On Thursday night, Chloe Misseldine stepped in for Christine Shevchenko in a triumphant performance of Sylvia, Sir Frederick Ashton’s 1952 gem that is delightfully old-fashioned. Misseldine is one of ABT’s most adored dancers. Ashton originally crafted this grueling role for the 5’4” Margot Fonteyn, packing the choreography with rapid-fire allegro tailored to a compact frame. While the ballet’s extreme stamina demands and technical range favor shorter dancers, the lithe, 5’9” Misseldine delivers a victorious performance with just a few shaky moments.
Perhaps the central character of this mythical ballet is the score itself — an 1876 masterpiece by Léo Delibes that gorgeously illuminates the three-act work. On Thursday, it was brilliantly rendered under the baton of Charles Barker.
Act 1 opens in a dew-drenched wood where mythical creatures dance in devotion before the shrine of Eros. In one breathtaking moment, three kneeling fauns balance their partners' bodies on their shoulders, gently rocking the women from side to side as if in lullaby. As the shepherd Aminta, Calvin Royal III brings a deeply tender and sincere presence to the stage. His arrival announced by the gentle call of a flute, and his solo – marked by clean arabesques, straight-legged en dedans pirouettes, and open fourth positions – radiates a pure, unguarded innocence.
Sylvia grandly announces herself and her huntresses by bugle, diving almost instantly into her challenging first solo. The variation demands fast downstage piqué turns, razor-sharp grands jetés, and plenty of hops on pointe, punctuated by steely balances in arabesque. Misseldine’s interpretation of the character was formidable, regal and wise, though she maintained a beautifully supple upper body above her sword-like legs. While she fell slightly behind the music on a few turns, her composure was remarkable (considering she was a last-minute substitute who had not been slated for the role this season, though she did perform it last summer).
The chaste Sylvia recoils from the male intruder. Aiming her bow angrily at a statue of Eros – a dignified Carlos Gonzalez – she accidentally strikes Aminta instead. In swift retaliation, Eros wounds Sylvia with an arrow of his own, sending her fleeing in distress. Watching this chaotic turn of events from the shadows is the lustful Orion – danced with brilliant menace by James Whiteside – who seizes the moment to abduct Sylvia and drag her away to his Act 2 lair.
As Orion, Whiteside is convincingly lascivious, attempting to seduce Sylvia with glittering jewels and fine garments. His attendants – the highly entertaining Cameron McCune and Nathan Vendt – deliver a delightful dance of quirky, stylized choreography marked by flexed-footed changements and sharp wrists. In an act of self-preservation, Sylvia convinces Orion to drink wine while she dances. Though Misseldine is gorgeous, her interpretation of the seductive solo leans conservative rather than erotic, appearing more focused on the demanding allegro technique. Continuing this threadbare plot, Misseldine prays on her knees for a miraculous rescue just as Gonzalez, as Eros, arrives on a magnificent ship to carry Sylvia back to the temple of Diana.
Act 3 is simply radiant, elevated by Robin and Christopher Ironside’s shimmering set design, by a wealth of celebratory divertissements, and by the melodic richness of the score. Here, Misseldine beautifully executed the famous pizzicato solo, navigating its intricate footwork and sudden changes of direction with absolute grace. Her stage demeanor noticeably softened into that of a woman in love – radiant, yet inherently powerful. During their climactic pas de deux, Misseldine melted into one of Sylvia’s signature arabesques, leaning backward against Royal’s chest. As he gently placed his hands upon her temples, she swept his arms upward with her own, their limbs unfurling like wings as they extended their chests skyward.
Among the many supporting characters, Zhong-Jing Fang danced a magnificent Diana. She starts the finale by killing the intrusive Orion unflinchingly as he attempts to recapture Sylvia. Yet, when she turns her bow toward Aminta, Eros intervenes, forcing her to remember her own past romance with a shepherd. As a flashback materializes behind a scrim, Fang transforms, delivering a delicately soft solo that beautifully captures the bittersweet memory of her lost love.
Amid a summer season dedicated to full length story ballets, the company does justice to this particular Ashton classic – its silly plot notwithstanding – with exquisite production values and dancing.
