GEORGE BALANCHINE'S COPPELIA Pacific Northwest Ballet May 31 - June 9, 2024 Review
George Balanchine’s Coppelia
Pacific Northwest Ballet
McCaw Hall
Seattle, WA
Review: Saturday 6/1/24 7:30 pm Performance
The last rep of the 2023/2024 season of the Pacific Northwest Ballet brings “George Balanchine's Coppelia”, a well known ballet comedy that I have never seen.
I remember when I first started attending performances at McCaw Hall for the PNB that I was one of those missing links. A patron demographic that to this day is still something of a mystery. The local arts patron that doesn’t regularly attend PNB productions. Why do I bring this up?
Coppelia was a production that would serve the wide array of potential patrons well as a transition show (from The Nutcracker). A show that could turn the non attendees into ballet regulars on any given opening weekend (and beyond).
The overall tone of the production is light and whimsical. It’s hard to not like the show from just that aspect alone. The ever changing staging and design is also an eye pleaser for sure. The audience is transported into the doll making world of the show.
For my performance we got the lead dancers of Angelica Generosa as Swanilda/Coppélia, Jonathan Batista as Franz, and Ezra Thomson as Dr. Coppelius. Perhaps coincidentally the last classical full length I reviewed I also got Angelica and Jonathan partnering for that show as well.
This show and these roles were perfect for all three dancers. Angelica is always a technically sound dancer in my opinion. Her personality in this show really came through and it made for a superb production. Jonathan is a fantastic dancer who in some cases has to reign his personality in as he just owns the stage anytime he dances on it. This time he was the right mix of performer and actor/mime. He didn’t overshadow anyone else on stage and that’s important for the overall effect of the show. Ezra has to be one of the best character dancers in the company. I’ve seen him get some of the biggest reactions over the years and it is bittersweet that he will be retiring from the stage after June 9th (but he will be starting a new official role behind the scenes as the rehearsal director).
“George Balanchine's Coppelia” is funny, engaging, and overall a spectacular way to end the 2023/2024 season for the Pacific Northwest Ballet.
Recommended!
Performances run through Sunday June 9th. Tickets are available: HERE!
Best,
Mark Sugiyama
Eclectic Arts Media
Connect with Eclectic Arts Media: Social Media Links and Email
Pacific Northwest Ballet
McCaw Hall
Seattle, WA
Review: Saturday 6/1/24 7:30 pm Performance
(Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Angelica Generosa as Swanilda, with company dancers in Coppélia, choreographed by Alexandra Danilova and George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust. PNB presents Coppélia onstage at Seattle Center’s McCaw Hall May 31 – June 9, 2024 (and streaming June 13 – 17.) For tickets and information, contact the PNB Box Office, 206.441.2424 or PNB.org. Photo © Angela Sterling.)
The last rep of the 2023/2024 season of the Pacific Northwest Ballet brings “George Balanchine's Coppelia”, a well known ballet comedy that I have never seen.
I remember when I first started attending performances at McCaw Hall for the PNB that I was one of those missing links. A patron demographic that to this day is still something of a mystery. The local arts patron that doesn’t regularly attend PNB productions. Why do I bring this up?
(Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Jonathan Batista as Franz, with company dancers in Coppélia, choreographed by Alexandra Danilova and George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust. PNB presents Coppélia onstage at Seattle Center’s McCaw Hall May 31 – June 9, 2024 (and streaming June 13 – 17.) For tickets and information, contact the PNB Box Office, 206.441.2424 or PNB.org. Photo © Angela Sterling.)
Coppelia was a production that would serve the wide array of potential patrons well as a transition show (from The Nutcracker). A show that could turn the non attendees into ballet regulars on any given opening weekend (and beyond).
The overall tone of the production is light and whimsical. It’s hard to not like the show from just that aspect alone. The ever changing staging and design is also an eye pleaser for sure. The audience is transported into the doll making world of the show.
(Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Angelica Generosa as Swanilda (masquerading as the doll Coppélia), with soloist Ezra Thomson as Dr. Coppelius, in Coppélia, choreographed by Alexandra Danilova and George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust. PNB presents Coppélia onstage at Seattle Center’s McCaw Hall May 31 – June 9, 2024 (and streaming June 13 – 17.) For tickets and information, contact the PNB Box Office, 206.441.2424 or PNB.org. Photo © Angela Sterling.)
For my performance we got the lead dancers of Angelica Generosa as Swanilda/Coppélia, Jonathan Batista as Franz, and Ezra Thomson as Dr. Coppelius. Perhaps coincidentally the last classical full length I reviewed I also got Angelica and Jonathan partnering for that show as well.
This show and these roles were perfect for all three dancers. Angelica is always a technically sound dancer in my opinion. Her personality in this show really came through and it made for a superb production. Jonathan is a fantastic dancer who in some cases has to reign his personality in as he just owns the stage anytime he dances on it. This time he was the right mix of performer and actor/mime. He didn’t overshadow anyone else on stage and that’s important for the overall effect of the show. Ezra has to be one of the best character dancers in the company. I’ve seen him get some of the biggest reactions over the years and it is bittersweet that he will be retiring from the stage after June 9th (but he will be starting a new official role behind the scenes as the rehearsal director).
“George Balanchine's Coppelia” is funny, engaging, and overall a spectacular way to end the 2023/2024 season for the Pacific Northwest Ballet.
Recommended!
Performances run through Sunday June 9th. Tickets are available: HERE!
Best,
Mark Sugiyama
Eclectic Arts Media
Connect with Eclectic Arts Media: Social Media Links and Email
Also - the Season Encore one night only performance is this coming Sunday, June 9th Tickets and more information can be found: HERE!
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