Review: Hong Kong Ballet’s Le Corsaire reaches new heights with superb energy and execution

Every now and then in the life of a ballet lover, there comes a performance where everything comes together so perfectly that you leave the theatre walking on air. The November 5 matinee of Hong Kong Ballet’s new production of Le Corsaire was one of those moments.

The company has long been distinguished by its energy, commitment and technical strength, but this time the dancers reached another level. The difference was a new-found understanding of the choreography they were dancing – classical ballet is not just steps or even style, it needs to be lived and breathed – and the sheer joy they brought to dancing it.

Hong Kong Ballet put through their paces for Le Corsaire, piratical romp that Anna-Marie Holmes has made her own

The production was staged by Anna-Marie Holmes with the assistance of Julio Bocca. The company has benefited immeasurably from the knowledge, experience and passion brought by these two ballet legends. Much credit goes to them, the artistic team and the dancers themselves for the huge amount of work that went into achieving this truly world-class performance.

Le Corsaire is set somewhere in Ottoman Turkey, where gallant pirate Conrad, his second-in-command Birbanto and his slave Ali (be warned: this is not a politically correct ballet) come ashore with their crew just as slave dealer Lankendem is trying to sell the local Pasha a bevy of beautiful girls he’s kidnapped, among them Medora and her friend Gulnare.

Conrad and Medora fall in love at first sight and the pirates rescue her and carry off some of the slave girls along with Lankendem. However, when Medora persuades Conrad to set the other girls free, Birbanto turns against his captain and Conrad is rendered unconscious by a poisoned rose unwittingly given to him by Medora.

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