Russian Ballet Icons gala: London, March 2017

[Beryl H]

Although I didn't see this Gala, great to see all the photos, I notice that Light Rain danced by Lucia Lacarra and Marlon Dino was popular, this is on the Scala Gala des Etoiles DVD and Blu-Ray, they also dance Ben Stevenson's Three Preludes, lots of other good performances, in fact Svetlana Zharakova's Dying Swan has become my favourite version!

Edited March 14, 2017 by Beryl H

[annamicro]

http://www.danceeurope.net/gallery/russian-icons-gala-2017

 

Some piccies from the gala on Sunday including one of the very bendy Italian lady..

 

Do you mean Lucia Lacarra? I would be proud to say that this wonderful ballerina is Italian, but she is from Spain (a school mate of Tamara Rojo and Angel Corella); her partner (and husband) Marlon Dino is Albanian.

[Amelia]

Svetlana Zharakova's Dying Swan has become my favourite version!

Was that Svetlana Zakharova?

[Beryl H]

Was that Svetlana Zakharova?

 

Yes, it is a beautiful performance

[LinMM]

Okay first I must say I was really up for this Gala .....although am not usually so keen as you often see the usual pas de deux plus the odd interesting item so unlike Capybara I do not expect that much from them but this one as Galas go was really good ....and again I stress I was in the right mood for it all.....and all the big pas de deux here were danced with terrific style with some other interesting bits in between so very much enjoyed ....more than I usually do!!

 

Of course my main purpose was to see the Vaganova students ....not usually so high on people's lists of who's who to see dance!

 

I'd spent the earlier part of the day at an ENB workshop so was already additionally "ballet 'd up" as it were!!

And then meeting friends and other dancers from Brighton in a different environment added a touch of magic and excitement too.

I won't go through ALL the numbers as others have done that and I more or less agree with them. We certainly weren't disappointed in the first two numbers ....Vasiliev doing his wonderful thing as the Golden Slave and then that glorious black swan pas de deux from Swan Lake ....I know staple Gala fair ....but so wonderfully danced by Muntagirov and Konovalova....they looked SO good together.

I haven't seen "our own" Muntagirov for quite a while now but he is such a true classical dancer such style and line superb in the air I need to see more of him from now on.

As another poster says Maria Alexandrova and Lantratov were all eyes in the Firebird pas de deux ....in fact it took me a while to recognise Lantratov so submerged in the character ( and the costume) was he.

To be honest I'm not a great fan of Jewels even though I've booked to see it in April but mainly because I thought it was time to see it again!

Of the two tonight I preferred Rubies danced by Sarah Lamb and Steven McRae they were sparking together. In the second half we saw Diamonds with Kochetkova and Tyler Angle but perhaps hit a tired spot at that moment as just couldn't get into that one though I could see it was well danced and lovely partnering etc....I wasn't even inspired by the music .....so if these two didn't do it for me I guess nobody is.

Then came a piece called Light Rain with two,very charismatic dancers Lucia Lacarra and Marlon Dino.......sorry got her nationality wrong above ...have since looked in the programme and seen she comes from Spain....so guess it was a real Spanish and Russian night then ( Tamara to come) I don't think I've ever seen such a bendy lady but of course was more than just that .....it was an interesting piece but I'm not a real fan of all this gymnastic choreography ....even though Gerald Arpino made the piece to highlight the skills of his younger dancers in his Joffrey Ballet Company at the time....still it was danced with some style by these two and would now like to see them in something else less so upfront modern etc.

The audience loved them by the way so went down really well with some.

Poor Shklyarov....I feel he drew the short straw having to perform Petrushka. I love this ballet though haven't seen it for years now but it's just so difficult taking it out of context.... you do lose all the pathos really ....but he gave it a good shot .....and it is a Ballet Russe number after all. Still it contrasted well with the previous piece.

Le spectre was danced really well by Xander Parish but something was amiss....couldn't quite put my finger on it.

I was then trying to remember who I last saw do this but I seem to remember the female role coming across more as someone in a real dreamy but heightened state which I didn't get at all from Makhalina .....could have been lack of rehearsal time ....I don't know as I'm sure she's a lovely dancer. Xander sort of more than made up for it ....anyone who can look good as a Rose spirit definitely has something!!

The final bit of this first half was Sleeping Beauty pas de deux danced beautifully by Obraztsova and Gudanov.....another vey stylish dancer.

Will have to finish this later as have to dash off now and after saying I wouldn't go through every piece I find that I am just doesn't seem fair to leave anybody out!!

[MAB]

Oddly it was the Diamonds pas de deux that was the highlight of the evening for me, I don't think I've seen it so well danced since Patricia McBride and Peter Martins.

 

Gala fare for me is a bit like junk food, enjoyable at the time but soon forgotten.  The Diamonds couple and the Vaganova students however will stay in the memory like a meal by a Michelin chef.

[LinMM]

The Interval at the Gala was a bit of a mad dash around to find all the people who had come to see a certain young man studying at the Vaganova school to celebrate his achievement and communally cross sweaty nervous fingers for the opening of the second half by the students.

But no need to worry as they were delightfully accomplished and confident performers.

I saw this whole ballet The Fairy Dolls ( Die Puppenfee) in St Petersburg at the Mariinsky Theatre in November and this extract had the very same students. Considering they were on an unknown stage they coped marvellously and their performances were just as good. The characterisation brought to the roles was all excellent. It's such a delightful little ballet anyway for young dancers and wish could be performed more often ....the only thing missing were the lovely sets. It really is quite moving to see a young boy who you only know from class mature into such a fine dancer .....goodness knows how family and teachers were feeling in those moments!!! They all did the Vaganova proud and the young lady Eleonora Severnard is a star in the making I feel. This was the highlight of the whole evening for me personally but was always going to be anyway......I felt so happy for them at the end.

Anyway once able to relax and breathe again after the students performance I was feeling very generous about the next piece ....an extract from Les Enfants Terribles with Ed Watson and Zenaida Yanowsky. Haven't seen her for a while and she was looking good however I think this is another one of those extracts which really didn't benefit being performed out of context so slightly disappointing in the end unfortunately maybe I would have understood this pas de deux and what was going on more in context.

Afternoon of a Faun (danced by Lunkina and Gudanov ) has to somehow connect with a strange other worldliness to be truly successful for me reflecting that glorious Debussy music ....as if the two dancers have just come across each other by chance and then there is this hint of the possibility something really may happen or it also may not ....a sort of connecting but not connecting. I thought Gudanov caught the spirit of the piece slightly more than Lunkina did as you never really felt she had any interest in anything happening. It is quite a subtle piece and when it really comes off it does create a strange and lingering magical world. But Lunkina is still an impressive dancer and would like to see more of her.

The World Premier of Theatrum Vitae was really enjoyable not least for the rather wonderful Davide Dato partnered in this piece by Konovalova....she is lovely of course but I couldn't take my eyes of Dato.....and not just because he was in his underpants most of the time....he was just so watchable as a dancer definitely somebody who drew me in. I had absolutely no idea who he was or what the piece was about as had not had time to read the programme in the interval but enjoyed it anyway however it was only when Salenko started her Dying Swan that I realise this was the big project piece. For some reason I had expected someone to come onto the stage to talk briefly about this new venture first but anyway still not entirely understanding it apart from taking this Ballet to be performed in iconic locations in Cyprus Greece and Italy for starters....anyway I'm sure Davide Dato will be appreciated wherever he dances!

Salenko was beautiful in dying swan and managed to successfully bring down the mood for this quiet and moving piece after the quite up beat previous number. But was just beginning to flag somewhat after a very long day (up at six to get to workshop) and evening when on came Tamara Rojo and Isaac Hernandez and suddenly was up for just a bit more. I've already said how terrific their dancing was and I know Don Q is always a bit of a crowd pleaser etc etc but when danced at the very end of a long Gala like this even more impressive. A really stunning end to the evening.

 

And just to add a little bit of icing to a rather large cake after waiting at the stage door ( something I never normally do) to say hello to a certain young student who took absolutely AGES to come out ....I gave in and couldn't resist getting Dato's autograph ....quite ridiculous at my age........and then was off to get the bus at last when I bumped into Rojo and Hernandez waiting for a taxi. I just had to say something about their dancing and then felt I would just add that I'd attended an ENB workshop that day ....it being Tamara and all ...and then they were both chatting away interested to know had I enjoyed it and what I thought of William Forsythe's choreography ...help ...

"difficult to get used to " was all I could come up with .....but what a perfect circle to end a perfect day.

[sybarite2015@]

I saw it from the Dress Circle and overall really loved it although a few pieces were merely okay. Finally saw the Dying Swan live! Light Rain was brilliant and also many other pieces...

 

I wish Lopatkina and Vishneva and Osipova had been there but still I had a great evening...