I’ve had an absolute adoration for the choreographer William Forsythe since seeing his piece “The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude” in the Boston Ballet’s performance of Kaleidoscope in 2016. Since then, he has continued to amaze me with how innovative and satisfying his creations are. Generally, his pieces are contemporary or modern ballets that incorporate unconventional elements like body percussion, speaking, and seemingly random props. His backgrounds in both visual and choreographic arts converge to create dances that appeal not only to the ballet appreciator, but to anyone with a taste for boundary-breaking flair. For these reasons, any time I notice a Forsythe piece coming to the Boston Opera House, I know it’ll be a must-see.

To preface this review, and to be completely upfront about my Forsythe obsession, I have seen parts of this ballet performed prior to the November 12th showing of As Anticipated. Certain parts of Artifact Suite have been performed by the Boston Ballet before in 2017, but this particular performance included a world premiere of the suite’s first movement, as well as a piece entitled “Approximate Sonata.” Regardless, it was a fresh interpretation with a new cast, and I was 12 the last time I saw parts II and III. 

Act I: “Approximate Sonata”

Starting the show with the curtain up, the stage was set with a royal blue backlight and a flag stating “JA”. Prior to any flashing lights or indicator that the show was starting, principal dancers Lia Cirio and John Lam entered stage left and began their first pas de deux of the show. For this first performance, the women on stage wore black leotards and no tights—aiding in the definition of their superhuman quads and calves—and the men wore bright blue pants paired with pink tank tops. To be quite frank, I have absolutely no defense for this costume. It didn’t fit well with the movements and unfortunately did not grow on me whatsoever as more men joined. I find that a costume can make or break a piece and if I were a betting man, I’d say that’s exactly why I have barely any memory of the men’s choreography in this piece. I was far too distracted by the outfits, but more importantly, the amazingly talented women on stage. I cannot say enough about Lia Cirio, Nina Matiashvili, Sage Humphries, and Crystal Serrano as a quartet. Any team with Cirio and Matiashvili is an immediate dream team in my book. Stylistically, this piece consisted of dynamic solos, duets, and quartets from the eight dancers selected for it. Sharp movements, unnatural contortions, and classic Forsythe use of casual onstage conversation made this quite enjoyable and nearly canceled out the atrocity done by the costuming director. The soundtrack built starkly over time, with a synthetic feel akin to early Sophie Xeon work. It got fairly offensive towards the audience halfway through, causing people to jump in their seats in a most satisfying way. The experimental water-dropping sorts of sounds and vibrating bass kept me intrigued in a way classical music often cannot. “Approximate Sonata” was a mild start to As Anticipated, but I would certainly hesitate to call it disappointing. 

Acts II and III of As Anticipated comprise Forsythe’s Artifact Suite, with the first of the two being separated into the movements—“Défilé,” a prelude to the following two dances currently having its world debut, and “Chaconne.” For organizational purposes, I’ll be treating these as two separate acts. 

Act II: “Défilé” 

For those lacking in attention span, this piece was made for you. In “Défilé,” Forsythe uses the blackout curtain as a physical barrier between the dancers and the audience to separate different configurations of dancers. Led by soloist María Álverez with robotic arm movements and a face void of emotion, this amalgamation of solos, group arrangements, and duets was highly captivating. The costuming was much better—the men wearing green unitards and the women wearing green leotards with black footless tights over top rather than underneath. Usually, starkly colored footless tights are avoided because they shorten the leg onstage when the goal is to appear longer. In this case, it created a more pedestrian feel that added to the impressive and effortless casualness of the dancers. More solo work from Lia Cirio was greatly appreciated, marked especially by a scene in which the entire ensemble circled around her and slowly encroached upon her with stiff and slow movements. Recurring use of body percussion (specifically clapping) from on and off stage kept things increasingly interesting. As the music was made up of detached cello and horn solos, the polyrhythms created by the claps of different groups at different times added to the musical component in a way we almost never see in the ballet world. A mix of classical movements and modern contemporary additions is what Forsythe does best. 

Act II: “Chaconne” 

Forsythe’s “Chaconne” was marked subtly, so much that I nearly missed it myself watching the performance. With another brief drop of the blackout curtain, the wings receded to open up the stage, and the lighting moved from overhead to one single warm light coming from stage left. A key difference between classical and contemporary ballet that occurred to me during this piece specifically is the transformation that is made from dancers being people to dancers being props. Forsythe’s use of the human body to create Busby Berkeley-esque formations and dynamic shadows gives them a purpose beyond dancer, becoming the set of the piece. “Chaconne” included a lot more group work than the previous movements - which consisted mainly of solos and duets - leading to more dynamics and variety of energy on stage. The costumes were unchanged, with María Álverez maintaining her role as a godlike soloist, leading the group in movement and at times dancing in ways directly opposite to the rest of the group. The music shifts additionally to one of the longest violin solos I have ever heard, only adding to the everlasting flow of As Anticipated: Artifact Suite. 

Act III

The third act of As Anticipated closed out the show with a continuation of the Artifact Suite. After a mass exodus from the audience of people thinking the show was over after Act II, the theater was significantly quieter and more personal than before. The music changed to a piano solo, and the lighting and stage format both returned to their traditional places. The movements consisted of cannons and line dances, once again reinforcing Forsythe’s proclivity for unconventional choreography and mixing genres of dance together like a melting pot. His work addresses aspects of ballet that are not often thought about. This piece specifically spoke to the discrepancies between men and women on stage and their choreographic differences, giving more solos and group dances to men with talents that are often overlooked in a scene dominated by women. 

In closing, the performance was brilliant, and aptly named. Although often the ballets with storylines and characters pull the most outsiders, I would greatly recommend attending any of the modern compositions coming to the Boston Opera House this spring. The program for the rest of the season, which resumes in Spring of 2023, includes Don Quixote, Our Journey, along with the more frequent showings of The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty. Engaging with this local source of culture and artistic mastery is incredibly worthwhile every time.