American Ballet Theatre brings back Romeo and Juliet year after year, but truth be told it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a performance that was truly memorable. Thankfully, the performance I saw had two very worthy leads in Catherine Hurlin and Calvin Royal III.
There are basically two ways to play Juliet. Lynn Seymour (who originated the role) made Juliet very headstrong and impulsive. Margot Fonteyn was instead chosen for the premiere due to ballet politics. She was a very moonlit, romantic Juliet. I’ve seen the headstrong Juliets like Natalia Osipova, and the moonlit Juliets like Evgenia Obraztsova and Alessandra Ferri. Both can work beautifully.
Hurlin was a more impulsive, passionate Juliet. You sensed her character from the moment she leaped onstage to play with the Nurse. When she ran across stage, she didn’t have the silky grace that some Juliets have when stage-running. Instead, she was making a beeline to be near her love. Maybe her finest moment was when she sat on her bed, contemplating her choices. So little motion, but Hurlin conveyed so much with her body language and expression.
Hurlin and Royal had wonderful chemistry. Royal is an odd fit for many white tights roles, because his feet are not particularly highly arched and his classical technique could do with some tidying up.
What Royal does have, however, is warmth and charisma. You believed in this young couple. Their duets had the kind of heart-stopping romanticism that is so necessary for this ballet, but so rarely actually achieved.
Royal also was quick on his feet when his sword broke in the middle of the fight scene. He continued gesturing with a broken sword until a corps member quickly handed him a new sword.
Otherwise, the performance was a little tired. I was disappointed in the Mercutio (Carlos Gonzalez) and Benvolio (Patrick Frenette). Neither were very in-sync, nor did they make much of their solos. Gonzalez had rather sloppy landings. The acting was minimal too. I didn’t sense these were two heady young guys at all.
Some of the character roles got better performances. Eric Tamm was very fine as Paris. He played the stolid square so well. Thomas Forster was luxury casting as Tybalt. I also enjoyed retiring soloist Luciana Paris as Nurse.
I have a theory that Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet is a perfect starter ballet. The story is well-known and easy to follow. The sets and costumes are sumptuous, like a movie. The music is dramatic and telegraphs the plot points perfectly. The choreography is full of romantic pas de deux.
It is harder for experienced ballet regulars to work up the same enthusiasm for this ballet. The emptiness of the choreography apart from the three central duets (balcony, bedroom and crypt) can make this a very long evening. You need not just great dancers, but great dance actors.
Catherine Hurlin and Calvin Royal III were the dance actors this ballet needed. I look forward to seeing more from this partnership.
