Dancers animate BALLET
National Ballet of Canada stages production based on classic Russian novel with three ballerinas sharing the title role
Rex Harrington is casually strolling the halls, singing Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” at the National Ballet of Canada as three of its biggest stars — principal dancers Svetlana Lunkina, Heather Ogden and Sonia Rodriguez — arrive in a boardroom at the company’s Queens Quay headquarters.
Today’s topic of discussion: “Anna Karenina,” the iconic title role of which will be danced by all three women in the National Ballet’s adaptation of the seminal Russian novel.
“We are all different individuals so it is fun to see,” says Rodriguez of their triple take on literature’s tragic Russian heroine.
The adaptation of Tolstoy’s 1878 epic about a countess swept into an adulterous affair with a cavalry officer has been choreographed by John Neumeier, the director and chief choreographer of the Hamburg Ballet.
It’s the latest of his renowned balletic literary adaptations, including “A Streetcar Named Desire,” “The Seagull” and many of Shakespeare’s great works, including “Othello” and “Romeo and Juliet.”
Neumeier spent a week in Toronto sharing his unique vision with the cast. “Probably more than any other choreographer that I’ve worked with, when he choreographs, every step comes from an emotional place,” Rodriguez says.
For the first time, the three Annas assembled to talk about the gruelling emotion of the ballet, the physical demands of making it through a three-hour performance and how they brought a piece of themselves to one of literature’s most famous heroines.
What did John Neumeier bring to the rehearsal process that shaped the ballet?
Heather Ogden: “It’s amazing to work with a living choreographer because he can explain the intention behind the steps. He was able to vocalize the story behind the steps.” Svetlana Lunkina: “Suddenly he is
changing steps, because he sees you. With every cast it’s very unique.”
And it’s so interesting that the three of you will share the role, because each audience will have a different experience.
Sonia Rodriguez: “We get to see each other. Sometimes you notice things you haven’t thought about and maybe it’s still not for you, but you see it and you’re like, ‘That’s so cool.’ For example, how we all interact with our Vronsky (Anna’s lover), especially in the first meeting, is quite different. Because we are very different women.
“Our relationship with our partners is very different and that creates a different energy. You can’t fake that. Our flirtations are very different. One of us might be more shy and hesitant, the other might be more free.” Is this ballet a love story? Lunkina: “It’s a life story.”
Rodriguez: “There are love stories, more than one, in the book. I think it’s more a study on what’s right and what’s wrong in society.”
Ogden: “The difference between what’s acceptable for men versus what’s acceptable for women. The path that Anna goes down, she really follows her heart. There is a love story there, but it’s so unaccepted. It’s a big decision and a big leap for her, because there is no net for her there.”
Have you found that through working on the piece that you have developed more empathy for Anna?
Ogden: “I have. One thing that’s hard in the story is you know she leaves her husband, which also means leaving her son. We are all mothers here, so the idea of that at first, you could never do it.”
Lunkina: “We can’t judge other people. I’m trying to understand her every second, every moment. Anna for me is very special. She is me inside somehow.”
How physically demanding is this ballet?
Rodriguez: “It’s a three-hour production and we are on for most of it. I think it’s just the stamina of putting everything together and going through that emotional roller-coaster.
“The book is so long and there is so much information. John wanted (the ballet) to be quite fast-paced. There are a lot of scene changes. And it happens quite quickly. “As a dancer we go through a lot of emotional states really quickly. You are in a happy, flirtatious moment and it changes to being a mother playing with her kid and immediately into a seductive scene. There is no time to work into that state. There is literally a blackout and lights and you are a different person.” What have you noticed in your fellow Annas’ performances that you thought was really amazing? Lunkina:
“That’s a hard question!”
Rodriguez: “I need to see the whole thing from beginning to end!”
Ogden: “We haven’t done a full runthrough yet. One thing that has been really nice is that we learned the production together. So it’s been a really nice atmosphere with the three of us being able to help each other. And to have it be a fun process. We all feel that it’s very special.”
Anna Karenina runs Nov. 10 to 18 at the Four Seasons Centre for the
Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. See national.ballet.ca for information.