There is a feeling among balletomanes that certain ballets always work, that they dance themselves. The ballets frequently on that list are Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco and Symphony in C. They’re such classics, what could possibly go wrong? And yet, when you compare a middling performance of these ballets to a great one, you realize the importance of good casting. Such was the case with the final all-Balanchine program of the Fall Season: Concerto Barocco, Prodigal Son and Symphony in C.
Concerto Barocco is a classic that can nevertheless be a little formulaic in the wrong hands. There was nothing formulaic about Mira Nadon as the first violin and Isabella LaFreniere as the second violin. Nadon might be the best first violin in recent memory. She has a natural radiance that shines through in even the most abstract, neoclassical ballets. Nadon’s arabesque is one of the seven wonders of the ballet world. So creamy, luxurious, controlled. LaFreniere was a good foil for Nadon. She was spiky, aggressive, angular. Gilbert Bolden in the second movement pas de deux was remarkable. So much strength lifting Nadon in those windmill lifts! So much elegance and coordination with his partnering. He’s having a breakout season.
Prodigal Son starred Anthony Huxley and Sara Mearns. Huxley made his debut in the role years ago. I remember him being completely defeated by the demands. In the pas de deux with the Siren, the Siren slipped off his legs and fell face first. This time, he danced with confidence and attack. His partnering of the Siren (a deliciously vampy Mearns) went off without a hitch. Huxley has had two roles this season (Poet and Prodigal Son) that require a good deal of acting. While he will never be a natural actor, he was convincing in both assignments. He made his Prodigal Son almost childlike. Not petulant, just gullible.
And the dancing. Huxley is born to dance the steps of Prodigal Son. He has a soaring jump that seems to fly higher with age. He and Mearns were an odd pairing that worked. Mearns is so physically dominant onstage that during the pas de deux it looked at times like she totally engulfed him. Less sensual, more predatory. Whatever the case, it worked. I also have to praise Preston Chamblee as the Father. Chamblee is coming back from an injury, and has been cast as character roles this season. He was also the Baron in La Sonnambula. But he makes the most of his time onstage. He was a kindly, forgiving Father which made the finale moving.
Symphony in C was the closer. This ballet is so popular with the public that at times it is over-programmed and indifferently cast. Not last night. It was a relatively new cast too. The first movement began with a bang. Tiler Peck is unparalleled in the Maria Tallchief role. The purity of Peck’s arabesques, the quickness and crispness of her footwork, the tightness of her fifth position, make her a joy to watch. Chun-Wai Chan matched her step for step, turn for turn.
In the sublime second movement adagio, Unity Phelan and Alec Knight were excellent. Phelan gives a cooler reading of the adagio than Sara Mearns, whom I saw the other night. But Phelan is also more flexible (the knee-touching arabesque penché truly went nose-to-knee), with a more elongated line. One complaint: the Mark Stanley costumes seem extremely stiff and inflexible. In the adagio, the tutu actually flapped forward in the most unfortunate way, and so we in the audience were treated to a view of the ballerina’s undergarments. This also happened with Mearns two nights ago. This ballet needs a re-costuming.
In the third “jumping” movement Baily Jones and Cainan Weber (a last minute sub) were quick, fast, and high. The final movement Emilie Gerrity and Peter Walker were an unexpected joy. I do not associate these two dancers with effortless allegro footwork, yet there they were, turning and jumping a storm. The finale was the kind of joyous explosion of dance that always gets the audience pumped.
My final performance at NYCB’s fall season was the best one. It was one of the rare performances where there wasn’t a “but if only.” Just pure admiration for this company, its dancers, its history, its future.
