I am so pleased to have encountered the leaps, laughs and beauty of ballet once again. Atlanta Ballet opened their 94th season in high spirits at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center with “La Sylphide” on the evening of Sept. 15.
One of the oldest surviving classical ballet masterworks, “La Sylphide” is an 1836 Royal Danish Ballet production choreographed by August Bournonville. The plot follows a Scottish nobleman, James Ruben (Denys Nedak), who falls in love with a fairy-like spirit, the Sylphide (Emily Carrico). Tragedy ensues.
On its opening night, the show attracted a huge crowd of ballet fans, with nearly all seats filled. As I entered through the doors of Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center, I was welcomed by the magnificent interior and the bustling crowd.
The show launched with a splendid sound of cymbals from the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, playing Hermann Løvenskiold’s original score of “La Sylphide.” The entrance of the beautiful Sylphide followed. She danced across the stage angelically, donning a shining white costume. The ensemble cast of dancers wore a unique set of colorful, eye-catching Scottish costumes. Ballerinos wore checkered kilts over ballet tights with accompanying traditional accessories, such as an attachable leather waist pocket called a sporran, displaying the historical Scottish origin of the production.
“La Sylphide” is by far the most fluid, entertaining performance I have ever seen. Quick, light steps performed by expressive ballet dancers comprised the majority of routines. This intricate, speedy and precise footwork is characteristic of Bournonville’s ballet productions, communicating joy through dance. Notably, Carrico and Nedak, the two lead dancers, demonstrated outstanding jumping power and briskness in their moves.
One of the most memorable scenes of the night includes several lines of dancers in a multitude of fast-changing formations, including circular and pair choreographies. Portraying a wedding preparation, the sequence also included younger dancers who added to the vivacity of the stage. The overall effect was buoyant, keeping the audience delighted while anticipating the plot to ruin the engagement somehow in the next scenes.
In the energetic scenes, the orchestra frequently played upbeat songs, accompanying dancers’ quick movements. I was stunned by how precisely the dancers executed fast and precise footwork like rond de jambes and cabriole, especially in the air.
There were also points of humor — a rarity in classical ballet, in my experience — which were well delivered through eloquent mime movements and the dancers’ lively facial acting. When James’ rival and cousin Gurn (Spencer Wetherington) fell on the stage by a friend’s chair-pulling mischief or mockingly mimed James’ shameful chasing of the Sylphide, the crowd burst into laughter. Madge (Ashley Wegmann), the mysterious witch character who drives the plot, became a crowd favorite for her exceptionally-expressive body language. In this production, dance is a language of its own.
The Sylphide, while the figure of James’ unattainable greed, dances with the most elegance and beauty. Her playful and lovely personality, performed with swift footsteps and dainty smiles, demonstrated why James fell for her unavoidable charms. Not long after the start of the show’s second act when a unit of 18 sylphide sisters came on stage at once to perform a group sequence, the audience gasped with astonishment. All dressed in the shining white fairy dress costume, the dancers performed not one, but 18 beautiful fairy figures in synchronized lines, mesmerizing the audience. In this sequence, the aesthetic stage backdrop of the Sylph, the magical home of the sylphides, also added to the enchanted view. A rippling ray of blue light shimmering on a corner of the stage represented a small fountain of water, and decors of grand cutouts of trees loaded the set.
The plot of “La Sylphide” ends on a tragic note, but left the audience blessed with its dramatic spectacle. Applause and standing ovations from the audience filled the hall as the curtain call started. The Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, which played excellent music for the almost two-hour-long show, also received loud cheers from the audience.
Jump-started by this gorgeous performance, Atlanta Ballet will continue its vibrant new season. The upcoming holiday season will feature the beloved “Nutcracker” from Dec. 8 to Dec. 26, followed by Hong-Kong-launched “Coco Chanel” in February 2024. A modernistic “Kaleidoscope” and child-friendly “Cinderella” and works of next-generation choreographers Claudia Schreier and Juliano Nuñes will follow in the spring. My first Atlanta Ballet performance was refreshingly enjoyable due to its stunning costuming, the dancers’ vibrant performance and the luxurious live music, and I am undeniably tempted to book my next tickets to their upcoming masterpieces.
