Artistic Director’s Notebook: Dawn Patrol, Afternoon of a Faun, Mopey, and Emergence
Dear Friends,
Milo Suddarth deserves some credit here. He’s been escorting (well, dragging) his mom and dad to the Museum of Flight for almost three years. Recently, he added a little brother to his entourage. Price Suddarth (aka Milo’s dad) was fascinated by the stories these vintage aircraft held – histories of pre-dawn flights manned by young pilots headed into tragedy, heroism, or the unknown. These unwitting heroes became a source of inspiration for Price as he contemplated their untold stories and identified parallels of heroism and selflessness throughout humanity. I hope you will take a moment to read Emma Love Suddarth’s beautifully written program notes on Dawn Patrol. It was a pleasure to welcome Emma (aka Milo’s mom) back to the studio, where she worked alongside Price to help guide his vision for this creation. Price assembled an ingenious creative team including composer Alfonso Peduto, scenic designer Chrisoula Kapelonis, costume designer Mark Zappone, and lighting designer Reed Nakayama. This marks Price’s second mainstage creation, with several other works for School Performance, NEXT STEP, and PNB’s digital season.
Jerome Robbins’ Afternoon of a Faun returns to our stage after seven years. The duet is a clever re-envisioning of the iconic 1912 Ballets Russes work that catapulted Vaslav Nijinsky to fame. Jerry apparently noticed a young Edward Villella sleeping on the studio floor, and the image became an inspiration for the ballet. His muse and dear friend, Tanaquil LeClerq, further inspired the creation. Staged for us with meticulous care and uncanny insight by Bart Cook, Faun is a welcome return to our repertoire. Opposite Faun is an irreverent solo called Mopey by Marco Goecke, originally commissioned for Peter Boal and Company in 2004, before I moved to Seattle. Marco described the work as “the antics of an angry teenager in his room.” This work offered a breakout moment for former Principal dancer James Yoichi Moore, who returns to the studio to stage the work for a new generation.
The program closes with Crystal Pite’s Emergence, created for the National Ballet of Canada in 2009. PNB was the second company to program this work and remains one of very few U.S. companies to perform works by Crystal. Our rehearsal director, Anne Dabrowski, worked alongside Crystal each time PNB presented Emergence. Anne restaged the work for these performances.
When Crystal suggested the work for PNB, she explained that her inspiration came from a book on ants, brains, cities, and software. My first thought was, “uh-oh – that doesn’t sound like a ballet.” Only Crystal could take such subject matter and create one of the most beguiling and arresting dances I’ve ever seen. On opening night in 2013, I wondered how audiences would react as a hot flood light interrupted endless silhouettes of writhing dancers, while the descending curtain signaled a statement made. After seconds of stunned silence, a deafening ovation filled the house. In that moment, we were united in wanting more of Crystal Pite’s singular brilliance. Great art has a way of unifying us and allowing us to see humanity in its most expressive, poignant, and powerful ways. How fortunate we are to have the opportunity to come together to experience dance.
Kind Regards,
