Form and functionaries--La Bayadere … [Read more...]
Archives for May 2012
Form and functionaries
There are Petipa ballets in which nearly every step conveys character, but La Bayadere is not one of them. Wednesday's fielding of three promising dancers in nearly new roles confirmed how hard the ballet proves for demonstrating theatrical chops. Petipa's typical structure--interrupting the story for dance "entertainments" -- used to drive me crazy. It felt so archaic and … [Read more...]
May 19:
Giselle: wanted, dead and alive … [Read more...]
This year’s model (Giselle)
I've seen two Giselles at American Ballet Theatre this week--Alina Cojocaru and Angel Corella; and Natalia Osipova and David Hallberg. Both sets of dancers were great together and individually compelling--in part or in whole. It's that "part" that I'm wondering about--particularly for the title character, given the vast changes she endures. In the first act, young comely peasant … [Read more...]