Cast cope well with challenging ballet art
COPPÉLIA, which premiered in Paris in 1870, is one of the few surviving 19th century French ballets.
Much is due to the delightful scenario built on ETA Hoffmann’s Der Sandmann and Die Puppe which choreographer Arthur Saint-Léon transposed into one of the first ballets based on dolls “coming to life”.
But much is also due to Leo Delibes’s light, lively and melodic music.
Sprinkled as it is with a mazurka, czardas, waltzes and graphic tunes, it certainly is inspirational to dance to. It also carries the audience along as humorous mime and choreography unfold action.
Which made it all the more disappointing to see CTCB’s corps de ballet not at their best. In Swanilda’s Friends, Mazurka, Czardas and Waltz of the Hours they seemed tired, untidy, under-rehearsed, and poorly spaced.
Neither did Robin van Wyk’s choreography for the third act’s Waltz of the Hours, Dawn and Prayer, do much to the theme’s development as they seemed unrelated series of purposeless enchainment.
Particularly unsatisfactory was Prayer. Often taken as a solo, Van Wyk choreographed it as a pas de deux danced, at this performance, by Angela Hansford and Xola Putye.
In 6/8 time this is the most sensitive music in the ballet.
A fact Van Wyk overlooked by giving Hansford and Putye energetic pirouettes, as well as complicated shoulder “lifts”. His scant tribute to Prayer’s solemnity had Hansford’s hands seldom coming together in Renaissance painter Albrecht Dürer’s famous Praying Hands position.
That said, Celeste George and Craig Pedro made a sparkling couple in the Betrothal pas de deux.
And Mariette Opperman (despite a small hiccup at the end of her variation) coped extremely well with, speedy, intricate “Highland Fling” footwork as the Scottish Doll.
In Coppélia, mime plays an important part.
If unclearly acted, the ballet makes no sense. Fortunately, the three main protagonists – Swanilda (Laura Bosenberg), Franz (Thomas Thorne) and toy maker Dr Coppélius (Johnny Bovang) were well schooled. Although many of the gestures are not often seen, the trio’s “sign language” told the comedy well.
Dr Coppélius is a part where exaggeration and overacting is permissible. A role Bovang made his own – clearly enjoying being “over the top”.
Once again Bosenberg showed what an ideal soubrette she is. Technically well equipped, she was at her best impersonating Coppélia with her “walkie-talkie” doll-like movements teasing Dr Coppélius.
Apart from the first-act “ear of wheat” and third-act wedding pas de deux, Thorne has more mime than dancing to do. But while he partnered Bosenberg with his usual confidence when performing solo, this long-limbed young man appeared cramped on the smallish theatre stage.
Yet, despite some production and choreographic faults, Coppélia is colourful, enjoyable holiday fare for all the family.
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