Moscow City Ballet’s Swan Lake

Swan Lake

Music by Tchaikovsky

Moscow City Ballet

Opera House, Manchester

17 March 2012

This was my first experience of the classic ballet, following a viewing of the film The Black Swan.

It was perhaps a more sinister story than usual, you’re more aware of how the raven shadows the action of the prince (here ably performed by Talgat Kozhabaev) and his beloved.  The atmosphere was ominous, even when all appeared sweetness and light, as in the pretty dance of the four little swans.

This was a terrific production, the sets and costumes sumptuous and alive with colour and the corps de ballet well on their toes, weaving complex geometric patterns out of thin air.

The ending was as moving as ever, the lovers’ separation abrupt and final.

Moscow City Ballet are touring the UK until the end of March, details of future tour dates can be found here.

Moscow City Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet

Music by Prokofiev

Moscow City Ballet

Opera House, Manchester

15 March 2012

This vibrant production brings out all the edge-of-the-seat drama and colourful spectacle of the classic Shakespearean story.

At its centre, there is Prokofiev’s supple score: a dangerous and tremulous beast, lithe yet soulful.  The courtship is delightful, of course, and Daniil Orlov (as Romeo) and Liliya Orekhova (Juliet)  make a fetching couple.  Even so, the thrilling swordplay and jousting slyly trumps it in this production, such is the power of these scenes.  Talgat Kozhabaev (Tybalt) is a most impressive villain.

And then, overarching all, there is the shadowy spectre of death, the ballet is virtually framed by it, and the suggestion and insinuation of an existence beyond the threshold of the perceptible world.  It is all in present in Prokofiev’s score, naturally, and it’s perfectly realised on stage.

Moscow City Ballet are touring the UK until the end of March, future tour dates are here (click and scroll all the way down).

 

 

Moscow City Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty

The Sleeping Beauty
Music by Tchaikovsky
Moscow City Ballet
Palace Theatre, 18 February 2011

 

Victor Smirnov-Golovanov’s ravishing production of The Sleeping Beauty is certain to leave you refreshed, relaxed and alert.  It shimmers like an exquisite dream.

Tchaikovsky’s splendid score seduces you, as it always does, whilst the gorgeous sets and Elisaveta Gurenko’s wonderful costumes simply enchant; as a fairy tale should.  The diverse colours on show – turquoise, pink, different shades of red and green – suggest exotic cocktails, boiled sweets and fancy desserts.

The dancers are possessed of both poetry and athletic prowess, and we were treated to generous helpings of their wonderful art.  In particular, the principals who took the roles of Princess Aurora (Guseva Valeriya) and Prince Florimund (Kozhabayev Talgat) exhibited glorious gifts.  They were exemplars of a certain sort of sturdy Russian classicism.

It is the sight of Prince Florimund in virtual flight, circling the stage and attacking pirouette upon pirouette with indomitable vigour, as though he were describing in dance the steadily decreasing orbit of a falling star, that remains uppermost in my mind as I write.

As I have written before, The Sleeping Beauty is a ballet that all can enjoy, even the very young, and it is ideal for introducing children to this form of dance.  And if you can inspire them early it is certain they’ll soon want more of it.

Thought and artistry is evident in every aspect of this magnificent Moscow City Ballet production.  You’d have to be in a coma to fail to be enlivened by it.

The Sleeping Beauty is at the Palace Theatre until 19 February and visits other UK venues later in the month.  Look at the tour dates here.