Last night we finally got to see American Ballet Theatre do one of the most well known ballets: Swan Lake. We didn’t have this in our subscription package last year and we made sure to get it this year. I’m so glad we did because it was every bit as good as you would expect it to be. Absolutely sublime in every detail from the dancers to the choreography to the music to the scenic. It was simply outstanding.
We got to see two of our favorite principal dancers in the leading roles. Julie Kent was the princess/swan and Marcelo Gomes was the prince. There were also favorites in the supporting roles. Cory Stearns, who we so often see in leading roles, had the featured role as the human form of the evil sorcerer. Daniil Simkin also performed as the prince’s friend Benno.
Kent and Gomes were magnificent. Every move was perfection and beauty. You couldn’t ask for better. Stearns was menacing in his third and fourth act appearances. Simkin was delightful dancing in the party scenes. I’ve become a big fan of Simkin’s leg work and I’m hoping we see more of him next year. The women of the crops were also beautiful as the flock of swans. It was incredible to see such precision on display.
Next week ABT’s season at the Met concludes with La Corsaire. The performance we’ll see next Saturday night is also the farewell performance of principal dancer Ethan Stiefel so it is sure to be a special evening.
