DON QUIXOTE. Production and Direction Liane Lurie. Music Leon Minkus, arranged and orchestrated by Dr Michael-John Sheehan and Graham Scott. Lighting Shamiel Abrahams. Set Co-Ordinator Charles Petersen. Brandon Phillips conducted the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra. Presented by Cape Town City Ballet. At Artscape Opera House until 29 October.
SHEILA CHISHOLM reviews three cast changes
When a familiar ballet is given a ‘facelift,’ the question arises, will it be successful as some facelifts, are or some facelifts aren’t? Answer to Liane Lurie’s Don Quixote lies somewhere between the two. Under Brandon Phillips’ increasing confidence as a ballet conductor, the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra played Dr Michael-John Sheehan and Graham Scott’s excellent reworking of Leon Minkus’s score.
To this, Lurie has successfully rearranged scenes; condensed the ballet; enlarged principals roles; introduced an Escamillo like character in sexy Espada (Marc Goldberg, Craig Pedro, Martin Milner); Toreadors; Eros (Tusile Tenza, Martin Milner, Stephen Underwood); three cheeky young lads (Gabriel Titus Ahrens, Christiaan Brandt, Jack Kroukamp) and lifted the dreary Dryad scene into an enchanting one.
Performed with elegance
Here, 12 women in charming floral tutus, against Shamiel Abrahms’ beautifully lit fairyland backdrop, were choreographed poses en attitude, jetes (petit et grand), and courus leading into attractive patterns. Lurie’s ‘golden tutu’ Dyad Queens (Hannah Ward, Claire Spector and Kirstel Jensen) performed with the elegance that’s expected from these graceful dancers. Yet each stamped their own personality into the part… Ward and Jensen successfully managing the dreaded “grand fouette releve into attitude” series.
The story follows Don Quixote (Johnny Bovang) who, mounted on his tatty stead, Rocinante, rides off to search for Dulcinea, and the adventures he (and squired by ragamuffin Sancha Panza), experience (Jordan Roelfze, Underwood, Tenza). As Dulcinea never features, the connection between her and Kitri is nebulous. As is Bovang’s Don Quixote interpretation.
Good characterisations from some soloists
For an experienced character actor Bovang seemed unable to decide the Don’s age. One minute Bovang tottered on elderly arthritic lower limbs. Next he walked normally. While throughout, his upper limb gestures showed no sign of age. For a ballet named after this Spanish hidalgo, Bovang’s interpretation and make-up needs more careful thought before being successful.
However, Lurie’s direction brought out good characterisations from other soloists. Best characterisation belonged to Mervyn Williams as foppish Gamache. His interpretation is a humorous masterpiece.
Ideal soubrette qualities
All three Kitri’s (Mariette Opperman, Cleo Ames, Leanne Theunissen) possess ideal soubrette qualities. Each, in their own way, portrayed charm, youth, sauciness, agility, a sense of the dramatic as well as the comic. Opperman’s technical strength is her strength.
However, a serious company fault – is their inability to complete a series of pirouettes or tours en l’air without losing balance. Thomas Thorne, Martin Milner and Conrad Nusser are exceptions. But this is a long-standing problem that in a professional company shouldn’t exist.
As Gypsy King and Basilio, Xola Putye showed signs of recovering his once exciting technique. Unfortunately, although he and Theunissen blend well and he’s a competent partner, as Basilio, a clumsiness crept into his technical performance. Nusser’s height doesn’t deter him from leaping like a gazelle, and his Basilio to Ames’s Kitri delighted.
Replacing injured Daniel Szybkowski, Thomas Thorne partnered Opperman. In this, his penultimate performance before retiring, all one can say is Bravo! He, danced, acted and lived Basilio superbly and his presence with CTCB is going to be sorely missed.
A “new” ballet always requires tweaking. Lurie’s version is no exception. Doubtless she knows where these must be done, so that in time her Don Quixote version will become a snappy, joyful ballet.
What: Don Quixote
Who: Presented by Cape Town City Ballet (CTCB)
Where: Artscape Opera House, Cape Town until 29 October, 2017
Book tickets: www.computicket.co.za or 021 421 7695
WS
