© John Ross ENB 'Swan Lake' reviews Long in reviews Wikstrom in reviews recent ENB reviews

From on high, the corps patterns looked thrilling and made beautiful sense. From on high too it was interesting that Jan-Erik Wikstrom's Siegfried looked both more graceful and more athletic than it did later from a more grounded view (not to say that Wikstrom's performance throughout lacked either grace or athleticism). His Act I solo in particular was beautiful, with remarkably soft and fluent use of arms and cleanly sculpted jumps.

the ENB corps of Swans
Photograph © Daria Klimentova

Arriving in Act II, Kristin Long - a guest from San Francisco Ballet replacing Monica Perego - makes a subtle Odette/Odile - not stunning technically but very strong on the emotional centre of the ballet - she was a touchingly vulnerable Odette and a glacially smiling, glamorous Odile. But there was little chemistry between her and Wikstrom, as good as they both were individually - perhaps lack of rehearsal time is to blame. Full credit to them both, though, for heartfelt acting - it must be difficult to remember to 'act' as well as just perform in such a huge and impersonal arena, and I never felt cheated here.

Gary Avis, unidentifiable under a face mask , made a splendid Rothbart, sweeping so powerfully round the huge RAH space that it looked as if his mighty 'wings' might really lift him into the air without the aid of wires. His dramatic presence, though, added real ballast to the performance - every time he appeared there was a notable frisson in the audience.

My proper seat, when I finally got to it, was on the end of a row very close to the stage, but despite this I found it difficult to identify any of the non-principal dancers apart from the sparkling partnership of Simone Clarke and Yat-Sen Chang in the Neapolitan Dance. I'll just say that I loved the gutsy and committed way all the character dances were performed. The clicking heels of - is it the Czardas or the Mazurka? - always thrills me, and I loved Peter Farmer's designs for the national dancers' costumes - I noted on the back of my cast sheet that the 'Mazurka girls' gorgeous costumes could have been worn at Ascot. Big plumed hats etc.' (how I'd love a decent excuse to wear a big plumed hat!.)

My end-of-row seat brought a few unexpected thrills. Principals, soloists and corps dancers had to make their entrances and exits brushing past my left shoulder - Gary Avis' rustling wings literally blew my cast sheet out of my hands. I could see that Kristin Long remained impressively in character as the soulful Swan Queen every time she left her enchanted kingdom to rush up the steps and out into the everyday reality of the ice-cream sellers and well-worn carpets of the RAH's corridors. Quite a feat.