New Chamber Ballet opens its 2023-24 Season with an evening of four ballets by Miro Magloire, all performed with live music.
Choreographed in Magloire's signature, in-the-round style with the audience seated on all sides of the stage, the four works explore different facets of musical expression.
Azalea, premiered earlier this year, is a kaleidoscopic dance set to axis/to imagine by Wong Foo Jeng, commissioned as part of the composition prize for dance co-sponsored by the Manhattan School of Music and New Chamber Ballet
The somber duet Voicelessness to music by Swiss composer Beat Furrer was created in 2015. "Voicelessness is heavy," reviewer Melanie Brown said about its premiere, "but smoothly choreographed. [The dancers] are joined near constantly, performing demanding partner work that borders on acrobatic, and doing it seamlessly." (Stagebudy.com)
In A Simple Black Dress is a solo created in 2010 to celebrate the 85th birthday of composer Pierre Boulez. Set to his virtuoso violin solo Anthemes, the dance is given an added touch of mystery by the fact that the dancer wears one pointe shoe and one soft slipper.
The evening will close with the revival of Djazz to music by Maurice Ravel. In a review of its 2016 premiere, Juan Michael Porter wrote: "Djazz was a resounding success. Maurice Ravel's Violin Sonata No. 2 has never sounded or looked so good... Mr. Magloire is an absolute magician when it comes to trios. He explores every possibility of movement through the rule of three, all the while furthering our understanding of music... Add this piece to your must see list; it is definitely a gem." (Broadwayworld.com)
Performers include the dancers Anabel Alpert, Megan Foley, Nicole McGinnis, Amber Neff, Rachele Perla, and Kayla Schmitt; as well as Doori Na (violin) and Melody Fader (piano).
"It's heartening to see work so focused on the meeting of dance and music." -Alastair Macaulay, The New York Times
