One year on from The Australian Ballet’s gladiatorial epic Spartacus, and we again find ourselves thrust into the wonders of the ancient world. But this time, in the company’s Australian premiere of Sylvia, brutality and hypermasculinity are replaced with an intricate plot of heroinism and triumph.

Artists of The Australian Ballet in Sylvia. Photo © Jeff Busby

While there may be unavoidable comparisons – like mythological themes of war and power – plus, more obviously, the same costume and set designer – the similarities end there. Sylvia imagines its own world that bridges the mortal and mythological, where vengeful goddesses toy with deception and defeat. It’s a briskly paced and enjoyable work that reverts to the hallmarks of a conventional story ballet, albeit in a newly-realised form.

A slightly obscure ballet from 1876, Sylvia has spent much of its life on the repertoire shelf, known only for a handful of standalone movements from Léo Delibes’ score. The work has long been criticised for its convoluted but thin plot, which sees Sylvia, a warrior nymph, fall in love with a mortal shepherd after being struck by Cupid’s arrow.

Robyn...