GISELLE. Two-act classical ballet. Choreography David Poole after Coralli and Perrot. Production Elizabeth Triegaardt. Assistant repetiteur Tracy Li. Lighting Faheem Bardien. Set co-ordination Charles Petersen. Presented by Cape Town City Ballet. Conducted by Graham Scott. The Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra is in attendance at certain performances. At Artscape Opera House until Sunday. SHEILA CHISHOLM reviews four casts.
GISELLE, since its premier by the Ballet du Theatre de l’Academie Royale de Musique in Paris in 1841 presenting Carlotta Grisi as Giselle, has tempted ballerinas of the ilk of Anna Pavlova, Margot Fonteyn, Carla Fracci, Sylvie Guillem and Natalia Osipova. On our own territory, starting in 1947 with Olive James, past Anton Dolin’s 1949 production at the Alhambra Theatre with Alicia Markova to Mavis Maastricht, Phyllis Spira, Nicolette Loxton, Tracy Li, Marianne Bauer and others, public focus is (usually) around “who is Giselle?” It would be wrong and unjustified to say the Albrechts were less important. But, to a degree, the danseur gets sidelined in favour of the danseuse dancing the title role.
That perception changed with Cape Town City Ballet’s (CTCB) Friday evening performance starring Royal Ballet guest artistes Federico Bonelli as Albrecht partnering Hikaru Kobayashi as Giselle. I cannot count how many times I danced in the ballet. Nor how many Giselle performances I have seen. But truthfully say I have no recollection of ever watching an Albrecht of Bonelli’s stature. From start to finish he gripped attention over and above everything else happening.
Undoubtedly it was unintentional to draw eyes away from Kobayashi. He is too gallant a partner for that. Neither did he hold one riveted because he is a handsome, beautifully trained dancer. Rather it was because he has superb acting skills, a magnetic spellbinding stage presence, who not for a second, did not use his technical prowess and body language to bring alive every emotional shading in this romantic tragedy.
Bonelli’s first entrance established his dominance. Following tradition he hid his cloak in the downstage cottage. However when reappearing with his sword, then deliberately unbuckling it to hide it; acknowledging the castle behind him and pointing to his ring finger his mime made it clear he was an engaged nobleman. He knew precisely why he was “playing” Giselle – the young peasant girl whose beauty aroused his passion.
By a look here. A gesture there, Bonelli’s intellectual approach to Albrecht’s character gave his first-act rare definition.
Kobayashi’s first-act Giselle also showed carefully thought through nuances. These, blending with her technical strength, musicality helped forward her interpretation of a shy, sheltered young girl deeply in love with Albrecht. She made obvious her fear of Hilarian (a menacing, rough and ready Xola Putye). As she did her awe meeting haughty Countess Bathilde (Janet Lindup), and overwhelming distress discovering Bathilde and Albrecht were engaged. Yet even in her “mad scene” eyes drifted towards Bonelli to watch his reactions. There were few dry eyes as he tenderly rocked his dead Giselle.
In act-two Kobayashi’s beautiful arabesque line, balance, elevation, and sensitive port de bras tied in with her “blank” expression spoke of a sprite rising above the grave to call up her earthly love to save the man who had betrayed her from the Wilis. Kobayashi and Bonelli’s partnership is built upon instinctively understanding each others technical and emotional needs. However once again it was Bonelli’s interpretation of the remorseful Albrecht and the condemned man that enthralled. He incorporated multi-pirouettes, swift double tours en l’air, double cabrioles, 24 entrechat six and signs of dying from fatigue into his characterisation. Altogether a cogent rendering for memory banks.
Saturday evening saw Laura Bosenberg and Thomas Thorne as Giselle and Albrecht. Well-matched technically, and growing together emotionally, their trust in each other carries well over the footlights. This gives their partnership special chemistry. Bosenberg made the most of this. Delicate, light as thistledown, and a fine actress she succeeded, where others often fail, in giving both acts equal value. This in spite of “openly” stating she prefers dancing the second-act for its romance, lyricism and unworldliness. Her Saturday evening performance also gets banked into memory banks.
Thorne’s Albrecht passed muster. However he needs to apply his intellect to present an Albrecht showing greater individuality, depth and meaning.
On Saturday afternoon Angela Hansford partnered by Daniel Szybkowski launched their debuts as Giselle and Albrecht. Both are assured, seasoned performers able to bring charm, freshness and emotional significance to their renderings. Time will give them confidence to stamp their own mark on this historic ballet.
So too Claire Spector and Jesse Milligan who I saw in their final dress rehearsal. Her lovely ethereal quality ran through Giselle as young peasant girl and Giselle as the Wili. As a competent partner and technician Milligan has the tools to craft an Albrecht of merit. But he too needs to give greater thought to Albrecht’s intentions towards Giselle in act-one.
Each performance viewed noted producer Elizabeth Triegaardt’s disciplined hand. As a repetiteur she has an exceptional knack of drawing the best from the entire corps de ballet (except, perhaps, for some “bunching” in the first-act).
Seen against Faheem Bardien’s eerily lit skeletal trees and tombstones backcloth, the Wili corps de ballet danced with superb co-ordination and “oneness.” Every head, arm and line were uniform – the beautiful pattern formed by 16 Wili’s hopping in arabesque criss-crossing the stage received spontaneous applause.
Kim Vieira, Jane Fidler and Rosamund Ford danced Myrtha – hard-hearted Queen of the Wilis. Although Vieira and Ford successfully managed the “dreaded” pas de bourrees couru, the promenade in arabesque leading into the penche arabesque and flew phantom-like through the air in their grand jetes en avant, grand jetes and en tournant and pose tours en manege, neither spun a strong enough spine-chilling atmosphere. Surprisingly for such an experienced performer, unaccustomed nervousness spoilt Fidler’s Myrtha. Neither did she generate a sense of pervading evil.
Back to the first-act and the peasant pas de deux. Coralli’s original version did not include this. It became incorporated when a certain Natalie Fitz-James pressurised her influential lover to have a pas inserted specially for her.
Coralli obliged and arranged the now famous peasant pas de deux which in this version becomes a pas de six. Here comment must be made about Revel Yon and Craig Pedro’s ballon (bounce). Their unbridled enthusiasm in their short variations brought an unexpected brightness. More of these lads in solos will be welcomed.
In the pivotal role of Hilarion Conrad Nusser treated him as a blunt, dishevelled individual.
Ivan Boonzaaier saw Hilarion as a gentle woodsman, trying to protect, not hurt Giselle when telling her the truth about Albrecht.
On Friday evening Graham Scott conducting the CPO produced some excellent orchestral playing, particularly from the oboist and wind section.
Don’t be disappointed. This worthwhile production is only on for a short season.
l Tickets: R100 – R350. Book: 0861 915 8000, or 021 421 7659 .