The Royal Ballet: The Winter’s Tale

Royal Opera House, London
May 3, 2024

The Winter’s Tale, Christopher Wheeldon’s ballet after Shakespeare’s play, returns to the Royal Ballet repertoire a decade after its premiere. Like fine wine it’s enhanced with age, finding pole position as a heavyweight, dramatic ballet set to Joby Talbot’s music conducted with spirit by Koen Kessels.

Lauren Cuthbertson, as Hermione, Queen of Sicilia, is the still centre, and who unwittingly sets the tragedy in motion. The choreography, defined by arabesque balances and turns, is beautifully outlined in her long, soft dresses, designed by Bob Crowley. The lynchpin of the ballet is Cesar Corrales as Leontes, the King. He is a powerful force, well suited to portraying darker characters and in his element interpreting Wheeldon’s internal demonic rage in twisted hands and fiercely stretched limbs.

Unlike Iago’s planting of the seeds of jealousy in Shakespeare’s Othello, Leontes has little reason to set his false accusations in motion. However, Wheeldon is able to give this more credence in the pas de trois and especially in the dimly lit sculpture corridor where Polixenes, played with calm authority and fine dancing by Calvin Richardson, is cast in an overtly amorous role in Leontes’ fevered mind. The moment where Cuthbertson in innocence joins both men’s hands on her pregnant belly is fatal and feeds Leontes’ fantasies.

Paulina, the voice of reason in all this madness, is given some of Wheeldon’s most eloquent choreography. Melissa Hamilton, in somewhat atypical casting, creates a sincere and very real character. She is the astute manager of a seemingly impossible situation and a tower of strength to Leontes on his long road back to forgiveness. The opening scenes in Act 3, as she supports his crumpled penitent frame, are both poignant and distressing with no sense of manipulation or personal gain. Another plus for a very special dancer.

The quality of the dancing makes the evening a triumph. Francesca Hayward, as Perdita, from her first light-footed entrance was pure joy. Marcelino Sambé, as Florizel, matched up in aerial display and exuberant personality. As the young lovers, they were pure delight.  Despite this stardust, and an outstanding performance from Marco Masciari, as Brother Clown, the second act reaches a point when happy dancing peasants, a ballet stock-in-trade, reaches satiety point and the dramatic drive, so well established in the first act, starts to drain.

The denouement which happily resolves the tangles, creates a pensive rather than celebratory mood with themes of forgiveness, steadfast love and reunion. It’s an uneasy beginning as Hermione and Leontes rediscover and rebuild their relationship. It grows into a profound duet as bodies and hopes entwine. The supporting cast, courtiers and country folk, are a lively addition although the choreography for the ensemble lacks the cutting-edged sophistication they enjoy in Wheeldon’s more abstract ballets.

There is a lot of stage business to deal with in this so called, problem play, not least ‘exit pursued by bear.’ Amazingly this is successfully achieved through the wizardry of silk effects designer, Basil Twist, with projection designer, Daniel Brodie. We have a few brief seconds of bear in addition to the ships and billowing waves that threaten to wash over the Royal Opera House. The travels are neatly indicated with a discrete quayside gangplank and little fuss while the statue coming to life is equally well handled.

The Winter’s Tale is an unusual ballet but one that guarantees an interesting evening due to the slew of strong roles matched to the Royal Ballet’s slew of fine artists.