Queensland Ballet: La Sylphide

Queensland Ballet: La Sylphide -
Playhouse, QPAC, 20 March -

The first work of Queensland Ballet’s (QB) 2015 season, Peter Schaufuss’s award-winning production of La Sylphide, is ripe with synchronicity. Not only is 2015 the 200th birthday of the ballet’s composer, Herman Severin Løvenskjold, but also this remount was undertaken by two of the original 1979 London Festival (now English National) Ballet dancers, Mary Li and Janette Mulligan, both now ballet mistresses at QB. Two of Schaufuss’s children, Tara Schaufuss (QB) and Luke Schaufuss (guest artist), also Royal Danish Ballet trained, are dancing in this production, continuing the nearly 100 year association the Schaufuss family has with the ballet.

Schaufuss’s main modification to August Bournonville's 1836 Danish version of the ballet is to restore usually deleted passages of the original Løvenskjold score, making this version some 18 minutes longer. Extra sequences have been choreographed using steps associated with Bournonville, in particular a new Act I solo for James.

Original sets and costumes, designed by the late David Walker, have been brought in, and both are startling and vibrant. The villagers' traditional kilted tartans contrast with the soft green-shaded romantic tutus and gossamer wings of the Sylphs. Together with the rather oppressive Scottish baronial hall setting of Act I and thickly overgrown forest of the second act, they draw out the darker tones of the ballet, which has perhaps less of the mischievous lightness of other productions.

The title role of the Sylph was danced this performance by QB’s most recent addition to the principal ranks, Yanela Piñera.  She nailed ethereal lightness; with beautiful ballon, her plasticine pliant pointe work enabled the softest of landings. Further performances should see her settle in to the character, which sometimes lost the bewitching flirtatiousness that makes her seduction of James (danced here by guest artist Qi Huan) so convincing.

Huan’s James was a more complex portrayal. The Schaufuss addition of a pas de trois, in which the ‘invisible’ Sylph intrudes upon a short duet between James and Effie (the fiancée he will jilt at the end of Act I), perhaps perversely (given the fairy tale context) adds more realism to his dilemma and engenders empathy.

Huan came out of retirement for this production, but his performance showed no signs of compromise. Masterful exhibitions of soaring elevation, sparkling clean and precise batterie and whipped turns were all performed with the restrained elegance of the upper body, so essential to the Bournonville style.

In fact the whole company rose to the demands of the very understated but difficult technique, with immaculate articulation of petit allegro steps, light as a feather ballon and batterie that cut the air with surgical precision. A highlight was the Act I Scottish ‘reel’ as the dancers, with kilts flying, filled the stage with fast, furious footwork, and not a step out of place.

Supporting roles are more developed in this production. Soloist, Shane Wuerthner was an enthusiastic, somewhat hapless Gurn, who nevertheless got the girl. Company member Sarah Thompson, was a delightful Effie. Even in this expanded version there’s not a lot to be done with the character, but Thompson squeezed out every drop, making her thoroughly charming and, therefore, James’s predicament more excruciating.

A delightful trio of sylphs opened the second act.  Clare Morehen (Lead Sylph), Lina Kim and Tara Schaufuss flew through the air with a soft lightness. Tiny, rapid movements of the feet propelled the corps de ballet in runs and courus en pointe across the floor, as lightly as … well, sylphs!

The dramatic lynchpin of the ballet is Madge. A wild blond wig and padded girth gave colour to guest artist Mary Li’s portrayal – a vengeful, harridan of a woman – which anchored the unfolding drama with strength, conviction and not a little humour. Her imperious command to the cauldron to exit, which it did, stage left, was quite the funniest moment.

In August, Queensland Ballet takes this production full circle, back to the English National Ballet’s Coliseum Theatre in London. By then the company should be well settled into the ballet.

DENISE RICHARDSON