As a general rule, classical music concerts or performances are not sensual occasions by nature, although the affect on the audience may very well be just that. That was very much the general effect of the season opening concerts of Apollo’s Fire, led by their Music Director, Jeannette Sorrell. This particular event featured two members of the New York Baroque Dance? Company: Catherine Turocy, founder and choreographer, along with Seth Williams, dancer. It was a wonderfully vibrant and visually splendid evening.

The stage in Gartner Auditorium of the Cleveland Museum of Art (the scene of Saturday night’s performance—Friday’s had been in Akron, while Sunday’s would be in Rocky River) is an interesting configuration. It is rather wide but shallow, making vigorous dance somewhat interesting to stage. Apollo’s Fire solved the problem quite neatly: the orchestra itself took up the stage right side, leaving the center and stage left for the dancers.

Even the beginning, however, was different from the usual: only trumpets and tympani were on stage. To the strains of a trumpet tune by Purcell performed by these few musicians, the strings and winds marched majestically to their appointed places on stage, followed by Ms. Sorrell. When all were in place, the program truly began.

The first half was entirely Purcell from various of his theatre pieces: The Fairy Queen, King Arthur, Dioclesian and The Indian Queen. The second and last of these featured the dancers. Possessed of style and strength and grace, occasionally incorporating mime, they were, of course, very mannered as befit the era represented.

Mr. Williams wore a regulation Restoration era costume, but all in white. The skirt of the coat was slit on both sides, with multiple mini-pleats on either side of the sections. When he would pirouette, the fabric billowed up nearly to his shoulders! His legs were encased in tightly-fitted knee pants with white stockings and white, heeled, buckled shoes. The addition of a sword (and wide-brimmed, plumed hat) would have rendered him the perfect Musketeer. In spite of his virile leaps and high steps, his knee-length waistcoat maintained his modesty at all times.

Ms. Turocy’s costume for this first half was also nearly all white, lavishly trimmed with heavy gold braid around the neckline, and across the very flat front. Gold embroidered flowers decorated the capelet of her left sleeve, which flowed gorgeously when she moved. There was no capelet on the right. For this first costume, the panniers were underneath the outer skirt, entirely, and not emphasized in any way, but they made beautiful movement when she would twirl. The skirts was mid-calf length, displaying her ankles and Louis-heeled shoes--tied on with ribbons. Of course, both dancers wore gloves, hers up to her elbow or so, his just to his wrists.

The dance movements were exceedingly sensuous, even though they hardly did more than occasionally touch hands! The flow of the fabrics was gorgeous. And of course, there was almost NO skin showing on either of the dancers, especially in the first portion when they were masked. Elegant, rather simple movements, especially of arms and hands, and when not masked, facial expressions combined into a luscious whole. The musicians performed the various Purcell pieces with verve and committment under Ms. Sorrell’s meticulous direction.

The second half of the program moved forward perhaps fifty years to the established Georg Frideric Handel, which showcased the orchestral musicians as the first half did the dancers. The harpsichord was turned around so that Ms. Sorrell could conduct from the keyboard.

Concerto Grosso in F, Op. 3, No. 4 presented the two oboists of the orchestra. Washington McClain and Debra Nagy were featured in delightful duos and solos, charmingly accompanied by the softer sounding strings. Flutist Michael Lynn provided a beautiful, muted tone with his wooden flute—strikingly different from the more modern metal version--in the Concerto Grosso in F, Op. 3, No. 3. These were lively, vibrant performances.

The evening ended with another dance sequence as part of Handel’s Suite from Terpsichore. Without a mask this time, and dressed in a different style gown, Ms. Turocy demonstrated a full range of emotions as befitted the muse of the dance. The lighter mood was illustrated by the peach-hued brocade fabric, with draped faux-panniers over the skirt, while the real ones were beneath it. All the costumes were lavishly trimmed with lace, emphasizing thedelicacy of both dance and music from this splendidly satisfying program.

For more information, visit the web-site at http://www.apollosfire.org or the Apollo’s Fire office at 320-0012. from Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz
mailto: artswriter@core.com

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