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(The following is as it appeared on the Ballet.co Postings Page)
Tryst
I thought Tryst was quite interesting in the rehearsal, and uprgraded my opinion to really good in the performance that night. It's divided into 3 parts, the first and third are for the corps and 4 soloist couples, the music for which Wheeldon said (in the Insight evening) brought to mind images of urban chaos. The middle is at a slower pace, an elegiac pdd, the music reminscent of Scottish Highlands (his words). The set is very spare, off kilter from what I remember of the models and it's occasional moving parts are interwoven with the imaginative lighting effects.
I'm expecting lots of complaints about the screechy music but I thought it was great, especially the way the music from the pdd interweaved with the third part of the ballet and how the trumpets built towards the climax at the end. Very nice touch that the RB managed to get the composer James MacMillan to conduct first night.
As for the choreography I wasn't overly impressed when all the dancers were on stage and were moved about - not as inspired as I expected from Wheeldon. If I had let it all wash over me I probably could have got very bored. But I thought the little details were fascinating. I liked what each dancer was doing, individually or with their partner. In spite of the jagged shapes the dancers made, the flexed feet and hands, they were part of long flowing movements. The 4 couples in the first and third parts were so impressive and seemed really well rehearsed. And Bussell and Cope's central pdd had a very dream-like quality - I don't think anyone can dance these kind of abstract ballets quite the way Darcey can. I think it helped a great deal to have been to the Insight evening and have seen the dancers rehearse this. It makes you appreciate the dancing so much more. The pdd is beautiful, fluid with some acrobatic lifts but they are so smooth you're barely aware of this. At one point Jonathan is on his back, balancing Darcey on his feet with only her arm on the ground for support. The 25 minutes passed by very fast (very unusual when you're standing!) and I left pretty happy. I think it's a ballet I wouldn't specifically book for but I'd be happy to watch again.
The Leaves are Fading
I couldn't say the same about The Leaves are Fading, a surprise since it's a ballet I really enjoyed back in February. I guess that's the problem - too many times and much too soon! It was all very beautifully danced but it's too long (especially when you have no seat!) and of course there's nothing new - it's exactly the same as it was danced last time. Cojocaru and Kobborg were great of course - Alina dances with a freedom that I rarely see in others and I just love the way she uses her arms in this. It's so nice how Stretton is letting their partnership flourish - I've only just noticed that she's dancing pretty much everything with him this summer - Swan Lake, Giselle, Onegin and Don Q...
A Month in the Country
A Month in the Country was a welcome antidote. I will never, ever tire of this ballet, it's beautiful intricate choreography, the lush set and costumes, the little touches like the use of the bridge and Koliya with his kite, and above all the music, the music, the music! I liked Mariel Valtat from the rehearsal better as Natalia Petrovna - she's a much more natural actress and her face conveys a wider variety of emotions. But Guillem and Cope were more than fine. I thought Jonathan danced his solos with so much sincerity. His complete lack of guile makes him seem far younger than his 39ish years of age. I got over the initial disappointment of not seeing Cojocaru cast as Vera - Natasha Oughtred was very lively, hopeful and touching in her pdd with Jonathan and her own solo at the start was delicious and is one of my absolute favourites! (Bethany Keating is danced the rehearsal btw.) David Drew was wonderful, wonderful as Natalia's husband (I'm sorry, I don't remember his name) - so much character and I couldn't help but pay attention to a role that I wouldn't think twice about otherwise. Nice to see newest RB members Adam Linder and Jamie Bond cast as the footman too!
So a nice evening, good contrasts between ballets. If I wasn't so fed up with Leaves I'd probably say it was the most interesting mixed bill this season
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