Ballet and comedy aren’t often mentioned in the same sentence, but “Don Quixote” was colorful, lively and downright hilarious.
The Eugene Ballet triumphantly kicked off its 2001-2002 performance season at the Hult Center on Saturday and Sunday with a zealous realization of the Spanish classic.
Jennifer Martin, a principle dancer for Eugene Ballet, performed the role of Kitri in the story of an eccentric old man who spends his days chasing an imaginary maiden, Dulcinea, and accidentally mistakes Kitri for the maiden. Martin dazzled the audience not only with her energetic, concise movements, but also with her exceptional acting skills. When dancers truly love what they are doing, it shows in their performance. By the sparkle in Martin’s eye and her edgy, captivating dance style, it is easy to guess that she’s in love with her career.
David Makhateli, a guest artist from the Houston Ballet, was Basilio, Kitri’s lover. Makhateli danced with amazing vigor. He has trained with the Royal Ballet School in London, and his technical proficiency proves it. The partnership between Martin and Makhateli truly carried the ballet.
Other noteworthy performers include Shigemi Kurata, in her first season as a principal dancer with the Eugene Ballet, Hyoung Il Joung, Eloy Barragan and John Funk. Other company members, along with students from the Eugene School of Ballet, made up the rest of the cast.
If the wide array of sheer talent wasn’t enough, the ballet was topped off with realistic yet inventive scenery by Robert O’Hearn. The EB seems to be growing in this respect, with its set design becoming better and better each season. Compared to last year’s “Swan Lake,” the set design for “Don Quixote” was far superior.
Other credits include guest choreography by the accomplished Anna-Marie Holmes, music by Leon Minkus, costumes by David Heuvel and lighting design by Kelly Baum.
Watching “Don Quixote,” I was overcome by the sense of how lucky I am to live in a town that offers such a wide variety of the arts. From punk concerts to our own ballet company, we have it all. For those who missed “Don Quixote,” the Eugene Ballet has many more performances planned this season, including “The Nutcracker” in December and “Alice in Wonderland” in February.
The Eugene Ballet received a standing ovation Saturday night, and I was standing, too. It definitely wasn’t the first time — or the last.