Alexei Ratmansky:
"Coq d*or"
The Royal Danish Ballet
September 15, 2012
To recover another lost Ballet Russe masterpiece and get it reinvented by probably the most suited choreographer in the world. To get it done by probably the most suited company in the world with probably the best character dancer in his final production. To reinvent the fabulous designs by an international and dedicated designer and get it done by one of the strongest workshops available. This would be something and the expectations were justifiably high. Even though all involved performed to the max. the miracle did not come through. Why not? Simply because the core material, the DNA, of the artwork is void of what we see as the core Ballet Russe magic. This is not a fable of human lust and destiny. The Coq d'or is not another firebird but a simple piece of mechanism, not unlike the false bird in H.C. Andersen’s: "The Nightingale". And this story was conceived by Pushkin as a political tale on the dangers of absolutism. Not the easiest subject to build a ballet on.
As it is, Ratmansky and his former colleagues of RDB create an interesting and pleasing ballet
with a strong star performance by Gudrun Bojesen, who almost singlehanded managed to create the Ballet Russe eroticism and magic, but they cannot make the material reach all the way. It is as good as it possibly can be and that alone makes it a good production on international level, which should tour. However it does not take you where you really want to go, virtuously or emotionally.