In short...
Different in feel to the in-the-round production on which it is based, this is a most tasteful and straight telling of a classic. Terrific designs and something of a bargain.
Background
Derek Deane (ENB Artistic Director) first created his Swan Lake 3 years ago for the Albert Hall - the first of the ENB in-the-round productions. Like them or not such productions have generally proved popular in the UK and overseas - in Australia they were playing to audiences of up to 10,000. So how would Deane 'descale' his Swan Lake for normal theatres and rather fewer than 120 dancers?
Plot
It's pretty much your standard western Swan Lake with the 'unhappy ending'. While swan (Odile) and prince (Siegfried) may both end up dead I have to say that I don't see it as particularly unhappy to be united in eternal love with the partner of your dreams...
If you don't know the plot it's worth reading the synopsis - Swan Lake is not obvious as stories go though Deane does usefully include a prologue showing the kidnapping of (Princess) Odette by the evil Rothbart. This sets the scene much better and I wish more productions would include it. However Swan Lake was the first ballet I ever saw and despite not reading the programme or understanding much of what was really going on, I still came away deliriously happy!
Sets and Costumes
Solid, sumptuous, Gothic designs from the rather good Peter Farmer. But the lighting - Howard Harrison - proved the biggest knockout. The lights were generally kept low and one felt that one was seeing the work by moonlight or candlelight even. Good work.
Choreography
Pleasantly harmonious and made the better by borrowing some of Frederick Ashton's additions that the current Royal Ballet version (and for who they were first created) no longer uses I think.
Much of the Swan Lake choreography can be viewed as 'in the bag' from productions stretching all the way back to the original and Deane has sensibly decided not to muck about or create lots of new steps - which is not really his thing anyway.
Dancers
Patrick Armand and Monica Perego were the leads and to be honest I was a little disconcerted on first seeing the casting. The last time I saw Armand he had only recently rejoined the company and seemed to be having a horrid night. I'm sure that my body type would not do much for him and I'm afraid he does not do so much for me - muscles seem to bulge everywhere and interfere with line. That said he looked much better and his pirouettes and jumps were technically very impressive. But I just can't warm to him I'm afraid. Perego I love for her gutsy style, and her Odile was good. But all the qualities that make her Act 3 such a turn-on tend to detract from her Odette where she seems to act her way through the role rather than inhabit it.
A special mention for Simone Clarke and Yat Sen Chang who did the Neapolitan Dance with much verve and wit - the audience know winners when they see them to.
Does it work?
Yes - one of Deane's best productions I think. And one of his last as he leaves the company next year for pastures new. He has done many good things for ENB against a backdrop of very limited money and sniping from commentators (at times) for his popularist ways. I quite like many of the productions but can't help but wish that he had adopted this straighter and slightly less flamboyant style earlier. I'm probably reading too much into it but it almost seems to stand as a statement by Deane of what he might have done had he got the job as Director of the Royal Ballet.
|
