Review: SUMMERSNOW at Maynardville Open-Air Festival Delights and Entrances

The 2023 return to the Open-Air Festival at Maynardville ends with a captivating double-bill production presented by Cape Town City Ballet. LES PATINEURS and LES SYLPHIDES are the perfect one-act ballets to be staged at Maynardville, the lush foliage of which adds to the magical element of these performances.

LES PATINEURS, which is set to different sections of Meyerbeer operas (which were joined to form this ballet) was first performed in 1937. Choreographed by Frederick Ashton, this light and wintery ballet comprises fifteen dancers who embody skaters ('les patineurs') in a snowy wonderland. Besides for superb technique, the performers in LES PATINEURS have excellent comedic timing. The ballet does not take itself too seriously which makes it all the more fun to watch as the 'skaters' sometimes collide and 'fall' onto the 'ice' in mock irritation. This results in plenty of laughter from the audience.

While each of the dancers in this ballet have their time to shine, I must mention the Blue Boy whose multiple pirouettes elicited deserved applause from the audience. His cheeky facial expressions and gestures (most notably the exaggerated shrug) help to communicate the light-hearted fun of this piece.

Likewise, the set is gorgeous, with eleven white arches framing the stage, each of which has its own ball of (different coloured) light. This creates a bejewelled effect that transports the audience to a frosty landscape, which is enhanced by the beautiful costumes that remind me of the townspeople in FROZEN.

After the interval, LES SYLPHIDES completes the SUMMERSNOW programme. This sumptuous, elegant and subtle ballet, choreographed by Mikhail Fokine and set to the music of Chopin and Glazunov, was first performed in 1907. This was the highlight of the night for me and follows spirits of the air, sylphs, as they dance with a Poet in the moonlight. The pointe work in LES SYLPHIDES is magnificent - this, combined with the winged costumes and light tulle skirts, make the dancers appear weightless, fluttering delicately in the night air.

The allure of these scenes had the audience in raptures, as I heard multiple people around me exclaiming how beautiful it was. With sixteen performers altogether, including the Poet, this is one of the most mesmerising pieces of ballet I have ever had the honour to observe, and it flew by, much as the sylphs appear to do. The soft light and bare staging emphasise the choreography itself and the deftly executed skill of the performers. I felt as though I myself were in the Poet's dream: in a quiet forest, surrounded by blooming night flowers and spirits.

Unsurprisingly, the open-air theatre was packed with people and Cape Town City Ballet can be proud of another triumphant performance executed with wonder and enchantment. This offering is the perfect end to the 2023 Maynardville Festival.

SUMMERSNOW runs from 1 to 5 March 2023 at the Maynardville Open-Air Theatre. Tickets range from R190 to R300 and can be purchased via Quicket.

Photo credits:

LES PATINEURS: Joan Ward

LES SYLPHIDES: Danie Coetzee