Swan Lake NYC Ballet

Not surprisingly, the house was packed with people smartly dressed, anticipating an elegant night in the company of Peter Martin’s Swan Lake.

The evening’s Odette-Odile, Megan Fairchild, claimed the stage in a performance embracing a new command of emotional longing and lyrical ampleness. Always a capable technician, Fairchild is stepping into a more confident persona. This was particularly evident in the last scene, when her prince returned to plead forgiveness for unwittingly breaking his oath of love to her forever (Wonder how many times that oath has taken a dive?)

Floating over the darkened stage, her feet skimmed in tight traveling steps backing away and moving towards her devastating love. Her back arched like a weeping willow over his arm, while exhaling through a never-ending arabesque.

In this production, the Per Kirbey’s bleak sets, recalling Scandinavia’s famed winter darkness, framed his Tudoresque outfits for the royals, and Bournonville style knee-length skirts for the guests.

Tall and imposing, Siilas Marley loomed large as the evil Von Rotbart. Seemingly three times taller than Fairchild, when he leeringly bends over her, his body makes hers nearly disappear.

Ms. Fairchild’s Prince Siegfried, Gonzalo Garcia, was also enjoying his debut, but electricity did not ignite the two. But then there was the explosive Roman Meija jauntily blazing across the stage in the requisite explosion of air turns and spitfire spins.

In truth, the Hungarian dance inevitably exudes a thrilling passion between the two leads—something that always feels lacking in the Back Swan sequence. However, Fairchild made a smashing debut and she will unleash her inner swan with time and seasoning.