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Napoli

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Auguste Bournonville has for ballet lovers become a symbol of Danemark such as the famous Little Mermaid.
At the time of my visit of Copenhagen, the Little Mermaid was at the Expo exhibition in Shanghai, Bournonville was gone for long. The Royal Theatre has his ballet Napoli on its repertoire since last year´s autumn. Although the authors Sorella Englund and Nikolaj Hübbe appeal to the legacy and heritage of the great master, they shift the storyline closer to present and employ „necessary“ actualisations.  Naples remains the setting of the ballet. However, the rivals fighting for Teresina accuse each other of links with the mafia, instead of the wandering singer and the puppet master there is a transvestite trying to make the audience laugh and the newly-weds do not exit the stage in a carriage but on mini-bike. Napoli concerning dance is a mixture of „authentic“ Bournonville variations and elements of contemporary dance which makes it rather an incongruous blend. The authors jump through centuries as easily as over a rope. They don´t stumble at concluding an overall innovative and well made submarine act in modern style by classical „Bournonville“ variation of Teresina and Gennaro. Twisting and crawling is substituted by pointe shoes and classical arms which sticks out like a sore thumb, as well as the combination of newly comissioned music by Louis Alenio with the original one. The usage of Bournonville´s name feels more like a marketing strategy to sell this comodity successfully. On the other hand, keeping the exaggerated theatrical gestures while adding a contemporary content is quite fine – a little slapping on the bottom, suggesting copulation movements or kissing on stage. The dancers´ performance does not meet the high expectations though. The corps de ballet is not well coordinated, Teresina (Susanne Grinder) remains way too supple and too slow in variations. On the contrary, Golfo (Sebastian Kloborg), the ruler of the submarine world, is great, slimy, attractive and dance wise at his best. The overall impression of Napoli remains puzzled and misty as the haze above the waking Copenhagen.
Written from the performance on 5th October 2010, The Royal Theatre, Copenhagen. 

Translated by: Kristina Durczaková

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