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Mind you “off” when referring to Alina Cojocuru’s Princess Aurora in the company’s stunning new production of Sleeping Beauty, simply means one notch less on the jaw dropping scale. Thursday evening’s first major stumble was Cojocaru’s partner, Johann Kobborg leaving the stage injured only moments after his first appearance in Act II. Young Federico Bonelli replaced him almost in mid solo, and tall, dark and handsome he is, too. Only his trembling hands revealed the nervous tension of stepping in cold to partner a budding world class talent like Cojocaru in front of 2,300 pairs of expectant eyes. The couple’s obvious eagerness to get it right charmed even the severest critic and at the final curtain they quite rightly brought the house down. Designer Luisa Spinatelli highlights with spacious lofty halls washed in mushroom and sepia the fairy tale of a young girl’s sexual awakening, how men always act on impulse and the startling possibilities of a well timed kiss. Watteauesque woodlands and panniered skirts give a cool dignity to the deep harmony which is the heart of this most classical of ballets. The stage itself seems like acres of space where each dancer is the focus of attention and every step has the clarity of Tchaikovsky’s musical notes.
 

No-one is more pinpointed by the production than Cojocaru’s Aurora. Naturally tiny, she appears like a text book diagram illustrating the dramatic power of perspective on her first appearance conquering more and more territory as she dances towards us. On the other hand, Lauren Cuthbertson’s force for good, the Lilac Fairy, is a slow motion automaton packing as much punch as Madame Tussaude. Her victory over Zenaida Yanowsky’s evil Carabosse, delightfully spewing malice and mice all over the place, seems as baffling to her as to the rest of us.

Natasha Oughtred is a sexy White Cat and Ivan Putrov a bold and virile Bluebird. But Cojocaru is hypnotic. She may not be the world’s greatest actress but she bears the mark of something rarer - a true ballerina. It is there in the utter stillness and simplicity of her line, her steely technique and the shocking speed of her turns. But most telling of all, you simply cannot take your eyes off her.