Upon (somewhat frantically) entering the the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House and ascending to the balcony level, I immediately found myself in awe of not only the size the of the theater, but the ornate and intricately lit ceiling. My eyes were immediately drawn to the very center of the ceiling. Café Müeller began shortly thereafter, a performance of repetition and routine by characters that seemed to feel obliged to their fate. While at the beginning of their performance their actions seemed deeply meaningful and profound, as the night progressed and the same movements became rushed and redundant, they seemed to lose most of their meaning. Despite the setting being a café, it was vaguely reminiscent of a mental institution complete with an attendant and possibly a visitor; the woman that took little part in the dancing but ran back and forth between certain scenes. After a brief intermission, The Rite of Spring Began. Speaking very candidly, I was not entirely enthusiastic about attending the ballet at the start of the night- the time and the commute seemed like obstructions and obligations. However, by the time the second act was over, I teared up at the beauty of it. The Rite of Spring seemed to place a huge emphasis on the interactions and tension between the men and women of the group. The tension slowly escalated throughout the performance until it felt practically unbearable. The resolution seemed to begin when the chosen woman put on the red dress, symbolizing sacrifice, and danced like nobody else on the stage had. The experience was entirely captivating and believable. I was especially amazed that she experienced a wardrobe malfunction and continued her solo entirely unfazed- a true mark of dedication.
Veronica Funk
