Intrada/ Beethoven-Project II: John Neumeier & Hamburg Ballet, Theater a.d. Wien, August 29th, 2021
Even if my relationship to Mr Neumeier's work may sometimes be considered as an „oblique one", I definitely much admire his story-tellin ways in „more narrative" ballets as (most notably) „La Dame aux Camelias", „Pavillon D'Armide", (partially) „Joseph's Legend" and in his extremely overrated „Sacre" for their sense of inventiveness and dramaturgy - the latter is a special box of jewels in its mixing of memories, imagination and presentness.
The „Neumeier Style" (if I may call it that way) is not a certain form of movement. It is not what one could classically call „Style, School". This would be the wrong terminology. It is more than that because it unites a very personal way of story-telling filled with insights, metaphors, symbolism, dreams... that is his language. His scenic language. Let me call it „Neumeier's own dramaturgical formula". A kind of formula that sometimes „borders" a literary one. Magically. This is Neumeier at his best.
I remember having once said that Richard Strauss is for me the only composer who could write„commas" in a musical sentence (referring to his pauses of self-reflection, self-contemplation). Neumeier is the only choreographer whose dramaturgical work has led him to write his own „commas", „Zwischengedanken" (roughly self translated by me as the „in-between thoughts"). This has been his fascinating „forte" for decades.
Nowadays many ballets as well as their motives and reasons, happen more inside the head of their creators than on the actual stage in which they are being danced. The complexity of an intellectual sketch exists. Definitely. But it does not come through to the audience as if the „feeling" of how an idea can be transferred into another language would not exist. This is NOT the case with Mr Neumeier's work and his gifted sense of dramaturgy in dance.
And talking about dramaturgy, it all comes naturally flowing into his work. The concept is all finished in his mind: the choreographer, the storyteller, the dramaturg, even the light concept and all its emphasis, in one person – in perfect unison.
But what counts most: His strong connection, or better said, the emphatically „spiritual" and „emotional" one to the music, to Beethoven in our present case, has been established and not only intellectually.
One reference to a quote by Beethoven is somehow the key for this most visceral evening: „ ...es fehlte wenig, und ich endigte selbt mein Leben – nur sie, die Kunst, sie hielt mich zurück... so nehme ich den Abschied von dir – und zwar traurig – ja dir, geliebte Hoffnung – die ich mit hierher nahm, wenigstens bis zu einem gewissen Punkt geheilt zu sein" („...just a little lacked, and I would have taken my own life – just Art, held me back... so I take farewell from you - sadly indeed – yes, from you, dear beloved Hope – which I took along with me, longing until a certain time to be healed")
My unqualified admiration to Mr Neumeier who, in the typical understated ways of a real genius, beautifully said while commenting on this project: „Es geht nicht darum, etwas Neues über Beethoven zu sagen, sondern auszudrücken, was Beethovens Musik mir sagt." („It is not about saying anything new about Beethoven but just to express what Beethoven's music say to me")
Beautiful, simple, very effective and sometimes welcomingly colourful costumes by Albert Kriemler, minimalist scenery by Heinrich Tröger underlined by the sensitive light concept by Mr Neumeier and the musical contributions of Klaus Florian Vogt, who used Theater a.d. Wien's indescribably good acoustic to its best and Anton Barakhovsly's and Hanni Liang's violin and piano, respectively which gave the perfect frame, a precious one, to this most touching evening.
Extremely interesting choreographic use of (if I may say so) „Leitmotivs" for every dancer/character which were constantly repeated, mostly on the character's entrance. „Signature steps" that reminded you who was who, even when costumes were changed and the action began to get faster and faster.
Among the great ensemble from Hamburg Ballet in top form some names should be mentioned: Aleix Martínez, the central figure of the evening, in a very challenging, thankless part which is the most difficult role of the whole project. Yaiza Coll, a vibrant dancer with incredible dynamics and energy!
Patricia Friza, a native of Vienna, combines two outstanding characteristics that are seldom seen together: Strenght and Delicacy. All this is underlined by a strong, steadfast technique. Yes, the rare „stuff" that great Prima-Ballerinas are made of.
Two „couples" impressed: Ida Stempelmann & Atte Kilpinen with remarkable stamina and Madoka Sugai & Alexandr Trusch who „brought the house down" with their effervescent performance.
Jacopo Bellussi – in a key role (also played in a very low-key) should be highly mentioned. A strong, beautiful dancer with a unique presence on stage. I can well understand why Mr Neumeier used him and his talent on stage as Wronski in „Anna Karenina", a role in which he allegedly excelled. The kind of dancer/Artiste that makes you believe that the character's story has long begun before the curtain opened.
Hélène Bouchet, a dancer I had heard very positively about, was a bit of a disappointment – I don't know why but she seemed never to finish her movements, neither physically nor emotionally, as if her concentration was always ahead, already on the next „step" - a proven fact that happened also musically because of her tendency to be always ahead of the music.
The whole evening went up in a constant upward curve – as if in a continuous „crescendo", not only musically – reaching its pinnacle with the 7th Symphony - which in my „own story" with Beethoven represents something like „Happiness in Heaven. And if I may say so, there was FUN in Heaven, this time much more than in Hell.
A great Evening which left not only me but the audience in a state of excitement and joy that has become very rare in our past 1 ½ years.
