Joffrey fills its Golden Hour with beauty

Kathy Hey, Third Coast Review

The Joffrey Ballet continues to surprise audiences with innovation and superior technical prowess. Golden Hour, which opened Thursday at the Lyric Opera House, is a program of two dances from the extensive Joffrey repertoire and two world premieres. To me, Golden Hour is the R&B hit, "Golden Time of Day," by Frankie Beverly and Maze. Work is over, and the sun is easing down, sustaining a warm breeze. There is live music from the Lyric Opera Orchestra under the baton of Scott Speck. After 135 minutes eased by, Joffrey left an afterglow in the Lyric house.

The first dance was titled Under the Trees' Voices, with choreography and costume concept by Nicholas Blanc. Joffrey first performed it on October 13, 2021. Jack Mehler's scenic and lighting design was spare yet lush with translucent philodendron leaves suspended in the air. The dancers were the woodland denizens of this magical wood, indulging us with languid movements. Under the Trees' Voices was imbued with an animistic vibe. The leaves were as alive as the entities dancing and sometimes spreading leaves. There was soul and mystery from the dancers in harmony with the music by Ezio Basso. The strings evoked the expanse of nature as the dancers twirled and flew across the stage. The contrabass opened a passage that rumbled like a storm brewing. The choreography reflected that feeling with dancers intertwining, entering, and exiting.

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