Beauty and problems persist in Philadelphia Ballet’s ‘Le Corsaire’

Philadelphia Ballet opened its 60th season Friday night at the Academy of Music with the revival of artistic director Angel Corella’s Le Corsaire.

Corella made Corsaire in 2017, early in his decade at the company’s helm, and revised the story this year. He based the steps on the Marius Petipa classic, set to music by Adolphe Adam. But, having danced variations all over the world, he had distinct preferences he wanted to include.

One thing he didn’t change in 2017 was the central story that most ballet companies continue to incorporate, that the female lead, Medora, is an enslaved woman. Another character, Ali, is enslaved by the male lead, Conrad, the pirate captain and Medora’s romantic interest.

“The last time, [audiences were] a little bit sensitive to that,” Corella said last month, “so I changed the story line.”

But was it really so different? Well, no. Nor was slavery the only issue.

» READ MORE: Can ballet evolve past its problematic plotlines?

First the good: The dancing was top-notch across the board. Nayara Lopes, as Medora, was that almost supernaturally buoyant ballerina artists aim to be, so quick and precise she seemed to be floating across the stage.

Were her shoes too soft? I wondered. How was she not making a sound. But they seemed trustworthy. It was ballet magic creating that lightness.

Nor did she seem to need assistance from Arian Molina Soca, as Conrad. Their partnering was about beautiful dancing rather than necessary support. It was lovely, as were their interactions as a couple.

Ashton Roxander, as Ali, was fun and full of fireworks. Corella’s influence was strong in his variation, full of impressive jumps and turns that seemed to go on impossibly long.

But this was one of the roles that made me question whether the slavery angle had changed. Is it enough to write in program notes that Ali is a “faithful servant” rather than an enslaved man now, when he is still bowing low to the ground and nothing noticeable has changed on stage?

» READ MORE: Corella aims to erase stereotypes from his otherwise familiar ‘La Bayadère’

Medora was previously described as an enslaved woman, and the story is now about her free will and love. She casts off the idea of an arranged marriage to an old pasha in favor of Conrad, the man she loves. But again, while the program says this, not everyone reads the notes.

This is a case where showing would’ve gone a lot further than telling.

The trio of odalisques (Sydney Dolan, Lucia Erickson, and So Jung Shin) were all excellent and entertaining, showing variety in personality and dance styles. But “odalisque” also means enslaved or harem woman and their bikini-topped tutus don’t help change that idea.

» READ MORE: Corella’s ‘Bayadère’ for Pennsylvania Ballet has merit, but stereotypes persist

The ballet is set in Turkey, and Asian stereotypes persist throughout, especially in the costumes and sets, which Philadelphia Ballet recently purchased rather than renting, as it did in 2017. This would have been a good time to make some changes. They are all stunning, especially the lavender tutu (also two-pieced) that Medora wears in Act 2 and the intricate carpets hanging off the buildings. But do they and the harem pants come anywhere close to reality?

It may seem like ballet is a fantasy, that beauty and a good story matter most. And sure, no one wore stiff tutus in real life. Some artistic license is expected. But the ballet classics were made long before the internet, even before easy travel. White men created worlds based on their fairy tale ideas of what real but distant lands must be like.

We know better in 2024 and we have people from those countries who live in or visit our community who can be hurt by harmful stereotypes. It’s time to change them in a real way.

Philadelphia Ballet in “Le Corsaire.” Through Oct. 26, Academy of Music. $28-$242. 215-893-1999 or ensembleartsphilly.org