© Natasha Razina Kirov 'Raymonda' reviews 'Raymonda' reviews Kirov 'Ballet Imperial' reviews 'Ballet Imperial' reviews Loptakina in reviews Korsuntsev in reviews recent Kirov reviews more Kevin Ng reviews Discuss this review (Open for at least 6 months)

In "La Valse", which sees Balanchine in his neo-romantic style, Anastasia Kolegova danced beautifully as the lady in white. Sergei Popov made a confident debut as the lady’s lover. The soloists however were less strongly cast than before, and the ballet lost some allure in the first half. Islom Baimuradov was riveting as the uninvited death figure in the second half.

"Ballet Imperial" was sumptuously danced by the whole company. Evgenia Obraztsova was wholly ravishing as the second ballerina; her dancing was like a breath of fresh air. It was a joy to see her executing so effortlessly those unsupported pirouettes in both directions. Vladimir Shklyarov and Mazim Zyuzin were fine as her two cavaliers. Tatiana Tkachenko had a quiet dignity as the main ballerina, her dancing had ease and superb control. But I remember more expressiveness from Viktoria Tereshkina who danced the ballerina role before.

Andrian Fadeyev, the finest danseur noble in the Kirov at present, was even more magnificent than in 2004 when this ballet was premiered in St. Petersburg. Fadeyev's dancing was so pure and graceful. He was most poetic in the andante with the ten women who extend behind him like two wings. And Fadeyev also showed his dazzling virtuosity in his solo the final movement.

I have seen "Serenade", however, better danced before by the Kirov, especially with Natalia Sologub and Irina Golub. Yulia Kasenkova in this performance lacked the presently injured Golub's joyfulness as the Russian ballerina. Daria Pavlenko was effective as the Dark Angel, and Sergei Popov was imposing as her cavalier.

The highlight of the January performances in the Mariinsky Theatre was Uliana Lopatkina's Raymonda on 31 January. Konstantin Sergeyev's 1948 version of "Raymonda" with tasteful set and costume designs by Simon Virsaladze is strangely not performed very often in St. Petersburg. Sergeyev’s production narrates the story in a straightforward manner, and gives full value to the dancing. This production shows off the Kirov troupe at their very best, both in terms of classical and character dancing, and should be shown more on overseas tours.
 

Lopatkina has an etheral figure and a purity in temperament and classical technique ideal for this demanding ballerina role which reminds me of another great Raymonda in the past that I saw, the Bolshoi ballerina Ludmila Semenyaka. Lopatkina's formidable technique saw her sail through her various solos in the three acts with aplomb.

In Act 1 Loptakina was joyous in the first 'rose' solo, graceful in the white veil solo, and totally resplendent in the final solo. In the dream pas de deux Lopatkina danced ecstatically, her legs unfolding with inevitability. In Act 2 she sparkled in her allegro solo full of pirouettes. In Act 3 Lopatkina's dancing could however have more stately grandeur. (I remember Antoinette Sibley's radiance in this Act 3 in the Royal Ballet's Nureyev version in the early 1980s.) It didn't help that in this Sergeyev version Lopatkina did not clap her hands audibly in the beginning of her solo, and that her series of 'releves passe' was danced travelling backward instead of forward.

Danila Korsuntsev danced with much force and power as Jean de Brienne. Xenia Ostreikovskaya, who has a wonderfully vibrant upper back, phrased Henriette's solo smoothly. Ekaterina Osmolkina was bright and joyful as Clemance. The male pas de quatre in Act 3 could have been sharper though.

The national dances were sumptuously danced as usual. The Kirov are still incomparable and unrivalled in character dancing. Islom Baimuradov was most stylish in the Hungarian dance. The Mazurka was no less superbly danced. Polina Rassadina and Anton Lukovkin were hugely exciting in the exotic Saracen dance.