Leigh Donlan reviewed the Wednesday, June 11, matinee performance at the Metropolitan Opera House
American Ballet Theatre returned to the Met on Tuesday, commencing their summer season with Swan Lake. I caught the Wednesday matinee, and it was the best performance that I’ve ever seen of this classic story ballet to date. The all-star cast (literally, down to the swans) included Chloe Misseldine, who was promoted to principal last summer immediately after her debut as Odette-Odile, and Aran Bell, who both won and broke our hearts as the conflicted Prince Siegfried. Cy Doherty and Joseph Markey brought the magic in their brilliant illustrations of the Evil Sorcerer, von Rothbart. The entire cast brought their ‘A game,’ much to the delight of the full house, with David LaMarche in smooth command of the orchestra, giving a terrific account of the 147-year-old, dramatic and etheric Tchaikovsky score.
Choreographer and former artistic director Kevin McKenzie explained the thinking behind his production, which is now 25 years old: “In my mind, the Swan’s story is done. The story happens to Siegfried, not the Swan. He can’t marry his ideal to reality. That is the tragedy.” This welcome shift of perspective away from the archaic narrative to Siegfried’s journey unfolds with a choreographic ingenuity that leans heavily on Petipa and Ivanov. Though I disagree that this is only Siegfried’s story: Siegfried’s development is dependent upon other characters. He still has his free will, something that Odette (and arguably Odile) is repeatedly robbed of.
After the foreboding Prologue, Act 1 moved straight to joy and merriment. Siegfried toasted his birthday party guests, gorgeously costumed by Zach Brown. Aristocrats and peasants celebrated together. The royal women wafted in the arms of their strapping partners and pranced delicately through their petit allegro sequences in flowing, flounced pastel gowns.
Then the Queen mother arrived – the magnificent Zhong-Jing Fang – to remind her son of his royal duties, meaning marital obligation. Bell expertly conveyed Siegfried’s emotional discord with nuance, feigning nonchalance for his guests while struggling deeply within.
Soloist Patrick Frenette delivered a dashing Benno and I wondered when he might be promoted to principal, with his leading man qualities. His partnering in the Pas de Trois with Sierra Armstrong and Virginia Lensi was solid and trustworthy. Armstrong demonstrated refined musicality as she mirrored the delightful flute trills, and Lensi maintained an innocent vulnerability in her eloquent artistic choices.
Act 2 unveiled Misseldine’s Odette, one of the best interpretations I’ve seen. There is more than one way for a ballerina to convey Odette’s qualities and dilemma. Misseldine has the advantage of an inherent swan-like facility with supple, languid lines. Though she has undoubtedly benefited from stellar coaching, at just 22 years old she displays remarkable intuition and emotional intelligence in her depictions of Odette and Odile. Her calm command of the stage felt intrinsic and she looked quite at home in the demanding dual role. During the Grand Pas, her body fluttered with each soft plucking of the harp strings. From relevés on pointe, she fell back trustingly into floor-sweeping cambres, draping herself like silk over Bell’s safe arms. The pair shared a genuine chemistry that never left us doubting.
The Swans did a fantastic job as well, delivering consistent syncopation in their kaleidoscopic flock formations. As the lakeside von Rothbart, the evil mastermind who controls the swans, the formidable Doherty effectively used his massive size, presence and energy.
In Act 3, Markey’s von Rothbart dominated the royal ball, which Markey often does in his roles. With immense exuberance, he burst into the ballroom, with the prized Odile, and asserted total control. Daring to take over Siegfried’s throne, next to the Queen, he orchestrated the unfolding disaster with his dark magic.
In the Grand Pas you could see Bell swept up in von Rothbart’s spell as his grand, ecstatic dancing became more emotionally hollow. Bell’s Siegfried seemed subconsciously aware that Odile was not his real true love, but the manipulation had turned him delusional. Misseldine’s Odile was irresistible; just vampy enough, just smug enough, lingering just long enough with her piercing gaze… By the time Siegfried snaps out of it, it’s too late.
In the final emotional lakeside scene, von Rothbart returns to tear Odette from the arms of the conscience-stricken Siegfried. Although Odette has forgiven him, the couple realizes they are doomed and leap to their physical deaths. They are however quickly reunited in spirit, appearing triumphantly in the center of a massive sun. The stage floods with light, the Swans are released from their curse and free to be maidens again, and von Rothbart is vanquished. I assumed that he was not dead, just weakened – as evil rarely dies. While elements of the final scene were dramatic and powerful, like the use of light (designed by Duane Schuler), the lasting impression was quietly satisfying.
The sun backdrop might benefit from a revision, maybe something less obvious. And there are still lulls in the choreographic momentum of the final scene, which is mostly narrative with a rightful focus on von Rothbart’s demise, but the scene is long winded and causes the impact to wane.
A tenacious start to ABT’s summer season, Swan Lake runs through Saturday, and repeats in the closing week of the season, with Gillian Murphy’s final retirement performance on July 18th. Up next is Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works.
