The Sleeping Beauty

So much has happened and changed in the world since the Queensland Ballet had their most successful season ever six years ago when they mounted Greg Horsman’s reinterpretation of Tchaikovsky’s old-fashioned and grand fairytale The Sleeping Beauty.

And so much has happened to the young company, with the company expanded to include more dancers, and some company artists being given the chance to perform major roles. It happened at yesterday’s matinee when Chiara Gonzalez danced Princess Aurora. Showing off her high technical skills in this most difficult part, her arabesque balances in the famous Rose Adagio had a friendly grace and a lovely poise. As a young girl on the cusp of womanhood she showed the inner drama of a teen about to blossom.

Opposite her as Prince Desire was company principal Camilo Ramos, the epitome of a masculine romantic hero. Their coupling brought magic to the stage, especially their Act II pas de deux, with their fish-dives bringing instant applause. Ramos was outstanding in his hunting party solo, commanding the stage with some spectacular leaps and a sensitive loneliness.

Carabosse, the malevolent black fairy, saw Paige Rochester don the swirling cape in a performance that had nice touches of evil and Grimm fairytale menace. Joseph Chapman was a regal and cocky Russian Prince, whilst principals Neneka Toshida and Victor Estevez produced fire and passion as the bluebirds.

Also producing fire was Gary Harris’ set-showpiece of a fire-belching dragon. It provided Ramos with a marvellous athletic swashbuckling fight.

First produced by the Royal New Zealand Ballet in 2011, Horsman’s version of The Sleeping Beauty is wondrous to look at with sumptuous sets and costumes by Harris that evoke a vintage European world of opulent castles, magnificent ballrooms and forest glades, with a storybook feel of majesty, mystery and magic. The ballroom scene that opens Act II, with the corps resplendent in their royal blue and gold costumes, brought waves of appreciative applause, whilst D’Arcy Brazier and Hayley Thompson, dressed as cats, provided some laughs as Catalabutte and Lady Florine.

But the production would not be as successful as it was without the excellent timing of conductor Nigel Gaynor and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. His superb control resulted in a crisp and deeply satisfying performance.

After a year without a major ballet production, The Sleeping Beauty was a great and grand return for Queensland Ballet.

Peter Pinne    

Photographer: David Kelly