Boston Ballet has been having an explosive spring season, and “Bella Figura” is no exception. This performance has just as much attitude as grace.
The headliner — a ballet that has never been performed by an American company — is fierce. Choreographed by Jiri Kylian, the same creative mastermind behind “Black and White,” this production is bold and aggressive and will catch you by surprise — exactly what artistic director Mikko Nissinen wants for his audiences.
“[Kylian] makes people think,” Nissinen said of the Czech choreographer last season. He certainly does. At one point the nine-dancer ensemble of men and women appear topless, with flowing lipstick and full red skirts.
The curtains play an important role — from swallowing the dancers from behind to dividing the stage to create intimacy.
William Forsythe’s “The Second Detail” has a very industrial sound with clear traces of Balanchine. The contemporary work is strategically calculated and choreographed to look completely random then suddenly synchronized.
Helen Pickett presents a mystical three-part series to the music of Arvo Part. Part II, “Tsukiyo,” is breathtaking. Lia Cirio and Sabi Varga read one another’s bodies with flawless fluidity and jagged emotional impact.
‘Bella Figura’
Through Sunday
The Opera House
539 Washington St., Boston
$30-$137, 617-695-6950
www.bostonballet.org
