© Asya Verzhbinsky RB 'Mayerling' reviews 'Mayerling' reviews Galeazzi in reviews Yanowsky in reviews recent RB reviews more MichaelLL reviews

The pas de deux for Rudolf and the six ladies are among Macmillans greatest, and of these the first encounter with Vetsera which ends Act II is I think the best. I had thought Cojocaru might be too young for the role, but she proved me totally wrong, and showed that she really is an awesome talent. The erotic concentration and power she brought lifted the performance still higher,and stunned the audience. The flexibility of her spine is amazing. I guess Seymour must take some of the credit for this transformation.

Kobborg and Cojocaru in Mayerling
Photograph by Asya Verzhbinsky ©

Galeazzi was the youngest Larisch I have seen, and it took a little time to get used to her, but her acting was as ever vivid, and she conveyed real desperation by the final scenes. Rosato, treasurable artist, conveyed all the repressed emotion and frustration that is Elisabeth with great power. Nunez was a delicious Mitzi, so light and accurate. Keating looked incredibly young at Stephanie, but managed the fearsome acrobatics of the wedding night pas de deux with great aplomb. Morera conveyed just the right frisson of amazed arousal as Louise, using her eyes to great effect.

The other casting was from strength amd cameos were clear and told the story. Elisabeth Sikora sang most beautifully as Schratt, and song being a very effective moment of stillness in the maelstrom of emotion. I do sometimes feel that the Four Hungarian Officers outstay their welcome in Act I, and their repeated molestation of Rudolf could be misconstrued as the angry petulance of ex-boyfriends,if one hadn't read the programme. They were extremely well danced, with macho glee, by Putrov, Watson, Sasaki and Gartside.

On Friday, the cast were equally impressive but conveyed a different focus due to the different physiques of the dancers. Cope uses his size to advantage, and is tremendously anguished and dangerous, without being quite as poignant as Kobborg. Tamara Rojo is physically like Lynn Seymour, voluptuous and almost siren like as she bewitches Rudolf. She looked immensely relieved at the curtain call, maybe because as the last pas de deux is so risky, and they danced with glorious abandon. One wonders how they cope with the thought of suicide behind all the athletics.

Cojocaru in Mayerling
Photograph by Asya Verzhbinsky ©

Yanowsky was Elisabeth, cooler than Rosato and very beautiful, and amazingly managed to age convincingly in manner to be credible as Copes Mother. Tapper was a very bold, quite sluttish Larisch, more eyes used to great effect. Burn was on great form as a petulant but terrified Stephanie. I think her experience showed in the Act I finale - she was the Stephanie to Irek, so was utterly confident in the partnering.

Howells and Maloney were excellent as Bratfisch, but didn't quite manage efface memories of the wonderful Matthew Hart from the last revival.

Looking forward to the next cast..