Becoming the Marschallin

The Silver Rose tells the tale of the Marschallin, a celebrated actress who is facing the passing of time and the fading of her youth. The Marschallin’s lover Octavian finds himself unexpectedly enraptured by Sophie, a younger woman. While watching her lover drift into the arms of another, the Marschallin remains resilient but finds herself in the shadow of young love. Graeme Murphy choreographed the role of the Marschallin on Sherelle Charge for the Bavarian State Ballet. Now Sherelle is teaching principal ballerinas of The Australian Ballet the ways of this complex character.

The Marschallin is a beautiful, strong character. Do you think she might go down as one of those roles dancers dream to perform?
Absolutely. It’s a character that gives the ballerina a chance to delve deeply into her emotional side. What’s so enjoyable for the dancer performing the Marschallin is that she has this dual personality. She shows an external strength but, internally, she’s very fragile. She’s really struggling with her personal life and how she’s aging. It’s an issue you see every day in Hollywood, with women filling their face full of Botox and trying to do everything to stop themselves from getting old. Time is something that affects the Marschallin deeply, and not just physically. She’s had a history of many men and she’s realising this is finishing. It’s not her personal look that’s changing – it’s her whole life.

When the Marschallin is on stage, you get a real sense of her past. What kind of history did you create for her?
I think you craft a history for every role you perform on stage. But in The Silver Rose you really have the chance to see that she has a story to tell. In the initial scene she is having a nightmare about her past lovers. You can see that she was always very dependent on her youth and beauty.

What are the most important aspects of this character that you’ve tried to pass on to the dancers?
What I’m really trying to get across to them is that she needs to show the two sides to her personality: her vulnerability and her strength. And she changes between the two qualities very quickly. She appears very exuberant when the photographers and the paparazzi are around, but she’s incredibly reserved and vulnerable when she’s alone in her bedroom. It’s a matter of finding a balance between the two, and knowing when to be withdrawn or not. Even when she’s with Octavian, she feels she has to put on a show for him. At the end of the first act she tells Octavian to go, and to present the rose. And that’s an interesting point because it’s when she begins to treat her true love just like everybody else.

Graeme Murphy is very attracted to the themes The Silver Rose explores: age, time, love and loss. Do you find yourself attracted to these themes too?
Well, when I first performed The Silver Rose I was asked by a journalist whether the themes of time and ageing were a personal issue. At the time I said no, but the minute I put the red wig and make-up on, I slipped into the role very quickly.  As a dancer you feel eternally young. You’re surrounded by beauty and young dancers. When you’re performing this role, you don’t take it personally – you just become her on stage.

The Australian Ballet performs The Silver Rose in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide in 2010

Image: Bavarian State Ballet. Photography Wilfried Hoesl