worked in the gender neutral partnering that occurred throughout this piece. Despite the intensely raw emotional dancing, I couldn’t help but to feel that this ballet was full of style but no substance. The dancing was intensely physical, with a vibrant energy that vibrated through every moment of the ballet. However, if I didn’t understand A Delicate Battle, this piece I understood even less. There were random moments, such as a duet where the man and woman (Bernice Coppieters and Ramon Gomes Reis) react to each other without touching the entire time. The men carry Bernice Coppieters in another part of the ballet, where she moved as a dolphin swimming through water, fluidly, gracefully. Even though it doesn’t make sense, the result is oddly mesmerizing. The dancers were powerfully moving with undulating extensions. Floating candles flickered eerily on the set, which adds to the haunting religious aura of the stage.

Paola Cantalupo and Mimoza Koike in Maillot’s Altro Canto. © Erik Tomasson

Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo in Maillot’s Altro Canto. © Erik Tomasson

The high quality of the dancing elevated this less-than-perfect program to a completely different level. The best part was experiencing the unique qualities highlighted by each company, each of them stellar, showcasing a diverse range of modern ballet. Watching NYCB dance Duo Concertant alone made the evening for me. I regret not having caught the second cast, Sterling Hyltin and Robert Fairchild, dance it. In all, Program 6 is a great opportunity to experience world class dancing, all in one program.

Program 6 runs until April 6.

Next up: the New Works Festival! I’ll be blogging about it soon -

Update: Interesting, heated debate regarding Rachel Howard’s review of Program 6 in the SF Chronicle. I’m surprised how it gets personal, really fast. Is it so hard to believe that some people can have differing opinions from you? I have to agree with her about the choreography of the Maillot piece, which she calls “stereotypical… Euro-fashionable pretentiousness”, although the delivery still made it mesmerizing to watch. I would have loved to have seen the Les Ballets de Monte Carlo dance McGregor’s Eden/Eden, which seems right up their alley.