Prokofiev’s luscious ballet soars over its own fantasy in this lavish production by the ENB. Guillermo Nazara shares his thoughts on this extravagant montage depicting one of the most famous fairy tales ever told, to let us know if magic was eventually made at the ball last night.
There are many kinds of Cinderella. The one from the cartoons we’ve grown up with. The one we fell for in musicals (some more than others…). And the one I feel like every time my flatmates leave my kitchen like a complete mess… Still, no matter how many times we’ve been told the charming tale of the girl with the glass slipper, the story keeps being readapted and explored through countless ways of art forms. Prokofiev’s take on the Grimm-Perrault folklore-collected story may not be breaking the grounds of style or narrative – after all, the piece has been around for over half a century. But it’s clearly paved its way into our memories. At least, if you’ve seen it like this.
The summer season opens at the Royal Albert Hall with what’s it’s probably its most ambitious offer. An ambition that, on the other hand, has overpowered itself. Marketed as a high-scale ensemble production, this is actually just one of the many standouts that make of this montage the most intricate (and, all in all, best) achievement the ENB has presented up until now this year. Featuring astonishingly fanciful costumes and captivating, fully immersive staging, the show takes Prokofiev’s lavishness way beyond the score, intertwining enticing visuals and elysian recounting techniques to bring out the plot’s sparkle into a night of true bewitchment.
Integrating the venue’s palatial ambiance with an excitingly transporting and pretty much alive design, the combination of old methods such as props and shaped fabrics (credit to Julian Crouch) with animated video projections (by Daniel Brodie) create a enveloping, jaw-dropping atmosphere which seamlessly merges tradition with modernity – both working in a harmony as rich as its music to transform a children’s tale into a romantic lush of colourful allure. The enchantment of its setting is only surpassed by the ravishment of its costumes, blending the historical essence of Imperial Russia with the mythical zest of the plot’s wonderful world.
Displaying a well-balanced mixture of glamour and family-friendly (sometimes slapstick) humour in Wheeldon’s choreography, both lead dancers excel at taking their characters to a whole new dimension. Erina Takahashi, as Cinderella, brings out the frail sweetness of the role through a secure though compelling rendition, while Francesco Gabriele Frola’s energetic portrayal of Prince Guillaume accentuates his adventurousness through an almost flawless performance. However, the highest mention goes to the male quartet accompanying the heroine as the Fates – dancing with incredible synchronization while never giving the sensation of playing itself, resulting in a free-spirited, nearly transcendent delivery of what really is an incredibly complex set of moves.
In all fairness, the closest equivalent to a theatrical day dream, Cinderella In The Round is a triumph over a triumph as for what it takes to turn a classical art into a ravishing spectacle of sensorial bethrothment. Also counting on a full-piece orchestra skillfully conducted by Gavin Sutherland, the unblemished quality of this montage make of it a definite must-see for anyone willing to be taken by the whims of imagination. For even after 12, the spell of this show can still not be broken.
All pictures credit to Ian Gavan.
Cinderella In The Round plays at London’s Royal Albert Hall until 25 June. Tickets are available on the following link.