Sarah Lane's performance Wednesday afternoon in ABT's Sleeping Beauty was so remarkable that it proved a centuries old proverb wrong. Apparently, some artists are talented enough to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Was this really Sleeping Beauty or was it that other fairy tale that involves spinning gold out of straw? As soon as the curtain came down, Haglund was ready to see it all again.
This production is hard to take from the git-go. The original bad idea of trying to make this ballet appeal to 21st century kids who are accustomed to bright video entertainment by mimicking the abrasive and overdone color schemes of computer games was devised by a staging team none of whom had kids. Though some improvements have been made, the production is still such a mishmash of ideas that the whole thing feels like a trip down a Target aisle. But today, the dancing by the artists on stage was so brilliant that it muted the production's deficiencies.
When Sarah Lane first appeared at the top of the staircase and then descended the steps to perform Aurora's variations and the Rose Adagio in Act I, all the reasons that so many give for loving this artist were revealed. Tiny and dark-haired with big blue eyes, her physical beauty instantly commands attention. Her technique is as reliable as any ballerina on the stage today, and at this performance of Sleeping Beauty, her ability to sweep the audience into the story was the best we've seen since this production arrived in 2007. Today, her Aurora shown more brightly than any of the guest dancers who have been imported over the past five years to dance the role instead of giving Sarah the opportunity to build on her huge Met debut success in 2008. More brightly than Cojocaru. More brightly than Owhimpova.
At the outset when Aurora's suitors appeared before the King and Queen, each arrived with such authority that we suddenly sensed that we were in the midst of a special performance. Blaine Hoven, Sterling Baca, Eric Tamm, and Roddy Doble marched in with their S.B. Special Forces mission of making certain that the Rose Adagio went off without a hitch. They seemingly knew what we were about to learn – Sarah Lane was of the mind to give an ass-kicking performance. Throughout the adagio, each of the suitors, who rarely dance with Sarah, partnered her admirably, especially in the pirouettes and supported attitudes. This becomes important to note, because Daniil Simkin, who performed Prince Desire and has regularly danced with Sarah for the last five years, later fumbled with her in basic pirouettes and fish dives.
The most iconic moments of the Rose Adagio are the two sets of balances en attitude, the last of which are executed along with promenades escorted by the S.B. Special Forces team members. Sarah eagerly grabbed the first balance signaling her determination, confidence, and poise. At one point during the series, she paused to recalibrate her balance but it never appeared that her mission was in trouble. Once completed, the Special Forces suitors beamed with pride. Let's hope that Sleeping Beauty bought them all a beer after the show.
But the balances were only a part of Sarah's glistening and musically sensitive performance. She committed herself to triple pirouettes throughout her variations and jumped with the ease of a gazelle. As tiny as Sarah might be, she used her port de bras to present herself as a much larger and significant presence on stage. Aurora's excitement at the birthday party, her sudden collapse after pricking herself with the spindle, her spirituality during the Vision Scene, and her love for Prince Desire in Act III were all portrayed with polished detail.
Stella Abrera's Lilac Fairy was authoritative, benevolent, and full of grace. Clearly the experienced ballerina who should have been cast as Sleeping Beauty on Tuesday night and who would have prevented the widely reported colossal failure that was delivered by Hee Seo, Stella was visibly thrilled with the statement being made on stage by Sarah Lane. Her fairy's Vaganova-expansive port de bras calmed the kingdom and her long beautiful legs and tapered feet swept through releve arabesque fouettes like a calm breeze on summer's most beautiful day – which it may well have been for ABT's season. From her initial aerial entrance atop two fairy knights to her final entrance directly through the bright sun in the apotheosis, Stella made a significant statement of her own artistry and that she can rise above the cruelty and nonsense that McKenzie employs to keep her from dancing the leading roles that she deserves and we deserve to see her perform. What a tragic, horrible loss to ABT that this artist is so wasted.
Daniil Simkin as Prince Desire managed his own technical matters efficiently without the customary circus antics. He showed plenty of refinement and employed good mime. There was something different about the quality of his Prince Desire that was appealing, but Haglund can't quite put his finger on it. Maybe it was that he had thoroughly learned the role earlier this year at the Royal Swedish Ballet where McKenzie couldn't interfere in someone's good taste. As noted, though, the partnering is still a problem that cannot be attributed to Daniil's short stature since Herman Cornejo, who is shorter, is able to accomplish fish dives, support his ballerina's pirouettes, and keep her on her plumb line for arabesques. The one question that remained unanswered throughout the performance was why Sleeping Beauty would choose this particular prince over any of the other suitors who partnered her so well.
The Bluebird and Princess Florine variations were in the expert care of Jared Matthews and Yuriko Kajiya. Jared's brise voles were crisp, clear, and silent, and he looked good in the costume. Yuriko was truly bird-like and found places in the music for some lovely balances.
Sarah's resounding success must have been as humiliating for McKenzie, who was cowering in the back of the company's parterre box, as Hee Seo's failure the night before. His practice of promoting the wrong dancers in roles and to principal status because he is fond of the shapes of their legs while denying better dancers within the ranks their deserved opportunities could not have been thrown back in his face with any more force than it was on Wednesday afternoon. Sarah Lane gave us a world class Sleeping Beauty performance, again, and it was an honor to have been there. She deserves so much more respect than she is currently getting from ABT.
This magnificent Yves Saint Laurent rose Pump Bump Award is bestowed upon Sarah Lane for her wondrous Aurora. Let's hope we don't have to wait another five years to see it again or wait any longer to see her Odette.
Thanks, Haglund. This was a joy to read.
Posted by: J | July 04, 2013 at 01:09 PM
ITA with everything you say about this performance, Haglund. It was one of the most wonderful ballet experiences I've ever had. I could have seen it again too. Both Sarah and Stella are world-class ballerinas, who should be at the top of the principal roster, not relegated to that euphemistic "flagship soloist" status.
You know the fireworks that will be displaying tonight? When I watch them, I will not be thinking of the fourth of July; for me they will be celebrating the sensational performances yesterday afternoon of these two extraordinary ballerinas.
Posted by: Angelica Smith | July 04, 2013 at 01:43 PM
Oh, man, how I wish I had seen this performance. I have long hoped to see Sarah do a really meaty role. I just wish they'd pair her with Cornejo. Simkin's partnering makes me sweat with nerves. Thanks for this great review which makes me feel like I was there!
Posted by: Ellie | July 04, 2013 at 01:52 PM
Hi Haglund,
I was there, too, for yesterday's matinee. Sarah was sublime. It was one of those performances that will stick in your mind forever. Wonderful!!
A five-year wait to dance Princess Aurora again... that's really nuts!! Here's an interesting interview with Sarah where she talks about what it was like to wait those five years and essentially have to start over again from scratch in recreating the role.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-blackmore-Dobbyn/sarah-lane-all-american-b_b_3516831.html
I was at yesterday's evening performance as well. I know you're not crazy about that ballerina from San Francisco Ballet, but she and Herman--especially Herman--were great.
I’ve always liked Herman but felt that he was underappreciated. Thankfully, he has a great season this year… a breakthrough season of sorts. Herman just keeps getting better and better with age.
Posted by: B | July 04, 2013 at 02:31 PM
Thanks for the link, B. The interview is somewhat revealing about the artistic staffing woes at ABT. Sarah's comment "Irina (Kolpakova) can't coach every single ballerina in the company" pretty much sums up the huge problem of not having enough highly qualified artistic coaches. They're spending their money are imported guest dancers instead of building from within. It's a little like the captain of a ship that is taking on water who spends all of his time mopping up the water instead of trying to plug the leak. There's no sense to that.
Posted by: Haglund | July 05, 2013 at 12:06 AM
It seems that more and more ABT dancers are starting to speak out.
Everyone is raving about Sarah's performance on Wednesday. It's time to give her a promotion. She has earned it.
Gosh, I hope she doesn't have to wait another five years to dance the lead in Sleeping Beauty!
Posted by: B | July 05, 2013 at 12:23 AM
Yes, they are speaking out diplomatically. You may recall Hallberg's comments in the May 2012 issue of Dance Magazine in reference to his coach at the Bolshoi, "that's what I've needed for a long time – a really great coach." Max and Irina recently gave a long interview that included pointed criticism about the lack of coaching at ABT. Hammoudi referenced his need for more time with a coach in a recent TimeOutNY interview. Simone, the same very recently, and now Sarah.
It's the performances in the classics that are suffering, not the Tharp, Morris, Taylor, Cunningham rep. The company needs former world class Petipa ballerinas on their coaching staff – preferably one from the RB to carry on Georgina Parkinson's work and one from the Mariinsky to assist with the unfair workload that the brilliant 80-year-old Kolpakova must bear. Those are the types of imports which the company should be making.
Posted by: Haglund | July 05, 2013 at 10:50 AM
Haglund,
Yes, I agree--100%.
Irina is gone and Julie Kent will have to retire soon--I think she'll pretty much have to retire next year. I hope this opens up a principal spot for Sarah. It's time for Sarah to get the recognition she deserves. (Stella, too, although I fear that her ship may have already sailed.)
Posted by: B | July 05, 2013 at 11:45 AM
Oh, Stella's ship has not sailed - although ABT probably wants everyone to think so. She's so good and so valuable to ABT in her 2nd ballerina roles that it could be preventing her from getting leading roles.
Vaganova was promoted to the highest level at the Mariinsky and retired the following year. Isabelle Ciaravola was promoted to Etoile at the Paris Opera Ballet when she was 37 years old and had been with the company 19 years. POB knew full well that she would be required to retire in just a few years.
Stella deserves promotion to principal more than any dancer in the company, and her age (34, I believe) should not be permitted to be a barrier. She has many years of great dancing left and her audience deserves to see her in leading roles.
Posted by: Haglund | July 05, 2013 at 12:34 PM
What a performance. I have always associated Aurora with the rose adagio and wedding pas, but Sarah Lane knocked me over with the dream sequence. She was so controlled- but very soft and free at the same time. It was a gorgeous second act (once you got past the weird pantomime with the countess.....) I found her performance to be so complete. She was so phenomenal that i was able to block out the cloying perfume and endless unwrapping of butterscotch candies of the chit-chatting ladies behind me!!!!
My criticism falls on the grand pas de deux. I literally gasped and grabbed my chest during a supported pirouette. I just didn't believe that mr. simkin could get through that pas with her. It makes no sense that Ms. Lane could knock off beautiful triples in the first act and have to struggle through them with a man behind her. Love his jumps, turns for days, nice lines, fine actor, he's a beautiful man...but he does not present or help the ballerina. It's called PARTNERING. And it didn't help that right before the audience watched that pas, they were treated to an absolutely flawless bluebird duet. Let's give Sarah Lane another go at this role with Jared Matthews?
Posted by: annisette | July 05, 2013 at 01:18 PM
Oh, I didn't mean that Stella is too old. Only that she has been waiting for a very long time... and it's unlikely that McKenzie will suddenly wake up and promote her. But hey, you never know... stranger things have happened. I hope Stella does get the recognition and promotion that she deserves. Better late than never.
Posted by: B | July 05, 2013 at 01:46 PM
Annisette, ITA that Sarah and Jared would be magical in Sleeping Beauty.
Posted by: Haglund | July 05, 2013 at 02:44 PM
Haglund, a video has just been posted of Boylston/Vasiliev in Bluebird PDD. All I see from him are turned in, pork chop thighs, dead fish feet, and some fluttery arm movements thrown in. All I can say is that Vasiliev seems more trockadero than Bluebird?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFJvghnFB9E&feature=player_embedded
Posted by: LKR | July 06, 2013 at 02:07 PM
I was just re-reading your review, Haglund, and when I got to your sentence "The one question that remained unanswered throughout the performance was why Sleeping Beauty would choose this particular prince over any of the other suitors who partnered her so well," I remembered that while I was watching the awakening scene, the first thought that came to my mind was "And who the hell are you?" Aurora's immediate acceptance of Prince Desiree was, for me, a moment of cognitive dissonance in the production (not the performance, which was extraordinary).
Posted by: Angelica | July 06, 2013 at 02:11 PM
LKR, fireplug in motion. Did you notice how he got his two main tricks in: the split leap in second position with body hunched over and the final desperate kick to the head on the exit. And Macaulay called this "luxury casting"?? The sloppy feet, the turned in legs, the blob form - truly hideous. I really have to question Ratmansky's professional judgement in hiring and promoting Vasiliev and will forever be troubled that Ratmansky paved the way for this junk to come to ABT.
Posted by: Haglund | July 06, 2013 at 02:51 PM
Angelica, ITA. That kiss wasn't too convincing, either.
Posted by: Haglund | July 06, 2013 at 02:57 PM
Why couldnt they keep the camera rolling for the grande pas?!! Wahhh.
Posted by: robin | July 06, 2013 at 09:38 PM