When orchestral music and dance are combined in concert-style programs there are unique challenges for dancers and musicians alike. Musicians need to modify tempos on the fly, and the music needs to stretch suddenly to accommodate physical movement onstage. The dancers adapt their movements to a narrow sliver of the stage, and must be very aware of the border between themselves and the relatively fragile instruments behind them.
The Hartford Symphony Orchestra continued its 2014-2015 Masterworks Series Thursday in the Belding Theater at the Bushnell with a program led by Music Director and Conductor Carolyn Kuan. It was a broadly collaborative and engaging performance in which her expertise and significant background in conducting ballet was put into play.
The evening began with Camille Saint-Saens’ “Danse Macabre,” featuring four dancers from the Full Force Dance Theatre. They performed original choreography by their artistic director Katie Stevinson-Nollet. The clock struck midnight. “The clock” was 12 single pitches scored for the harp. The dancers created the impression of ghouls rising from the dead to entice the living into their world. Near the end of the work, Saint-Saens scored the sound of a rooster (using the oboe). That moment marked the coming of dawn, and the dancers gradually sunk back onto the ground. The dancers, Christopher LaFleche, Giovanna Carrain, Tiana Mancuso, and Kirsten Schranze, interacted with fluency and earthy humor.
Next we heard Prokofiev’s ballet “The Prodigal Son.” It is a rare treat to hear this work performed in an orchestral concert. The music was given without dancers, which allowed us to catch our breath and also to focus deeply on Prokofiev’s rich and playful textures. The performance was driven by resonant brass playing, particularly in the second episode (called the “Meeting of the Friends”) and the fourth episode (“The Dancers”). Woodwind solos were consistently colorful, and in “The Siren” episode, they floated on a bed of string sound richly layered in clever balances. The clarinet trio in the 7th episode sparkled and featured wonderful bass clarinet playing. Kuan guided the close of the work with gentle and delicate energy while maintaining a sense of forward motion.
After intermission we heard the Sleeping Beauty Suite, Op. 66a, by Tchaikovsky with ballet dancers from the Nutmeg Ballet Conservatory. Prior to the performance we met artistic director Victoria Mazzarelli and principal ballet master Tim Melady, and they helped us understand how the dancers approached the challenges of this performance. The ballet dancers gave us a sneak preview of some elements of the ballet and this helped us connect with them. We also had the opportunity to hear from the dancers of the Full Force Ensemble, who returned to explain how their movements, inspired by the Modern Dance movement, differed from ballet motions. After seeing some of their steps in isolation, we heard a few brief passages of the Saint-Saens a second time with dance and orchestral accompaniment. Then the evening closed with a performance of the Sleeping Beauty Suite.
The suite had five movements and three of them featured ballet dancers. The second movement became the “Rose Adagio,” the third movement pas de caractere became the fairy tale of “Puss-in-Boots and the White Cat,” and the final movement became the “Garland Waltz,” featuring the full ensemble of four male and eight female dancers.
The audience was blown away. The concept was refreshingly different from what symphonic concert audiences have come to expect, and it was great fun. All of the dancers were so professional, elegant and disciplined that it was easy to become inspired by their dedication and their art. Kuan excels at imagining, coordinating and actualizing collaborative programs, and this one was special.
HARTFORD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Masterworks Series’ “Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty” continues with concerts 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 10 and 11; and 3 p.m. Sunday in the Belding Theater at The Bushnell. Tickets to this concert start at $38.50. Student tickets are $10. On Saturday, April 11, $25 tickets are available for patrons age 40 and under. Information: 860-987-5900 and hartfordsymphony.org.
