| Publication |
The Boston Globe |
| Date |
October 25, 2010 |
| Author |
Thea Singer |
Boston Ballet’s astute mix of classics and modern ballets in its “Night of Stars’’ recalled a meticulously curated rare-books exhibit.
The program, comprising 11 dances, posited on stage a sample of everything from the virtuoso pas de deux from Vakhtang Chabukiani’s “Le Corsaire’’ (1858), to an excerpt from George Balanchine’s architecturally etched “Apollo’’ (1928), to principal dancer Yury Yanowsky’s “Li{-3},’’ a contemporary world premiere that bangs to a close when Jaime Diaz tosses Rie Ichikawa over his head into the arms of John Lam, behind him.
The presentation was so in-the-moment that you had the sense of lifting each offering — newly dusted — off the shelf, and entering a distinct new world. Kudos to artistic director Mikko Nissinen for picking, and arranging, the “volumes’’ with such care.
The time travel highlighted the troupe’s remarkable technical range, buttressed by the addition of nine new company dancers to its ranks. These dancers weren’t just trying on choreographic styles for size; they were fully — joyously! — inhabiting the movement from the core out, whether they were launching into bravura leaps in Marius Petipa’s “Don Quixote’’ pas-de-deux (1869) or shooting a hand through a partner’s gaping second-position plie in Jorma Elo’s rhythmic, quirky “Plan to B’’ (2004) excerpt.
The evening opened with the exquisitely timed “The Kingdom of Shades’’ from “La Bayadère’’ (1877), choreographed by Florence Clerc after Petipa. This ritualistic showcasing of the corps de ballet had 24 women in crisp white tutus snaking single file in a squashed S pattern on three levels, first taking a step, then extending a leg in arabesque, then twisting from the waist to either side. The unison work is fiendishly difficult — there were some wobbles here — yet with their supple backs and suspended pauses between the music’s notes (by Ludwig Minkus), the dancers evoked mystery: a sense of fog rolling over hills.
Whitney Jensen and Jeffrey Cirio, flashing tambourines, were superbly matched as a vivacious, spritely duo in Balanchine’s “Tarantella’’ (1964). Larissa Ponomarenko and new principal Lasha Khozashvili were madly devoted as they executed now angular, now spread-eagle clutches in a preview of Helen Pickett’s somewhat overwrought world premiere, “Layli O Majnun.’’ Later, in “Don Quixote,’’ Khozashvili, with thin legs that go on forever, stunned with his airborne leaps, rocketing barrel turns, and rapid-fire beats.
The New York City Ballet’s Wendy Whelan and San Francisco Ballet’s Damian Smith replaced the originally slated Paris Opera Ballet guest dancers, who were stuck in France because of the strike. The two imbued Christopher Wheeldon’s achingly lyrical “After the Rain’’ (2005) with a tension and tenderness that strained at your heart. The audience fairly held its breath as the dancers gave shape and blood and guts to Arvo Pärt’s score, which fell like water droplets around them. Facing each other, they slowly rocked foot to foot — altering the stage space itself. Whelan arced into a backbend and Smith lifted her, still bent, and placed her elsewhere. Later she jutted her chest to his, her legs splayed behind, trailing like the points on a compass.
“After the Rain’’ is a love poem of a dance. It’s a fitting tribute to the continuing growth of this eclectic and warm-hearted company as it launches into its 2010-11 season.
