Pavlenko in reviews Gumerova in reviews recent Kirov reviews more No7 reviews

The programme featured extracts from operas and ballets. The highlights for me were the Shades from La Bayadere, Black Swan pdd, the Polovtsian Act from Borodin's Prince Igor, and Toledo Song from the opera Carmen.

Last year, the Mariinsky held the gala concert at the Palace Square to launch the 300th anniversary year. More than a ten thousand people had been expected to attend, but only a hundred showed up.

This year things are not the same. About 500 stalls were provided for those who got tickets. Luckily, I was one of them. The area was guarded by Russian policemen and beyond it thousands of art lovers gathering around.

The Mariinsky waited until the sun set behind the Hermitage and the golden glow cast over the historic Palace Square. Then the music began.

It would be hard to imagine a more sublime dance from the Kirov corps than the Shades from La Bayadere. So beautiful as 32 corps de ballet stepped in at a flowing gait. This looked even more like a miracle when Daria Pavlenko, as Nikiya, whirled into her solos. Simply divine.

Perhaps the best performance of all was the Black Swan pas de deux with Sofia Gumerova and Danila Korsuntsev. Gumerova was truly stunning, displaying an amazing technique. She executed 32 turns with ease and Bravo! burst out for the first time from a rather quiet audience.

The Tchaikovsky/Balanchine's Serenade, though showing graceful motion and costumes, may not be the St.Petersburgers' favourite ballet. Some audience left, but the orchestra, under the baton of Valery Gergiev, still went on.

The finale of the programme was a barnstorming Polovtsian Dance. A series of dances by warriors, Persian slave girls, and Polovtsian maidens followed one another in pounding rhythms. The cast may not be the cream of the crop. But all of them were just wonderful.