Letter from Boston

A Passion for Ballet

By MASAKO YAMADA

I went to see the ballet twice last week. Not only did I go see the ballet twice, I saw the same program twice. Around here, "the ballet" refers to the Boston Ballet, and right now, the program they are performing is "Don Quixote."

My adviser expressed surprise that I had chosen to go twice. He told me for him it was hard enough to stay awake just once. Apparently, he used to go with his wife to humor her, but he doesn't anymore. I saw his wife and his daughter going to one of the performances without him.

I have to admit that I've occasionally fallen asleep during ballet and classical music performances, so I can sympathize with his perspective. I used to have subscription tickets to the ballet several years ago and I fell asleep quite often. This was undoubtedly a big waste of money.

For some reason, however, this production of "Don Quixote" was different. Perhaps I appreciate the beauty of ballet more now that I'm older. The question, then, is, what could it be about age that makes me like ballet more?

I think the answer is: the fantasy. When the auditorium dims and the curtain rises, a completely dif ferent world unfolds on the stage. For some reason, I'm more easily drawn into this sort of thing than I was in the past.

The original "Don Quixote" is a serious novel that paints an extraordinary psychological picture of a man. I find the fantasies of his saving his princess fascinating. However, the ballet does not probe so deeply into the psyche of the character Don Quixote. Instead, like most fantasy ballets, it centers on the story between the two young lovers, who must surmount many obstacles to get together.

Perhaps it's not fashionable among educated women to fall for these kinds of stories, but the heroine in this ballet, Kitri, is actually quite strong-willed. She rebels against her father, who wants her to marry a rich gentleman, and instead chooses a dashing barber.

But forget about the meager political statements that can be extracted from the ballet, what I liked most is the exuberance of the lead character, Kitri. She's flirtatious, mischievous and utterly charming.

Having seeing the ballet twice, I was able to notice differences between the two performances. This, in itself, is fascinating. The casting was totally different each time, and I had very different reactions to the ballet.

The first time I saw it, I never saw the prima ballerina falter, but I started to fall asleep in certain sections. The second time I saw it, I couldn't take my eyes off the prima ballerina, Jennifer Gelfand. I was thrilled to be able to see her, since I'd read so much about how she had perfected the role when she was still in her teens.

Ten years later, it seems like it's a part of her. She was smiling radiantly the whole time, and her every move was filled with life. Even the simple miming was incredible, but she absolutely wowed everybody with her amazing spins on pointe.

Jennifer Gelfand has become a local celebrity, a surprising feat for a ballerina. This is partly because she's so talented, partly because she's so beautiful and partly because she's so intelligent. It is well-known that she turned down an offer to attend Harvard in order to pursue her art.

After watching the ballet the second time, I decided that I wanted to take ballet lessons again. I took lessons as a child, and again as a college student, but I haven't touched a barre in years. Fortunately, one of the friends with whom I saw the ballet has been taking amateur ballet classes offered by the Boston Ballet for a couple of years and she persuaded me to go along with her.

I tried to convince another friend to take lessons with us, but she said that she'd "look like an elephant."

I replied, "Not elegant — but, `elephant"' and she giggled. But she couldn't be convinced to join us. I'm notorious for trying out anything new that interests me, raising a big fuss, and then dropping the topic after a while.

However, I have the feeling I'll be able to continue ballet for a long time, since I've liked it since I was young. Well, let's see how long my latest passion lasts.

Shukan ST: April 21, 2000

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