Hong Kong Ballet’s new Swan Lake debuted with a magnificent performance by Ye Feifei as Odette/Odile, brilliantly partnered by guest artist Matthew Ball of The Royal Ballet. Their classical dancing and fine acting showcased why Swan Lake remains a timeless classic. However, whether the rest of the production brought out its enduring appeal is debatable.
The aim was to offer a fresh perspective on the 19th-century classic. Choreographer Yuri Possokhov created his own version, with new designs by Sandra Woodall (costumes) and Alexander Nichols (sets, lighting, and video). The production featured accompaniment by the Hong Kong Philharmonic and guest Prince Siegfrieds, including Ball and Constantine Allen from Dutch National Ballet. Despite the lavish investment, the execution fell short in some areas.
A production of this scale requires a larger company, and Hong Kong Ballet’s 48 dancers proved insufficient, especially with a high injury rate of around 25%. Bringing in extras to fill gaps led to an inconsistent aesthetic, with the swan corps de ballet appearing as a mix of swans, geese, and ducks due to varying heights. Possokhov’s major changes to the story, such as the Jester transforming into the evil Von Rothbart, disrupted the original plot’s dramatic coherence. The swans’ unexplained presence and the altered ending, where Odette simply leaves the stage, further confused the narrative.
Possokhov’s choreography, though musically adept, had mixed results. Act 1 featured excellent original choreography, particularly the waltz and Jester’s solos. However, Act 3’s dances lacked sufficient national character to match the music. The Italian (Neapolitan) dance was the most successful, but the Spanish dance’s crude moves and the princesses’ inappropriate behavior jarred with the 19th-century setting. Siegfried’s moody solos, despite being movingly interpreted by Ball and Allen, felt too modern.
The set and costume designs were inconsistent. The lakeside set for the swans worked well, but the massive palace sets restricted dancing space, and the forest backdrop featuring an oversized squirrel was puzzling. The costumes ranged from awkward to bizarre, with the Queen and her ladies in waiting burdened by cringe-inducing crinolines, and Von Rothbart dressed in outlandish attire.
Despite these issues, the dancers’ energy and commitment were commendable. Ye Feifei’s portrayal of Odette was extraordinary, blending exquisite lyricism and breathtaking virtuosity. Her chemistry with Ball highlighted his realistic acting and elegant, cleanly finished dancing. While Wang Qingxin excelled as Odile, her angularity in modern ballet worked against her as Odette, despite her evident passion for the role. Allen’s emotional Siegfried was compelling, although he needed more space for his solos.
Outstanding performances came from Wang Zi and Jeremy Chan as the Jester, Jessica Burrows as the prince’s friend, Basil James as Benno, and Yonen Takano and Garry Corpuz as Von Rothbart. Despite the production’s challenges, the dedication of the performers shone through, making for a memorable rendition of this classic ballet.
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