Nov. 9 marked the beginning of the 2017-18 National Arts Centre Dance season; the performance of choice, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, put on by the Dresden Semperoper Ballett. The classic ballet has been performed worldwide, with each performance taking its own interpretation of the story with the basic plot remaining the same.
Now, I’m no expert in ballet. I went into this performance knowing very little about Swan Lake (the only bits and pieces of the plot that I knew was from Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan), but I still had high hopes for the performance. The Russian ballet is a well-known composition of love and hope.
Right from the start, the performances were energetic and bold. The movements from each of the dancers were made with precision and they hit the mark each time. Choreographer and artistic director Aaron S. Watkin’s work with the dancers was reflected through the intensity of the performance. There was never a dull moment on the stage. Constant movement and flow kept the audience’s attention alert and active.
There is one scene that I found to be the most praise-worthy and that is the moment that the Black Swan enters the royal court. Dual identity is a popular theme throughout various works, but seeing it happen live and through nothing but body language is an absolutely astounding experience. Sangeun Lee showed her delicate and fragile side through her performance as the Swan Queen. The melancholy of her expressions, the vulnerability as she shied away from Dmitry Seminov’s Prince character was done beautifully, but she shone the minute she donned the black tutu.
Bold, expressive, dangerous: there are no better words that can be used to describe this performance. There is an element of excitement and danger to the Black Swan, as she moves across the stage with such ease and grace. The seduction of the Black Swan is the showstopper: the moment that defines the skill of the dancer performing both parts. It was nothing short of astounding.
I was blown away by the work that went into this production. The set alone was something to see. Imagine this: grand, high walls with intricate carvings and gargoyles reminiscent of Notre Dame for the castle, tall trees with berries and no leaves with a projection of a crystal blue lake for the Enchanted Forest. The visual properties were an art form on its own. Everything from the colour scheme of the royal court to the intricate detail on the costumes of the other princesses vying for the Prince’s attention was nailed to a tee. It was stunning.
The chemistry between the cast, particulary between Seminov and Lee, was incredible. They showed a lot of range in their emotional connection, from the innocent and pure to lust to forgiveness.
Everything about this performance was used to make the audience feel emotion. It was used to get us to feel heartbroken for the princess Odette, feel betrayal as the Prince does and lament their young love. Minus a few missteps during the performance, it was a really pleasant evening. The NAC always delivers and the Semperoper Ballett Dresden version of Swan Lake has earned its place amongst breathtaking performances this season.
