American Ballet Theatre's production of Stravinsky's "Firebird" lit up the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and brought one of the world's most talented ballerinas to Los Angeles. Choreographed under Alexei Ratmansky, the production featured Southern California native Misty Copeland as Firebird and Marcelo Gomes as Ivan. Cory Stearns and Stella Abrera (also raised in California), were among the lead performers. Copeland became the company's first black principal dancer last year, paving the way for many young ballerinas who hope to follow in her footsteps.
The production, while only an hour long, was one to remember. The stage was beautifully set up; dark, magical trees lined the back of the stage, appearing to move and shift in the shadows as Copeland took the stage with Gomes. Misty, decked in bright red, was hard to miss, as she fluttered about in her bright-colored feathers, mimicking the elegance and lightness of a bird. The maidens were adorned in emerald green, with bright green highlights shimmering in their hair.
The orchestra played Stravinsky's masterpiece in perfect rhythm with the dancers; Misty moved with the music with fluidity and precision. One sign of a skilled dancer is having great musicality, and Misty delivered. However, while she certainly had a presence during the times she appeared on stage, the newest principal of ABT did not seem to have much time on stage altogether. I had hoped to see more of Misty and her character. That being said, the maidens still put on a memorable performance and were one of the highlights of the evening.
While Misty certainly delivered in terms of stage presence, her partner, Marcelo Gomes, wasn't quite as mesmerizing. His execution of the choreography lacked in rigor and energy; his turns seemed incomplete and his jumps were sloppy. The villain of the story, Kaschei (performed by Cory Stearns) seemed to turn more heads. He commanded the stage with grace while staying true to his role as the evil sorcerer who rules over the lives of the maidens.
This particular ballet had a light and pleasant ending, ending the night on a happier note. The evening was followed by an afterparty to help raise funds for The Music Center's education and arts programs.
Beautifully staged and choreographed, American Ballet Theater's production of "Firebird" is one many should go out and see. A light-hearted, endearing and moving ballet, it is certainly one of the more notable performances to have graced Los Angeles.
"Firebird" was produced by American Ballet Theatre and ran at the Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles) through July 10th. For more information on upcoming events, please visit www.musiccenter.org.
To reach Staff Reporter Ani Mosinyan, click here.
Annenberg Media