The full
company of 70 dancers and technical crew from the Stuttgart Ballet visited
Singapore with its critically acclaimed production of John Cranko's
Romeo and Juliet, complete with lavish renaissance costumes and breathtaking
sets. There were many great moments in the performance. It was a platform
for the highest level of classical technique combined with superb production
elements that were colourful, lively and fun.
Cranko first choreographed Romeo and Juliet in 1958 for the
La Scala Ballet in Milan, then in 1962 reworked and refined it for the
Stuttgart Ballet, which he directed from 1961 until his death in 1973.
Earlier versions include those by Bronislava Nijinska, choreographed
in 1926, and perhaps the other best known one was made by Kenneth MacMillan
for the Royal Ballet in 1965. It is interesting to contemplate how audiences
today respond to both the ballet and Shakespeare's story of the star-crossed
lovers. In the first instance, it recounts an age-old narrative of young
lovers from opposing families, the Capulets and the Montagues. Although
Cranko's ballet follows Shakespeare's narrative, audiences are also
familiar with Jerome Robbins' West Side Story and countless
adaptations of the same plot for the stage and screen.
Act one sets the scene at the marketplace, where the first signs of
friction between the two rival clans unfold. There are sword fights
galore, peasants tossing rotten fruit in disgust at the opposing clan
and a superb trio, featuring multiple double tours, danced by Romeo
and his friends Mercutio and Benvolio. They hatch a plot to infiltrate
the Capulets' forthcoming masked ball. Meanwhile, Juliet is presented
with her first ball dress for the occasion and has a playful dance with
her faithful nurse. The famous cushion dance at the ball features black
and gold costumes that literally float as the dancers move to the famous
Prokofiev score. The corps de ballet has depth and superb technique
- one felt at any moment a number of the dancers could have stepped
into the principal roles. When they encounter each other at the ball,
it is love at first sight for Romeo and Juliet. The famous balcony scene
ends act one when the lovers declare their undying love - it is a showcase
for virtuosic dancing of the level expected from one of the top-ranked
ballet companies in the world today.
The principal dancers represented the quintessential ideal of a prima
ballerina. With 180-degree extensions, beautiful lines, light jumps
and perfectly balanced pirouettes, each embodied the 15-year-old love-struck
heroine in her own way. Perhaps Elena Tentchikowa gave it a stronger
dramatic passion, while Alicia Amatriain was more innocent and fragile
in her portrayal. Few male dancers in the world can bring to the stage
unblemished technique with the good looks and acting prowess of Jason
Reilly. His exhuberance in the role was matched with powerful partnering,
boyish humour and sheer charm. The chin-ups to kiss Julliet on her balcony
was inspired choreography and epitomised the youthfullness of these
star crossed lovers. Filip Barankiewicz has one of the highest grande
jetés in the ballet world - his dancing was breathtaking
at the matinee, although it perhaps lacked the charisma of Reilly.
Back at the marketplace, act two featured clowns, acrobats and straw
masks at the harvest festival - it all added to the carnival atmosphere
of a village scene in Verona. The mood is broken by a cross to Friar
Laurence at the chapel, where he secretly marries Romeo and Juliet.
As the ballet progresses towards its tragic end in act three, the ballet
gets a bit bogged down by the plot's complexities and drags somewhat.
Nevertheless, ballet has seldom told such a story that is based in
a palpable reality - no swans, fairies, dolls or toys come to
life. There are superb roles for the principal dancers, character parts,
and scenes for the corps de ballet combined with sumptuous sets and
costumes. Cranko's Romeo and Juliet stands the test of time for
its human approach to the narrative, for its colour and humour, and
above all as a showcase for classical ballet at the highest level. |
"One felt at any moment a number of the dancers could have stepped
into the principal roles."
|
