Wedding bells rang through Fort Canning Green as the 22nd edition of Ballet Under the Stars presented a series of weddings from the well-loved classical ballets Coppélia, Sleeping Beauty, and Don Quixote.
The cloudy evening was greeted with the Waltz of the Hours, introducing Act III of the classical ballet Coppélia as 12 beautiful ballerinas clad in navy blue danced in perfect synchrony, almost floating across the stage in a graceful sweep.
The other divertissements included the elegant solo pieces of Dawn and Prayer, the masculine appearance of the four harvesters and the six pairs of betrothal couples who celebrated their matrimony with Swanilda (Akira Nakahama) and Franz (Etienne Ferrère).
The leading couple’s pas de deux (a male and female dance duet) had the female audience
sighing dreamily as Franz tenderly twirled Swanilda in perfect time with the romantic
strokes of the cello.
The allegory ended with a joyous celebration of the couple’s marriage, stage lights dimming
as the villagers encircled the couple, skipping with their arms raised in congratulations.
The second wedding of the night featuring Princess Aurora and Prince Florimund from
Sleeping Beauty was every little girl’s dream. In contrast to the calm, blue tones in Coppélia, this set showcased a beautiful medley of colours. Fairy Tale characters from all over the kingdom came to witness Aurora and Florimund’s union.
The fairies, led by Elaine Heng, the Lilac Fairy, entranced the audience with their gracefulness, while the Precious Stone trio positively sparkled on stage. Puss in Boots and The White Cat then appeared with their furry tails, winning the children’s hearts with their playful antics.
My favourite segment was the Bluebird pas de deux performed by Nanase Tanaka and Kensuke Yorozu. The strength and “airtime” of Yorozu’s Brisé Volés (a jump in which the dancer beats both legs in the air, alternating between front and back in succession) made it seem like he had actual wings. Tanaka’s pirouettes (the act of spinning on one foot, with the raised foot touching the knee of the supporting leg) were equally impressive, executed with effortless poise. The power in his steps complemented her elegance as they flitted across the stage in time to the whistling flute, truly like bluebirds flying free in summer.
The couple’s stunning performance was met with thunderous applause and shouts of “Bravo!” from the audience.
Finally, the bride and groom stepped onstage, waltzing to Tchaikovsky’s well-known composition. The stage was flooded with a grand golden hue as the three famous one-handed “fish dive” sequences were performed flawlessly.
The wedding ended with a picture-perfect moment of the crowning of Princess Aurora and
Prince Florimund. “Sexy” is definitely not a word commonly used to describe ballet but it was the first one that popped into my mind during Kitri’s wedding in Don Quixote.
The audience was transported to Spain for this last wedding and of course with that, gone were the stiff, pastel-coloured tutus. Instead, most dancers were dressed in boldly-coloured frilly skirts and headbands. Some were even armed with tambourines, literally becoming part of the lively music.
The dramatic flair of the dance in Don Quixote matched its colours as the swash-buckling ballerinos announced their arrival, swinging their bright pink capes and throwing their hats up as the audience cheered. The ballerinas, still maintaining their poise, now danced with a confident and slightly sultry light in their eyes.
The coda of Don Quixote was undeniably the best way to end the night as Chihiro Uchida and Kenya Nakamura, playing Kitri and Basilio, performed their breathtaking solo pieces. Nakamura’s feet were in the air more often than they touched land as he showcased a series of 12 grand jetés (a split in midair) around the stage while Uchida, standing out from the colourful crowd of villages in her shimmering white tutu, performed 30 consecutive fouetté (a quick whipping movement of the raised leg accompanying a pirouette) turns effortlessly.
Without a single hair out of place, the couple struck a pose at the end of their segments, as the crowd roared at their outstanding display of pure strength and impeccable ballet technique.
Overall, the second weekend of Ballet Under the Stars was truly a feast for the eyes. Although the afternoon’s thunderstorm brought in gloomy skies that blocked out the stars, the ambience was still a full 10/10, for the real stars were all on stage.
by Rachel Lim
