Just Like a Dream

Sleeping Beauty tells a story that even non-ballet fans know well

by Janet Anderson

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Published: Jun 6, 2007

Sleeping Beauty's a rarity for ballet, telling a story that even non-ballet fans know well. And Tchaikovsky gave it one of his greatest scores, to boot. For Pennsylvania Ballet's staging, Peter Cazalet's costume and scenic design made beautiful use of scrims to suggest the fairy tale setting and mood, making the production look as good as it sounded.

Ultimately, it's the dancers who make this old warhorse track-worthy, and PAB has got the talent. As Sleeping Beauty, Arantxa Ochoa � always unfailingly crisp, centered and precise � also was warm, engaging and feminine. Prince Zachary Hench was a good match, equally able to polish off the demands of multiple battements, serial tours en l'air, and, best of all, being a gallant partner. Time after time he swept Arantxa off her feet literally, dipping her nose to the floor in a fish dive.

Gorgeous Riolama Lorenzo turned evil Carabosse, who casts the spell on the princess, into a small tour de force of acting and movement. She was a very beautiful bad fairy. As the good Lilac Fairy, Valerie Amiss was delicately precise. Amiss retires from the company after performing the Bluebird pas de deux in the run's final performance. Her graceful presence will be missed. Jeffrey Gribler, retired but not forgotten principal dancer, wandered through the story bringing his potent skills as a character actor to a series of white, black and gray wigged court functionaries.

Sleeping Beauty is constructed like many 19th-century ballets, with the story dispatched in two acts and the third used as a series of dances celebrating the happy ending. Particularly engaging was Puss and Boots and White Cat, with Matthew Neenan a prancing Puss and Abigail Mentzer a very sassy little cat. The famous Bluebird pas de deux was performed by Francis Veyette, who was astonishing in his ability to whirl through almost death-defying virtuoso moves, while partner Amy Aldridge was cutting-edge terrific herself.

 

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