Mary Cargill - danceviewtimes (Page 12)

Paul Taylor Dance Company

Thanks for the Memories

"Brandenburgs", "Rewilding", "Cascade"
Paul Taylor Dance Company
Neidorff-Karpati Hall
Manhattan School of Music
New York, New York
June 23, 2019, matinee

The final performance of the Paul Taylor Company's part of the Orchestra of St. Luke's Bach Festival was a heartfelt farewell for many in the packed audience, as it was their last chance to see so many members of the company Taylor molded by the choreographer – six members are retiring soon and it will inevitably be a different company.

American Ballet Theatre

The Pirate King

"Le Corsaire"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
June 12, 2019 matinee

ABT's version of "Le Corsaire" is loosely based on Petipa's revisions to the 1856 French ballet by Joseph Mazilier, which was even more loosely based on the 1814 poem by Byron. This season, ABT has included a somewhat apologetic note in the program explaining that in 1814 "pirates, pashas, and damsels in distress" were commonplace. In fact, Byron's poem has

Paul Taylor Dance Company

Bach to Bach

"Junction", "all at once", "Promethean Fire"
Paul Taylor Dance Company
Neidorff-Karpati Hall
Manhattan School of Music
New York, New York
June 7, 2019

The Orchestra of St. Luke's is presenting a three-week festival of Bach's music in various New York City venues, including the elegantly restored theater at the Manhattan School of Music where the Paul Taylor Dance Company is performing all six of Taylor's works set to the composer. The company's first night included the first ("Junction" from

Community Values

"Clearing", "Trio Sonatas", "Nights and Dreams", "Undercurrent"
Lydia Johnson Dance
The Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater
New York, New York
June 6, 2019

The small company (thirteen dancers plus a guest appearance by former New York City Ballet dancer Craig Hall) presented four works by Lydia Johnson, one premiere ("Clearing") and three older pieces. Johnson has a wide-ranging taste in music and the evening had works set to Handel ("Trio Sonatas", Schubert ("Nights and Dreams"), Henryk Górecki ("Undercurrents"), and Philip

New York City Ballet

Fun in the Forest

"A Midsummer Night's Dream"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
May 30, 2019

As is semi-traditional, the New York City Ballet is ending its Spring season with a flourish of Balanchine, Shakespeare, and Mendelssohn with refreshed costumes, looking much brighter (though in an odd oversight, some of the men's bloomers in the second act divertissement were missing their red ribbons). The end of the season also saw a number of debuts, an

American Ballet Theatre

Creme Fraiche

"Whipped Cream"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
May 27, 2019

Alexei Ratmansky's "Whipped Cream" is a multi-layer confection, full of surprising treats, among them the opportunity Ratmansky gives to some of ABT's explosion of young talent. This performance highlighted this, with one principal (Devon Teuscher as Princess Tea Flower), two soloists (Cassandra Trenary as Princess Praline and Thomas Forster as Prince Coffee) and a corps dancer as the Boy (Jonathan Klein, making his

American Ballet Theatre

A Child's Eye View

"Whipped Cream"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
May 25, 2019 matinee

Alexei Ratmansky's colorful extravaganza "Whipped Cream" returned for the third year, looking vivid and fresh; the dancers, it seems, have become at home in their roles and have added individual touches and comic flourishes. The many roles, from the Worm Candy Man to the leads, were danced with a snap and vigor, combined with fine comic timing which created a sort

American Ballet Theatre

Ten Years and Counting

"Serenade after Plato's Symposium", "The Seasons"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
May 20, 2019

ABT's Spring gala saluted Alexei Ratmansky's ten year association with the company by presenting an evening of his works, opening with the dense, fascinating "Serenade after Plato's Symposium" and closing with a premiere, "The Seasons", a plotless excursion through Alexander Glazunov's eponymous score, written in 1900 for Marius Petipa. Fun fact – Glazunov was commissioned to compose the ballet

American Ballet Theatre

Having a Lark

"Harlequinade"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
May 16, 2019

Dying may be easy and comedy hard, as the old saying has it, and "Harle- quinade" has both, though this performance of Petipa's frothy confection of commedia dell'arte characters as reconstructed by Alexei Ratmansky made comedy look easy. The ballet has all the trappings of an old-fashioned comedy: a poor young man, a beautiful girl, an angry father, and a fatuous rich suitor

American Ballet Theatre

Fit for a Tsar

"Harlequinade"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
May 15, 2019 matinee

"Harlequinade", Alexei Ratmansky's gleaming reconstruction of Petipa's 1900 ballet, complete with mime, character dancing, and what looked like hundreds of hats, gave the audience a taste of ballet as seen by the Tsar and his family. The Tsar, of course, did not have to watch it in the cavernous Met Opera House, so it was easier for him to focus on the

New York City Ballet

Golden Oldies

"Scotch Symphony", "Duo Concertant", "Sonatine", "Stravinsky Violin Concerto"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
April 30, 2019

The most recent work on the all-Balanchine program was the 1975 "Sonatine" but all the dancers looked fresh and vibrant. Even "Scotch Symphony", that charming but illogical wish-mash of Romantic themes with kilted men switching effortlessly from menacing barriers to bouncy villagers and an illusive sylph morphing into a triumphant ballerina, shimmered. NYCB

New York City Ballet

Other Worlds

"Prodigal Son", "Liebeslieder Walzer"
New York City Ballet
David H. Koch Theater
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
February 28, 2019

The typical image of a Balanchine ballet features an austere backdrop illuminating the dancers (in leotards or pastel shifts) and their glorious formations, but the February 28th performance showcased two Balanchine ballets whose sets and costumes created distinctive atmospheres. Georges Rouault's stained glass glow helps give "Prodigal Son" the rooted, ritualistic feel of an ancient parable and David

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