Winter´s Tale by Christopher Wheeldon with Royal Ballet
Sarah Lamb as Perdita and Steven McRae as Florizel in The Winter’s Tale. ROH foto Johan Persson, 2014
Christopher Wheeldon´s new ballet based on Shakespeares play Winter´s Tale.
A new full lenght ballet for the Royal Ballet, London.
By Henning Høholt
LONDON/GREAT BRITAIN: The internatonal dance world, and its dance repertoire needs more, and new full lenght ballets with a fully history, to follow up after the repertoire that the ballet world has from older times, not to forget the ballets with excellent, and belowed music by Tsjaikovsky, Prokofiev, Minkus.
At the same time it needs a kind of renewing in the expression way, but, to my oppinnion, not to forget that the audience, still being more and more modernize, loves to find romanticism, histories based on a kind of a fairytale historic connection, and also based on well sounding atmosphaere through the music. It is a lift to find this all together at ther same time.
This new creation team, Christopher Wheeldon, choreography and idea, John Talbot, music and Bob Crowley, design has gone their own way to reach their goal. Mr. Talbot is not going in the composition direction of Tsjaikovsky, but is more into emotional expressionism, the inspiration like from Ravel´s Daphnis et Chloe and Prokofievs Romeo and Juliet.
Edward Watson as Leontes and Lauren Cuthbertson as Hermione in The Winter’s Tale ROH foto Johan Persson, 2014
What we have got is the world premiere of a new full-length ballet, Winter´s Tale by Artistic Associate at The Royal Ballet, Christopher Wheeldon, based on William Shakespeare’s enduring tale of love, loss and reconciliation.
In this Christopher Wheeldon´s new ballet Winter´s Tale is a welcome renewing. And that it wis his brilliant dancing language, as far as I understand from the reviews, has become an abundantly fresh air full ecperience followed up with music, composed by Joby Talbot, which travels from a slow flute melody to tunes that trip with complex meters and orchestration of changing colors as Alastair Macaulay is describing it in her review in International New York Times on April 12th. After the worldpremiere on Thursday night 10th. April at Covent Garden. and the regenerating power of of the next generation´s love. In Bob Crowleys design.
Edward Watson as Leontes in The Winter’s Tale ROH foto Johan Persson, 2014
Winter´s Tale is described to be sharing with the 1890 ballet The Sleeping Beauty centrale narrative features including the anxieties of royal parents over children and heirs, the passage of years. This new creation team, Christopher Wheeldon, John Talbot and Bob Crowley, has gone their own way to reach their goal.
Christopher Wheeldon describes Winter´s Tale: “It´s a history of jealusy, great tragedy, comedyand re duption, based on Shakespeares enduring tale of love, loss and reconsilation. It´s those moments of a sort of high drama that work very well in this kind of art. A sort of a Fairytale. Winter´s Tale has 6 principal roles, giving 6 principal dancers opportunity to have a really meaty role, to form and play these roles. I have always wanted to make a Shakespeare ballet, and have been choosing after a play, not used for ballet before. That is what all choreographers are looking for, the challenge for anyone, any choreograher tackling Shakespeare to somehow find a way to use the poesi, and not only using the plot”.
Edward Watson as Leontes, Lauren Cuthbertson as Hermione and Federico Bonelli as Polixenes in The Winter’s Tale ROH foto Johan Persson, 2014
The new whole evening ballet production is being performed at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London through May 8th.
The production is a co-production with the National Ballet of Canada.
Steven McRae as Florizel in The Winter’s Tale ROH foto Johan Persson, 2014
The Winter’s Tale: Synopsis
Discover the full story of Christopher Wheeldon’s new ballet, based on Shakespeare’s play.
Prologue
Two kings separated as children are reunited in adulthood. One king, Leontes of Sicilia, marries Hermione, giving her a beautiful emerald. They have a son, Mamilllius, and are blissfully happy. The other king, Polixenes of Bohemia, visits the court of Leontes. He is delighted to be reunited with his old friend and stays for nine months. By the time of his departure, Hermione is about to give birth to her second child.
Act I
The court of Sicilia
It is the day of Polixenes’ departure. The Bohemian court say goodbye to their Sicilian friends. At Hermione’s request, Polixenes agrees to stay on another week. In a flash of jealousy, Leontes becomes convinced that his wife has been unfaithful and is carrying Polixenes’ child. Jealousy turns to rage and he attacks Polixenes, who flees back to Bohemia. Leontes publicly accuses Hermione of adultery and treason, then has her arrested. This so distresses Mamillius that he falls seriously ill. In prison, Hermione has given birth to a daughter. The head of her household, Paulina, brings the newborn to Leontes, hoping to convince him that the baby is his daughter. Instead, Leontes violently rejects the child, then orders Paulina’s husband Antigonus to abandon the baby in a remote place. Antigonus sets sail into a brewing storm with the baby and some treasure, including the emerald once given to Hermione by Leontes. Hermione is brought to trial and pleads her innocence. Leontes, now quite mad, refuses to believe her. Dazed and feverish, Mamillius enters the courtroom and, upon witnessing the unfolding tragedy, he collapses and dies from distress. Seeing the death of her child, Hermione too collapses dead and is taken away. Only now does Leontes realize the disastrous consequences of his terrible mistake
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The shores of Bohemia
Battling the storm, Antigonus struggles ashore to abandon the baby princess. As he leaves, he is pursued and killed by a wild bear. His ship, waiting at sea, is smashed to pieces on the rocks. As day breaks, a shepherd and his son Clown discover the baby girl and the treasure.
Act II
A hillside in Bohemia. Sixteen years later.
Perdita, the abandoned daughter of King Leontes and Queen Hermione, has been raised by the shepherd who found her. She dances beneath the great tree with her love, Prince Florizel, the son of Polixenes, whom the other villagers know only as a shepherd boy. The villagers arrive for the annual springtime festival. King Polixenes, who has heard that his son has been cavorting with a shepherdess, sends his steward to spy on the young prince. When the steward confirms his suspicions, Polixenes is enraged, and demands to see for himself. At the festival, Perdita is to be crowned May Queen. In honour of the occasion, Father Shepherd presents her with the emerald necklace he found with her on the beach. Polixenes and his steward arrive in disguise, keen to see what Florizel is up to. On witnessing Florizel’s engagement to a mere shepherdess, Polixenes reveals himself. He is furious with Florizel, and condemns Perdita and her family to death. They all flee by boat to Sicilia, pursued by Polixenes.
Act III
A clifftop in Sicilia
King Leontes mourns by the clifftop graves of his wife and son, watched over by Paulina. Perdita and Florizel’s ship approaches Sicilia.
The palace in Sicilia
Perdita and Florizel appeal to Leontes to allow their union, and to intercede with the enraged Polixenes on their behalf. Leontes is taken with the likeness of Florizel to Polixenes. He agrees to help the young couple, who remind him of his lost children. Polixenes arrives and Leontes tries to reason with him, but he violently handles Perdita, revealing the emerald. The long lost Princess of Sicilia is miraculously alive and the two kings are reunited
. The Palace celebrates the wedding of Florizel and Perdita. As the festivities die down, Leontes is led by Paulina to see a new statue of Hermione. Deeply remorseful, he kneels at its base. Suddenly, the statue comes to life – it is Hermione, who is alive and has been kept in hiding by Paulina for 16 years. She embraces Leontes, and the family is reunited.
RUNNING TIME:
The performance lasts about 2 hours 55 minutes, including two intervals. The Prologue and Act One will last for about 50 minutes, followed by a 30 minute interval. Act Two will last for about 40 minutes followed by a 25 minute interval. Act Three will last for about 25 minutes.