Alberta Ballet’s La Sylphide: A milestone performance of quiet sophistication and understated elegance
By Eula Mengullo, September 18 2024—
The Alberta Ballet Company brought a glimpse of the Romantic era onto Albertan stage with their stunning momentous production of the classical white tutu ballet, La Sylphide. Evocative of the story’s Scottish milieu, the opening night began with a beautiful and jovial performance featuring The Regimental Pipes and Drums of the Calgary Highlanders, followed by a warm welcome from the company’s new artistic director, Francesco Ventriglia.
In Act One, the audience were transported to a majestic Scottish castle where we were introduced to young Scotsman James, played by Lang Ma, and The Sylph, portrayed by Luna Sasaki. The scenes in this first half were characterized by lively celebrations and buoyant dancing to mark the wedding festivities between James and his fiance, Effie, depicted by Hotaru Maruyama. A highlight of this opening act was the exhilarating performance of a Scottish reel, which was a jubilant display of the remarkable talent and coordination of the dancers who managed to make this astonishingly fast-paced choreography look effortless. It is also in this Act that we witness the foreboding predictions of the old fortune teller Madge, played by Caleb Durbin, who impressively brought this character to life with such passion and convincing animation.
In stark contrast to the exuberance of the first, the latter half of the show takes the audience to a dark, misty forest, stepping into a world of the occult where we learn about the dark plot of the witches, but also encounter the sylphs in their ethereal habitat. The soft, dim lighting of this enchanting woodland further amplifies their mystic and otherworldliness, completely distinct from the civilian world inhabited by James and Effie in Act One.
As the plot progressed, we further witness Sasaki’s impeccable portrayal of The Sylphide, exhibiting movements with understated grace and precision. Sasaki masterfully embodied the graceful allure and elusiveness of something beautiful yet unattainable, and seamlessly depicted every emotion, from adoringly luring James, to the tragic scene where she loses her wings and dies in the arms of her sister sylphs. Equally distinguished was Ma’s enactment of an impassioned pursuer, carrying out his movements with a perfect balance of intricacy and rigorous athleticism in the face of demanding techniques. Together, their chemistry made for a charming dynamic that captivated the audience.
Truly emblematic of the classical white tutu ballet and the overall charm of this entire production were Sasaki and Ma’s pas de deux and the dance of many sylphs in Act Two. Demure and refined, the supporting corps-de-ballet embodied quiet sophistication, looking serene as they exhibited their movements against the backdrop of a misty glen. The exquisite handmade costumes of the sylphs, courtesy of the Florence Opera House, are a modern visualization of a twenty-first century fairy, made perfect with a touch of ruffles, dainty wings and strings of pearls that captured their distinct ethereality.
In line with Ventriglia’s vision for the company, bringing the oldest classical repertoire ballet to Albertans for the first time in history was a brilliant way of honouring an early masterpiece of this art form while also charting a new course. The libretto adapted from Herman Severin Lovenskiold featured a timeless musical score, while the set and visual design of Malgorzata Szablowska and Italo Grassi illustrated a soft and elegant atmosphere truly reminiscent of the Romantic period in which this story was first imagined. Making this production even more exciting was the debut of new dancers recently inducted into the company who graced the stage alongside long time members. This fusion of the new and the old certainly makes for an exciting anticipation of upcoming titles under Ventriglia’s artistic direction.
More than a celebration of dance, beauty and talent, the narrative also grapples with the fundamental questions of contentment, passion and our innate quest for the unknown. In the end, not only does James end up killing The Sylph as he attempts to capture her, but he also loses his fiance due to his infidelity, leaving him alone and heartbroken. After all, this story was a product of the Romantic genre, when emotion overpowered reason, and the pursuit of beauty and the enigmatic held their promise. The late eighteenth and nineteenth century turmoils in France and Britain prompted an intellectual, artistic and literary movement where society could envision an alternate reality separate from their own. These classical themes make La Sylphide a timeless exploration of the human condition, leaving the audience with not only the high of seeing a beautiful live performance but also with thoughtful questions to ponder.
To learn more about Alberta Ballet’s 2024-25 season, visit their website.