The Sleeping Beauty is a truly world-class production, showcasing traditional ballet at its finest, a relief considering the last few years of WA Ballet shows have failed to impress.
Whether it’s the calibre of dancers, the casting or the sheer enduring passion that Guest Artistic Director David McAllister injects into this performance, the whole company has stepped it up a couple of notches to provide Perth with a triumphant ending to the 2024 season. It’s the perfect show to get one into the Christmas spirit.
Choreographer Javier Torres first created this version in 2008, and WA Ballet offered a slightly adapted version in 2021, so this is the second iteration to be staged.
This time Torres has improved the children’s classic by removing “parts that were not particularly exciting or failed to contribute”, allowing the material to be shaped around the core sections.
Traditionally ballets take a significant time to get to any real action, instead painstakingly setting the scene with superfluous and non-essential ensemble ‘fluff’ where the audience is introduced to every villager, courtier or person of insignificance. In Torres’ Sleeping Beauty, pivotal characters perform variations and pas de deux within a few minutes of opening. This engages the audience immediately, keeping a centuries-old tale relevant to a contemporary audience with a relatively short attention span.
Multiple surprises and big moves are saved for the second half, but showcasing so many dancers in the first half is a dazzling way to start.
Chihiro Nomura is absolutely enchanting, almost beatific, as Princess Aurora. Her sheer stamina needs to be applauded and singled out – this prima ballerina features in so many scenes and with many solos. Oscar Valdes has presence and technique beyond his years and is one of the best and most natural principals to grace the WA Ballet stage in some time.
All of the soloists have been beautifully cast, especially Dayana Hardy Acuna (Princess Florine), Polly Hilton (Carabosse), Alexa Tuzil (Lilac Fairy), Julio Blanes (Golden Deer) and Nikki Blain (Babette). The ensemble pieces are tight, timing is excellent and they work together seamlessly. The company’s response to McAllister’s direction is clear and powerful, and much welcomed in this regard.
The creative team provides rich and sumptuous surrounds to this maximalist production. Erika Turunen’s costumes are second to none – proving sometimes distracting to the actual dancing itself. The luxurious fabrics and attention to exquisite detail in the costumes enhance Minna Wallenius’ luscious sets, creating a three-dimensional pop-up book-like stage that is beautiful to behold from every single angle.
The West Australian Philharmonic Orchestra, led by the always spectacularly-clad Jessica Gethin, perform Tchaikovsky’s nostalgic and evocative score with ease and beauty.
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This whole production is a feast for the senses that will have children believing in and dreaming of fairies, unicorns and dancing deer. Adults will leave with the resounding joy that the WA ballet company is in exceptional hands (for now), and world-class once again.
The Sleeping Beauty
His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth
Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Choreographer: Javier Torres after Marius Petipa
Guest Artistic Director: David McAllister
Répétiteur: Ingrid Nĕmečková
Dramaturge: Anneli Mäkelä
Set Designer: Minna Wallenius
Costume Designer: Erika Turunen
Lighting Designer: Nigel Levings
Associate Lighting Designer: Michael Rippon
Video Designer: Timo Nyman
Principal Conductor: Jessica Gethin
With West Australian Philharmonic Orchestra
Cast: Chihiro Nomura, Oscar Valdés, Polly Hilton, Glenda Garcia Gomez, Juan Carlos Osma, Alexa Tuzil, Mayume Noguromi, Candice Adea, Gakuro Matsui, Dayana Hardy Acuña, Nikki Blain, Kassidy Thompson, Pamela Barnes, Jesse Homes, Kristin Barwick, Sophie McDonald, Beatrice Manser, Asja Petrovski, Hye Jin Kim, Jack Whiter, Julio Blanes, Christian Luck (West Australian Ballet Alumni Guest Artist), Jacinta Ross (West Australian Ballet Alumni Guest Artist) (check online for cast on any given performance)
The Sleeping Beauty will be performed until 15 December 2024.
