American Ballet Theatre
When it comes to American Ballet Theatre’s new staging of The Sleeping Beauty, dream on. The company missed an ideal opportunity to display its great stars, soloists and equally excellent corps de ballet in this most beautiful of Petipa ballets, which it presented at New York City’s Metropolitan Opera House in June.
Money has been squandered on inappropriate décors by Tony Walton, costumes edging on the ridiculous by Willa Kim and an irresponsible mutilation of the score that barely leaves even the most revered Petipa passages intact. An insensitive team comprised of former New York City Ballet and ABT ballerina Gelsey Kirkland; her husband, Michael Chernov; and Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie—three choreographically blind Carabosses—have imposed their dark magic on this revered ballet, sacrificing much to make it more “accessible,” perhaps to those more accustomed to Disney musicals. If kids and families are the target, why eliminate the charming variations for storybook characters like the White Cat, Puss-in-Boots and Little Red Riding Hood who, in this version, are reduced to token appearances at Aurora’s wedding?
Of all the classics staged by the company, this one is perhaps the least conventional, but is partially redeemed by moments in the Prologue when the fairies bestow their benisons on baby Aurora. In the cast I saw, Michele Wiles was serenely gracious and technically assured as the Lilac Fairy. Zhong-Jing Fang sparkled as the Fairy of Joy; Stella Abrera, always outstanding, was a distinguished Valor; Maria Riccetto enlivened the Fairy of Sincerity; and Sarah Lane and Yuriko Kajiya managed their variations well despite disconcerting alterations in tempi from conductor Ormsby Wilkins. Jared Mathews, Carlos López, Jesús Pastor, Sascha Radetsky, Craig Salstein and Gennadi Saveliev distinguished themselves as Fairy Knights.
The title role demands the greatest of technical skills, a radiance, and if not natural beauty at least the ability to simulate it. As Aurora, Veronika Part needed no simulations. High extensions, tapered feet and elegant ports de bras are among her attributes. Earlier in the season she had shown insecurity in her balances and pirouettes, but this time she survived the challenging Rose Adagio unscathed. Her overall performance, however, was bland. One felt little of the joie de vivre to be expected from a sixteen-year-old at her coming-out party. At the wedding you’d have thought she was being led to the slaughter instead of the altar.
Marcelo Gomes, a charming but somewhat muted Prince Désiré, partnered her. He’s an elegant dancer of bravura style, and he danced what little he had to do impeccably. The hit of the evening turned out to be Herman Cornejo and Xiomara Reyes, an exciting, soaring couple in the “Bluebird Pas de Deux,” their variations mercifully spared any choreographic interference. Even Martine van Hamel’s over-the-top Carabosse could not have put a curse on them.
New York–based Hilary Ostlere is the U.S. dance critic for The Financial Times and a frequent contributor to Pointe magazine.
