A shining example: Jewels at the ROH
Jewels
The Royal Ballet
Royal Opera House
30 March 2017
Amphitheatre A66, staff ticket (rehearsal)
http://www.roh.org.uk/productions/jewels-by-george-balanchine
A few people I know struggle with Balanchine, and while I don't agree I can occasionally see where they're coming from. 'Emeralds', the first movement of Jewels, is one of those moments. It's all very pretty, and of course has those gorgeous costumes, but I can't help but find it a little bland – excepting the dance that follows the false finale (which I fall for every time). I wonder why he chose random bits of Fauré rather than – well, most obviously a Debussy ballet. Balanchine's interest in the Fauré doesn't seem, to me, to extend beyond a sort of generalized nostalgia, very much not on the same level as his tremendous engagement with the music of the ballet's other movements. It's almost as though he's trying to show Fauré up against the Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky that follows, although no doubt that's absurdly suspicious of me. Still, 'Emeralds' has its moments: the final (proper final) dance is extremely lovely, and there are instances of loveliness throughout, with in this case James Hay, Beatriz Stix-Brunel and the wonderful Laura Morera shining particularly brightly.
Balanchine's setting of Stravinsky's Capriccio in 'Rubies' is much more like it, marvellously attuned not only to that piece's structure but to its atmosphere and gesture. Sarah Lamb and Melissa Hamilton (excitingly returned from Dresden, woo) seem to me a little too dignified for all the camp vaudevillian nonsense that gets thrown at them, although as always Lamb dances with perfect grace and accuracy. Steven McRae, on the other hand, is absolutely in his element. He has all the speed and bravura and show-off sass you could ask for – the ballet could have been created for him and his super speedy I'm-a-helicopter chainés. The four men (Acri, Ella, Sambé and Zucchetti) are, as you would expect from that list, McRae's perfect foils, and the corps women are also bang on the money.
Last time I saw Jewels I thought 'Rubies' was my favourite, but I've had to change my mind. Balanchine simply nailed it in 'Diamonds', and what a privilege to see it danced by Marianela Nuñez and Thiago Soares. Nuñez is absolutely gorgeous in this, soft and light but with superhuman strength and speed: weightless ethereality and steely blade. It is wonderful to see. Soares is somewhat in her shade, but that's probably what Balanchine would have wanted. The corps are extremely well drilled and make neat work of Balanchine's floor patterns (here as throughout). Quite simply, what a marvellous ballet, and a glorious setting of Tchaikovsky 3.
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