...and was magnificent, as was her partner, Philip Neal.

Bouder was beautiful in "Emeralds" - she created the sense of longing and searching, yet communicating though her mimeless mime.....Jenifer Ringer had the air of contentment and peace that seemed to put her in a place above everything else. I am happy that Stephen Hanna has returned, and find him a good and caring partner, but in his solos, he still does not complete the footwork elegantly. Sean Suozzi, on the other hand, in the pas de trois, just took off! His dancing was precise, generous, and bouyant, with a particularly fine line.

Joaquin had a perfect sense of fun for "Rubies" and was techinically excellentas well in the turns and jumps -- Megan Fairchild did not seem to get the feeling. Savannah Lowry as the big n' tall soloist --- well, she is not a favorite, so if she was good I couldn't see it.

Someone mentioned that there was a problem in the coda of "Diamonds," but I didn't see it.

Kowroski and Neal were magnificent indeed. " Diamonds" has all the emotion that some multi act ballets have, minus the mime and "story telling" of course that was Balanchine's point.

I liked Lowry. I enjoy her amplitude combined with speed. I can see how others don't enjoy her as much. At the same time I thougt Fairchild wasn't edgy enough.

Loved both Bouder and Ringer in "Emeralds." I wouldn't have cast Bouder in this role, but it worked. I understand she is also doing "Rubies."


The only problem I saw in "Diamonds" was that in the 4 girls "folksy section" one of the girls kept getting off.

I totally agree with all your comments... Diamonds is always so special!!!

I do feel that Lowery seemed to appear more relaxed in the role as the ballet progressed and had more fun with it. I happen to really like her because she is such a powerful dancer. She just needs to show us a bit more passion. As far as Fairchild, I think that both her and De Luz were miscast. Though I usually love them, their limbs just didn't seem long enough to show some of the lines in the choreography.

And Emeralds was my favorite section last night! Again I love her but I also wouldn't have thought of Bouder cast in it but I guess it just shows us how multifaceted she is and how much more we have to look forward to from her.

Diamonds seemed the least rehearsed part of Jewels last night, full of messes and choreography not executed. Ms. LeCrone was the 4th demi who was all over the place having no idea what she was doing most of the time, off the music, and not at all together with the others. Demis Beskow next to Muller (2 of the 4) could not have been more opposite in their opening section with the corps. One was 10-cup-java extreme punchy, with no elegance, the other looked as if she needed a long nap, too exhausted to even smile or put some perk/joy into the steps.

I was embarassed for the company to have shown such a poorly put together Diamonds - probably the worst I've seen in all my years. Maria couldn't even finish Diamonds on pointe... falling off her lines to flat foot more than once esp at the ending -- not part of the choreography. Her head kept falling backwards too, too often, leaving many of her movements projected to the ceiling....not the choreography either..... Neal saved Maria from falling over many times, but his turns, though nicely done, were taken right out of the female lead's Dewdrop. Somebody tell Neal he is the romantic *male* lead in Diamonds....

And speaking of a 10-cups-of-coffee, weird, performance.... Hanna made his solo entrance (running onto the stage) in Emeralds as if he had just walked out of Starbucks.... but then when it came time for him to execute his steps, the energy and technique faded and were too small/weak. As a partner however, Hanna was excellent....and I wish he was being cast (more appropriately, temper-wise, height-wise) with Mearns next week...

Bouder will be far better suited for Rubies which I thought went very well last night led by Megan Fairchild. Actually, Fairchild totally surprised me with some of her best, most sassy, fun, bright and excellent dancing to date. Fabulous debut!!! The Rubies corps was also the best all night.

DeLuz was not much of a partner for Fairchild, leaving her to do so much of it herself, but DeLuz, in time, I trust will become better controlled, and will gain a better understanding of this male part --- It's not about hardselling and hamming it up to the audience. The male role is all testosterone, flashy technique, with some sex'd up flirting *to his partner* not the audience. I'd like to see Suozzi in this part someday soon.... Suozzi was very good in Emeralds' trois, but a bit too flashy and wild for Faure.... Suozzi is much more Stravinsky edged.

I thought Maria was the best I'd ever seen her in the Diamonds pdd last night -- it was uncanny how similar she was to Suzanne Farrell, both in looks and movement. I've watched the old recording of Suzanne and Peter doing the pdd countless times, and Maria last night looked as if she were channeling Suzanne. She looked much stronger and more in control of her hyperextension. And the normally bland Philip actually looked like he was feeling it, too. I'd gone looking forward to Wendy, but Maria really surprised me. She danced with abandon last night, completely lost in the music. It was wonderful to see.

I thought Ashley was terrific in Emeralds -- she outshone Ringer! Nice to see her branch out beyond the allegro roles. Her arms, especially, were lyrical. I agree with sz about Hanna's solo. One of the jarring notes, because everyone else was so good. But I thought his lifts were wonderfully smooth, he made Ashley soar and fly effortlessly. Alina looked very nervous and tight, especially in her back and arms, and towards the end when the five mains are dancing, she fell off point in one of the sustained penchee balances. I hope she gets more comfortable with repeated runs. It looks as if she is being geared for soloist. She's certainly one of the hardest working corps members lately.

The corps in Rubies was wonderful, but I didn't like the leads as much. I kept missing Miranda Weese, who did a killer rendition of Rubies with Damian, lots of jazz and pep. Megan, I felt, was hampered by being partnered with Joaquin, who looked especially short last night, what with the pouffy sleeves of the men's costume and Megan wearing a tall Rubies headpiece. She towered over him every time she had to get on point. I hope Martins will share the love and give her a wider range of partners. And Savannah, who is no Tess in this role, was simply too big. It was distracting. Though she danced with authority, I felt her jumps were rather leaden, partially because of her size (not the height, I love tall dancers, but she's certainly not the most slender dancer). Put next to Joaquin and Megan, the effect was especially disconcerting.

There's a beautiful moment in Emeralds where the women and men stand holding hands, alternating boy - girl. The women slowly go from a low arabesque en pointe to penché while the men, slowly going down on one knee, support them. I thought it was wonderfully executed.

Bouder, Ringer and Suozzi's performances stood out for me.

I also enjoyed Fairchild and De Luz in Rubies. They looked like they were having a lot of fun. Perhaps it's from where I was sitting, but I didn't think Fairchild towered over De Luz.


I don't think he looked feminine at all. I thought Maria and he were great together.

I agree with Roberto Dini, although I recognize that sz has the experience and ability to judge technical problems (that I wish I had!!).

Sean Suozzi was replaced in last night's Stravinski Violin Concert -- but looked just fine in the lobby after the performance. Actually, there were quite a number of replacements in the male corps of SVC, but they looked very good. I mentioned (on the "Casting June 12 - 17" page) that Amar and Maria replaced Alfred and Wendy....and I couldn't take my eyes off of Amar. He was so "on the music" and energetic. His phrasing was fresh and interesting while being right on the money as well. He was tender yet authoritative in the pdd, and joyful in the last movement. I have been more and more impressed with him this season. He used to seem so "flabby," but I guess he's lost his baby fat!

Actually, Suozzi was replaced in both “Stravinsky Violin” and “Dybbuk” last night. You probably didn’t miss him in “Dybbuk” because the whole thing is so forgettable – maybe you spent the 45 minutes looking more closely at the Kierstein exhibit in the lobby – a much better use of the time. From McBride and Tomasson through Ringer and Millipied, no amount of effort and commitment has been able to save this dud. And with the block programming there’s no way to avoid it if you want to see the two Balanchine masterpieces that “enclose” it.

Amar was truly riveting in the “Stravinsky”, both in his solos and in the pas de deux with Maria K. In the final movement, the contrast between Amar’s committed and enthusiastic dancing and Nilas Martins’ indifferent performance was painful. Nilas is two-dimensional, his dancing lacks volume, it is colorless. His pas de deux with Yvonne Borree was an embarrassment – the bland leading the bland. And when he danced in front of those marvelous corps men (Hall and Peiffer among them) in the first movement, Nilas simply disappeared.

Joaquin de Luz was extraordinary in “Raymonda Variations”. He lost the cockiness that makes him so wrong for many Balanchine works and his soft landings and precision in beats, turns and jumps were remarkable. Megan Fairchild has become more authoritative in the ballerina role and the variations were all well danced, with Mearns a stand out in the fifth variation.

What on earth possessed PM to cast Yvonne Borree as the lead in Rubies -- she has neither the technical prowess nor the personality to carry it off -- fudged her way through the double pirouettes (with hands cocked at the shoulders moment) near the end, and just didn't have the appropriate jazziness at all. Ugh. On the bright side, Tess Reichlen was amazing! Tall and gorgeous, with flying grand jetes. Even better than when she did this role two years ago, and for me, far superior to Savannah Lowery. Tess got the loudest cheers during curtain calls (and deservedly so). Maybe I'm biased, but from what I could tell the audience did not react well to Borree.

Emeralds received a rather flat performance last night. After seeing Ashley, Rachel did not have the same expanse of movement. And I'm not a Sara Mearns fan. She's another large dancer (in the Savannah mould), and didn't have the liquid grace the part demands. I certainly didn't feel like she was "walking on air" in the iconic walking duet. Where is Sofiane Sylve at this point in the season? She's disappeared again. I remember seeing her in Emeralds two years ago, and she blew me away in the walking duet. Reflecting the flatness of the performance overall, only one curtain call for Emeralds last night.

Diamonds was a hit with the audience, though-- it must have one of the best Balanchine codas ever, with that marvellous, slow developpe the whole cast does right at the end, when the music slows down and becomes even more majestic. Maria was great again in the pdd, but Charles seemed a bit out of shape in the solos -- Phillip Neal did better on Tuesday.

She's in London at the moment, dancing in English National Ballet's 'in the round' Swan Lake at the Albert Hall.

Her current status with the company is frequent "guest artist," even if it's not official. I remember reading in a recent Dance Europe article (the issue where she appeared on the cover) that she still lives in France and considers it home. Dance Europe calls her the "nomadic ballerina."

thanks for the info on Sylve! Too bad, it seems like she is performing less and less with City Ballet -- and she's one of the best they've got, both in terms of range and technique. I'd like to see a Sylve Diamonds. And Rubies! I think she's only done Emeralds with City Ballet thus far (and wonderfully, too).

Sunday, June 17, 2007

In Kyra's Words:


From the printed program notes.

I did not like this ballet at the premiere but fortunately was told I was an idiot, so I kept going till I liked it. The like turned to love, and it became one of my Top Ten Balanchines. Reading the life of Robert and Clara, one of history's greatest love stories, and absorbing his music, helped. And, especially, I am in deepest debt to Mr. B. for giving me this composer.

Today's cast included Kyra Nichols/Charles Askegard as the parents of their children, Maria Kowroski/Philip Neal as Muse and Creative Artist, with other aspects of the couples's life portrayed by Jenifer Ringer/Nikolaj Hubbe and Jennie Somogyi/Nilas Martins.

Early on the driving force in this ballet was, for me, the Muse of Suzanne Farrell. There was the obvious second story of Ms. Farrell and Balanchine approaching his final illness, and this in the reality of the times was what obviously resonated. There was a gap in time, till Maria Kowroski began dancing Farrell, and for me eventually reaching (mea culpa) Suzanne's level. Then, the last go 'round the role was taken from her. But today she was back home, and so was the ballet. I found her to be on, technically, both in allegro and adagio. Since it is in part about Farrell, a dancer with a true and monumental arabesque and great physical beauty of a spiritual kind is mandatory (for me) in this Muse role. For this alone, I loved this performance.

But as the mother of Schumann's children, I have never from the first day on, seen such a performance as given today by Kyra Nichols. There comes a point where Charles Askegard portrays Schumann's complex mental illness with pure intensity: the evil scribes come out in black, those critics who tormented his paranoia with their reviews, of course, but other aspects too. Even Clara as Muse, Maria, trying to dance him back into his identity of creator, cannot distract him from his overriding love of his children and his terror from that moment of madness when he actually struck one of his beloved daughters. Clara as Wife, Kyra, tries with all tenderness to bring him back to his anchor of family; such powerful gentle touches, love and hope pouring from her eyes, but with his last drop of sanity, his last act of transcendent love as a father (on this, Father's Day), he turns his eyes and body away from hers, and walks toward the sea, one last glance over his shoulder to see the object of musical history's greatest inspiration... We know the story. A fisherman pulled him out, but he would not risk his children by going home, and finished out his life in an institution.

Recently Mr. Macaulay of the Times wrote his testament to Ms. Nichols's greatness, that versatility, the transparency she gave to every role, so that we would know its essence, but never see the dancer as herself, she remained a hidden mystery. This past week or so, that is not longer true. I see you, Kyra Nichols.

Kyra chose this as the centerpiece for her retirement gala. No better woman for no better choice.

I'd never looked on some of the dancers in "Davidsbundlertanze" as Schumann's children, but you make a convincing case, drb. I loved the ballet from the beginning, when it was all about Suzanne and Jacques and Mr. B

Sorry, Farrell Fan, I didn't mean to suggest that some of their children appeared in the dance, rather that the pair danced by Nichols and Askegard represented the domestic aspect of their multidimentional relationship: the tragic finale that they danced was brought on, in particular, by his awareness that his illness placed their children in physical danger. I felt that Kyra conveyed more than just feelings about their one-on-one relationship, but beyond to that of the whole family.