Cinderella | Stepsisters steal the show

It’s Cinderella who leaves with Prince Charming, but it’s the ugly sisters-in-law who steal the show. The ballet version Cinderella by choreographer Jayne Smeulders, presented by Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, is elegant, moving… and often hilarious. And this, thanks to the wicked sisters-in-law who multiply nonsense to attract the attention of the sovereign.

The spectators try to follow the graceful whippings of Cinderella, the spectacular leaps of Prince Charming, the tender pas de deux, but inevitably, the eye is drawn to the desperate antics of the ugly sisters-in-law. The dancers who performed these on Wednesday evening at the premiere of Cinderella, Vanesa Garcia-Ribala Montoya and Anya Nesvitaylo, were masterful in their comedic sense. But make no mistake: it takes an incredible mastery of ballet technique to successfully walk on pointe in a ridiculous way.

The main roles of Cinderella are played by different dancers according to the performances.

If the ugly sisters-in-law are laughable when they try to seduce the prince, they are downright hateful when they mistreat Cinderella. Their wickedness seems limitless.

Performed by Rachele Buriassi on the evening of the premiere, Cinderella is sensitive and graceful. We share her pain and her humiliation when she has to submit to her stepsisters, her hope when she meets the birds of the enchanted garden and her confidence when she appears before Prince Charming. She and he make a very nice couple and their pas de deux are the highlights of the evening.

Prince Charming, played by Esnel Ramos on opening night, is solid and explosive when it comes to executing jumps and pirouettes. We admire her immense patience in the face of the harassment of the awful sisters-in-law.

The wicked stepmother is perfectly wicked, but also majestic: she tries to bring out the attractions of her daughters, but we feel she is somewhat discouraged by their clumsiness. Its interpreter on the evening of the premiere, Montrealer Myriam Simon, will hang her pointe shoes as a first dancer after the performances of Cinderella after a remarkable career of almost 25 years.

It was another Quebecer, Maude Sabourin, who brilliantly interpreted the very important role of the fairy godmother on the evening of the premiere. It takes a lot of work for him to thwart the dark designs of the evil stepmother and her hideous daughters.

The evening therefore alternates between very beautiful moments of dance and comic episodes. Impossible to remain frozen in front of the mimicry of the wicked daughters-in-law when they try to put on the delicate slipper left behind by Cinderella. Pull, push, pull, push, it won’t fit.

This production of Cinderella is magnificent, with sets by Simon Guilbault (elegant in the ballroom scene at the royal palace and magical in the scene in the enchanted garden) and lighting by Marc Parent. The mere appearance of Cinderella’s carriage provokes great emotion.

Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt’s costumes perfectly illustrate the character of the various characters, from the ridiculous nightgowns of the ugly sisters-in-law to the shimmering dress of the fairy godmother and the rather discreet costume of Prince Charming.

In the room, several little girls put on their princess dresses on Wednesday evening to attend the premiere. It’s not every night that you witness a true fairy tale.

The Cinderella ballet is presented at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts until June 4, then returns from September 8 to 10.