Swan Lake

You may wonder why, when we have an international class Queensland Ballet group would we need to see Ballet Preljocaj from Aix-en-Provence in France? Well, this outstanding dance company are performing for an exclusive Brisbane season as part of QPAC’s International Series, which involves connections with our own dance community through workshops and masterclasses. As is common in the creative arts, sometimes the best outcome is unexpected and arrives through happy accidents – chance meetings of creative minds – it sounds French to call it ‘serendipity’ … but, why rely on ‘bon chance’? Why not make these collaborations happen and spark new ideas for tomorrow’s works?

Ballet Preljocaj (named for their director/choreographer and former dancer, Angelin Preljocaj) is not a traditional ballet company. As their Swan Lake demonstrates, the company mixes up ballet with modern dance and movement. In the post-show Q&A Angelin explained that, to his mind, most ballet companies are focused on elevating the dancers, en pointe and in the air. His philosophy is to ‘make gravity your partner’ – this was evident in the strength of his dancers’ movement, with not a pointe toe ballet shoe in sight. It was also no surprise to learn that he is a painter in is spare time. This modern take on Swan Lake began with a refreshed scenario from Angelin’s mind, then a storyboard with music, selected of course from an edited version of Tchaikovsky’s original (since the original was 3 hours long) plus other pieces from the Russian composer as well as new electronic music from 79D music studio. Then, to help tell the story, screen animations by video designer, Boris Labbé. Angelin calls it a palimpsest approach, which suits his choreography style too, and it creates a feast for the eyes.

As with any ballet, it is the performers who truly bring the story to life – and here we have movement maestros – an alternating cast, but I saw and Théa Martin and Antoine Dubois in the lead roles of  Odile and Siegfried, with the much-too-young-looking Agathe Peluso and Romain Renaud as Seigfried’s parents, and Redi Shtylla as the enigmatic, leather-clad Rothbart – with a dance troupe of more than 20 dancers. Yes, there are pas de deux to showcase individual dancers but the strength of this interpretation is in the group scenes where – similar to Hofesh Shecter’s style – emotion and energy are exacted through sychronised group movement. So, the lead performers were all stars with incredible skill in creating characters through movement, but I also enjoyed the Gatsby-esque party scene at the Siegfried’s inner-city skyscraper apartment, with the group moving to electropop by 79D, with the girls in Halston-like dresses and the guys in business suits, all by fashion designer Igor Chapurin. The business types are blissfully unaware of the encroaching destruction caused by Siegfried Senior’s business interests. The centre-stage property development maquette is brought to life as a black and white animated industrial landscape, levelling nature in its wake, including of course the community of swans where Siegfried’s beloved Odile lives when she is not in human form. The costumes here by Chapurin are perfect – the stacked-handkerchief style swan skirts almost take on the appearance of discarded plastic as the toxic wasteland takes over and we witness its ultimate tragic end.

To tell the story, a maestro of another kind was working in the orchestra pit throughout. The ballet features live music performed by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Johannes Fritzch, who we are lucky enough to have based in Brisbane. This completes the director’s collage of creative styles, and ensures a rich experience for the audience. This style of ballet is not usual and may be unexpected, but I shout ‘vive la difference’!

Supported by the Queensland Government, QPAC’s International Series and exclusive Brisbane season also extends digitally to regional centres: the performance on 4 June will be recorded and streamed for free online as part of QPAC’s digital stage (for Australian audiences only) and also at a series of venues throughout the state from 13 June to 15 June.

Beth Keehn

Photographer:  David Kelly

Find out more: https://www.qpac.com.au/whats-on/digital-stage/ballet-preljocaj-swan-lake-on-digital-stage