Spoerli's „The Goldberg Variations" is a not very challenging and definitely very academic work

May 24

May 24 „(The) Goldberg Variations" (Goldberg-Variationen), Vienna State Ballet (Wiener Staatsballett), May 22nd, 2023.

At the beginning of this critique, let us put something quite clearly: A very questionable, not only stylishly, choice of choreographies for a double bill.

It strangely carries the name of one of the works presented, to which I thought „This is going to be too long". It was. Some people left during the second part. But we will look at that a little closer.

When the curtain opened for „Tabula Rasa" (Ohad Naharin, choreographer), a sudden frisson went through the audience. What was being presented, was not exactly „new" but it had an amazing life, and dynamic in it. A choreography that reminded me very much of Twila Tharp's early work while she was still working with Sarah Rudner, Graciela Figueroa, and Rosemarie Wright, among others: Jumps, natural changes of direction, breathing, musical phrasing within the choreographic sentences, everything very „organically" (talking about chemistry NOT about food) and „natural". The perfect set for Avo Pärt's music. In short: That kind of embryonic youth quake that swept us off our feet and caused a real revolution in the world of Dance back in the 60s.

It was an exciting feeling to see something creative here in Vienna, after such a long period of dull clichés.

But with the passing of time, one began to see a certain formula of repetition and suddenly the choreography became predictable because of a constantly used and repeated „formula". This turned out to be the main „leitmotif" of the written choreography.

Let us give just one short example as an observation: One movement that a girl makes running to a (male) dancer to prevent another girl from getting to him, is repeated three, or four times. And this happens with greater frequency as the ballet proceeds to „develop".

Predictability is one of the worst enemies of a stage piece. Be it „Herr Puntila und sein Knecht Matti" by Brecht, or the silly comedy of Jim Carrey, Jerry Lewis, and Robin Williams, or, in this case, „Tabula Rasa".

But there was still a second part to come – and it emphasized, even more, the constant repetitiousness of one movement – until the point that it became boring. Not only predictable but boringly repetitive.

Copyright: Vienna State Ballet/ Ashley Taylor

The Corps de Ballet consisted mostly of „Contemporary Dancers" (Except for Andrés Garcia Torres and Fiona McGee, who also have a good classical technique) who, in part, were not as accurate with the choreography as they should be.

Lack of rehearsal? No proper coaching? Perhaps.

I will try to illustrate this to you: In the second part, as all dancers begin to advance into the stage, crossing the stage, from the audience's point of view, from right to left, walking sideways, the „step forward" is nothing else than a tendu. A simple, basic tendu with a stretched leg. Helen Clare Kinney, normally a good and very attentive contemporary dancer, did not use a tendu but bent her leg, disturbing the harmony of the whole line, which consisted of all ten dancers repeating this movement perhaps 60, 70 times... Nine doing tendus, one bending the leg. And this distracted me.

Disturbing, to put it plainly and simply.

After intermission, it was time for „The Goldberg Variations". If you are keen on Heinz Spoerli's work, you are in for a treat.

I have never understood why Mr. Spoerli decided to choreograph this piece after Jerome Robbins had written (and achieved the creation of ) an evergreen masterpiece back in 1971. A real choreographic masterpiece that is still part of the New York City Ballet repertoire.

And talking about the New York City Ballet, I do believe that a quote from its page could be most helpful for a better understanding of the work:

„Bach's so-called "Goldberg" variations were published in 1742 under the title Aria mit verschieden Veränderungen. Veränderungen is usually translated as "variations," but it also means "alterations" or "mutations".

This is the only work of Bach in the structure of a theme and variations. However, it differs from most compositions of this nature in that the variations are not based on the melody, but on the harmonic implications of the accompaniment of the theme, a sarabande that Bach wrote for his second wife. „ (Jerome Robbins, 1971)

But let's discuss more precisely what happened on stage, just the other evening:

To have „Tabula Rasa" as „the opening act" to „The Goldberg Variations" (85') extended the evening to a very uncomfortable and unpleasant length – as I have mentioned before, some people left in the middle of the second part, a not very common sort of behaviour in an Opera House, which is becoming more and more frequent, since three years, here in Vienna.

Herr Spoerli's „The Goldberg Variations" is a not very challenging and definitely very academic work in its formality. There is nothing in it that you have not seen before and one is left with the feeling that „the cards were just mixed and divided differently again".

I am not sure about where he wrote this choreography, but if either in Basel or in Düsseldorf, it served to satisfy a more provincial public with fewer expectations. A public that settles to and is happy with a very conventional work. Dated or not.

Even with changes made, let's call it an imposed „refreshment" (times change...), it is neither „fresh" nor a work of international consistency. Mr. Spoerli never shone internationally anyway.

There is no dynamic throughout the whole piece, just the monotonous tic-tac of a Swiss clock, a fact that is extremely underlined by the way William Youn, interpreted the work at the Grand Piano. He gave the same treatment to every part, which are in no way the same. There are, as mentioned by Jerome Robbins „Veränderung, alterations, mutations" – and, pardon me the expression, I have to be honest, this made the whole evening even more tame than expected.

The dancers that were cast in yesterday's performance, represented the other part of the company (not the contemporary) that is more versatile in different styles and (also) commands the classical technique as it is required in Mr Spoerli's choreography. The only exception being Mr Rashaen Arts, whose performances should be restricted only to either modern or contemporary works, because of an obvious lack of technique.

Copyright: Vienna State Ballet/ Michael Pöhn

Aleksandra Liashenko and Natalya Butschko gave a beautiful reading of their parts and left a good impression on the audience, with their precision and especially with their point work.

Talking about point work, one could feel how Claudine Schoch, was quite uncomfortable with the choreography. A question of wrong casting and lack of versatility.

Alexey Popov (imposing, noble), Arne Vandervelde (flit-footed and technically extremely pin-pointed and Transparent), Daniel Vizcayo, and Géraud Wielick (both explosive and precisely „tuned in", not only with each other but also with the work) gave good performances. My biggest compliment though goes to Giorgio Fourés, a member of Corps de Ballet, a gifted dancer whose rendition, even in the slightest minimal movements, is a performance in itself.

Masayu Kimoto, perhaps the most versatile dancer from the whole company, shone again throughout the whole piece with inequable sovereignty, precise confidence, and brilliance. It is such a pleasure to witness work like that.

Detailed, meticulous, pin-pointed to the last detail, and musical Ioanna Avraam gave herself to the music, and portrayed her part as a whole. She personifies a complete amalgamation (yes, I use this substantive because it refers to gold) of movements and music, and I thought: "Yes, I see it!"

Special praise for her pas de deux with Zsolt Török, who after a long absence is back. Totally. A Dancer who understands how to project his personality and presence to the whole House. Their pas de deux belongs to the most demanding of the whole evening. Slow. Difficult. Challenging. In its execution, it asks for extreme stamina to be able to phrase the movements into a very slow tempo. Poetically.

My last mention goes to Ketevan Papava. It has been a long time since I first saw Ketevan on stage and accompanying her career throughout the years, there is this feeling that it feels much more than like a "journey". Yes, a journey but one in which she "recreated herself" into this most elegant, debonair, and sophisticated of dancers. A magically waif-like apparition. Once more she gave us – supported by talented, versatile, and strong Igor Milos, whose casting in this part is perfect – quite a few moments of introspection while performing a (not easy) pas de deux. The last lifts, before they leave the stage are not only effective but tricky and very, very strenuous. Chapeau!

But even though we witnessed good dancers, especially after the first intermission, one thing is sure; the programme, especially because of the use of the very formal, academic, dated, and extremely conventional version of "The Goldberg Variations" turns into a tediously long-winded evening.

A curious reflection should be made, so the public can be conscious about the “Quality” of the Ensemble: It is evident that the most Dancers who can “carry” such Evenings are still the Dancers from the Manuel Legris’ era, that did not leave the company at their free-will (or not). I’ll leave you with that.

Ricardo Leitner

a t t i t u d e

May 23rd, 2023