ABT's Swan Lake. Photo by G. Schiavone
Few would disagree with the overall assessment that the feathered maidens of Swan Lake represent the quintessentially unattainable ideals of classical ballet. Pure, innocent and tragic, they carry the audience on a journey that swirls together blind devotion, deception, self-sacrifice and one of the most operatic reality checks (in terms of the semi-delusional Prince Siegfried) of the full-length story ballet repertoire. But because of Swan Lake’s familiarity and pop-culture references (most notably, the four cygnets with linked arms and circling heads), it also has a reputation for being a tired old warhorse – and that depends largely on the staging.
I spent the past week surrounded by flocks of these ethereal creatures in separate productions: The second act, staged by artistic directors Sergey Kozadayev and Zhanna Dubrovskaya for the 25th anniversary of Salt Creek Ballet at the College of DuPage’s McAninch Arts Center in Glen Ellyn; and American Ballet Theatre’s Chicago engagement at the Civic Opera House, which featured artistic director Kevin McKenzie’s full-length version of Swan Lake.
Though several dance makers have retooled the ballet over the past century, Marius Petipa’s and Lev Ivanov’s choreography from 1895 typically remains in tact. More specifically, Petipa – the French choreographer who almost singlehandedly defined the structure of classical ballet at St. Petersburg’s Maryinsky Theatre in the 19th century –focused on the first and third acts (including the famed Black Swan pas de deux) set in the palace and jam-packed with virtuosic variations and folk-inspired divertissements. His assistant, Ivanov, is responsible for the iconic second and fourth “white acts,” with their intricate formations of the corps de ballet and extended melancholic adagios for Odette (the White Swan) and Prince Siegfried.
For Salt Creek Ballet, a highly accomplished semi-professional company based in the western suburbs, Kozadayev and Dubrovskaya stressed the technical polish and sheer beauty of the second act, with the teenage corps dancers demonstrating impressive synchronicity and musicality. Guest artists Maria Mosina and Igor Vassine of Colorado Ballet infused Odette and Siegfried with heartbreaking vulnerability. Mosina in particular, through the most subtle positioning of her wrists and cupping of her hands, brought tears to my eyes – her entire being suspended between imprisonment and flight.
A quiet grace engulfed Salt Creek Ballet’s excerpt from the ballet, the point at which Siegfried discovers Odette, a young woman transformed into a swan by the sorcerer Von Rothbart.
American Ballet Theatre’s Swan Lake also conveyed a tranquil solemnity and streamlined power. Yes, the Black Swan pas de deux (when Odile, Von Rothbart’s minion disguised as Odette, tricks Siegfried into swearing his love to her) brought down the house. But, overall, McKenzie’s judicious paring down – particularly the fourth act – made the story more immediate and beautifully nuanced. Granted, this staging is now ten years old, but ABT danced it as if for the first time.
One of the most spectacular surprises occurred at the final performance. Veronika Part and Gillian Murphy split the role of Odette and Odile, respectively – a role traditionally played by the same ballerina. Though a rare occurrence, the split proved fortuitous as viewers were treated to two of the company’s most radiant and multidimensional prima ballerinas, together with much-loved principal dancer Marcelo Gomes as an exceptionally complex and sensitive Siegfried. As Odette, Part strikingly conveyed the sense that she leapt out of her avian skin to assume the shape of a woman caught between two worlds. She melted into each phrase with fragile resolve and serenity. As Odile, Murphy took on the world by the force of her lavish embellishments to those notorious 32 fouettes and her triumphantly arching back. The contrasts were astonishing.
The same cannot be said of the uninspired partnership between Paloma Herrera and Ethan Stiefel on opening night. Though both accomplished dancers, together they seemed to flatten out the narrative, with Herrera appearing to dance the role of Odette/Odile outside her body rather than from the depths of her soul.
In addition, Daniil Simkin, Carlos Lopez and Sarah Lane delivered stunning performances of the Act One pas de trois. I also want to commend the consistent perfection of longtime corps member Marian Butler, who anchored a flawless ensemble. Zack Brown’s Pre-Raphaelite-inspired sets and costumes graciously complemented Tchaikovsky’s High Romantic score. At its best, ABT’s Swan Lake reminded us of the inextricable link between desire and destiny.
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