Playhouse, Queensland Performing Arts Centre
Reviewed October 4
Coco Chanel: the Life of a Fashion Icon is the new main stage work of Queensland Ballet’s (QB) 2024 season, programmed by former Artistic Director Li Cunxin before he retired. A co-production between Hong Kong Ballet, Atlanta Ballet and QB, and created by Belgium-Colombian choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, it was a good pick for the company.
This is a beautifully elegant looking ballet, with set and costumes designed by Jérôme Kaplan. Cream string curtains hang back and sides of the stage, variously lit in a design by Jon Buswell (after Billy Chan) to evoke different moods. The main set pieces of two cream curved staircases, black stripe along their rails, representing an icon of the House of Chanel, join and separate, becoming part of the action.
Smaller set pieces successfully support other scenes. Bentwood chairs, lit underneath, act as plinths for mannequins, then in a scene change, transform into "chandeliers" as they are hoisted above the stage, illuminating the party of wealthy sponsor, Étienne Balsam (D’Arcy Brazier). Similarly, in a scene showing the rise of Chanel’s empire, an army of seamstresses manoeuvre small workbenches on wheels into various linear configurations, conveying a sense of robotic industry.
Costumes also evoke the minimalist elegance of the Chanel brand, with splashes of colour interrupting an otherwise monochromatic palette, coming from the Edwardian-styled silk gowns early on, and lush "Dior" Nouvelle Vogue dresses of the final 1950s scene, as Chanel dreams of making a comeback with her signature look and silhouette.
Peter Salem’s original score, at times reminding me of the early 20th century French composers, propels the narrative effectively throughout. Elegant but expressive, a combination of orchestral and electronic instruments gives dramatic weight to scenes like the German invasion of Paris with pre-recorded voice and other sound effects.
The movement, reflecting Chanel’s vision for simplicity of design, is minimalist but eclectic, drawing from the classical and contemporary canons, with the odd nod to the expressive jazz dynamic. Featuring a plethora of arabesques of all heights, especially penchés, spinning chainés, needle-sharp pointe work and angled arms, it is crisp, coherent and eloquent.
In a very creative and concise telling of a long story, the rich tapestry of Chanel’s sometimes controversial life is condensed into about 100 minutes, each of its two acts comprising a series of short scenes, which blend seamlessly from one to the other.
Key characters appear chronologically. In the role of Coco Chanel, Neneka Yoshida – on stage throughout – anchors the work. Always a very expressive dancer, she takes the audience with her on Chanel’s rags-to-riches journey from impoverished seamstress to wealthy couturier – with cigarette constantly in hand.
The character of Shadow-Chanel (Kaho Kato) was created to represent Chanel’s determination and ambition. While certainly acting as a foil to the title character, I wonder at the value of such a theatrical device. Cannot one characterisation encompass multiple aspects of a personality?
The always charismatic Patricio Revé danced the role of Edward "Boy"Capel, Chanel’s great love who dies young in a car accident. These two dancers are well-matched, and their touching and sensual pas de deux showing the softer side of the Chanel character was a highlight of the ballet.
Luke DiMattina was convincing as the slick, Pierre Wertheimer, the businessman who ultimately financed Chanel’s signature perfume Chanel No 5. And Joshua Ostermann captured Igor Stravinsky’s headbanging frustration well, trying to compose on piano, followed by an edgy duet with Chanel to themes from The Rite of Spring, the ballet which she helped finance.
Chanel enjoyed being the seducer, and one of her most controversial dalliances was with Gestapo spy, "Baron" Hans Günther von Dincklage. With a brittle, staccato quality to his movement, Vito Bernasconi was powerful in this small role.
Other small roles were well danced by Alisa Pukkinen (Chanel's sister, Julia) and Vanessa Morelli as actress Gabrielle Dorziat, while Georgia Swan and Edison Manuel were sinuously entwined in a duet as the "double C" Coco Chanel logo.
Supporting the dramatic through-line, the company dancers, variously as party goers, seamstresses, flower ladies or German soldiers, all showed dramatic skill, and where precision was imperative, they delivered.
The season of Coco Chanel: the Life of a Fashion Icon has already sold out, although it’s possible the odd seat may become available. It puts to rest the notion that Brisbane audiences are risk averse when it comes to new works of dance.
– DENISE RICHARDSON
'Coco Chanel: the Life of a Fashion Icon' continues until October 19. See our behind the scenes article on the making of the ballet here.