Kirov 'Manon' reviews Kirov 'Nutcracker' reviews Kirov 'Rubies' reviews recent Kirov reviews

The Festival opened on 9 March with a new production of "Cinderella" choreographed by the young Russian choreographer Alexei Ratmansky who is at present also a principal of the Royal Danish Ballet.

Cinderella

This new production is uneven in terms of choreography. The choreography for the corps de ballet is pedestrian. Some of the innovations include casting the four seasons for male soloists, and having two dancing teachers instead of one. The fairy godmother is a fairy tramp. In the last act, in the Prince's journey round the world in search of Cinderella, there are two solos - the first beautifully danced with allure by Irina Golub leading a group of women who seem to be lesbians, and the second danced by the young promising dancer Ivan Popov leading a group of men.

The success of Alexei Ratmansky's new production are mainly in the several pas de deux. That cast that night - Natalia Sologub, and Denis Matvienko - was superlative. Sologub wasn't particularly convincing as the bullied sister in the first act, but she came into her own in the ballroom act. Her initial dreamy solo before she met her prince was beautifully danced. She was heart-melting in the two pas de deux full of high lifts. In the pas de deux in the last act, Sologub danced the classical choreography with aplomb, the climax of which was a develope a la seconde which she did perfectly.

Her Prince was Denis Matvienko (who joined last year from the Kiev Ballet last year) whom I had never seen before. This young blond dancer was a most charming prince, and danced stylishly. His solo - with big grands jetes and double assembles en tournant - showed off his technical prowess.

The sets designed by Ilia Utkin and Yevgeny Monakhov consist of a metallic construction for the first and last acts. In the ballroom scene there is a backdrop showing a long vista of columns of classical architecture, which is to change to a vista of green bushes in a garden when the pas de deux are danced. The costumes designed by Elena Markovskay are quite chic, but the white tuxedo worn by the prince in the ball is more appropriate for a milkman.

Nutcracker

On Monday night I saw for the first time the Kirov's new production of "Nutcracker" (choreographed by Kirill Simonov) which was premiered in the Maryinsky Festival last year.

The highlights of this production are the designs by the famous Russian artist Mikhail Chemiakin, which highlight the more sinister aspects of Hoffmann's tale. On a first viewing it was difficult to catch from the stage action all the events as narrated in the synopsis in the programme notes. The traditional Christmas party scene in the Stahlbaum's home in Act 1 now takes place in a banqueting hall whose walls are adorned by huge chunks of meat, with an adjoining kitchen. There is a constant parade of rats in various hideous costumes.

The battle scene is more effective. In the snow scene, the snowflakes are unexpectely attired in black costumes. Simonov's choreography for the snowflakes is quite violent at times. The end of the snow scene, however, is quite touching, with a group of Vaganova Academy students who each holds a candle crossing the stage. Things fortunately improve in Act 2 with the more colourful sets, depicting sweets and a large cake, which are more appropriate to this fairy tale. However there is a sinister parade of insects and other weird figures in the beginning.

Despite the faults of this production, it was redeemed by the marvellous dancing, as usual, of the Kirov company. Daria Pavlenko danced the Snow Queen with grandeur. Natalia Sologub portrayed Masha's teenage innocence with feeling, and in the grand pas de deux in Act 2 she was radiant. She coped very well with the many off-balance pirouettes in her solo choreographed by Simonov. And she was lucky to have Andrian Fadeyev as her partner.

I have long admired Fadeyev's pure classical style since I first saw him in the Kirov's 1997 London season. His fine performances in "Apollo" and "The Sleeping Beauty" at Covent Garden last summer are still etched in my memory. Fadeyev was sublime as the Nutcracker Prince. His dancing in the grand pas de deux was elegant and graceful. His solo, with many quick jumps in a sequence as choreographed by Simonov, had legato and a refreshing musicality.

Other Highlights Of The Week

In the Fokine programme on Sunday night, the Bolshoi star Nikolai Tsiskaridze brought the house down with his electrifying performance as the Golden Slave in "Scheherazade". ABT star Vladimir Malakhov danced stylishly as the young man in "Chopiniana" and gave a touching performance in "Petrushka". Daria Pavlenko danced beautifully in the Prelude in "Chopiniana", with her arms seeming to reach up to heaven.

"Le Corsaire" on Tuesday was magnificently danced by the whole company. Svetlana Zakharova displayed her iron-clad technique as Medora, and Elvira Tarasova danced Gulnara with grandeur. Igor Kolb dazzled as Ali, though somewhat lacking in charisma. Ilya Kuznetsov, who danced Conrad in every London performance last summer, was missed this time, but Andrei Yakovlev was admirable in the role.

In the Jardin Anime scene, the corps de ballet was augmented by six pairs of students from the Vaganova Academy, unlike at Covent Garden. And there were three fountains on the stage of the Maryinsky Theatre instead of two in London. Irina Golub was particularly delightful as the first odalisque.

"Manon" on Wednesday was led by a stellar cast - Diana Vishneva and the Paris Opera Ballet etoile Manuel Legris. Vishneva was absolutely splendid in the title role, and her acting was heartfelt. I can't recall seeing Manon's solo danced as vigorously with so much plasticity and so much detail in epaulement as by Vishneva. Vishneva was more moving as Manon than Svetlana Zakharova whom I saw in London last summer. Legris's line in adagio - in those arabesques penchees - recalled Anthony Dowell, the creator of the role of Des Grieux. It was a marvellous partnership.

Vladimir Malakhov rehearsing Manon in Maryinsky Theatre photo by Kevin Ng

Weekend

There were many memorable performances over the weekend. In the Balanchine programme on Friday, Manuel Legris was dazzling as the soloist in "Rubies" partnering Diana Vishneva, who once again confirmed my opinion that she is probably the finest Rubies ballerina anywhere at present.

Nicolas Le Riche won ovations for his moving performance in "The Prodigal Son" (premiered by the Kirov last December), and Daria Pavlenko was alluring as the Siren.

Vladimir Malakhov danced beautifully as Des Grieux in "Manon", and the ending when he cried after Manon's death was so heart-breaking. How rewarding it was to see two such superb Des Grieux in Malakhov and Manuel Legris.

Natalia Sologub was dancing at almost every performance - in the two pure dance Neumeier ballets on Sunday afternooon, in the Waltz in "Serenade", and as Lescaut's mistress in "Manon". Vasily Sherbakov was impressive as Lescaut. Irina Golub made two outstanding debuts - as the Russian ballerina in "Serenade", and in the troubador pas de deux in Lavrovsky's production of "Romeo and Juliet".

Paris Opera Ballet star Aurelie Dupont was a lyrical and moving Juliet, well matched with Andrian Fadeyev. Their pas de deux were most poetic. Fadeyev's acting was intense, his grief in the last act was unbearable to watch. Fadeyev also showed his dramatic flair as the tormented composer Schnittke in Neumeier's ballet "Sounds of Empty Pages", a role which he created last year.

Andrian Fadeyev as Romeo
photo by Natasha Razina

Gala

The International Stars Gala on 18 March, divided into four parts, closed this Festival on a high note. It started with Roland Petit's ballet "Le Jeune Homme et la Mort". Andrian Fadeyev danced with a tragic inevitability as the young man, and Yulia Makhalina was superb as the death figure.

The Paris Opera stars danced two pieces. It must have been a relief for them to dance again their familiar repertory from Paris. Aurelie Dupont and Manuel Legris dazzled in Balanchine's showpiece "Tchaikovsky pas de deux". Agnes Letestu and Jose Martinez were witty in Gsovsky's "Grand Pas Classique".

As a contrast to the technical fireworks of the Paris dancers, Kirov ballerina Diana Vishneva danced the lyrical blue pas de deux from Jerome Robbins' ballet "In The Night" with Victor Baranov. And Vladimir Malakhov danced "Le Spectre de la Rose" with Zhanna Ayupova.

Four dancers from the Ballet Frankfurt performed "Artifact II", a rather tedious piece by William Forsythe set to Bach's music, which was seen in the Ballet Frankfurt's London Sadler's Wells season last autumn. Forsythe's work may be acquired by the Kirov next season.

The Gala finished triumphantly with Balanchine's "Diamonds" (led by Svetlana Zakharova and guest star Vladimir Malakhov), which showed off the glory of the Kirov's corps de ballet. I had seen Zakharova dance even better in London last year as the ballerina, and I remember that Igor Zelensky was more imposing as the cavalier. Still it is heartening to see how well the Kirov can dance Balanchine nowadays.

So ended the ten-day festival which to me has been most rewarding in terms of repertory as well as dancers. I am glad to have attended all of it.