„In seventh Heaven“ (Im siebten Himmel): Vienna State Ballet, Première, November 14th, 2021.

To those who may not know it: To be in „The seventh Heaven“ means to be in a state of complete Happiness – that is a most welcome and very optimistic title, for an evening at the Opera. It lived up to the expectations.

We'll start today with „March, waltz, polka“ (Marsch, Walzer, Polka) by Martin Schläpfer, the opening “number”. First of all, it is important, before reading this, to know that this is a piece that was originally created in 2006.

It evokes the Strauß dynasty's music in a manner that, one could think related to Vienna and to the typical Viennese and their way of comprehending life, which is quite different to the Teutonic way – and always misunderstood by the Germans (How did Christoph Waltz put it so famously in a talk-show lately? They think Viennese are slimy... yes, this is it! Slimy). Not so funny though...

But has ballet history ever given us a full understanding of the so-called „Viennese mentality“? George Balanchine's „Vienna Waltzes“ and many others didn't.

Perhaps the only work with a certain substance was Béjart's „Wien, Wien, nur Du allein“ (1982) a ballet that, apart from the brilliant use of not only Strauß's but Schubert's, Haydn's, Beethoven's, Mozart's, Anton von Webern's, Alban Berg's and, most fantastically, Schönberg's music, is the only Ballet that has captured the „Viennese essence“. Something also „located“ geographically between the West and the East.

But it had no Princesses, Tutús or Tiaras on stage. It was all about the underworld, Prater, mystical Tarot cards, streetwalkers, murder and betrayal. With lots of „Schlagobers dazu“ (Béjart’s own words during a rehearsal I was lucky enough to be present at in Stuttgart).

Also, this Ballet was misunderstood internationally. Why? Because people seem to want Vienna seen from its most cliché side. „The New York“ times wrote back in 1983: ''Wien, Wien, Nur du Allein'' is a tedious, long ballet by Maurice Bejart (sic!) that is by no means one of his worst.“

I remember 1990 when it was shown here at this same Vienna State Opera and the audience – quite different from the audience nowadays that will give standing ovations for anything - just stood up after the performance and left – YES. No applause.

This is a thing to remember: In Milano, when the shows were not liked, they used to throw tomatoes, lettuce and cabbage at the Artistes. In Vienna (a question of mentality), the public just stood up and left. No reaction. Which was frightening – but definitely much more effective, I must say.

A long Story just to bring you into the mood to understand more easily what I have to say. As mentioned before it is important to know that this is a piece that was originally created in 2006. Exactly 15 Years ago. And this is a long time in the World of Dance – much more for a contemporary piece than for one of the „Classics“.

But many years before 2006, there was this very popular movement to „simplify“, „reduce“, to „decode“ dance - as usual „things“ arrive quite late in Germany, Austria and most notably Switzerland. We always seem to be years behind everything that is actually happening!

But this „movement“ is long gone and may be the reason why the audience yesterday, with its lack of knowledge, complained so much – one „hear“ things and opinions during intermissions - about the way „Music“ had been wasted. The audience could not relate to it.

I don't see it this way. And seeing it with other eyes, differently, understanding the time context in which this choreography was written, it can be fully enjoyed because of its humorous, light, uncomplicated, simple conception. You may call it, in a very positive way, basic but it is quite entertaining. Firstly because of the beautiful – eternal – music and then in its concept, involving a huge cast that (mostly) is just for a short time on stage. I have to confess that with the continuous “coming and going” I have missed the appearance of two new Soloists at the Opera: Hyo-Jung Kang and Alexey Popov - I did not realize that they were on stage - proving that the Mr Schläpfer’s choreography is what you focus on, not individual performances.

Copyright: Ashley Taylor / Vienna State Ballet

Ketevan Papava, a very strong personality scenically and a great Lady, led the „Danube Waltz“ beautifully in its minimalistic ways. Not an easy task.

Sveva Gargiulo & Lourenço Ferreira (Annen-Polka) as well as Eszter Ledán & Igor Milos and Fiona McGee & Calogero Failla (Sphärenklänge) should be mentioned. Precision, Joy, Presence and pin-pointed musically.

A very nice evening, in its own way, quite neat and light. Charmingly interesting.

Perhaps just the very End, „Radetzky March“ should be somehow „re-thought“. Many felt, I included, that this Ending is not politically correct in its critique of some behaviour ways that are natural here, in fact, a bit insulting, even if considered „slimy“ by others (I have to refer once more to Christoph Waltz again, as he said that „Austrians are very polite and they don't mean it!“). But this is the superficial vision that Germans and Swiss have from Vienna; quite boring in fact - and we have heard it so often – but I won't go further into that. These things are (nowadays) not to be discussed anymore.

Still an „addendum“ to this Ballet: A big fuss was made on the media about the costumes by Susanne Bisovsky. Mostly about the use of „elastic“ fabrics or even fabrics that were made elastic to fit the necessities of the dancers’ bodies and movements.

I ask you: isn't this normal for any ballet costumes? Is this something new?

The women's costumes are quite nice – although the „Slavic touch“ I read about mentioned at the „Wiener Zeitung“ from November 13th, is so intensely flowery (Slavic peasant costumes material, even if flowery, have more of a plain surface) and tend to recall more the Mexican Yucatean Ternos.

Too many patterns distract from the dancer's body lines, cut the body into distinctive „parts“ and shapes and don't undertone movements. In a less minimalistic choreography, with more dance in it, this would be not so nice. The men's costumes are dull and average. It seems that there they were not given importance at all.

„Fly Paper Bird“ by Marco Goecke requires a foreword: Having visited part of a workshop some days before the Première, a mistake I shall not repeat, I was prepared not to like this particular piece.

First because of what I had seen as a stage rehearsal with two dancers and second because of a remark made by Mr Goecke, which annoyed me very much:

While speaking of his short career as a dancer, the way he lacks more experience and the fact that he never worked continuously with one choreographer, he said „Nicht wissen gibt Dir Freiheit“ (To not know gives you Freedom). A statement that was endorsed by another member of the conversation that was taking place.

To be honest with you, this goes against everything I believe in.

Does Ignorance (According to the dictionary: lack of knowledge, understanding, or information about something) give you Freedom?

Painters, like Picasso and Modigliani, who were masters in minimalizing, reducing lines, were also painters who would (and could) paint, for example, a hand like Raffael did. They CHOSE to minimalize, reduce. They were not forced to be minimal and reduced because of lack of Knowledge. Do you understand my point and why I had to leave the hall?

But things turned surprisingly well. Very well. And very surprisingly indeed.

I normally don't read a programme before I write a critique, in order not to be influenced by it. That is also why I cannot attend workshops before a Première anymore – I don't like „to be told“ what I should think about a certain performance. If this is necessary then it is not DANCE what I am witnessing on stage.

„Fly paper Bird“ is for me a very earnest reflection on our behaviour nowadays.

The anxiety, nervousness, fear, immediate desire to fulfilment, quickness, instant satisfaction, without properly breathing... The never finishing of anything, the never completing of action, thought, phrase... – so well reflected on the way dancers never stretched an arm or really „finished“, „completed“ a movement. Souls that are painfully suffering from „cramps“ - like the hands of the dancers would show. Mass hysteria because one person starts something and all others follow, without even knowing what it is all about - and here I have to add „my salt to this soup“ - because they are in full ignorance of what is happening „outside“, outside their small, limited world.

Even though they think they are „fulfilled“.

I don't know if I am seeing too much or too less in it and if this is/was intentional (or not) when Mr Goecke wrote the choreography but this is what I see – that is what came through the fourth wall for me making me nervous, unsettled, wishing it to come at last to an end, to stop.

If Mr Goecke wanted to „move“ the audience, he can be sure that he did that to THIS member of the audience.

The nearly apocalyptical vortex of emotions happening, during the second part of the choreography, while Mahler's Adagietto was being gloriously played and conducted by the gifted Patrick Lange. The calmness outside not suiting the turmoil that is going inside a soul. The peace contradicting the war that is going on within oneself. I like that.

Even though I could see this piece performed by actors, not necessarily dancers, my great respect to all members of the cast. JUST TO REMEMBER THIS CHOREOGRAPHY is an accomplishment. My admiration, most notably to Fiona McGee, Davide Dato and Rebecca Horner, whose dedicated, well-studied performance was incredible to witness.

Surely not a piece that will attract the public and tourists in the near future for its own standing but do you remember what John Lennon said after he composed „I'm the Walrus“? He said: I don't expect to enter a bar in Andalucia and hear people whistling it.

That's it.

„Symphony in C“, which I'd rather just call „Bizet“ as Mr B. used to call it, is pure Joy. There is no other description that could suit it better. Technically tricky, sometimes exceedingly quick, dynamic and a „Show-off“, like many of Mr B.'s ballets. Entertainment for the audiences. Great level Entertainment.

Patricia Neary, who supervised the rehearsals, knows her work – and MISSION. To keep Balanchine's work as genuine as possible. Not an easy task. Times have changed, bodies and techniques have changed, Height is another issue but most of all the stagnation has settled in his work – something that was what Balanchine himself always feared. Until the End of his life, he kept making changes, improvements to all his work. Like this, it was kept in „motion“. Moving, changing, going sometimes in other directions. With his Death in 1983, his work was „framed“, „frozen“. And once more I have to say: this is what he most feared. But there is no other solution. We will all die someday and we have to adapt to this idea. But we can live further: in people's hearts, in actions that reflect them and, like Mr B. Does, in all his ballets and body of work.

Sonia Dvořak, who has not yet shown the qualities that are necessary for a soloist and Roman Lazik, who officially is now called „Senior Artist“ but will always remain in my deep admiration as the only „Danseur Noble“ at the Vienna State Opera, had a certain problem in what stature is concerned. Not a very harmonical couple.

Hyo-Jung Kang gave a good (first) impression, at least to me who had never seen her before on stage. Great chemistry with Masayu Kimoto, who partnered her sensitively.

Kyioka Hashimoto and Davide Dato, both brilliantly cast, were in their own element, shining and just „breaking the fourth wall“ with their stamina and stage presence. I must but say that Miss Hashimoto can shine much more – I have seen more „diamond-like“ when coached by Manuel Legris, who understood how to take a Principal's performance out of her.

Liudmila Konovalova, in a newly rediscovered suavity that I had thought lost after Legris left the company – another case in which he „took out of her“ principal's performances, from this ballerina who has a tendency to rely on her abilities. Her performances were suddenly embroidered with more emotions, more depth (I think back to her „Marguerite“ which was a challenge for her emotionally but he made a Principal out of her). But she is „back“ and gave a touchingly soft performance. Even having quite a trouble finding her „Balance“ sometimes. But this was just something that made her more human, more endearing to the audience.

Alexey Popov is a good partner. A very good partner I had witnessed before in Munich, he also has a notorious Jump-quality. Unfortunately when in a row with the other three male Principals, his jumps „stood out“ of the frame given (in the air he'll always suspend a further bit the second leg that goes up) and that is not particularly beautiful. He should „go down“ a bit when in „a group“ and adjust to his fellow dancers.

Altogether a lovely cast, led by Elena Bottaro, Alexandra Inculet, Ioanna Avraam (although I think that this part is not really „Soloist stuff“), Anita Manolova, Géraud Wielick, Eszter Ledán, Arne Vandervelde, Godwin Merano (who should work more on the softness of his pliés when landing from jumps and smile a bit less), talented Zsolt Török. The only problem, for me, is something that in nowadays' world of „political correctness“ is quite difficult to express... I'll try to put it in plain, polite words.

As a member of the audience, one wishes to witness some visual „harmony“, distinctive lines, necks, arms, décolletés in such Ballets as Mr B.'s „Bizet“.

I don't think that, while casting was being completed, enough attention was paid to the issue of „body types“ and their differences.

I am not only speaking of height.

We all know that the stage makes everyone look „broader“ - Dancers like the very skinny (outside the stage) Liudmila Konovalova look completely average on stage – so it is quite easy to look „overweight“ (attention, I said „look“ not „be“) if you are not that skinny.

So, I see it as a duty, while casting a show to take this into consideration. Not only the body type difference is so strong (like for example between Miss Bottaro and Aleksandra Liashenko) but the visual harmony is also disturbed when some of the boys seem frailer than some girls.

But this is a matter that can be solved just by casting similar types to each other.

In a world in which the technical difference between a member of the Corps and a Soloist became so narrow – compared to how much broader it was twenty years ago – this should not represent a problem.

Résumé: a very entertaining evening with three completely different aspects of contemplating the Art form. Enjoyable and highly recommendable..