The Boston Ballet presented New Visions, the fourth production of its 2006-2007 season, at the Citi Wang Theatre from March 1 to 4. The artistic triumph featured three ballets choreographed during this century - Brake the Eyes, Polyphonia, and Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion.
Brake the Eyes, the first ballet of the night, made its world premiere. Featuring the choreography of resident choreographer, Jorma Elo, the ballet was performed to five pieces from Mozart's library.
When describing his ballet in a press release, Elo said, "Mozart's music is organized beauty, but there's also this madness within it." He contrasted Mozart's score with a sound design from frequent partner Nancy Euverink. Featuring a large bass, the sound evoked the feeling of a great suspense film, creating a distinct, futuristic sound world, breaking up and adding to the drama of the music. His ballet followed the stunning principal dancer Larissa Ponomarenko, whose seemingly innocent character proved to harbor an inner darkness, just like Mozart's music. Unusual for ballet, Ponomarenko's character spoke a broken dialogue, adding to the innovative suspense of the play.
Charles Heighchew, manager of costumes and wardrobe for Boston Ballet, made costumes that choreographed with Elo's modern feel. The pioneering choreography was fascinating, mixing traditional ballet footwork with other disciplines, including modern and jazz. Each step was truly inventive, comprising an exceedingly intricate footwork accompanied by a distinct movement from each part of the body.
The second offering of the night was the company's premiere of Christopher Wheeldon's Polyphonia. The ballet made its world debut in New York City Ballet's 2000-2001 season, while Wheeldon was doing duties as its first artist in residence. This ballet, along with his other original, Variations Serieuses, was so well-received, that Wheeldon became the company's first resident choreographer, contracted through 2008. Polyphonia was performed to the succulent folk music of modern composer Gyrogy Ligeti - the musician most well-known for his scores to the Stanley Kubrik films 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining, and Eyes Wide Shut, who died just last year - and the stunning purple costumes of Holly Hynes, former director of costumes at NYCB.
The ballet, although abstract, read like a love story, as its movements were danced by four couples. It reached its climax in its gorgeous ninth movement, which was performed by principal dancers Karine Seneca and Carlos Molina on opening night. Seneca's character seemed as though she was Molina's sculpture, being molded by on the intimate stage by his every move.
What makes Wheeldon's ballet such a powerful piece is that it is so timeless. His style is borrowed from the neoclassical technique of NYCB founder George Balanchine, but at the same time it is completely unique, as it demands a strong use of the dancer's upper body. Its steps are inherently classical yet modern, allowing his choreography to fit perfectly into this century while still looking like a standard.
The final ballet of the night was a piece from the company's repertoire, Val Caniparoli's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion. The abstract ballet, which is scored to Bela Bartok's music of the same name, made its world premiere at Boston Ballet in 2004.
There aren't many ballets like Caniparoli's. Although an exceedingly complex score to choreograph to, his composition not only fits the music, it blends with it, the two becoming one integral piece, a rarity even for some of the best choreographers. Caniparoli's work studying music for 14 years can surely be contributed to his great understanding of song, which is unequaled. Performed in stunning red costumes that evoked the intensity of the piece by Robert Glay de la Rose, the ballet featured an intricate classical footwork along with modern disciplines, like much of Caniparoli's works.
All of the ballet's featured an exquisite lighting design by Mark Stanley, resident lighting designer of NYCB and former resident lighting designer of the New York City Opera. Stanley's work perfectly accompanied the intensity of Brake the Eyes, the intimacy of Polyphonia, and the fiery passion of Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion.
Once again Boston Ballet performs an unrivaled night of theatrical power and beauty. A
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