[Review] Snifters, anyone? The Australian Ballet brings Jewels to London

This year The Australian Ballet is celebrating its 60th anniversary, and part of the festivities includes a visit to London to dance at the Royal Opera House. Although it has not appeared at the theatre since 1988, the company has, in fact, been a regular visitor to the UK, with numerous seasons at both the London Coliseum and Sadler's Wells, most often in works that have either been created on it – such as Graeme Murphy's “Princess Diana” version of Swan Lake – or ballets it has staged with considerable success, including Alexei Ratmansky's Cinderella and Léonide Massine's Les Présages. This time, in a bold and ambitious move, David Hallberg, the company's new artistic director, decided to bring a recent addition to the repertoire, George Balanchine's technically difficult three-act plotless ballet Jewels, which is performed by almost every major company around the world.

On opening night, 2nd August, following a short pre-curtain speech by Hallberg, who said how excited the company was to be back at Covent Garden after 35 years, and who linked the history of The Australian Ballet to that of Dame Ninette de Valois, Dame Peggy Van Praagh and The Royal Ballet, the performers were warmly applauded by an audience that included not only a number of highly-respected Australian dancers, including Leanne Benjamin and Alexander Campbell, but the conductor Richard Bonynge and former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Doubtless, had he still been alive, Barry Humphries would have been present as well. There was a lot of “Aussie” pride in evidence, as well as a tremendous sense of occasion, but whilst it was wonderful to see the fine dancers of the company back in London again, I'm not sure Jewels proved quite the triumph The Australian Ballet was hoping for.

To speak true, I have always found Jewels a bore. Inspired by a visit to the Fifth Avenue jeweller, Van Cleef & Arpels, Balanchine created the work for New York City Ballet in 1967, basing it around the notion of three gemstones – Emeralds, Rubies, Diamonds – representing three national schools of ballet – French, American and Russian. Emeralds is stylistically “French” and danced to wafting, monotonous music by Gabriel Fauré; its main role was created on the French ballerina Violette Verdy, noted for her musicality and glorious technique. Rubies, danced to Stravinsky, is punchy, all-American New York energy, whilst Diamonds, to music by Tchaikovsky, is an evocation of the Imperial Ballet in pre-revolutionary Russia. Balanchine could, I suppose, have just as easily taken inspiration for the ballet from a selection of cocktails or alcoholic drinks – Absinthe, Bloody Mary and Vodka perhaps? Snifters doesn't have quite the same ring about it, though, does it?

Jewels is certainly a well-crafted work, the conceit is alluring, and it gives the three linked ballets a title that is attractive to audiences, yet the choreography rarely equals the magnificence of Balanchine finest creations, and I am mystified as to why any dance company would elect to perform this particular work over, say, an evening of three of Balanchine's most brilliant one-act ballets. Moreover, although Jewels has an attractive set designed by Peter Harvey that, with clever lighting, can change colour and mood as appropriate for each ballet, its visual appeal is destroyed by Karinska's ugly costumes, so badly cut and crudely constructed they succeed in making even the slimmest dancer resemble a lumberjack – quite a feat in itself. It's not a surprise that, for its own staging, the Paris Opéra Ballet uses costumes designed by the couturier Christian Lacroix instead.

On this showing, I felt the dancers of The Australian Ballet were not quite comfortable in Balanchine's choreography, staged for them by Sandra Jennings. They looked strong and well-rehearsed but lacking in the spontaneity that marks out the dancing of New York City Ballet – they were, perhaps, being too polite, and I expect many of them were made nervous by performing at such a prestigious opera house. Sharni Spencer, in the Violette Verdy role in Emeralds, gloried in her baroque hand and arm movements as her feet traced meandering patterns along the floor, and Drew Hedditch bounded across the stage with some impressive jumps and entrechats in the pas de trois with Katherine Sonnekus and Larissa Kiyoto-Ward, yet they could not dispel the impression of tedium in a work some balletomanes declare to be Balanchine's finest creation.

Brett Chynoweth gave a cracking performance as the male lead in Rubies, filling the space with dancing so big, bold and sassy he made the rest of the cast look timid. I'd like to see, however, more snap and sexy syncopation from all of the dancers in this work, and a greater understanding of the dynamics of Stravinsky's music and the Art Deco stylisation that Balanchine injects into their steps.

With its tutus, tiaras, and Maryinsky-blue curtains, Diamonds looks like a ballet cliché, the all-white corps de ballet dancing formulaic enchaînements in pretty patterns, although the choreography for the ballerina role, danced beautifully by Benedicte Bemet, supported by Joseph Caley, allows for an unexpected flow of movement that is intriguingly romantic and surprisingly emotional. Here, the lead female figure is a woman almost to be revered, and it is no surprise Balanchine created this dance for his favourite, Suzanne Farrell, with whom he was infatuated.

Accompanied by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, Jewels was conducted by Jonathan Lo, the company's music director and chief conductor. The orchestra gave a slow-paced account of the Fauré music, but were much more persuasive in both the Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky.

Jewels was obviously presented by The Australian Ballet in London as a showcase for its talents, yet I can't help but think its dancers may be seen to far better advantage in the Gala at Covent Garden on 6th August, when they will be performing choreography not only by Balanchine, but by Kenneth MacMillan, Rudolf Nureyev, Marius Petipa, Justin Peck, Pam Tanowitz and Alice Topp. I wish I could be there to see them.

Jonathan Gray( Guest Author )

Jonathan Gray was editor of Dancing Times from 2008 to 2022.

He studied at The Royal Ballet School, Leicester Polytechnic, and Wimbledon School of Art where he graduated with a BA Hons in Theatre Design. He was on the Curatorial Staff of the Theatre Museum, London, from 1989 to 2005, assisting on a number of dance-related exhibitions, and helping with the recreation of original designs for a number of The Royal Ballet's productions including Danses concertantes, Daphnis and Chloë, and The Sleeping Beauty. He has also contributed to the Financial Times and The Guardian, written programme articles for The Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet, and is co-author of the book Unleashing Britain: Theatre gets real 1955-64, published in 2005.