Swan Lake tribute to dance icon
Swan Lake, Royal New Zealand Ballet, St James Theatre, May 1.
Turid Revfeim describes the tutus worn by dancers at the centre of The Royal New Zealand Ballet’s production of Swan Lake: “The original swan costumes were not just plain white but mother of pearl, with shimmering hues of pale blue and silver, like droplets of water reflected in the moonlight.”
Her words capture one small, yet at the same time expansive detail, in a production that is a confluence of finest artistry.
Revfeim has been charged with restaging this fifth iteration, the first in 1996, of Russell Kerr’s Swan Lake. She has done him proud.
Kerr passed in 2022. He was a monumental figure in New Zealand dance, renowned for his meticulous and compassionate work. This is a fitting tribute to his legacy, acknowledging his long association with the company and the enduring contribution he made to the artistic momentum of dance in Aotearoa.
Kerr was an intensely musical choreographer and in his Swan Lake he succeeds in making ‘’the music visible’’ (his own words) in Acts I and III by extending and developing scenes after the original choreography of Marius Petipa. But he stays true to the choreographic genius of Lev Ivanov in the famous ‘’white acts’’. They shimmer and remain a breathtaking testament to the dramatic power of the corps de ballet to augment the soloists and then become a living entity in their own right. The women of the company are sublime in their selfless unison.
Swan Lake is a historic jewel in the classical ballet canon, springing forth from 19th century Imperialist Russia. A romantic tragedy on a grand scale that orbits around the notion that love can overcome all obstacles and in the end good will overcome evil. It requires that the audience identify with the plight of the central lovers, Odette, a maiden cursed by the evil Rothbart to exist between the realm of swan and human, and Siegfried, a melancholic prince searching for love.
Mayu Tanigaito and Laurynas Vėjalis have an enduring partnership, they bring a deeply nuanced interpretation to their role as lovers. Tenderly they articulate their emotions through perfect lifts, soaring leaps, beautiful arabesques, lyrical curves, delicate gestures and flutters.
They are achingly believable in their mutual enchantment. A hush descends on the audience, in the silence and stillness between steps – all possibility exists.
In Act III Tanigaito sizzles with malevolently seductive – fouetté rond de jambes, jewels glittering – pyrotechnics as Odile. She leads the way in a company of generous performers. It is a privilege to experience the calibre of her artistry.
Branden Reiners swoops, connives and struts as the perfect villain in Rothbart whilst Shaun James Kelly levitates with agile mischievousness.
The soloists enhance the imaginative world created on stage: a precise Pas de Trois in Act I from Catarina Estévez Collins, Kihiro Kusukami and Katherine Minor; a crisp performance of the iconic Cygnets from Tessa Karle Cadence Barrack, Monet Galea-Hewitt and Catarina Estévez Collins; elegance from Ana Gallardo Lobaina Kirby Selchow as the Big Swans and spirited variations from all in Act III.
Under the baton of Hamish McKeich the New Symphony Orchestra weaves a sonorous web. Their musicianship adds richly to the experience as they play the resonant horns, arching strings, delicate harp trills and mournful oboe theme of Tchaikovsky’s rich score.
The costumes, along with the opulent and inventive sets by visionary Kristian Fredrikson, have been lovingly restored by skilled costume and design department. His intention remains sublime, an amalgamation of gothic darkness and renaissance splendour. It is brought vibrantly to life by lighting designer Jon Buswell.
This production of Swan Lake is a moving tribute to a New Zealand dance icon and the history of dance in this country. It is a testament to the enduring power of classical ballet and the heart that beats within the New Zealand Ballet company to keep it alive.