Bernstein Dances Hamburg Ballet Cultural Centre Feb 9 to 10 With a title like Bernstein Dances, and a designer like Armani, I was half-expecting the Hamburg Ballet to perform something Balanchine could have created - lively set pieces, ra-ra New York revue choreography with only a slightly ironic twist.
But instead we got John Neumeier, and the irony twisted right around to produce a brilliantly stylish work that was both dark and darkly humorous.
The piece was developed from Neumeier's passion for Bernstein's Serenade, which was itself inspired by Plato's philosophies of love.
Neumeier found it was more interesting for its insight into Bernstein's philosophies, and he created this 'loosely biographical' work.
A young man in khaki shorts sits at the piano, smoking and trying out melodic lines on the keyboard. Suddenly 'There's A Place I Know' arrives fully scored in his imagination, and the pictures in the composer's head arrive energetically on stage.
The first half is about Bernstein's arrival in New York; the second is at a chic penthouse party, and perfectly captures the dark, sexual side of champagne glitter.