Comments on: Review: Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company – the West Coast Tour http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2010/01/review-morphosesthe-wheeldon-company-the-west-coast-tour/ Thoughts on theater in the Bay Area Thu, 22 Jul 2010 23:09:26 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: jolene http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2010/01/review-morphosesthe-wheeldon-company-the-west-coast-tour/comment-page-1/#comment-1695 jolene Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:44:37 +0000 http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/?p=2745#comment-1695 I agree, and I think that the music is a stumbling block for a lot of people to enjoy the piece. Wheeldon mentioned in his post-performance Q&A that he wanted this piece to be a way to make music like this more accessible, because he knows that music like this can be "intimidating". However, I'm afraid that preference for new music (or not) isn't like curing obsessive-compulsive disorder through exposure therapy. I do agree with you - it was brilliant in that it showed me a lot of things in the music that I never would have seen, such as humor - I just would have seen white noise. And there is an intelligence in his choreography that's so innovative, although sometimes I do feel like he strays into esotericism. Maybe he's just smarter than me. ;) I like his choreography a lot as well - his After the Rain and Within the Golden Hour are some of my favorite modern ballets. It was such a thrill to meet him and to hear him talk about his own work. I agree, and I think that the music is a stumbling block for a lot of people to enjoy the piece. Wheeldon mentioned in his post-performance Q&A that he wanted this piece to be a way to make music like this more accessible, because he knows that music like this can be “intimidating”. However, I’m afraid that preference for new music (or not) isn’t like curing obsessive-compulsive disorder through exposure therapy. I do agree with you – it was brilliant in that it showed me a lot of things in the music that I never would have seen, such as humor – I just would have seen white noise. And there is an intelligence in his choreography that’s so innovative, although sometimes I do feel like he strays into esotericism. Maybe he’s just smarter than me. ;)

I like his choreography a lot as well – his After the Rain and Within the Golden Hour are some of my favorite modern ballets. It was such a thrill to meet him and to hear him talk about his own work.

]]> By: sfmike http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/2010/01/review-morphosesthe-wheeldon-company-the-west-coast-tour/comment-page-1/#comment-1693 sfmike Sun, 31 Jan 2010 05:27:51 +0000 http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/?p=2745#comment-1693 Ligeti piano music is a bit austere for my tastes (and most other people's, to boot), which is why I was so entranced by "Continuum" when it premiered at the San Francisco Ballet some years ago. The choreography was extremely simple and extremely intelligent at the same time, which is the trickiest combination in all the arts. Plus, as you pointed out, it explicates difficult music in ways you would have never understood otherwise. Since then, I've pretty much looked at Wheeldon as a minor artistic deity. I'm so glad you had a fan girl-y moment with him. Ligeti piano music is a bit austere for my tastes (and most other people’s, to boot), which is why I was so entranced by “Continuum” when it premiered at the San Francisco Ballet some years ago. The choreography was extremely simple and extremely intelligent at the same time, which is the trickiest combination in all the arts. Plus, as you pointed out, it explicates difficult music in ways you would have never understood otherwise. Since then, I’ve pretty much looked at Wheeldon as a minor artistic deity. I’m so glad you had a fan girl-y moment with him.

]]>