Dance Review | World Class World Premiere of ‘The Little Mermaid’ by State Street Ballet and the Opera San Luis Obispo Grand Orchestra Filled Santa Barbara’s Lobero

Exquisite Synchronicity of Music and Choreography Delighted the All-Ages Audience

Sorcha (Arianna Hartanov) prepares to take the Little Mermaid’s voice (Amara Galloway) | Photo: Heidi Bergesteren

The Lobero Theatre was filled with excited children last weekend, many wearing Little Mermaid costumes, in anticipation of this fairy tale come to life. All the elements necessary for a superb ballet aligned to create a most magical experience!

The Little Mermaid (Amara Galloway) sits on a rock beneath the sea, looking toward the surface, where she longs to be. | Photo: Andre Yew

This modern adaptation of the original Hans Christian Andersen story by the directors of State Street Ballet, Cecily MacDougall and Megan Philipp, with resident choreographer William Soleau, certainly has its frightening moments, but it has a happy ending and a message of hope: The Little Mermaid may not get her prince, but she gains the love of a family who accepts her, unconditionally, for who she is.

The first element of the production to greet the audience was the glorious music. Completely new, composed specifically for this ballet, the score by Charles Fernandez made its world debut, played to perfection by members of the Opera San Luis Obispo Grand Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Brian Asher Alhadeff. (Hear more of Fernandez’s work here and here.)

The overture set the audience sparkling with anticipation even before the curtain rose. I would love to own a recording of this music to listen to often. I will dare to say that I have never experienced a story ballet in which the music was so perfectly attuned to every nuance of the story, and the dancers hit every accent in the music so perfectly. Fernandez has extensive experience writing music for television and film, especially animation, which was evident in the way he brought all the characters to life. He created recognizable themes to represent the Little Mermaid, her sister mermaids, Sorcha the Siren, and the Prince.

“If you want to represent big characters, use brass and minor keys,” Fernandez told me. For example, for Sorcha the Siren he used a minor key, lower tones for the strings, and “Slavic-sounding music” to give the audience the sense that she was a dangerous character.

The collaboration began in July, 2024, when MacDougall and Philipp sent Fernandez a synopsis of their story. After some back-and-forth discussions, adding details to the story, the score was completed in December, 2024 — a record time for a full-length, two-act ballet!

Colorful jellyfish puppets, designed by Christina McCarthy, danced by “Waves,” Felipe Aravena Covarrubias, Brenna Chumacero, Brianna Patrick, and Amber Hirschfield | Photo: Andre Yew

The costumes and scenery, the larger-than-life puppets by Christina McCarthy, and the superb lighting combined to create both the spectacular underwater world and the kingdom by the sea.

And the choreography, so beautiful and clever, impeccably conveyed all the emotions and nuances of the story. MacDougall, who created the underwater scenes of Act I, and Philip, who created the on-land scenes of Act II, portrayed two distinct, yet connected, worlds. Act I was danced in a contemporary, lyrical style in stocking feet, conveying the sensation of gliding, weightless underwater. In Act II, the dancers wore ballet slippers, character shoes, and pointe shoes, enhancing the contrast with the ocean world. To illustrate the Little Mermaid’s transition to land, from being an outsider who could neither walk nor talk to being fully integrated into the human world, Philipp portrayed her journey with a progression of footwear, from bare feet, to character shoes, to pointe shoes. How clever!

We first meet the Little Mermaid Kira (Amara Galloway) as she plays among the large, graceful, colorful jellyfish. Galloway was perfect for this role, both in the sea and on land. She not only danced beautifully, but her acting was superb. As she expressed the many facets of her character, from playful, to willful and defiant, to brave, she remained pure of heart.

Kira’s three mermaid sisters, Cara (Akari Kato), Cora (Saori Yamashita), and Ciara (Aimee Le) were sweet and lovely companions. Their spirited dancing and smiling countenances made me smile, too. The playful delight of the opening underwater scenes was enhanced by the dancing schools of fish and a giant mantra ray that occasionally swam through.

Sorcha the Sea Siren (Arianna Hartanov) | Photo: Heidi Bergesteren

Arianna Hartanov was supremely elegant and mysterious as Sorcha the Sea Siren. Her powerful, graceful dancing portrayed Sorcha as a Wise Woman of the Sea, a worldly, stern-yet-benevolent guardian of secrets. Hartanov’s Sorcha was an underwater goddess, dark but not evil, in contrast with the conniving usurper Ursula in the Disney version. Sorcha warned the Little Mermaid not to ascend to the kingdom of humans, relenting only at her insistence. The moment when Sorcha put her hands around the Little Mermaid’s throat, indicating that she would lose her voice in trading her tail for legs, I felt myself gasp. This startling moment was, of course, accompanied by a perfect accent in the music!

Now, why would a little mermaid princess want to trade her delightful life beneath the waves, giving up her melodious voice for the uncertainty of life on land? For the love of a handsome prince, of course! Every story ballet needs a handsome prince, and the Little Mermaid has Prince Liam, danced exquisitely by Harold Mendez. Mendez’s performance had all the show-stopping elements that balletomanes eagerly await in a male lead: high jumps, double cabrioles, double tours en l’aire, grand pirouettes, and three — four — five — six (I counted them!) pirouettes in a row, smoothly and elegantly landed! Bravo! The audience applauded and cheered with each impeccable execution.

Prince Liam (Harold Mendez) dances while villagers look on admiringly. | Photo: Heidi Bergesteren

A very poignant scene in Act I was when Prince Liam’s ship sank in a storm. To convey the idea of drowning, Mendez held the mast of his ship aloft while he spun round and round in the center of the stage as dancers wielding huge, dark green veils on long sticks swirled around him. As he disappeared beneath the waves, the Little Mermaid watched in horror. She saved him, of course, and fell in love with him, initiating the chain of events that led to her quest to become human.

A very charming, memorable scene in Act II took place at the dressmaker’s shop, where Kira was being fitted for a new dress. Sergei Domrachev portrayed a supremely funny tailor, while his four delightful assistants (Kaia Abraham, Amber Hirschfield, Akari Kato, and Brianna Patrick) played off each other, all working together to provide a most enjoyable interlude.

Kira (Amara Galloway) and Owen (Ethan Ahuero) discover they have feelings for each other. | Photo: Heidi Bergesteren

Ethan Ahuero as Owen, the Lighthouse Keeper, was elegant, kind, and humble. As a single father who loved his deaf daughter and raised her to be confident in who she is, he accepted the mute Kira into his family without hesitation. And it was Erin (Bronwyn Waterfall), Owen’s daughter, who taught Kira how to communicate in American Sign Language.

On land, Prince Liam does not recognize Kira — the girl who can’t speak — as the same little mermaid who saved him from drowning in the sea. He invites her to a village festival, where he is to choose a bride. Believing he would choose her, Kira is devastated when she learns that the prince has chosen another: the lovely Lady Aine (Saori Yamashita). Galloway literally brought me to tears with her portrayal in this scene.

As Prince Liam married Lady Aine, Sorcha suddenly appeared, intending to drag Kira back under the sea for not gaining the hand of the prince herself. A chase ensued, and it was Erin who put a stop to Sorcha’s plan, showing Sorcha that Kira had indeed gained the love of humans: her father and herself. What a brilliant touch! Instead of the male character defeating the Sea Siren, it was his petite daughter who saved the day with one powerful gesture, saying “Stop!” Again, with a notable accent in the music!

Large mantra ray, designed by Christina McCarthy, danced by “Waves,” Felipe Aravena Covarrubias, Brenna Chumacero, and Brianna Patrick | Photo: Andre Yew
Sorcha the Sea Siren (Arianna Hartanov) | Photo Heidi Bergesteren
Prince Liam (Harold Mendez) sinks with his ship | Photo: Heidi Bergesteren
On land, Erin (Bronwyn Waterfall) and Owen (Ethan Ahuero) teach Kira (Amara Galloway), still wrapped in seaweed, to sign. | Photo: Andrew Yew
The Tailor (Sergei Domrachev) with his helpers (Akari Kato, Amber Hirschfield, Brianna Patrick, and Kaia Abraham). | Photo: Heidi Bergesteren
Kira (Amara Galloway) and Owen (Ethan Ahuero) join the villagers Maria Rita Rapisarda, Akari Kato, Brenna Chumacero, Gabriel Ramirez, Felipe Aravena Covarrubias, and Nathaniel Tyson in a celebratory dance. | Photo: Heidi Bergesteren
Villagers Brianna Patrick and Noam Tsivkin | Photo: Heidi Bergesteren
The Little Mermaid (Amara Galloway) being carried through the giant clamshells by Noam Tsivkin | Photo: Heidi Bergesteren

In the end, the defeated Sorcha slides back under the waves, and Kira, Owen, and Erin are united as a family. Kira realizes that Owen and Erin have loved her all along, and it is this pure love that saved her from being dragged back into the ocean. The villagers and courtiers gather with them for a final joyous dance under the stars.

As the curtain fell and the company took their bows, the audience gave them a standing ovation — the third for the weekend, I am told. Bravissimo to the choreographers, composer, dancers, musicians, costume designers, lighting specialists, and everyone who made this world-class world premiere of the Little Mermaid come together! I sincerely hope it will be performed annually, with its powerful message of love and acceptance, much as The Nutcracker is an annual celebration of the Christmas season.

For more information about the Opera San Luis Obispo Grand Orchestra, see operaslo.org.

The next in-town production by State Street Ballet will be the Brilliance Program, featuring works by George Balanchine, Gerald Arpino, and Kassandra Taylor Newberry, with music by George Gershwin and Giuseppe Verdi, May 9-10 at the Lobero. Find out more on the SSB website.