Paul Boos on Jewels

Spring 2018 Ballet Review

From the Spring 2018 issue of Ballet Review Paul Boos on “Jewels”

Cover photograph by Stephanie Berger, Lincoln Center Festival: Dorothée Gilbert and Hugo Marchand in Emeralds.

© 2018 Dance Research Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved. 4 Boston – Jeffrey Gantz 8 Tanglewood – Jay Rogoff 10 Chicago – Joseph Houseal 12 New York – Susanna Sloat 15 Chicago – Joseph Houseal 17 Moscow/St. Petersburg – Susanna Sloat 23 Saratoga Springs – Jay Rogoff 26 Jacob’s Pillow – Ian Spencer Bell 28 Toronto – Gary Smith 30 Sun Valley – Susanna Sloat 33 Stuttgart – Gary Smith 79 34 New York – Harris Green 36 New York – Juan Michael Porter II 37 Philadelphia – Eva Shan Chou Ballet Review 46.1 38 Brooklyn – Joseph Houseal Spring 2018 39 Miami – Michael Langlois

Editor and Designer: Marvin Hoshino John Morrone 40 A Conversation with Steven McRae Managing Editor: Roberta Hellman George Dorris Senior Editor: 46 Picasso in Italy Don Daniels 60 Associate Editors: 48 Adolf de Meyer: Joel Lobenthal Quicksilver Brilliance Larry Kaplan Alice Helpern 52 From the Horse’s Mouth Webmaster: Curated by Rajika Puri David S. Weiss Selected & Edited by Karen Greenspan Copy Editor: Naomi Mindlin Larry Kaplan Photographers: 60 Paul Boos on Jewels Tom Brazil 40 Costas Gary Smith 75 Demis Volpi Associates: Peter Anastos Robert Greskovic John Goodman George Jackson 79 André Levinson on Balanchine, Elizabeth Kendall 1925–1933 Paul Parish Nancy Reynolds 123 London Reporter – Clement Crisp James Sutton 127 Music on Disc – George Dorris David Vaughan† Edward Willinger 8 131 Check It Out Sarah C. Woodcock

Cover photograph by Stephanie Berger, Lincoln Center Festival: Dorothée Gilbert and Hugo Marchand in Emeralds. Olga Smirnova and Semyon Chudin (top) and Sara Mearns and Tyler Angle (bottom) in Diamonds. (Photos: Stephanie Berger, Lincoln Center Festival) 60 ballet review Paul Boos on Jewels a half hour or so teaching the steps. And then once you knew them, she would place you into the group, which is basically the way we learned the ballets in those years. BR: And rehearsals? Larry Kaplan Boos: Rosemary took all the rehearsals up until the stage rehearsal. Often Balanchine Paul Boos joined New York City Ballet in 1977 would come to the final studio run-through, while Balanchine was very much still at the but he always took the final stage rehearsal. helm of the company, still choreographing, So, it was basically her responsibility up un- still teaching class. Boos danced in almost all til two rehearsals before the performance. the ballets by Balanchine, Robbins, Martins, BR: What was it like having Balanchine re- Taras, and others that were in the repertory hearse you? at the time. Since leaving the company in 1990 Boos: As you know, we took class with him he has worked as a teacher and répétiteur, every day. So, all the ideas, everything he want- staging Balanchine’s dances throughout the ed us to do, everything he wanted to take from United States and Europe. us for his ballets, he worked on in class. It Five years ago former NYCB prima balleri- sometimes seemed that rehearsing with him na Merrill Ashley and Boos staged Diamonds in was an extension of class. So there was noth- Moscow for the Bolshoi: Ashley working with ing all that unfamiliar when we were onstage the principal dancers; Boos, with the demi- or in the studio. It was very much about en- soloists and corps de ballet. For the 2017 fif- ergy; which we never seemed to have enough tieth anniversary performances of Jewels at of. And that was something that he insisted Lincoln Center Festival the Paris Opera Ballet on regularly. But he would also go into certain danced in Emeralds; the Bolshoi alternated details about the women very clearly, show- in performances of Diamonds and Rubies with ing their legs and feet, and crossing positions. NYCB. Once again, Ashley and Boos were asked BR: Who danced Diamonds when you were by the Bolshoi to work with the company in the corps? dancers, this time in New York. Boos: It was almost always Suzanne [Far- * rell] and Peter [Martins]. Occasionally Mer- Paul Boos: Almost immediately on joining New rill [Ashley] and Kay [Mazzo]. Jacques [d’Am- York City Ballet, I was called to be part of the boise] had stopped dancing Diamonds by the eight corps couples in Diamonds. I have to say time I joined the company. Adam [Lüders] and that was overwhelming. As a first-year mem- Sean [Lavery] also alternated in the ballet ber of the company you get thrown into so during Balanchine’s time. Both of them danced many ballets, and Diamonds turned out to be a beau tifully. I recall as a very young corps very difficult corps role for me to learn. Mu- member being overwhelmed by the dancers sically, there are complicated, seemingly end- I was watching as I performed behind them less repetitions, everything in eights, constant onstage. going in and out. I remember getting a bit lost In many ways, dancing in Diamonds educat- with the counts and the timing. But once I got ed me about Suzanne’s very special qualities. used to it, it was fine. Taking in Suzanne’s performance, her artist - BR: Who taught you the choreography? ry, wasn’t an easy lesson. She had a tendency Boos: Rosemary Dunleavy [Balanchine’s of breaking the rules that we had learned in long time assistant ballet mistress]. By the class, and safeguarded, so it was something time I joined the company Rosemary had per- that took time for me to appreciate. There were fected her methods. She would work individ- so many exciting things to see in her dancing ually with a corps dancer alone in a studio for – thrilling to watch what she did onstage mu- ©2018 Paul Boos, Larry Kaplan 61 Merrill Ashley with Balanchine during the taping of Emeralds for Dance in America. (Photo: Costas) sically, a lesson in art. It’s something that I’ll really branded in my brain. Merrill’s inter- never forget. pre tation was a lesson in classicism and a di- For example, in the finale there was a par- rect line to regal Petipa. These performances ticular step in the fugue – I have not seen any- are something that I’ll never forget. body but Suzanne do it since – a triple pirou- BR: Several years after Diamonds, you were ette from fourth that just seemed to come out cast in Rubies. of nowhere. It’s so musical and daring. It has Boos: Rubies was kind of a surprise. We were to end perfectly because she finishes in fifth on tour in Europe. I had been understudying and then seamlessly adds a few steps before the role for about a year or so, not expecting she exits with her partner. She didn’t always to be cast any time soon. The company was manage the triple, but many nights she would about to head to Berlin when all of a sudden take the chance and go for it. It was always my name appeared on the casting sheet. I just amazing. We’d stand there watching, think- assumed that on tour the company would stick ing, “Wow is she going to make it tonight and to the New York casts. So, I was thrown on. I how’s it going to be?” The moment occurs when knew it, of course, from the sidelines, but it the ballerina is exhausted, and yet Suzanne is different when you’re in it. I went into Ru- could somehow pull it off. We rarely see those bies in Berlin, continuing in the role when we kinds of risks today. This kind of last-ditch went to Paris and dancing it until I left the risk taking is a quality very few people can company. master. BR: Who worked with you on Rubies? Suzanne’s performances, and Merrill’s, are Boos: Again it was Rosemary. Rosemary was 62 ballet review our ballet mistress I would say for 90 percent, really 100 percent, of the Balanchine ballets. BR: Did Balanchine work with you at all? BR: Yes, of course. He was there. Always. He didn’t teach the steps. He would come in for the final rehearsals and if he saw or felt something was missing, something was off, or that we were misinter- preting what he wanted, he would very quickly pounce and correct it by giving us visuals, giving us some sort of feedback about what he wanted to see. It could be just a simple phrase, a simple word and all of a sudden the problem would be solved and a section transformed. BR: Do you remember things he said? Boos: This is a question that people always ask, “What did he say?” I wish I could remember more speci - fically. Generally, as I said, it was inevitably about energy. In Rubies, there’s a wonderful section in the coda with the men. It’s a rough sort of game between the principal man and the four other men: catch Suzanne Farrell and Peter Martins in Diamonds. (Photo: Costas) me if you can. It has this street quality to it. must sound really corny, that the music tells And if he worked with us on that, chasing you what to do. But it really does. Mr. Balan- the principal man or being chased by him, chine opened our ears to the sounds and what he stressed was energy. Energy. That was rhythms of the music, taught us to listen to always what he wanted. and to hear it, so we had an instinctive re- We all understood that the choreography sponse to it. He opened our ears to his vision speaks for itself but if you’re doing steps, it’s of the music. just not enough. There has to be something BR: What were the challenges for you in Ru- extra, a relationship to the people that you’re bies as opposed to Diamonds? dancing with. Boos: People deal differently learning bal- And then of course there’s the music. It’s in lets; some people have an easier time with these the music. The music tells you what to do. That difficult scores. For me as a dancer I related to spring 2018 63 the Stravinsky ballets and the Stravinsky mu- ally on the tips of your toes in the moment, sic easily. For some reason I enjoyed it, I re- physically as well as mentally. That’s not just sponded to it. It made sense to me. I found it challenging; it’s exciting. For me, that was the easier to learn the Stravinsky ballets than thrill of dancing Balanchine. some of the others. You really have to be con- I don’t know why I found Rubies so enjoy- centrated on the changing rhythms, and that able. I felt that I could be myself, whereas with fascinated me. Diamonds I had to portray, well, not a charac- With the Tchaikovsky, as I mentioned ear- ter, but a type, a prince or courtier, something lier, you’d have sets of eight where you’re I was not entirely comfortable with at first. standing on the side and then you come in and Rubies is more contemporary and American. you do eight measures of music and then re- Maybe it’s as simple as that. turn to the sides. It was eight, eight, eight, BR: Who were the principals you danced eight – all variations of eight – which is what with in Rubies? confused me. With Stravinsky the rhythms are Boos: Patricia McBride was the ballerina. constantly changing and therefore you’re re- She danced the role until the end of her ca- reer. I don’t think she retired out of any of her roles. Patti’s mark on the ballet intimi- dates anyone who follows in her footsteps, as with every role she originated. Her sin- gular qualities are inimitable. She was unique. Ib Andersen and Ricky [Robert] Weiss were her partners, for the most part – and Misha [Ba - ryshnikov] for a short while. Heather Watts also danced the leading role. She was superb. I remember Heather danced with Bart Cook. Bart was really magnificent in this. Well, all the men were. Generally, the tall girl was Willie [Wilhelmina] Frank- furt. She was terrific in a quirky, sexy way. Vicky [Vic- toria] Hall made a strong im- pression as well: a tornado. BR: When did you work with Merrill Ashley staging Diamonds in Moscow? Boos: In 2012. Diamonds was the first ballet that I’d ever been assigned from Jewels. I staged the corps de ballet, and Merrill, of course, worked Patricia McBride and Robert Weiss in Rubies. (Photo: Costas) with the principals. Later on 64 ballet review Karin von Aroldingen and Sean Lavery in Emeralds. (Photo: Costas) I was assigned Rubies and have staged it three walk in and assert that there is only one way times: twice in the United States and once in to do things, the “Balanchine way,” is, I think, Russia, in Perm. a bit offensive. So I try to be respectful to the BR: You had staged many other Balanchine community that I’m being hosted by and help ballets in companies throughout the United them achieve their goal. They want to under- States and Europe. How did you prepare for stand Balanchine, and dance it authentically Diamonds? and beautifully, so they’re generally open to Boos: It took me months to notate all the what I have to say. patterns and steps, more than one hundred Diamonds really fits the Russians’ DNA. pages! A first time to stage a ballet, and it was There were times in the opening performance the Bolshoi. It was intimidating. in Moscow where I just got the chills. They The four big theaters that I’ve worked in were absolutely exquisite. The staging of Ru- Europe – the Mariinsky, the Bolshoi, La Scala, bies in Perm was a whole other story, because and Paris Opera – are all companies that are of the American jazziness of it. This was a real nearly as old as our own country. They have stretch for them. And I’m not sure that they’ll their traditions, which should be honored. To ever really get it. Even so, Rubies was a big hit spring 2018 65 Eventually, once they feel comfortable with the move- ment, then they’re willing to give it their all. But there are definite stumbling blocks of having them shake it up in the way we do naturally. It’s not a problem for American danc - ers, but Eastern Europeans get a little bit embarrassed by it. BR: What about the boys, did they have any difficulty with some of these things? Boos: Well, you know hip, pelvic thrust, shaking hips or doing things that are jazzy – yes they have problems with it. But the men, because I’m demonstrating, have an easi- er time with it than if a woman were showing them. And this is something that is really ev- ident, especially in Russia, where men have an idea of manly dancing and anything outside of that they resist. If I’m there to show them the step they think, “Okay, well he’s doing it so it must be all right.” Otherwise, they’ll resist. Often I see that if a Yulia Grebenshikova in Rubies. (Photo: Damir Yusupov, LCF) woman shows a man what to in Perm, hugely successful. The audience took do, they look at her and think it can’t be that to it. They absolutely loved it. It appeals to way because it’s the way she’s doing it: it’s their European sensibility. It’s exotic. But to feminine and we can’t do it that way. But when an American eye, their interpretation felt a a man shows them, they’re more amenable to little off. it, willing to try it out. As much as they loved Rubies, there were The French men have an easier time. I staged certain qualities in the choreography that go Prodigal Son in Paris. There’s clearly no ques- against the grain of the Russians. When you tion about masculinity in that ballet. In Sere- ask the girls in rehearsal to shake their hips, nade the men are attentive to the women, they get embarrassed, they giggle, they look which is not unusual, not a big change. Agon over their shoulders to make sure that their is abstract, athletic, and they understand that coaches aren’t watching because they think very well. So, I never really had any issues they’re going to get in trouble for being ir- with the French men adapting to Balanchine reverent. It’s cute in the beginning, but you’ve ballets. It’s really the Russians who can be un- got to get them to move. And that’s a hurdle. comfortable, especially with this issue. When 66 ballet review Andris Liepa danced Raymonda Variations with saw three NYCB performances of Rubies and Nina Ananiashvili at New York City Ballet the final NYCB Diamonds. And both Paris Opera [1988], he refused to dance the first male vari- Ballet casts in Emeralds. It was extraordin- ation because it is to music that’s normally ary to see these three magnificent companies danced by women in Russia. To him it was very clearly dance these ballets in their own emasculating. The men have this sort of an at- way, in their iconic style, if I may say it that titude; this gender typing, if you will. It goes way. Clearly New York City Ballet has the ad- against what they learned in school. It goes vantage because the School of American Bal- against what their idea is of a man’s role in let trains dancers as Balanchine wanted them ballet. They can be very stubborn about it. trained. The company has continued that tra- BR: What was your reaction to the Lincoln dition. It is really the apex of Balanchine tech- Center Festival performances of Jewels? nique and style, and they embody his philos- Boos: I attended four of the five perform- ophy of dance. ances, all three Bolshoi Diamonds but only one For the other companies, dancing these bal- performance of the Bolshoi dancing Rubies. I lets is a challenge, something to aspire to, an

Megan Fairchild and Joaquin De Luz in Rubies. (Photo: Paul Kolnik, LCF) spring 2018 67 opportunity to grow and expand. You could go When Merrill and I first staged Diamonds at over countless differences in how they per- the Bolshoi we were absolutely straight with form the works – in terms of energy, tempo, the tempo, we insisted on setting it properly. accent – of how they deal with speed and mu- The opening night performance in Moscow sicality, and of individual steps. And the mu- was as close to a New York City Ballet-Balan- sic above all. chine-Robert Irving tempo as could be. After Tempi were very important to Balanchine we left, however – we board the plane and are and this is an issue that can become a bit sticky gone – erosion sets in. Principal dancers ob- with companies other than New York City ject if they feel something is too slow, some- Ballet. Balanchine liked dancers to move fast. thing is too fast, doesn’t suit them. They have The quick tempi, the speed – they’re very hard a certain power and entitlement, an under- for non-Balanchine companies to adhere to, standing that conductors will accommodate to perfect. But teaching them how to move them, compensate for these issues. in the style is essential. It’s crucial that you It’s not that way at City Ballet. There you push, that you seduce the dancers into under- absolutely have to rise to the occasion, and standing that this is the way with the music. there’s no question about it. So this becomes

Teresa Reichlen in Rubies. (Photo: Paul Kolnik, LCF) 68 ballet review Sara Mearns in Diamonds. (Photo: Stephanie Berger, LCF) an issue and it can be very awkward and un- City Ballet Diamonds with the Bolshoi’s were comfortable, and it’s something that has to be surely aware of the difference. It was a dif- confronted honestly. ferent atmosphere, a different feeling. But in BR: How were the tempos in the Lincoln the end it didn’t matter, which was thrilling. Center performances you saw? The Bolshoi may have slowed things down but Boos: The Bolshoi Diamonds tempos were somehow it was not at the expense of the bal- slower than we had originally rehearsed it in let. The ballet came across. What was mirac- Moscow. The New York audience saw a per- ulous was that the performances of two com- formance with a slower tempo than is usual panies had equal impact – were equally valid for the ballet. Those people who had the priv- readings, equally thrilling and exciting. ilege of seeing and comparing the New York BR: The audience reaction was immense. spring 2018 69 Semyon Chudin in Diamonds. (Photo: Stephanie Berger, LCF) Boos: The Saturday night Bolshoi perform- va of the Bolshoi and Sara Mearns of New York ance was like a rock concert. I mean people City Ballet, were, in my opinion, sublime, were screaming from the rafters throughout equally and oppositionally great. You can pre- the ballet. It was a bit distracting. It wasn’t re- fer one over the other, but why bother? Olga ally appropriate for the audience to react like is a supreme ballerina as is Sara, and Sara is that. It was the same for the final City Ballet a devil on the stage. She has this abandon and Diamonds. The principals had six calls in front this freedom that is absolutely true to Balan- of the curtain at the end. chine’s aesthetic in how we trained and how The two Diamonds ballerinas, Olga Smirno- we worked, whereas Olga is an imperial crea- 70 ballet review ture whose dancing evokes history and years Boos: What comes to mind in regard to Se- of tradition. The second she steps onstage myon Chudin is Arlene Croce’s comment about everybody is on the edge of their seat and you Nina Ananiashvili, taking to Balanchine like stay on the edge of the seat until the very end. a cat to crème fraîche. Chudin’s comportment Sara also has that effect, but they’re different toward the ballerina embodies the prince con- animals. To compare them is one of the great sort ideal that Balanchine cherished.Tyler An- honors of this season and is something that gle’s masterly partnering of Sara Mearns was anyone who was able to see will never forget. a marvel of aplomb and dignity. BR: And the men? The second Bolshoi cast of Diamonds, Alena

Alena Kovaleva and Jacopo Tissi in Diamonds. (Photo: Damir Yusupov, LCF) spring 2018 71 Myriam Ould-Braham and Mathias Heymann (top) and Sae Eun Park, Marc Moreau, and Valentine Colasante (bottom) in Emeralds. (Photos: Stephanie Berger, LCF) 72 ballet review Laëtitia Pujol and Mathieu Ganio in Emeralds. (Photo: Agathe Poupeney, LCF) Kovaleva and Jacopo Tissi, were wonderful. well as they did. But their impact was defi- But I have to say they were really thrown into nitely that of neophytes. the deep end. They are very young. Kovaleva BR: The consensus was that the Bolshoi was is eighteen; Tissi, in his early twenties. They’re less secure in Rubies than they were in Dia- corps de ballet dancers. But, you know, Mer- monds. rill danced the principal role in Diamonds as a Boos: As we discussed earlier, Rubies is diffi- corps member, so it’s not unusual for some- cult for the Russians, both for the women and one to be given this kind of an opportunity. the men. And it’s something that I think with I’m sure they must have been terrified danc- time they will become accustomed to and dance ing this ballet in New York in Balanchine’s well. They will take it on and conquer it. But house. Everything that they did was learned for the time being it remains a challenge. The from ballet masters there at the Bolshoi and Bolshoi ballerina Ekaterina Krysanova shines from videotapes, without Merrill’s supervi- from within and you can’t help but love her, sion. But it was extraordinary, a testament to and NYCB’s Megan Fairchild’s energy is like a their talent and the company that they were 200-watt light bulb. You can’t take your eyes able to get onstage and pull off Diamonds as off her. But the collective memory of Patricia spring 2018 73 McBride in Rubies makes it difficult for both thée Gilbert in the second cast gave a fuller, women to fully convince in the part. Joaquin more compelling reading, more in keeping De Luz came closer to the original dynamic of with the romantic nature of the ballet. Math- Edward Villella’s performance than most. Vy- ieu Ganio and Hugo Marchand partnering acheslav Lopatin, opposite Krysanova, had a them each danced the brief but hugely diffi- natural swagger in keeping with Villella’s cult variation in the penultimate movement spirit as well. with consummate ease, a reflection of the great BR: What about your reaction to Emeralds training they received at the Paris Opera Bal- even though you’ve never staged it and never let School. danced in it. How did you think the French Myriam Ould-Braham’s delicate carriage dancers managed, many of whom you know and upper body, her port de bras, were aston- and have worked with? ishing, and her partner Mathias Heymann Boos: When you see all three ballets danced tapped directly into the chivalrous character by different companies and different casts, that was so natural to Frank [Francisco] Mon- you see facets of the choreography that you cion [the role’s originator]. I was also very im- may not have appreciated before.This is some- pressed with Léonore Baulac in the walking thing that for me is really telling, because fi- pas de deux, a role created by Mimi Paul that nally there’s not one, only true way to dance later was danced with great distinction at City Balanchine. And even within Balanchine’s Ballet by Karin von Aroldingen. own company we have seen that with differ- BR: Enormous credit must go to Nigel Red- ent ballerinas, different dancers. Another pic- den, departing director of Lincoln Center Fes- ture of the ballet emerges. When dancers Ib tival, simply for coming up with the idea of Andersen or Misha [Baryshnikov] danced each of three major companies performing Apollo after we had become used to Peter Mar- one section of the ballet on the same evening tins in the role, the ballet was transformed. for a short run. Company directors Aurélie This was still during Balanchine’s lifetime. He Dupont of Paris Opera Ballet, Makhar Vaziev cast them in the part and he approved of what of the Bolshoi Ballet, and Peter Martins of they were doing. New York City Ballet also deserve praise for It’s a similar impact that the Paris Opera actually making it happen. We all know Jew- Ballet had in Emeralds. It may seem different els is a masterpiece. Yet its greatness was re- but it’s the same steps – the same choreogra- asserted, showcased. Surprising facets were phy done in their personal way and it’s equal- revealed by the contrasting visions of these ly powerful and authentic. The value of the companies. ballet is enhanced and not diminished, prov- Boos: This is exactly right. By dancing Bal- ing the greatness of the work. anchine, dancers grow and learn. We at New BR: That was my feeling as well about these York City Ballet developed ourselves as artists performances. and human beings by dancing his ballets. In Boos: Violette Verdy’s recent passing makes this sense Jewels is something of a life lesson, it difficult for anyone who saw her to allow a demonstration of Mr. Balanchine’s genius. another interpretation of her role in Emeralds. People who witnessed this once-in-a-lifetime On first viewing, Laëtitia Pujol’s coloratura event will carry the memory of it for the rest style in the role was not easy to accept. Doro - of their lives.

74 ballet review