“Stravinsky Violin Concerto,” “La Valse,” “West Side Story Suite”
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
New York, NY
February 7, 2009
by Leigh Witchel
copyright © 2009 by Leigh Witchel
Maintaining the repertory at New York City Ballet is akin to a plate-spinner’s circus act. All the plates are up on sticks, and when one starts to perilously wobble, someone rushes over and gives it a spin. Meanwhile, another plate is starting to vibrate alarmingly, and on and on it goes. The 20th Century Music Masters program on Saturday night showed some prize pieces of china at various points of wobble.
“Stravinsky Violin Concerto” was wobbling badly. The slow, almost fastidious tempos conductor Fayçal Karoui took in the opening made it difficult for the dancers to keep the thread of the movement. Robert Fairchild had his debut in the role created by Peter Martins earlier in the week and he was a breath of fresh air; the only lead who looked excited to be there. The rest of the cast, Wendy Whelan, Albert Evans and Yvonne Borree, were smudging steps and seemed to be operating on autopilot. The corps looked ragged as well.
In his duet with Borree, Fairchild was attentive and ardent, though it looked at first as if he were going to have to be ardent on his own. He managed to break through; she began like a kewpie doll but he affected her. The ending where Fairchild bent Borree’s neck back had none of the ambivalent menace it has had; Fairchild was tender. At least something was going on. Happily, the tempos brightened in the finale, and so did the dancers.
“Violin Concerto” may have looked paint-by-numbers, but the company redeemed itself with a heady and atmospheric performance of “La Valse.” The casting was strong from top to bottom. The role of the doomed girl is like none other for Janie Taylor. She was frighteningly connected to it – ghostlike yet hungry. Taylor was trapped by her own coquetry into accepting Death’s black gifts after her initial refusal. Philip Neal was gaunt, elegant and just this side of brutal as Death; Sébastien Marcovici was a good foil as Taylor’s escort to the ball. His first conversation with her in almost nonsensical gestures meant nothing and everything.
Most of the soloists also made their debuts earlier in the week. Lauren King and Antonio Carmena danced the first duet with high spirits. Sean Suozzi and Ana Sophia Scheller paired interestingly in the second; his emotional attack contrasted with her purity. The third couple has a plum role (it was originally danced by Diana Adams and Herbert Bliss) but it hasn’t always been cast to fill it. Tyler Angle was perfectly cast partnering Rebecca Krohn (the only holdover from prior casts) and made the role big again. The curdled romanticism of the part is second nature to Angle. If he ever attempts the nineteenth century repertory he’ll probably be marvelous in it. Krohn’s extremity of line was a counterpoint to Angle’s romantic bearing and kept the dance on edge. If the atmosphere isn't right, “La Valse” is nothing, but this tale of death looked full of life. When Taylor spun in Neal’s arms and her heart stopped, ours did for a moment as well before the dance swirled on madly.
The company also attacked “West Side Story Suite” with zeal. Benjamin Millepied’s Tony is fresh-scrubbed and convincing, but could use a little flavoring. Amar Ramasar glowered as Bernardo until the moment he realized he’d actually killed someone. Andrew Veyette acted valiantly as Riff, but his singing was . . . well, it was unintentionally twelve-tone. As this is Bernstein rather than Schoenberg, I’d recommend voice lessons or lip-syncing for the entire company. Listening to the cast phrase “Cool” as if it were elocution class was alternately hilarious and painful. An awful lot can be forgiven of the great dancers in the company, but more and more NYCB is making repertory choices that require skills beyond dance. If the company asks people to pay money for it; the dancers should be able to sing and act well enough to justify the admission. Mercifully, in “America” the dancers lip-synced to singers in the pit. Georgina Pazcoguin worked her wig and was a fabulous Anita.
Smaller roles were cast well. Standouts included Austin Laurent as the boy with the hair-trigger temper in “Cool” and also Troy Schumacher. Faye Arthurs has climbed up the corps de ballet ladder during her tenure in the company to get several plum demi-soloist parts, such as Maria (in the suite from the musical the role is reduced) and a little cameo at the beginning of “Violin Concerto.” Saskia Beskow played the uncredited role as Riff’s girlfriend. She is another senior corps member who is cast in roles like this or one of the trio of debutantes in “La Valse.” She never steals a scene but always enriches it, as did Dena Abergel in “La Valse,” who is at her best as a demi-soloist.
The company seems to love performing “West Side Story Suite” and the finale was as stirring as ever, but watching a dance about racial tension and having spent the weekend prior watching San Francisco Ballet, it’s hard not to notice just how white NYCB has persistently remained, particularly the female corps. NYCB becomes what the School of American Ballet produces. Actively fostering diverse talent in the school would lead naturally to a diverse corps within a decade. Surely this can be achieved without causing other plates to fall.
copyright © 2009 by Leigh Witchel
Photo by Paul Kolnik: Janie Taylor and Sébastien Marcovici in “La Valse”
