BRB, 08/10/13

Tchaikovsky : The Sleeping Beauty

Birmingham Royal Ballet
Royal Ballet Sinfonia
Koen Kessels

It's been a long time since I last saw this production of "The Sleeping Beauty", produced by Sir Peter Wright and designed by Philip Prowse.  The same team was responsible for one of the best productions of "Swan Lake" I know, and like that "Swan Lake", this "Sleeping Beauty" benefits from a truly sumptuous staging, magnificently begowned, bejewelled and bewigged, which is always a plus with this grandest of grand ballets.  Once one has stopped gawping at the spectacular sets and costumes, the rest is pretty good too.

Wright stays close to tradition, with a fairly complete version of the score.  One or two decisions seem a trifle strange; Act 1 launches straight into the Garland Waltz, omitting the opening scene with the peasant women and their spindles, while Act 2, on the other hand, is given with its opening hunting scene, whose sole function is (maybe) to give the Prince a bit more to dance.  The usual cuts appear in Act 3.  New to this production since my last viewing is the addition of an "awakening" pas de deux at the end of Act 2 - attractive enough, and a nice idea, but it does make the end of the act a bit low-key.  These issues aside, this is as satisfactory a version as any I know, and it was performed tonight with a fine degree of verve from the company.

Nao Sakuma and Chi Cao were the fairy-tale couple, dancing with grace and ease, she lovely and luminous, he stylishly efficient, both of them delightfully relaxed in the Act 3 Grand Pas.  Jenna Roberts was a serene Lilac Fairy (it's a mime part in this production), but perhaps somewhat upstaged by Marion Tait's chillingly malevolent Carabosse.  Of the plethora of other solo parts required for "Sleeping Beauty", I particularly liked Momoko Hirata, as both the Fairy of Temperament (the Fairy Violente, in standard versions) and the Bluebird's Princess, though her partner there could have done with a little more ballon. Only Samara Downs let the side down somewhat with a surprisingly unsteady variation (normally known as the Lilac Fairy's Waltz) in the Prologue.

Of course, if the orchestra isn't cooperating on a Tchaikovsky ballet, half the effect is immediately lost.  There was no such problem tonight, the Royal Ballet Sinfonia under Koen Kessels was not perhaps absolutely perfect, but their hearts were definitely in the right place.  (The oboes were maybe having a little too much fun with the Puss-in-Boots number!)  The audience's enthusiasm for their playing was thoroughly merited, as it was for the production as a whole, well delivered, and an absolute feast visually.  Not to be missed, if you have the opportunity.

[Next : 11th October]