Jewels – revisited: Vienna State Ballet, September 24th, 2020

Sep 28

Sep 28 Jewels – revisited: Vienna State Ballet, September 24th, 2020

In the '20s Noël Coward composed a little song called „Dear little girl" (Dear little boy in some versions) and was also responsible for the lyrics. They are so appropriate to describe this particular moment – how opportune that I just listened to them by chance some days ago!

It's good to see familiar faces -

Rosie, Posie, Josie, Polly, Molly, May.

I've thought of you in far-off places -

Hilda, Gilda, Tilda, Billie, Lily, Fay.

Without you, dear old pals, I've known some

days that were awf'ly lonesome.

This is not about „old pals" and „loneliness" - this is surely not the point - but about that certain feeling that all of us, who were sitting in the audience of the State Opera on the 24th, had. A feeling that had begun just some days before that at the Volksopera. It is good to be back to the Opera (s) seeing again all those „familiar faces" (and somehow greeting many new ones who are not yet familiar but speak the same language: Dance). A good feeling.

It is an open secret that I've always loved Balanchine's work and taken an intense interest in it. As far as I can remember, there was research and an endless exchange of opinions and thoughts about it.

I was blessed „along the way" to be helped in „better understanding Mr B." by many friends, dancers and choreographers but I am especially grateful to a dear friend, Carol Sumner, who „happened" to have danced for him in the New York City Ballet as a principal for many years creating many parts. Carol helped me consolidate my theoretical thoughts that dancing Balanchine is not only getting in touch with another „Style", it is much more. It is being in touch with another approach to dance – and that cannot be learned during a few weeks of rehearsal or coaching.

For more about how „I feel and understand" Balanchine, you can get information from my last „Jewels" critic, written on November 2nd, last year. You will understand more about my point of view. https://www.attitude-devant.com/blog/2019/11/4/jewels-november-2nd-2019-vienna-state-opera

When I picked up my press ticket and programme at the cash desk I was quite surprised by a new programme cover. I am not talking about the fact that „old programmes", which have already been printed, are getting a new „involucre" with the present lay-out which is being used since the beginning of the new Bogdan Roščić era. That is a good sign, especially because it indicates more care about print matters – but I have already written about that. What I mean is that because of a colour division, the word Jewels was separated into (practically) two words with three letters each. You may think that I am exaggerating but in times like these in which „political correctness" is so excessive, there was some carelessness about this visual effect – if you do not understand what I mean, just take a look at the picture above.

Apart from this little “faux-pas”, there was a very interesting evening waiting.

Copyright: Vienna State Ballet / Ashley Taylor

Emeralds:

Even though many consider Fauré's music inappropriate for a ballet, I think that its „flat" quality is what Mr B. was exactly looking for. The strength of this ballet is exactly its flatness... just think of one definition of this word: „Having a level surface; without raised areas or indentations". Don't people say 'Floating on calm, flat water... „? That is exactly the point.

Nina Poláková, a dancer I admire for the easiness in which she absorbs different „languages" - On purpose, I am not using the word „Style", gave the audience exactly this feeling of „flat, calm water" and that is how it is supposed to be. Extremely relaxed and making every movement look so easy, she was really in command of this piece's atmosphere. Robert Gabdulin gave a very correct performance but somehow lacked in spirit, joy, „Savoir-faire".

Speaking of „Savoir-faire" I can only think of Roman Lazik. Showing the right measure of powerful calmness which is so suited to this piece and arms – brilliant alignment – so suited to Balanchine's work, he once more showed us why he is a Principal.

Claudine Schoch's début at the Vienna State Opera was a long-awaited event to all „Balletomanes". The dancer whose work I had not seen in a long time (The last time in Munich, under Ivan Liška's direction, at the beginning of this „Millenium") is not an unknown name for a certain part of the audience. Sometimes the pressure of a début can play with your nerves and it was clear to see that there was some tension in Miss Schoch's performance – not only by her never facing the audience but also in her hands – in great contrast to the lovely use she makes of her arms. She reminds me somehow – and I mean this is a compliment (although I don't like to compare dancers, I'll make this time an exception) - of Karin von Aroldingen. Especially because of the placement of her head. Beautiful. To make a long story short: I am positive that we'll see much of lovely Miss Schoch. I just wished she had been given a more auspicious role as a start in Vienna.

Alice Firenze proving once more her continuous, ever-growing versatility – one of the few dancers in the ensemble who commands masterly classical, modern, contemporary and, in this case, neoclassical. There is always „fire" when Miss Firenze is on stage.

Francesco Costa, a dancer I admire, since his times in The Corps de Ballet in Vienna, returning to Vienna after some years abroad, seemed a bit „lost" on stage. Not in what I call „Mr B.'s approach to dance" and nearly uncomfortable, more like „a fish out of water". Hasn't he, in his years as a „free-lancer" had a constant classic training or rehearsals for „Jewels" were not enough? Or were there too many changes in his life concerning ballet masters during the last years? Mr Costa is an intelligent dancer and I am sure that he will soon find his way back.

One little thing: why keep smiling with a frozen smile? Apart from the fact that it does not look real, it is not a necessity while dancing Balanchine. A quick look at the placidity, sereneness of Mr Lazik and Miss Schoch will tell you what I mean!

Rubies:

Musically my favourite „Jewel" - I adore Stravinsky's Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra and Mr B.'s translation of it to dance is simply perfect. Igor Zapravdin’s interpretation always touches me. If only the instrument would be a better one…

Kiyoka Hashimoto and Denys Cherevychko enjoying roles in which I have seen them – and it is obvious to see how they developed their parts!

Talking about Ketevan Papava, there is only one sentence that keeps coming back to my mind: „Dressed to kill" - not literary but „knocking us out": she projects the lines that her arms invisibly make, until the back end of the theatre and up to the galleries. Always a strong personality on stage she never stops changing (for better!). This time she carried her „love affair" with the audience further: Facing it, nearly flirting with it. This is being on stage!

Special mention to the Corps de Ballet, that seemed to be having lots of fun while at the same time mastering the choreography, its formations and tempi: one quick look at Céline Janou Weder (another extremely versatile dancer, just in the same way I mentioned a while ago, writing about Miss Firenze), Sveva Gargiulo, Eszter Ledán, Arne Vandervelde, Géraud Wielick and some others will confirm you that.

Diamonds:

As usual, all were waiting for this crown brilliant of the evening.

One of the good things of being able to „revisit" certain performances is the fact that one can, depending on the „mood of the evening", focus on certain things and details which are very frequently overseen on premières, while concentrating on the „whole" performance. In this, I am referring to the principal, and not to her partner that was débutingin this part last Friday.

Good job by the soloists around the main couple. Elena Bottaro, tall and elegant Tristan Ridel, Adele Fiocchi, Andrey Teterin and dynamic Zolt Török. A good début for Jackson Carroll and Aleksandra Liashenko. While watching the show I realised that one could recognize immediately which were the new dancers in the Company by the way they use their arms on stage. An interesting fact but it is obvious that lots of work must be done in the near future to homogenize them.

It was good to see Masha Tolstunova again on this stage. Not anymore the „skinny kid" that she was when she left Vienna for Hamburg, she gained lots on security and stage presence.

A good thing to observe. Very good indeed.

Taking about „being skinny" (or not): I particularly prefer dancers on „the skinny side" but as I could see at the Corps de Ballet, Mr Schläpfer (the newly assigned ballet director) doesn't. This is no criticism just a plain statement based on simple observation and a question of taste. I guess I am still very much in the 70s and into the way Makarova and Gelsey Kirkland looked like.

What can one say about Masayu Kimoto and Olga Esina as the principal couple? Brilliance.

Mr Kimoto, débuting in this very demanding role also did an excellent technical job. Not to oversee are his partner skills, considering that he is a bit too short to Miss Esina (on pointe). Nevertheless, he was at ease, performing with his usual precision (great feet work, which I have never mentioned before). Naturally, the public always applauds when something a bit „circus-like" happens and in this case, one could once more foresee that this was going to happen during his Tours à la seconde... Anyway, I must say that there are worse reactions than this.

But you must be asking why I mentioned that is so wonderful to revisit a performance: the reason is Olga Esina. I will not recount her powerful, charming, musical, technically pin-pointed and dynamic performance. We have seen these qualities not only on „Jewels" but on many other roles/parts throughout the years and it is no surprise that many think that she is the „Assoluta" at the Vienna State Opera.

I just want to call your attention to two details I have dedicated my whole attention to this time:

The first is the fascinating adjusted used of her hands to Balanchine's choreography – so completely different from other roles and other choreographers' work: soft and at the same time dynamic. Beautiful.

The second is something much more subtle but not the slightest subjective:

The harmonization of a well-defined placement and perfect alignment – something not very common in Russian dancers – is not only essential because of its result as pure harmonious symmetry: it gives an extremely well-rounded effect to the audience. Miss Esina has it and knows exactly in which proportions how to use it.

I will leave you with that today.

Jewels is a „must" to revisit. Performances go until the beginning of November.

Ricardo Leitner

September, 27th 2020