Filed under: Reviews | Tags: Adam Still, Alexei Tyukov, Art Bouton, Asuka Sasaki, Caitlin Valentine-Ellis, Chandra Kuykendall, Chrstipher Ellis, Dana Benton, Dimitry Trubchanov, George Balanchine, Gil Boggs, Glen Tetley, Jesse Marks, Kevin Gaël Thomas, Lydia Sviatlovskaya, Maria Mosina, Michael Allen, Sharon Wehner, Shelby Dyer, The Colorado Ballet
Every season, the Colorado Ballet has always performed an unrelated trilogy of one act ballets that, for the last several years, have represented some of the finest dancing of which the company is capable. Sometimes there are fewer people in the audience because these ballets do not necessarily represent a kingpin in the season, such as The Nutcracker does. However, I have noticed that those who attend this “trilogy” seem to be those who really love dance, and are dedicated to the Colorado Ballet. Therefore, these three ballets have always struck me as representing a “kingpin” performance.
Friday evening, February 22, the Colorado Ballet presented such an evening entitled Ballet MasterWorks. The three ballets that made up this splendid evening were Theme and Variations, with music by Tchaikovsky and choreography by Balanchine; In Pieces with music by Poul Ruders and choreography by Val Caniparoli; and the third ballet of the evening was The Rite of Spring, with music by Igor Stravinsky and choreography by Glen Tetley.
The Colorado Ballet opened the program with Theme and Variations by Tchaikovsky and Balanchine. This was an important performance because this was the first time that the Colorado Ballet has performed a work by George Balanchine in the last ten years. Many of you who read this article will know that George Balanchine, (1904-1983), was the most influential choreographer of classical ballet in the United States in the 20th century. He was the founder of the New York City Ballet, and he also pioneered the use of choreography for film and musical theater. In 1947, he choreographed the music from Tchaikovsky’s Orchestral Suite Nr. 3 in G, Opus 55. It has no plot or storyline, and is therefore an example of classical ballet technique that is so extraordinary that it has become an indispensable portion of ballet repertoire.
Friday evening, the principles in this ballet were the incomparable Maria Mosina and the likewise incomparable, Alexei Tyukov. The Demi-Soloist ladies were Dana Benton, Shelby Dyer, Asuka Sasaki, and Caitlin Valentine-Ellis. The Demi-Soloist men were Christopher Ellis, Jesse Marks, and Adam Still.
The only set decoration on stage for this ballet were chandeliers hanging from the stage ceiling, because the original production indicated that it was to be done in a “warmly lit ballroom.” The women wore tutus, and the men wore quasi-military costumes of the nineteenth century. Two things struck me immediately: the first was that I could not recall seeing a classical ballet that required such incredible strength on the part of the dancers; and, in addition, the orchestra sounded better than it ever has, and it has always been excellent. I am constantly mystified at how seemingly easy it is for all of the dancers in this company to exude such incredible grace along with such incredible strength and control over what they do. Of course, that control takes strength, and it takes incredible mental strength to do so many things at once: keep the beat, smile, watch the conductor, worry about the conductor watching you, and learning to rely on those who are around you on stage. But one of the pleasures in watching Mosina and Tyukov is their remarkable reliability. Their solos were startling because of their difficulty, and in watching these two dance, they reflected the joy of their profession. I think that in ballet, that joy is easier to perceive than it is in watching orchestra members or solo musicians perform. A dancer has to perform with their entire body. Musicians have to perform by holding instruments or touching an instrument, and I think that makes a difference. It is often difficult for me to write a review of a ballet simply because there are so many on stage that I can’t just list every individual. But, the Colorado Ballet has such depth of artistic ability, that all of the dancers should be named.
The pas de deux by Mosina and Tyukov was sensational, not only because they are so skilled, but because they have such incredible trust and knowledge of each other’s reliability. Mosina knows exactly how she will be caught by Tyukov, and she knows he has the ability to hold her over his head. Tyukov can rely upon Mosina to make a leap in exactly the right moment so that he can catch her with great ease. All of this seems so obvious, that it hardly seems worth mentioning. But, I do mention it because the choreography in this opening work was incredibly difficult, and the reliability that I have mentioned in the preceding sentences is what separates the Colorado Ballet from other dance companies around the country. I heard an individual comment on a photograph of the composer Carlisle Floyd, who was hard at work at his desk. This individual said, “Look at the expression on his face! He is really concentrating hard, and it looks as if composing is hard. Is writing an opera really difficult?” So, you see, that’s why I sometimes feel compelled to mention the obvious.
The orchestra was superb in Theme and Variations. There is a marvelous violin solo in Tchaikovsky’s work and it was beautifully done by Lydia Sviatlovskaya.
Another reason that the house should have been full Friday evening was the World Premiere of the second ballet of the evening, In Pieces, choreographed by Val Caniparoli, who is the choreographer for the San Francisco Ballet. The music which Caniparoli used for this ballet is by Poul Ruders: his Concerto in Pieces “Purcell Variations” (1994-95).
I will quote briefly from the websites of Caniparoli and Ruders:
“Born in Renton, Washington, Mr. Caniparoli opted for a professional dance career after studying music and theatre at Washington State University. In 1972, he received a Ford Foundation Scholarship to attend San Francisco Ballet School. He performed with San Francisco Opera Ballet before joining San Francisco Ballet in 1973. He continues to perform with the Company as a principal character dancer.
“He has contributed to the repertories of more than thirty-five dance companies, including Pacific Northwest Ballet, Boston Ballet, Northern Ballet Theatre, Pennsylvania Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Ballet West (Resident Choreographer 1993-97), Washington Ballet, Israel Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Singapore Dance Theatre, Atlanta Ballet, State Theatre Ballet of South Africa, Louisville Ballet and Tulsa Ballet, where he has been resident choreographer since 2001. When Boston Ballet danced the company premiere of Mr. Caniparoli’s full-length Lady of the Camellias in 2004, the critic for the Boston Herald wrote, ‘Why have we had to wait so long to see a ballet by this gifted choreographer?’”
And now, Poul Ruders:
“Poul Ruders was born in Ringsted, Denmark, on March 27, 1949. His early studies in piano and organ led eventually to studies in orchestration with the Danish composer Karl Aage Rasmussen. Ruders’s first compositions date from the mid-60s. Ruders regards his own compositional development as a gradual one, with his true voice emerging with the chamber concerto, Four Compositions, of 1980. Writing about Ruders, the English critic Stephen Johnson states: ‘He can be gloriously, explosively extrovert one minute-withdrawn, haunted, intently inward-looking the next. Super-abundant high spirits alternate with pained, almost expressionistic lyricism; simplicity and directness with astringent irony.’
“Poul Ruders has created a large body of music ranging from opera and orchestral works through chamber, vocal and solo music. In recent years, performances of his work on both sides of the Atlantic and in such distant locals as China, Japan and Russia have taken place with increasing regularity. With the overwhelming success of his second opera, The Handmaid’s Tale (1996-98), produced in Copenhagen (2000), Ruders became even more in demand, with commissions coming in rapid succession from The Berlin Philharmonic, The New York Philharmonic, The BBC Symphony Orchestra, and from The Royal Danish Opera. Recent performances include productions of The Handmaid’s Tale in Toronto and London, and orchestral premieres and performances in Berlin, New York and London.”
The music that Caniparoli chose is a set of variations on themes of the English composer, Purcell. However, Ruders variations began very exuberantly with a full orchestra performing at a good solid forte. It was instant excitement. It has been a long time since I have seen a ballet choreographed with such vigorous and rapid movements. The dancers in this terrific ballet were Caitlin Valentine-Ellis, Dmitry Trubchanov, Chandra Kuykendall, Jesse Marks, Sharon Wehner, and Christopher Ellis. The costumes were avant-garde: the danseuses wore smoky blue tights with transparent “petals” as skirts. The danseurs wore smoky gray tights with much smaller “petals.” This added to the aspect of being in a totally new world. The choreography was very rapid and incredibly energetic, but it was so imaginative that it almost defies description. And, I might add, that the choreography was absolutely beautiful. So much of that beauty was the result of the grace added to these very energetic movements. In the press release announcing this concert, Artistic Director Gil Boggs said, and I quote, “These three works in one evening with a live orchestra performance will make for a very powerful night of dance and music, and will leave the audience in awe.” Truthfully, that is an understatement. I would classify this style of choreography as abstract expressionist, but to fully fit that definition may be impossible, just as architecture as designated in the abstract expressionist style is impossible, because it could not be used by human beings. But the choreography was so creative and so imaginative, and the music wonderfully chosen by the choreographer and written by the composer, and it seems new, that it was hard to classify. I assure you that this was not “modern dance.” It was ballet in its purest form. The orchestra was sensational, and there was some marvelous saxophone solo and an equally marvelous tuba solo. I am sure that it was Art Bouton performing the saxophone solo and Michael Allen performing on the tuba. Both were incredibly mellifluous.
The third ballet Friday evening was the legendary Le Sacre du Printemps, or The Rite of Spring, by Igor Stravinsky. The choreography was done by Glen Tetley. Everyone, I am sure, is familiar with the legendary story of the near riot that this ballet caused in 1913 at its Paris premiere. The French audience was simply not accustomed to Stravinsky’s music, nor was it accustomed to the “risqué” choreography that Stravinsky required. Even Stravinsky’s good friend, Claude Debussy, seemed to be nonplussed. The musicologist, who was a friend of both, Louis Laloy, wrote of a meeting between Stravinsky and Debussy at Debussy’s house when the two sat down at the piano to play through a forehand arrangement of Stravinsky’s ballet. Debussy played the bass while Stravinsky played the upper register. These two giant composers had greeted each other at the beginning of the afternoon with hugs and handshakes, but after reading through the score, Debussy could do nothing but continually stare at the score, dumbfounded.
This is such an historic work in so many respects, that it is almost embarrassing to admit that I have never seen it before, but this was the first time. I found myself wondering what it would be like to sit there in 1913. The choreography was originally done by Vaslav Nijinsky, and it was long thought to have been lost, but it was recently reconstructed by the Joffrey Ballet. My initial reaction to Glen Tetley’s choreography, and it was sustained throughout the entire ballet, is that this is a beautiful work. Glen Tetley’s choreography was remarkable and very satisfying, and like the ballet before it, In Pieces, very energetic.
In the program notes, there was a quote from Glen Tetley which may be of help to those who are unfamiliar with this ballet. I will quote verbatim:
“Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring is earth music of profoundly moving power. It speaks to me not only of pagan Russia, but our ancestral beginnings of Myth and Belief. When seasons changed, when earth seemed to die without a leaf to survive, man heaped the blame on a single person, a chosen victim who was killed and then buried within the earth, ritually mourned and then miraculously reborn, bringing the gift of life to earth. T.S. Eliot in his poem, Gerontion, in one line captures this magic moment, “and in the spring comes ‘Christ the Tiger’.”
The Chosen One was danced by Adam Still; Maria Mosina and Alexei Tyukov danced the Earth Mother and Earth Father. Casey Dalton and Asoka Sasaki with a female soloists, and Jesse marks and Kevin Gaël Thomas were the male soloists.
I don’t think I have ever seen Adam still dance so well: he was not only sensational in his dancing, but in his expressivity as well. Maria Mosina and Alexei Tyukov were absolutely perfect. Their pas de deux was overwhelming in its tenderness. And, of course, Dalton, Sasaki, and Marks and Thomas were outstanding.
As I left the Ellie Caulkins Theatre, I was convinced that this was one of the best productions I have ever seen from the Colorado Ballet. Then I remember Echoing of Trumpets, Dracula, Romeo and Juliet, and, you see how many I have mentioned already. This makes obvious that in The Colorado Ballet, we have a treasure that has set the standard for the arts not only in Denver, but for the country as well. The Colorado Ballet is that good, and we must never take them for granted.
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: Adam Flatt, Colorado Ballet, Gill Boggs, Lorita Travaglia, Maria Mosina, Sandra Brown, Swan Lake
It is been more than 20 years since I have seen Swan Lake. The opening night performance of the Colorado Ballet production, October 7, was the fifth performance that I have seen. Gil Boggs and the Colorado Ballet, even though they used the traditional choreography of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, have staged a wonderful new production of this ballet. It has been slightly updated by Armanda McKerrow, John Gardner, both of whom were principals in the American Ballet Theater, and Colorado ballet’s Sandra Brown. Even with these updates, which include adding an original waltz during the first act, this was still the Swan Lake that everyone will recognize by its choreography. Do not begin to compare it with “updated” versions that have been done in London and in Sydney, where some critics have compared it, because of its changes, to the arranged marriage between the Prince of Wales and Princess Diana. I can assure you that everyone at the Colorado Ballet is an artist, and would not bend to modernizing one of the great classical ballets of all time. As performed by the Colorado Ballet, Act I contains two scenes. Some programs of other ballet companies label these as Act I and Act II, with the second act as Act III, and act three as Act IV.
What really gave me a very pleasant surprise in this production Friday night were the absolutely splendid sets and costumes. None of the previous Swan Lakes that I have seen had such beautiful sets, and the costumes certainly added a great deal to the story. One of the most spectacular costumes was worn by the character Baron von Rothbart which was performed by Gregory K. Gonzales. Gonzales is a very fine character actor, and his costume, with its huge feathered wings, coupled with his hard, cold stare gave him a remarkable sense of evil. But understand that one of the premier aspects that Gil Boggs, Sandra Brown, and Lorita Travaglia have added to the Colorado Ballet is a remarkable sense of drama and acting, which I have never seen in any other ballet company. And speaking of acting, it was also remarkable to watch the lovely Maria Mosina switch between Odette and the evil von Rothbart’s daughter, Odile. Her acting is always superior, and I will never forget her role in 3 Motions in March of 2010. On Friday, I was absolutely astounded at Mosina’s dancing. When she uses her arms to simulate the flying wings of a Swan, I was stunned. I was not able to get backstage after the performance, but I truly wanted to ask her how many elbows she has on each arm! Her arm motions were so fluid and never angular, that I am convinced she has at least five additional joints between her shoulder and wrist. Likewise, when she collapses to the stage from fourth position, I am convinced she has at least 30 more vertebrae in her back than the rest of us mortals. She was beautiful to watch and beautifully expressive.
I was also pleasantly surprised at all of the familiar faces I saw on stage. In a way it was like greeting old friends. In addition, there are several new faces that have come up through the ranks from the Academy to the Corps. It was easy to recognize Greg DeSantis and Morgan Buchanan. Among the new faces was one dancer that really stood out because of her dancing ability, and her ability hold a position, was Ariel Ha. The Corps was wonderfully sensational in this ballet. I am, as a pianist, always amazed to see them do a boureé because it seems so incredibly difficult. But all of the swans did it together, and did it in such a way that it seemed very easy. And perhaps, to a dancer, it is. But I don’t believe that for a minute. Last year I asked one of the dancers how they could do such difficult steps, and still smile while the exertion must be killing them. She said matter-of-factly, “But that’s what dancers do.”
Alexi Tyukov was wonderful as Prince Siegfried and Viacheslav Buchkovskiy as Benno was outstanding. This ballet company has such incredible depth: Casey Dalton, Shelby Dyer, Caitlin Valentine-Ellis, Olga Prikhodtseva, Dana Benton, Cara Cooper, Asoka Sasaki, Sally Turkel, Alyssa Velázquez (and I know I am leaving out some of the swans and waltz couples, so please, please forgive me) are always beyond compare. And the same phrase belongs to Christopher Ellis, Christopher Moulton, Sean Omandam, Kevin Gaël Thomas, Adam Still, Luis Valdes, Jesse Marks, and Kevin Wilson. Look at all the names that I have mentioned. And, again, I’m afraid that I have left some out. As I have said before, and I sincerely believe this, most of the corps are capable of being soloists.
Lorita Travaglia, one of the Ballet Mistresses with the company, and who has a remarkable history of performance, was perfect as the Queen Mother. Many might think that since this is a rather minor role in the ballet, that its impact would be minor. It isn’t, simply because it speaks to the detail that goes into every production by the Colorado Ballet. Everything associated with Friday night’s Swan Lake was artful, polished, and professional.
Maestro Adam Flatt, who conducts the Colorado Ballet Orchestra, is superb. I think it is worth noting that conducting a ballet is not the same as conducting an orchestra without dancers, or an orchestra that is performing, say, a concerto with a soloist. If a conductor has three performances with a violinist as soloist, he or she can be assured that the soloist will take the same tempos at each performance that have been so carefully worked out at rehearsals. But a ballet conductor has an entire stage full of dancers, and not only that, but the next evenings performance may well be with different lead dancers. Some of those dancers undoubtedly will prefer different tempos. Ballet is strenuous and athletic. It is conceivable that a dancer could suffer an injury. In that case the conductor has to be aware of changes in tempo from the dancer. I have seen Maestro Flatt conduct many times, and he has a sixth sense of empathy with the dancer (as well as solo instrumentalists).
Tchaikovsky wrote a good deal of music in this ballet for violin solo. I could not see into the orchestra pit from where I was sitting, but I would this assume that the solo work was done by the concertmaster, Lydia Sviatlovskaya. She was excellent, as was the entire orchestra.
It is always such a pleasure to see the Colorado Ballet because they are so consistent in every detail throughout the production. Friday night’s performance left no detail lacking. Everyone on the staff of this organization from the Lighting Director, to the dancers and orchestra, are totally concerned with their art. That is one reason that we here in Denver should be so gratified to have them here.
If you are hesitating to see the Colorado Ballet’s production of Swan Lake because you are familiar with it, and anticipate “another performance of the same old thing,” you will be making a big mistake. It is fresh and invigorating. And remember: the Colorado Ballet is one of the best, if not the best, in the United States. If you go to this Swan Lake, you will agree.
I have never seen the Colorado Ballet do anything that was less than excellent.
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: Adam Flatt, Alexi Tyukov, Cara Cooper, Charles Lee, Christopher Ellis, Dana Benton, Deborah Wilbur, Denis Malinkine, Dracula, Evan Orman, Gill Boggs, Gregory Gonzales, Igor Vassine, Jesse Marks, Maria Mosina, Michael Pink, Michelle Orman, Phillip Feeney, Sayaka Karasugi, Sharon Wehner, Viacheslav Buchkovskiy
To borrow a few words from Arnold Schoenberg and paraphrase them: Everyone associated with the Colorado Ballet feels the artistic necessity to have the stamina and courage to make everything connected with dance and music a very special case.
Continuing the Colorado Ballet’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, “Dracula” was performed Friday night, October 15. It follows the novel written by Bram Stoker very closely. And what is so remarkable is that the members of this ballet company are so skilled not only in dance, but also in acting. They easily convey so many emotions: fear, passion, revulsion, and the grotesque. And once again, they have taken upon themselves the rather heavy duty of performing a ballet which is very far from one’s concept of what a ballet is. They also did that last year with their production of “Echoing of Trumpets.” I will quote Gil Boggs, who is the gifted Artistic Director of the Colorado Ballet: “While it does demonstrate the dancers’ classical technique, there is also a great deal of focus on characterization, music and costumes. These elements coupled with [Choreographer Michael] Pink’s mesmerizing and sensual choreography makes it seem much more like a theatrical production and offers something completely distinctive and in a class of its own.”
Michael Pink is an internationally known choreographer. And I quote from the program notes: “Michael Pink began his tenure as Artistic Director of the Milwaukee Ballet Company in December of 2002. Since that time, he has established himself as a prominent member of the Milwaukee arts community, demonstrating his commitment to the future of dance through education and collaboration. Mr. Pink’s dramatic production of Romeo & Juliet took narrative dance drama to a new level of interpretation. His new productions of The Nutcracker and Swan Lake both received critical acclaim. Other works for the Milwaukee Ballet include Solstice and The Red Dress.”
Most of you who attend the ballet on a regular basis probably know that when a ballet is choreographed, that original choreography has to be followed to the letter. There are a few deviations allowed, to take into consideration the ability and strength of the dancer. If the original choreographer cannot attend the rehearsals, then an individual known as a Repetiteur coaches the dancers. In this case of Dracula, the Repetiteur was Denis Malinkine. I was fortunate to attend a studio rehearsal and I saw him work with the dancers. He is an excellent coach and communicated easily with the dancers in the company. Did you know that it takes one hour to choreograph one minute of dancing? That’s why the dancers in the Colorado Ballet practice up to six hours a day. Sometimes, in order to warm up for their practice, that time extends to eight hours.
The score for Dracula was composed by Philip Feeney. “Philip Feeney studied composition at the University of Cambridge with Robin Holloway and Hugh Wood, and at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome under Franco Donatoni. His works have been performed extensively throughout Europe, and he is most noted for his work in ballet and dance. After a period as pianist/composer for the Teatrodanza di Roma from 1980 to 1984, he returned to London and has been Composer in Residence for the Central School of Ballet and Musical Director for their national tour ever since. It was for Christopher Gable and Michael Pink that, in 1996, he wrote the highly acclaimed score for Dracula.” The music for this ballet is absolutely sensational. I would hope that some of the local orchestras would perform some of his ballet music or other works. He is a marvelous composer.
And speaking of the music, conductor Adam Flatt carries out his duties with consummate skill. And I use the word duties, because conducting a ballet is not at all like conducting a concerto with a solo instrument and orchestra. When a concerto is performed, the conductor can sense the phrasing and the agogics from the soloist. But in a ballet, the conductor has to be aware of every single movement the dancer makes. For example, certain movements have to be followed or accompanied very precisely by the beats in the musical score. If the dancer lifts another dancer into the air, that gesture has to arrive on a certain beat of the music. If one dancer looks over her shoulder to the male partner that she is dancing with and extends her hand for him to grasp, that “grasp” has to occur on a certain beat. Dracula has a complex score, and with such complex choreography where the movements come in rapid-fire succession, that Maestro Flatt’s abilities are taxed to the maximum, but he never fails. And, keep in mind that each performance is different because the dancers usually change with each performance; there is always a subtle difference between them. The Colorado Ballet Orchestra is excellent. There was some fine cello playing from Charles Lee and Evan Orman, in fact, the entire string section sounded spectacular. Michelle Orman and Deborah Wilber, the clarinetists, had some very rapid slides and gestures in the score. In fact, Feeney’s writing didn’t omit anyone in the orchestra; they all were able to demonstrate their consummate ability.
There are several main characters in this ballet which, as I said, follows Bram Stoker’s novel very carefully. The ballet begins with Harker reliving his journey to Transylvania in a dream. He is tormented by three vampire maidens, Cara Cooper, Dana Benton, and Sayaka Karasugi. All three executed exquisite port de bras. Harker, who was danced by Viacheslav Buchkovskiy, sets off for the region of Transylvania, where he has dealings with Count Dracula’s purchase of land in England. He is accompanied on his journey by Mina, danced by Sharon Wehner, and Dr. Van Helsing, danced by Gregory Gonzales. Harker witnesses a sacrificial ceremony conducted by the villagers which protects them from the dangers that threaten on All Souls Night. And from there, the story continues with all of the dancers: Jesse Marks as the insane Renfield, Christopher Ellis as Quincy, Alexei Tyukov as Arthur, and last but certainly not least, Maria Mosina as Lucy. One by one the characters are placed in a trance by Dracula. By his bite, he transforms Lucy forever into one of the undead. His main conquest is Mina, who manages to survive Dracula’s unspeakable horror. These dancers are so artistic in their depiction of emotions and drama that they truly create another world. And it is a world where the remarkable dancer, Igor Vassine as Dracula, rules with arrogance, terror, and an epicene sensuality. His haughty confidence is unmistakable, and he relies on his supernatural ability to suspend time – as in the slow-motion sequence in the Grand Hotel – to put all of those who interfere with his pursuit of Mina into a state of suspended animation. Igor Vassine slithered and coiled across the stage, sometimes reminding us of an evil viper that lives in permanent darkness and soil. And, likewise, Jesse Marks, who danced Renfield, and picked flies and blood off the floor, licking his hands greedily. Jesse Marks did an amazing pas de deux with Sharon Wehner as Mina, where he was in a straitjacket and could not use his arms. But he rolled Sharon Wehner across his back, lifting her from the floor, as he tried to warn her of the evils of Dracula and of Dracula’s pursuit of her, but each time failing because of his insanity. His earnestness and despair were absolutely palpable. And that is one of the aspects that make the Colorado Ballet so enthralling to watch. Their sense of drama allows every single dancer in the company to portray their character with great power. It does not matter whether they are dancing Dracula, Beauty and the Beast, Eventually, or The Nutcracker. This is one of the best ballet companies in the United States, if not the best. In my reviews, I have never said this before, but it certainly does no harm that every single female dancer is a raving beauty, and all of the male dancers are dashing. But I hasten to point out, that their dancing ability and their sense of drama far surpasses their physical attributes.
Gregory K. Gonzales is the guest artist for this production of Dracula. He has spent the large majority of his career with the Colorado Ballet is a principal dancer and Choreographer in Residence. His portrayal of Van Helsing was desperate and frantic in his challenge to keep Mina, Harker, Arthur, and Quincy from falling under the spell of the evil Count. He has already lost Lucy, and is even more determined to save the others. Maria Mosina as Lucy, covered in blood in a terrifying scene, lures a small child to her death. Mosina always has power on stage, no matter what role she dances.
I would encourage all of you who love ballet to support this company. And I would encourage all of you who have never seen a ballet to attend a performance because you will be amazed. The expenses of a ballet company are considerable. A pair of ballet shoes can be $75 and may last for only one performance. Typically, the Colorado Ballet spends $100,000 a year on shoes. Insurance, design royalties, and cleaning of costumes can be as high as $30,000-$90,000. The fake blood used in Dracula costs $500 per performance. If you attend the performance, you will clearly see that all of these costs are validated and necessary. Every individual in this company is worth every cent.
I have seen ballet companies in Chicago and New York. Trust me. We are unbelievably fortunate to have this ballet company with these individuals in Denver.
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: 3motions, Antony Tudor, Brian Reeder, Celts, Dana Benton, Echoing of Trumpets, Eventually, Gil Boggs, Igor Vassine, Janelle Cooke, Lila York, Maria Mosina, Sayaka Karasugi, Sharon Wehner
This is going to be a very enjoyable review to write. Enjoyable, because of the remarkable performance given on opening night by the Colorado Ballet Friday, March 19. Three ballets were performed, each lasting roughly 20 minutes to a half hour with an intermission between each one. The first was the World Premiere of a new work choreographed by Brian Reeder entitled “Eventually”. The music is by Michael Gandolfi.
Commissioned by Colorado Ballet specifically for this production, Eventually, choreographer Brian Reeder is clever and humorous, and while he has choreographed a variety of ballets, Reeder’s newest ballet follows en suite with Reeder’s persona. Described as a light-hearted and witty ballet, Eventually chronicles an elderly man making his way across the stage, through the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Throughout his journey, the gentleman is caught in the midst of four couples constantly moving around the stage exuding energy that juxtaposes the central character’s journey.
Brian Reeder was born in Sunbury, Pennsylvania and began his dance training with Marcia Dale Weary at the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. After attending American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Program, he studied at the School of American Ballet. Before joining American Ballet Theatre (1994-2003), Mr. Reeder performed as a soloist with William Forsythe’s Ballet Frankfurt (1990 -1993) and also danced with New York City Ballet (1986 -1990). He is currently on staff at American Ballet Theater’s Summer Intensives in New York City and the Coordinating Director of the ABT International Summer Dance Intensive in Bermuda (2006 – 2008.) Mr. Reeder has been a guest teacher at the Alvin Ailey School, School at STEPS, Studio Maestro, Orange County High School of the Arts, Newark Arts High School and the Icelandic National Ballet Company and School.
Michael Gandolfi entered the Berklee College of Music before transferring to the New England Conservatory of Music after one year. He went on to receive both his Bachelors and Masters degrees from NEC, where he is now the chair of the composition department. In 1986 he was a fellow of the Tanglewood Music Center; there he studied with Leonard Bernstein and Oliver Knussen. He has served on the faculty of Harvard University, Indiana University, and the Phillips Academy at Andover; since 1997 he has been the coordinator for the Tanglewood Music Center’s composition department. He has been championed by conductor Robert Spano as one of the “Atlanta School” of American composers, a group that also includes colleagues Osvaldo Golijov, Jennifer Higdon, and Christopher Theofanidis.
As this ballet opens, one can immediately see two things: an elderly man with a cane portrayed by Christopher Moulton, and on the other side of the stage is a mailbox. The elderly man’s wife, portrayed by Christina Schifano, hands him a letter to mail, and thus begins his journey from one side of the stage to the other; a journey which takes the length of the entire ballet. On this journey he is surrounded by the humdrum of everyday life, and his journey gives the audience a warm and humorous view of the comparison between the young and old and those who are fast and slow. Halfway across the stage, he becomes tired. He snaps his finger and a wonderful porch swing, its suspension cables covered with vines and flowers descends from the ceiling of the stage. He takes his seat and amuses himself by watching the hustle and bustle around him, and seems to be amazed at the thought that he was once as young as those he watches. The music has three sections; fast, slow, and fast. It is during the slow section that he is seated on the swing, and four couples take turns performing a pas de deux as he sits and watches them, eventually nodding off. The four couples were danced by Dana Benton, Andrew Skeels; Sharon Wehner, Adam Still; Caitlin Valentine, Sean Omandam; Shelby Dyer, Luis Valdes. And every one of these eight dancers exhibited a youthful exuberance and happy warmth in knowing that they were in their youth. And I must say, that it was extremely pleasurable watching eight young dancers who have very clearly worked very hard to perfect their art. I also could not escape the feeling of gratitude that Gil Boggs, the Artistic Director of the Colorado Ballet, has the creative imagination to commission Brian Reeder. I will not divulge how the ballet ends, but I promise you that it is a surprise, but yet charming.
After the first intermission, the Company performed for the first time in Denver, the ballet “Echoing of Trumpets.” This is a ballet choreographed by Anthony Tudor, with music by the Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu. The Colorado Ballet had the benefit of Mr. Donald Mahler who served as Repetiteur ( a “Repetiteur” is a coach for the dancers). Mr. Mahler has danced several leading roles in Antony Tudor’s ballets. In fact, he was trained at the Metropolitan Opera Ballet School by Antony Tudor. Tudor himself, is one of the outstanding choreographers of the 20th century. Born in London, in 1908, he began dancing professionally with the Ballet Rambert where he created many of his early ballets. He choreographed and created the Echoing of Trumpets in 1963 for the Royal Swedish Ballet.
The composer, Bohuslav Martinu, was born in Bohemia, and eventually became a violinist with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. He began studying composition at the Prague Conservatory, but he became dissatisfied with the styles of music that he was being taught, and was eventually dismissed for being a “lazy student.” He traveled to Paris, but had to flee the German invasion of France, and he therefore immigrated to the United States. He was a prolific composer, and among his huge output are 14 ballet scores.
This ballet has to be one of the most moving and tragic performances I have ever seen from any ballet. It is set during the World War II Nazi occupation. This powerful ballet memorializes the Czechoslovakian village of Lidice, which was completely destroyed in 1942, by Nazi forces. Echoing of Trumpets explores man’s inhumanity as he grieves for lost lives in an upturned world. Tudor expertly evokes the emotional turmoil of the people of a war-ravaged land caused by occupying soldiers.
The story centers on a woman, danced by Maria Mosina, and her husband, danced by Viacheslav Buchkovskiy. The occupying troops torment and harass the residents of the village. There is a Young Girl danced by Sharon Wehner: a Tough Girl danced by Janelle Cooke. There are women of the village who are danced Shelby Dyer, Asuka Sasaki, and Evelyn Turner. The Army captain is danced by Alexei Tyukov. All of these dancers were certainly very affected by the roles that they were dancing. I can promise you that they didn’t “just” dance. Every single one of them is a superb actor, and I am absolutely convinced that every single one of them could portray any character you choose. They were able to project total fear and despair at their surroundings, knowing that at any moment their lives could come to an end. The women of the village danced often stooped over, with their arms in second position, and exuded a palpable air of being browbeaten and totally subjugated in every single respect. But it was Maria Mosina who gave a truly remarkable performance. She was chilling and entirely convincing as she portrays the devastation of watching her husband killed. She goes to her husband’s body and pulls him into a sitting position, hoping that if she does that, he will come back to life. It does not work. She then pulls on his arms, as if to try to move him away from the hell that has engulfed them, so that he will have a better place to come back to life. And that does not work either. Her character then becomes an empty and hollow shell. Maria Mosina is such a fine dancer and such a fine actor, that you can almost read her mind in this role. Everyone on stage reacted to her acting. And so did everyone in the audience.
I admire the Colorado Ballet for programming such a devastating work and presenting it in such an incredibly artistic manner. Gil Boggs and the Ballet Mistresses, Sandra Brown, and Lorita Travaglia are masterful at what they do, and so is Donald Mahler.
After the second intermission, the ballet company performed “Celts.” Celts is a wonderful, cheerful, and energetic ballet based on traditional Irish music. It was choreographed by Lila York who danced with the Paul Taylor Dance Company. She has choreographed ballets for companies all over the United States and Great Britain. I was astonished at the demands that she places on the dancers. There was constant and incredibly vigorous movement all the time without a let up, and let me assure you this was not any kind of a cheesy reprise of Riverdance. This is a wonderful and artistic ballet that exhibits far more than athleticism. Adam Still, Sayaka Karasugi, Janelle Cooke, Igor Vassine, Johnstuart Winchell, Sean Omandam, and Cara Cooper absolutely shone in this third ballet of the evening.
Every time I see the Colorado Ballet perform I think that I have seen them at their best, but each performance is always better than the last. They always surprise and they never disappoint. Under the leadership of Gil Boggs the Colorado Ballet is doing remarkable things. All of you who attend their performances should go backstage afterward and tell the dancers how well they have done. It lets them know they are appreciated and this is an organization that deserves and has earned everyone’s respect and support.
Filed under: Reviews | Tags: Adam Flatt, Alexi Tyukov, Dimitry Trubchanov, Domy Reiter-Soffer, Gil Boggs, Igor Vassine, Janelle Cooke, Lorita Travaglia, Maria Mosina, Sandra Brown, Sayaka Karasugi, Sharon Wehner
I truly hope that everyone who reads this will have a chance to go see the Colorado Ballet’s production of “Beauty and The Beast.” It is one of the most original productions of the ballet that I have seen for several years. It has a marvelous and modern musical score by the gifted Hong Kong composer, Seen-yee Lam, and absolutely stunning choreography by the gifted Israeli artist, Domy Reiter-Soffer.
Do not expect a traditional ballet where members of the corps de ballet stand upstage in pastel tutus in the first position while the lead dancers perform a grand Pas de deux downstage. Beauty and The Beast is a fairy tale of the first order. It is a meaty ballet of great substance. It was written by Charles Perrault in 1697. Perrault also wrote Sleeping Beauty, Puss in Boots, and Cinderella. What could I possibly mean by a fairy tale of the first order? I stress that Beauty and The Beast is not all that frightening, and I certainly think that young children should go see it. But it is darker, and certainly more emotional than any production of Beauty and The Beast that I have seen. This is because of the amazing and wonderful choreography by Domy Reiter-Soffer. And we certainly need to thank Gil Boggs, the Artistic Director of the Colorado Ballet, for inviting him to stage the choreography. The New York Times said “Domy Reiter-Soffer is particularly noted for his brilliant translation of words into movement, dealing with the very essence of the subject creating sheer theatre”. I have never seen a ballet, except for those choreographed by the late Merce Cunningham, where the dancing and intense personal expression of the dancers truly tell the story.
Domy Reiter-Soffer is a kind of modern Renaissance man, with a great range of interests and achievements which to date have included dance, drama, music and the graphic arts as well as teaching.
His production of Equus for Dance Theatre of Harlem at the Met. New York won him the Best Ballet of the Year Award from New York Daily News. Lady of the Camellias was voted Best production at the Finland festival 1990. His play Mary Makebelieve for the Abbey Theatre, Dublin was nominated as one of the Best Plays in the Dublin Theatre Festival. He has created a large repertory of successful works, among others the deeply moving Yerma for La Scala Milan and Irish National Ballet, and House of Bernarda Alba, both based on Lorca. The full length Paradise Gained about the French woman of letters Colette won him a special award for the best creation of 1991. Chariots of Fire (Phaedra), The Turn Of The Screw, the pop Time Trip Orpheus, Medea, La Mer, La Valse, Oscar (on the life of Oscar Wilde) and a multi-media production of A Time to Remember for the commemoration of the 2nd World war and the Holocaust won him great acclaim using over 300 performers on the stage. These productions have been successfully staged for American and European companies, including Dance Theatre of Harlem, The Australian Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, Pittsburg Ballet Theatre, Ohio Ballet Louisville Ballet, La Scala and Bat-Dor Dance Company with which he has created over twenty-five ballets.
For the last three years he has created three full-length works for the Hong Kong Ballet, The Emperor and The Nightingale, which toured Germany, Switzerland then closing the Salzburg Festival in Austria, with critical success, also Beauty and the Beast and the multi media production of White Snake, which is based on a Chinese legend. He also restaged his award winning ballet Lady of the Camellias with great success. He was Artistic Advisor of Irish National Ballet from 1975 to 1989.
He has created many multimedia productions using different facets of the arts, involving singers, dancers and actors. As well as dance he has directed theatre productions, plays, musicals and opera. Domy Reiter-Soffer is a serious painter with seventeen one-man shows and has exhibited at the Royal Academy of Art’s summer exhibition in London.
He has created over thirty designs for a wide range of dance and drama productions with much success. Reiter-Soffer has had a long dancing career, he has directed many plays and musicals, has been a staged rector for opera, and has designed more than 30 productions for both dance and drama at theatres including La Scala Milan, Australian Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Carmiel Dance Festival, the Finnish National, Bat-Dor Dance Company and Hong Kong Ballet, and the Ohio Ballet.
As I mentioned above, the score for this Ballet was written by Hong Kong composer Seen-yee Lam. She is a very gifted composer who has won many awards for her film scores, her popular music scores, her television drama scores, and her scores for ballet. Beauty and The Beast was scored for orchestra and tape.
The scenery for Beauty and The Beast was designed by Ivan Cheng and the costumes were designed by Domy Reiter-Soffer.
I am quite sure that everyone is familiar with the plot of this story, so I will not dwell too much on that. From the outset, Igor Vassine, who danced Belle’s father, and Belle herself, danced by Sharon Wehner, were absolutely incredible. This also applies to Ruby and Opal, Belle’s sisters, danced by Maria Mosina, and Sayaka Karasugi respectively. I had the great good fortune of being invited to a rehearsal, and I was struck, then, by the intensity of these dancers, and I wondered if this intensity would be transmitted to the audience at the performance. It certainly was. Again, I must point out, that I have never seen such intense dancing with all of its powerful emotions in any ballet. The dance movements, even though it was classical ballet, were so descriptive that one could understand the story without ever having heard of it before. When Alexi Tyukov entered the stage as Belle’s egotistical admirer, one immediately knew his personality because of the way he danced.
Even the costumes reflected the attention to detail by Reiter-Soffer. For example, Janelle Cook, who danced two roles, that of the Sorceress, and that of the Goddess of the Forest, had, of course, two different costumes. Her costume for the Sorceress was all black except for two red slashes on the top of each long sleeve. The stage was relatively dark as she danced, but the lighting emphasized the red slashes, so that when she changed the handsome prince into the Beast, it seemed that the red slashes were producing the energy. Her dance movements emphasized the evilness of her character. When she was the Goddess of the Forest, her costume was light and airy, and that is precisely how she danced that role.
It truly seemed to me that everyone in the Colorado Ballet was totally infected by their own imagination. And after watching them at the rehearsal, it is clear that they had the highest respect for Domy Reiter-Soffer and Gil Boggs, as well as Ballet Mistresses Lorita Travaglia, and Sandra Brown. It truly seemed as if the entire company was anxious to try something new and that they found this avant-garde music and demanding choreography truly exhilarating and exciting.
One of the most poignant duets I have ever seen danced in any ballet was in the second act when Belle, the Beauty, realizes that the Beast, danced by the remarkable and expressive Dimitry Trubchanov, is not so evil after all. They danced with their hands only inches apart, but they never touched each other. It was clear that the Beast was falling in love with her, as it was equally clear that she was beginning and yearning to understand him. As I stated above, this was classical ballet, but it was like nothing I have ever seen, because the movements were so very subtly different. Domy Reiter-Soffer told me that he referred to this duet as the “No Touch Duet.”
I must also point out that the Colorado Ballet Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Adam Flatt performed superlatively. There are only three violins and three violas, two cellos, two bass, one flute, one oboe, one bassoon, one clarinet, and one French horn. They are never out of tune, and they are always exciting to listen to. Since this production was for orchestra and tape recording, I don’t know for sure if Maestro Flatt also ran the tape (really a CD). I would imagine that he had to be responsible for that, though I forgot to ask him when I spoke to him after the performance.
I might also add that I had the opportunity to speak briefly with two of the dancers after the performance; Janelle Cook and Dmitry Trubchanov. It was almost a shock because they were normal human beings without any magic whatsoever. Such was their amazing dramatic ability on stage and their tremendous gift to their art. But I must say that the entire company is that way, because once they took the floor at the rehearsal, all of them transformed themselves into magical beings.
