VIEPOINTS – A Tale of Two Swans and an R&J: AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE concludes its summer season at the Met

Over the last five weeks, I’ve immersed myself in American Ballet Theatre’s 2022 summer season, which concluded last weekend at the Metropolitan Opera House. Having taken my regular dose of performances (I only missed “American Splendor”, the season’s requisite mixed repertory program), I’d like to continue impart my thoughts on recent viewings.

Devon Teuscher in “Swan Lake”.

I remember being mesmerized the first time I encountered Devon Teuscher in Swan Lake a number of years ago. A such, I was eager to see how her take on Odette/Odile had grown since I last saw her in the iconic dual roles. In short, she was exquisite based on her performance on opening night. She’s added a few unique touches that are distinctly hers (her arm placements, the tension in her movements), making for an especially skittish and damaged Odette, as well as a vividly sinister and seductive Odile. To boot, her consecutive double fouetté turns as the latter were the epitome of theatrical daring and brought the house down. As her Prince Siegfried, Joo Won Ahn took the place of an indisposed Cory Stearns. Handsome and regal, I was deeply impressed with his sweeping sense of musicality. Although he has yet to grow in his dramatic characterization, the technical components are all there for a fine Siegfried. A special treat was seeing the sensational Catherine Hurlin in the peasant pas de trois (due to her smashing summer season, Ms. Hurlin has been recently promoted, deservedly, to the status of principal); too bad Blaine Wilson couldn’t light a candle to her superb work. Additionally, the young corps looked precise and in the zone, which has not always been the case.

Gillian Murphy in “Swan Lake”.

Fast forward to closing night of Swan Lake, during which I had the privilege of catching the great Gillian Murphy as Odette/Odile (RECOMMENDED). If Ms. Teuscher represents the great present of Ballet Theatre, then Ms. Murphy harkens back to the golden age of the company. Now in the twilight of her career, Ms. Murphy registers like the grand dame of the company that she is. Not quite the horse-powered technician she once was, she now relies on her striking looks (that fire red head of hair of hers!) and literally decades of muscle memory as a principal dancer (she was appointed a principal way back in 2002!). As such, she shined more as the demure and delicate Odette, her body elegantly blossoming into position with effortless precision time and time again, sensitively with the music. It was astonishing to watch. Although her portrayal of the fiery “black swan” Odile is understandably past its prime, Ms. Murphy gave it the good old college try as her adoring fans cheered her on. Her Prince Siegfried for the evening was Thomas Forster, who was steady and reliable, if ultimately unremarkable. Standing out, however was the superb work of Sung Woo Han, SuMi Park, and Chloe Misseldine in the peasant pas de trois (all three were recently promoted to soloists). Unfortunately, at the final performance of Swan Lake, the corps looked a bit tired, lacking the sharpness that marked their work on opening night.

Isabella Boylston (with James Whiteside) in “Romeo and Juliet”.

This year, Ballet Theatre closed out its summer season at the Met with a weeklong run of Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s beloved staging of Romeo and Juliet (RECOMMENDED), one of the finest examples of true “ballet theater” in the company’s vast repertoire of story ballets. Leading the way at the performance I attended were veteran principal Isabella Boylston and recently promoted principal Daniel Camargo as the tragic titular lovers. Ms. Boylston is a lovely actress (particularly in the third act), and she affectingly acquitted her body primarily for the purpose of storytelling, as evidenced by her remarkable dramatic work in the Juliet-centric third act. Although he seemed to be thinking through the performance, Mr. Camargo has a naturally regal presence and will no doubt grow in the role of Romeo. And most importantly, they’re paired beautifully, and they were moving in the ballet’s swooning pas de deux, some of the most stirringly romantic choreography currently being danced. Also eye-catching was Jonathan Klein as a necessarily charismatic and showy Mercutio.

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE
Dance
Metropolitan Opera House
Various running times
Summer season concludes on July

Categories: Dance

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