American Ballet Theatre - Sylvia

Gillian Murphy in the title role of Sylvia, in American Ballet Theatre's 2005 production. Photo by Nan Melville/New York Times

American Ballet Theatre: Sylvia
May 5 & 7, 2006
Orange County Performing Arts Center, Costa Mesa, CA

While I found myself enjoying Sylvia as a ballet - a light story filled with witty and fun Frederick Ashton choreography - my impression of American Ballet Theatre's actual performance of it was much different. The company didn't seem at home in much of the Ashton at all. On Friday, some of the corps visibly struggled with the choreography, particularly in the opening scene.

The musicality, effortlessness and charm of the Royal Ballet's dancing was entirely missing (see the recording of the BBC broadcast from earlier this year). Here, the choreography merely looked like a bunch of steps, instead of an organic and amusing response to the music, infused with character. Many of the ABT's dancers were stiff in the upper body, and the quick turns and light jumps did not come naturally. Now, I know that this company will not be able to fit into the style as naturally as the Royal Ballet, who performs a lot of Ashton, but I feel that the company's inability to hit the Ashton marks it made the ballet less exciting. Acting and general stage presence were also a problem - everyone was dancing in what i call "Nutcracker" mode: all pretty, little characterization or sense of purpose on stage. The farmers dancing through the woods looked more like ballet school students who happened to pick up village materials along the way to the stage.

Not to mention that many of the dancers were very "weighty" in their dancing, landing with loud thuds, or allowing their footfalls to clunk loudly. The corps' clunky dancing was made even more noticeable when the principal dancers came on doing everything correctly - Gillian Murphy literally leaped onto the stage as Sylvia, making huge jumps and running around the stage, barely making a sound when she was doing more heavy-duty stepping than the corps!

The principals on Friday were most comfortable in the ballet - Gillian Murphy was the main highlight of the run, with her easy grasp of technique and her strong musicality suiting the role excellently. She hit the technical marks and really made fireworks out of them, which the role requires to make an impact. Angel Corella had a very limited role as Aminta, but in his typical fashion, made the most of it by leaping and bounding around the stage.

Sunday's performance was another story altogether: While David Hallberg was a remarkable Aminta, with an easy pure classicism, Michele Wiles was completely awkward, stilted and slow. The conductor struggled to hold the orchestra back as she leisurely stepped through the choreography, but eventually the music had to go on without her. Her face was mostly a blank smile, except when it seemed she suddenly needed to act and we got a brief moment of presence. But then it was back to nothing... it was a very disappointing performance from Wiles.

As I said, Sylvia is a fun ballet. I was more disappointed with ABT's overall performance of it. I feel there's a certain wit and charm inherent in Ashton's choreography, but the company has to be able to do it with the right musicality and effortlessness. ABT's corps was very ragged here, and Sunday's performance for the principals was sorely disappointing.

The company fared much better in the mixed rep it performed during the week (Apollo, Gong and Cranko's Jeu de Cartes). Perhaps the contemporary nature of those works appealed to and fit the company much more.