AS PART of its homage to the Ballets Russes and the influence its touring companies had on dance in Australia, the Australian Ballet has reconstructed Les Presages and staged a new version of Symphonie Fantastique. History is tricky to deal with in dance, but the old work comes up well; it's the new one that provides the most problems.
With Les Presages, you have to put yourself in context of a time - 1933 - when it was shocking to have a ballet created on a symphony, in this case Tchaikovsky's Fifth. So you can imagine how fresh and bold Leonide Massine's choreography must have looked. Even now, it is stamped with originality that is rewarding to watch.
The ensembles are especially interesting in the monumental imagery they create with 27 in the corps plus five soloists. Massine not only moves his cast in patterns that wash like waves across the stage - and how much better they must look in a larger space - he builds on the climaxes in the music to create a visual equivalent in constructions of bodies that have a curious power and are unmistakably of their era.
The theme of "man's struggle with destiny" - also of its time - embraces action, passion, frivolity and the evil of war.
Soloists Danielle Rowe, Olivia Bell, Adam Bull, Adam Thurlow and Madeleine Eastoe capture the spirit, fluency and varied character of the movement that is rich in eye-catching details. The ensemble on opening night was just below the level of ideal precision, but otherwise strong.
Hector Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique was presented as a ballet with Massine's choreography in 1936. This version by Krzysztof Pastor was commissioned by the Australian Ballet and made its debut in August. Yet it seems to be mired in the past: neither a period piece nor a fresh look at old ingredients.
Pastor's choreography goes from hyperactive to standing around. His busy bodies have flailing arms and kicking legs that look repetitive and bland, with a lack of phrasing that might have shaped his conventional vocabulary of steps into something more interesting.
In fact, for a work that has a long printed story-line about the passion, joy, jealousy and despair of trying to find true love, this version of Symphonie Fantastique is oddly amorphous. Kirsty Martin and Robert Curran dance beautifully but you would have no idea that all these churning emotions, plus a whole lot more drama, are meant to be going on.
Given good music to play, the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra made the most of their opportunity, conducted by Nicolette Fraillon.
Reviewed by Jill Sykes
November 9, 2007
SMH