maryrosesatonapin

Chopiniana and Scheherezade Knowing little about the Kazakh ballet except there would be recorded music instead of a live orchestra, which is understandable, I didn’t know what to expect. A Kazakh representative introduced the evening as being part of Kazakhstan’s ‘worldwide cultural offensive’. Kazakhs, descendants of Genghis Khan, were nomadic people who loved to embrace all kinds of foreign culture. The two very contrasting items on the programme had been chosen to show just what this company can do. Chopiniana was beautifully danced – not technically perfect, but charming. However Scheherezade was gorgeous, luscious, and performed with panache – especially by Ulan Badenov as the Golden Slave and Malika Elchibayeva as the sultan’s favourite wife. The audience, which seemed nearly full from where I sat, was suitably enthusiastic. As an aside, I noticed that the women dancers had much curvier figures than what we are used to nowadays; I’m not suggesting they were in any way overweight – they weren’t, but they did have busts and waists and hips reminiscent of earlier dancers such as Fonteyn, and as a result were more aesthetically pleasing than the board-shaped torsos we so often see today. I wonder what types of exercise result in these differences, and if anything could be done to stop the androgenisation of some female dancers? The company were only in London for the one night. I mused on what a delight it was to enjoy this performance from young people from so far away, from a very different culture. Ballet is a universal language with which they could communicate; our loud clapping was likewise an appreciative response which could be understood across language barriers. I am unable to attach even small pics to this message so will try to do so in a separate one.

Me too - it was so vivid.

So tonight's audience lost their leading couple. To lose one could be regarded as a misfortune, but to lose both etc etc.....But on a serious note, I do hope Hirano and Takada recover very quickly, poor things.

'....to celebrate the most beautiful animal on earth: the human being' I have to say I find tigers a lot more beautiful than any human being, not to mention Arab horses, wolves and eagles Sounds an intriguing programme though, and it's good to know Watson is in performance condition.

It almost felt Christmassy as the magical scenery of this traditional production was revealed, augmented by Tchaikovsky’s sparkling music. Highlights for me: - Hayward and Sambé as the Bluebird and Florine – both lovely, but especially Sambé who was on top form and an absolute joy. - Paul Kay as Puss-in-Boots: I love the way Kay performs each role he is given with the utmost relish. He doesn’t have the appearance or presence of a heroic character, but when he’s given a part that suits him he is outstanding. - Kaneko’s Lilac Fairy was fluid and graceful, radiating goodness with her beautiful smile. Matthew Ball was suitably princely and an excellent partner, but I’m afraid I do not share others’ enthusiasm for Naghdi’s Princess Aurora, although she seemed to improve as the evening wore on. The audience were appreciative throughout.

I agree - which is why I chose the words 'MOST other companies' with which I hope you will agree. It's sad if 'personnel policies' get in the way of true artistic merit, but in spite of having also seen the Mariinsky repeatedly in 'their home town' I must have been lucky as I didn't happen upon any lousy soloists whatsoever. I suppose these adjectives are always not only subjective, but comparative

On a good day (which is nearly every day) you can't beat the Mariinsky. Their corps members would be principals in most other companies. You were so lucky to see this - I'm jealous! Thank you for the lovely write-ups.

I will follow this with interest. Wish they'd bring it further south - I see they are at the Linbury but with shorter contemporary dance works which doesn't interest me so much (mind you, their Rite of Spring packed a powerful punch).

I enjoyed your enthusiastic review, ElenaF, but would point out that Raymonda is daydreaming not sleeping so leaning against a pillar is fine.

How beautifully put! I couldn't agree more. 'My only fear (and I realise things may be different in Birmingham - I don't know) is that BRB may be pricing themselves out of some markets' I paid £44 which after the event I considered brilliant value for such an experience. Equivalent or worse tickets for the RB triple bill were nearly twice the price.

I enjoyed yesterday's matinee and think these three contrasting ballets make for a very entertaining occasion - even if you aren't keen on one you will very likely love another. Being still under the spell of the previous evening's BRB Giselle, and having seen the Bolshoi's Raymonda on screen a few days ago, my enthusiasm for the RB dancing was somewhat diluted although Muntagirov was as superb as always (but is it my imagination that he is becoming even more slender? I hope he's not fading away!). Osipova's Raymonda was very haughty and proud - she is one of those dancers whose personality seems to fill the stage, and indeed the whole theatre. I can't imagine her ever fading away. It was good to see what a fine dancer Lukas Bjørneboe Brændsrød is becoming - not to mention what a very handsome young man! Here he is with Melissa Hamilton.

What an evening. I think this qualifies as the performance during which I have shed the most tears in a whole lifetime of ballet-going. Hirata and Morales were both superb. In fact Hirata was better than superb; so utterly delicate throughout. She immediately enraptured the audience with the sweet joie-de-vivre that we knew was tragically doomed. This version is close to the original 1841 production and to me it seemed the perfect ballet in every aspect. The music was so sensitively played, the scenery was delightful/scary, the whole thing was completely memorable. I usually write quite long reviews but tonight I am speechless with wonder and gratitude. Well done BRB. Just going off to find a fresh pack of tissues.....

I missed it Sounds wonderful!

That's what I thought, @LinMM, but here's a snap of last night's programme: 'tis a mystery!

There was a mixed bill tonight with performers ranging from young children to Principals of the Mariinsky Ballet. As you can imagine, the standard varied widely but there was a lot to enjoy in a very varied programme. The first half consisted of ‘Les Sylphides’ danced reasonably well. The second half was a mixture of numbers of which one of the highlights was the Russian Dance from Swan Lake. A senior student of the school, Isobel Passey, accomplished a really promising performance in this. Daria Pavlenko and Evgeny Ivanchenko from the Mariinsky danced a gorgeous pas de deux from Scheherazade – very raunchy! – I wondered what the young kids made of all the sensuous writhing. But the show-stopper at the end was a pas de deux from the Flames of Paris danced by senior student Kamila Sizinceva and the Bolshoi’s Igor Pugachev. I’m not sure if it was just because of the contrast to the other male dancers of the evening, who apart from Ivanchenko were all very much amateurs, but from the moment Pugachev appeared on stage he seemed to fill the whole hall up to the rafters with his huge Bolshoi spirit and he gave the performance his all – really stunning. The audience was rapturous. The reason I like to support these performances is that the London School of Classical Ballet (also known as the London Russian Ballet School) does so much important work in the community, bringing ballet to children and their families who would otherwise never even think of going to a performance, let alone learn how to dance. Many of the kids come from disadvantaged backgrounds but are given top-class training with huge financial support. I was sitting next to a grandma of one of the young performers and she didn’t even know how to follow the programme. But her interest was piqued and she is hoping to go to some ‘proper’ ballet performances now (as she put it). Outreach by the LSCB gives children (regardless of ethnicity or family income) the opportunity to actually dance on stage with Bolshoi dancers, and has a huge impact on the lives of those who would otherwise never enter a theatre. They train promising children four or five times a week, leading up to performances such as tonight’s. One little boy with learning difficulties had never been able to speak until he was transformed by the programme, to give just one example. Ballet gives all of us on this forum so much – but also gives to those in desperate need of enrichment in their lives.

Different in what way, @capybara?

Isn't it interesting how you can gauge a dancer's personality by watching them perform. Even though they are doing (more or less) the same movements their true character somehow shines through. That is why I admire some dancers but don't truly 'love' them - even though they are good. And others, perhaps less perfect even, are so adorable they engage one's affection. I tend to be especially fond of the conscientious, humble and less extroverted ones (so long as they express themselves beautifully on stage of course).

It's true that most C19th ballets seem to have a very similar plot although I find most of them much more moving than Raymonda. But 'dancing for the sake of it' is a very good thing too. What about 'Symphony in C' or 'Concerto'? I agree about Smirnova's lack of variation in expression. Maybe she didn't buy the story either! But wasn't the actual dancing worth seeing? I thought so. I agree that Manon is a world apart in terms of emotion.

She was daydreaming, not asleep.

My response to 'Raymonda' was somewhat different from those above. Fortunately we had no technical glitches, unlike poor @Alison, so that must’ve been a fault at her particular cinema, and did not find anything too dark. This is the first time I’ve seen ballet in the cinema as I generally get frustrated by on-screen ballet, but now I realise what I’ve been missing out on by not going to the Bolshoi live relays for the last decade. This was really intelligently filmed, with very little unwanted zooming in at points where I wanted to see the feet or the whole stage. And at last I know what the full-length Raymonda is like. The title role was played by Olga Smirnova, with Aretmi Belyakov as de Brienne and Igor Tsvirko as the Saracen, Abderakhman. It’s a tough role for whoever plays Raymonda as she is on stage nearly all the time, performing a great variety of demanding choreography. Glasunov’s musical score varied from pleasant to gorgeous. It struck me he must’ve felt a real challenge when he was called on to be the successor to Tchaikowsky, but although his compositions aren’t as charming as those of the great man (whose are?) I felt this music was at least respectable, with some very captivating themes. I liked the interval talks and interview which took place on stage with the dancers warming up in the background. We were told that in Petipa’s original version the part of the Saracen was a non-dancing role but some interesting choreography was added for him and the whole second act is now Grigorovich’s creation. Smirnova was technically splendid I thought, very dignified throughout (too much so for a character whom I assume is a young girl about to get married, then nearly abducted etc). She was beautiful (she has such a lovely figure – very shapely for a ballerina) but not very expressive. Belyakov, whom I enjoyed watching in London this summer when a reviewer described him as ‘cartoonishly handsome’ continued to impress me. He really is a wonderful dancer, and his ballon seems to defy physics. (I asked my scientifically educated partner how on earth Belyakov managed to hover so high and so long and got an answer with something about centre of gravity that I didn’t understand. I think it’s sorcery.) There were a great number of lifts, including dramatic and prolonged one-handed lifts high above the head, which were beautifully performed – but then he fumbled an easier one so even Belyakov isn’t perfect. The choreography was so comprehensive that the between-scenes Russian commentator smilingly described it as being almost like a full ballet education because it covers such a variety of steps and set-pieces. There was a lot of exposed virtuoso dancing for not only the main pair but many side characters and the corps de ballet formations were a visual delight. To be honest I can’t imagine any of our native ballet companies coping with the full work but I would love to be proved wrong. Overall I would say the story is a very slim vehicle for rich choreography danced beautifully but leaving one’s emotions untouched. I didn’t empathise with any of the characters, except perhaps (unexpectedly) with Abderakhman who genuinely seemed to love Raymonda in spite of his violence towards her, and died for that love. The three hours went by quickly for me - no nodding off! - as all three acts were wonderful to watch and I was so glad we went. It will be interesting to compare RB’s Act III this coming weekend. I’m glad to hear it incorporates some extra solos.

We went to see this last night, eager anticipation mingled with a certain amount of trepidation. Would this retelling of one of our favourite ballet stories be a horrible disappointment or a worthy addition to the list of updated interpretations? Fortunately it was the latter. My first love will always be the original version of Giselle, but Dada Masilo’s rendering is both enjoyable and moving. First, and very importantly, echoes of Adam's familiar score were transformed into disturbing but effective waves of sound amidst silences, African rhythms and beautiful choral harmonies. The overall effect was satisfying and appropriate - not abhorrently strident as I had found the accompaniment to Khan’s version. Staging consisted of few props but neutral backdrops of 'natural' scenes (a swampy lake, clouds and sky). The lighting was perfect - just dark enough to be atmospheric yet bright enough to see everything clearly (unlike some other recent productions I've seen, where the stage was too dim). The dancing was hugely energetic, original and compelling choreography flavoured with trance dance, reminiscent of spirit possession and medicine (wo)men. The truly remarkable Masilo was not only the choreographer but also inhabited the title role with passion, moving from vulnerable innocence to implacable vengeance with total conviction. The second act was far removed from the ethereal ballet blanc of Coralli/Perrot/Petipa to which we are accustomed. The Wilis, costumed in visceral hues of blood and offal - broken hearts? – contrasted with a particularly callous Albrecht, clothed in pure white. This role was brilliantly danced by the only white member of the 14-strong troupe, carrying all the significance that implies in a work that was born in South Africa. Especially memorable moments included: Giselle's drunken mother ripping off her daughter’s bodice so the girl has to hide her nakedness in shame, only for the mother to chide 'don't embarrass me!'. (Yes, there was speech as well as dance.) The mother's tragi-comic soliloquy with her good friend the bottle. Giselle teasing Albrecht with a false kiss before lashing him to death with her whip - half dominatrix, half demon, wholly woman wronged, vengeful, unforgiving. A haunting evening indeed.

Tee hee! You could sign it 'Disgusted of Dorset'.

Thank you so much for this review, @Nogoat! I almost feel as if I were there... as I should have been as I did buy a ticket, but have an annoying cough so thought I'd better stay at home. I have to say the men's costumes in your picture look terrible - especially the white see-through one! I'm so glad to hear Hallberg was on form. How lovely that you bumped into him. Had it been me, I bet I wouldn't even have noticed.

This is an excellent letter, @penelopesimpson and I do trust it gets the reply it deserves. Thank you for your terrier-like tenacity in pursuit of the truth!