In Cimetière de Montmartre sits the tomb of young French courtesan Marie Duplessis, adorned with a small picture frame containing her portrait; a camellia is pinned to her décolletage. Some 300 feet away lay the grave of Alexandre Dumas, fils. The heart aching romance surrounding Dumas’ novel Lady of the Camellias is compounded in the brief walk between the two graves. The breathtaking production by the Boston Ballet channels this tragic love with a passionate three-act performance.
Choreographer Val Caniparoli and Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen revive Lady of the Camellias for the Opera House a decade after its Boston Ballet premiere, now running through March 8th. Set to a Chopin score conducted by Jonathan McPhee, Caniparoli’s choreography is truly a triumph this run thanks to the masterful blend of classical dance with modern dance and the smoldering, nuanced acting on the part of the company.
