Eva Kistrup: Quality Time

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Silja Schandorff & Nikolaj Hübbe:

”Giselle”

Royal Danish Ballet

The Old Stage

October 29, 2016

Compared to his productions of”Napoli”, “A Folk´s Tale”, “La Sylphide” and “Swan Lake”, Nikolaj Hübbe, together with co-director Silja Schandorff is taking the conservative route with the new production of “Giselle”. There is no time travel, nor any gender change, and the décor and costumes, although bold, stays close to the norm. The focus is where it should be and the result is a brilliant production carried by the youngest and brightest stars of Royal Danish Ballet.

Since 1979, RDB has produced several versions of “Giselle” by respectably Erik Bruhn, Henning Kronstam, Peter Schaufuss and Nikolaj Hübbe, although all of them had to use the traditional and beautiful costumes and decorations by Desmond Heely. In his first year, 2008, as Artistic Director Nikolaj Hübbe and Sorella Englund produced their version, which also became the final role for Leading Ballerina, Silja Schandorff, who is Hübbe’s co-director for this production, which also marks the end of her tenure as Deputy Artistic Director of RDB. As Principal and co-Giselle from the 2008 production, Gudrun Bojesen had her farewell performance two weeks ago, so this evening does fell like a generation chance. However, the eyes stays, if not completely dry, still jubilant, as Giselle gets the royal treatment by young company star, Ida Praetorius, the natural successor to the two great ballerinas. However, as Giselle, she is far from Royal status as the – at least in the programme book - poor farming girl.

Upward Mobility

It looks like set designer Maja Ziska and costume designer Mia Steensgaard have treated Giselle and Mother Bertha with a social upgrade. The door marking their cottage is in Palladian style and they even bring out a handsome set of mahogany furniture for the noble visitors.

Mia Steensgaard got her big break through as Ballet stage and costume designer, when she gave Kenneth McMillan’s “Manon” a lighter set and costumes for the Copenhagen premiere. This design have since been used for several other productions. She is also the designer for two of Nikolaj Hübbe’s major productions, “A Folk’s Tale” and “Swan Lake”. The later with light designs by Mikki Kunttu. This time around, she is also concentrating on the costumes. Maja Ziska has less experience with designing for ballet, which may account for a few weaknesses in the final product.

Instead of producing the traditional small cottages, Ziska uses two completely oversized sets elements, matching the “fronts” of the Old Stage Auditorium. It makes regal entrances for the two homes, but they take off so much room on the stage that several of the dances gets cramped. Together with several draped stage curtains, it looks more like a rehearsal than like a performance. There are beautiful backdrops inspired by romantic painters. However, the space is compromised.

In the second act, the large building elements, now four in place, are drawn to the sides and creates what looks more like a schoolyard than a wood. The backdrop has two panel doors inserted in the otherwise beautiful wood scene and the vilies makes there entrance through these doors. It is a clumsy and unnecessary design. Bente Lykke Møller designs for “La Sylphide”, also box in the stage, limiting the natural flow of the sylphs. Having it happens twice in a row for the two greatest romantic ballets is close to unbearable. I know from the programme notes that we are in place between life and death, but even ghosts do prefer the necessary room to maneuver.

The costumes for the female dancers are delicate and beautiful. However bringing 16 girls on stage in pink dresses makes on feel a bit like watching a Disney movie and with the odd capping of the old cottager couple they do look somewhat like Mr. and Mrs. Mole. The costumes for the male dancers are rather bland. Wilfred easily became the most elegant man on stage. It is not quite of the same level as “Swan Lake”.

Romantic Romance

First cast Ida Praetorius and Andreas Kaas is all you could wish for as the romantic couple. Schandorff and Hübbe has chosen to portrait Giselle as delicate and struggling with the heart disease. Fortunately, Ida Praetorius has the skills not to let the disease be the whole character. Having had many big leading roles at a very young age and conquered them all, she has had surprisingly few in the romantic ballets, she was born to dance. She is still waiting for Hilda in “A Folk’s Tale” and “La Sylphide” as well as a few princesses and fairies. Her Giselle show how well she handled the style and her mad scene is heart rendering. She once again proves that she is the leading ballerina in the company and the caretaker of the national heritage.

What also become clear in the production is that Andreas Kaas is no longer leading man in waiting. This year he has developed with every role he has been given. There is a clear line from Romeo in the spring through Siegfried in this season run of “Swan Lake” to this full-fledged Albrecht. It is a very impressive performance and a partnership that can go a long way.

Sebastian Haynes, slightly younger than the other two, also put it a strong performance as Hilarion. This time around the first act divertissement is a pas de deux (we have had up to a pas de huit earlier) danced by Soloists Caroline Baldwin and Jonathan Chmelensky. They both dances well but her costume has an enormous skirt and a very unbecoming and too modern top.

Down by the Schoolyard

Newly appointed Principal Kizzy Matiakis takes on Myrtha. She goes for mysterious and hurt rather than bitchy. Her dancing is fast and impressive and she covers all of the ground. It is a dynamic performance. Astrid Elbo and newcomer Eleonora Morris dance the two leading vilies impressively. Schandorff and Hübbe reuses the trick from the production of “La Bayadére” by putting the tallest girls in the front row, thereby making the corps appear more impressive and aggressive. In Hübbe’s 2008 production, the Vilies were more soft and romantic. There is more bite this time, but it could carry a notch more.

This week it was also announced that Nikolaj Hübbe has signed on for three more years with an option for another two years. Making a less experimental “Giselle” compared to his last “La Sylphide” build the impression that he might experiment less and depend more on his strong curating talent.

Photos by Costin Radu (Copyright(c) Royal Danish Ballet)