San Francisco Letter No. 24:
San Francisco Ballet's Programs 4 and 5
by Rita Felciano
It’s fascinating to see how in ballet the triumvirate of music, choreography and performance feed each other. Though inextricably interwoven, these three “muses” rarely satisfy equally. When they do, the stage turns into heaven.
None of the pieces in San Francisco Ballet's Program 4’s triple bill were first-rate yet each had a special sheen. It was one of those evenings that you were grateful for the excellence of these dancers; it may not be enough to make ballet-going a must, but enough to keep you going.
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Waltzing to the Wells
Sasha Walz's "Dido and Aeneas"
by John Percival
Right from its creation in 1689, Purcell's opera “Dido and Aeneas” has been linked to dance: the choreographer Josias Priest was director of the School for Young Gentlewomen in Chelsea, London, where it was premiered. Among modern revivals, one for the Schwetzingen Festival in 1966 appears to have been outstanding, with Irmgard Seefried as Dido and choreography by Kurt Jooss under the title “Epilog” with his own libretto. More recently, the opera's tricentenary in 1989 provided Mark Morris with one of his most successful productions and two of his best roles (playing both Dido and the Sorceress). All the roles, you may recall, were performed on stage by dancers, with the singers confined to the orchestra pit. READ MORE
Paul Taylor at City Center
by Leigh Witchel
One joke about Paul Taylor is that he’s the greatest choreographer to use only seven steps. It’s exaggerated, of course, but Taylor does have a restricted palette. How does he achieve variety? That may be the reason for the bipolar programming that’s become his feature; a drastic change in mood helps. Casting also makes a difference. Taylor’s dances to baroque music function as a neutral ground; they need to be offset by personalities. The works can be so placid that if one just performs them, they seem serenely bland; “Aureole,” “Airs,” and “Arden Court” blend together much as they do when listed. On Wednesday night, “Airs” got a smooth, unmemorable performance. It needed contrast, but instead looked like Taylor’s version of a ballet divertissement. READ MORE
Philippe Decouflé: not quite alone
by Susan Reiter
For many years, Philippe Decouflé has been France's go-to guy for elaborate, multi-media presentations. His success with the opening and closing ceremonies for the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics led to other spectaculars such as the Cannes Film Festival's fiftieth anniversary celebration and a (now-aborted) project for Cirque du Soleil. For his own company, he made large-scale, fantastical works — such as the imaginative, circus-like "Tricodex," which Lyon Opera Ballet brought to New York in 2004 — in which dance was one element within a vast spectacle. READ MORE