Ballet Icons Gala 2020 - London - January 2020

[FionaM]

Any reviews?

[capybara]

The usual 'mixed bag' with some surprisingly 'under par' performances from some 'big names'. Perhaps it was because we had recently seen some star turns in the Don Quixote pas de deux and in Le Corsaire from members of the 'home teams' on the London stage, but I was left disappointed by what should, and could, have been the 'show-stoppers'.

I personally enjoyed Vladislav Lantratov's powerful stage presence in Carmen, Yasmine Naghdi's fragility in the Giselle pas de deux and some of the more modern pieces including Erina Takahashi's and James Streeter's rendition of Dust.

Part of me finds it rather sad that many people will turn out in droves and pay ridiculous prices for what is no more than a series of pas de deux on an empty stage when ballet offers so much more and tickets sales are slow for, say, Alina Cojocaru at Sadlers Wells.

[Geoff]

Here’s what someone else thought:

 

https://www.thereviewshub.com/ballet-icons-gala-the-coliseum-london/

 

My question is - as someone who sadly has to miss the Bolshoi trips to London each year - what was Alyona Kovalyova like when she danced with the company? I was impressed by her last night.

 

Edited January 27, 2020 by Geoff

[maryrosesatonapin]

We had tickets but I was too unwell to go   So reviews much appreciated - thank you, @capybara.  Your partially negative review made me feel less bad at having missed it.  Selfish me.

Edited January 27, 2020 by maryrosesatonapin
self criticism

[capybara]

1 hour ago, Geoff said:

Here’s what someone else thought:

 

https://www.thereviewshub.com/ballet-icons-gala-the-coliseum-london/

 

My question is - as someone who sadly has to miss the Bolshoi trips to London each year - what was Alyona Kovalyova like when she danced with the company? I was impressed by her last night.

 

 

I booked to see her Swan Lake on the basis of seeing her rehearse Diamonds with Jacopo Tissi on World Ballet Day but I found her Odette and he Odile somewhat disappointing. I think that she maybe needs more stage experience to carry a three act ballet.

[FionaM]

I thoroughly enjoyed the Ballet Icons Gala.  I am not usually a fan of galas due to their disjointed nature and with pieces often under-rehearsed.  I was hoping for glimpses of dancers I might not otherwise get to see and so it was ....
 

My impressions:

 

- great to see recent return to stage of Vladimir Lantratov and Maria Alexandrova after injury.  Lantratov was especially luscious in his movements in Carmen pdd.  We will forgive him for fudging one pirouette.

 

- Iana Salenko was supreme and serene in Le Corsaire pdd.  Sparkly perfection, musicality, on top form, and .... only 8 months after giving birth!  Superwoman.   Star of the night in my eyes.

 

- Ekaterina Krysanova was very good in Sleeping Beauty pdd, and especially in circumstances  ... having danced Giselle with Artem Ovcharenko at Bolshoi in Moscow night before.  Artem bravely attempted difficult back-to-back double tours combinations, which was probably not wise or necessary given heavy legs from their early morning flight and little/no sleep.  Seems a little underhand of Bolshoi to cast them on Saturday night, knowing they were scheduled to dance in London the next day.  

 

- Nicoletta Manni’s Don Q was excellent too.   Clean, precise, dynamic.  Completely outshone her partner.  

 

I loved many of the modern pieces.  

 

- Akram Khan’s DUST James Streeter and Erina Takahashi was heartbreaking.  

 

- Edwaard Liang’s FINDING LIGHT had beautiful movement and connection from Matthew Golding and Lucia Lacarra.  

 

- Excerpt from FRIDA by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa by Maia Makhateli and James Stout was emotional too.

 

- the other modern pieces were so-so, many starting off in silence.  Choreography was too repetitive. But there were some good moments too.  Both were too sexual with ballerinas near naked.  No thanks 🙈.  Too much of that about ...McGregor, Bigonzetti.  (I heard lewd comments afterwards).  Time for choreographers to re-assess the impact they are having IMO.

 

- Natalia Osipova had lovely moments of movement in her duet with Jason Kittelberger, and at least she was wearing a long dress!  Jason is limited in his range both technically and dramatically.

 

- Alonya Kovaleva impressed with her calm countenance and super controlled technique in Balanchine’s Diamonds pdd.  Her height is a problem for partnering ... she is almost as tall as her partner Xander Parish last night, who himself is tall.

 

Disappointments:

- Ekaterina Kondaurova

 

- Marci Sambe added little to Yasmine Naghdi’s lovely and lyrical Giselle (she did not have a good hairdo - flowers looked more Coppélia than Giselle).  He looked under-rehearsed.  And he is usually so lovely technically and completely immersed emotionally.  

 

- Julian MacKay and Daniil Simkin both use too much obvious effort in arms and upper body to jump and to spin.  It’s not classically pure.  I don’t like it.  It’s not enjoyable to watch.  Although Daniil’s 4 back-to-back 540s are spectacular!  Daniil made some partnering mistakes and had no connection with his partner or the audience. 
 

- They could both learn from Timur Askerov who gave a fine pure performance of both his solo and partnering in the Grand Pas Classique.

👏👏👏 🌟🌟🌟

[Mummykool]

We thoroughly enjoyed  it too and thought it far better prepared (and rehearsed) than usual.

 

I usually prefer my ballet classical over modern but highlights for me were Finding Light and Dust. I found both extremely moving.and both got a huge amount of applause.

 

 The one thing I really didn't like was Naghdi's un-ghost-like bright red lipstick. For me it totally destroyed the ethereal affect she worked so hard to achieve. Other than that, I found the whole evening very enjoyable

[Sabine0308]

4 hours ago, FionaE said:

 

- Iana Salenko was supreme and serene in Le Corsaire pdd.  Sparkly perfection, musicality, on top form, and .... only 8 months after giving birth!  Superwoman.   Star of the night in my eyes.

 

- Julian MacKay and Daniil Simkin both use too much obvious effort in arms and upper body to jump and to spin.  It’s not classically pure.  I don’t like it.  It’s not enjoyable to watch.  Although Daniil’s 4 back-to-back 540s are spectacular!  Daniil made some partnering mistakes and had no connection with his partner or the audience.

Happy to read that you enjoyed Iana Salenko. She is such a hero imo!! So small yet so strong going in her work. I saw short clips from last night and she was gorgeous.

 

As for Daniil, I am surprised that his partnering disappointed you/lacked good connection to Iana. They have danced together so many times! I like his spectacular and controlled turns, and the jumps, yes, but always think he could radiate more.

[Coated]

2 hours ago, Sabine0308 said:

As for Daniil, I am surprised that his partnering disappointed you/lacked good connection to Iana

Didn't look like it lacked connection from where I was sitting, really enjoyed both of them in the Don Q. Simkin isn't terribly expressive, but the dancing was lit and they looked good together. Though I don't expect perfect partnering at one off galas, so perhaps I didn't bother looking for the odd fumble.

 

I love the range of perceptions about the Gala - everyone seems to pick different favourites.

 

Loved Kondaurova and Askerov in the Grand Pas Classique, detested everything about Diamonds (Jewels is one of my favourite ballets, but that gala performance made me close my eyes and listen to the music).

 

Slighly unexpectedly, I only hated one of the modern pieces - the golden gymwear and tedious choreography of Elegy is a prime example of why I often avoid Galas and Vanity projects.

 

I always though Takahashi is fabulous in the Dust PDD, and she and Streeter reminded me on how good that piece is. Could have watched it for hours.

 

I couldn't get too much into the Frida pdd, having just seen Rojo do it, anyone new to dancing it would likely feel a bit flat (same for SB - after Nunez/Muntagirov is difficult to switch to a slightly different choreo and really get into it)

 

Finding Light was very emotional / touching, with beautiful movements -  though Golding and Lacarra were wonderful in it and really telling a story.

 

I thought Kittlebergers choreo suited him somewhat better than Osipova, but overall the piece was enjoyable with pockets of depth.

 

And I rather liked Le Parc, again a surprisingly emotional piece particularly in this type of setting, but still wondering why she didn't get to wear trousers. With the tops of both dancers being similar, it really highlighted the 'less clothes for ladies' choice.

 

 

[FionaM]

13 hours ago, Coated said:

Didn't look like it lacked connection from where I was sitting, really enjoyed both of them in the Don Q. Simkin isn't terribly expressive, but the dancing was lit and they looked good together. Though I don't expect perfect partnering at one off galas, so perhaps I didn't bother looking for the odd fumble.

you are possibly right about Daniil.  I was in row D of Upper Circle and he didn’t reach me there.  Though others did.  Iana definitely did!