A Star Is Born
A true Aurora, Sarah Lane brought a heavenly light to ABT’s production of The Sleeping Beauty last night. Some people will feel that a star has been born, but many of us have seen that light in Lane every time she had a slightly featured role. She even glowed whenever she was in the corps. See our cover story on her from last June.
As Aurora, her face radiates true joy; her chest is open; her legs are quick and precise. She exudes a natural sweetness in her lovely épaulement. Her innocence is not manufactured; she seems real up there on the stage. When she yields to her guy (Herman Cornejo, no less), nestling closer to his shoulder, her tenderness is believable. She is so centered that she not only did all the balances in the Rose Adagio, but later on she sometimes just stayed on pointe in arabesque a little longer than you’d expect, causing an unexpected thrill. When she pricks her finger, you really do feel like the kingdom is losing its hope for the future. She is so pulled down under the shoulder blades that it gives her a modest, open look, recalling, I imagine, Irina Kolpokova, who was a famous Aurora of days gone by.
Whatever questions and concerns there were about this production, Sarah Lane wipes them all away with her glowing child/woman Aurora. I can’t wait to see her as Giselle, and as Odette/Odile too (although it’s hard to imagine her having the spite required to do Black Swan). I hope that by next spring, she will blossom into many lead roles.
