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After a number of successfully conceived and well-performed mixed programmes, the Royal Ballet’s latest triple bill, its last offering of the season, was a bit of a let-down. This was a pity, for the dancing was good and sometimes phenomenal. One of the problems was that none of the three ballets matched any other. Wayne McGregor’s postmodern heavyweight Chroma, at the beginning, thwarted the thin modernist lyricism of Christopher Wheeldon’s Tryst, which, with its slightly tiresome and uneven thematic layout, was no match whatever with George Balanchine’s Symphony in C, a sparkling tribute to pure classical dance.
In addition, the not so seamless combination of McGregor’s postmodernism and Wheeldon’s late modernism turned two thirds of the programme into a weary display of not so digestible cerebral choreography, which seriously challenged the viewers’ patience. Which is unfortunate, because Chroma remains one of McGregor’s most complete and thought-provoking works, and one of the best examples of his uniquely powerful and abrasive take on the classical idiom. Indeed, it is a powerful opening, which shakes and provokes the unaware ballet-goer. Last Saturday, Ricardo Cervera, Mara Galeazzi, Sarah Lamb, Steven McRae, Laura Morera, Ludovic Ondiviela, Yuhui Choe, Eric Underwood, Jonathan Watkins and Edward Watson each gave a superb rendition of the piece, capturing the audience with the intensity of both their dancing and their interpretation. The ending was deservedly saluted by a frenetic ovation that came as a welcome release from the compelling tension created on stage.
Eric Underwood also starred in Tryst, splendidly partnered by Melissa Hamilton. Yet Wheeldon’s work is a weak one, particularly in terms of thematic and choreographic composition. The only visually engaging moment is the central duet, even though it does not exactly stand out for innovative content or as an original approach to traditional principles. Alas, the duet is sandwiched between long and chorographically sterile stretches of choral padding, and detract greatly from the tenuous beauty of the main couple’s actions.
Some say that Wheeldon has often drawn upon George Balanchine’s monumental oeuvre for inspiration. Tryst, however, does not provide any evidence for this, particularly when followed by Balanchine’s majestic Symphony in C. This 1947 ballet, set to Bizet’s catchy score, is one of the great master’s most obvious tributes to ballet’s golden era, the late-19th century, with a profusion of virtuoso feats for each of the four main couples, and some memorable corps de ballet action. The performance I attended last Saturday was, I believe, one of the most brilliant I have ever seen this side of the Atlantic. The cast, with Sarah Lamb, Marianela Nuñez, Yuhui Choe, Laura Morera, Steven McRae, Rupert Pennefather, Sergei Polunin and Edward Watson as the main interpreters, was ideal, and it is a pity that there were no cameras to record the event, for it showed the Royal Ballet at its best. Each couple stood out for affinity and, at the same time, contrast; the long, lyrically yearning central adagio section with Nuñez and Pennefather commanded an almost religious silence and admiration among viewers. I have often reproached the Royal corps de ballet for not having the correct ‘nervousness’ in their legs to dance Balanchine. This time, I am glad to report, every single member of the corps de ballet showed sparkling leg and footwork. In spite and regardless of the unevenness of the whole programme, Symphony in C was the best way to mark the end of what has been a successful season overall for the company.
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