Vivaldi | The Sleepless Critic

REVIEW: Boston Ballet’s exhilarating ‘Winter Experience’ glows in anticipation

Posted on 27 Days Ago by The Sleepless Critic

Especially amid winter’s bitter isolation and bleakness, one cannot help but anticipate the crackle and rising glow of spring. Through these two bold works, Boston Ballet shows how to appreciate the wonder of winter and glow in spring’s glorious awakening.

Boston Ballet’s Winter Experience continues live and in person at Citizens Bank Opera House in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 15. The production is one hour and 50 minutes with one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Boston Ballet’s ‘Le Sacre Du Printemps’ Photos by Liza Voll
Dancers: Ji Young Chae, Viktorina Kapitonova, Lia Cirio, Seo Hye Han, WanTing Zhao, Haley Schwan, Chisako Oga, Chyrstyn Mariah Fentroy

With a wealth of expectation and powerful expression, Boston Ballet’s wondrous Winter Experience features a visceral pair of complementary works infusing innovative ballet which envisions the intensity of the season as well as the increasing promise of spring in Jorma Elo’s bold classic Le Sacre Du Printemps (The Rite of Spring) and Crystal Pite’s contemporary favorite, The Seasons’ Canon.

Boston Ballet’s ‘The Seasons’ Canon’ Photos by Liza Voll
Dancers: Schuyler Wijsen, Daniel R. Durrett, Henry Griffin, Jeffrey Cirio, WanTing Zhao, Tyson Ali Clark, Lia Cirio, Lasha Khozashvili, Viktorina Kapitonova, Haley Schwan

Boasting Jorma’s Elo’s sharp and versatile choreography, Le Sacre Du Printemps depicts rich beauty as dancers shift and sway to Stravinsky’s commanding score that ebbs and flows from tender to thunderous. With incredible choreography by Crystal Pite and exhilarating music by Max Richter, The Seasons’ Canon finale remains one of the most amazing pieces that I have ever witnessed from the Boston Ballet.

Boston Ballet’s ‘Le Sacre Du Printemps’ Photos by Liza Voll
Dancers: Schuyler Wijsen, Daniel R. Durrett, Henry Griffin, Jeffrey Cirio, WanTing Zhao, Tyson Ali Clark, Lia Cirio, Lasha Khozashvili, Viktorina Kapitonova, Haley Schwan

Stravinsky’s Le Sacre Du Printemps is a striking exploration of a ritual dance believed to usher in the spring season. Adorned in Charles Heightchew’s vibrant sequined burgundy costumes as a band of brimming color rises amid a black layered latticed backdrop, dancers slice the air, trot, tick and lunge in pas de deux and in groups delivering unruly yet synchronized grace in their athletic, sharp and intimate steps.

Stravinsky’s powerful drum and horn-infused rhythms ebb and flow from soft and mischievous to urgent and rebellious which reflect in the dancers as they intricately link and divide and in Brandon Stirling Baker’s symbolic and transformative lighting. Pairs form daring and unique patterns as well as mirror each other as Stravinsky’s wielding drive animates dancers from rigid and mechanical to surprising to occasionally humorous within its more spontaneous moments to haunting as the dance intensifies.

Under a gleaming, crackling and morphing gold light by Jay Gower Taylor and Tom Visser, the Boston Ballet unveils a vision like none other with The Seasons’ Canon. Crystal Pite’s intricate and meticulously detailed chorography to Max Richter’s version of Vivaldi’s mesmerizing The Four Seasons makes The Seasons’ Canon a superlative experience. An incredible vision in every sense of the word, The Seasons’ Canon is innovative and unique as dancers pulse, sway, and tumble with intricate fluidity and precision while methodically spilling onto the stage. Moving like one sinewy organism as if waking from hibernation and molding into magnificent shapes, the sheer exactitude and congruent nature of these movements cannot be overstated. An exciting, uplifting and commanding piece with bursts of energy as the landscape transforms into shades of silver, orange, and gold, is exquisite in every season. It is a haunting and brilliant performance sure to stay with you long after the piece has ended.

Boston Ballet’s ‘The Seasons’ Canon’ Photos by Rosalie O’Connor and Brooke Trisolini
Dancers: Sangmin Lee, Chisako Oga, Ji Young Chae, Jeffrey Cirio, Daniel Rubin, Sage Humphries

Boston Ballet’s Winter Experience continues live and in person at Citizens Bank Opera House in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 15. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: A burst of emotions drives Boston Ballet’s brilliant ‘Fall Experience’

Posted on October 30, 2024 by The Sleepless Critic

With a wealth of urgency and powerful expression, Boston Ballet’s wonderful Fall Experience features a world premiere and an array of innovative pieces that depict the isolation and bleakness of the season as well as the excitement of what is in store.

With incredible choreography by Crystal Pite and music by Max Richter, The Seasons’ Canon finale is one of the most amazing pieces that I have ever witnessed from the Boston Ballet. The Fall Experience is not to be missed.

Boston Ballet’s Fall Experience continues at Citizens Bank Opera House in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, November 3. The production is one hour and 50 minutes with one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Boston Ballet’s ‘Fall Experience’ ‘After’

Featuring Christine Vitale on violin and Sienna Tabron on piano, the world premiere of Lia Sirio’s After is steeped in shadows and the only light shown is illuminating from a white cavern. John Farrell’s minimalist set design with Brandon Stirling Baker’s mood induced lighting highlights the stirring exuberance of the dancers. In flowing and translucent clothing, After features an array of enthralling pas de deux and a wealth of tender moments between the dancers. Fueled by piano and fiddle-infused urgent rhythms, After is evocative and expressive as the lighting morphs into a beautiful teal background with subtle bursts of color. This multi-dimensional piece depicts isolation and ingrates sharp staccato dance movements blending modern and traditional dance.

Yue Shi in Sabrina Matthews’ Ein von Viel; photo by Christopher Duggan; courtesy of Boston Ballet

In suit and tails, pianist Alex Foaksman joins duo Jeffrey Cirio and Gearóid Solan onstage for Ein von Viel. Cirio and Solan demonstrate their athleticism and pliable skills in this powerful piece filled with swift, pronounced and intricate movements. Foaksman performing onstage as Cirio and Solan synchronize, playfully compete and complement each other to splendid selections by Bach.

In front of one studio light designed by Brandon Stirling Baker, Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber’s fiddle-laden score lays the groundwork for this bustling and intense dance in Elo’s Plan to B. Concise, surefooted, and sharp moves dominate this winding and briskly sweeping performance that features Chyrstyn Fentroy, Viktorina Kapitonova, Daniel R. Durrett, Yue Shi, Sun Woo Lee and Schuyler Wijsen.

Boston Ballet in Jorma Elo’s Plan to B, photo by Gene Schaivone, courtesy of Boston Ballet

Under a gleaming and morphing light by Jay Gower Taylor and Tom Visser, the Boston Ballet unveils a vision like none other with The Seasons’ Canon. Crystal Pite’s intricate and meticulously detailed chorography to Max Richter’s version of Vivaldi’s mesmerizing The Four Seasons makes The Seasons’ Canon a superlative experience. An incredible vision in every sense of the word, The Seasons’ Canon is innovative and unique as dancers pulse, sway, and tumble with such fluidity and precision that it must be seen. Moving like one organism with grace and intensity, the sheer exactitude and congruent nature of these movements cannot be overstated. It is an exciting and commanding piece with bursts of energy as the landscape transforms into shades of silver, orange, and gold, exquisite in each season. It is a haunting and brilliant performance sure to stay with you long after the piece has ended.

Pacific Northwest Ballet in Crystal Pite’s The Seasons’ Canon ©Angela Sterling

Boston Ballet’s The Fall Experience continues at Citizens Bank Opera House in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, November 3. The production is one hour and 50 minutes with one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Versatile singer Joyce Didonato performed classics with a compelling twist as Celebrity Series presented ‘Songplay’

Posted on March 14, 2019 by The Sleepless Critic

It is easy to see why mezzo soprano Joyce Didonato has such a following on social media and otherwise. For one night only, she took the stage to share what she has learned from music and more as Celebrity Series presented Songplay on Friday, March 1 at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall at 8 p.m. Click here for more information and here for where Joyce Didonato will appear next.

Celebrity Series of Boston presented Joyce Didonato for one night only on March 1 Photo courtesy of Celebrity Series

Celebrity Series has a knack for welcoming artists that not only show off their talent, but teach the audience a thing or two about their craft, leaving the audience some material to ponder. With a lively, charming presence and a versatile voice that defies a definitive genre, mezzo-soprano Joyce Didonato shattered a few traditions and came up with a refreshing repertoire that combined opera, jazz, baroque, and other genres making a few classic songs new again.

Emerging from backstage in a shimmering emerald evening gown, this dynamic singer was greeted by a full house. This particular show seemed to be tailor-made for professionally-trained singers as Joyce shared details of her extensive vocal training, recalling in jest and self deprecation the tools that helped her become the professional singer she is. She also shared some personal reflections and comical stories between songs about her life and music.

With soaring, soothing vocals and an impeccable range, Joyce’s voice is as sophisticated with an aria as it is playful with jazz and Broadway numbers. Fans of opera and jazz would especially enjoy the show, but Joyce and her band offered enough variety and humor with each transformed song that most music fans could appreciate it as well.

Throughout the evening, she introduced her acclaimed band one by one with anecdotes and playful music interludes. Each band member had their individual chance to shine. Behind a large Steinway and Sons grand piano sat pianist and arranger Craig Terry with whom she shared more than a few lighthearted moments with. They kicked off the evening with the Italian aria, Caro mio ben and later Craig performed a captivating rendition of Dizzy Fingers.

Hailing from Buenos Aires, Lautaro Greco introduced the bandoneon, a unique instrument which is played like a piano, shaped like an accordion, but sounds like a horn. He joined her lively band that included revered double bassist Chuck Isreals, acclaimed percussionist Jimmy Madison, and legendary trumpet player Charlie Porter. The band’s random, surprising music notes added a few humorous and cheeky moments to the performance, the horn chasing her soaring vocals during a jazz-infused interlude. All in good fun.

A few of the evening’s highlights included a heartfelt, angst-ridden rendition of Will He Like Me? from the Broadway show, She Loves Me, a tender, reflective rendition of Gene Scheer’s Lean Away dedicated to Andre Previn, Duke Ellington’s classic Solitude, and a song Joyce always dreamed of singing, Edith Piaf’s La Vie en Rose.

At one point during the show, Joyce referred to playing traditional music just one way as an emotional straight jacket. Watching her put a creative spin on these classics with humor, grace, and gusto was a liberating experience.

Celebrity Series of Boston offers a dynamic roster featuring the annual Stave Sessions, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Shawn Colvin, and much more. Click here for more information and for tickets. Tickets can also be obtained at the Celebrity Series of Boston’s box office. Follow Celebrity Series of Boston on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.