Constella Showcases New Choreography
The chamber ensemble concert:nova has twice collaborated
with Cincinnati Ballet, once in 2010, with a “Carnival of the Animals” (Saint-Saens) interleaved with 15 new compositions on the same subject, and last
summer for Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” and Barber’s “Cave of the
Heart.” Both performances were innovative
and very well receive. See in “Reviews” on this site:
http://www.musicincincinnati.com/site/reviews/Concert_nova_Cincinnati_Ballet_in_Creative_Combo.html
"History of the Tango (Piazzolla), Andrew Hubbard and Missy Lay Zimmer, choreographers. Violinist Tatiana Berman and guitarist Richard Goering in the background.
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It was natural then that Tatiana Berman (founder/artistic director of the new Constella Festival of Music and Fine Arts and one of the founders of concert:nova) should invite the same parties to put something together for Constella. The result was “Piazzolla, Prokofiev and Pointe Shoes” Oct. 15 in Mickey Jarson Kaplan Performance Studio at Cincinnati Ballet Center on Central Parkway.
Musicians from concert:nova and dancers and choreographers from Cincinnati Ballet and Exhale Dance Tribe collaborated on Sergei Prokofiev’s Quintet, Op. 39 (from his music for the ballet “Trapeze”) and Astor Piazzolla’s “Histoire du Tango.” Principal dancers from Cincinnati Ballet also performed Rodgers and Hart’s “My Funny Valentine.” The choreography for Prokofiev and Piazzolla were world premieres.
The dancers and musicians occupied the same space, making for an even closer collaboration. Performing the Prokofiev were violinist Timothy Lees, violist Joanne Wojtowicz, double bassist Boris Astafiev, oboist Dwight Parry and clarinetist Jonathan Gunn. All are members of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (Lees is concertmaster) as well as concert:nova.
The history of “Trapeze” (1924) is that of an aborted work, Prokofiev and choreographer Boris Romanov having clashed over it artistically (the company that premiered it also went bankrupt). Choreographer Heather Britt and CB dancer/choreographers James Cunningham and Stephen Jacobsen cleverly adapted that story for their version of the ballet. Cunningham and Jacobsen danced Prokofiev and Romanov, respectively, with Danielle Bausigner as the Circus Ballerina. There was one set piece, a desk and chair placed stage right for the composer.
Cunningham was lithe, enthusiastic and the center of attention, as well as sympathy. The “dark” and “light” aspects of the conflict were drawn, both with stage lighting and costuming, Cunningham in light clothing, Jacobsen in black. The double bass (Astafiev) sounded when the Choreographer entered and showed the Composer his concept for the ballet.
The Ballerina seemed a pawn in the whole game, which ended when the Choreographer brought a pair of torches to the Composer to suggest a spectacular, fiery setting for the ballet. The two men glared at each other, the Choreographer threw down the score and took back the money he had given the Composer. As in the original ballet, the fire concept gets implemented and results in the death of the Ballerina, who was wrapped in a scarf by other members of the circus at the end.
Cincinnati Ballet principal dancers Cervilio Miguel Amador, Liang Fu, Dawn Kelly and Janessa Touchet were featured in “My Funny Valentine” (to taped rather than live music). Choreographers Andrew Hubbard and Missy Lay Zimmer created the choreography, which had a “mod,” mid-century look, with the two couples engaging in some very athletic moves. It ended SWAK (sealed-with-a-kiss) under warm red lighting.
Piazzolla’s “Histoire du Tango” (1967) received a fetching presentation in Hubbard and Zimmer’s choreography, enhanced by the presence of violinist Tatiana Berman and guitarist Richard Goering just upstage from the dancers. The four-movement suite, which follows the evolution of the tango, from bordello to art music, was performed with verve and style by musicians and dancers alike. The dancers -- Tony Dandino, Kate Farry, Taylor Hansen, Ashley Klein, Jacob Thoman and Maggie Westerfield from Exhale Dance Tribe -- put lots of imagery into their changing roles, which ranged from bordello habitués – two gals and a guy in suspenders and sox – to nightclub pas de deux.
The crowd, which nearly filled the Studio, enjoyed refreshments (a Constella constant) at intermission in the lobby.