 |
Meredith Nonnenberg and Kyra Jablonsky, San Francisco Ballet’s charming public relations team, informed me Maffre gave major input into the choices for her farewell performance May 6. It therefore is a Maffre characteristic to acknowledge her colleagues in the corps and their contribution in framing her remarkable seventeen- year career as a principal dancer in the fog-laced hills of San Francisco. It also testifies to the high regard company members hold for this eloquent dancer leaving the company to explore intellectual aspects of post-performance life.
With this given, the emphasis was mainly contemporary, starting with the second movement from Jerome Robbins’ Glass Pieces, partnered by Pierre-Francois Vilanoba, the corps bobbing in the background half light, advancing, retreating, while Maffre, supported by Vilanoba’s solicitous support, pushed boundaries with taut port de bras and hands, soaring in supported grand jetes. As the program progressed, the final glimpse of Maffre confirmed what a talent her body and intellect possessed for the architectural nature of classical ballet.
Muriel Maffre and Tiit Helimets in Balanchine's Agon
© Erik Tomasson and SFB
Second was the pas de deux from Agon, the Balanchine-Stravinsky collaboration first danced by Diana Adams and Arthur Mitchell. Maffre’s partner was Tiit Helimets, making his debut in the role, making one wonder if this milestone collaboration will be part of 75th, 2007- 2008 season to be announced Wednesday, May 9. Helimets was his usual competent partner, but I could not help wishing Muriel could have echoed the Adams-Mitchell partnership.
Muriel Maffre and James Sofranko in MacMillan's Elite Syncopations
© Erik Tomasson and SFB
After the next pause, Maffre sported the enveloping chiffon chapeau and decorated white sheening shimmy dress of MacMillan’s ballet Elite Syncopations. To the Alaska Rag, Maffre and James Sofranko danced the Jeff and Mutt pas de deux to Scott Joplin's infectious music. Maffre wiggled her hips deliciously, rose on her pointes to dwarf Sofrano, swung her legs and crawled over him while one particular laugh in the house warbled hysterically. With the audience in heightened animation for the intermission, Maffre kissed Sofranko’s hands.
Muriel Maffre in Fokine's The Dying Swan
© Erik Tomasson and SFB
Maffre’s danced Michel Fokine’s Dying Swan to open the second half of her valedictory, interpreted with light slanting from upstage right in what has been an extraordinary gift to this considered classic cliche. The eloquence Maffre can bring to port de bras, her height, the rubato of her pointes conspired to give Pavlova’s signature solo new life and subtlety. . Damian Smith led Maffre through the pas de deux from Continuum, the 2002 Christopher Wheeldon premiere for San Francisco Ballet to Gyorgy Ligeti’s piano music. Maffre’s angularity created its special magic, used by Wheeldon to create squares in port de bras, the torso flexed against the audience, held in place by Smith. Knowing this was the penultimate viewing, glued to the binoculars, I could feel my tear ducts beginning to activate .
Muriel Maffre and Damian Smith in Wheeldon's Continuum
© Erik Tomasson and SFB
Finally, it was Forsythe’s Artifact Suite, Part I, Maffre supported by Vilanoba, Kristin Long and Pascal Molat as the second couple, Elana Altman as signal giver, the corps following directions with the unison earning it their recent Isadora Duncan Dance Award for company performance. Despite the abrupt dropping of the fire curtain, the magnificence of the corps and the principals resonated with attack of the J.S. Bach Chaconne. All too soon, Maffre’s taut fourth position en pointe, the illuminating swings, her superb line vanished before our eyes; the curtain fell.
Muriel Maffre and Pierre-François Vilanoba in Forsythe's Artifact Suite
© Erik Tomasson and SFB
Helgi Tomasson brought on the first bouquet after the curtain rose and Muriel began to acknowledge the erupting cheers and bravos from the standing audience; her arms assumed the burden of bouquets from her several San Francisco partners along with their embraces. The corps wandered back on stage and stood clapping. Muriel in her two toned leotard set the nearly dozen floral tributes on the stage; her arms graciously embraced the air, the audience, their appreciation of her artistic contribution to their lives. I wish I had counted the number of curtain calls, but my emotions and tears were caught up in those final minutes when Muriel Maffre graced our lives as principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet.
Final bows - Muriel Maffre at the finale of her Farewell Performance
© Erik Tomasson and SFB
|
