Peril and majesty: Ballet RI’s ‘Swan Lake’

Ballet RI‘s staging of the canon classical ballet Swan Lake – by Government Director Kathleen Breen Combes, Creative Curator and Resident Choreographer Yury Yanowsky, and Inventive Collaborator Anaïs Chalendard – captured this sense of simultaneous marvel and hazard. Amidst insightful design, spectacular theatricality, and a notable elevating of the technical mastery bar for the corporate, that feeling within the ether prevailed most for me. Thus, I walked away in my very own absorbing marvel – but additionally psychological turbulence of thought provoked.

The curtain opened on midnight lighting (by Conor Mulligan), ethereal thriller thick within the air because the White Swan entered. She bourréed together with her signature comfortable port de bras of fowl flight after which exited. The stage was set for her to be a prevailing heroine. 

Subsequent, beneath brighter lighting, courtroom figures danced with each power and effervescence. Royal class abounded as we met key characters and the context was set. Smooth waltz typified royal stateliness, with white costuming supporting the pristine ambiance. 

Shifting staging and constructions of small dance vignettes embodied workings of the courtroom – and maybe even literal dances when the dealings have been performed. Even from this early level, the solid’s spritely, but grounded characterization was clear. Pantomime expressed what wanted to be expressed, however stayed out of “hammy” territory. 

Significantly memorable was a wispy, but technically rock-solid trio from Clay Murray, Nina Yoshida-Webster and Heather Nichols. Their musicality had them using the waves of the rating’s notes like virtuoso surfers. Murray supplied a commanding, but eminently accessible presence. Yoshida-Webster lengthened by way of musical notes and into stage house. Nichols danced with each candy innocence and mature refinement. 

We quickly met Prince Siegfried, instantly getting a way of his craving – which Brian Gomez constructed with full readability and coronary heart. His motion and presence have been tender, but filled with passionate conviction. Behind the dancers, by way of all of this motion, hung a backdrop of a cream-white image body: imbuing them with a way of historical past and excessive class, in addition to actually framing them as central gamers within the story to return. 

Act II introduced us into the wild: a moonlit lake, the house of the swans. A lot gentle and marvel pulsated…but additionally, what potential hazard and darkness? Alexandria Troianos, because the White Swan Odette, was as technically spectacular as ever. But, right here she introduced her theatricality to a brand new stage, creating a very placing pathos within the character: eyes averted, epaulement expressing the exhaustion that desolation breeds, crossed wrists wilting simply so. She was the attractive majesty, but additionally evoked ensnaring emotional peril.

Troianos additionally crammed all the rating in a means that deepened the character’s pathos, the continued ache – other than creating house for charming kinetic nuance. Within the White Swan’s first interactions with Siegfried, she evoked a compelling coyness. Their dynamic grew wealthy and entrancing earlier than lengthy. 

The Swan Corps, for his or her half, epitomized classical class. The blues and purples in lighting added comfortable hues to their white tutus. Shadows danced round them and on the white partitions stage proper and left, lengthy in vivid moonlight. 

The narrative proceeded by way of to the exceedingly difficult, and pretty iconic, Swan Corps petit allegro – which they danced with commendable cohesion and musicality. Presenting a satisfying distinction to such tight, lightning-fast petit allegro was a spacious and splendid duet: two swans dancing collectively by this moonlit lake. 

But, all was not peaceable and candy; the sorcerer Baron Von Rothbart (Types Dykes) infused menacing darkness. He entered and exited earlier within the act, thus establishing that feeling. He returned towards the tip to threaten the connection of Siegfried and the White Swan. The Prince reached in direction of the viewers, bereft, because the curtain dropped for intermission.

Act III introduced us again into the palace, the backdrop a beautiful corridor of Gothic columns. The stately courtroom was a rainbow of tastefully vivid colours: forest greens, picket earth tones, mustard yellows, all with simply the appropriate stage of opulent adornment (costume design by Hailey Corrigan). 

Court docket girls moved solo, then collectively – with unified but splendidly distinct qualities. These pleasant divertissements mirrored ambassadors of varied cultures come to go to. Crimson and black costuming, in addition to rhythmic touches comparable to castanets within the rating, mirrored Spain. 

Anastasia-reminiscent costuming, in addition to the rating’s explicit swelling, portrayed Hungary. Audrey Lukacz served as a tenacious, engaging soloist – along with the ensemble providing one thing vivaciously explosive. “Neapolitan” was candy and pleasing, consuming up house and emanating pleasure. 

Von Rothbart then returned; biking again into darkness is inevitable. Certainly, we additionally quickly encountered the Black Swan Odile: Troianos, with extra very good theatricality, bringing a sly confidence absolutely contrasting the sweetness and disappointment of the White Swan (attaining that distinction is vital with this position – and one thing she very a lot delivered). This darkish counterpart was a ravishing hazard all of her personal.

Whereas she and Siegfried subsequent danced, the White Swan moved, projected, on the again wall of the courtroom corridor: with Swan port de bras and an agitated air, bourreing tightly. The impact was visually charming, but additionally extremely significant metaphor; was the White Swan confined, but nonetheless transferring, her spirit threatened but nonetheless resonating and able to once more rise? Magnificence was caught in peril. 

Siegfried, for his half, was ensnared; quickly the Black Swan had him kneeling earlier than her. The White Swan once more danced within the backdrop – in a confined, agitated means, but transferring all the identical. Her spirit lived, if by a thread.

Act IV introduced us again into the wild, to the moonlit lake. The Swan Corps moved with extra somber weight than after we had final seen them. The rating rang this heaviness by way of the theater. Extra lightness started to ring by way of it, nevertheless, whereas the Swans’ spines began to search out extra elevate. Hope appeared to rise; simply as darkness returns, so does gentle. 

The White Swan reappeared, full together with her emotional storm. She melted, succumbing to its pull. But she didn’t accomplish that alone; the Swan Corps surrounded her, as if in safety. They moved with a brand new ferocity and goal: the White Swan’s defensive pressure assembled! 

Siegfried returned to be a part of that pressure. All collectively, they stood as much as the shadowy menace of Von Rothbart – stood him down, him collapsing. The darkish pressure defeated, Siegfried carried a limp Odette ahead in direction of the viewers – in direction of returning life. Surprise and majesty had overcome hazard and darkness. 

She got here to face on her personal two ft, within the easy gown of a lady quite than the total, comfortable feathers of a swan. She and Siegfried danced, now man and lady, having overcome the darkness and distinction that separated them. 

A dawn slowly unfold over the backdrop: a poignant design alternative reflecting the hope and light-weight now inside attain for the hero and heroine. The Swans continued circling, surrounding in safety and care. Friendship and fellowship additionally matter in a brand new day.

These are timeless, common themes, welcome reminders for souls throughout time and life station. It was great to expertise them from Ballet RI: packaged with design excellence, theatrical command, and a notable development within the firm’s classical technical prowess. 

I felt proud and happy that the corporate from my little state’s capital metropolis saved such timelessness – with all the peril and majesty therein – resonating, and elevated by way of such very good artistry. The Black Swan’s darkness might creep our means, however we will be the White Swan who escapes its constraints. 

By Kathryn Boland of Dance Informa.