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Sylvia

Royal Opera House, London, 3, 6, 9, 10, 12, 15, 19, 26 November, 1 December 2010

Photo: Alastair Muir

dancers:
Marianela Nuñez, Rupert Pennefather, Gary Avis, Kenta Kura, Laura Morera, Emma Maguire, Romany Padjak, Fernando Montaño, Dawid Trzensimiech, Iohna Loots, Paul Kay

It seems strange now to think that Frederick Ashton’s version of Leo Delibes’ Sylvia was very nearly lost to the sands of time.

It seems stranger still to imagine that when it was first performed in 1952, it never won the hearts and minds of audiences, being deemed as a showcase for Margot Fonteyn that came with too much lumbering baggage.

Ashton subsequently set about trimming the three act ballet, first down to two acts and then a mere one. At his death in 1988 only the Act Three pas de deux was being performed, and his choreography for the full version was apparently lost.

That the ballet would, or could, be reconstructed remained far from certain. First, there was the question of whether Ashton, given his own misgivings about his creation, would have wanted it resurrected. Christopher Newton, who took on the job, however, felt that before his death Ashton had regretted the preservation of so little of his work, and had given a clear lead on what revisions to Sylvia were necessary.

The surviving evidence on which to base a reconstruction was also scant, and the breakthrough only came when a silent recording of a full stage rehearsal was discovered. The revival in 2004, however, was a triumph, and as we watch this current production we can be thankful that it was not lost forever.

Although nowhere near as hammy as some would have us believe, Sylvia’s plot cannot entirely escape the accusation of silliness. Sylvia, a nymph of the goddess Diana, is desired by both the shepherd Aminta and the evil Orion. When she fires an arrow at a statue of Eros it pierces Aminta, and the statue comes to life to fire one back. But Aminta is restored to life, Sylvia escapes from her subsequent abduction by Orion, and the two lovers finally unite and receive Diana’s blessing.

While, however, the plot may take place in a fantasy world of gods, nymphs and woodland creatures, the performances on offer here make the characters feel very human in their emotions. Marianela Nuñez, in particular, is on fire in the title role. She is a nymph who has renounced love, and when she first appears she skilfully conveys the confidence, precociousness and playfulness that are all a part of Sylvia’s make-up. She knows she could steal any man’s heart, and just as easily push him aside without a moment’s thought.

In Act Two, however, when Sylvia has been abducted by Orion, Nuñez’s sorrow and despair could not feel more real. The character then adopts a feisty persona to get Orion drunk, but, because of this dancer's skill, we constantly remain aware that the playfulness demonstrated in Act One was a part of Sylvia’s character, but here is simply an act. In all of this, Nuñez’s dancing is exemplary, combining exceptional flair with immense technical precision.

Rupert Pennefather possesses a brilliant light athleticism as Aminta, while Gary Avis as Orion is a muscular malevolent presence. Sylvia has been accused in the past of being ‘padded out’ with various dances by forest creatures and peasants, but when the dancing is as good as it is here it is hard to see what the complaint is. With Boris Gruzin conducting with passion, and the action taking place against backdrops inspired by Claude Lorrain, it all adds up to one truly memorable evening of ballet.

- Sam Smith