Monday evening an e-mail from my friend Philip (the blogger at Oberon’s Grove) popped in my box. “Would you like to see ‘Prodigal Son’ again?” he wrote. I immediately tossed all of my evening plans out the window and agreed to meet him around 7 p.m. outside of State Theater. I’d seen the ballet on Sunday afternoon, and it was worth seeing it again.

My afternoon yesterday (Tuesday) was spent pouring over old issues of dance magazines. I stopped briefly at Starbucks for a coffee–a stranger blew me a kiss through the glass window (so many weirdos in New York). But like any day that I go to the ballet, I was constantly checking my watch.

After meeting Philip we waited in the lobby and he picked up his tickets. We were given the best seats in the whole house: front and center of the orchestra. Before curtain we whispered gossip about dancers, and I eavesdropped on the critic sitting two seats away who was writing on assignment for Ballet Review.

The show opened with Balanchine’s “Square Dance.” Megan Fairchild and Nikolaj Hubbe were the leads again. I adore Hubbe and think he’s embodies the perfect Balanchine dancer. In his pensive variation I noticed his exaggerated second position arms, and rounded hands perfectly done the Balanchine style.

When the lights went up after Hubbe’s curtain calls, Philip and I looked at each other.

“So sad.”

“Depressing.” We said simultaneously about his upcoming departure from City Ballet.

“Prodigal Son” followed intermission, and being so close to the stage made the performance more special. Just like Sunday, when Daniel Ulbricht jumped for the first time the audience gasped. I found last nights performance a little more touching. I began to fidget to keep from crying. After curtain calls I turned and Philip had tears falling down his face.

We went to the Promenade to people watch, but both of us felt so heavy and emotional after “Prodigal Son.” The final piece after intermission was “Four Seasons.” One of my favorites, Sterling Hyltin, was in “Winter” but I wished she was in another season so that she could stay on stage longer. I was extremely impressed by Ashley Bouder, she is such a star in every way imaginable. I know I mentioned him when I wrote about Sunday’s performance, but Antonio Carmena is a new favorite. The other male dancers were so-so last night.

After the show Philip and I left out the set of doors that all the dancers exit through (I kept my eyes peeled). Then I thanked Philip profusely for the tickets and hailed a cab home.