In what has to be one of the more sumptuous ballets of our time, “Cinderella” performed by a nothing short than stellar cast at the Pacific Northwest Ballet, is a triumph.
The production at McCaw Hall in lower Queen Anne, drew a full house, and brought the audience to its feet as the curtain fell.
Both young and old know the story of Cinderella so steeped is it in our culture--whether it be the ancient version of French origin or the modified tale adopted by Walt Disney. And PNB’s presentation brought both together in three acts.
Inside the gorgeous music of Sergei Prokofiev under the seamless management of conductor Emil de Cou, the curtain rises upon a lonely servant girl sweeping the apron of the fireplace and dreaming of a life that at best is fantasy. Behind a full scrim Cinderella, played by Lesley Rausch, sees her fantasy played out before her: A dance with the prince, a royal life far away from the drudgery of her cinder-marked reality.
The constant reminders of her station, her two stepsisters (Lindsi Dec and Chalnessa Eames) and stepmother (Ariana Lallone), appear soon after--their ineptitude and lack of grace expressed in awkward dancing and gaudy costumes. Even in her ash-smeared rags, Cinderella is more lovely and regal than they’ll ever be.
Her father (Uko Gorter) knows this, but has for too long been under the thumb of the stepmother and is rendered impotent. Despite her hopeless situation, Cinderella’s faith in humanity remains unsullied. She brings a vagabond into the shelter of a mansion, offering the stranger some food and a warm seat by the fireplace.
Her kindness is rewarded by the fairy godmother played by Carrie Imler who dances with amazing skill and flair. The magic appears in the form of pirouetting seasons, their attendants, spring-colored bugs and whimsical pumpkin toned children.
While the soloists were a pleasure to watch, the chorus dancing was equally strong, and maybe even more so from a visual standpoint, where rows of forest colored attendants flourished and twirled in time, an effect largely due to the careful choreography by PNB’s founding artistic director Kent Stowell. It was Stowell who conceived and choreographed the PNB’s premiere of Cinderella in 1994.
Costumes designed by Martin Pakledinaz mimicked the colors of nature, except during the ballroom scene where guests danced in brilliant reds that contrasted all the more with Cinderella’s sparkling white gown. Rausch made the complicated dancing, especially while on point, seem like child’s play, allowing the audience to become lost in the story and her eloquent movement. . It could have been so easy to overfill the wordless stage with spectacled gestures and dance, but Rausch did nothing of the sort, placing subtlety and joy in their rightful places.
And the Prince (Jeffrey Stanton), conveyed the perfect balance of strength and benevolence. His wingman, the court jester (Jonathan Porretta) delighted the crowd with his celebratory leaps and twirls and comical facial expressions when attempting to jam the dainty glass slipper on the giant feet of the stepsisters.
While this version has come to an end, it will assuredly be back. Whether you are a ballet fan or just a casual observer, PNB’s future production of Cinderella is not to be missed.
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