Despite its French name, Frederick Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée is a British ballet classic, one of the choreographer’s absolute masterpieces. Created for The Royal Ballet in 1960, but based on a much older, pre-revolutionary French work, Fille is so quintessentially British it comes almost as a shock to see it performed anywhere but in the UK. However, over the years the ballet has proved such a warm-hearted delight that companies around the world are eager to take it into their repertoire. One of them – the Paris Opera Ballet – has just revived Fille at the Palais Garnier, and for those who love Ashton’s ballet, the temptation to see it again, especially as it has not been performed in London for a few years, is too great to resist.
Just like the antics in an opera buffa (there are even tunes from the comic operas of Rossini and Donizetti incorporated into Ferdinand Herold’s score), Fille tells of Widow Simone’s attempts to marry off her daughter, Lise, to the son of a rich farmer, instead of Lise’s true love, Colas. The ballet is full of humour and charm (aided by wonderful sets and costumes by the cartoonist Osbert Lancaster), and Ashton’s scintillating, sparkling choreography is ingrained in the “British” style he helped develop alongside Ninette de Valois at The Royal Ballet. He also wittily draws on British folk dances, such as maypole dancing, and British pantomime traditions, casting a man to play the Widow and giving him a comic Clog Dance to perform. There is even a dancing cockerel and some hens. Above all, the ballet is about love, and how true love, expressed through beautiful dancing, triumphs in the end.
“British” ballet style, which emphasises musicality, fast, brilliant footwork, and the luxurious use of body movements in the head, neck, shoulders and back (known in ballet terminology as épaulement), is a way of performing that dancers trained under different methods sometimes find hard to achieve. The “French” style of dancing, dating back to the formation of the Paris Opera in the 17th century, is refined, pristine, correct and more upright, and so Ashton’s Fille is a challenge for the Paris Opera dancers. On the whole, those I saw at the performance on 15th March mostly rose to the challenge. The soloists and corps de ballet were light, buoyant, fleet-footed and attentive to the details of the choreography, although they did not quite bring out enough of its rustic, earthy qualities, which are essential in Fille – they are meant to be country folk, after all, not aristocrats.
It was this quality that was a little lacking in the dancing of Lise and Colas, performed by the étoiles Léonore Baulac and Guillaume Diop. Baulac, who has danced Lise previously, was sweet and witty, but performed at a slightly slower tempo than usual – surprising in a dancer of small stature – which made the effervescent choreography look a little flat, especially during the famous “Fanny Elssler pas de deux” with Colas, which should really be the dance equivalent of popping champagne corks. Diop, making his debut as Colas, is an elegant, long-limbed and beautifully trained artist, and a good partner, but his attractive stage personality rarely hinted at Colas’ lovable, roguish charm. Both he and Baulac could afford to bring more personality and spark to their performances.
More personality and animated exchange was certainly needed from the dancers portraying the main character roles. Jean-Baptiste Chavignier was heavy-handed as Farmer Thomas, and Antoine Kirscher as Alain, Lise’s simple suitor, was lightweight; neither were particularly funny. Best was Simon Valastro’s Widow Simone, although he did not make her as endearing and funny as she should be. At least the cast have further performances throughout March in which to develop their roles.
La Fille mal gardée has been quite well staged in Paris, and the Orchestra, under the baton of Philip Ellis, played beautifully, but I do have quibbles: Ashton’s choreography and mime have been unnecessarily embellished, and some of the lighting effects are distinctly odd. A bonus for the Paris Opera Ballet, however, is that Marcelino Sambé, the finest Colas of his generation at The Royal Ballet, will be appearing with them as a guest artist later this month, which should be an inspiration for the dancers and the audience alike.