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Royal Ballet4th June 2003 London, Covent Garden by PhilipB |
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There are so many aspects of MacMillan's Romeo & Juliet that can justly be called extraordinary and together have propelled his production to the rank of 'classic'. The drama, the Prokofiev score, the set and, of course, the choreography all contribute to this. Upon such a platform can magical performances be built, but it also requires the dancers to be talented, committed and work as a team to finish the job that first Prokofiev and then MacMillan started. The emotional well is there, but it must be tapped properly. Tonight, the Royal Ballet featured guests Roberto Bolle and Alessandra Ferri and as a team they drained it dry. How enjoyable would it be to see the inimitable Zenaida Yanowsky, Vanessa Palmer (I have to say in the nicest possible way: almost a professional harlot by now) and Laura Morera (arguably RB dancer of the year) as witty and feisty harlots? Take my word for it - very enjoyable. Cervera and Putrov were Romeo's dynamic sidekicks, Mercutio and Benvolio respectively. Chris Saunders led the dance with authority in that amazing ballroom scene as Lord Capulet and William Tuckett's Tybalt was as physical as you could wish for, but rarely see (his swordfight with Putrov was very realistic and at times rather worrying!). The grief of Elizabeth McGorian's Lady Capulet at Tybalt's death was raw and palpable. All were as glorious as expected individually, but together... ah well, that was something to behold. For some time now, in my opinion, the Royal have featured too many great individual performances (and I mean great) surrounded by group dances (even just pairs let alone a pas de six) which would appear clumsy, out of synch, unrehearsed, badly spaced and out of time. Tonight was a revelation. Putrov and Cervera were so well matched it was joyous to watch and as a three, with the splendid Bolle, they were perfect. Juliet's friends were exemplary, and even the mandolin dancers showed no sign of disorientation despite being moved to Act 1. All were well spaced, in time with the music and in tune with each other. It fair made the pulse race. In MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet it is quite essential for every single dancer to be an actor. Every last one of them must act, dance, fight, die and grieve convincingly. A corpse twitching, a robotic kinsman, a disinterested Paris, an airy-fairy fight, a passionless embrace - any of these ruins the atmosphere in an instant. The Royal have a worldwide reputation for careful acting and Romeo & Juliet, perhaps above all others, demands this skill in full measure. I have little doubt that MacMillan would have been very happy with the troupe tonight.
If this team effort was not enough (and frankly it would have been) the icing on the cake was, of course, the return of Ferri to Covent Garden and in her signature part to boot. 40? Seemed like the more appropriate 14. Her tomb scene really is something special (people were crying all around me) and her partnership with Bolle ensured there were no holds barred in the pas de deux. She received an enormous ovation at the end and well deserved it was too, but for me the real standout stars of the evening were the whole cast.
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