As the astonishing dancer Cristiana Sciabordi rode her powerful Kawasaki
on the stage towards me, in the audience of the Komische Oper last night, I
had a double deja vu. Two separate but related pictures superimposed on her
red hair flowing in the wind, the engine revved to match the Tchaikovsky
crescendo from the pit.

Just the night before, I witnessed a less dramatic (no bikes), but equally
effective breaking of the fourth wall: an orchestra musician in the
Staatsoper spoke to the audience before "Tristan und Isolde," asking to
resist the government effort to stiffle "expensive productions," such as
those of Wagner's works.

The other part of the stereo memory: three years ago (to the day),
the English National Opera music director, on stage before a Janacek
production, denouncing his government's efforts to regulate art.

The two speeches were practically identical, and their presence on those
two stages were just as startling as swan-struck Siegfried's lusty mother
on the bike. (More about this, Birgit Scherzer's "Schwanensee," later.)
Back in 1997, the British government suggested that two opera companies
in London may be one too many. A mighty gnashing of teeth followed over
subsidy, spending, and even the nature of the repertory. Today, the same
story is unfolding in Berlin, Kultursenator Christoph Stoelzl asking the
same questions his counterpart in London raised.

There are differences, of course, beginning with the fact that Berlin has
three companies -- the Deutsche Oper in the former Western sector, and the
formerly East Berlin Staatsoper plus the Komische Oper, three blocks apart
on Unter den Linden. The government is wondering if there could be more
coordination, a division of responsibilities, perhaps the Staatsoper would
specialize in the classical, smaller operas, leaving Deutsche Oper -- and
a larger orchestra -- for Wagner, and do we really need three ballet
companies, etc., etc.

If the English experience is repeated here, there will be a war of words,
and eventually not much changing. Everything else may radically be altered
in this dynamic, exciting, explosively growing city, but the 18th century
Staatsoper and the two more recent companies will happily live forever,
while fighting the government (as they should) and each other (rather
foolishly).

So, what about that "Schwanensee," in the house that Walter Felsenstein
built, but now, on his 100th birthday, it is the spirit of Mark Morris that
leads? Well, at least when it comes to the house's BerlinBallett (which
may soon become THE ballet for all three houses, but never mind), and
Scherzer's funny, imaginative, vastly entertaining take on "Schwanensee."

I was rather startled when offered an English-language synopsis of the
work; I don't know much, but this is one story I am quite comfortable with.
Reading it, however, opened up new vistas:

   "In a dream Siegfried -- fearing the future his has planned for
   him -- flees the celebrations of his birthday which mark his
   transition from boyhood to manhood. Cared for yet alone at heart,
   he has constantly striven to live up to her expectations of him.
   Two men flank his mother's dominant presence: Benno, the family
   friend who feels comradeship for the son and physical attraction
   for the mother, and Rotbart, the family factotum..."

You get the idea. It goes on to Siegfried setting fire to the hated family
home, and later the "swan-maidens" tearing out their own feathers, leaving
them in fetching red swim suits, etc. Having read the synopsis, I thought
I'd last 10 minutes, just so that I'd have the experience of sitting in
that famous -- and very cozy, pleasant -- house. But when Sciabordi blew
onto the stage, undulating, skipping, hopping, dominating, annoying,
seducing everybody in sight (and elsewhere), I sat up and took notice.
Gregor Seyffert's Rotbart and Uwe Kuessner's Benno were just as remarkable,
and Siegfried turned out to be a young Baryshnikov... although better
looking! Lars Scheibner, who looks about 20, is as good a candidate for the
title of leading dancer in any company as I have seen in lo many years.

The entire company is completely devoted to the work, and they perform
superbly throughout the evening. And that's the difference between
modern-dance shock and modern-dance art: the quality of the choreography
and of the dancing; talent will out. Scherzer's "Schwanensee," which opened
on Sunday, got terrible reviews from the local critics, who apparently
didn't know what to do with it. The same Berlin sense of humor which
cherished the 10,000 plastic Berlin bears laid along Unter den Linden
(snapping them up at $25 each after the Sunday de-installation) just can't
quite cope with brilliant dancing of an unorthodox "Swan Lake."

Janos Gereben <[log in to unmask]>