La Fille mal gardée in Paris could offer more spark and animation

Léonore Baulac as Lise and Simon Valastro as Widow Simone in Ashton's La Fille mal gardée

Guillaume Diop as Colas in Ashton's La Fille mal gardée

Léonore Baulac as Lise in Ashton's La Fille mal gardée

Léonore Baulac as Lise and Simon Valastro as Widow Simone with the Paris Opera Ballet

By Jonathan Gray, 17 March 2024

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“they did not quite bring out enough of its rustic, earthy qualities, which are essential in Fille”

Reviewed at Opéra national de Paris: Palais Garnier, Paris on 15 March 2024

La Fille mal gardée (Sir Frederick Ashton)

Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris

Philip Ellis, Conductor

Osbert Lancaster, Director, Set Designer

Orchestre de l'Opéra national de Paris

Léonore Baulac, Dancer

Guillaume Diop, Dancer

Simone Valastro, Dancer

ABT presents the classics with slightly uneven results

Ivy Lin, 25th October

ABT offer some outstanding performances in a classical quadruple bill but there was a lack of confidence and uniformity within the corps de ballet.

***11

National Ballet of Japan revives Ashton's beloved Cinderella

Naomi Mori, 18th October

The National Ballet of Japan gave an excellent rendition of Sir Frederick Ashton's Cinderella, in spite of many new faces and role debuts.

****1

Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée: the most joyous of ballets

Amanda Jennings, 18th October

If you’re in need of a pick-me-up, get thee to the Royal Opera House and see La Fille mal gardée, a gem of a ballet. There’s a long roster of impressive casts to choose from.

****1

The Royal Ballet School: a triumphant display of excellence throughout

Jonathan Gray, 12th July

It was a wonderful, heartening afternoon – it’s no wonder nearly all the 2025 graduates have gained contracts with several major ballet companies.

*****

ABT: Ashton's Sylvia showcases the entire company

Ivy Lin, 10th July

The audience walked out of the theater feeling airborne and filled with the kind of joy you only feel after a truly special performance. Sylvia is an absolute treasure.

*****

Ballet Central at the Linbury: keen to prove its versatility

Deborah Weiss, 17th June

Ballet Central provides an extremely varied programme of new and old, classical and contemporary dance, with plenty of aplomb.

***11

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Jonathan Gray

Jonathan Gray was born in Wales and studied at The Royal Ballet School, Leicester Polytechnic and Wimbledon School of Art. He was a member of the curatorial department of The Theatre Museum, London, from 1989 until 2005, and was editor of Dancing Times from 2008 until its closure in 2022.