It is said that the previous PNB production of Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette in 2008 was so popular that patrons kept coming back a second and third time to see it. Whether this is true or not, it was both an artistically and an economically sound decision to start the 2009 season with this work.
The cast transported us to Verona and the war between the Montague and Capulet families. PNB has a fondness for modern American works with choreographers such as George Balanchine and Twyla Tharp being main staples of their work. This production was unashamedly European in tone, from the pleasant title captions projected onto the curtain like the start of a French arthouse film, right to the end.
The show itself contained a freedom of expression perhaps more evident to the relatively untrained eye than ever before. The balance between joyful expression and technicality, inasmuch as one can be sacrificed for the other, veered towards the joyful expression and the telling of the story. I could be mistaken, but I cannot recall a PNB show where the performers just seemed to be enjoying themselves so much. This rubbed off onto the audience who were engrossed in the production. This may not have more true for any performer than Jonathan Porretta whose Mercutio highlighted every scene he appeared in. Jonathan seemed to have a permanent smile on his face and his enthusiasm swept over all around him.
Bellingham native Chalnessa Eames has been a favourite performer of this reviewer ever since I started going. Her performance in Roméo et Juliette reminded me why, and endeared her to a new generation. She managed to combine humour with some jerkier movements given to her, yet kept the fluidity of the piece throughout. She drew laughter from the audience on a number of occasions, and seemed to be totally in control of what, to the outside eye, looked a very challenging role of the Nurse.
The title parts themselves were played by Carla Körbes and Lucien Postlewaite. They dovetailed splendidly and were very convincing as lovers kept apart by the politics of conflict between the families.
Their pas de deux before the end of Act One, one of first love and discovery was hauntingly beautiful, they moved effortlessly seeming to defy gravity itself. Ariana Lallone as Lady Capulet was well executed performing an elegant woman of stature. She used her long, flexible limbs and height to illustrate both regality using precise extensions and almost bending in half during the mourning scene.
The scenery, in all its austerity, played an integral part with walls that moved across the stage, a ramp that seemed to defy gravity and lighting that projected special imagery when needed, such as the cross during the final moments of the two star-crossed lovers.
I have never seen a standing ovation given so quickly and so willingly. You can put that down to one of two things. Either the regulars and subscribers had missed the PMB so much, they were just glad to be back. Or they thought this performance was utterly deserving of such an accolade. Given how quickly I stood up to applaud, I’m pretty sure it was the latter.
Photos © Angela Sterling. Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancers Batkhurel Bold (as Tybalt) and Jonathan Porretta (as Mercutio) in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette. (above)
Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancers Lucien Postlewaite and Carla Körbes in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette. (top right)
Some PNB News
Maria Chapman, who joined PNB as an apprentice in 1995, was promoted to the rank of principal dancer, as was Karel Cruz, who joined PNB as a member of the corps de ballet in 2002. Lindsi Dec, a member of PNB’s corps de ballet since 2002, was promoted to the rank of soloist. Mr. Boal was also pleased to announce that apprentices Andrew Bartee, Amanda Clark, Kyle Davis, Emma Love, Margaret Mullin, and Sean Rollofson have all been promoted to the corps de ballet, and two new apprentices join the company: Chelsea Adomaitis and Ezra Thomson.
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