National Ballet of Cuba Keeps ‘Coppelia’ Light on Its Feet

Forty-four years ago, prima ballerina Alicia Alonso staged “Coppelia” for the first time, and though her cast included such future stars of National Ballet of Cuba as Josefina Mendez, Mirta Pla and Loipa Araujo, they danced the ballet not in Havana but in Hollywood--at the Greek Theatre, produced by the late James A. Doolittle.

Those of us who saw that production recognized many of its distinctive concepts and achievements in the Alonso staging that the Cubans presented at the Orange County Performing Arts Center last weekend.

One example was the unusually complex “Dance of the Hours,” with its 12 women and six cavaliers.

Another was the Four Seasons women’s quartet (for Swanilda’s friends)--then called “Dance of the Harvesters.”

Alonso also upgraded the technique of this lighthearted 1870 masterwork to contemporary standards of virtuosity.

Two very different sets of Cuban principals danced “Coppelia” strongly in Costa Mesa on Saturday, but something crucial was missing that made the 1957 edition memorable: a world-class Dr. Coppelius. At the Greek Theatre, this toy maker with delusions of grandeur showcased the definitive Niels Bjorn Larsen of the Royal Danish Ballet.

On Saturday afternoon and evening, the role fell to Felix Rodriguez, master of a deft doddering walk, but inclined to get lost under an excess of grotesquemakeup.

Act 2 falters without a deeper, more varied interpretation than Rodriguez projected.

Acts 1 and 3 could have used a bigger, sturdier and more elegant set than the cramped, overfussy village square designed by Ricardo Reymena. Otherwise, this “Coppelia” kept the original story exceptionally light on its feet and proved again that in both technical authority and high spirits Alonso’s dancers are the equal of any in the Americas.

At the matinee, a kind of kittenish rivalry replaced romance when kissing cousins Alihaydee and Joel Carreno played Swanilda and Franz.

Ideally cast in any soubrette role, she gloried in playful, mock-tempestuous comedy but could also meet the tests of balance and pointe prowess in the wedding pas de deux skillfully.

A specialist in astonishing turning combinations, Joel Carreno may not be a great beauty or great partner to rival his brother, Jose Manuel Carreno of American Ballet Theatre, but his legs flash in the air like nobody since the young Fernando Bujones, and his energy as actor/dancer never flags.

Franz is perhaps the most clueless male in all 19th century ballet (no small distinction), but Joel looked so young, and Alihaydee mocked him so expertly that you believed he actually might shape up, sooner or later.

Among the subsidiary afternoon soloists, Hayna Gutierrez danced powerfully as the lead woman in the czardas and also as Dawn.

Ivis Diaz also danced capably as Prayer, though this solo makes no effect without a melting lyricism that doesn’t seem to be in the Cuban arsenal these days.

Certainly the steely Sadaise Arencibia couldn’t simulate it as Prayer on Saturday night--an occasion that also offered Idania La Villa as a strangely clenched Dawn and Laura Hormigon as the fleet, airy czardas consort.

Of course, the evening belonged to Lorna Feijoo and scar Torrado, a Swanilda and Franz matching a unique sensual chemistry with instinctual partnering rapport.

Feijoo scarcely acted the role but executed the mime efficiently and based her triumph on technical intricacy and sheer speed, achieving a perfect fusion of breezy flair and sharpness of attack in the doll dance and Scottish solo of Act 2.

In supported passages, she trusted Torrado to bring them both to perfectly placed sudden-death terminations and, as always, these proved some of the most gasp-producing moments of their partnership.

Looking freer in solo bravura challenges than on the last two company tours, Torrado generated some wonderfully floaty air turns in Act 1, though his landings sometimes proved rocky.

As an actor, Torrado tried for an easy, relaxed style but couldn’t always hide his princely suavity.

For all their vibrancy and charm, this Swanilda and Franz remained aristocrats of the ballet--just like Alonso and Andre Eglevsky in 1957.

Both Saturday performances featured Ivan del Prado’s remarkably thoughtful and stylish interpretation of Leo Delibes’ score, cleanly played by the Pacific Symphony.

Real music is rare in 19th century ballet, real conducting rarer.