New York City Ballet, Koch Theater, Winter 2013

A preliminary note: The View from the Fourth Ring was a bit depressed when the Powers That Be at the Koch (aka New York State) Theater closed off the fourth ring sides for almost all performances, and started charging $50+ for the rest of the area, hence effectively negating one of the primary reasons for this blog's existence--to offer a perspective on the ballets that the major newspaper reviewers never (or rarely) saw. However, since those Powers have made other options available at affordable prices, TVFTFR has been feeling a little better, and has come to see more performances.

Why is it that after all the affirmed-legitimate Balanchine masterpieces I saw presented by the NYCB this season (not a complete list and not necessarily in this order: Symphony in C; Symphony in Three Movements; Divertimento from ‘Le Baiser de la Fée’; Diamonds; Serenade; Mozartiana; Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2; Swan Lake; Allegro Brillante; Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3; not to mention the Stravinskys from the Fall—wow, what a list!), why is it that what most sticks in my head is Western Symphony?

Maybe I don’t have much taste? Maybe I’m not a good judge of what’s good art? Too easily pleased?

I’ve written about it before (“New York City Ballet, June 21 and 22, 2006”) with the same kind of smugly astonished praise—and whenever I see the ballet, I start with the same cringing feelings: Those corny costumes! The girls’ legs and feet look so funny in black! Cowboy tunes?...And then over the course of the performance the same reaction unfolds—this is a smart, beautifully structured composition that has one of the best endings in the business. Tell me: can you leave that ballet without feeling happy? Ecstatic? Shouldn’t good art change you?

And this is purely the choreography—it’s not the music (although the music isn’t unpleasant). Compare the ending of Mozartiana; at the end of that ballet, there’s a feeling (for me, anyway) of ultimate happiness; but this comes primarily from Tchaikovsky’s Mozart, not just from the choreography. Tchaikovsky and Mozart are great; cowboy tunes, enjoyable, not so “great”—but George B. figures out how to elevate them to art and exultation.

Additional cheers are in order for Justin Peck’s Year of the Rabbit. I saw it 2/2/13 mat. I missed the premiere and feared what seemed to be overly enthusiastic reviews (like movie reviewers who praise to the skies anything that isn’t complete dreck). But all praise seemed deserved, even after only one viewing. It was a sound, entertaining, intelligently constructed piece that enabled the dancers to dance. Refreshingly, Peck isn’t afraid to use and make new combinations of the traditional steps that make ballet ballet. (Unfortunately, I missed his other new piece.)

Other highlights:

Maria Kowroski as Odette (1/17/13), for the sheer beauty of her physicality. She doesn’t offer much else in this role, and of course, while I might want more, I wonder whether Balanchine wouldn’t have loved her performance. I did, on one level, anyway.

Teresa Reichlin, in anything. She was terrific with Andrew Veyette in the Western Symphony Rondo (2/17/13). Veyette was also very good here. And in Tschai. Piano #2; when Ask la Cour tripped her up at the 1/26/13 mat., she came back stronger and better than ever.

Tiler Peck, in anything: Allegro Brillante (1/17/13); I wrote in my program: even among the fine and very sharp dancing of the demi soloists—let me give them credit: Lauren King, Ashley Laracey, Megan LeCrone, Gretchen Smith; Devin Alberda, Austin Laurent, Allen Peiffer, Christian Tworzyanski; and that of her partner, Amar Ramasar—she is five times brighter, faster, sharper. As Aurora: strong and beautiful throughout.

Robert Fairchild, with Tiler Peck (1/25/13) in a resonant, arresting, memorable—ok, it’s not just Western Symphony; this stays with me, too—performance of Divertimento from ‘Le Baiser de la Fée.’

Sterling Hyltin, balancing delicacy and strength in Symphony in Three Movements (2/7/13) and thoughtful with Chase Finlay in Mozartiana (1/18/13).

Janie Taylor—excellent in Serenade (1/18/13).

The corps de ballet in everything, and especially Glass Pieces (2/13/13 mat.).

Sorely missing, especially in Symphony in C, second movement: Wendy Whelan.

Anticipating spring.