Chausson Poème at ABT: Bowman’s “keening lament seemed to bind the characters together”

“The music in Jardin is Ernest Chausson’s brooding, Romantic Poème. Its ardent violin melody – the perfume that carries the story of these four unhappy lovers – was probingly played by ABT’s new concertmaster, Benjamin Bowman. His keening lament seemed to bind the characters together in their tragic destiny.”
-Marina Harss, review of American Ballet Theatre (ABT)’s Jardin aux Lilas, FULL REVIEW HERE.

+ here’s some twitter buzz on the topic:

The performance of @bowmanviolin @ABTBallet yesterday was beautiful, extremely moving, absolutely first-rate!

— Leland Ball (@LelandNYC) October 27, 2014

@bowmanviolin, Your violin solo today in #LilacGarden was #INCREDIBLE! Watched you as much as the Dancers! | @ABTBallet

— Cara Lynn Moccia (@caralynn) October 26, 2014

"In JARDIN AUX LILAS, @bowmanviolin played Chausson's romantically steeped score with silky tone"-Oberon's Grove http://t.co/algEhtMBMO #nyc

— Elizabeth Bowman (@lizziebowgirl) October 27, 2014