MRR

Thanks Xandra, don't know why I thought that. Did she debut O/O in 2015?

I was there Saturday for Takada/Bracewell. Thomas Whitehead was Rothbart, with Marcelino Sambe as Benno and Fumi Kaneko/Anna Rose O'Sullivan as Siegfried's sisters. Takada gave a creditable--if detached--debut of Odette/Odile. Dramatically she was weakest in Act II, carrying one frightened expression throughout the act and seldom deviating from that. Technically she was very fine with greater pliancy in the exposed adagio than Nunez and an excellent diagonal of turns in her variation, though she omitted the double rond de jambe (perhaps at Scarlett's request). However, throughout the lakeside scene Beatriz Stix-Brunell as one of the Two Swans was far more anguished than Swan Queen Takada. Odile was better: she didn't go for vampy seduction but rather a cold, crystalline glamour. Black Swan was the only part of the ballet where she experienced technical hiccups and they were minor, just a few less than great finishes from attitude turns in the variation. Her balance in the adagio was held for considerable length (though with a lowish arabesque and quite a bit of shaking in the middle) and fouettes were strong, with patterns of single-single-triple or single-single-double for the first 16 counts, following with straight singles to a double pull-in. In Act IV, nerves long gone, she finally came alive dramatically, though her leaving Siegfried to jump into the lake was a rather casual affair compared to Nunez's full-throttled drama two nights before. Where Takada should be credited is her attentive musicality and phrasing, which clearly differentiated from act to act. She has great ability to both luxuriate in the steps as well as attack them, providing (along with her steely technique) a good backbone for future success in the dual role. For subsequent performances she should work to be more physically and dramatically expressive in both swans. Contrary to Takada, William Bracewell is an actor first, dancer second. His showmanship sometimes borders on mannerism, but always emanates distinction. Siegfried does not have much dancing in Act I of this production, but his interactions with the Queen, Rothbart, Benno, as well as his brief solo before the transition into Act II were all auspicious indicators for the rest of the night. His partnering of Takada in Act II was stalwart with effortless lifts and buttery supported pirouettes. Act III revealed more weakness technically: he is a stronger turner than jumper, so the double tours which were so buoyant from Muntagirov became labored with Bracewell, forcing the tempo to slow down during the variation and the theatrical momentum to wane. A la seconde turns in the coda were generally solid, showcasing some nice triples with arms aloft before pulling for a quad, traveling quite far stage left leaving Takada about two inches worth of room! Some fine-tuning needed for sure, but no visible nerves and a strong dramatic presence suggest a lot of potential for this dancer. Marcelino Sambe as Benno had a different version of the Act I variation ending with barrel leaps instead of the consecutive double tours on the diagonal. Sambe's happy-go-lucky demeanor was the perfect foil for Bracewell's intense Siegfried, with great line and amplitude onstage. But count me in among those who want Benno with a different jacket in Act III, as this is not the time of year for Nutcracker. Fumi Kaneko and Anna Rose O'Sullivan in the pas de trois sailed through their variations, illuminating the depth of ballerinas in the company. Of the two I preferred Kaneko who has a freer upper body as well as ingratiating presence onstage. The Cygnets and corps were once again disciplined with some of the faults from opening night Act IV improved. Beatriz Stix-Brunell was sorrowful and regal in Two Swans, but she and the reserved Yuhui Choe were not well-matched dramatically, nor well coordinated in their port de bras in Act IV. In the character dances, Olivia Cowley was strangely banal in Spanish compared to Tierney Heap on opening night. Nathalie Harrison has a wonderful sophisticated air in the Mazurka and Isabella Gasparini/James Hay were great fun in Neopolitan even if not to the level of Hinkis/Sambe. Among the four princesses, Melissa Hamilton and Beatriz Stix-Brunell were especially haughty, turning their heads away from Odile in disgust. The dual Rothbart has taken some getting used to, especially as his relationship with the Queen (explaining his presence at the ball) closes one plot hole only to open up several others. Thus far Bennet Gartside has upstaged Thomas Whitehead for the character's villainous ardor.

I believe so. Thomas Whitehead (Saturday) was the human Von Rothbart in the prologue, that would be an amazing quick change if not! And no real logic in having him as Act II Rothbart in the beginning when the makeup obscures who it is anyway.

I've always interpreted the maidens dressed as swans symbolic: even though they're maidens by night, the curse is still very much with them and inescapable. And to contrast with Odette, Odile is also a woman in a swan tutu and headpiece, just a different color. I like Scarlett's production in this sense because Odile (along with her entourage of black swans at the end of Act III) are women not under Rothbart's spell, whereas Odette and her white swans are. The Mariinsky Act IV with white and black swans interspersed in the corps, while visually stunning, has not made sense to me as the black swans don't appear in Act II and are not related to Odile in any way. A point of confusion I have with Scarlett's staging is that in the prologue we see Princess Odette transformed into a swan, while in the apotheosis her lifeless body is carried out. So, yes, this raises the question whether the corps is still under the spell in their tutus vs. Odette at the beginning and end of the ballet in her dress. I still take Odette's jumping in the lake to mean the spell is broken, thus killing Rothbart and setting the swans free. But the visual juxtaposition with the swan corps against the princess is difficult to reconcile. Stanton Welch's production for Houston Ballet has each swan in Act IV exit while a maiden enters in her place, wondering where her feathers have gone. An approach of "literalism taken too far" but perhaps effective for some.

Valse Blurette:

Act IV tends to be a free-for-all choreographically and musically. Considering ABT's production has practically no 4th act, and the Grigorovich version ditches the apotheosis entirely, I thought Scarlett's at least brought closure to the production. I have mixed thoughts on the ending, but I imagine with a new production there was great pressure to have an alternative ending from both jumping into the lake, and this worked well considering. The music for the Act IV pas de deux he choreographed is in many other versions but was not in the Dowell version. It replaces "Un poco di Chopin" which in the Dowell version had Odette and Siegfried dancing together with all the swans onstage. In Scarlett's version, the swans leave so only Odette and Siegfried are onstage until Rothbart comes in. I quite liked this change: the current music for the pas conveys Odette's desperation and helps escalate the tension going into the final movement. I'm also thinking the Valse Blurette is cut (music for the beginning corps dance with two swans in Dowell's version) and replaced with "Dances des petites cygnets" in Scarlett's version. Could be wrong on that, the music from act IV tends to blend together in my brain so I will check again tomorrow!

Scarlett's production is a keeper: modern yet feels very traditional. Even with some tinkering of the plot, the integrity of Petipa and Ivanov is maintained and mercifully most of the score is kept intact.* The MacFarlane designs are sumptuous and a real feast for the eyes in Act III. There are obvious inspirations drawn from the Royal Danish and Bolshoi productions as well as the old Royal version, but this Swan Lake stands on its own. Nunez and Muntagirov have grown their partnership since I last saw their cinemacast of Sleeping Beauty. Swan Lake isn't necessarily Nunez's signature ballet, and I found her Odette a bit slow to warm to in Act II, with her extension and back flexibility a fraction diminished from years prior. However, it was uphill from there: her Odile was beguiling and her Act IV poignant and tragic. Technically she was conservative for her standards: the balance in Black Swan wasn't held for extraordinary length, and the fouettes "only" contained singles with doubles in a sequence. Nonetheless her presence in both swans was engaging with her Odile especially developed from when I last saw it seven years ago. Seemingly she is the dancer you can pluck into any ballet on any night with any partner, and she'll never put in a bad performance. Thoroughly enjoyed her Swan Queen even if Kitri is IMO her best role. Muntagirov delivered a master class. His solo work in Act III was like caviar: consecutive rebounding double tours landed in tight fifth with diamond plie, strong a la seconde turns pulling in for a quad, all the while maintaining impeccable line and class. I've been far less convinced of Muntagirov's dramatic abilities, particularly when seeing his technically brilliant but remote Siegfried with ABT in 2012. However, tonight from his entrance he was invested in the character, regal and noble in demeanor but also vulnerable in realizing his love for Odette and betrayal from Odile. In Act IV, his running out onstage in search of Odette was perhaps one of the most riveting moments in Swan Lake I've ever seen, worth the price of admission as much as any double tour. Swan corps, Cygnets, and Big Swans all excellent in Act II with more need of fine-tuning in Act IV. Akane Takada with her great amplitude and serenity was the standout of the Act I pas de trois: I look forward to her Odette/Odile on Saturday. Francesca Hayward has fleeting footwork and wonderful soft hands, but lacked the warmth (and ballon) of Takada. Campbell's variation was very similar in choreography in the Grigorovich version with the consecutive double tours down the diagonal, executed to a fast tempo with no room for error. Even with the additional stage time, Benno is still a thankless role, constantly being scolded by Rothbart and the Queen in Act III was Siegfried initially fails to show. Other standouts were Mayara Magri in Two Swans, Tierney Heap's Spanish, William Bracewell's dramatic Mazurka, and Meaghan Grace Hinkis and Marcelino Sambe in Neapolitan who danced practically at the speed of light. And Elizabeth McGorian is magisterial, could watch her in just about any character role. A worthy performance of a very worthy production. The audience certainly loved it, with flowers showering the stage for numerous curtain calls. *Off the top of my head, the dance in Act I of the Dowell version with the tutor and two girls is cut. In Act IV, "Un poco di Chopin" is also cut.

I hope Hirano is OK: he bent over and grabbed his ankle (?) after the Black Swan men's variation in today's dress. He hobbled off, laid down in the wings during Odile's variation, but finished the coda and seemed fine from that point. I did not stay for Act IV. One word for the Act III set: LAVISH. A far cry from the Sonnabend ballroom which looked straight out of The Munsters. The model shown in the rehearsal insight doesn't do it justice.

Lamb/Hirano are performing the open rehearsal today.

Link to the rehearsal: http://www.roh.org.uk/news/watch-insights-into-the-royal-ballets-new-swan-lake

The stage craft was what had me questioning whether it was even a mistake! Well done.

Made it to London in time for the Royal's closing performance of Manon. I've previously seen the ballet performed by the Mariinsky, Paris Opera, and Houston Ballet, but until now had never seen the ballet danced by the company it was created on. And this is crucial: a company adept at MacMillan always finds ways to make every character come alive, from Manon to the last harlot. In the Royal's hands, the various subplots don't overburden the ballet, but rather enhance this duality of decadence and despair prevalent in 18th century France. Cuthbertson is not necessarily a natural Manon. Her demeanor in the opening scenes is stately and regal, even a bit mysterious when deciding whether Des Grieux is worth giving her heart to. But her Manon is no fool: she makes clear from the beginning that G.M. is nothing to her, but for the jewels and riches he provides her. For Manon, G.M.'s very presence is disconcerting, which makes the decision to help Des Grieux cheat at the game of cards more calculated than impulsive. Cuthbertson is an inherently reserved dancer with sinuous port de bras and elegantly shaped feet. Though very beautiful throughout the ballet, she lacked the eroticism and abandonment I've seen from Gueren, Guillem, Vishneva. Part of this is likely due to her new partnership with Clarke, which while muted at the beginning did build in intensity as the ballet progressed. Thankfully for them, and fortunately for us, their partnership peaks at the end of the ballet, where her love for Des Grieux and fight for survival was desperately and movingly danced. For his second (?) performance of Des Grieux, Clarke showed no signs of nerves nor any difficulty in partnering as had been reported in his debut. He seems about six feet tall, with everlasting limbs and creamy, sustained pirouettes. The treacherous first act solo was well navigated with soft landings and great control, and he was stalwart in both the subsequent pas de deux with presage lifts all executed with ease. His Des Grieux appeared to not realize the extent of his love for Manon until it was threatened to be taken away. Clarke lacks the volume and bravura of a more experienced Des Grieux, though his naivety is conveyed well. A bit impassioned in the first act, his performance took off more in the latter part of the second act into the third, where the audience realized the lengths he would take to stay with Manon and keep her alive. Ryoichi Hirano is uncharacteristically tall for Lescaut and physically seems more a Des Grieux. He was stern and brooding, as clear in his motives in Act I as he was inebriated in Act II. Itziar Mendizabal as his mistress is not a standout dancer with a stiff line in arabesque, but her sensuous Mistress is one of her better roles. Elizabeth McGorian was a glamorous Madame and Thomas Whitehead a domineering Gaoler. Bennet Gartside as Monsieur G.M. was not as imposing a presence as the role requires, failing to convey the extent of his power over Manon, Lescaut, and Des Grieux. Fumi Kaneko was a standout as one of the dueling mistresses, very petty and mischievous. Orchestra was in mostly top form with great conducting by Martin Yates. One thing: did anyone notice Lauren Cuthbertson ditch her shawl in the first part of the Act II solo? I assume she had forgotten to do so earlier, as I have never seen that before.

SPF tutu Firebird tutu Lilac Fairy tutu (even though it's more magenta, I like how the lighter shade contrasts with the corps) Manon's black dress Gamzatti's gold tutu Les Biches gold dress Birthday Offering......everything Palais de Cristal Monotones Raymonda's red tutu in Act II (Vikharev reconstruction) Aurora's Act I and III tutu (Vikharev reconstruction) Marguerite's dark blue/purple dress (Neumeier production) Prince Rudolf's black and gold jacket Siegfried's black and white jacket, Act III of ABT's Swan Lake Espada's green costume, tavern scene

Making my first trip to London since August 2013 for this production. Seeing Nunez/Muntagirov (opening night), Takada/Bracewell, and Lamb/Hirano, as well as Cuthbertson/Clarke in Manon. Will report back on all the performances. To say I'm excited would be a gross understatement!

Don Quixote 6/13 Eve Don Quixote: Gary Avis Sancho Panza: Jonathan Howells Lorenzo: Alastair Marriot Kitri: Sarah Lamb (replacing Natalia Osipova) Basilio: Matthew Golding Gamache: Ryoichi Hirano Espada: Nehemiah Kish Mercedes: Itziar Mendizabal (replacing Claire Calvert) Kitri's Friends: Yazmine Naghdi, ??? (I'm guessing Akane Takada, as Yuhui Choe was listed with no substitute but did not perform) Two Matadors: Nicol Edmonds, Fernando Montano Gypsy Couple: Olivia Cowley, Tomas Mock Queen of the Dryads: Fumi Kaneko Amour: Francesca Hayward Dulcinea: Nathalie Harrison Fandango Couple: Lara Turk, Eric Underwood Even when seeing two (or more) performances of the same ballet, it is unusual where one cast is--across the board--preferable in every respect to the other. Indeed, this didn't entirely happen with the Saturday Don Q--certainly it wasn't a bad performance, and there were even a couple dancers I strongly favored over their counterparts on Friday. However, on Saturday, the Royal Ballet--from principals to corps--danced one of those frustrating performances that got the job done: it was good, it was professional; and seemingly it had all the components to become great, but it never got there. Part of the reason for this is that Don Q, and Acosta's version in particular, demands so much interaction amongst all the characters that when there is a ho-hum set of soloists there is no spark for everyone else to respond. Sarah Lamb as Kitri replaced Natalia Osipova. A virtually sold out house with numerous Russians in attendance certainly had high expectations to see Osipova prior to her injury. Given Osipova's storied work in Don Q I was quite excited to see her, but I didn't mind Sarah Lamb as a replacement. From her entrance, however, it was clear that Sarah was not going to produce a performance in the league of Marianela's on Friday. Lamb does not possess the remarkable, luxuriant pirouette of Nunez, but more disappointing was her lack of amplitude and ballon in her jump, most noticeable in the Plisetskaya sissonnes with her front leg mere centimeters off the ground. She is so slight, wispy even, yet even in her opening saut de chat would struggle to get up in the air. Thus she often landed with a plopping thud, apparent in her quality of landing more so than the noise of her shoes. Lamb's Kitri was rebellious but not sensual, and certainly did not reveal a Spanish dancer who had men falling for her. As a result, Lamb's Kitri had this overgrown child quality somewhat resembling Lise in La Fille Mal Gardee, particularly during Kitri's avoidance of Gamache. Thankfully, the performance built in the second act. Lamb and Golding had more chemistry in the "Sunset" pas de deux (prior to the gypsies' dance) than they had in the first act; Sarah had a more rapturous quality here than at any other point in the ballet. Where Sarah undoubtedly peaked, however, was Dryads. Sarah always references her training with Mme. Legat in interviews as being integral to her career, and you could see that strong Russian influence in this scene. Sarah was regal, mysterious, with beautiful epaulement and a presence which stood out from everyone else onstage. Her characterization as Dulcinea was entirely detached from her qualities as Kitri, creating this aura of a vision who wasn't real. Her Act II variation showcased tremendous musicality: her phrasing was impeccable on the fondu rond de jambe sequence in the beginning, and her hops en pointe had no difficulty keeping up with the fast tempo. The pique turn manege got slightly behind the music at the beginning, the only detraction of what was otherwise an excellent variation which drew thunderous applause. Sarah was regal and stately in the wedding pas de deux, appropriate for the occasion except that she and Golding often seemed in two separate worlds, having little connection to one another. The pas de deux was executed conservatively without any attempted balances, and Lamb/Golding were definitely ill-served by Acosta's re-working of the adagio which includes some rather anti-climactic tour jete catches. Sarah had a couple fudged finishes on her turns in the variation, notably the pesky en dedans/en dehors switch and her double stepover to finish........she would actually complete the turn on balance but struggle to come off pointe with control. Her fouettes, executed rapidly, featured singles with a few doubles mixed in with arm variations, traveling a sizable distance downstage but staying centered and on the music. Some have questioned why the Royal Ballet needed to import Matthew Golding, and his obvious asset of partnering tall ballerinas was not even necessary on Saturday. But in my first viewing of him I was pleasantly surprised, if not extremely impressed. First thing's first, he is a big guy: very tall and strong with a broad, robust physique, making Marcelo Gomes look like a waif. Certainly his physical presence is imposing and difficult to miss onstage, but what is impressive is his control in pirouettes and agility in executing different steps in succession. His Grand pas variation featured a pirouette to an immediate double tour followed by a saut de basque to the knee, very unusual and well done. I sense that given his long lines he can take up space very well, but this wasn't in evidence Saturday given the cramped Kennedy Center stage and the extensive scenery in Acts I and III. Golding is innately charismatic and certainly handsome, but while I found he exceeded Acosta in terms of technique and (by a long shot) stamina, his characterization doesn't achieve that natural quality of Acosta's. Carlos just has to step out onstage and he is Basilio; Golding was charming but his presence becomes diminished from awkward mannerisms and casting his focus downward. As I've said, Lamb and Golding were not an ideal match, actually less suited temperamentally than they were physically. However, visually they were certainly nice together in the Grand pas and I'm curious as to how his performance would have evolved with Osipova. Itziar Mendizabal as Mercedes: I've seen this dancer in a few featured roles and have never gotten her. I don't know with all the talent out there that she was a necessary hire from the outside (as First Soloist, no less), but I did enjoy her Mercedes more than her past work. She has an innate fire and charisma in this role but without the dramatic detail of Laura Morera. Technically she was very solid in her solo with the attitude turns, and as I said in the previous review I love Mercedes' Act I dress, more so than Kitri's. Nehemiah Kish as Espada actually flattered Ryoichi Hirano's performance the night before, which I found bland in the first act but quite excellent in the third act solo (Hirano also appeared Saturday as Gamache and was excellent). Kish sort of disappeared throughout the entire ballet: there was little feel of a Matador and that strength Acosta wanted from the men in this production. His Act III solo lost steam toward the end with the alternating double tours, finishing well enough but with little impact. Dryads I consider one of the strongest aspects of the production, both in the beautiful set with the blooming flowers and the precision of the corps de ballet. Dryad Queen was danced by Fumi Kaneko, who was quite a lot warmer than Melissa Hamilton the night before, much more even-keeled technically though not as regal. She has lovely feet and certainly a presence which makes you want to see more from her. Her Italian fouettes became rocky around the 4th and 5th set, but impressively she pulled herself back on her leg for the final set, drawing applause. Francesca Hayward was an exception to tonight's inferior cast: her Cupid was bright and infectious without becoming saccharine. Akane Takada (at least I believe this was her, not listed in this program) and Yazmine Naghdi were bland as the flower girls, lacking the distinct (even if they were inbalanced) personas of Stix-Brunell and Choe and certainly the same quality of technique. From a technical standpoint, most notable was that Takada came to grief while executing the consecutive pique turns to the left during the duet in Act III. Frequently we forget about the ballet's title role in this production, and I didn't even mention Christopher Saunders' performance on Friday night which was noble but otherwise not interesting. But Gary Avis has to be given special credit for his work as Don Q: the character became warm, alive, and sympathetic in his hands. When he looked out into the footlights of the Kennedy Center, you thought he was searching for Dulcinea. Just a masterful performance of what is often a forgettable role.

I was in Washington, D.C. for both the 6/12 and 6/13 Eve performances. My review of the Don Quixote 6/12 Eve is below and I will try to have 6/13 Eve posted by tomorrow (with Lamb/Golding). Don Quixote: Christopher Saunders Sancho Panza: Philip Mosley Lorenzo: Gary Avis Kitri: Marianela Nunez Basilio: Carlos Acosta Gamache: Bennet Gartside Espada: Ryoichi Hirano Mercedes: Laura Morera Kitri's Friends: Yuhui Choe, Beatriz Stix-Brunell Two Matadors: Tristan Dyer, Valentino Zucchetti Gypsy Couple: Itziar Mendizabal, Thomas Whitehead Queen of the Dryads: Melissa Hamilton Amour: Meaghan Grace Hinkis Dulcinea: Kristen McNally Fandango Couple: Kristen McNally, Thomas Whitehead Many have commented on the various aspects of this production by Carlos Acosta, some of which I found much more successful than others. However, in terms of the cast, let's cut to the chase: Marianela Nunez. What a marvelous, dare I say luxuriant, Kitri she was. "Luxuriant" isn't the word you immediately think when it comes to Don Q, but her Kitri combined the best of both worlds: the classicism of the Royal Ballet with her innate Latina spitfire. Immediately from the first act, there was nothing vulgar about this Kitri. Both the first act variations were impeccable, the entrance especially so. Marianela's jumps don't fly to the rafters like Osipova's; nonetheless, they're high, suspended, and land like a feather. More impressively, her turns have this slow, undulating quality where she can apply no force and still garner multiple revolutions. Moreover, she has such lift on her standing leg that she can finish the turn and slowly roll through her feet coming off pointe, evoking shades of Cynthia Gregory. The Plisetskaya sissonnes in the second solo were superb, even if Marianela doesn't have a remarkable extension, and her diagonal of turns from fifth absolutely spot on. If there was a weakness in Marianela's performance, it came during Dryads, where her bubbly, enthusiastic demeanor from the first act essentially remained the same. It was as if there was no differentiation between Kitri and Dulcinea: I prefer more of a mysterious aura here, particularly in this performance as Marianela's Dulcinea clashed with Melissa Hamilton's imperious Queen of the Dryads. Her solo was very fine, although her phrasing in that fondu, rond de jambe to arabesque step she repeats was uneven, executed with a different timing each instance. Technically once again there were no obstacles for her: the hops en pointe sailed across the stage and the manege of pique turns were unexpectedly brisk. I say "unexpectedly" because in the past Marianela has struggled with speed, notably in a performance of Ashton's Cinderella I saw. However, she took the pique manege very fast as well as the pas de cheval diagonal in the Grand pas, and generally she has become more adept at handling different tempi. In spite of all her great dancing and admirable qualities in the first two acts, Marianela well and truly peaked in the third act with a superb performance in the pas de deux. It was quickly apparent that due to Carlos's lagging stamina, she had to run the show, and did she ever. Her joy and charisma were infectious and reached past the top of the balcony. Her attitude balances were not Tamara Rojo quality but nonetheless very commendable, with each balance growing successively longer than the previous. The variation featured an attitude turn which was supposed to be a 1 1/2 turn but ended up to everyone's surprise as a 2 1/2, drawing gasps from the audience. The pas de cheval diagonal was wonderfully sharp, and her fouettes featured sets of single, single, triple, before continuing with straight singles, all very well controlled and with minimal traveling downstage. However, one never got the sense that all the technical goods were at the expense of the character: the charm, wit, and fire of Kitri: it was all there. Her interactions with the flower girls and Mercedes were so natural and you could tell her enjoyment dancing with Carlos, even hugging him at the conclusion of the pas de deux. Alas, Carlos Acosta as Basilio has lost much of the technical bravado of years past, most evident in the pas de deux where his stamina failed him, particularly at the start of the coda. Not all was lost, however: it is obvious how much he connects with this ballet and role. Where Acosta has struggled with dramatic portrayals in the past, there is absolutely no stretch in believing Acosta as Basilio and his love for Kitri. Certainly, his masculinity and Cuban training still fit this ballet like a glove. The Cuban school is of course renowned for their proteges' pirouetttes, and Acosta is no exception: he can still pull in for five or six pirouettes at the end of an a la seconde series, and just when you think the turn will end or go off balance, he'll crank out one more and sustain it. It was obvious how much he was pacing himself throughout the ballet: the shape and length of his legs and feet are almost entirely gone, and he was barely articulating the steps during the in-betweens so he could save himself for the variations. Arguably his performance peaked during the first act solo, where he still had some firepower. The grand pas variation was executed dutifully but he appeared very tired, and his cabrioles during the coda were enormously effortful. Not much more to say here, but I do remember watching Carlos in the early 2000's dance Don Q pas, and in his prime that was a spectacular Don Q by any standard. In terms of the other characters: Laura Morera was very feisty and spirited Mercedes, a brash contrast to Marianela's sunniness. Acosta gives her some difficult choreography in the Act I solo, with double attitude pirouettes to a tour jete, to both sides, and Morera executed the sequence to the left perfectly and had just a slight hesitation to the right. Laura has never been that dancer with the perfect body or prodigious technique, and indeed she has a very strained line in arabesque, but she was game here. Her dress in the first act was gorgeous. Ryoichi Hirano as Espada certainly looked great, he has a tremendously lean, elongated physique, and his hair was slicked back within an inch of its life, but otherwise he was affectless in the first act. His third act solo was a bit better, with more charisma and an impressive array of steps including a sequence of double tours alternating both directions. In terms of the flower girls, I preferred Beatriz Stix-Brunell to Yuhui Choe, though I felt each ballerina should have channeled more of the other's qualities. Perhaps due to the staging, Beatriz was such an extroverted, overly rebellious flower girl where Choe at times seemed straight out of Sleeping Beauty. Physically they are ideally matched, and their synchronicity in the third act was impressive, but their personas clashed. In both dancers I see a lot of potential though: Choe is so lovely (exactly the problem for this type of role, but wonderful for lyrical roles), and Beatriz oozes sensuality that strongly suggests a future Kitri. I will comment on other aspects of this production once I see tonight's performance, but one aspect I especially liked was the opening of Dryads, with the green forest-like scrim opening to unveil the corps girls and Dryad Queen standing proudly in B-plus with mist waving around the stage. Melissa Hamilton is leaving next season (I believe just temporarily?) for Dresden Semperoper Ballett, a company to which she is suited. In almost equal measure, she has gorgeous and very awkward moments. I don't know her height but she is tall, or at least seems tall, for Royal Ballet standards, and facially she resembles Sarah Lamb. She has a gorgeous line of the leg with beautiful, bulging insteps, and her posture is very proud and regal which makes her ideal for Dryad Queen. I had high hopes for her performance based on her opening with the corps, but the variation revealed insecurities in her technique. What became notable immediately was the lack of depth in her plie, the awkward stance she takes from pirouettes from fifth, when heavy tension pouring into the left arm and wrist, and the protruding of her ribs and lift of her shoulders during arabesque. Her Italian fouettes were a teensy bit out of control, but well done (this version has her complete six sets instead of eight). Meaghan Grace Hinkis as Cupid was as charming and effervescent as the role demands: her footwork was light and quick. Quite the opposite of Hamilton, however, her physique is stocky and she lacks stretch through the backs of the legs and down to the ends of her feet. Not to say that her performance wasn't enjoyable to watch, but I don't know if I see the major roles in her future. Back again tonight for Lamb (replacing Osipova) and Golding, with Claire Calvert as Mercedes and Nehemiah Kish as Basilio.

I’m way behind on my reviews, especially after having flown 10 ½ hours from London to Houston yesterday, but here is my report on the Friday, August 9th Sleeping Beauty: The role of Princess Aurora was taken by Svetlana Zakharova in this performance, and already there was an air of excitement and intensity in the theater which went quite unfounded during the Thursday Beauty with Krsyanova. Zakharova certainly has her fans, and for many younger dancers she is marveled at for her seemingly God-given ballet physique: tall, rail-thin and hyper-flexible. Zakharova steps onto the stage as if in her own bubble—a glamorous, imperious, prima ballerina not making any particuar attempt to interpret a 16-year-old princess. She is cool, some describe her as icy, and yet in this role she is forced to be warm and youthful to a degree not necessary in other ballets. Her entrance at the beginning of Act I shows real promise in this regard, but when the Rose Adage starts she becomes, quite understandably, preoccupied with the balances. To her credit, she did hold two fairy long balances at the end of each sequence (the first one she remained in attitude; the second she completed the allonge to arabesque). Supported pirouettes with the princes also cause her tension; her face subtly but visibly panics as none of the men make it out of the adage alive with keeping her on her leg. Ultimately, however, she finishes the Rose Adage unscathed and finishes a lovely, if ossified, Act I. The Vision Scene of Act II is predictably where Zakharova’s performance peaks, as the elusive, almost untouchable quality to her dancing is used well to its advantage here. Her final pas de deux in Act III shows off basically everything we have come to know, like, or dislike about Sveta: long, elastic, ear-whacking extensions (which haven’t gone down with age), polished technique, and an austere demeanor. There is hardly another ballerina I can think of who fully compares to Zakharova—other ballerinas have certain qualities of hers but not all—which thus makes her a ballerina unlike any you will see in another cast. Her aloof demeanor contrasted spectacularly with Krysanova’s humility in the Thursday performance, and indeed while Zakharova is always interesting to watch, she ultimately proves unmoving as Aurora. Alexander Volchkov as Prince Desire showed more dramatic fortitude than Semyon Chudin of the night before—though this is not saying much—but Volchkov lacks the latter’s technical gifts. He is not blessed with great lines or a buoyant jump, and actually seems to flail his body a bit when he is executing big traveling jumps. Perhaps least forgivable, however, is Volchkov’s ports de bras: his arms are not well supported from his back in first position and are shaped quite like airplane wings in first arabesque. He partnered Zakharova very well, though he too doesn’t escape the Zakharova supported pirouette curse when she got stuck facing him during one turn in Act III. In the brief and simplistic role of the Prince, Volchkov proved much more successful in conveying his infatuation with Aurora’s vision that Aurora herself, as the Act III pas showcased a couple with no real love, feeling, or any emotion at all for one another. Ekaterina Shipulina was one of the night’s standouts as a Lilac Fairy of maturity, class, technical strength, and musicality. There is great confidence in Shipulina’s dancing, something not always seen in Olga Smirnova’s performance of the same role, and her pirouettes in the variation were completed without incident. Unlike Smirnova, Shipulina did not attempt full arabesque and attitude turns during the coda with the faeries, preferring instead to complete ½ or ¾ arabesque and attitude turns. This was probably a smart decision, as she did not travel during the sequence in the least and did well to save what was a very off-axis double en dedans pirouette to finish. Shipulina lacks the expressive upper body of Smirnova, but still infuses the role with a warmth and strength which is seen all too briefly under Grigorovich’s production. Artem Ovcharenko repeated as the Bluebird and proved himself a dancer of admirable line and posture while successfully dancing a role typically reserved for shorter men. Daria Khokhlova as Princess Florine is far below his level, showing a coy demeanor and choppy phrasing during her variation. Anna Tikhomirova was predictably vivacious as the Diamond Fairy, if just a tad bit hurried by the fast footwork required by her second variation. Chiara Alizade also caught my eye as Sapphire: her face reminds me a little bit of Altynai Asylmuratova’s. The faeries in the prologue were very lovely--Anastasia Stashkevich an absolute delight in the songbird variation--and then we had Ivor Tsvirko’s campy, psychotic rendition of Caraboose. He had this crazy look in his eye and a great ability to engage with the cast around him, though never for a moment did I believe him as a woman (and his makeup didn’t help matters). Despite the uninspired performances from the lead couple, this performance conclusively proved superior to Thusday’s—strong performances from Shipulina, Ovcharenko, and Tikhmoriova (among others in minor roles), good corps and demi-soloist work throughout, and a passionate (if not perfect) handling of the score by the Bolshoi orchestra.

Thank you for that correction--when rereading the program I accidentally read Catalabutte as Caraboose!

The performance of the Bolshoi’s Sleeping Beauty is my first live viewing of the company since 2000, and I was only seven then, so this was a heavily anticipated occasion for me. The Yuri Grigorovich production itself is impeccably dressed—the massive, adorning columns make for a decadent, imposing set, and the costumes are every bit as ornate. Unfortunately, the visual splendor of the production cannot in any make up for its weaknesses: mashed up music arrangements, the absence of any real mime, and the frequently abbreviated or eliminated parts of the ballet. Even the dividing up of the acts with one intermission is awkward: the audience is supposed to adjust to Aurora maturing 16 years of age in the blink of an eye. I’m not asking for a four-hour long Mariinsky reconstruction here, just a nice, coherent, complete production, but Grigorovich’s new Sleeping Beauty is far from that. Unfortunately, the choppiness of the production starts almost right away with the pas de six for faeries, where two parts of the score are cut. The mime at the beginning of Act I is likewise shaved to its bare minimum, and the mime of the King telling off Catalabutte look rather like a game of cat-and-mouse. In the second act, the Lilac Fairy seems almost in a world apart from Prince and Aurora, executing arabesque promenades on one side of the stage by herself while Aurora and the Prince dance on stage right. The third act is perhaps the most complete act, but even here the Bluebird solo is shortened, the opening absolutely truncated, and the apotheosis gone. Cutting some parts of the score could be forgivable, but all of these instances make for a muddled, fill-in-the-blanks production which resembles more the “Best of Sleeping Beauty” than “The Sleeping Beauty” itself. The production needs an excellent cast of dancers to make up for its wishy washy nature, and here we had an admirable, if not entirely riveting, cast. Ekaterina Krysanova is a finely assured Aurora, lacking bit of the innate delicacy seen in the great present-day Auroras (Cojocaru, Obraztsova, among others), but nonetheless presents herself as a technically strong and sensitive dancer. This was a performance without flash: no rhythmic gymnast extensions, sky-high jumps, or attempted balances in the Rose Adage (akin to most of the Russian Auroras), but the relative modesty of the performance won me over. Here was an Aurora who seemed very much a young princess—bubbly, effervescent, and enchanted by the prospect of finding a suitor. While Krysanova danced well in Act I, it was her Act II variation where she seemed best suited with finely sustained balances, a beautiful triple step-over pirouette to finish, and an elusive, almost untouchable aura. If anything, her 3rd act, although danced well, is perhaps where she is least interesting: one didn't sense that she had matured from Act I and that she delineated any kind of relationship with her Prince, which seemed more the fault of Semyon Chudin than Krysanova. Although not the most riveting or delicate performer in the role, Krysanova presents the audience with clean, classical dancing with a touch of bravura thrown in. Interested I am to see her Odette/Odile on Saturday, although I sense she is better suited to Aurora. Krysanova’s prince, Semyon Chudin, is perhaps in terms of technique one of the finest male dancers in ballet today. Here is a dancer with few physical deficiencies to speak of: his feet are divinely shaped, his legs stretched so as to be capable of handling any balance. There are beautiful pirouettes, a gorgeous manege without even a hint of the back leg drooping (as so many dancers do), and not a moment of insecurity in any step. Indeed, his technique seems practically infallible. He simply cannot put a foot wrong, which was much to the delight of a tepid audience that seemed to liven only when Chudin was onstage. However, at the expense of this flawless dancing is a very blank, remote presence: the Prince in Sleeping Beauty is hardly a two-dimensional character, but Chudin doesn’t breathe the necessary life into the role. Even sitting in row F of orchestra stalls, I sensed no sensitivity, no emotion at all. Marcelo Gomes can make a role even as short as this a memorable one; David Hallberg, while certainly not the greatest actor, has innate regality which brings more color to the role than Chudin can muster. This is not to deny that visually Chudin is exceptional, but his performance was often detached from everyone and everything around him. As the Lilac Fairy, Olga Smirnova reveals much potential. Here is a dancer who at only 21 years of age has a regal authority which belies her years. While some have criticized Smirnova for being too “cool” of a performer, this was not the case in this performance, where she radiated perhaps more warmth than seen in other ballets. A commanding, elegant presence, Smirnova has qualities of greatness, but as is with a dancer of her relative lack of experience, there is fine-tuning to be done. She tends to lean back on her supporting leg during her pirouettes—I noticed this particularly during her pirouettes from fifth-- and at times she oscillates in and out of character. Some shakiness in the pirouettes might be forgiven since the conductor gave her a funeral tempo. Still, there was much to admire about Smirnova: beautiful line of the arms of the back, great epaulement, and perhaps as magical as she could be within the confines of the production. With a few more years of seasoning, Smirnova should deserve a chance at Aurora. The Bolshoi, obviously a company with tremendous depth, showcases some other standout performers in smaller roles. Anna Tikomirova as the Fairy of Audacity was fabulous: here was a ballerina with complete confidence, technical assurance, and fire. Already said to be an excellent Gamzatti, she could also essay Kitri with great success. Anastasia Stashkevich as Princess Florine is on the opposite spectrum of Tikhomirova—delicate, sunny, a definite Aurora in the making. Artem Ovcharenko as the Bluebird is blessed with an excepetionally lean physique, finely tapered limbs, and an extremely juicy plié. Anna Leonova as the Diamond Fairy is elegant, although she struggled with the ending of step-over turns during her variation, falling out of her double. Maria Vinogradova also deserves praise for her dynamic Carelessness Fairy, featuring strong ballon and a vivacious quality. Sadly, as Carraboose, Alexei Loparevich is unmemorable: his minions actually appear scarier!