Dancers are not usually vocal on stage – they let their bodies do the talking. So it is a surprise just to hear how noisy the Royal Ballet’s dancers are in Carlos Acosta’s production of Don Quixote, which is currently bringing a welcome dose of Mediterranean sunshine to Covent Garden.
There is a lot of whooping and cheering, alongside plenty of foot stamping, cape twirling and tambourine shaking in this vibrant re-working of Cervantes’ classic tale. Forget about the daft narrative – old man sallies forth as a knight in pursuit of his ideal woman and helps young lovers along the way – and concentrate on the magnificent dancing instead.
At the performance I saw, Akane Takada and Alexander Campbell danced the young lovers (though various principals will tackle the roles throughout the run). Takada is a magnificent Kitri, with a soaring jump and precise, elegant footwork. Campbell shows a nice comic timing and a cheeky sense of humour as her partner. They both shine in the famous final pas de deux (often presented on its own at galas and dance competitions), with Takada displaying rock solid balances in the tricky adage. Praise too, must go to the delightful Anna Rose O’Sullivan for her fleet-footed portrayal of Amour.
The sets are particularly impressive: houses move easily on and off the stage, negating the need for the curtain to be lowered for a scene change. They are multi-tiered too, so there is always something going on to attract the eye; sometimes this is a disadvantage, as you do not know where to look first. Act II is especially stunning, with its huge windmills (you couldn’t do without them in this story) and a magical garden filled with giant flower heads. I do not think I have ever seen a sunset more beautifully brought to life on stage.
It is easy to be snobbish about the music: Minkus is often regarded as a second rate composer whose tunes are pretty but without depth. He may not rank up there with Tchaikovsky, but Minkus’s melodies are hummable, happy and his sunny score for Don Quixote means that you are guaranteed to leave the theatre with a smile on your face.
Don Quixote is at the Royal Opera House until 4 April.
