Overview
- The season-opening mixed bill spans George Balanchine, Martha Graham, William Forsythe and David Dawson, mapping shifts in ballet from 1947 to 2023.
- Balanchine’s Theme and Variations dazzles with Tchaikovsky and opulent design, though several reviews note imprecise corps work in early passages.
- Graham’s Errand into the Maze lands as a psychologically charged highlight with Isamu Noguchi’s stark set and strong lead performances against the Creature of Fear.
- Forsythe’s Herman Schmerman (Quintet) brings a playful, showy jolt for five dancers in burnished orange, pushing classical technique off-center to bright effect.
- Dawson’s Four Last Songs closes the night to Strauss with the ENB Philharmonic under Maria Seletskaja and soprano Madeleine Pierard, even as some critics question its fit beside the canonical works; the run continues at Sadler’s Wells through 11 October.