"Sleeping Beauty": Première, Vienna State Ballet, October 24th, 2022 (Dornröschen, Wiener Staatsballett)

Oct 25

Oct 25 "Sleeping Beauty": Première, Vienna State Ballet, October 24th, 2022 (Dornröschen, Wiener Staatsballett)

Martin Schläpfer's „Sleeping Beauty" Première: A costly failure. A long evening filled with misconception.

Today, ballet companies around the world generally edit the score of "Sleeping Beauty". Average stagings are approximately about 2 hours and 50 minutes, including two intervals. Yesterday's performance, because of the added music lasted exactly 3 and 35 minutes (this not including curtain calls)

There were rumours of difficulties during the production period, especially about the lateness of the choreographic work, which was supposedly far from ready just some weeks prior to the première. This was spread around the ballet circles in Vienna. But rumours are rumours. One should not listen to them. What matters is that we have once more seen a production with the same professional and creative level like all the other ones we had to get accustomed to for the last two years, since Manuel Legris' departure from the company.

Some four years ago, in another attempt to give a new reading to „Swan Lake", a well-known German critic described Mr Schläpfer's work in Düsseldorf as „terribly provincial" (Note, in German: Tiefste Provinz. Provinz mit Geld).

This new production made me remember many aspects that were logically described in the above mentioned critique. Especially the phrase in which it was said that nobody needed a new version of „Swan Lake". After all these years, there is only one question: Has the Vienna State Ballet turned into a copy or a branch of the provincial „Oper am Rhein" and/or „Staatstheater Mainz"? Audience's reactions (and Boo-shouting at the end of the performance) yesterday prove how unsuitable this work is for a State Opera of an European Capital.

Copyright: Vienna State Ballet / Ashley Taylor

There is not much point in giving a new reading of a story ballet which is known throughout the world since 1890. Unless you are as talented as Matthew Bourne and transforms „Lake" into a completely new story – using the original score. Just to add bits and thoughts which are unnecessary to „tell a story" while nothing completely new is being created is not what a choreographer should want. It just proves how comfortable attitudes can be. And not prepared to risk much. Last night's „Sleeping Beauty" proves that. It was definitely not what one could call a new creation.

Dramaturgical layers were added to the story (Chief Dramaturg is Miss Anne do Paco). Layers that sometimes contributed with so much information that it felt like „too much". Layers that are absolutely superfluous, repetitious and redundant for the story-telling line as, for example the Queen's regrets for giving the crown away, the „humanization" of a creature of Evil, which denounces too much of a kind of „Disney-attitude" for my taste, the newly created woman in the wood and the faun (who replaced the old man in Perrault's narrative), etc..

Perhaps, I would have rather liked to see something totally new, not using the Tchaikovsky score, than an attempt to tamper with a Ballet that has been already proved effective. But the name Tchaikovsky brings the public to the Opera, doesn't it? And with the bad occupancy rate, no names and the non-profitable evenings, a certain „magnet" is necessary to attract the public.

And, of course, good and inventive choreography would be needed. This is conditio sine qua non. Note: But please no “Tanztheater” as so many began to do in Germany since Miss Bausch, as Germany has never had a really spontaneous dance scene. Everything turns around “trends”.

Why does this have to happen with Ballet/Dance? We do not go around adding bikinis to the Botticelli's paintings, inserting modern passages to Shakespeare Sonnets, repainting in bright colours the Rodin's statues and adapting Stravinsky to heavy metals for a Rock concert. Why not create something REALLY new? I ask you this.

Olga Esina, one of evening's Highlights (even though I disagree with the conception and the focus given to the Queen and King choreographically, a fact that practically turned Aurora and Prince Désiré into supporting players), that through her refined looks makes us completely believe her while wearing the best costumes of the evening. Stage presence at its best.

Special praise to Ioanna Avraam, a „last minute" replacement for the Première, and what a lucky replacement. Her Lilac Fairy „flows" and gives us the feeling of suavity, goodness, calm, apart from the fact that it felt as if she had been dancing this part for ages. Steadfast, secure, honest and technically splendid.

Brendan Saye, giving his debùt at the Vienna State Opera, the former principal of The National Ballet of Canada, conquered the audience. Majestic presence, good looks, interpretation skills, and the clean technique that suits perfectly a Danseur Noble. I am looking forward to the continuation of his career in Vienna (particularly if there will be enough roles worth of this gifted dancer) and cannot help but being curious if he'll partner Olga Esina. Height and looks would match perfectly (At the end of yesterday's performance I felt nearly sad that the Queen did not divorce the King and ran away with her daughter's fiancée - just a good humoured little joke)

Hyo-Jung Kang had big trouble not only turning but also with her balance; an essential „acessoire", a crucial requirement for the few Petipa moments – let's say 20% of the whole Ballet - that were left in the production. She tends to use a quite inflated torso, something that was quite obvious in „Onegin" and is quite „the norm" in Stuttgart. Its use was originated by Marcia Haydée and somehow became part of Cranko's work. It does not suit every Ballerina, and especially not the ones that have good proportioned figures like Miss Jung Kang and don't have to get hold of this „trick" to gain Balance, compensating other areas of the body.

Davide Dato and Kyioka Hashimoto – shining as she hadn't since the end of Manuel Legris' era – brought the house down as The Blue Bird and Princess Florine. A moment of true excitement, even though extremely strenuous for the male dancer, that had not only to do with virtuosity but with the knowledge of how to present themselves. Presence. Highly international level.

Also to mention is Jackson Carroll for his lively and zestful display of Catalabutte.

At the End of the third act, a nice and refreshing surprise to the audience: finishing the Mazurka, Céline Janou Weder in a marvelously dynamic solo. This is something that I really enjoy on Mr Schläpfer's work: his constant use of members of the Corps de Ballet – and especially in this case, using one the most talented and versatile dancers from the Ensemble; one that feels equally at home while on her toes or doing modern and Contemporary.

The visual conception of Carabosse intrigued me: aren't creatures of the evil supposed to be beautiful and alluring? Just like this they can attract: Just think of the „fallen angel", Lucifer. And even other conceptions of Carabosse, even if they are sometimes called „Maleficent" (With the exception of Marcia Haydée's Carabosse for the Stuttgarter Ballet, that looked more as a revenge to her estranged ex-husband, who played her). To be quite frank: A costume that looks more as if it had come from a H&M hanging rail and uncovered arms, will not do it.

This time, there was a bit more colour (even if the costumes are quite questionable) and light on stage even though the lowest third of the backstage is black. Still, everything worked out a bit more brighter, a bit, during the first and last acts. During the second act we were back to gloominess and scarce lights that are so typical, nearly a registered mark, of Mr Schläfer’s work.

The inserted music at the end of Act II slows down the dynamic of the play, is too long and gave us more the feeling of being more of an excuse or a “vehicle” to Miss Kato and her repetitious floor manoeuvres displayed in every show than essential to the story line. More of a piece within a piece than a continuation of the Story-telling that really reduced the dramaturgical awareness of the audience.

Not a pleasant evening. It was clear that the booing coming from the audience confirmed this. This is not an opinion but a fact!

All in all, I can just add that to meddle with the classics, one has to have a profound Knowledge of the work one is dealing with and most of all, unconditional, unselfish love and respect for what one is trying to reach and present. No egocentrism required.

Wouldn't it have been wiser, and I mean this financially and artistically, to have just a revival of Sir Peter Wright's (with much more Petipa) famous and celebrated„Sleeping Beauty" (and all those gorgeous and expensive costumes), that is anyway in the repertoire of the State Ballet? (Nureyev’s version is since 1991 not anymore in the repertoire). Or we don’t have anymore a capable company for doing that? Just a thought… I'll leave you with that.

Ricardo Leitner

October 25th, 2022