Queensland Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty -
Lyric, QPAC, 23 October -
Greg Horsman’s production of The Sleeping Beauty was conceived for the Royal New Zealand Ballet, and first performed in October 2011. In a wonderful spirit of collaboration between the two companies, Queensland Ballet has brought the ballet into its repertoire, allowing us to now see this beautifully realised work.
The Sleeping Beauty is first and foremost a fairy tale; a detail often smothered by the ostentation and solemnity of some of ballet’s more opulent productions. Horseman, however, situates his Beauty firmly in fairyland, as with a deft but light hand, he whimsically reimagines characters, adding a good dose of the requisite magic and not a little humour into the mix.
He has constructed the story neatly into two acts, over two and a half hours. The usually long overture is used as a prologue, dramatically setting up the christening scene, while many of the wedding divertissements are omitted. Princess Florine (of the Bluebirds) becomes Lady Florine, a gorgeous white feline (Sophie Zoricic), while Catalabutte (Paul Boyd) is also a cat, but of the moggy variety. These two characters anchor the ballet, as they appear in all acts and perform the “Puss-in Boots” divertissement.
It is a beautifully costumed ballet with an equally spectacular set that is manipulated during scenes into different configurations. Both set and costumes are designed by Gary Harris. The opening christening scene is of cream gothic architecture, arches soaring upwards and hung with heraldic flags. The Elizabethan-styled courtiers’ costumes of velvets and brocades add texture, while the colour palette throughout the ballet is rich, but not overpowering.
Horsman has five (instead of the usual six) fairies, all in romantically styled tutus to the knee, long hair softly curled and gathered off the face by a flowered garland. They also dance as the Friends of Aurora in different costumes of the same colouring, and yet again in the wedding scene when the pas de quatre is revised as a pas de six.
All five dancers (Yanela Pinera, Lisa Edwards, Eleanor Freeman, Lina Kim and Teri Crilly) had beautifully placed port de bras and gave light, mercurial interpretations of their various solos.
Pinera was commanding throughout as Wisdom (the Lilac Fairy), and a perfect foil to Clare Morehen, who, as Carabosse, gave a riveting performance that oozed malevolence. The battle between good and evil is well explored in the ballet, with plenty of special effects, including, in a novel twist, a huge fire-breathing dragon.
Laura Hidalgo and Camilo Ramos danced the Bluebird pas de deux. They gave a crisp, clean interpretation, although the vibrant blue-purple of their costumes seemed at odds with the muted colour palette of the rest of the ballet. Hidalgo fluttered her way effortlessly through her variation, while Ramos, whose six de volé were immaculate, faded a little in the final series of entrechat.
Both Boyd and Zoricic were captivating as Catalabutte and Florine and in their “Puss in Boots” duet - the only other divertissement. There were moments though in the final scene when the antics of Boyd’s comic Catalabutte risked upstaging the main action.
Performed on the larger Lyric Theatre stage, this season attracted international guest artists – on opening night Alina Cojocaru and Chi Cao danced Aurora and Prince Desire. (Victor Estévez, principal dancer with Ballet Nacional de Cuba is scheduled to perform later in the season.)
Cojacaru (from the English National Ballet) was sublime as Aurora. In a role for which she is renowned, her interpretation was still fresh and elegant. Her immaculate phrasing and glorious use of epaulement framed perfect balances and beautifully detailed, light-as-a-feather footwork.
Cao (Birmingham Royal Ballet) was a perfect match for the diminutive Cojocaru, and performed with élan and grace. Their wedding pas de deux was masterful, exploring every nuance of the music. From an explosive series of fish dives to the furiously fast coda, movement and music finished breathtakingly together in a thrilling climax to the ballet.
- DENISE RICHARDSON
Sleeping Beauty closes 31 October.
Photos by David Kelly. Click on thumbnails for captions. Top photo: Alina Cojocaru and Chi Cao.