Blistering good form: John Neumeier's Nijinsky Gala XLVIII

If statistics are your bag, Hamburg Ballett John Neumeier can impress. During his 50-year tenure Neumeier has created over 170 ballets and the company has given around 5,430 performances. The four-weeks of Ballet Days have welcomed 36,844 visitors and with a new ballet practically every night, the company (and those who organise the rehearsal schedules) deserve gold medals.

Neumeier’s Nijinsky Galas are legendary. This is his 48th and it shows a company in blistering good form. The evenings are long, 6 to 11 pm but what a feast of dance was packed in those five hours. Among the highlights were the appearance of the two Frola brothers, Alessandro and Francesco Gabriele, two of the brightest stars in the ballet firmament and on one night. Alessandro was joined by Jacopo Bellussi and Ida Praetorius in a comic Strauss Pizzicato-Polka and Francesco with Praetorius, the epitome of Bournonville charm, in Flower Festival in Genzano. Francesco, took to the stage with enthusiasm and boundless energy while Ida, cool and contained, measured her favours but with the sweetest of smiles.

The evening closed on extracts from Mahler’s Third Symphony. This was Neumeier’s first full-length symphonic ballet choreographed in Hamburg in 1975 where it became the company’s signature piece. Alina Cojocaru as the Angel made one of her rare guest appearances and one to treasure. In the final moment Neumeier entered the stage among the dancing couples and remained on stage as they left. Cojocaru made a slow traverse across the apron of the stage, acknowledged by Neumeier in a strong gesture. It was a moment of theatrical brilliance as the curtain lowered.

Of the other guests, the proof of cultural reach of dance came with Bhakti. Written by Frenchman, Maurice Béjart, to traditional Indian music and danced by Dan Tsukamoto and Akimi Denda from the Tokyo Ballet. It is a work seen far too rarely and they gave a cool delivery of his extraordinary movements with high extensions and fanciful arms. From the National Ballet of China, Qiu Yunting and Li Wentao danced One Thought for a Lifetime from Fei Bo. It was distinguished by the total mastery of their art and of the prop, a long flexible pole that enhanced shapes and movement. From the Paris Opera, Dorothée Gilbert and Hugo Marchand danced a passionate bedroom pas de deux from Pierre Lacotte’s Le Rouge et le Noir.

Neumeier’s relationship with music is profound and the middle act focused on the piano with a marathon performance from Michal Bialk, at the grand piano. Aleix Martinez takes up the role he created in Beethoven-Project 1, wrapped around the legs of the piano and continuing in acrobatic moves in a playful rendition. He attaches himself in adoration to Edvin Revazov, trucked on as an ideal of the composer. It’s a powerful, satirical interpretation given intensity by two fine artists.

Revazov and Anna Laudere opened the evening in Orpheus and Eurydice against thrilling designs of sculpted costumes in a setting that evokes ancient times. These two sublime dancers, tall and charismatic, turn passions into poetry as the mythical pair and again in an episode from Parsifal to Arvo Pärt’s delicate piano thread.

Aaron Copeland Piano Variations accompanied The Hamlet Case, a solo written for Mikhail Baryshnikov and here danced by Atte Kilpinen, a popular visitor from Finland. It’s a powerful work showing a young man fighting his inner demons. The female dancers got their opportunities, dressed in soft chiffons in Shall we Dance to George Gershwin’s melodies. Notable were Ana Torrequebrada dancing with sensual charm, Madoka Sugai pirouetting in a bubble of joy and Olivia Betteridge, a dancer who always adds value and is now promoted to principal dancer.

Neumeier’s understanding of human nature is acutely visible in Window on Mozart. Working on themes from Mozart, he captures both the lighthearted charm as well as the profundity, the range that Mozart’s genius covers. Sugai with Alexandr Trusch open on a flirtatious relationship which develops into something deeper that remains unresolved. These two, who speak so eloquently in dance weave a complex narrative in this short extract.

While many items were from Neumeier’s early choreographic career, the work presented by The National Youth Ballet, The Invisibles was written in 2022. Bob Dylan’s fierce anti-war song With God on our Side. The dancers moved with conviction, making their mark as individuals and showing maturity beyond their years. It was followed by Spring and Fall, a lyrical work, well executed by Ensemble des Taras Shevchenko National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Ukraine, a fitting reminder of the constant struggle of art against war.

John Neumeier has again managed an evening that never seems as long as it is. The items are well chosen, the lighthearted balance the weighty, each presented with designs to enhance and each danced by amazing artists who always give of their best.