The San Francisco Ballet's
"Sleeping Beauty" is elegance and beauty everywhere. It's 
choreographed
by Helgi Tomasson after Marius Petipa, with scenic and costume design by Jens-Jacob
Worsaae. Instead of the usual staging suggesting Louis XIV's France, and concluding
100 years later with Louis XVI, this one takes place in Russia in the 100
years before and after Peter the Great, who ruled Russia from 1682 - 1725.
He is the one who brought French influences to Russia, so we really get the
feel of 100 years passing in the look of the staging. The costumes go from
long, flowing robes to a more western look. The Imperial Palace in the Prologue
is thoroughly Russian, but in Act 3, French and western influences are discernable
in the same room.
An ornate gold proscenium arch frames the production on the front of the stage.
Beautiful golden domed churches are visible through the windows at the back,
as an ensemble of thirty or so dancers are shown the baby Princess Aurora.
The Fairies are led in one at a 
time,
each by a child. This ballet is meant to show off the skills of the ballerinas,
and it starts here. Six glide and kick on pointe. Six more do a fast paced
syncopated dance before partnering with six danseurs, who lift, hold, and
spin them.
The five Fairies do their exquisite solos to celebrate the birth of Aurora,
and the previous group of guys and girls return in this dazzling display.
The Fairy of Darkness has not beeninvited, but she appears with her gift,
a curse. Aurora will prick her finger on a spindle and die. Muriel Maffre
is all in black from her mask to the fringe flowing off her. Her attendants
are hideous vulture like creatures with big red beaks that generally cause
havoc. They disappear with an explosion and flash of light as they're chased
away by The Lilac Fairy. She hasn't presented her gift yet, and while she
can't undo the curse, she does soften it by turning death into a hundred years
sleep, when Aurora will be awakened by the kiss of a Prince.
The Lilac Fairy is generally the embodiment of good to counter the evil of
the Dark Fairy.
The part was originally created as a mime role for Petipas's daughter, who
couldn't dance. It has since become a dancing role, and a good thing, too,
because Leslie Young is stupendous in this production. She's smooth as silk
as she glides confidently on pointe.She's always in control, and grounds the
action. Her fluid grace assures that everything will turn out alright. When
Aurora pricks her finger, she does frantic pirouettes around the stage, almost
like an operatic death aria in dance. Lilac is there to take control and turn
death to sleep.
In the garden twelve or so ballerinas in flowing orange dresses carry big
garlands of flowers. They are joined by six little girls and they spin and
twirl in opposite directions in a spectacular layered ensemble piece. Prince
Desiré laments of the love he doesn't thing he'll find. Pierre-François
Vilanoba exudes strength and power, but theres a certain melancholy. The Lilac
Fairy appears and shows him the vision of Aurora high above the stage behind
the 
forest.
The vision comes to life as she comes down and they do a scintillating pas
de deux. Stars shine in the sky and it's passionate love as he holds her,
she spins with one leg straight out. The Prince lifts her upside down, then
over his head as she spreads out in triumph. She does a lively solo kicking
one leg out, folding it in, then repeats it with the other. In the end, he
turns her upside down and she wraps herself around him, in an upside down
lift with neither one holding on with hands, as they both throw their arms
in the air in a spectacular display.
Steam rolls in from the sides,
the trees come to the front of the stage, and the Dark Fairy returns as the
gazebo where Aurora sleeps is rolled out. Lilac triumphs over Darkness and
the Prince kisses Aurora breaking the spell. The Court has been reassembled
in the Third Act for the wedding. The Jewels do their exquisite dances, then
the Entertainments. The White Cat and Puss in Boots are especially fun, at
least if you like cats. Dalene Bramer is aloof and standoffish, but Peter
Brandenhoff is not to be deterred. He rubs against her, she makes scratching
motions in the air. There's spectacular dancing, but, as is usually the case
with this sort of thing, it goes on too long.
The Grand Pas de Deux is spectacular. Pierre-François Vilanoba jumps
and kicks, scissors, and twirls his way around the stage. Julie Diana is a
beautiful Aurora as she pirouettes and leaps and is held high in triumph.
Emil de Cou led the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra in this gorgeous production
of Tchaikovsky's "The Sleeping Beauty" by The San Francisco Ballet
at The War Memorial Opera House.
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