Morera as Manon

As a busy twenty- something, the opening of the ballet season last Friday night was sadly missed by myself. I don’t feel like I missed out too much though as Manon is not one of my favourites and I prefer Marianela Nunez in the classics or Ashton pieces. Laura Morera, however, is a fabulous MacMillan dancer and understands the passion and darkness that’s needed especially for the seductive and dangerous Manon. I sigh when I think of Morera’s career. Technically wonderful, Oscar-deserving theatrical talent and ideal body shape, I just don’t understand why, as a Principal dancer with the Royal Ballet, she still has never danced Juliet, Mary Vetsera or Aurora. And why did she only just have her Giselle debut last season? Whatever the reason, I find it a real shame.

The others can learn a lot from Morera’s Manon. She understands the role and the variety of layers that belong to Manon’s complex character. This isn’t just a story of innocence lost, this is an anti-fairy-tale where our heroine throws away her happy ending in favour of the inviting world of riches and sex. This turning point in the ballet comes when a glamorous coat and diamond necklace, gifts from the lecherous, and very rich, M. GM are put on her. We understand her fate as soon as it becomes clear that she has been seduced by wealth and with Morera’s expression saying it all, it would seem that the fur trimmed coat is now looking way more attractive than poor old Des Grieux. She’s made her choice and the rest is a tale of violence, manipulation and possession.

We all have our favourites and Nehemiah Kish wasn’t one of mine. To be fair, I never really gave him a chance. After seeing his Siegfried I assumed his height was his main forte but seeing him as Des Grieux last night in his first appearance for over a year due to injury, my mind was changed and I actually thought that he was looking pretty sharp. It took a while for him to warm up, fair enough I guess when you consider the injury. The first solo where Des Grieux introduces himself to Manon is so beautiful and says everything about his chivalric and gentlemanly behaviour. The poise and manners of this introduction should be so delicate and light and I’m afraid Kish didn’t quite have the stable balance or lightness of foot here. When he sees Manon in Act Two, however, in all of her posh gear, Kish really stepped it up and showcased his acting ability. I think he strikes a very good balance between passion and vulnerability, making it seem that he can’t nor will he ever be able to handle the free spirited Manon. Although separately both of these dancers were successful, I do feel that the chemistry between them was lacking. It never quite happened in terms of the passion or in terms of the tragedy. I would have liked a bit more welly in those pas de deux, the type that Alina and Johan mastered time and time again in this ballet.

Morera succeeds in seducing her prey and she flirts her way across the stage, flaunting her wealth and beauty to whoever pays interest. For me, her interpretation is that of a free spirit. Manon cannot be caged, whether by Des Grieux or GM. Actually the only one who comes close is her brother, Lescaut, who she clearly adores and will do anything for. However, Morera’s Manon is no more a victim than she is temptress, and although she loves Des Grieux, I believe that for Morera’s Manon, even if she could escape GM’s possession, she could always be tempted back into the sensual world of wealth and aristocracy. I like this interpretation mainly because it requires the dancer to look into the character’s psychological depth. Morera’s greatest asset, however, is her ability to use her own body to flirt and manipulate those around her. She always holds her head up high, her arms are beautifully languid and continuously snake around her body and she uses her wrists to flaunt herself and what she’s earned. Her greatest weapon is her legs, and although petite, Morera is able to glide across the stage and extend her limbs seductively over her dancing partners. In the final swamp pas de deux, where the climax of the story unfolds, Morera throws her body at Kish to be whipped into the air in a move that I still can’t believe is possible. With better chemistry, this would have been even more dramatic, but as Kish realises his Manon couldn’t quite survive that last throw, I watch through my binoculars at Morera’s final dramatic coup: keeping her eyes open while playing dead. Bravo.