Without question, the most durable classic in the National Ballet of Canada's repertoire is the Rudolf Nureyev production of Sleeping Beauty, which was originally set on the company by Nureyev in 1972 and is currently on stage for what must be its umpty-leventh revival.
This situation is not unique to the National Ballet of Canada! In fact, any ballet company, anywhere in the world, with any pretensions to classic ballet style, must include productions of the three great Tchaikovsky/Petipa ballets in their repertoires. The Nureyev version, though, is in a class by itself since it was created by a dancer-choreographer who had direct experience with the work in Russia -- where his coaches had direct experience reaching in an unbroken line back to Marius Petipa himself, the choreographer of the very first staging.
As a result, this particular Sleeping Beauty is indeed a museum piece, in both the best and the worst senses of that term.
Take the worst first. The original costumes and sets were designed by Nicholas Georgiadis and were incredibly sumptuous (and expensive) in 1972. Although they have been refurbished over the years, the dated style is really beginning to lay a heavy dead hand on the production as a whole. Nowhere is this more true than in the final act where the yellow/orange/brown palette of colours looks like nothing so much as an autumn forest getting ready to shed its leaves -- not exactly the association one wants with Princess Aurora's joyful wedding scene. Even if the choreography and staging are left untouched, I for one feel it is long past time that the visual look of this production were updated -- no, make that "totally changed".
And I would like to preserve the choreography untouched, because it is nothing short of masterly. Petipa's reputation as the greatest choreographer of his day rested on firm foundations -- it certainly wasn't just good press agentry! Nureyev's adaptive solutions are equally strong, and give the ballet a balance between male and female roles that was undoubtedly lacking in the original. The ballet presents a whole range of high-level challenges to the dancers, with steps often going in the exact opposite direction to where one conventionally might expect. Sudden stops and turn-on-a-dime moments abound. And all of the choreography -- all of it, whether Petipa or Nureyev -- is intensely musical, and matched with near-perfection to Tchaikovsky's magnificent score.
For me, the music is the heartbeat of this ballet. Some ballet scores are eminently forgettable, and many others (especially among modern dance works) use music which has an independent life beyond its use in the dance theatre. But Tchaikovsky's score for Sleeping Beauty is the epitome of music specifically composed for and ideally suited to the dance. There is not one single superfluous bar in the entire score. Ballet Master Lindsay Fischer, in his pre-show talk, referred to Tchaikovsky's music as "this marvellous symphony", and so indeed it is. Famous prima ballerina Margot Fonteyn once remarked: "Some passages are so light and precise one would think they were produced by hummingbirds' wings." I heartily second both of those descriptions.
The sheer scope and high quality of every note of the music is the reason why I cringe during a live performance at the spots where either Nureyev or Petipa has seen fit to "rearrange" the music, shifting numbers from one place to another. Once, just once, I would like to see a choreographer mount a version of Sleeping Beauty using the exact full original score, as composed, with the numbers following on from one to another in their original order. I say that because Tchaikovsky's score is completely masterful in its use of subtle key changes, contrasts of instrumentation, and shifts of the musical character from one number to the next. But alas -- probably for all time I shall be forced to cringe. And then, after each performance, my first impulse will be to run home and put on my recording of the complete, uncut and unaltered original score.
(It could be worse. In Swan Lake, Petipa actually introduced pieces by other inferior composers as well as butchering Tchaikovsky's original score!)
So, to the performance. There is no ballet as important as Sleeping Beauty for making us all appreciate what an incredible asset the National Ballet has in its full-time orchestra. This is not just a question of having bodies in the pit sawing, tooting, or tinkling. The National Ballet Orchestra is definitely of a quality to stand comparison with the finest opera and ballet orchestras in the world. And music director David Briskin has the full measure of Tchaikovsky's opulent score from start to finish.
The leading male role of Prince Florimund was danced by Naoya Ebe -- one of three dancers making his debut in the role during this run. The hallmark of the Nureyev version is the significant number of solos given to the Prince -- and these are famous for their flashy virtuoso character. Central to the role, though, is his beautiful introspective solo in Act II, conveying his loneliness and dissatisfaction with his present life and his court. Ebe's technical precision in the high-energy moments is nothing short of breathtaking. No doubt with more experience of the part he will grow more into the deeper, more emotional side of the character.
Princess Aurora was danced by Jillian Vanstone. She displayed impressive control in the fiendish slow-motion of the famous Rose Adagio. More memorable still to me her portrayal of the playful young girl throughout Act I, compounded of equal parts joy and mischief, and plainly shown in every step and every facial expression. Vanstone equally captured the flowering into womanhood that marks the role in the final act.
The partnership of these two worked wonderfully. Their grand adagio in the Act III pas de deux was a thing of beauty, and never have I seen the final pose unfold more gently and naturally, coming across for once as an integral part of the dance and not simply as a showstopping gymnastic feat.
Among the other women's roles, I was especially impressed by Hannah Fischer (another role debut) as the Principal Fairy who dances the sixth variation in the Prologue, and by Rui Huang as a notably sassy, smirking Pussycat.
Stephanie Hutchison and Nan Wang both did fine work in the Diamond Variation in Act III.
Kota Sato made an impressive role debut as the Bluebird. Here's another fine dancer that I will look forward to seeing grow into the role with more experience. Emma Hawes, also making her role debut, partnered him effectively as Princess Florine.
Typically you come away from a performance of Sleeping Beauty thinking of the work of the principal couple, and perhaps of the Bluebird. I had a different reaction this time. For once, I'm remembering the show as very much the sum of its parts, set with many excellent performances, but all working together to create the whole artistic world of Petipa/Nureyev/Tchaikovsky in its fullness.
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