"Four Seasons" soars with Atlanta ballet

By Cynthia Bond Perry/ For the AJC

Thursday night’s U.S. premiere of James Kudelka’s “Vivaldi’s Four Seasons” launched Atlanta Ballet skyward, even if the troupe’s choice of repertory this season has dragged its heels until now.

Presented alongside Lila York’s “Celts” and a young choreographer’s debut, the evening revealed life’s cycles and embodied its vital essences, making this fourth installment of the company’s 80th anniversary season the one to see.

Sunday’s performance at the Cobb Energy Centre likely will be artistic director emeritus Robert Barnett’s final stage appearance, part of a gradual reconciliation that’s occurred since he resigned from his post 16 years ago. It’s Kudelka’s first time to stage a ballet on this company -- hopefully, not the last.

In “The Four Seasons,” the Atlanta Ballet orchestra gave a crisp, fresh performance of Vivaldi’s set of four violin concertos under conductor Ari Pelto. Denis Lavoie’s newly-constructed costume designs were updated, adding pastels and muted tones to the original shades of cream and beige, in keeping with an airy, neoclassical vision.

Anchored in classicism, inspired by an innate sensitivity to music, and embellished with contemporary influences, “Four Seasons” followed a man’s journey through four stages of life. John Welker danced this role supremely, on stage for almost all of the ballet’s 48 minutes. In each section, Welker danced a pas de deux with a woman who represented a season.

Spring began with carefree, bounding jumps along wide diagonal lines.

Nadia Mara perched in a series of high, open arabesques. In the thrill of young love, Mara held Welker’s hand and leaned away, peeling into the floor as if swooning.

Youthful exuberance gave way to sultry summer in a passionate, explosive duet between Christine Winkler and Welker, enhanced by the magnified image of a red flower in the background. Sexual tension rose as Winkler circled with languid, controlled rises onto pointe, upper body swishing seductively from side to side. This contrasted lighting-speed partnering, involving physical power struggle.

Social decorum arrived with Tara Lee as Autumn, with Nathan Griswold and Joshua Reynolds in a quartet that wove through tensions of family dynamics. At moments, lifted by the two young men, Welker opened his hands toward the audience, appealing for something more.

An icy Winter introduced Barnett, John McFall and Carol Szkutek, with Anne Burton Avery as harbinger of death, hovering as Welker succumbed to the infirmities of age. The spry Barnett’s luminous presence and elegant, refined physical control defied any assumption that old age is a time of frailty.

In contrast, Kennesaw State University student Myles Johnson’s earthy “rEVOLUTION,” depicted a young man’s journey toward self-realization.

(Full disclosure: Johnson is a student at KSU where I teach.) Dancers A.J. Paug and four women held their own on the CEPAC stage, performing the emotionally charged work with committed focus and energy.

Former Paul Taylor dancer Lila York’s “Celts” captured the vitality of the Irish people, combining intricate footwork of Irish dancing with her full-bodied, athletic style. Propelled by driving, lilting, Irish music, combative movements contrasted fluid, feminine movements, evoking a vitality of spirit that seemed to spring up out of the ground. Capturing the infectious joy of dance, the evening as a whole was uplifting.

Ballet review

“Vivaldi’s Four Seasons”

Atlanta Ballet