Stanislavsky 'Snow Maiden' reviews 'Snow Maiden' reviews Dik in reviews recent Stanislavsky reviews

But there is another ballet company in town, and, while it offers seasonal fare, it is, thank goodness, something new. The Moscow Stanislavsky Ballet and Orchestra, basically the Moscow city ballet company, in their London debut, are also dancing to Tchaikovsky, but this time selections of his music have been pieced together for their production of the Snow Maiden.

The key to the Snow Maiden story is a dramatic device used on countless occasions from Clint Eastwood films to Matthew Bourne’s Car Man. It is the mysterious stranger who wanders into town throwing the established order into disarray. The Snow Maiden dances into the land of humans, captures the heart of one of them, although he is loved by another, and she has no real heart of her own. He then loses her, and the foundations of his own life, to the rays of the sun and the melting of the ice and snow.

This ballet company has not incorporated the name Stanislavsky in its title for nothing. Their technical skills are as fine as one would expect from a Russian company, but these have been enhanced by the application of “method acting”. Last night’s performances must have been given by the second cast as most of the major roles were taken by soloists. Having said that, they were superb. Especially good was Ekaterine Safonova who played the Snow Maiden. Her portrayal combined a sense of fragility (the snow Maiden is after all an insubstantial, magical being), with wonderment, joyfulness and innocence and more than a dash of the minx. No wonder all the boys in town are desperate to dance with her even if she leaves them as cold as ice.

Of the two lovers, Kadria Amirova, as the girl Kupava, and Victor Dik, as the boy Mizgir, danced a soft and loving duet in the first act. While beautiful, it went on a bit too long and did not have a great variety of movement for Mizgir. This was more than made up for in the various village scenes. Here the capabilities of the dancers, particularly the men, were displayed as they stormed across the stage high kicking and twirling. One of the best of these was Alexander Dashevsky, only listed as a member of the corps, who danced the wild, dangerous part of Skomorokh, the wander minstrel-clown. Combining acrobatics and classical ballet steps, he and his cohort of three other boys, dashed about the stage in a frenetic explosion of energy.

This ballet is not a classic. But this company treated it with respect and not something cobbled together for the festive season, when everyone is desperate by Boxing Day to get out of the house and be entertained. Earlier in the run, reviewers had complained that the scenery changes were less than smooth. They have now rectified any problems, and the sets are lovely. The Snow Maiden’s home is a fantasy country composed of crystal snowflakes, while the village has the strong feel of the Russian steppes. Similarly, the costumes (except for that of Father Frost who looks like he is wearing a bathrobe) are well designed. Especially beautiful are the tutus and headgear worn by the Snow Maiden and the accompanying snowflakes. Appropriately, the image that is left in the mind at the end is of the 20 girl “snowflakes”, their hands continuously fluttering as they fall gently to earth.

The audience for last night’s performance was respectable, even if the house was not full. The Snow Maiden will be presented until 2nd January. From the 4th to the 12th they will be performing Swan Lake in an interpretation that is new to London. On the evidence of the Snow Maiden, the Moscow Stanislavsky’s interpretation of that classic is not to be missed.