One has visited Oman before, the other, it’s his first time. Yet both conductor Sergev Smbatyan and artistic director Filip Barankiewicz are impressed by the relaxed and chill ambiance of the country and the humble, polite, and helpful nature of its people.
"Oman is a wonderful country, and the Royal Opera House Muscat is a true cultural landmark. From the expertise and professionalism of the staff involved in this production, to the warm welcome offered to us by Omanis, I feel truly privileged to perform here in Muscat for a second time," shared Smbatyan.
With a career spanning more than a decade, Smbatyan has collaborated with some of the world's best composers and has worked on large-scale projects in several countries in Latin America and Asia. He has also been an artistic director for a number of annual music festivals and is the founder of the Music for the Future Foundation committed to discovering talented young musicians and fostering their career development.
Visiting Oman to conduct La Fille Mal Gardée at the Royal Opera House Muscat, he has teamed up with artistic director Filip Barankiewicz to bring the beloved ballet by Frederick Ashton to life.
Barankiewicz, as an artistic director, had a diverse and distinguished career — from a superb leading dancer, he became a noted ballet master and coach and worked with some of the best national ballet companies across the world.
"After being here for just one day, I find the workers at the Royal Opera House very professional and exact. I was very much looking forward to the opening, and on behalf of the Czech National Ballet Company, thank you for having us," Barankiewicz said.
The Oman Daily Observer spoke with Smbatyan and Barankiewicz to learn a little bit more about why La Fille Mal Gardée is a must-watch wherever it is being performed.
Could you share some insights into the creative collaboration process between you, the dancers, and the production team in bringing this timeless classic to life on stage?
Smbatyan: Collaboration is the key word here. My role as the Conductor is to be the connection between the orchestra and everything that is happening on stage. Following the rhythm of the music and aligning it with the rhythm of the ballet. It takes practice and rehearsal with the whole ballet company on stage to bring this fantastic performance to life. I am privileged to work with the talented musicians of the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra and closely with the Czech National Ballet for this performance.
Barankiewicz: Since it is a production based on challenging choreography, bringing fresh perspectives and innovation is not required. The ballet is timeless because the protagonists, in their virtuosity and timing of comedy, must stay true to the style. This is what makes the characters and the subtleties of British humor so special.
La Fille mal gardée is known for its delightful and humorous elements. What specific challenges did you encounter while interpreting the score?
Smbatyan: The ballet is a comedy, and many aspects of this are linked to music. The music supports the dancers in acting out every emotion, movement, and action on stage. There are many cues which I must not miss since some key moments of the ballet are aligned to the music itself. Each character also has their own tune: you know exactly when Alain is coming on stage because of the set of instruments that accompany him. It’s a ballet where everything that is happening on stage is echoed in the pit, and it demands a rigorous knowledge of the whole performance to create a memorable show.
Costumes and set design can transport audiences to different worlds. How did you collaborate with the design team to create the visual atmosphere of "La Fille mal gardée," and what inspired the aesthetic choices?
Barankiewicz: What you will see in ROHM is the exact stage and costume design from the original version. I find that the drawings by Lancaster are truly funny and the costumes transport you to the atmosphere of countryside life. The only difference is the adaptation of the size. The Royal Opera House in London is a bigger stage, and our stages in Prague are similar in size to the stage in Muscat. What the audience will experience here is the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s exact version made in Prague by our Ateliers in 2018.
La Fille mal gardée is often praised for its charming and memorable melodies. How did you work with the orchestra to capture the essence of the music and evoke the appropriate emotions in the audience?
Smbatyan: We have obviously worked very closely with the Czech National Ballet to ensure that our work would embellish the amazing performance seamlessly. I am lucky to work from the original score revised by Sir John Lanchbery, enabling me to recreate the magic of this ballet through music.
What do you hope audiences will take away from this production of La Fille mal gardée, and what do you believe sets it apart from other interpretations they may have seen?
Being a comedy, one of the oldest ballets in the world, and most importantly, a ballet about ordinary people, it is an extraordinary performance, one which will leave a smile on your face after you see it. It is funny, relatable, and highly entertaining; I am sure it will leave audiences feeling truly mesmerized.
As the artistic director, what challenges did you encounter in bringing "La Fille mal gardée" to the stage, and how did you overcome them to deliver a memorable production?
Barankiewicz: I saw this very version as a child. My father was a dancer and danced Colas. Lucky him, he even had a performance which was conducted by Sir Lanchbery himself. Stuttgart Ballet had its premiere in 2000 where I was lucky to dance Colas in the Stuttgarter premiere only 4 years after joining the company. Alexander Grant was the original cast of Alain, and he had been staging back then together with Choreologist Jane Elliot. Working together with them has had such a strong impact on my life and will stay with me forever... apart from the fact that I grew up on the production since a little child. Believe it or not, the musicality of this masterpiece is absolutely crucial, and a comedy will only work if the timing is right. It is so well done, and this is what is the most challenging for dancers: almost no room for self-interpretation. They have to follow the required tasks from the choreographer. Today, unfortunately, most dancers try to find ways around that. My responsibility, though, is to stay honest to the version to keep it alive as long as possible because it is considered one of the oldest classical productions, and it is our heritage in the ballet world.
Having been performed countless times, what do you hope audiences will take away from this particular interpretation, and how do you strive to make it a unique experience for them?
Barankiewicz: It’s a ballet for families and can be enjoyed from the youngest to the oldest. I hope our CNB company will be able to put a smile on your faces, and the romantic comedy will be enjoyed as it is a wonderful opportunity to share this story full of energy with the audience in Oman.
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