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Sarasota News Leader November 29, 2013 Page 92 — that seals the dream poetry of this stun- relevance in today's environment. The ballet ning ballet. is obviously a dream, and my impression of the crowded, pageant atmosphere of it was Sir Frederick Ashton set Illuminations, his that it was the poet's (Graziano) hallucination. exploration of the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud — Honestly, though, it was not until the final the "bad boy" of French verse — to Benjamin moments that Graziano's emotional anguish Britten's beautiful score, Les Illuminations became real, and that might have been due to Opus 18. As the tortured poet, Ricardo the power of the music. Graziano was convincingly anguished over profane and sacred love, interpreted by two Balanchine's nod to George Gershwin in Who women and a large cast outfitted in colorful Cares, set against the outline of Manhattan's costumes designed by Cecil Beaton. skyscrapers, reflects urbanity and jazz rhythms. Both the dancers and the audience Ashton tended to create ballets with characwere smiling. The 15 songs in the ballet are ters and narration, and this ballet followed short stories of love found, lost and discovthat pattern. Ellen Overstreet was a believered once again. Though the mood shifts able temptress as Profane Love, while Amy from delight — as in the opening ensemble Wood was chaste as Sacred Love. performing to Strike Up the Band — to the Of course, these tensions still exist, espe- sensuous longing of Somebody Loves Me, the cially in the context of drug addiction, though dancing is always joyous. As in any Balanchine at first I questioned the idea of a conflict ballet, clear musical phrasing is all-important, between sacred and profane love as having whether it is a little unexpected jump, a quick Elaborate costumes are featured in Illuminations by Sir Frederick Ashton. Photo by Frank Atura