“Onegin”
National Ballet of Canada
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Canada
June 19 and 22, 2010
by Denise Sumcopyright 2010 by Denise Sum
The National Ballet of Canada ended the 2009-2010 season on a high note with John Cranko’s “Onegin”. Since entering the repertoire in 1984, this ballet has become near and dear to many a Torontonian balletgoer’s heart. The leading roles are not only ideal showcases for technically and dramatically gifted performers, but also catalysts for artistic growth. One goes to see “Onegin” to be moved by extraordinary individual performances and this run did not disappoint.
I saw two casts, which were quite different interpretations but both worked. Jiří Jelinek, NBoC’s newest principal, dances like a dream and his Onegin was a revelation. Although he won praise for this role with the Stuttgart Ballet, none of the accolades can prepare you for the visceral experience of Jelinek’s genuine and layered performance. His Onegin is world-weary but not cruel. From the start, there is something unconventionally likable and almost charming about him that makes Tatiana’s infatuation understandable. Onegin is often misunderstood as a narcissistic cad, but Jelinek shows a man with poor self-regard whose cynical outlook is shaken by the intensity of Tatiana’s love. He cannot understand it, so he rejects her in an act of seeming psychological self-defense. He flirts with Olga to convince himself more than anyone that he does not care. When this tragically backfires, leading to the senseless death of his friend, Lensky, his despair is palpable. Years later, when he sees Tatiana and Gremin dancing in St. Petersburg, he is frozen with regret. His utter desperation in the Act 3 pas de deux is heartbreaking. Stripped of reserve or dignity, he is completely exposed, begging on his knees. It is not just about Tatiana at that point. She is symbolic of all that he has ever lost and he is recklessly trying to redeem himself. Technically, Jelinek is extremely strong. His dancing is effortless and takes its time. He was a secure partner for Xiao Nan Yu. “Onegin” is a ballet that launched Yu’s career when she made her debut in 2000, then a second soloist. It is a pleasure to watch her Tatiana continue to develop. She still brings a refreshing sweetness to Act 1, but now brings greater maturity to Act 3. The physicality of her performance is impressive. She throws herself into the difficult partnering and her facility allows for such expressiveness in her movement. When she shows Onegin the door at the end of Act 3 and he flings himself at her feet, you see her actually crumble. For a moment, if one did not know the story, one might think that she will run away with Onegin. It clearly takes all her strength to refuse him. When she ripped up his letter, the audience burst into applause, which felt inappropriate given the tragedy of the situation. It was not a matter of karmic justice but just two people, bad timing, and emotional pain.
Aleksandar Antonijevic and Sonia Rodriguez also gave a memorable performance, which benefited from their strong partnership. The mirror pas de deux was rapturous, while the final pas de deux was physically daring. Antonijevic’s Onegin is darker and more detached than Jelinek’s. In Act 1, he does not even look at Tatiana as he places her down from a lift, he is so distracted and preoccupied. His affliction is not merely ennui but disillusionment. He is more brusque with Tatiana, violently slapping her letter in his hand with disgust. After tearing it up, Jelinek pats her shoulder in a feeble attempt to console her but Antonijevic grips her, trying to shake some sense into her, then walks slowly backwards as if trying to disappear. He is also more aggressive when taunting Lensky, actually shoving him out of the way so he can dance with Olga. In Act 3, he is physically weighed down with remorse. Rodriguez was completely believable as the teenage Tatiana. She hides under the blanket when her nurse comes to check on her, and at her party, she is so nervous with anticipation that one can practically see her heart pounding. These little details make us realize just how young Tatiana really is. She danced the entire mirror pas de deux with the blissful smile of a girl caught up in romantic dreams. When Onegin kills Lensky, one witnesses her loss of innocence. She grows up in that exact moment. In Act 3, Rodriguez’s Tatiana is more resolute than Yu’s. She tries hard not to look him in the eye, and is determined to destroy his letter; if she does not do it then, she may never be able to. This performance celebrated Rodriguez’s 20 years with the NBoC and she received a long standing ovation. Her husband, figure skater Kurt Browning, came on stage to present her with flowers. It was a magical evening.
Jelinek and Yu were supported by real-life couple Guillaume Côté and Heather Ogden as Lensky and Olga. Côté was warm and ardent when he needed to be, hot tempered and melancholic in turn. He is the only Lensky I have seen who actually slaps Onegin hard in the duel scene. His soul-searching solo is ominous; he knows it will not end well for him. Ogden played Olga as the ditzy sister, although her dancing was lovely. On the second performance, I saw Piotr Stanczyk and Stacey Shiori Minagawa in the roles. Stanczyk’s was a convincingly earnest Lensky, however his solos were somewhat labored. Minagawa’s sunny demeanor contrasted well with those around her.
Rex Harrington danced Prince Gremin opposite Yu for one performance. When he stepped on stage, the cheering almost drowned out the music. He is still a very strong partner and there is an obvious familiarity between them -- he danced Onegin when she made her debut -- but the whole pas de deux felt almost too romantic. Gremin cannot make her swoon, it takes away from her struggle when she sees Onegin. In the other cast, Jonathan Renna was more appropriately quiet and refined. Their pas de deux was tender and affectionate but without passion, making for a more dramatic disparity with the overflow of desire that occurs in the final scene.
This run of “Onegin” unveiled new set and costume designs by Santo Loquasto. The sets feel light and airy (at times a little too airy, the hanging birch trees occasionally swinging from side to side) but feel somewhat like skeletons of proper sets. Tatiana’s birthday scene is beautiful though, with a large dome and lots of flowers. A deep red backdrop and elaborate chandeliers lend sophistication to the St. Petersburg ballroom. The dresses for the corps women in Act 1 are lovely. The cream overlays of the skirts reveal vibrant colors beneath during the diagonal of grand jetés. Costumes for the men are also elegantly done. However, the costumes for Tatiana and Olga are overdone. In Act 1, they wear dresses of layered and patterned chiffon (Olga’s is floral, Tatiana’s is striped). Atiana’s red and gold gown in Act 3 is heavy and dripping with sequins. One yearns for the simplicity of Jürgen Rose’s original designs. Still, these glitches could not detract from the stellar performances from the dancers.
Photos, both by Sian Richards, of Jiri Jelinek and Xiao Nan Yu.