Olé and All That Jazz
"Don Quixote"
American Ballet Theatre
Metropolitan Opera House
Lincoln Center
New York, New York
June 30, 2018, matinee
by Mary Cargill
copyright © 2018 by Mary Cargill
"Don Quixote", with choreography attributed somewhat loosely to Petipa, is a sunny take on a piece of Cervantes' sprawling story, an explosion of energy in make-believe Spain. But at its heart, it can be a gentle and genuine love story as the heart wins out over the pocketbook, and an effective performance can leave the audience both awed and happy. Kitri can be more than a fouetté machine, as Sarah Lane, in her debut proved. Her spunky Kitri, with the generous support of Herman Cornejo's Basilio, seemed to spark the entire company, and the lively, friendly, animated crowd on the youthful village square seemed to be having a wonderful time.
Lane was a very human Kitri, warm without being coy, and the byplay in the first act with Basilio, her father, and her friends was detailed and vibrant, though with experience, she may be able to play a bit more with the music and relax into the phrases; some of her positions, while correct and precise, seemed a bit clipped. Technically, she was terrific and those treacherous fouettés were thrilling, as she raised and lowered her fan, throwing in some very musical doubles. Her hops on point in the vision scene seemed to float across the stage. Most impressively, she didn't push her effects or try to do too much (a full-bodied jeté is more exciting than a strained and half hearted Plisetskaya leap).
Her Kitri was not a fierce little spitfire, but a happy, confident young woman determined to have her own way, whether she had to defy her father or snatch Basilio from a harmless flirtation. She had a soft but quite pleased little smile for the Don when he first knelt beside her and she gave her little "Oh, he is really crazy" gesture a rueful shrug -- she was quite pleased that the old man thought her beautiful. The gentle little kiss she gave him at the ballet's end to send the Don on his way was a token of unselfish gratitude.
Lane's reaction to Cornejo during the curtain calls showed an unselfish gratitude as well, as the traditional flower was followed by an enthusiastic hug. Cornejo's partnering was exemplary, with strong and secure one-handed lifts and daring and confident fish dives. His Basilio was a charmer, happy to flirt but clearly smitten with Kitri, and their partnership had a real and touching warmth; unforced charm is a wonderful quality and this couple had it. He didn't go for flashy effects -- no helicopter spins, but his turns were astoundingly clear and controlled, as he seemed able to speed up and slow down at will.
The dramatically extraneous but choreographically dynamic second couple, Mercedes (Stella Abrera) and Espada (Thomas Forster), threw themselves into their roles with gusto. Forster was particularly funny, preening and prancing and flourishing his cape, without becoming camp. Those gypsies certainly had a camp, but, led by Isidor Loyola and Gabe Stone Shayer, they seemed enthusiastic about it all, though their get ups do look like they made it to Spain by way of the Folies Bergère.
The classical support was in very good hands with Skylar Brandt and Betsy McBride as particularly stylish and well-matched flower girls. Their Act III solos were scintillating, with Brandt tossing in multiple pirouettes with her leg outstretched so effortlessly that the circus stayed on the edge of town. Cassandra Trenary was a radiant if somewhat muted Queen of the Dryads, with careful and somewhat sketchy Italian fouettés and Trenary's direct and forthright charm does not have all the majesty that this cousin to the Lilac Fairy needs.
Kitty's father Lorenzo (Roman Zhurbin) certainly lacks majesty, but Zhurbin gave him a distinctive humanity, full of blustering hot air hiding a warm heart; he seemed almost relieved finally to be able to give in to his beloved daughter. Luis Ribagorda was a lean, vain, and pompous Gamache, strutting around like a dim-witted asparagus with great comic timing. "Don Quixote" is a ballet that is easy to condescend to, with its Spanish clichés and tinkly music (though Minkus wrote danceable and flavorful tunes), but its comic antics have been making audiences laugh for over a hundred years. A rich performance, which this certainly was, leave a warm and, yes, elegant glow.
Copyright © 2018 by Mary Cargill
