In September 2027, Ballet de Santiago is scheduled to perform this production of Swan Lake at the London Coliseum, although that UK debut is pre-empted by this European premiere in Dublin. Now under the direction of former Birmingham Royal Ballet principal, César Morales, this opening night marked a watershed for one of Latin America’s pre-eminent ballet companies delivering a calling card now clearly starred with impressive international credentials.
The universal popularity of Swan Lake makes it the safest bet for introducing a ballet ensemble into new territory and the Chilean company has the distinct advantage of an enduring production that was carefully crafted by Ivan Nagy and Marilyn Burr, themselves distinguished former dancers who married and worked together in Santiago, where Nagy was artistic director in the 1980s.
Their Swan Lake retains all the magical moments of the traditional choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, most especially in the beautiful patterns and harmonised movement for the corps of white swans. It also brings clarity to the narrative through definitive mime, notably in the easy-to-understand motions of the Queen (an imperious Dolores Salazar) announcing the ball by demanding that Prince Siegfried selects a bride from amongst her four invited princesses.
The production also benefits from Enrique Campuzano’s simple but impactful set design, in which the huge lake is ever-present in the distance (the ball takes place al fresco to preserve this continuity). Although the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre has a huge auditorium, which was packed with a sold-out audience of 2000, the lack of stage depth caused minor spacing problems especially in the initial cluttering of the ‘Black Swan’ ball scene. Incidentally, this production follows modern convention by condensing the traditional four acts into two. There are also two Big Swans (Deborah Oribe and Noelia Sánchez) instead of three, an arrangement that provides symmetry with the four cygnets and the ensemble of white swans.
The first scene was disappointingly lacklustre, despite the excellence of the mime, not enlivened by the pas de trois, which seemed to be affected by nervous and safe performances, but the ballet came to life, perhaps as it should, from the moment of Odette’s entrance. This magical transition was achieved not just through the ethereal elegance of Katherine Rodríguez’s performance but also through the harmonious symmetry of her white swan entourage. Their collective port de bras and kaleidoscopic patterns of movement and statuesque poses were mesmerisingly beautiful, with tutus that were especially memorable, having a blue sheen glancing across the feathers.
I admired Rodríguez’s subtlety in her transition from Odette to Odile. For the deception of the hapless Siegfried to make sense, Odile must appear as if she is Odette in evening dress! Too often, ballerinas adopt a fiery personality from their entrance as Odile, but Rodríguez was more subtle, clearly mimicking Odette’s movement and expression and only becoming the nasty girl once Siegfried had been fooled! Back in her guise as Odette, Rodríguez exuded the vulnerability and gentleness of the enchanted princess.
I was also impressed by Emmanuel Vazquez as Siegfried and he is a danseur from a similar mould to that of his director, Morales, who was one of the most elegant male principals to grace the stages of England in recent years. Vazquez has a similar quality of softness, which eschews explosive athleticism for a nobility of movement and a precision in technique, which is rarely seen these days.
Cristopher Montenegro’s performance as the sorcerer, Rothbart, was appropriately sinister and I liked the costume choice for his appearance with Odile at the ball, with designer Pablo Núnez dressing him in a luxurious cloak, rather than continuing a supernatural theme. The Queen’s fascination with this mysterious nobleman was palpable. Matías Romero doubled up as Beno and in a fresh and exhilarating Neapolitan dance, partnering the delightful Mariselba Silva (who had also been one of the earlier cygnet quartet). The four national dances were strongly performed, as were Siegfried’s enforced dalliances with the four princesses (sadly uncredited).
Swan Lake is nothing without Tchaikovsky’s iconic score and the home team of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, conducted by Ballet de Santiago's Music Director, Pedro-Pablo Prudencio, managed superb variances of tempo to suit the dancers’ needs. The haunting violin solos from Mia Cooper were appropriately captivating and the orchestral performance was exceptional.
I have long wanted to see this excellent company perform live and to visit this monumental modern theatre, which is as welcoming as it is imposing, and it’s great to have made a short hop over the Irish Sea to tick both experiences off my bucket list. The only pleasure out of time passing quickly is that it’s just a year before the company, and the ballet, will cross the Atlantic once again to land in London.
