A gossamer-like Giselle: Alina Cojocaru with English National Ballet

London Coliseum
January 11, 2017

Charlotte Kasner

Mary Skeaping’s fairly traditional Giselle keeps most of the elements of early productions whilst ditching those that would not work for a modern audience. Cloaked in the browns, oranges and reds of autumn, all the expected things happen but there are one or two surprises.

Although La Sylphide is older, Giselle is the oldest extant ballet that has been in continuous production. Although already seen in Russia and the United States within months of its Paris premiere, London had to be content with a version produced at Sadler’s Wells as a play until the following year when the dance version was performed. We have since stripped it of most of its mime and mercifully of coryphées being winched up on pulleys to simulate flight. Along the way we’ve also diminished the role of Giselle’s mother Berthe and, often, ignored the fact that in Gaultier’s libretto, Giselle quite clearly commits suicide using Albrecht’s sword. Mats Ek took Giselle’s madness literally and set his production in an asylum, Stuttgart Ballet set theirs in a circus and the Dance Theatre of Haarlem in the swamps of Louisiana.

None of that here though. Skeaping’s Giselle is set in a fictional never-never land where, although princes are duplicitous, peasants waft around in pretty dresses and smile a lot. Berthe has a minor role in warning Giselle not to dance because of her weak heart but does not caution against the Wilis in the forest. The gamekeepers, for no reason whatsoever, sit out in the misty edge of the forest until midnight playing gambling games until they are frightened by the Wilis. Poor Hilarion is played as the good guy who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, although dramatically it works much better when he is scheming and heartily disliked by Giselle; the Rob Titchener of Thuringia maybe.

Alina Cojocaru is a gossamer-light Giselle and produces a very fine dramatic contrast between the corporeal heroine and her corresponding Wili. At times she seems to lag behind the beat, only to catch up with it in a playful rubato. Her feet are razor-sharp scythes and her batterie twinkling.

Her Albrecht, Isaac Hernadez, produced neat landings and was technically assured (those fiendish brisé volés!), but didn’t quite come over the footlights all the way through. It is a clever trick to have him dressed as Hilarion’s evil twin but he doesn’t inhabit his regal clothes naturally or look uncomfortable enough in his peasant garb.

Hernandez was outdanced, though, by a splendid performance in the peasant pas de deux by Cesar Corrales, ably partnered by Rina Kanehara. Corrales is definitely one to watch. Sensibly, the mad scene is not over-egged and in fact, most of the first act is low key, especially the harvest celebrations which are barely distinguishable from the rest of the action.

Skeaping’s ballet is all about Act II, and it is certainly atmospheric. Lauretta Summerscales is a rather underpowered Myrtha, too floaty to be the vindictive mistress of the Wilis, her wilting rosemary unfortunately risible rather than a symbol of Giselle’s powerful love. It is an excellent idea to have the Wilis appear in their bridal veils on their first entrance.

The corps give a fine performance, reminding us of just how versatile this company is. Their rock solid balancés and bourées look effortless. Not a hand or foot is out of place. The only complaint, and it applies to the soloists too, is shoes are not banged out enough to prevent the Wilis sounding en masse as if they are in a clog dancing competition. Cojocaru’s noisy landings belied her softness.

As ever, the orchestra under the baton of Gavin Sutherland give a symphonic performance. Sutherland brings out hidden subtleties in Adam’s score which tends to be seen by most as rather functional, not least because of the additions from Burgmüller, Pugni and Drigo. However, Sutherland makes it sing, the waltzes worthy of Vienna’s finest. The phrasing and balance of sound was the best that I have ever heard and the first flautist was particularly notable. Oddly, the first oboe at times seemed to struggle with tuning, however, and, towards the end of Act II, seemed to have a complete meltdown at the end of a phrase followed by some very odd tuning from the rest of the orchestra for several bars. But whatever the problem it was rapidly corrected.

English National Ballet perform Mary Skeaping’s Giselle at the London Coliseum to January 22. For details visit www.ballet.org.uk. For tickets, go to www.eno.org or call the box office on 020 7845 9300.

Next up for ENB in London is their Pina Bausch/Hans van Manen/William Forsythe triple bill at Sadler’s Wells from March 23 to April 1.