Wow, what a tremendous evening of ballet! My faith in the old masters is renewed with a smasher of a three-act ballet, positively brimming with dance content while not forgetting the story telling. Amazing performances all round made the Royal Ballet’s Sleeping Beauty – a truly enjoyable evening.
Yasmine Naghdi was a divine Princess Aurora. It was so refreshing to have a new lead to watch at the live streamed performance. Her mannerisms and dancing style brought warmth and charm to the role – she was perfect! She mastered the Rose Adagio and was technically perfect throughout. All those years of training came together in a very special performance. She spun so fast in the final pirouettes I thought something or someone was going to fly off!
Mayara Magri was a calm and beatific Lilac Fairy; her soothing presence and great technical skill was a perfect foil to Kristen McNally’s demonic Carabosse. Her make-up was superb and she was a totally convincing evil fairy with every look and movement completely characterised. Nothing was over-played or cliched from anyone, simply spot on the whole way through.
In comparison to the female dancer’s stage time, Prince Florimund doesn’t have an equal share, but Matthew Ball played the part very well. His forlornness at his empty love life was believable and he danced and partnered with expert skill. Other notable mentions to Isabella Gasparini and Joseph Sissens who danced the Bluebird pas de deux with great skill and sense of performance. And Sophie Allnatt who was a bright, neat and joyful Fairy of the Song Bird and White Cat.
This production was revived by Monica Mason in 2006 on the 60th anniversary of it’s premiere by Ninette de Valois when Covent Garden re-opened as a theatre after the war. Although the original ballet comes to us from Russia, in this production the designs are enchantingly English. They evoke feelings of peace-restored with the order and tradition of a royal family with a court in attendance, and a celebration of our love of the countryside and fairy tales set therein.
Fresh input to the interval content from the conductor of the performance, Jonathan Lo, was also a welcome change. It was interesting to hear from him how specific Petipa had been to Tchaikovsky about the musical arrangement and the mood and feel that he wanted for each section. He added that the music is very much about the tussle between good and evil just as the stage action is, and referred to Carabosse’s signature sounds reverberating throughout the score.
This performance was a big hit in my eyes. The dancing was superb, the music, costumes, sets and lighting just perfect, and a bit of fresh blood throughout made the audience keen for what next season has in store for the cinema-going balletomanes.