This is not to say the piece is perfect? Wheeldon has difficulty bringing a scene to a dramatic close, and most fade away in a whimper: the balance between dance and exposition is uneven, Act I being overloaded with plot; Act II with pure dance: and there are several longueurs where earlier scenes are recapitulated dramatically or choreographically and could efectivelly cut (its a long evening.) Joby Talbot’s score, on a single hearing and no apparent undistinguished and lacks the textures Wheeldon and Crowley find.
This is not to say the piece is perfect: Wheeldon has difficulty bringing a scene to a dramatic close, and most fade away in a whimper; the balance between dance and exposition is uneven, Act I being overloaded with plot, Act II with pure dance; and there are several longueurs where earlier scenes are recapitulated dramatically or choreographically, and could effectively be cut (it’s a long evening). Joby Talbot’s score, on a single hearing, appears undistinguished and lacks the textures Wheeldon and Crowley find.