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Maya Plisetskaya GalaLondon, Covent Garden by Ian Palmer |
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As posted on our Postings pages... By a peculiar and inexplicable balletic quirk of fate, it was possible, on consecutive Sundays, to celebrate the artistry of two of the Twentieth Century's astounding Prima Ballerinas. Thus was I in Rome last Sunday to witness Carla Fracci in her 70th year performing an equally peculiar and inexplicable Amleto, Principe del Sogno, the least said about which the better, though the genius of Fracci withstood the torments of the so-called choreography. Then, exactly a week later to the very hour, was I in the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, celebrating the 80th birthday of Maya Plisetskaya and watching her dance the work which which Maurice Bejart has just created for her, Ave Maya, which makes extraordinary use of Plisetskaya's awe inspiring command of the stage. What an extraordinary life is that of a ballet.coer!
The Old People's Homes of Russia must have been curiously empty last night because Farukh Ruzimatov had also been granted day release to perform from his old bag of tricks. I suppose there was little doubt that he would perform an extract from Sheherazade in his usual camp way, nor that there would be about as much sexual electricity between him and his Zobeide, Ilze Liepa, than that between Jack and Vera Duckworth, but the surpise is that he is still going strong and still absolutely oblivious to the ridiculousness of the piece. Oh well you cannot teach an old dog new tricks.
 © Ensemble Productions
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