Kirov 'Four Temperaments' reviews Kirov 'Prodigal Son' reviews Kirov 'La Valse' reviews Kirov 'Ballet Imperial' reviews Merkuriev in reviews Korsakov in reviews recent Kirov reviews more Ann Williams reviews Discuss this review (Open for at least 6 months)

‘The Four Temperaments’ I think is a masterpiece, faultless in its choreography, in its response to the Hindemith score and in the emotional clarity of its representation of each of the four temperaments -. The patterns of this great work are almost mathematically perfect , which may be why it is so deeply satisfying on so many different levels - It’s unfair to single out anyone, but I’ve got to say that Andrei Merkuriev as Flegmatic and Anton Korsakov as Melancholic stood out. In fact Balanchine’s choreography for the men in this ballet is remarkable. Every male solo was a gem, and perhaps only the Kirov men have the pliant backs to deal with the deep backbends Balanchine demands of them here.

Merkuriev also stood out as the Prodigal in ‘Prodigal Son’. His dancing seemed clean and effortless and – such was his acting - he’s the first dancer in this role who really brought home to me the fact that the Prodigal was at heart just a rebellious, resentful teenager (‘stroppy’ is the word that comes to mind, but only-British readers would understand it!). Yekaterina Kondaurova was a satisfyingly haughty ‘Diva’ and Maxim Khrebtov and Dmitry Pykachov were outstanding as the pair of feuding friends (what fun that ‘fight’ is!)

It may be sacrilege to ‘diss’ any of Balanchine’s works, but if I’d had to drop one ballet from this very long programme, it would certainly have been ‘La Valse’. I find it puzzling, and not as satisfying as Ashton’s version to the Ravel score. The ballroom scene is beautifully evoked and the dancing patterns are as good as anything you’d expect from Balanchine, but the ‘drama’ seems too abruptly introduced to be convincing .Lopatkina was exquisite as the doomed heroine, but it was difficult to avoid the thought that she was wasted in the role.

By the way, ‘La Valse’ seems to me to have echoes of Balanchine’s earlier ‘La Sonnambula’, but that was a more fleshed-out and much more satisfying work ( I wish one of our British companies would acquire it)

The final work on offer, Ballet Imperial, was breathtaking, and breathtakingly danced by Igor Kolb and and Viktoria Tereshkina, the latter dancing with such clarity and authority that she seemed to be creating acres of hushed space around her as she moved across the crowded stage. I find it difficult to imagine anyone doing it better. Once again the Kirov corps came into to its magnificent own, and fully deserved the standing ovation it got

It’s hard to believe that the Kirov have been dancing Balanchine for only a decade or so, and thrilling to contemplate the fact that they still have an unopened treasure chest of his works before them.