The cuddly swans traded in their head feathers for helmets and confiscated all of the hunting bows from Siegfried & friends. Now fierce huntresses for the Nymph, Sylvia, they leaped in a circle to celebrate the success of their hunt. Flexing their hunting bows, they grand jete’d left, grand jete’d right, fouette’d, and shook their fists like the Helen Reddy Brigade. There were beautiful blue Fauns, Dryads, Naiads, Sylvans, and Peasants who danced with gigantic shovels, hoes, rakes and wheelbarrows. They didn’t just carry or push these props around, they danced Ashton’s insanely complicated this-way, that-way, beat front, beat back, reverse-reverse again choreography that incorporated the props into the movement. Holy moly, how did he ever come up with this stuff?! Add goats. Really, really cute goats. Little Blue Goat Simkin and Little White Goat Lane shook their tails so well that they got a reprieve from being made dinner. Last night ABT paid tribute to Clive Barnes by dedicating the evening’s performance of Frederick Aston’s Sylvia to his memory. In a 2005 review of ABT’s revival of this production, Barnes wrote, “As someone who reviewed the ballet's first night at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, on September 3, 1952, and whose wife danced in it, I can vouch for the revival's almost unexpected authenticity.” He concluded his review by complimenting Paloma Herrera and Angel Corella for having “danced and acted with just the poetic lyricism and contrasting brilliance Ashton's choreography thrives on.”
Last night’s Sylvia was again Paloma Herrera. This year, her Aminta was Marcelo Gomes. Both were superb and clearly enjoyed the challenges of Ashton's genius. Alexandre Hammoudi as Orion and Arron Scott as Eros were handed big opportunities and scored well. Kristi Boone in the limited role of Diana looked like a million dollars in her leopard hunting outfit. Does she at least get to keep the clothes?
All in all a terrific performance with glorious music. No big drama. No opportunity for sniffles. Just lots and lots of brilliant, happy dancing and a cute myth.
Copyright © 2009
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