Theater Review
Jewels (Musical.) by George Balanchine
Hamburg Ballett, 21.10.06
Pamela and I decided at the last moment to go to Hamburg Ballet last Saturday, even though the tickets were sold out. Some people might cancel, after all. We ended up getting seats a little more pricey than we'd planned, and they were on opposite sides of two different balconies, but they both had a good view of the stage. And we both enjoyed the evening.
Jewels is in three parts, representing the three locations, (and styles, I think,) of Balanchine's career as a choreographer. The first part is about his Work in Paris, and around France, (1920s to 1930s, if I remember correctly.) The second part is then his work in the states, with the New York City Ballet. The third part, is anachronisticly about the start of his carrier in Russia. I learned all of this from the friendly Ballet Buff who sat beside me. She's seen the Ballet at least once before, and knew what was going on, and who was dancing, and so on. She was also a very friendly lady in general.
My impression of the first part: France. I was surprised at first; it was... lyrical. The style was smooth, and though it had some peculiar, and uniquely Balanchine movements and forms in it, it was not as severely his personal style as I'd expected. It was watching this that made me think that it could represent not only the city of Paris, and the culture of the French, but also the choreographic style that Ballanchine had when he worked there.
The second part was about his NY years, and about the city it's self, and the culture that it's steeped in. -And I didn't like it. It was the extreme of the Ballanchine style, as I know it. It had an abundance of turned in legs, odd arms, awkward looking ways of moving, and parts that were hard to take seriously. I realise that it took genius to do what he did: to come up with an entirely original movement style; Something to do with Ballet Technique that no one had ever even conceived before. But I just don't like it. I feel that the old, classical way of dancing is better. Anyhow, in this section there were also the minimalistic costumes, which decorated little, and whose chief object was not to hide any of the dancer's bodies. There were also the legs nearly hitting the ears, and lack of facial expression. (Particularly Ballanchinistic traits, to my mind.)
The last section was Russia. -The old seat of classical technique. I was most surprised by this, and got much more respect for Ballanchine than I've had before. It was just beautiful. It was very, very reminiscent of... the classical ballets, (such as Giselle, Swan lake, Bayadere, and so on and on.) The perfect core de Ballet work, in lines and patterns, the romantic, and classical tutus, the presentation of the dancer's bodies, and all the steps them selves. There were still a few Balanchinistic arms put in it, (and if you've watched a Ballanchine ballet before, you know what sort of knots he can tie with people's arms,) but they fit in seamlessly, and neither detracted nor distracted from the piece as a whole. Both Pamela and enjoyed this last piece the most. It was a real pleasure to see. The way the steps were put together, and the way the patterns worked... made it clear that the choreographer was a definite genius. Not only that, but a genius that I could enjoy, (which I never particularly felt before for him.)