La Sylphide review: Czech National Ballet dances with precision and authenticity
Czech National Ballet made its Hong Kong Arts Festival debut with La Sylphide – the earliest and best conserved complete ballet still to feature in the international repertoire.
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Staged for the company last year by Danish ballet superstar Johan Kobborg, this was a pleasingly authentic production which featured much good dancing and some lively acting.
It was a real pity there was no live music – always a problem for ballet. This was compounded by poor quality sound which failed to do justice to Herman von Lovenskiold's delightful score.
It also seems a pity to have brought Czech National Ballet, a historic company with good dancers and a rich and varied repertoire, all the way from Prague to perform a single ballet which, enchanting though it is, is only one hour long.
The version of La Sylphide created by August Bournonville for the Royal Danish Ballet in 1836 has been handed down through the generations with loving care. A uniquely preserved example of ballet's first golden age – the Romantic era – its exquisite choreography and vivid storytelling have continued to charm audiences for nearly 200 years.
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The plot, with its supernatural elements, is typical of the Romantic era. The setting is a village in Scotland – and yes, the men do indeed dance in kilts.
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