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Royal BalletMay 2007 London, Covent Garden by Simonetta Dixon |
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As posted on our Postings pages... Well, another very assured debut from Lauren Cuthbertson. As soon as she made her entrance, her presence was felt everywhere in the House. Her 'open' positions are just beautiful...languid and detailed, giving us a moment to savour the steps as well as the drama and emotion. Her mime in the 'lake of my mother's tears' was the clearest I've seen for a long time: not rushed, not glossed over, but deliberate, determined storytelling. This bird wants Siegfried to really understand what has happened to her and the other maidens, and to make clear what needs to happen in order to break the spell. The Act 2 pdd was danced at a gentle pace, again givng us the chance to absorb the love growing between the two of them. At the end of the act, when Odette is transformed, Lauren's was just beautiful. Rarely have I seen a dancer do that with her arms, turn them into ribbons of silk rippling on a breeze, borne into the wings with such lovely effect. Her entrance in Act 3 as Odile left us in no doubt: this is a woman on a mission. Many Odiles are sexy and seductive, trying to 'get their man'. This Odile didn't need to bother with all that; she already had the hapless Siegfried right where she wanted him, so now she could just play with him. She was like a cat playing with a wounded mouse. She attacked the fouettees with confidence and got through them very well, and their pdd was acknowledged very warmly by the audience, and rightly so. In Act 4, Lauren clearly coneyed her hopelessness and despair when recounting Siegfried's unwitting betrayal, but the way she looks at him when she lifts his head in her hands to forgive him gave a real sense of redemption. Rupert Pennefather was also making his debut as Siegfried, and did a good job of it. As mentioned above, he has just come back from a long injury so was obviously not taking any risks and was thus a bit underpowered. Having said this, on the dramatic front he seems to understand this role and what is required of it, and it will develop very well with time and full physical recovery. In Act 2, the way he looks at Odette throughout is very touching; it's as if he cannot believe that such a creature could exist, and not only exist, but be falling in love with him. The moment I liked best from him was when he kneels in front of Odette in Act 4 to beg her forgiveness. You could really feel the weight of guilt and despair on his sagging shoulders. Too many dancers just give a slight bow of the head, but here Siegfried was really hunched over with shame and sadness, and we could all see it and feel it, and when Lauren gently lifts his head to forgive him it was all the more meaningful. As for the rest of the performance, the Act 1 pdt was a very lacklustre affair, saved by Deirdre Chapman. The Corps were beautiful throughout, and the Neapolitan Dance was the fun, upbeat moment it should be.
Very promising debuts from these two most English of dancers, and I too look forward very much to future performances.
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