Review: 2012 San Francisco Ballet’s Don Quixote April 30, 2012
San Francisco Ballet’s vibrant production of Don Quixote has many delights, and this full-length production closes the season with a reminder of what we will dearly miss until the 2013 season. Two seemingly very different elements of this production – slapstick humor and high-flying virtuosity – are blended together seamlessly in this wonderful production. It is to the audience’s delight that SF Ballet places equal emphasis on both elements, and the result is just so much fun. Humor is difficult to do well, particularly in ballet, but the company pulled it off with perfect comedic timing and creativity. The colorful costumes and beautiful sets by Martin Pakledinaz pop off the stage and frames the spirited dancing within this production, and brings the familiar Cervantes novel to life. I saw the Sunday matinee performance on April 29, 2012.
One of the highlights of this performance was Frances Chung’s debut performance in the role of Kitri. In a word, her debut was astounding. Chung’s Kitri had a mischievous sense of humor and an unquenchable spontaneity. She exuded a cool confidence and appeared very well prepared to perform this role. She embodied clean lines in her poses and well-articulated feet; however, more than any technical details, Chung still maintains a quality that made her unique even as a dancer in the corps. From dancing Lubovitch to Wheeldon to classics such as Don Q, she always looks like she is having a great time. How many times have we as audience members seen dancers “check out”, with the equivalent of yawning or sighing on stage, or look as if they are nursing an injury, or look like they can’t wait to go home? (Yes, audiences can tell!) Years of dancing hasn’t taken away this quality from Chung, and it’s so thrilling and refreshing to watch. When dancing allegro, she really goes for it, with every molecule of her being. Her adagio is quiet and still as she takes her time to stretch her legs and arms with all the time in the world. Her pas de deux with Vitor Luiz as Basilio in Act 2 flowed effortlessly like a story unfolding, a story of falling in love, with a lovely cinematic quality to it.
In fact, as a couple, Chung and Luiz were successfully more about heart than head in this performance. Technical details wavered a bit, with a wobble here, a failed attempt at a balance there, and a fall onto outstretched hands after a particularly forceful turning jump. However, these details were rare, and it was their spirit that soared; both Chung and Luiz went for it, and everyone was rooting for them. Give me that kind of gumption over textbook poses anyday.
And the comedy! Garen Scribner’s Gamache was an absolute scene-stealer every second he was onstage, even when he was sitting on the sides, fanning himself. James Sofranko’s Sancho Panza was earnest and energetic, bouncing off of Luke Willis’ regal yet absurd Don Quixote.
In spite of the comedy, the virtuosity in this ballet makes this ballet a classic, and this production showcases the strengths of the company beautifully. Chung flew through her fouettes and ended with a clean double, and Vitor Luiz drew gasps from the audience with his turning jumps that whips his legs around in the air, defying gravity. Pierre-Francois Vilanoba as the bad-ass matador and Elana Altman as his dramatic partner, Mercedes, mesmerized with their sensual power and intensity. The female corps looked pristine in the airy Dream scene, with soloists Sasha DeSola sailing through with a bright innocence, and Koto Ishihara, all leggy extensions, expertly covered up a wobbly ending to her bird-like solo with a charming flurry of smiles. Pascal Molat and Courtney Elizabeth also added an element of passion as leaders of the gypsy camp, Molat with power and Elizabeth with melodrama.
Having never seen this ballet in its full-length version before, I really didn’t know what to expect. I know that full-length classics can have its slow moments; however, this production surprised and delighted. The virtuosity is thrilling and definitely worth seeing more than one cast, and the comedy is entertaining. It was a really fun way to end the 2012 season.





































