Coppélia - revisited: December 10th, 2019, Vienna State Ballet (Volksopera)

Dec 11

Dec 11 Coppélia - revisited: December 10th, 2019, Vienna State Ballet (Volksopera)

One of the biggest „privileges“ of visiting the same performance many times is that after a while you get more conscious of simple, little details that you had, perhaps, overseen before.

Even if I was sitting yesterday behind a very restless old Gentleman (who kept moving from the right to the left and back every two minutes), I was relaxed enough to enjoy the show.

„Coppélia“ is not really a „revelation“ but it is a lovable, honest, humorous ballet with a dynamic story-telling line that pleases everyone. Young and old.

Once more a class from the French School in Vienna was visiting the Volksopera and during intermission, it was more than lovely to witness how they were trying to dance and imitate the doll. Pure joy for everyone present.

Musically, especially because I so adore Delibes and his romantic nuances, I was a bit disappointed by Mr Lorenz C. Aicher's conduction. I thought it a bit too fast – or was it really a coincidence that the performance finished so much earlier than planned?

Copyright: Ashley Taylor / Vienna State Ballet

There were many, lovely performances by the Corps de Ballet and the Demi-Soloists. Eszter Ledán, enchanting Fiona McGee, Joana Reinprecht, Rikako Shibamoto, meticulous Céline Janou Weder, Zsolt Török, Flavia Soares, Leonardo Basílio, charming Igor Milos, Marian Furnica, Tristan Ridel to name just a few.

Madison Young (Night) and James Stephens (Dusk): a beautiful partnership and so full of „trust“. Mr Stephens has this disappearing quality of being a strong partner. Somehow his dance partner can really rely on, lean on him. He is so careful. I have mentioned this quite a few times but it was confirmed once more yesterday. Miss Young, extremely ethereal. Funnily I have criticized her some weeks ago for her overly dramatic performance in „Jewels“. Yesterday she was „just at the right point“. Much cooler and abstract than in „Jewels“ (an abstract ballet which requires this special attitude) but simply perfect. A very gifted dancer, she has that rare „Upperbody quality“ - something that Fonteyn had (and if it would not have been for that, she would not have become a dancer – but that is not the case with Miss Young, she has many other gifts)

Lovely Elena Bottaro (Aurora), extremely pin-pointed in her performance. Precise – and giving the very honest impression of having so much fun. I am looking forward to her debùt as Swanilda next year. I surely will not miss this performance.

The Bridegrooms Navrin Turnbull and Arne Vandervelde brought excitement and joy into a piece that was becoming quite boring to watch. The brides have „frozen“ the piece. They are perfect but there is no room for joy. Their performance is correct but, to my way of thinking too „conventional“. I am perfectly aware that there is an extreme need to „freeze“ the pieces for the Corps-de-Ballet (one can neither improvise nor add „stuff“ to the given choreography) but this has nothing to do with freezing their sentiments, joie de vivre while dancing. They seemed mechanical.

Copyright: Vienna State Ballet / Ashley Taylor

Alexis Foraboso (above), a gifted Dancer and Artist whose career I have been following for (many) years and his wonderful acting skills could not let you take your eyes off him. A gifted, jovial Dancer he also becomes the perfect, old Dr Coppelius. Chapeau!

Copyright: Ashley Taylor / Vienna State Balle

Richard Szabó was a good and very correct Franz. Technically very clean, he impressed the audience – especially the ones who think that dance should be virtuosity from the beginning until the very end of a show.

Mr Szabó, who, in my opinion, has a striking resemblance to Leonide Massine (1895 – 1979), could in the future „relax a bit more“. Facially. Yes, also Massine had this „frozen smile“ while being a virtuoso (something that he was not by nature). This is a tricky thing; one way the dancer manages to do the choreography, on the other he is tense. And this attitude is treacherous. It creates the effect of a wooden doll smile, with no feelings. Just a wooden mask. Relaxing a bit more Mr Szabó would have more relaxed hands too – not so sharp ones. He is a gifted and promising dancer with a bright future ahead of him.

Nonetheless, the usual Volksopera goers delighted on his performance – as the applause after the show confirmed this.

Nikisha Fogo, who gave a brilliant performance, gave us a simple, uncomplicated (and very endearing) reading of her Swanilda. Not “high-pitched” at all. She was not imitating a naughty and very decided girl, she was this naughty and very decided girl. A kind of portrayal that lacked every kind of exaggeration and affectation. Very good and very, very effective. I remember now that once, a long time ago, I have compared Miss Fogo to Sally (Charlie Brown’s little sister - remember Peanuts? - also a very decided girl… Funny the way in which things reconfirm themselves )

Even when Franz makes her cry, she was not just for a single second „a victim“.

I like that.

Perhaps I could call her Swanilda an „earthier“ girl. Or perhaps put in another way: a girl who is more „down to earth“ and not just a dreamer. Her feet are exactly on the floor.

Talking about feet... Miss Fogo seems also to grow technically from performance to performance. Impressive her developées en tournant (or should we call them „fouettés“), which I do not know from any other choreography.

Copyright: Ashley Taylor / Vienna State Ballet (Nikisha Fogo & Gabor Oberegger in a perfomance last year)

To be very honest (and I have written this before) I would still prefer the ABT's version because – especially the third act and Swanilda's and Franz's interacting – is much more exciting, even if much simpler choreographed.

A great ovation finished this lovely evening and everyone went home happy. Swanilda and Franz lived happily ever after!