Review: Queensland Ballet's Romeo and Juliet
Queensland Ballet
Romeo and Juliet
Lyric Theatre, QPAC
March 21
This season of Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet not only launches Queensland Ballet’s 65th year but also celebrates the iconic ballet’s 60th anniversary. It is QB’s third presentation of this monumental work, the first in 2014 breaking box office records and propelling the company into a decade of exceptional growth. Revisiting the work six years after its second, 2019 season, clearly highlights the trajectory of that development, coincidentally also marking newly appointed Artistic Director, Ivan Gil-Ortega’s first production with the company.
Undoubtedly the biggest ballet in the QB repertoire, MacMillan’s definitive interpretation of the Shakespearean tragedy has a cast of 70-plus, this time pulled entirely from the company ranks. The settings evoke a Renaissance grandeur; the rich browns and ochres of the market scenes contrasting with the heraldic majesty of the ball scene with its sumptuous costuming of sweeping velvets and lush brocades. Both were designed ten years ago by the late Paul Andrews, but now, after judicious negotiation, then restoration, adaptation, and the generosity of supporters, they are the property of QB. Quite an acquisition!
Propelling the ballet’s narrative is the luscious Sergei Prokofiev score, solidly delivered by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra under Music Director Nigel Gaynor. The score’s gorgeous lyricism and subtly intertwined themes representing characters and situations, transfixed the audience from the overture’s opening notes.
This was MacMillan’s first 3-act ballet. In a pattern he was to repeat, the ballet’s lynchpins are the various pas de deux that he choreographed first, with the exquisite Act 1 balcony pas de deux undoubtedly the highlight. The rest of the ballet is constructed around these as a dramatically rich and visually opulent framework.
On opening night, Senior Soloist Chiara Gonzalez made her debut as Juliet in a well-matched pairing with Principal Artist Patricio Revé as Romeo. Possessed of a beautiful line, immaculate footwork, and the necessary quickness and lightness, her Juliet was impetuous and headstrong, in an interpretation layered with nuance, and where the trajectory to the final tragedy was clearly drawn. Her ball scene duet with Paris (Edison Manuel), showed how flattering attention can change a young girl’s world, making her subsequent attraction to Romeo the more believable.
Revé debuted the role of Romeo in 2019, and his interpretation now shows more depth. Impulsive, yes, but also a dreamer, and an idealist. Revé still has that panther-like quality in his movement, lovely line, and precise footwork. His turns are effortless, and seamless partnering helped make each of the pas de deux a clear expression of the development of the doomed relationship.
As in previous seasons, additional dramatic weight is added by seasoned professionals in key roles. Christian Tàtchev (Director of QB Academy) was a force to be reckoned with as the dominating Lord Capulet, ably supported by former Australian Ballet School Director Lisa Pavane as Lady Capulet. Janette Mulligan was again engaging as the Nurse, while brief appearances by David Power as Friar Laurence and Matthew Lawrence as Escalus, both showed the necessary gravitas.
After three seasons, Vito Bernasconi has made the role of the pugnacious Tybalt his own, while Kohei Iwamato again captured the impish naughtiness of Mercutio. However, his pas de trois with Benvolio (Joshua Ostermann) and Romeo, near the top of the ballet – rather difficult with its series of en dehors attitude turns, and demanding unison – fell a little short of this mark.
In other roles, Alison McWhinney made a suitably haughty Rosalind, while the three Harlots, Georgia Swan, Laura Tosar, and Vanessa Morelli added the requisite ‘earthiness’ to the market scenes. The vitality and sheer density of the stage business of these scenes, as well as the detailed, intricate choreography, was embraced by the corps de ballet with spirited commitment. The mass street fights also looked real, blades clashing to the manic musical beat, the action filling the stage. Credit should go here to Principal Coach Laura Morera, Artistic Supervisor for the MacMillan Estate at The Royal Ballet, and Gary Harris who was responsible for coaching the fight scenes.
Running at just under three hours with intervals, it is a long ballet, and unlike previous seasons, this time I (and others) noticed it. Perhaps in subsequent revivals adjustments will be made to accommodate an audience that no longer has quite the staying power of earlier years.
Nevertheless, if you can catch Romeo and Juliet before the season ends, do. This classic production won’t disappoint.
-DENISE RICHARDSON