Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – When it rains, it pours: A tale of three (really, four) SWAN LAKEs

• By drediman
• February 24, 2020
• No Comments

As they say, when it rains, it pours. Over the course the past month, New York has seen not one … not two … not three … but four notable stagings of perhaps the most famous of all classical ballets, Swan Lake. Of the four, I caught three of them. Here are my thoughts.

Shanghai Ballet’s corps de ballet in “Grand Swan Lake” at the David H. Koch Theater.

In mid-January, Shanghai Ballet brought its lavish version – appropriately entitled Grand Swan Lake (RECOMMENDED) – to the David H. Koch Theater for a short run of four performances. At the one I attended, the iconic dual role of Odette/Odile was danced by guest artist Maria Kochetkova, a Russian dancer not unfamiliar to New York dance fans (she was a notable former principal at American Ballet Theatre). Her Siegfried was another Western guest artist, Dawid Trzensimiech, a principal at Polish National Ballet. Although they certainly made for a handsome pair and were both technically gifted, they brought little passion and distinction to their performances (I wish I could have seen their Shanghai Ballet counterparts, Husheng and Qi Bingxue, in the roles). That the production is tastefully, traditionally Romantic – including some elegant new choreography – doesn’t come as a total surprise. That’s because the staging, after the Petipa/Ivanov prototype, is by the company’s artistic director Derek Deane, who was the former head of the English National Ballet. But the real star of Grand Swan Lake was the impeccably drilled, perfectly synchronized corps, especially the ballerinas that comprised the mind-boggling 48 “swans”. In no way did this explosion in number feel gimmicky. If anything, the sight of such a populated stage was a supremely poetic vision that was worthy of a dream. Additionally, I was thankful that Shanghai Ballet was able to coordinate using New York City Ballet’s excellent orchestra, which was conducted by Charles Barker, Ballet Theatre’s principal conductor (talk about worlds colliding!).

Matthew Ball in “Matthew Bourne’s Swan” Lake at New York City Center.

Then we have Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED), which returned to New York for a week-and-a-half run at New York City Center. The first time I experienced Mr. Bourne’s radical dance theater interpretation of the classic ballet – which features a corps of swans made up of athletic male dancers – was more than two decades ago when I was a student studying abroad in London. The experience remains one of the most influential “aha” moments for me in the theater. It was then that I made the connection that all performance is in a sense theater and that classifying genres only builds walls between the gamut of theatrical experiences to be had. Recently, the staging has been spruced up by the original creative team, and it’s now sharper and more emotionally forceful than I remember it being (the last time I saw the production, also at City Center, it seemed just a tad tired). In the role of The Swan/The Stranger, I saw the phenomenal Matthew Ball, a principal with The Royal Ballet. Athletic and stylish, the tall and ideally-proportioned Mr. Ball also possesses flair and immense charisma, which is unusual for a dancer as young as he is. Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake falls squarely between dance and theatrical narrative, which may be off-putting to fans of pure dance. I, however, find the combination intoxicating, and it allows dancers the unusual opportunity to exhibit their acting chops. My only regret is that the production continues to be performed to pre-recorded music, which is alas consistent with the other New Adventures productions I’ve seen over the years.

Tiler Peck in New York City Ballet’s “Swan Lake” at the David H. Koch Theater.

Lastly, this past weekend back at the Koch Theater, I caught City Ballet’s rendition, which just concluded a two-week run. Of all the Swan Lake‘s I’ve seen, Peter Martins’ efficiently-staged, color-coded version (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) puts the emphasis on pure dance. Aside from Danish artist Per Kirkeby’s garish designs, I actually quite like this Swan Lake. As if to accommodate the famed technical prowess of the ballet company, Mr. Martins has turned to Balanchine’s version of Swan Lake (in addition to the Petipa/Ivanov original), which incorporates more dynamic choreography for the corps de ballet. Indeed, there’s an aggressiveness and dynamism to the famous lake segment that concludes Act One  that’s exciting to watch. As Odette/Odile, Tiler Peck was breathtaking, seeming almost like a new dancer after returning from a scary, potentially career-ending injury. Indeed, there’s a newfound maturity to her dancing beyond her incomparable technique and innate musicality. Particularly affecting was her Odette, which highlighted her newfound sensitivity to portraying fragility and vulnerability onstage. Happily, the important ballerina’s Odile continues to be a firecracker. As her Siegfried, principal Joseph Gordon was superb in his debut in the role. His dancing was refined and princely, and in his partnership with Ms. Peck, Mr. Gordon exuded a tenderness that was tremendously affecting to watch. As the Jester, the explosive and expressive principal dancer Daniel Ulbricht excelled in a role that has become one of his signature parts.

In addition to the three aforementioned stagings, St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre also brought its Swan Lake to town at the Brooklyn Academy Music for two performances only. These were led by superstar Russian prima ballerina Irina Kolesnikova, whom I suspect was wonderful as Odette/Odile. Alas, I wasn’t able to make it to this one.

GRAND SWAN LAKE
Dance
Shanghai Ballet / David H. Koch Theater
2 hours, 30 minutes (with one intermission)
Closed

MATTHEW BOURNE’S SWAN LAKE
Dance
New Adventures / New York City Center
2 hours, 30 minutes (with one intermission)
Closed

SWAN LAKE
Dance
New York City Ballet / David H. Koch Theater
2 hours, 30 minutes (with one intermission)
Closed