Review: SWAN LAKE at TPAC'S Jackson Hall

 There are some firsts in your life that you just never forget. From your first movie that you see in a particular movie theatre to your first trip to an amusement park, the memories stay with you. I can still remember seeing my first Nashville Ballet production back when I was nine. The image of me wearing my black and blue dress while seeing The Nutcracker still lingers in my memories like the warmest feeling. Thanks to Nashville Ballet, I got to experience another first over two decades later; seeing my first production of Swan Lake. The company hasn’t done a full-length version of the show in eight years, meaning that a bunch of kids in the audience were also seeing the show for the first time. Honestly, I don’t think that Swan Lake newcomers could ask for a better introduction. From the storybook-like imagery to the choreography to the talented dancers, Nashville Ballet’s return to Swan Lake is on pointe. 

 This production has two couples sharing the leading roles of Odette/Odile and Prince Siegfried; Colette Tilinski and James Lankford, and Lily Saito and Jorge Emilio Peña. Not only was I fortunate enough to land an interview with the two couples earlier this month, but I also had the privilege of attending a VIP dress rehearsal. This means that I got to see both couples perform, even though I would only get to see one of them perform live in the final product. Since I got to meet and observe them, I’d like to give a shoutout to Lily and Jorge, who are performing in the matinees. They were fun to speak to, and I was impressed by their demonstration in the dress rehearsal. On Opening Night, I got to witness Colette and James as the leading couple. While they are certainly talented as dancers, I need to highlight the chemistry between the two. From the moment the characters meet for the first time, you can practically feel the sparks. Everything I saw onstage felt genuine rather than staged. During the interview, James had stated that it was important for him to remember that this “stereotypical prince” was also a human being. “Yes, there is a princeliness to him,” he said, “but there should still be humanity to it.” I think that he absolutely brought that humanity, especially in the final scene. Man, I could not get over just how broken he appeared onstage in the last fifteen minutes. Lily had stated in the interview that while Odette is soft and lyrical, there is also this “strength to her that they really want to portray onstage”. I certainly saw that strength in Odette as she stood up for her fellow swans and protected Prince Siegfried from Von Rothbart. And as for her turn as Odile, WHOA. I honestly forgot that both swans were played by the same dancer because they were so different. Lily was just so sweet when I met her, so imagine my surprise when I saw her as the sultry and predatorial Odile. All four dancers should be proud of themselves for taking on some of the most difficult roles in the history of ballet. 

The choreography in the show isn’t entirely new; choreographer Paul Vasterling developed this particular version around 2012, and it’s heavily inspired by a plethora of historical productions. They say if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and that certainly applies to this 14-year-old version of the show. In just the first act where we meet Prince Siegfried, I was on the edge of my seat just watching each dancer nail their spins and jumps. I was basically holding my breath as I observed to see if every spin would be executed flawlessly. Each solo and couple dancer presented their pieces beautifully with great confidence, and the group numbers were expertly coordinated. Of course, the biggest moments were the Act III dances with Prince Siegfried and Odile. While Colette and James explained the difficulty of presenting their characters emotionally, Lily and Jorge discussed the difficulty of the choreography. “The steps are very non-forgiving,” Lily said with a laugh. After witnessing the scene myself, I know she did not mince her words. Jorge also didn’t mince his words when he said that the prince has “to have the energy and strength ‘till the end of the scene for the overhead lifts.” The audience sat in the theatre with was certainly blown away each time an obviously difficult piece was executed perfectly. They must’ve been on the edge of their seats as much as I was, because each cheer gave me the energy I would feel at a sporting event. Albeit, a more classy sporting event. Mr. Vasterling, if ballet choreography were an Olympic sport, I’d give you the gold.

Before the ballet, Swan Lake started off as a collection of European fairy tales. Notable inspirations for the ballet include the German tale The Stolen Veil, the Swedish tale The Swan Maiden, and the Russian tale The White Duck. Given the fairy tale elements, it would make sense for the production team to transport the audience into a fairytale world. Holly Highfill’s scenic design felt like it was ripped straight out of a storybook that I had read to me as a child. Given the layers of scenery needed for the dancers to easily enter and exit the stage, the set gave a pop-up book kind of feeling. It was as if Highfield took pieces from a painting and placed them in a pop-up book. David Heuvel’s costume design is exquisite. Even as Prince Siegfried and Odette/Odille danced in the center, I couldn’t help but notice the details of the ensemble in the back. While all of the costumes are worth the observation, I must give a shoutout to Odille’s black and gold dress and both of Von Rothbart’s costumes. Odille’s dress demands just as much attention as the character herself. Von Rothbart’s first costume in his true form is hauntedly beautiful with the layering of the wings, and his human disguise has this sinister charm that I just couldn’t take my eyes off of. Every detail in the costumes and set is impressive. When I was growing up, I used to have one of Edgar Degas’s ballet paintings over my bed. I would often look at the painting and imagine the ballerinas dancing right out of the image and into my room. What I witnessed on Opening Night was my Degas painting finally coming to life.

Nashville Ballet partnered with the Nashville Symphony for Swan Lake. During my interview with the dancers, I also had the pleasure of speaking with the company’s Director of Operations, Katie Vasilopoulos. When I asked why audiences keep filling up seats for this particular ballet, Vasilopoulos listed the music as one of the reasons. “Even if you’re not a ballet lover and you come for the symphony,” she explained, “you’re going to find something you love.” The Nashville Symphony was such a delight to listen to. Even as I waited for the dancers to appear, I was enchanted by the interlude. Conductor Ming Luke and his team did an excellent job in transporting the audience into another world just by playing music. I couldn’t help but smile as they cheered and waved their bows in the air from the pit. 

Despite the focus on the leads, I was still able to give attention to all of the other dancers. Whether they had solos or group numbers, every single dancer truly delivered. Out of all of the dancers, I would like to give two shoutouts. The first is to Brett Sjoblom, who plays Von Rothbart in all four performances. When I saw him with his practice wings in the dress rehearsal, I couldn’t wait to see the final product. I was not disappointed in his terrifying performance as the wicked sorcerer. I was equally impressed by him in his human disguise as he waltzed around and sat on one of the thrones as if he owned the place. The second shoutout goes to Will Giannuzzi, who plays the Jester for the evening performances (Garritt McCabe plays the roles for the matinee performances). He gives the perfect comic relief in a world full of drama and heartbreak. Even when he wasn’t center stage, I couldn’t help but giggle at his antics on the side. Of course, everyone deserves a standing ovation.