Five minutes with Balanchine
Interview |
American-born Paul Connelly has been a regular guest conductor at the Vienna State Opera since 1991. It all began with an international ballet gala - arranged by the then ballet director Elena Tschernischova - in which the current director of the Vienna State Ballet, Alessandra Ferri, also appeared as a guest at the Haus am Ring for the first time. Since then, he has conducted numerous full-length ballets here, including a remarkable 30 performances of Rudolf Nureyev's The Nutcracker and 29 of his Swan Lake, as well as the premiere of Alexei Ratmansky's Kallirhoe and the recent revival of George Balanchine's Jewels in the current season. Reason enough to talk to the well-traveled and experienced artist about his exciting work.
You were trained as a pianist and made your debut at the age of 24 conducting Gershwin's Porgy and Bess at the Houston Grand Opera. This was followed by numerous conducting engagements of opera productions and concerts, but above all ballets. You were principal conductor of the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) as well as a guest conductor with the New York City Ballet (NYCB) and the National Ballet of Canada. Your subsequent career has taken you to renowned ballet companies throughout Europe - from Berlin and Paris to Amsterdam, London and Milan. How did you come to Vienna?
The connection came about through the ABT, where Elena Tschernischova was first ballet master under Mikhail Baryshnikov in the 1980s. When she was director of the Vienna State Opera Ballet in 1991 and organized a ballet gala with many guest soloists, including from the ABT, she asked me to conduct it. Of course I said yes! I also had the courage to approach Eberhard Waechter, the opera director at the time, to express my interest in conducting an opera. He replied that Il barbiere di Siviglia was being performed in a few weeks' time and actually offered me the musical direction of a performance. This marked the beginning of my long-term collaboration with this great institution.
What are the special requirements of conducting a ballet?
When I conduct a ballet, it is of course my responsibility to make the dancers look as good as possible. At the same time, I have to do everything I can to preserve the integrity of the music. Orchestrations are usually designed by the composer with a specific time frame in mind. It's like a bridge: if you put too much weight on it, it collapses. If you drive over it too fast, you can get off it. So it's always about balance. For me, we are absolutely a team - the dancers, the orchestra and me. And I am always very happy to be able to contribute my experience to this joint realization.
You have musically directed numerous ballets by George Balanchine, especially for the ABT and the NYCB, of which he was chief choreographer. Did you ever meet him in person?
Yes, I actually did! At the end of the 1970s, the ABT showed Balanchine's Apollo, but without the prologue (the birth of Apollo). The music started later and thus dispensed with a fantastic introduction (which is now being played again). I said to Baryshnikov, then Artistic Director of this company, that it would be great to play this music before the curtain opens. He replied: "Well, Balanchine is coming to our studios today - why don't you ask him?" And that's exactly what I did. We had a meeting, I made my request, and although he rejected my proposal, I didn't care - I had my five minutes with Balanchine!
Balanchine's works are undoubtedly highly musical.
I completely agree with that. His works have great integrity, contrast with the composers to whose music he choreographed, but at the same time have a brilliant relationship with them and show great respect for their intentions - not to distort them in favor of the steps.
"When I conduct a ballet, it is of course my responsibility to make the dancers look as good as possible. At the same time, I have to do everything I can to preserve the integrity of the music."
What is the situation with Jewels? The three pieces of music in it are very different from each other: Fauré's lyrical-romantic, Stravinsky's neoclassical-jazzy and Tchaikovsky's classical-elegant composition. Is it a challenge to conduct three such contrasting works in one evening?
Having conducted Jewels many times before, including at the 2019 premiere with the Vienna State Ballet, I can say that the music basically speaks for itself. It is a great pleasure for everyone to experience the different styles of these three composers and Balanchine's handling of them in a single evening. They are so different! The conductor - as well as the orchestra - has to change his way of thinking to adapt, but it is a fulfilling challenge. And here with the great support of the Vienna State Opera Orchestra!
There is a demanding piano part in Rubies, which is now being played by Anna Malikova for the first time at the Vienna State Opera. Have you already worked together?
No, this is the first time we've collaborated. I discovered her by chance through an excellent recording that was on the radio a few summers ago. As I researched further, I saw that she had previously worked with a conductor friend of mine who had nothing but good things to say about her. So I suggested that she play Stravinsky's Capriccio in Rubies in Vienna - and by a nice coincidence, she lives nearby!
What qualities doesa pianist need to have for this piece, and what demands are placed on the conductor to harmonize piano and orchestra?
This particular work by Stravinsky combines American-jazzy playfulness with a Russian-influenced, tongue-in-cheek seriousness of Eastern European folk music, and the pianist has to understand this as well as the orchestra. In terms of coordination, there are always logistical challenges in the orchestra pit, especially with three very different works and orchestrations, as we have in this program. The piano has to be a full-size one, but it can't be moved to the 'typical' concert position, so it's a little further back in the pit - but we can still see each other, so it works well!