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20 March 2024
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4****
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Traditional ballet at its most traditional and at its most sumptuous. Over the last few years it has been very difficult to ignore the sheer quality and class that Birmingham Royal Ballet exudes; a staple in the calendar of Theatre Royal Plymouth, their visits are met with great expectations and enthusiasm. Following the radical departure from the norm with the intriguing and rather wonderful ‘Black Sabbath Ballet’ we are back on less experimental ground with the 40th Anniversary of Sir Peter Wright’s production of ‘The Sleeping Beauty’.
The fairy story is played out in a fairly indulgent fashion, but against grand sets and a huge array of incredibly impressive costumes. The designs by Philip Prowse are so exquisite and at times it feels as if you are looking around an art gallery, packed full of the most beautiful period paintings.
Tchaikovsky’s score is certainly wonderful, though I confess it isn’t my favourite of his ballet works, but it is impeccably performed, as ever, by the Royal Ballet under conductor Paul Murphy and leader Robert Gibbs – I wish I could find the name of the harpist; her playing was sensational.
I have mentioned the BRB corps de ballet in reviews before and again they do not disappoint; the precision and teamwork is undeniably of tremendous quality. Mention especially for the male dancers who balance timing with height differences to make perfect synchronisation look so easy; it is not, and their athleticism and concentration is only to be highly admired. Throughout, the choreography of Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov and Peter Wright is enormously challenging – some of the pointe work makes your head spin – the execution is high level.
Céline Gittens certainly looks the part as Princess Aurora and dances well, though a number of times – not least in the hugely tricky Rose Adagio – she seemed unsteady and her fluid movements with the Princes became rather staccato. When he finally appears, Yasiel Hodelín Bello steals the production as Prince Florimund. He moves with the confidence of someone saying ‘I own this stage’; having joined BRB just last year from his native Cuba and still in his very early 20’s there is a very good chance that the future is bright for Bello, and one might well feel he is somewhat influenced by his compatriot, and BRB’s director, Carlos Acosta. Extremely impressive.
Throughout there are plenty of cameo performances which are a joy; the Pas de Quatre in Act 3 is a real treat from Rosanna Ely, Reina Fughigami, Gus Payne and Enrique Bejarano Vidal and Payne shines again as the fussy, camp, Gallison in Act 2.
The Sleeping Beauty is regarded as one of the great classical ballets, but the structure of it – a lengthy prologue and final celebratory third act – doesn’t allow for much chemistry between the Prince and Princess – emotions are not engaged as they are in other ballets. That said, you are unlikely to see a ballet performed with such style, elegance and mastery in the regions of the UK. Birmingham Royal Ballet continue to serve their audiences so well and long may it continue.
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Cast
King Florestan – Jonathan Payn
His Queen – Tori Forsyth-Hecken
Princess Aurora – Céline Gittens
Prince Florimund – Yasiel Hodelín Bello
Catalabutte – Rory Mackay
Carabosse – Daria Stanciulescu
The Lilac Fairy – Yu Kurihara
Eilis Small, Miles Gilliver, Tessa Hogge, Ryan Felix, Rachelle Pizzillo, Oscar Kempsey-Fagg, Reina Fuchigami, Enrique Bejarano Vidal, Beatrice Parma, Shuailun Wu, Lucy Waine, Mason King, Tom Hazelby, Gus Payne, Eric Pinto Cata, Javier Rojas, Hamish Scott, Alfie Shacklock, Olivia Chang Clarke, Rosanna Ely, Alisa Garkavenko, Hannah Martin, Matilde Rodrigues, Sophie Walters, Gabriel Anderson, Haoliang Feng, Callum Findlay-White, Ava May Llewellyn, Amelia Thompson.
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Creatives
Music – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreography – Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, Peter Wright
Production – Peter Wright
Designs – Philip Prowse
Lighting – Mark Jonathan – adapted by Johnny Westall-Eyre
Image – Tristram Kenton
Royal Ballet Sinfonia
Conductor – Paul Murphy
Leader – Robert Gibbs
