The result was an entertaining “Swan Lake” production for twenty-first-century audiences, with captivating performances by Grand Rapids Ballet’s dancers and principal guest artist Misa Kuranaga of San Francisco Ballet, who danced the pivotal dual role of Odette/Odile.
Set to a modified version of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s original score for the ballet, performed capably by the Grand Rapids Symphony, led by conductor John Varineau, the production had a traditional look and feel, owing to medieval-period sets and costumes by designer Peter Farmer, rented from Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre.
The ballet began with a brief prologue showing how cursed swan maidens, like Princess Odette, came to be. Act One then opened on a gathering of peasants and nobles outside the royal castle in celebration of Prince Siegfried’s (Josué Justiz) birthday. Accompanied by his endearingly clownish tutor, Wolfgang (Seyong Kim), and his best friend Benno (Julian Gan), Siegfried received a new hunting bow from the Queen, who reminded him of his coming-of-age ball the next day. The scene was festive, with several lively noble and peasant dances performed in Siegfried’s honor, highlighting the company’s depth of talent. Most notable of those was a buoyant, enthusiastically danced pas de trois by Benno and female nobles Rowan Allegra and Rena Takahashi.
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