American Ballet Theatre “La Bayadere”

What I saw last night. American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House. I have not seen this work in it entirety in some time. Act 1 is fire dancing with people that look like castaways and extras from Sinbad. Act 2 I have seen many times as it is often exerted. It is the best part because it has the 20 plus dancers (shades) that zig zag around the stage. The final act is a wedding that is in front of a giant idol. It is frowned upon by the Gods who destroy it killing all. Looked like Ong-bak by way of Irwin Allen.

Elements: stuffed lion, dry ice, idols, peacock chair, opium pipe
Title: “La Bayadere” by Makarova with Marcelo Gomes, Veronika Part, Gillian Murphy
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Mariinsky Ballet “The Little Humpbacked Horse”

What I saw last night. Mariinsky Ballet at the Metropolitan Opera House. Before the show I saw dancers Eiko and Koma rehearsing in the reflecting pool on the plaza. Took them  awhile to convince a security guard it was allowed.

The ballet is a pretty dark work. The evil king gets boiled to death at the end. Before getting there it is like the Marx Brothers go to the ballet with the humpbacked horse more resembling “Bottom the Donkey” in “midsummer night’s dream” as performed by Harpo Marx. Still mostly enjoyed the humor, costumes and geometric solid color shapes for a set that moved about and recalled the covers of 1950’s jazz albums.Elements: firebirds, horses, feather, moons
Title: “The Little Humpbacked Horse” by Alexi Ratmansky
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American Ballet Theatre “The Sleeping Beauty”

What I saw last night. American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House. On the way to the train a band was on the corner playing the theme to “Curb Your Enthusiasm”. Apparently it premiers this weekend and this is a promotion. I have always been attracted to having a live soundtrack to my life but that is probably not the music.

This performanced featured Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg. Two guests to ABT. Kobborg was fine enough but Coujocaru landed like a lawn dart and did not waver during the rose adagio even eschewing the last hand proffered. It was impressive to me but made my leg hurt.

Also a film element out on the plaza which I viewed at intermission. Slowed down film of people in moments of extreme reaction. For instance falling or witnessing a score. Better than exiting to midsummer swing madness.

Elements: roses, pin pricks, dry ice
Title: “The Sleeping Beauty”
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American Ballet Theatre “Don Quixote”

What I saw last night. American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House. A not often seen here Cuban dancer was a special guest artist this evening. As a result a lot of Spanish was heard throughout the house. He had a funny hairline and a kind of goofy presence but he danced pretty well and got the crowd real excited in the last act.

Title: “Don Quixote” with Xiomara Reyes and special guest Rolando Sabrina
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American Ballet Theatre 2011 Spring Gala

What I saw last night. American Ballet Theatre opening night gala at the Metropolitan Opera House. The usual hubbub. Lots of shiny clothing and tanned leathery people.  I sat across from Al Roker. He seems smaller every gala. You can see him in this picture getting up for Joan Rivers look alike in the glittery dress.Titles: “The Bright Stream (Act I Waltz)” Company “Jerusalem Divertissement” Students of School at American Ballet Theatre “Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux” G. Murphy, D. Hallberg “The Nutcracker pas de deux” V. Part, M. Gomes “Majisimo”, P. Herrera, J. Carreño, X. Reyes, R. Reyes, L. Feijoo, J. Boada, L. Feijoo, N. Madrigal “Swan Lake, Act II pas de deux” P. Herrera, A. Hammoudi “Splendid Isolation III” I. Dvorovenko, M. Beloserkovsky “Swan Lake, Act III pas de deux” M. Wiles, C. Stearns “Manon pas de deux” D. Vishneva, M. Gomes “The Sleeping Beauty (Rose Adagio)” A. Cojocaru “Lady of the Camellias Act II pas de deux” J. Kent & C. Stearns “The Bright Stream (Finale)”
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Nixon in China

What I saw last night. Nixon in China at the Metropolitan Opera House. An Opera about Nixons visit to China with music by John Adams choreography by Mark Morris and directed by Peter Sellars. I am not sure how I feel about operas with contemporary themes. Pat Nixon and Mao’s wife Chiang Ch’ing were good but Nixon looked like Jerry Orbach and Mao looked like the villain in “Enter the Dragon” Also it is strange to hear opera sung in English with lines like “how was you flight” and “it was very smooth except over Shanghai” An evil Henry Kissinger in (I think) a dream sequence attempts to rape a Chinese woman tied to a post while singing “Man takes Hen!” …I think I am a traditionalist.

Also Madeleine Albright was sitting a few rows in front of me. I could not see her face when Kissinger was assaulting women but I did try.

Elements: air force one, jade elephant, guns, pigs, etc.
Title: “Nixon in China”
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American Ballet Theatre “Romeo and Juliet” Natalia Osipova & David Hallberg

What I saw last night. American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House. Yet another Romeo and Juliet. I have seen so many versions of this ballet in the past year. Last Summer I saw three different versions all within a week. I have to say that I had no opinion about Natalia Osipova before today except that she has a crazy vertical leap that I had seen at the opening night gala. There is not a lot of call for that in this ballet but she along with David Hallberg impressed. Best performance of a ballet I have seen this year.

Elements: knives, swords, vials of poison
Title: “Romeo and Juliet” by Kenneth MacMillan
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American Ballet Theatre “Opening Night Gala 2010″

What I saw last night. American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House. The opening night gala, which is always an endless round of excerpts of dances and speeches and bold names in fancy dress.  I sat across the aisle from Bryant Gumbel and Al Roker which seems to happen at every gala. Staying mostly under the radar was one of the original “Billy Elliot’s” seated directly in front of me. He seems to have grown too much to remain a Billy.

I took refuge at the bar to escape the blue hairs, money and perfume. Not much to say about the actual performances. It is like the all-star game. Everyone plays. I would say ending with the strobe light infused “Caught” seemed an odd choice after all the classical ballet but at least that got Angel Corella into the show. Too bad you won’t see much of him for the rest of the season. I scanned all the shows notes in for those who care.

Titles: excerpts including “Sleeping Beauty” “Birthday Offering” “Ballo Per Sei” “Giselle” “Swan Lake” “La Bayadere” “Don Quixote” “Lady of the Camelllias” & more
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American Ballet Theater “Romeo and Juliet”

What I saw last night. American Ballet Theater at the Metropolitan Opera House. Romeo & Juliet. This is the third version I have seen this year and I am still not an expert. I did notice that the ominous music by Prokofiev when the king arrives has been lifted and modified by Pink Floyd. I have to figure out which song it is. For some reason there was a rooster on my front step this morning. Escaped from the cockfights I suspect. Had better luck than Mercutio & Tybalt.

Elements: swords
Title: “Romeo and Juliet” Sergei Prokofiev, Diana Vishneva & Marcelo Gomes, Herman Corenejo (Sir Kenneth MacMillan)
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American Ballet Theater “Sylvia”

What I saw last night. American Ballet Theater at the Metropolitan Opera House.  Last night was dedicated to the memory of Clive Barnes. I also learnt that a regular at the ballet that I knew passed away while I was traveling last week. Also Pina Bausch died. That is enough for one day. On the plus side I got to stand next to Paloma Herrera & Marcelo Gomes back stage.

Elements: bow & arrow
Title: “Sylvia” (Frederick Ashton) Paloma Herrera & Marcelo Gomes
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