Dancers shine in otherwise reserved Lake production
FOR many, classical ballet is Swan Lake. This perennial favourite of ballet audiences the world over always draws capacity audiences, and last Friday’s almost full house was no exception.
The Imperial Russian Ballet Company, directed by Gediminas Taranda, certainly has the best dancers of all the Russian companies that have visited New Zealand this year.
The choreography is credited to Julius Reisinger and Taranda. Here, only the libretto is attributed to Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, the original choreographers. This production is an advance on their 2012 one, but certain aspects still require improvement. The corps de ballet’s swan costumes make the women look top heavy; some variation in the ‘‘wafty’’ courtiers’ dresses would add interest and the lighting in the battle scene between Baron Von Rothbart and Prince Siegfried is ludicrous.
The company’s strength lies in its dancers. The principals, Nariman Bekzhanov as Siegfried, and Lina Seveliova as Odette/ Odile, are splendid. Bekzhanov has long been a star of the company and is dancing in top form. His strong technical strengths, sensitive partnering and noble bearing make him an ideal premier danseur.
Seveliova is an ethereal Odette, who uses her head and arms most beautifully. She is a lovely exponent of the Russian Classical School, with her high extensions, deep, arched back and arabesques in attitude. The great scene two pas de deux was exemplarily danced. These dancers are so good that they make one long for them to be the best they can be.
To quote Mansfield, ‘‘Risk! Risk anything!’’ If they could just let go of the emotional reserve that still holds them back in this scene, they would soar artistically. And please, dispense with the curtain calls after this pas de deux! It ruins the atmosphere.
In Act Two, Seveliova’s Odile is elegant, sophisticated and wicked to the bone. She tossed off the technical fireworks with ease, as did Nariman.
Maksim Marinin, is strong as Von Rothbart, the evil sorcerer, but again, could risk even more.
All the variations were done with grace and panache, while the extraordinary daring of the acrobatic jesters made the audience gasp.