Carolina Ballet opened their latest performance “Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2” on April 25 in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle and pianist William Wolfram. A performance in three parts, the ballet explores what it means to be human and the reason for existence.
The first performance was “The Four Temperaments” choreographed by George Balanchine, a ballet rooted in the belief that the body is comprised of four temperaments that influence our actions and choices: melancholic, sanguine, phlegmatic and choleric. The choreography analyzed each temperament, showing the strengths and beauty of each in our lives. Characterized by sharp movements and geometric shapes that many people do not expect of a ballet, the piece brings composer Paul Hindemith’s world into sharp focus, seeming to take inspiration from art deco styles as dancers worked in pairs, their artful silhouettes against the royal blue background creating impossible shapes. Focusing on the dramatic angles formed by the dancers, the piece was complemented by simple but effective costumes from the Carolina Ballet Costume Department, with the men in black and white and the women in belted black leotards and dark shimmering eyeshadow.
“Signs,” a neoclassical ballet choreographed by Gianna Reisen to three piano solos by Philip Glass, delved into the importance and beauty of human connection and relationships. Evoking feelings of love and youth, the piece opened with dancers paired off in dusky blue and sage green costumes, swaying slowly like people in love for the first time against a sunrise pink backdrop. Then the dancers separated and moved like flowing water, linking to one another with clasped hands and intertwined arms and rippling like waves the same way our actions ripple out and impact those around us. The scenery continued to change, ranging from golden mornings to bright blue summer skies, showing the passage of time as the dancers covered their eyes and dashed across the stage as though they were young and running recklessly into the sun. “Signs” rekindled the belief that there is still a reason to hope in humanity.
The grand finale, “Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2” was choreographed by Artistic Director Zalman Raffael to a piece composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff which analyzed the purpose of our lives and our existence after death with a compelling story of a lost soul (Marcelo Martinez) clad in the white of innocence and trapped in limbo, guided by an angel (Jan Burkhard) and divine beings through the cosmos. With a performance passionate and unflinching, Raffael wrote, “This visual creation connects to Sergei Rachmaninoff’s own struggles…Rachmaninoff emerged from a depression to create this extraordinary piece.” Poised and otherworldly, the dancers brought a beautiful story of life and death to the stage in a way that inspires the audience. When you think of ballet, you will think of this performance.
General admission tickets for the Carolina Ballet vary by performance and seat. The current general ticket price for “Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2” is $27-110 and student tickets start at $10. “Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2” will be performed until April 28.
