Did you see Chromatic Quartet on opening weekend? We want to hear what you think in the comments below!
Which piece was your favorite? Do you want one of those dresses from Chromatic Quartet? Did the Stravinsky Violin Concerto make you feel closer to Balanchine? Interested in seeing more from Christopher Wheeldon? Do tell.
Here’s a few images from dress rehearsal to remind you of your evening…
The lost dance was an transcendent feat of ethereal glory. As if the choreography was found in a forbidden cave, lost long ago, and us fortunate mortals were given the privledge of witnessing this ghostly laugh with death, before the dancer’s final moments. Then when it was gone, erased from memory, like a dream. 5 Stars!
Stravinsky Concerto:
A composition of musicality and flickering energy, Balanchine’s piece draws upon contrasts, the dancers as elements of light and shade played out in a set of pas de deux. Both abstract and elegant, the piece seems to give the dancer an expressive chance of using body and form as an added tone to the music; orchestral and strong angles in one stanza, soft silhouettes in the next. Alison Roper and Grace Shibley wove gracefully luminous steps that seemed to sing on their own, elevating the beauty of the duets.
The Lost Dance:
A sumptuously dark dream with a stunning palette of color, it’s ballet and noir meeting in a haunted ballroom. With the dancers costumed in ball gowns and suits, there’s a dramatic glamor gone askew. It’s as if you’ve descended into a gorgeous limbo where ballet morphs into modern and steps shift and distort into moments of sensuous repose.
You get the sense of being lured into this strange, speakeasy dance hall where the dancers could be ghosts slinking across the aether, meeting one last time to glide through the sinuous choreography.
Liturgy:
A gorgeously intricate and poetic piece framed by Arvo Part’s haunting Fratres, Liturgy is a study in sculptural forms and grace, the dancers intertwining, blooming as one, a search for symmetry. Haiyan Wu and Brian Simcoe danced with precision and delicacy, possessing a quiet reverence and complemented by the live violin and piano accompaniment.
Lambarena:
A jubilant fusion of Bach and African rhythms aglow on stage, a dance of strength and joy that captures the spirit of two worlds. A wondrous way to re-envision Bach, the dancers taking us through a landscape of vibrant colors, energetic dancing and bright melodies. It was lovely to see the dancers light up the stage, especially led by Kathi Martuza, whose delight seemed to shimmer in her solo.
Kudos to Christopher for taking a youngg and up and coming troupe and creating gorgous movments coupled with perfect music and costumes. BRAVO!!!!
The entire program was incredible. I’ve never walked away in such awe of the abilities of every dancer.
I’ll admit I was reluctant to go inside from the gorgeous day on Sunday evening but I’m sooo glad I did! What a wonderful Quartet of dances. I loved Lambarena the first time and I loved it again, the richness and fusion of styles of movement & music is such a treat to behold. And oh, oh, oh, The Lost Dance was STUNNING!!! I’m with Aaron Scott, I could have easily watched it 3 or 4 more times in a rowand still not feel I had seen it all and my daughter wants to wear one of those dresses to prom! I’d buy a dvd of Chromatic Quartet in a heartbeat. My only regret was not every seat was filled so the dancers could hear a truly thunderous roar of appreciation. BRAVO, BRAVO!!! Thank you so much for a fabulous performance.
We thought the whole performance was astounding! It left us in awe and wanting to see more! It has been our favorite performance thus far this season. The Lost dance was unbelievably cool. Every dance was special, unique, and interesting. I want to see it again. I would buy a DVD version of this performance if it was available.
The Lost Dance…wow! An avalanche of adrenaline, intense extreme talents mixed into a collection of mystic rituals, thrilling and penetrating music, amazing grace , dramatic beauty in motion, exploding in accelerating variety of emotions on the the other side of the stage, for us, the guests of the show accepting this unique gift from a handful of tremendously talented artists.
Thank you!..the world is waiting for You, Chromatic Quartet
The idea of a DVD left be one commentator…great gift for every mom, dad, daughter, son or friend, libraries-public or personal. What a wonderful birthday, Christmas or just “I love you” gift with The Lost Dance. I have seen them once, have to see them again and I would still buy a few DVDs for the loved ones. It would open a lot of unknown hidden doors in the universe inside ourselves.
Such a fantastic show! Liturgy and Stravinski Violin Concerto were both gorgeous (haven’t see Grace front and center for awhile, so this was a treat). The Lost Dance was fantastic, interesting on so many levels, with the lighting, costumes, and music adding dimension to the choreography. And it was great to see Lambarena again; so glad Kathi was able to do it. I got more out of it this time, too, having attended Linda’s wonderful talk before the show. Well done, OBT!
The Lost Dance was the most beautiful and breathtaking ballet I have ever seen with OBT – season tickets for 10+ years. Loved that it wasn’t paired or traditional, odd number of dancers, each featured individually, attention shifting around the stage, amazing lighting, beautiful costumes, and the dancers seemed to really enjoy themselves. My former favorite was Lamberena, but The Lost Dance knocked it out of first place. Incidentally, I took my 20-something son with me to Chromatic Quartet; he came grudgingly, but was slack-jawed and impressed with The Lost Dance also, the athleticism and grace. Would love to see more new work like this rather than traditional paired tutu dancing. Thank you, OBTdancers!