On Feb. 4-5, the Tokyo Ballet premiered a new ballet by John Neumeier of the Hamburg Ballet in Germany. "Seasons -- The Colors of Time" was the latest in the company's series of commissioned works to celebrate the 35th anniversary of its establishment.
To a score including Debussy, Vivaldi, Yuasa, Miki and Mendelssohn, Neumeier mounted a handsome production against a set of wardrobe-size light boxes which were maneuvered around the stage to great effect. These offered innumerable spatial possibilities for entrances and exits, and were designed by Neumeier, as were the costumes in contrasting colors of black, blue, red and white, hues associated with the seasons in an old Chinese poem.
His abstract fable described the changing seasons in the life of Everyman, pulled inexorably toward death by Time (danced by the stunning Kazuo Kimura) and reminded constantly of previous days by Memory (danced by Yukari Saito). The central role was performed by Naoki Takagishi with overdone emphasis on facial expressions and a vaudeville quality to the dancing.