Review: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at San Francisco Ballet Enchants & Delights

We may be in the doldrums of winter right now - with nippy temperatures, dark skies and some much-needed rain - but January also means that San Francisco Ballet (SFB) is back in season for the next several months and, to me, that signifies all's right with the world. SFB is kicking off its 2021 digital season exactly where it left off last March, when the remainder of its 2020 season was abruptly cancelled for obvious reasons. The company presented an enchanting new production of George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream only to have the curtain come down on opening night to the news that the just-ended performance would be its last for the season.

Fortunately for us, the company managed over the next several days to record the production for posterity, and that is what's on offer to start their new season. This video capture is especially welcome as so many folks, including longtime subscribers, had been looking forward to the production of this Balanchine gem that had been absent from the repertoire for decades, but were unable to attend the one performance. And - for those of us lucky enough to have caught that glorious opening night cast, the video captures an entirely different cast that is at least equally up to the task of bringing this piece to glorious life.

Midsummer was created by Balanchine in 1962 and is a rarity for him in his time at New York City Ballet in that it is a full-length, narrative ballet. The longer first act sticks closely to the bare bones of the familiar Shakespeare story, while the second act is essentially given over to a series of celebratory wedding dances. In other words, the basic structure is similar to that of The Nutcracker. Midsummer is the kind of ballet that offers a little something for everyone. There is dancing both lively and accessible, with a variety of entrancing set pieces, large and small. There is a timeless story of love victorious that is both comical and touching. There is a huge cast, including a corps of children playing woodland critters who are, well, cute as bugs, without ever overplaying the cuteness thing. And throughout, there is that glorious Mendelssohn score featuring the iconic wedding march that begins the second act.

Act I opens deep in the forest outside Athens, as mischief-making fairy Puck darts around amid a retinue of woodland fauna. Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of the Fairies, are arguing over a changeling child they both want (an admittedly questionable aspect of the plot that it is perhaps best not to dwell on?). Oberon orders Puck to bring him the flower pierced by Cupid's arrow, which causes anyone coming under its influence to fall in love with the first person their eyes behold. While Titania is asleep, Oberon casts the flower's spell over her, and she then falls for Bottom, whose head has been transformed into that of a donkey. Meanwhile, two other pairs of heterosexual lovers are wandering in the woods. Prankster Puck uses the same flower on the two men, which leads to much resorting of the couples until (spoiler alert!) all comes right in the end.

The dancing is lovely throughout. Standouts include Cavan Conley, who is wonderful as Puck, brimming over with impish energy. Julia Rowe is a beguiling Butterfly, her movements crisp and light and her quicksilver line fully engaged right through to her fingertips. Sasha De Sola makes an appealing Titania, and has one of Act I's highlights in a pas de deux with Vladislov Kozlov, where she daringly leaps into his arms, landing in a kneeling position with her arms held aloft in a perfect circle over her head. It's one of those magical "Did-I-really-just-see-that?" moments that are the hallmark of the Balanchine style.

The crowning glory of this performance is the Act II divertissement led by a perfectly matched Frances Chung and Ulrik Birkjjaer. As pas de deux go, it's an appealingly unusual one. Largely a lengthy adagio with all manner of unexpected lifts and quirky little stutter-steps, it doesn't culminate in the expected burst of pyrotechnics, but rather in a quiet moment of romantic surrender. And yet Chung and Birkjjaer make it every bit as exciting as a showier set piece would be. Chung is astonishing, with the blend of artistry and technical skill that only a seasoned ballerina can pull off. She makes the most out of every movement with her crystalline footwork and gently expressive torso, so that each step is both incisive and gorgeous. Birkjjaer's role is less prominent as he is there chiefly to provide his ballerina with secure support and give the illusion that she is floating across the stage. That said, he dances with grace and panache, and never just fades into the background. I honestly can't imagine any other two dancers, anywhere, dancing this piece better. What a joy!

As this is the opening program of SFB's first-ever digital season, I will admit that the format has some pluses and minuses. On the plus side, it's lovely to actually see the normally-hidden orchestra during the overture and entr'acte. Not to mention the face of Conductor Martin West, instead of just the back of his head. It's also fun to see certain details of a performance or costume in closeup. On the other hand, there are limitations, particularly for a master choreographer like Balanchine, who was always attuned to the entire stage picture. When that is interspersed with closeups and medium shots, we lose the overall sense of the ballet's architecture. Also, Martin Pakledinaz's whimsical costumes and sets tend to lose some of the sparkle and mystery they had in the theater, due to the flattening that happens with video capture. These are unavoidable lapses, certainly, but they did make me long to be back in the opera house, seeing the company perform live. Until that can happen again, though, I am thrilled that SFB is continuing to provide world-class ballet to its audiences.

(Photos by Erik Tomasson)

San Francisco Ballet's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream is available for streaming through February 10, 2021. For further information and to purchase tickets, visit www.sfballet.org or call (415)865-2000.

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