Swan Lake

'Murphy's Swan Lake Still Shines' by Jane Levin Graeme Murphy’s radical re-working of Swan Lake is one of Australia’s most successful and lauded ballets. Gladly, the Australian Ballet’s current (and third) staging has lost none of the power of its original debut in 2002. Murphy, and his creative collaborators Janet Vernon and the late Kristian Frederikson, were brave in their adaptation of a well-loved classic and thank goodness. The adapted narrative strikes the perfect balance. There are glimpses of the gothic narrative of old – with its key themes of the sanctity of love and the destructive nature of desire and jealousy. However, Murphy delivers a modern and engaging story of a naïve princess, Odette, whose spirit and mind are broken by the discovery of a ‘ménage á trois’ within her marriage (based on the Princess Diana/Camilla scenario). The relationship between Odile (Baroness von Rothbart) and Prince Siegfried drives Odette to despair and into a sanatorium. The gentle care she receives from the nuns in their billowing white habits, transforms into her into a dream where she is at peace with the swans in the lake. The choreography is very much Murphy, but retains odes to the original. It’s often technically challenging and uses the whole torso to incredibly dramatic effect. The tragic pull of emotions between the central protagonists are played out by a spectacular series of pas de deux and pas de trois, as well as powerful acting sequences to display both clandestine and very public feelings of love and jealousy. The use of stop-start sequences allows the audience to feel the emotions of all involved. The Corps de Ballet and Soloists are also given some good dancing and acting opportunities. And of course, there is the famously haunting music by Tchaikovsky, which must always be acknowledged and was stirringly performed. In Act III, Odette makes her triumphant return from the sanatorium, as a surprise guest at a party being hosted by the Baroness, who now has the Prince’s exclusive affections. Odette's serene confidence cause Siegfried to fall in love all over again. Chased from the party by the jealous Baroness, Odette realises she will only find true peace within the depths of the lake of swans – despite the Prince’s declaration of love. Odette’s disappearance beneath the blackened lake leaves the Prince a desolate and tortured figure. Black and white is (of course) still used to representative good and evil, but in this production the staging and costumes go far beyond that. Kristian Frederikson’s sets are so spectacular that their arrival often receives applause from the audience. From the gentle creams of the palace views and the stark white sanatorium with aluminium pipes, to the opulent, swirling black walls of the Baroness’s ball room – each is a triumph. The set design around Odette’s transformation from tragic creature in the sanatorium to beautiful serene swan in her dreams is spectacular. Odette’s descent into the black lake, pulling a pool of black satin with her, is mesmerising. Frederikson’s costumes are also superb, from the elegant court costumes to sparkling black cocktail gowns. Especially lovely is the simplicity of the swan’s costumes, contrasting the elegant slim neck, with a perfectly-shaped feather-like skirt, as opposed to a stiff tutu. While Odette’s flowing satin wedding gown is usually used to clever effect, with the symbolic coiling and uncoiling of her lengthy train by the Prince, during this performance the dancers seemed very conscious of it and uncomfortable, which was a pity. The dramatic final scene of Odette finally finding the strength to step out of her wedding gown and into the black swan outfit is, however, very powerful. Damien Cooper’s lighting design enhances the mood, highlighting the emotions of the three protagonists and the luxurious fabric of many of the costumes. Kirsty Martin as the fragile Odette was first rate, not only technically, but in her ability to slowly build from a sense of despair to frenzy, and in displaying clever restraint during her triumph over the Baroness. Martin used her arms beautifully, so important for this role, and has such a fluid style. Olivia Bell was impressively regal and refined as the Baroness, and performed her ‘jealousy’ solo in Act III superbly, contorting her body with emotion. Damien Welch’s Siegfried was also first class. Murphy provides interesting and challenging choreography for his Prince – beyond the usual leaping and strutting. In a minor criticism, this time around the Corps de Ballet swans were a little ‘un-swan like’ and stiff at times and the guardian swans were somewhat laboured. The Queen and Duke also lacked some presence. That said, Murphy’s award-winning production has been to London, Cardiff, Tokyo and Shanghai, to rave reviews, and this year Paris is calling. This production is so much more than placing a classic into a more modern setting or injecting a new choreographic style, it is truly a masterpiece in its own right. Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake is being performed by the Australian Ballet at the State Theatre in Melbourne until 26 May and at the Opera House in Sydney from 4 April until 24 April. Chat about this review on the Arts Hub Forums