The Beethoven Seventh, Twyla Tharp

By TERRY TEACHOUT

It's hot news when the brightest star of postmodern dance has an opening, but this premiere at the New York City Ballet fails to catch fire. Tharp's twitchy, fidgety signature moves are swamped by Beethoven's overwhelming dance rhythms. Making a ballet to the Seventh Symphony, it seems, is like turning Hamlet into an opera: good enough just isn't good enough.

--By Terry Teachout