NYC Ballet Opening Night

REVIEW by Celia Ipiotis

The air hummed with anticipation opening night of NYC Ballet’s Spring Season. Famed NYC Ballet ballerina Suzanne Farrell was invited back to remount Tzigane, the 1975 ballet created for her by Balanchine in 1975. Renamed Errante (wandering/roaming) the original flair and passion regained footing in Farrell’s interpretation for the immensely receptive Mira Nadon.

Danced to Maurice Ravel’s impetuous score, it opens on a rapturous, 5 minute solo for Nadon. Flashing a fiery temperament, Nadon drops into a deep backbend, drawing out her long limbs like a colt ready to bolt. Ecstatic, Nadon swerved her hips, enticingly unleashed her long, lean limbs, and flashed her dark eyes in a “come hither if you dare” command. Nadon’s body was a force of motion and it was exhilarating.

Unable to contain Nadon, Aaron Sanz joined her followed by four couples, all dancing with abandon to Ravel’s Hungarian, gypsy style dance music. And in a surprise appearance, Farrell joined Nadon and Sanz for bows to a wildly appreciative audience.

Bouree Fantasque spread its whimsical flirtations across the company led by a spirited Emily Kikta and KJ Takahashi; a fine Emilie Gerrity and Gilbert Bolden III; plus Alexa Maxwell and Victor Abreau.

Surprisingly, the second ballet of the evening, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, looked like a Nutcracker leftover. Next to the lit fireplace stood a Christmas tree, tin soldier and ballerina doll. They come alive for a brief moment displaying staccato, stiff-legged, doll-like movements. Both Erica Periera and Anthony Huxely were chipper in this odd selection.

Balanchine’s grand Symphony in C closed the program. Poignantly romantic, the glorious second movement brought Sara Mearns back to the role. Immersed in the oboe’s longing, Mearns slowly and weightlessly pushes her arms open, while skimming over the floor in the arms of Tyler Angle. Near the end, Georges Bizet’s music slows down and Mearns faces front, exhales, her body folding at the hips, she airlessly plunges into his arms only to inhale back up. 

The mesmerizing second movement shoots into an explosion of music and dance characterized by the invigorating sequences of nonstop turns to legs whipping out to the side. The ensemble comes together in a whirl of clean, brisk rotations of dancers coming forward, exiting and returning with a fierce will.

EYE ON THE ARTS, NY — Celia Ipiotis