La Fille Mal Gardée opened at the Royal Opera House to joyous acclaim from the first night audience. The ballet is a comic tour-de-force in which acclaimed dancer Carlos Acosta as ‘Colas’ and Marianela Nuñez as ‘Lise’, perform several superbly harmonized par de deux with such energy and chemistry that the audience are utterly transfixed by the pair. William Tucket as Widow Simone and Jonathan Howells as Alain are both marvellous in their comic timing and Howells’ portrayal of the affected and whimpering dandy is spot on.
Frederick Ashton’s conception of the ballet was inspired by his love of the pastoral British countryside. As he himself wrote, “There exists in my imagination a life in the country of eternally late spring, a leafy pastorale of perpetual sunshine and the humming of bees-the suspended stillness of a Constable landscape of my beloved Suffolk, luminous and calm”. The set is certainly a homage to all that is wonderful about pastoral England and the whole performance offers a wonderfully uplifting experience to its audience, with the immaculate choreography and stirring music synonymous with the ROH.
If it weren’t for Nunez’s charm and Tucket’s fantastic stage presence, Acosta would undoubtedly have stolen the show. The Cuban is utterly at home on the stage and appears to be driven by the adoring and enthusiastic applause which his extraordinary charisma draws from a rapt and grateful audience. Without wishing to descend into hyperbole, this presents a plausible case for Acosta as one of the finest performers of his generation, and a true master of his art.
Until 28th April, Royal Opera House, Floral St, WC2 www.royaloperahouse.org
