 It’s an old theater saw that comedy is just as hard as “serious” roles – some would say it’s more challenging, in fact. It could easily be true in dance as well, and Luz San Miguel, the star of the Milwaukee Ballet’s new Coppelia, makes a charming and persuasive case.
Sure, as Swanhilda San Miguel handles the various star turns in the final act, as does her co-star Ryan Martin as Franz. They are elegant in their duets together, and they each step out for an applause generating turn around the Polish village courtyard in which the story is set. (Yuki Clark and Susan Gartell have terrific solos here as well.)
But San Miguel truly shines in the first act of this 19th-Century comic stalwart. Watch her play the range of coquette-ish emotions after she catches her beau (Martin) flirting with the “doll” (literally) sitting up in a neighboring balcony. She’s full of spark and spunk, torn between pouty anger over her love’s wandering eye, and the obvious ease and contentment she feels in his arms. Through most of the act – including a long to-do listening for the rattle of a stalk of corn – the couple is surrounded by the village pomp, but through San Miguel’s detailed physical acting she fills in the history of a fairly complicated and human relationship.
We also see her comic chops in Act Two, when we step in to Dr. Coppelius’ strange workshop, and Swanhilda finds herself impersonating his human-sized doll. She moves like lightning, ducking and hiding from the baffled doctor, taking on the robotic creakiness of the doll and then sneaking off to try to rouse the drugged Franz. Her energy is infectious, often lighting up the murky interior of Coppelius’ lair.
Wisely, Michael Pink has cast an actor, Daniel Mooney, as Coppelius, which makes him stand out stylistically from the rest of the village. Mooney’s pantomime is more human, which gives an extra bit of heft to the story’s darker edge.
San Miguel will dance Swanhilda again on Saturday night. The Friday and Sunday performances will feature Milwaukee Ballet newcomer Julianne Kepley in the lead role, opposite David Hovhannisyan.
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