Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Director, Carlos Acosta, promises entertainment for all ages in this revival of his production of this 19th-century masterpiece.
Don Quixote introduces us to Cervantes’ famous knight himself, lovers Kitri and Basilio, and a host of supporting characters. As the Don sets out on a quest to track down his true love, with his loyal friend and servant Sancho Panza at his side, he finds himself embroiled in an unlikely adventure of love and dreams.
If you like Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty, you shouldn’t miss this classic tale, full of thrilling pas de deux, delightful music played by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, and much, much more!
Review by Stephen Gilchrist
I often bore people silly (and I may have even previously bored you, dear reader) with some of the wisest words which I was privileged to receive from someone a lot wiser than I. It was my chemistry master at school, in The Land Before Time, who told me, “Science is how we live, but the Arts are why we live.’ I thought about this as I watched Carlos Acosta’s delicious production of Don Quixote. Almost three hours of pure uplifting joy and beauty, choreographically and musically. This, in my view, (and in the presumed view of my teacher, Mr Goodridge) is why we live.
Carlos Acosta himself introduced the show from the stage as a touching tribute to his recently departed mentor, the dancer and choreographer Ben Stevenson. The downside was that I was reminded of my age since I, myself, saw Stevenson when he danced with London Festival Ballet sixty years ago alongside other then- stars of British ballet like John Gilpin.
The 1869 ballet with a lively, spirited and Spanish influenced score by Ludwig Minkus is not (for musical theatre lovers) of the same serious and ponderous tone as, for example, ‘Man of La Mancha’. Instead, it is based on some light-hearted episodes in the novel by Cervantes. Quixote, the elderly and deluded faux knight, and his servant/squire Sancho Panza embark on the quest to right wrongs encouraged by a vision of his beloved dream lady, Dulcinea. They come across what is described in the programme notes, a ‘Rom-Com,’ a plotline familiar lover of ballet and opera in centuries past. Kitri, the beautiful daughter of the innkeeper Lorenzo, is in love with Basilio, a poor young barber. Daddy doesn’t agree to the match as she is also courted by a foppish nobleman Gamache. The couple run away, pursued by Quixote, Lorenzo and Gamache. During the chase Quixote’s famous fight with a spooky video graphed windmill -turned-monster-is featured in a really effective sequence
It was a delight to see a stage-full of outstanding dancers and the Royal Philharmonic Sinfonia under the baton of Paul Murphy.
Acosta has adapted Marius Petipa’s original choreography, bringing a contemporary and thrilling vision of the original, set and beautifully costumed by Tim Hatley and lit by Peter Mumford, in a rich palate of colours. There were reds and browns in Act 1, with splashes of some prime colours for the bullfighting male ensemble, classically and beautifully white- dressed’ Dryads’ -wood nymphs-portrayed as beautiful young women inhabiting forests, in Quixote’s dream world in Act 2 together with swirling pastel influenced dresses for the gypsy encampment. There was a glorious finale with the principals gorgeously dressed in sparkling white. It was all beautiful to behold.
Don Quixote is well suited for large companies with ample opportunity for soloists to shine. The lovers were danced by Momoko Hirata as Kitri and Mathias Dingman as Basilio. Her virtuosity, elegance, finesse and effortless grace must rank her as one of the world’s leading ballerinas. Dingman provided a muscular, and spectacular performance. The technique of both was superb. As a gypsy couple, Frieda Kaden, Ryan Felix, provided fine support as did Céline Gittens as ‘The Queen of the Dryads’ and Tzu-Chao Chou as ‘Amour’ but then the entire company were never less than outstanding.
Birmingham Royal Ballet presented a truly exceptional evening of ballet and beauty and virtuosity, proving that we are nothing without the joy of the Performing Arts in our lives.
Production & Choreography: Carlos Acosta
Original Choreography: Marius Petipa
Music: Ludwig Minkus
Designer: Tim Hatley
Video Designer: Nina Dunn
Lighting Designer: Peter Mumford
Staging: Christopher Saunders