My Reluctant Goodbye To RB's Swan Lake
It seems to me that there's a general consensus that Anthony Dowell's production of Swan Lake should be brushed under the carpet. This is the final run for the production but I'm surprised at how many people are glad to see it go. It's a funny thing writing about a production of a ballet that is soon to be locked up into the archive. On the one hand there's a feeling that it's time for something new or a change, but then everything becomes quite poignant and emotional during those final performances as you realise that everything about it is actually still current and fresh. Hold the key! Can't we archive something else? That brown first Act in Giselle for example? Or maybe those pantomime, dragging bits in Sleeping Beauty? No? So out with the old for poor old Anthony Dowell and his cart-horse of a production that is Swan Lake. A production I am hearing has been loathed by many for quite some time. Hard-core fans seem to detest the costumes, they hate the set, they feel little 'filler' scenes like the children with the tutor should be removed and that the flamboyant décor in Act Three is more underground Soho than courtly Russia. There's also the tutu debate. Where are they? We all tire of seeing the same production time after time, but I actually happen to love the current version that we have at the Royal Ballet. I love the first Act, I think it sparks a perfect setting for a troubled Prince who is surrounded by carefree peasantry types. I find the pas de trois a little tiresome because it can look very clumsy when not performed well; however, the music is so lovely and the Degas-esque costumes are pretty to look at. There are some things I would change, such as re-introducing the Prince's solo so that he actually has something to do other than support a swan and I would also take out the rebellious lad culture scene where the Prince and his mates steal weapons from the guards and walk around the stage for five minutes – the music is so climatic here that it seems a shame to waste it. After seeing the Mariinsky's version last summer, which, along with the excruciating jester and dull set, I found incredibly dated, I appreciate Dowell's production so much more. I love the flurry of black swans and the choreography in the final act and the pas de deux between Siegfried and Odette which is so poignant and loving. There is still much to like about this production and I will be sorry to see it go.
I am just going to take a moment to discuss my surprise at the subtle departure of this production. I think for the Royal Opera House Shop display, something a bit more eye catching wouldn't have gone amiss. A cardboard wing painted in black and a feathered white wing hanging next to it along with a painted metallic floor and a bizarre display of a pair of earrings, doesn't quite give off a lasting impression of this production. Ok, so many are tired of Dowell's offering after its 30 years bringing in the dollar, but come on, let's celebrate the astonishing achievement it has been. Let's not tire of it and let's remember the great times. I think it odd that after such a long run of such an iconic ballet, or 'the ballet' as Kevin O'Hare has said, that there hasn't been a farewell exhibition in the entrance hall or upstairs in the Amphitheatre. What about some images of Dowell and all the wonderful dancers who have interpreted the roles over the years? Where is a swan tutu on display or a brief history of the making of this production? Perhaps everyone is in agreement that Dowell's production needs to be swiftly and quietly replaced, but I think it a tragedy for such a staple in the Royal Ballet's repertoire to say farewell in a hushed manner. I hope Kevin says something in the final performance along with a tribute to Dowell, I mean jeeze the guy is a living legend, why not bring him on stage at the final curtain call for a bow?