Thursday 1 March 2012

Swan Lake

Our recent trip to see the Moscow City Ballet perform Swan Lake was amazing. Predictably, one of my favourite ballets, it tells one of the most famous stories of love.

We dressed up in our finery and headed to The Poole Lighthouse, not such a classic theatre as the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, but an excellent theatre all the same. The performance was not until 7.30pm, and we had arrived a little early, and so we grabbed a drink at the bar and sat down excitedly with other people, whilst we talked about what we were about to see.

 There is nothing quite as exciting as looking at the heavy, red velvet curtains, waiting for the lights to dim, the orchestra tuning up, and then the music starts and the curtains swing open to let what lies behind enthrall for the next few hours.
 For this performance, Odette/Odile was performed by Liliya Orekhova, and I have to say that it was one of the best, most beautiful and graceful performances that I have yet seen. The part of Prince Siegfried was danced by Talgat Kozhabaev, a tall and powerfully built dancer, who's obvious size became a feather when transformed into dance.


 As Liliya played the parts of both Odette and Odile, as is customary, one could not help but feel sorry for the Prince, and the way in which he had become bewitched.


 
The corps de ballet were superb, their precision and timing was perfect, and dancing was elegant and beautiful, an absolute joy to watch.Von Rothbart, as ever wicked and manipulative, was played by Daniil Orlov, another giant of a man, who moved around the whole stage with incredible speed and skill, as though he also weighed nothing.



What more can I say? I could tell you the whole plot, but that wouldn't be fair on those who haven't seen it yet. And so, all I will leave you with is this.....If you get the chance to see Swan Lake performed by a good company, go! If you have never been, and think it is just boring...give it a go!

Just a quick post for now......thanks for visiting.

3 comments:

  1. Gary,
    Many years ago I caught Swan Lake performed by the New York City Ballet and it was good, not great, but good. Of course it was the matinee danced by the understudies of the principals, a poor college student could not afford the better showing, and the better seats for that matter.

    But with your glimmering review of the MCB I will have to google their tour schedule to see if they will be performing here in the US this summer. By the by, when I caught the NYCB show it was back in the day when the ugly joke was made that NYCB was good because they danced for fun, and MCB was great because they danced for their lives. Told you had been many years, I don’t think this type of sarcastic humor pervades the performing arts like it once did, well I hope not anyway.

    Glad you and A had a wonderful time. – gary

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  2. I could almost hear the music as I read your post, Gary! What an enchanted evening...

    I also checked out your "Love" blog, speed-reading several posts about mature love. As you saw when you visited me, my parents (both 85) are still living. My mother's dementia is increasing steadily. Their love, too. It's amazing to watch.

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