I like Don Quixote because it is a feel-good ballet and no one dies. I watched it many times I do not remember which one was my first and when. It might have been the Tokyo Ballet or the Asami Maki Ballet, or my forever muse Isabelle Guérin (an elegant Kitri) with … was it Patric Dupont? I saw Paloma Herrera (a free-spirit Kitri) with the explosive Angel Corerra much later. Sylvie Guillem (an unrestrained Kitri) was only for the pas de deux in the World Ballet Festival gala. I saw Svetlana Zakharova (a Zakharova Kitri) when she was still with the Mariinsky Theater much much later and I do not remember who her Basilio was (Igor Zelensky?) . The last Don Q shows I watched before moving to the Netherlands were the Royal Ballet’s in Covent Garden a few years ago: Iana Salenko (a sexy Kitri) with Steven McRae, Nela (a fabulous Kitri) with Vadim, and Akane Takada (an airy Kitri) with Alexander Campbell (a cute Basilio).
However, it was the first time for me to watch a piece of classical Don Quixote without gypsies or a physical windmill in the second act altogether. I have to confess it was a bit of a shock to me. May be I am too old school.
Regardless, the Dutch National Ballet’s Don Quixote, or Don Quichot, by Alexei Ratmansky was full of feel-good vibes as any Don Q is supposed to be. It was packed with non-stop action, party and comedy. It was catharsis.
I went to Amsterdam to watch the matinee show on Sunday, 27 October. The only principal casted for this specific show was Timothy van Poucke for Basilio. This means I might have witnessed some of the future principals. Apparently, Timothy himself was casted for the role in 2018 when he was a corps member.
Kitri was YuanYuan Zhang, Soloist of the company. She looked a bit nervous, understandably, at the beginning of the show, but she soon started looking relaxed and enjoying herself on stage. I might say her Kitri was very clean. Kitri’s friends were impeccable dancers Chloë Réveillon and Connie Vowles. It was such a joy to see all young good dancers in one place: Elisabeth Tonev for Queen of the Dryads, Mila Caviglia for Cupid (I absolutely loved her smile while dancing the technical variation and throughout on stage. So convincingly Cupid) and Arianna Maldini for Mercedes.
The stage was exceptionally detailed. Whichever corners of the stage I looked at, character dancers were performing their parts in the storytelling. Not to mention Don Quixote himself and his sidekick Sancho Panza … I have to confess I always look forward to seeing the interpretations of Gamache depending on the productions of Don Q. This Gamache definitely ranked number one or two in my Gamache ranking.
The third act was a full of fireworks constructed like Paquita. It was a very joyful closing ceremony. The backstage must be super organised for super quick costume changes.
Thank you for the great afternoon!
Main casts
Kitri : Yuanyuan Zhang
Basilio : Timothy van Poucke
Queen of the Dryads : Elisabeth Tonev
Espada: Robin Park
Cupid: Mila Caviglia
Mercedes: Arianna Maldini
Don Quixote: Nicolas Rapaic
Sancho Panza: Frans Schraven
Juanita: Chloë Réveillon
Piccilia: Connie Vowles
Gamache: Daniel Montero Real
Lorenzo : Anatole Babenko
Tall Dryads: Luiza Bertho, Kira Hilli, Koko Bamford
Small Dryads: Emma Mardegan, Khayla Fitzpatrick, Sebia Plantefève-Castryck, Bo-Ann Zehl
Ratmansky’s interview about creating Don Quixote for the Dutch National Ballet.
If I may point out one thing… I hope the company will redesign the costumes for the Dryads. I found their costumes do not compliment dancers’ bodies.
Image taken with my iPhone.