The Bright Stream, a ballet choreographed by Alex Ratmansky to
music by Shostakovich.
This is one of the works which made the composer Shostakovich
unwelcome to the Communist government in his native Russia. To a twenty-first century American it seems
like a warm and humorous look at life on a farm collective at harvest time. A group
of sharply defined characters sets about celebrating the harvest. Ballet dancers arrive to make awards to
various members of the community. The amusements
organizer worries that her husband’s eye is wandering. All is sorted out with humor worthy of Cosi fan Tutti.
Ratmansky is a fine choreographer. The cast led by Paloma Herrara (does that
woman actually bones in her body—she is all flexibility) and Marcelo Gomes is
superb. A wonderful evening.
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