SND - Slovenské národné divadlo Balet: ART FOR LIFE Gala, Bratislava, October 22nd, 2021

Oct 25

Oct 25 SND - Slovenské národné divadlo Balet: ART FOR LIFE Gala, Bratislava, October 22nd, 2021

Driving back home to Vienna, just after a Gala and Cocktail Party in Bratislava, I could not help but think of the lyrics of an old song composed by Arthur Schwartz & Howard Dietz for „The Band Wagon", so brilliantly filmed for MGM by Vincente Minnelli and lip-synched by the glorious dancer Cyd Charisse:

„I see a new sun up in a new sky

And my whole horizon has reached a new high

Yesterday my heart sang a blue song

But today, hear it hum a cheery new song

I dreamed a new dream, I saw a new face

And I'm spreading sunshine all over the place

With a new point of view, here's what greets my eye

New love, new luck, new sun in the sky”

How fitting, I thought, to use it as a symbol of this new period that is starting for the Ballet in Slovakia's capital with Nina Poláková as the new Artistic Ballet Director. Especially the words „With a new point of view" in the second verse seem to describe more closely and precisely what has taken place on stage the last 22nd.

I can well imagine the amount of work on Miss Poláková's shoulders at the moment. Also the very new administrative terrain. It surely is not easy to form the understanding of the public for it was clear to see that this was not a Ballet Audience at the Opera last 22nd. A member of the audience, who was sitting next to me, seemed to be more preoccupied with her mobile phone and with screaming „Bravo" after every single piece. Yes, you read it right: EVERY SINGLE ONE. A kind of attitude that needs no explanation and reveals, more than a lack of theatrical selective choice.

To be quite honest and open with you: I am not the typical „Gala goer" and definitely not a Gala Reviewer – as, when described on paper, Galas seem to tend to sound more like a kind of Sports Event. But there are many mentions to be made, many very small details of huge importance to be shared with the real Balletomane.

Nureyev's „Cinderella" is, like almost all of his choreographic work, very ungrateful for the Dancers. It doesn't “sell”. Ludmila Pagliero and Audric Bezard from the Paris Opera did not quite make the impression I was waiting for but recovered beautifully from this dullness in the second part of the show while performing an excerpt from Petit's „Carmen", in which they were beautifully 100% in their element.

A personal joy for me was to be able to once more witness Roman Lazik and Nina Poláková in their prime roles as Manon and Des Grieux, in which I had seen them many times at the Vienna State Opera throughout the years. The chemistry between those two marvellous dancers is nearly indescribable. And Nina Poláková, so exposed and undefended… so touching! Also one cannot forget the professionality and talent that are required and necessary to just enter the emotional depth of this scene, which is the last of a whole narratory ballet, just „like this", without having performed the whole ballet. Amazingly admirable.

Lovely Maia Makhateli and Vienna's „Darling" Jakob Feyferlik, HET (Dutch National Ballet) were beautifully matched in „Le Corsaire Pas de Deux". Clean technically, with amazing natural, uncomplicated chemistry within them and (here comes a very important detail), with that perfect quality of just being a tenth of a second behind the music – which is and will always be more charming and effective than being in front of the music – even though the recording was obviously too slow. A beautiful performance.

Cranko's „Onegin" with Miriam Káčerová and Roman Novitzky was very correctly performed but was no special highlight. Miss Káčerová seemed to carry a frozen, mechanical smile during the important scene in which so much is revealed of Tatjana's character, anxieties, dreams, inner life... She changed but completely for her performance in „Kazimir's colours" - a very sensitive work by Mauro Bigonzetti, which was „a première" for me.

As a choreographer, Mr Novitzky delighted the audience with his incredibly musical, effervescent, creative work „Are you as big as me?". Contemporary Dance at its best with its own, very special language. These are the moments that make everything “OK” again. Vibrant interpretations with a great trio consisted of Jean-Michel Reuter, Gerardo Gonzalez Villaverde and Emanuelle Ferrentino. I like this. I like this way in which „the fourth wall" was broken through. Tallent.

But there are still two further highlights to be mentioned:

„Two and only", a vibrant, sensual, intelligent and very homoerotic choreography by Wubkje Luindersma that brought the house down in a not especially homo-friendly country and Gennaro Sorbino's and Tetiana Lubska's performance in Andrej Petrovič's „Uncertain Touch" - for me, personally THE highlight of the Evening. A performance filled with sensibility, vulnerability, delicacy, touching depth. Completely real in its questioning. No gloominess, darkness, depressing issues like we have been experiencing for some time here in Vienna but a particularly beautiful way of articulating doubts that are becoming more and more frequent nowadays. Chapeau!

Unfortunately, the absence of a real Orchestra cannot be overseen, as we all know how important it is for the dancer on stage to have the „right" connection with a good ballet conductor. Indispensable, to my point of view. Not having this right „give and take" can complicate any performance and it was quite obvious that at the end of the Evening Olga Chelpanova, in a very „unusual" and unflattering Kitri Costume and Konstantin Korotkov were having real trouble in the tempo department. It is a shame when an Evening like this is not finished at its highest peak. How I missed someone last Friday, of such talent and brilliant sensibility, like Kevin Rhodes in front of an Orchestra...

Last but not least, there is the near obligation of mentioning this Evening's catchphrase, motto: „Art for Life". Because it is an obligation to refer to something so positive in its essence.

This whole Evening's concept so filled with Thoughts about Humanity and Respect.

Unlike Vienna State Opera's newly acquired (and extremely irritating, not to say politically quite questionable) custom of referring to all dancers and singers as „the Russian", „the Italian", „the Slovakian" etc. no mentions were made on the programme about Nationalities. I like correctness.

Also „Art for Life", launched in cooperation with the SND Ballet, thanks to Nina Poláková and The National Cancer Institute is a beautiful way of showing that ART exists to enrich our spirits, minds, hearts not just to promote ourselves and our vanity. It is good to feel this kind of hope again, so near here, just one hour away by train from Vienna.

I won't use the word „Hope" again because I don't „hope", I am completely SURE that we will experience a Renaissance of respect and beauty and joy during Miss Poláková's recently started directorship. I'll just mention one more sentence: Dakujem for “the new Sun in the sky”!