ABT ‘Swan Lake’ reviews? all ABT reviews

This Swan Lake is ostensibly based on the standard westernised Petipa version familiar to all of us. But it uses a heavily edited version of Swan Lake with considerable re-arrangement of the dance numbers. There is just one intermission and the performance is only 2 hours and twenty minutes long.

It is a charming Swan Lake with very pretty designs and some nice choreography. But it lacks dramatic power and passion. Ultimately I found it rather under-whelming.

The weakest Acts were the White acts. The sets were too bright and the lighting was unimaginative. The audience were not immersed in a silvery romantic night forest scene but in gentle sunshine. The gentle scenery is more suitable for Les Rendesvous than Swan Lake. Act 4 was even worse. it was far too short. The grand corps dance set to some lyrical music by Tchaikovsky was completely eliminated. The rest of the act was dispensed with in a rather perfunctory manner and the ending was very lukewarm. One would think the dancers were paid by the minute so their quick departure was more a cost cutting move than anything else.

Act 3 had a stunning ballroom setting to which the audience gave an impromptu ovation. It could have been very good but again the scene had absolutely no dramatic power. The character dancers walk on the stage, they dance then leave. There was no exuberance or any sense of a festive atmosphere. However there was a clever scene where Rothbart becomes a Lothario type character who entrances the Princesses and dances with them. It was also set to the wonderful Russian dance music which is rarely heard in any performance of Swan Lake.

What I liked most about this Swan Lake is the sublime performance of Julie Kent. She is an amazingly slim and beautiful dancer with incredibly long limbs. But unlike many other dancers of her shape she is surprisingly light footed and lyrical. She was best in the White Act where her very sensuous and lyrical style are best employed. But in Act 3 her lovely All-American looks and manner seem to take the menace out of her character . A better actress would have overcome this but regrettably Julie Kent is no dramatic actress.

Angel Corella is also no great actor. But he makes up for it by his dazzling technique and power. The dancing of the rest of the company particularly Gillian Murphy in the pas de trois was technically very competent.

It should be said that the audience was absolutely bowled over by this production. The audience gave Julie Kent a standing ovation. I could not help noticing the enthusiasm of the audience as they left the building. This something I have not noticed at other theatres in the US. The reviews on the US web site BalletAlert.com were sharply divided amoung those who hated it and those who loved it.

There was nothing particularly wrong about this Swan Lake. It has nice sets, some imaginative choreography and drama. But ultimately I felt it lacked that special something that makes this fairy story into a deeply emotional experience. I suppose one could argue that the NYCB Swan Lake is even less passionate. But that Swan Lake was deliberately focussed toward dance rather than drama. Moreover it had more exuberance and energy than this rather lukewarm Swan Lake.

The ABT Swan Lake will open in New York on May 19 as part of the ABT's prestigious New York Summer Season. Susan Jaffe and Jose Carreno do the honours on the opening night. Ananiashivilli and Julio Bocca perform it the following night (Saturday). Tickets go on sale April 3 at the box office. The number to call is 212 362 2000 or contact the Met web site at www.metopera.org