Festival's Carmen an Engaging Beauty
Providence Journal issue on October
4, 2003
by Bryan Rourke, Journal Staff Writer
Carmen counters convention.
You expect to see a story about seduction, jealousy and rage, which Festival Ballet Providence provides in its current production, which opened last night at the VMA Arts & Cultural Center and continues tonight and tomorrow. But if you're expecting classical ballet, brace yourself -- for something refreshingly different.
This Carmen is contemporary, and good.
There are essentially no sets, tutus or tights. The costumes are simple and understated; the men wear khakis, the women wear skirts. And the props are almost nonexistent.
At first you might think, shouldn't there be some artificial trees, a building front or perhaps a painted village backdrop?
But soon you don't care, for this story is told with music and movement. Often it's unorthodox. Frequently it's funny. And always it's engaging.
Here, you see not the long body lines of ballet. Lifted legs are usually bent, and toes are upturned, not pointed.
Viktor Plotnikov, a Boston Ballet dancer, choreographed the piece at the invitation of Mihailo Djuric, Festival's artistic director. It's not something fans of Festival have seen much from the company: modern dance.
There's not a lot of leaping. But there's a fair amount of floor rolling. Sometimes the women perform in point shoes; other times in bare feet. Dancers walk sideways on all fours, like crabs, or maybe apes. They shuffle, writhe, and somersault.
It's as though Plotnikov has said "You know the story. But do you know the next movement?"
So you watch. And, often times, you smile.
While this is the story of Carmen, who's killed for her flirtatiousness by Don Jose, her jealous and scorned lover, this version has many amusing moments, bits of subtle and fleeting levity in an otherwise tragic situation.
Festival puts on the production with two principal, alternating casts. (Tonight's dancers performed in Thursday's final dress rehearsal, which is the basis for this review.)
Heather O'Halloran plays Micaela, the initial love of Don Jose. This two-act, 90-minute production is a flashback for her. She opens the show with a solo of crisp and dynamic movements. Later, she meets with Don Jose, played by Davide Vittorino. When they dance, there's a sort of innocence and playful awkwardness to their movements. He steers her by holding his hands to her ears and turning her head. It's young love.
But when Vittorino meets Carmen, played by Jennifer Ricci, the dance becomes more adult, and more sensuous, although not entirely free from silliness. After Ricci has won over Vittorino with sashay and sauciness, she leaps in the air; he catches her; but her feet keep moving as though running through space.
It's one light moment in an especially strong and challenging dance that blends ballet and modern, which Ricci and Vittorino perform beautifully.
Another strong scene, with tension and energy, is the dance between Ricci and Beth Petkus, who plays Mercedes, a fellow factory worker with whom she fights in a choreographic tussle.
On the soft side, Vittorino performs a particularly touching solo demonstrating the anguish of Don Jose who has seen Carmen share her affections with other men.
One of those men is Eivar Sair, who plays Escamillo, the matador, portrayed with power and panache. When they fight, Don Jose charges him like a bull, and like a bull, eventually tires and finally collapses.
All around, the dance is very good, from the eight factory women who shuffle and undulate their bent backs, to the three guards, who show how they dance when they're drunk.
On Sunday, Leticia Guerrero plays Carmen, Gleb Lyamenkoff plays Don Jose and Karla Kovatch plays Micaela.
Festival Ballet Providence's production of Carmen continues tonight at 7:30 and tomorrow at 2 p.m. at the VMA Arts & Cultural Center. For tickets, which are $15 to $50, call 800-919-6272 or 353-1129, or go online at www.tickets.com .
