Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – Ballet Theatre’s SWAN LAKE & DON QUIXOTE: What’s the relevance of classical story ballets?

• By drediman
• June 27, 2018
• No Comments

I recently had the opportunity to catch American Ballet Theatre’s warhorse productions of Swan Lake and Don Quixote at the Metropolitan Opera House. I had seen these stagings more times than I can count, so what draws me back to the them year after year (Ballet Theatre almost always performs these two particular ballets each spring at the Met, among other classics)?

Which begs the question, why the need to see both? Classical ballets are pretty rigid structures. They’re composed of fairly limited building blocks – A grand pas de deux for the principals, an extended sequence for the female corps de ballet, a few opportunities for the soloists to shine (via solos and pas de deux), and plenty of mime in between. And even though Ballet Theatre’s Swan Lake and Don Quixote vary vasty in tone – the former is a romantic tragedy, while the latter a sunny, good-nautured comedy – both essentially use the same toolkit. So compositionally, you’re seeing the same thing. So what’s the relevance of it all?

Gillian Murphy as Odette-Odile in American Ballet Theatre’s “Swan Lake” at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Well, I attend ballet mainly because of the balletomane – or ballet fanatic – in me. For many enthusiasts, many of us obsessive, attending these performances is more about the dancers (one forms an odd one-sided relationship with them over the years) than it is about the vehicle they’re in. Without the spark and vitality the dancers infuse into the choreography, these productions can be a very long slogs, and can easily fall flat. Even during an excellent account of these full-length classical story ballets, there’s a lot of padding to sit through before being thrilled and transported by a few fleeting, albeit exhilarating, moments. But it’s typically worth it.

Gillian Murphy and James Whiteside (replacing Alexandre Hammoudi) led an excellent account of Kevin McKenzie’s storybook two-act staging of Swan Lake. Gillian Murphy has long struck me as an ideal Odette-Odile. She’s always been a brilliant technician – my God, those consecutive triple fouettes! – but with age, she’s also evolved into a sensitive actress. Although her performance this time around perhaps lacked the fierce firepower that I remember from her dancing a few years ago, she’s more dramatically potent than ever, especially her Odile. As her Prince Siegfried, James Whiteside partnered with personality, if not quite the same level of precision.

Isabella Boylston as Kitri in American Ballet Theatre’s “Don Quixote” at the Metropolitan Opera House.

I had an equally fulfilling time at Don Quixote (also staged by Mr. McKenzie), which was led by Isabella Boylston and Daniil Simkin. I’ve never been big fan of Ms. Boylston – her girl-next-door persona doesn’t really scream prima ballerina, and her performances have been more or less indistinct. But she impressed very much as Kitri, dancing with flare, lightness, and power that I hadn’t seen before. As for the dynamic and physically gifted Mr. Simkin, he’s really evolved into a real leading man in the last couple of years; his presence as Basilio completely commanded my attention. Their Act 3 coda easily brought down the house, as it was designed to.

Both RECOMMENDED

SWAN LAKE & DON QUIXOTE
Dance
American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House
Both approximately 2 hours, 30 minutes (Swan Lake with one intermission; Don Quixote with two intermissions)
Swan Lake has ended its run; Don Quixote ends 6/30