ABT Back on Top
American Ballet Theatre recovered from its unfortunate new production of "Sleeping Beauty," and once again became the premier company in the U.S. with the greatest international stars. The 8-week season ended June 23, with the farewell of Alessandra Ferri in "Romeo and Juliet" after a 27-year career. (New York City Ballet also said goodbye to Kyra Nichols.) Ferri's "Romeo" was Roberto Bolle, another Italian performer, and an ABT guest artist, who was the equal to Ferri's passionate portrayal. Fortunately the roster of ABT male dancers remains strong, even inspired, with the guest appearance of Roberto Bolle as guest artist.
"Manon," based upon the 18th century novel by Abbé Prévost tells the story of a charming girl, misguided by her greedy brother, Lescaut, who leads Manon's fascination with beautiful clothes and jewels, to her becoming a courtesan, dismissing the love of student, Des Grieux. It all results in misery and death. The ballet, choreographed by Sir Kenneth MacMillan was presented by the Royal Ballet in 1974 and first presented in the U.S by the same company the same year. ABT first performed it in 1993.
ABT's current production with Alessandra Ferri, the great Italian-born ballerina, as "Manon," and guest artist Roberto Bolle as Des Grieux, gave a performance that will long to be remembered, as it resonated again and again in memory for its detailed acting, beautifully controlled dancing and tragic ending. Bolle, tall, dark and handsome, is the kind of performer, as was Nureyev, who can enter far upstage in a crowd scene and command attention without trying. His technique is beautifully controlled adagio, his beats in the style of the period performed with ballon (a light, jumping quality that pauses a moment in the air followed by a soft and light descent), his acting toward Manon's fall from grace, tender and forgiving. Their pas de deuxs were rapturous, the lifts floating and flying, their descent (and here is the true test of a partner) were gentle and sure.
While Des Grieux remains steady in his love for Manon, through her dessolute choices, it is as legitimate a characterization as his controlled despair at her death. Ferri, with her beautiful bird feet that look like claws landing on a branch, and her floating arms and seamless enchaînement (linking steps) remain in the mind's eye. She will be missed.
Manon's scheming brother, was performed by Herman Cornejo, full of energy, bounce and a strong commanded of the stage. Only Sacha Radetsky, who is coming along nicely in the ranks of the company, seemed a bit unnecessarily harsh as The Jailer in the last act, as he covets Manon and whose death by Des Grieux leads the pair to doom into the swamps of Lousiana, then a French outpost and penal colony. It was a perfect performance, from the orchestra, sets and costumes, lighting and production, that one could ever want. It was what dance is all about.
And it happened again, in the performance Diana Vishneva and Angel Corella in "Romeo and Juliet." From the first introduction by the orchestra of the Prokofiev score, that might well be the greatest ballet music of the 20th century, to the hollow sounds in the tomb, the production staged by Julie Lincoln, might be the best in the world. It was created by Sir Kenneth MacMillan for the Royal Ballet in 1965, originally created in 1938 for the Bolshoi Ballet, and has been reproduced more frequently than any other libretto in various forms, but is still based upon Shakespeare's tragedy.
Vishneva, who has had a long success with ballet goers since her appearance at the first "Stars of the 20th Century" performance in Toronto, when her charm, sure technique and pliable upper back brought the audience to her feet. As Juliet, she is playful, youthful, and touchingly adamant as she resists her parents' urging her to marry Paris, danced in the ABT version by a noble Gennadi Saveliev, as her persuasive but rejected suitor. The story line follows the bard's story from the opening, exciting sword-play between the warring families, the Capulets and the Montagues to the ball scene where Romeo and Juliet become captivated with each other. Vishneva plays this shyly as Corella's Romeo, becomes an ardent pursuer. The ballroom scene follows as the three crashers, Romeo, Mercurio and Benvolio, disquised, is where the lovers meet for the first time. The stately dance by the guests in the MacMillan version is a disappointment. As the "Pillow" dance in Russian productions, each guest holds aloft and immovable, a small pillow to indicate their dignity and high station in a majestic dance. In the Bolshoi School in Moscow, it is taught in "historic" dance courses.)
It is in the balcony scene, where the smooth execution of lifts and pauses to experience the joy of their discovery of each other, becomes a breathless experience. They are two equal talents, who forget the audience and just play every nuance in the role. Vishneva has the fastest, most gliding pas de couru (running steps) going backwards imaginable, and is probably unique.
As the ballet follows the story of death by the sword of one of Romeo's friends (Mercutio, as danced by a bounding Herman Cornejo), by Tybalt, Romeo gains revenge by killing him, and is exiled. Tybalt, danced by Sasha Radetsky, who seems to becoming ABT's "heavy," in roles that demand strong gestures and villainous character, lacked a bit of heart.
Following the story of the lovers now secretly married Friar Laurence (Frederic Franklin, 92-year-old performer, who gains applause at every one of his first entrances). Juliet and Romeo perform "the bedroom" scene before he must escape. MacMillan always excels in these passionate scenes now with Juliet in dashing leaps into Romeo's arms and overhead lifts that come from nowhere without preparation as he runs with her covering the entire stage.
We know the ending, the sleeping potion that she has been given to fall into a death-like sleep to give Romeo time to return, find her and make their escape. This scene belongs to every ballerina's personal interpretation...some make taking the sleep potion a painful decision; some drag out the scene by throwing the vial away and then retrieving it, some, as Visneva did, underplay the scene, then impulsively swallow the contents. The message to be given Romeo that she is only asleep, never arrives and no explanation is ever given in any version. This is the time when you could kill the messenger, if you could find him. The mix-up continues as Juliet appears dead on a bier and Romeo, in his despair, at seeing Paris mourning at the tomb, kills him and dances with the inanimate Juliet. The score, here, soars wrenchingly for the pas de deux, and MacMillan again, has the perfect scene for his forte. Romeo then kills himself overcome by grief. Juliet awakes from her sleep, stabs herself, when she sees Romeo, dead. The moment of silence before the curtain comes down, followed by thunderous applause, mirrors the level of involvement by the audience. This performance will remain the mind's eye.
"Romeo and Juliet" with Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev and the Royal Ballet can be seen on DVD (VKU264) or with several other performers, from Princeton Book Company, dancehorizons.com. "Manon," with Jennifer Penney and Anthony Dowell, DVD (VKU218) is also available from the same source. Check other publishers as well.