Nothing beats the buzz that precedes the debut of a rising star in a big, known role. Double it and you’ll get an idea of what last Tuesday felt like, as not one but two Royal Ballet principals, Lauren Cuthbertson and Sergei Polunin, took the main roles in Kenneth MacMillan’s 1974 Manon for the first time. As an artist, Cuthberston frequently makes bold choices when approaching big parts. Her Manon is no exception, as there is no trace of corrupted innocence at the beginning of her disastrously rapid and morally debatable ascent through Parisian society. The much romanticised image of the hapless lamb is thus replaced with that of a youthful minx who has decided to sleep her way up the social ladder.
Traditionalists might feel let down, but one should not overlook the fact that she shares the same blood as Lescaut, her slime-ball, amorally adorable ruffian of a brother, masterfully played — for the first time in years — by José Martin.
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