Royal Danish Ballet in New York: “Die, die, die, and then see ‘Napoli.’ ”

See Naples and then die? In the passage of his memoirs that describes his visit to Naples and his subsequent composition of his three-act ballet “Napoli” (1842), the Danish choreographer August Bournonville quotes the old motto. Since the highlight of “Napoli” is the stream of uninterrupted dancing in its third act, this is often performed by itself and is the exuberant conclusion of the quadruple bill with which the Royal Danish Ballet opens its weeklong engagement at the David H. Koch Theater. Unfortunately the three ballets that precede it are each in different ways so depressing that the evening seems to say “Die, die, die, and then see ‘Napoli.’ ” – New York Times

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