Emily Carey and Ryan Massey. Photo courtesy of Ballet Theatre of Maryland.
Staging the full-length “Don Quixote” is a monumental feat. Nonetheless, Ballet Theatre of Maryland’s Artistic Director Nicole Kelsch took the challenge and made an old ballet new and exciting, memorable and fun, yet still an homage to Cervantes’ epic novel. She staged it from choreography by Alexander Alexeyevich Gorky (1871) and from the original choreographer, Marius Petipa (1869) who focused on the tale of the two lovers: Basilio, a poor barber (Ryan Massey) and Kitri, the prettiest girl in the village (Lauren Martinez). Kitri’s papa makes it clear, “No money, no bride,” and then introduces her to a buffoon-like character, Gamache, a rich nobleman (actor Mark McCormack).
…an old ballet made new and exciting, memorable and fun…
Kelsch invited professional actors as guest artists in the ballet—a good move that kept the action in focus. In the prologue, Don Quixote (Roman Mykyta) takes his servant Sancho Panza (Roman’s father John Mykyta) on a quest to help fellow Spaniards in need. But they also spend a lot of time just hanging out with the villagers who joyous dancing in the streets—a swish of color as the dancers sashay in and out of a circle.
The first act is set in the port of Barcelona, full of pageantry and fancy dancing. With an apology to T. S. Elliott and his “Wasteland,” this ballet starts with a bang…and ends with one, too. The whole company fills the stage with color and circular dances to the fast tempo of Minsk’s score. Because it was a recording, the music couldn’t adjust to the dancing as it might have done with a live orchestra and conductor. Nonetheless, the festivities set the stage for our hero, Don Quixote, to start his fantasy hunt for his Dulcinea— Kitri, at first, followed by Mercedes, a street dancer (Anne Gutcher)—while Enter Espada, a famous matador (Isaac Martinez) upstages with his technical prowess.
By the second act, Quixote has settled down, but still searches for his ideal woman among the gypsies in the camp. As Queen of the Dryads, Lead Nomad, Cassandra Hope performs a modern dance solo a la Isadora Duncan, dashing across the stage. It’s a tender moment to calm the cast before the wild third act a.k.a. The Wedding scene. Even the two lovers take a break from their bravura dancing. Kitri is held high above her tall partner’s head, and Basilio catches her mid-air, gently lowering her to the floor.
In the third act, there is much merrymaking as the village celebrates the marriage of Kitri and Basilio. With Don Quixote as the guest of honor, the happy couple dance for him and his buddy. It is here that one sees the Mykyta’s extensive ballet training as Quixote greets the company dancers with a gesture of reaching an arm towards them—much like the closing movement of reverence in class.
I spoke with Roman Mykyta after the performance, and he told me, “I try to capture the kinder side of Don Quixote.”
The final dances are familiar to all, thanks to Mikhail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nureyev, and other superstars who have danced these variations on television and at gala celebrations—leaps and multiple turns with extraordinary passion and vitality. The BTM soloists from Cast 2 were remarkable in the Saturday afternoon performance. As the lead male dancer, Ryan Massey performed admirably, and as a partner, he never wavered in his attention to his bride-to-be. Anne Gutcher caught our eyes as a sexy street dancer adding pizzazz to her classical ballet. The Matador excelled in multiple turns center stage.
As the spitfire Kitri, Lauren Martinez was spectacular in the demanding role. She reminded me of a young Patricia McBride who dazzled us with her quickness and sparkling personality on stage. It was also nice to see the young dancers on stage, student performers courtesy of the Ballet Theatre of Maryland Conservatory. We left humming the melodies and dreaming of finding our own Dulcinea.
Running Time: Two hours and 10 minutes with three brief intermissions.
“Don Quixote” ran April 30, May 1 and 2, 2023, presented by Ballet Theatre of Maryland Maryland Hall, 801 Chase Street, Annapolis, MD 21401. Visit here for information on the upcoming season (which includes a new staging of a full-length ballet and more).
