Sleeping Beauty at the National Ballet of Canada

Sleeping Beauty

National Ballet of Canada

Unfortunately, National Ballet's Sleeping Beauty has closed at this point, but I thought it was worth reviewing anyway. It was quite different from anything I've ever seen before, so it's an interesting challenge to write about. I attended the matinee on Saturday, June 20th (the second to last performance), and the cast included Svetlana Lunkina as Princess Aurora and Francesco Gabriele Frola as Prince Florimund. I had a bit of a challenge identifying who was playing who (i.e. aside from the third variation, I have no idea who was playing the fairies) as I missed the announcement of who was filling in for who, so apologies if I misidentify anyone.

Svetlana Lunkina and Francisco Gabriele Frola
(Ross Petty on Twitter)

The production itself was alright. It felt a bit dated and dry at some point; you can certainly tell it is a classical ballet choreographed many years ago (this particular choreography was first performed at National Ballet in the 1970s). There was very much a stop-and-start feel to it - there would be a short dance, then bows, then another dance, bows - wash, rinse, repeat. The story of sleeping beauty itself is beautiful, but in this case, it seems more like a loose plot line used to explain why people are where they are. Essentially, the story was an excuse to have certain pieces of choreography set in certain places with certain emotions. The best dancing and choreography was in the third act, by which point most pre tense of a storyline had been abandoned. 

The performances of the lead dancers, Lunkina and Frola, were alright. It's somewhat forgivable that they weren't perfect as they had little time to learn the role together (Lunkina was a last-minute replacement for injured Elena Lobsanova). Lunkina's technique is divine, she never faltered, her turns, jumps, etc. were on point - I'd expect nothing less from a Russian trained dancer (Bolshoi, nonetheless).  The partnering with Frola felt somewhat awkward; en pointe, she was a good few inches taller than him, and their extensions didn't match very well. But it was nice enough. Frola doesn't have quite the finesse or feet of Guillaume Cote. The emotional execution wasn't there - he was just trying to get through the choreography. He was a nervous turner (though his third-act turns were more secure), but his jumps were exquisite. Such amazing height, beautiful flexibility, and he really covered the stage with his jumps. At one point, he actually ran out of stage. Frola definitely has a lot of potential; he just needs a bit more confidence in his abilities, and to really start performing his parts. 

Artists of the Ballet (national ballet website)

A few other performers I'd like to mention are Meghan Pugh and Christopher Stalzer, who danced the Pussycats. That PDD was charming, entertaining, and just fun to watch. A very cute duo who worked well together. I also thought the Corps were much stronger than I'd seen them in the past; one particular dancer (who is shorter than everyone else) is still very weak (low jumps, a beat behind everyone else) is still in there and still draws attention for the wrong reasons, but the rest of the dancers were beautifully in synch (I loved the scene with the Naiads). 

Emma Hawes
(ballet.co.uk)

A review of Sleeping Beauty would be incomplete without mentioning the gorgeous Emma Hawes. I had seen all the attention she was getting in the Nutcracker, and thought she couldn't possibly be that good. I was wrong. I was so, so wrong. Hawes - in this performance, dancing the Third Fairy Variation and Princess Florine - is absolutely exquisite. I'd say a promotion to second soloist wasn't quite enough - I'd happily see her dance principle parts. Her technique is rock solid - pirouettes and balances were all held to their absolute limit (and then some), stunning extensions, beautiful flexibility - this girl has it all. She brought charm and entertainment to both of her parts, and was simply a joy to watch.

Another thing I'd like to mention is the costumes! Some were absolutely stunning - bluebird/Florine, the third fairy (orange), and the Lilac Fairy in particular. But others seemed very worn out and faded, and in need of updating. It became very easy to confuse characters because everyone's costumes looked exactly the same. Not the most creative costume design I've ever seen. Nevertheless, it served its purpose. 

So, not the best production National Ballet had ever put on, but I did enjoy it very much and it is a classic worth seeing. 

The Phantom of the Opera (June 5th, 2015)

The Phantom of the Opera

June 5th, 2015

(otherwise known as the day I became a dinosaur)

What a wonderful show! It was one of those that was so good that by the end, you forget the beginning. When you think something can't possibly get better, it goes and does. Especially Lisa-Anne (don't get me started on her. I'm writing a soliloquy below), but in general, everyone was just on today. They all looked exhausted at CC, and rightly so. It was quite the performance.

Lisa-Anne Wood

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I am not ready to say goodbye to her Christine! I can't cry on my birthday (superstitions :P) but I got teary watching her Wishing because she's just such a wonderful Christine, and I want to see her another 10 times! 4 just wasn't enough. I guess I wasn't as grateful for the many times I saw my other favourite Christine until now. Oh well. Hopefully she'll come back in the next few years; she definitely deserves to be principal Christine. And now; you've seen the Olivia-Soliloquy, you've seen the Layla-Meg-Soliloquy, and now it's time for…. The Lisa-Anne-Soliloquy! (Otherwise called the LAWstine-Soliloquy. Take your pick). I've tried to organise it by scene, but forgive me if it gets a bit messy or repetitive at times. It's hard to cram an entire show (and an incredibly detailed portrayal of a character that I always thought I knew back to front) into a few paragraphs.

Disclaimer: Some of Lisa-Anne's stuff is really hard to write about because it's just so detailed and so right. It just works, and it's hard to explain why. You need to see it to understand it. So forgive my poor descriptions; I'm definitely not doing Lisa-Anne's performance justice. 

I usually ignore Christine in Hannibal (because ballet), but I liked watching Lisa-Anne as I think she's got a decent amount of ballet training, so it doesn't look like she's trying to fake being a dancer (Christine can't be a sucky dancer. She just can't. Why would she be in the ballet chorus if she was?). There was a really cute moment where Christine came back on stage after missing a good deal of the dance and looked so confident in what she was doing… until she noticed Meg doing something different, realised she was wrong, and then got very confused. I liked that she stayed looking somewhat uncomfortable for the whole dance. Beautiful Think of Me; voice, acting, the right look - Lisa-Anne just has it all, and you can see it right off the bat. A very shy, unconfident start to the song, but huge amounts of growth and confidence built throughout the song. I loved that she doesn't just smile her way through it; you can see Christine's joy and she realises how wonderful she's doing. It's really lovely and joyful to watch.

Angel of Music is another song I usually ignore because of the Degas ballet happening in the background, but I do (obviously) like Lisa-Anne, so I swapped between the two rather than just watching the ballet. I'm not going to comment on Meg (see below… if you dare), so I'll just say that I thought Lisa-Anne did her best to establish the Meg/Christine relationship, though I don't think it came across very well (coughnotlisaannesfaultcough). Anyway, it was fine. Lisa-Anne has a beautiful voice and sensitive, thoughtful acting. Admittedly, I remember nothing of the Raoul/Christine Little Lotte scene. Sorry. But I can tell you that Lisa-Anne was probably wonderful; she is in everything else. Onto the Angel of Music with the Phantom; this is where I have my one nit-picky issue with Lisa-Anne. Is she hypnotised? Does she willingly go with the Phantom? If so, why? Curiosity? Don't get me wrong, she sung beautifully and the acting was nice - I just couldn't tell why she was doing what she was doing. I always think there needs to be a reason why Christine follows the Phantom into the mirror, so I'd just like to see that made a little more clear. But the other thing in the Mirror Scene - this is where I always think how much she just looks like the quintessential Christine.

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Is it horrible that I can tell exactly who all of the doubles in the title song are? I think I've seen this cast too many times. Oh well. Anyway, Lisa-Anne. Great (read: not fake-looking) lip synching, interesting acting. I like that she's not too keen on being dragged around by the Phantom and resists quite a bit - she definitely doesn't seem to be in a trance like some others are, and I think her way is more interesting to watch because you wonder what's going through Christine's mind at the time. Anyway, Music of the Night. Loved. This. Seriously. Subtle acting; not trance-like in that she's definitely aware of her surroundings and what's going on. She doesn't overdo the wide-eyed thing that some Christine's do; it's just more realistic, if that makes sense. It doesn't feel contrived or over/underdone. She's really taking in what the Phantom's saying and responding to it. I loved it. This is one of those where you just need to see it to understand what I mean. There's something just very right about it. It works, but I can't really explain why.

I really don't like the new (well, I guess it's not new anymore, but still) directing in Il Muto. Olivia Brereton was the last person with the old direction (the really out there, humorous, almost obnoxious Serafimo) that I liked, so I don't want to blame Lisa-Anne for this one. But she did what she did well; I liked how she seemed rather afraid of Carlotta (so it's even better to see her standing up to Carlotta in Act 2). Not a whole lot to say about All I Ask of You; it was really good and I love all the emotion (fear -> apprehension -> calm) Lisa-Anne puts across. Gorgeous voice, interesting acting… yep! Everything's just there.

Masquerade is always nice to watch (until the mean Phantom ruins it); it's so cheerful. In all honesty, I usually watch the dancing rather than Christine/Raoul during Masquerade so I didn't catch a lot. But I love how Lisa-Anne's Christine really seems to be enjoying it; Christine has clearly relaxed into life since the Phantom disappeared and is calm, happy, and just having a fun time with Raoul at the party. So yeah, not too much to say, but fun to watch.

Another wow moment was Notes II/Twisted Every Way. I'm definitely getting really repetitive here, but I loved the emotion - she doesn't just pick one; there's a range (anger, fear, a bit of annoyance too) all happening at once. It's difficult to pick apart and I can understand that it might be a bit confusing if you haven't seen the show before (sometimes the more simplistic portrayals are easier to comprehend), but I'm all for detail and depth, and that's exactly what Lisa-Anne brings to this and every scene. My favourite part in this scene is when everyone is gathering around Christine right before "I'm sorry, I can't!", she was turning this way and that, clutching the front of her dress like she couldn't breath - you could literally see her getting more and more distressed. In the rehearsal that follows, you can tell she so does not want to be there - she looks as if she's about to have a breakdown any moment - which makes the lead-in to Wishing much more powerful.

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Lisa-Anne's performance of 'Wishing' was beyond perfect. Eons beyond it. There was just so much detail and thought put into it. I loved that through the song, you could see Christine's thought process and how her emotions develop. She wasn't just singing it; she was living it, and because of that, 'Wishing' was more powerful than I've ever seen before. This is a song where you don't typically see too much variance in blocking, and it's very hard to make it unique and not seem fake. Lisa-Anne's version is so fresh, detailed, and real (visceral is my favourite word for it). I loved it. I'm trying and failing to think of just one moment that stood out because it was all so good. But I think a good example of how detailed she made this song is the bit right before "too many years, fighting back tears";  the whole part leading up to that you can just see everything on her face - the sorrow at her father's death, how much she loved him, and the anxiety that's been built up around the events with the Phantom. None of it feels fake, and it makes the "too many years etc. etc." seem more real rather than staged. Does that make any sense? 

I do love Lisa-Anne's Point of No Return. It's very unique. Sultry, but not overly so (if that makes any sense). She does do that annoying skirt grab I hate ("Disappears into silence *grab*, silence *grab*), but she at least forgoes it on the next line, so it's forgivable. I couldn't tell exactly, but I think she was going for a slightly unsure Christine at the beginning (a few scared-looking glances into the theatre). I think this was a nice way to start it out; it doesn't make sense if Christine is all in at once, because she and everyone else knows something is going to happen. Christine definitely does get into it though, and aside from a few moments, looks like she doesn't have a clue what's happened until she feels the mask under the cloak. And this is where it gets really good; Lisa-Anne's Christine really fights the Phantom -  she doesn't just let herself get dragged around. This makes you feel so much worse for her when she can't get away (evil managers). I mentioned it in my last review, but the way she reaches up to pull back the hood and later pull off the mask is so unexpected - it looks like she's about to embrace him and she doesn't make a big dramatic deal of either thing. I loved that, it just makes it so much more exciting and interesting. 

That Final Lair. Oh. My. God. Lisa-Anne's Christine has always been on the fierce and fiery side, but this was something else entirely. What's important here is that Lisa-Anne thoroughly develops this side of Christine through the show (in the altercation with Carlotta in Notes II, for example), so it's not as if all the ferocity and anger is coming out of nowhere. It's a realistic transition. One of the most powerful moments was when she leapt in front of Raoul to protect him from the Phantom; she didn't look afraid, she didn't look like she was doing it because it was the blocking - she looked angry! And she wrapped her arms around Raoul in the most protective way. It was extremely effective. I also like that under all the fire, her Christine does still have a sensitive side. She's definitely not one of those that was in love with the Phantom (yay for that), but at the end when she was giving him the ring back, she took a second to almost comfort him - it was really sweet, and wrapped up the relationship between those two characters nicely. 

Geronimo Rauch

(Phantom Website)

A nice performance from him. He always gives consistently solid, interesting performances though. I love the faked Piangi accent in PONR, and his Music of the Night is incredibly powerful. The voice is just so there; it sounds very effortless and strong. Some of the acting touches are nice; I like how in MOTN when he sings "possess you" he has sort of an invisible rope that he pulls forward, pulling Christine with him. It makes the song have a more hypnotic effect. So yeah, all in all, I like him a lot, there's just not much to say!

Liam Tamne
Not one of my favourites, but he was alright this show. Great volume in the singing, but I hate how he reacts to Christine. There's a part in All I Ask of You where Christine is having the little freak out and holding onto him, and he's just got his arms out to the sides like "What is this thing and why is she touching me." I think his Raoul is one that liked the pretty little opera star rather than the real person, so it's a bit difficult to watch. I prefer Raoul to be much more sympathetic and loving. The one good thing is that Lisa-Anne's Christine definitely doesn't need Raoul; she's quite fiercely independent in a way. Her protecting Raoul in the final lair is more of a "Stop, you're not going to hurt anyone else!" than a "I love him!" So there's that. Anyway, good voice, bad acting choices - but at least his acting was believable and consistent, even if it wasn't the choice I would've made for the character.

Alicia Beck

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You know when it's better to just shut your mouth and say nothing at all? That's probably what I should be doing right now. But I'm not going to! So… enjoy the snark. I hadn't seen Alicia's Meg in ages, so I'd forgotten just how… difficult it is. The singing is shrill, screechy, and off-key a good deal of the time. Her acting is overwhelming and underwhelming at the same time - the ridiculous, bug-eyed faces, the constant biting air (I don't even know how to describe it, but whenever she dances, she basically looks like she's eating an invisible cookie - it's bizarre). My companion for the evening described her as wooden, which I think is fair. It's so obvious that she's trying to put on a big performance, which just doesn't work. Also, she fell out of the pirouettes through the hoops in Il Muto, which happened last time I saw her too. So… yeah, disappointing. I could've done without Meg in this show at all.

Miscellaneous 

(Phantom Program)

Another show with a full set of Ballet Girls (minus the swing). It is really interesting to see how it looks when everyone's on. In Masquerade, with all of them on, there's so much going on at once that it's hard to watch anyone. I do like the Ballet Girl Daisy Hulbert though (Blonde ballet girl, Triton Girl in Masquerade); gorgeous, effortless high kicks, beautiful developpes and penches, and some nice, realistic acting going on. And, as always, Layla Harrison is absolutely stunning. Beautiful dancing, beautiful emotion, nailing the pirouettes in Il Muto - can't wait to see her as Meg later! I'm so sad she's leaving - though I know she's off to do amazing things, it's really unfortunate as the show won't be the same without her - the BGs need someone with that grace and elegance in the front of everything.