A great love story ardently retold.Byline: Moira Macdonald; Seattle Times arts writer Dance review -- Eighteen months ago, Pacific Northwest Ballet The Pacific Northwest Ballet is a ballet company and based in Seattle, Washington in the United States. Founded in 1972 as part of the Seattle Opera and named the Pacific Northwest Dance Association, it broke away from the Opera in 1977 and took its current name in 1978. principal dancer A principal dancer is similar to a soloist in dance. However, principals are hired by a ballet or dance company to perform not only solos, but also pas de deux. A principal may be male or female. Carla Korbes was set to make her debut as Juliette in Jean-Christophe Maillot's "Romeo et Juliette." It's the role a ballerina dreams of: a showcase of technique and an emotional journey rare in the ballet world. Just days before opening, Korbes suffered an injury and had to drop out of the cast. The ballet, in its Seattle premiere, was a huge success. Now, with "Romeo et Juliette" returning to open PNB's new season, it seemed only right that Korbes would dance opening night, and the crowd at McCaw Hall The Marion Oliver McCaw Hall is a performance hall and opera house located in Seattle, Washington. Inaugurated in June 2003, it was constructed within the basic steel support structure of the earlier Seattle Opera House, originally created for the Worlds Fair in 1962 and gutted was with her from the moment she ran onstage, a carefree teen happily teasing her nurse (witty Chalnessa Eames). And Korbes made the role her own: Her Juliette was a little more reserved than that of Noelani Pantastico Noelani Pantastico is a principal dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, Washington. She was born on the island of Oahu, Hawaii on May 4, 1980. Biography Noelani Pantastico was born to John and Marylou Pantastico. last year; her dancing seemed to grow from a more quiet, reflective place. Yet, when she and her Romeo (the marvelous Lucien Postlewaite, who danced the role last year) came together for the exquisite pas de deux pas de deux (French; “step for two”) Dance for two performers. A characteristic part of classical ballet, it includes an adagio, or slow dance, by the ballerina and her partner; solo variations by the male dancer and then the ballerina; and a coda, or that closes Act I, their chemistry was astonishingly a·ston·ish tr.v. as·ton·ished, as·ton·ish·ing, as·ton·ish·es To fill with sudden wonder or amazement. See Synonyms at surprise. powerful. Set to Sergei Prokofiev's shiveringly beautiful score (delicately played by the PNB PNB Produit National Brut (French) PNB Punjab National Bank (India) PNB Philippine National Bank PNB Producto Nacional Bruto (Spanish: Gross National Product) orchestra, under Stewart Kershaw's baton), the dance unfolds as a series of chases, of catches, of rapture as one young body discovers another, and one pair of eyes beholds what it didn't know it had always looked for. Postlewaite leapt and writhed writhe v. writhed, writh·ing, writhes v.intr. 1. To twist, as in pain, struggle, or embarrassment. 2. To move with a twisting or contorted motion. 3. To suffer acutely. as if happily drowning in a pool of sensation. Korbes, when lifted, seemed barely aware of having left the ground; her Juliette was already airborne. Maillot's "Romeo et Juliette" is famously stripped of much of what we expect from the ballet: Ernest Pignon-Ernest's scenery is stark and contemporary; Jerome Kaplan's costumes flowing but simple; Maillot's choreography often flows from just a natural walk or run. But it's all the more moving for it. The company, many of whom are reprising their roles from last year, fling themselves into the work with abandon: note, in particular, Olivier Wevers' eerily precise posture and devastating dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. silent screams as Friar Lawrence; Ariana Lallone's wild grief as Lady Capulet, flinging her body as if it might snap in two; Jonathan Porretta's playful Mercutio; Batkhurel Bold's soaring Tybalt, who has a jump in Act I that seemed to make time stand still. But this ballet belongs to its star-crossed lovers, who leave us moved and marveling at its end. Bravo. Moira Macdonald: 206-464-2725 or mmacdonald@seattletimes.com Ballet review 'Romeo et Juliette' 2 p.m. today and Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. today and Oct. 1-3, 1 p.m. Oct. 4. Pacific Northwest Ballet, McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St., Seattle; $25-$160 (206-441-2424 or www.pnb.org). CAPTION(S): Angela Sterling: Pacific Northwest Ballet's Carla Körbes and Lucien Postlewaite have excellent chemistry in Jean-Christophe Maillot's ''Romeo et Juliette.'' (0410005730) Copyright (c) 2009 Seattle Times Company, All Rights Reserved. |
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