Dance Reviews

May 10, 2005 - The Sierra Nevada Ballet presents a new ballet based on the life of Maxfield Parrish

By Jack Neal

The life of a dancer turned choreographer and impressario is a busy one. The indomitable Rosine Bena was impressive as a prima ballerina. She remains impressive as the driving force behind Northern Nevada's newest ballet company, the Sierra Nevada Ballet.

Chiming in on the exciting Maxfield Parrish exhibit at the Nevada Mueum of Art, Miss Bena has created "A Painter's Love Story," the story of Mr. Parrish's long-standing affair with Sue Lewin, the model who came to pose and stayed on for over a half century.

With haunting music by harpist Susan Mazer and jack-of-many-wind-instrument trades Dallas Smith, Mazer and Smith's new-age score floats to the heart on the wings of rhapsodic melody. The "Love Theme" from "A Painter's Love Story" is attractive enough to win an Oscar.

Based on some of the painter's most memorable works - "Land of Make Believe," "Primative Man and Daybreak," "The Enchanted Prince" to name but three - Miss Bena's inspiration for dance comes from the paintings themselves.

That the presentation is more a ballet-in progress than a finished product doesn't diminsh Miss Bena's achievement. "A Painter's Love Story" is a natural for either a professional company or a company relying on young dancers learning their craft (Does one ever finish learning their craft?). The world premiere presentation seen at Reno's Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts (4/30 & 5/1/05) leaned heavily on young dancers who were fresh, scrubbed and enchanting to watch. They are aimed in the right direction and Miss Bena has brilliantly done the aiming.

The ballet is based on Alma Gilbert's book "The Make Believe World of Maxfield Parrish and Sue Lewin" with Maxfield Parrish telling his life story. The Nevada Shakespeare Company's Cameron Crain is the voice of Maxfield Parrish and does an excellent job with a script that not yet ready to tell the Parrish story with the truth and poignancy it must have to be affecting. A script that invokes laughter at the sight of Sue Lewin's suitor after decades on the prowl and applause at the breakup of Sue and Maxfield begs for change. Mr. Parrish, if not a saint must at least not come off as a cad in the ballet's closing moments.

If the script is somewhat wanting, the dance is for the most part very much on target. Domingo Rubio dances Maxfield Parrish. Angelica Burgos dances Sue Lewin. Neither is given extraordinarily challenging things to do, but their dancing is, nonetheless, rapturous and luminous. At their best, which they are whenever they dance, Miss Burgos and Mr. Rubio are magnetic lovers and beautiful to watch.

Beyond the two principals the dancing is largely left to the corps de ballet and is delightful enough to please, but not dazzling enough to excite. Of course that could change with an entirely professional troupe.

The costumes, attributed to Jeanette Owlet, Anne Bena, Julia Curry and Molly Story Arbogast, are gorgeous. The lighting, projections and all other aspects of the production are first-rate, and - given the time shoestring budgets never allow - not only come off wonderfully but will come off in the future with assured perfection.

"A Painter's Love Story" is not yet ready for New York, but it's a great way to l;aunch a fledgling ballet company that just might soar to centers-of-great-art proportions.

For information about Sierra Nevada Ballet events and presentations call 775-783-3223.