Swan Lake by the Moscow City Ballet

Published by: Carolin Kopplin on 23rd Jan 2011 | View all blogs by Carolin Kopplin

Swan Lake is one of the most well known and popular ballets and maybe this fact does not always work to its advantage.

The first act seems incredibly slow because the parade of eligible girls is endless and is obviously meant to showcase each dancer's unique abilities. This might be fascinating for some members of the audience but it does not drive the story at all. Only when Von Rothbart appears does the pace quicken somewhat. Nurlan Kinerbaev is very charismatic as the evil wizard and grabbed my attention every time he appeared on the stage. Liliya Orekhova is brilliant in her double-role as Odette and Odile, her movements very birdlike when she dances the white swan and her technique flawless. Another highlight is Valeriy Kravtsov as the Jester. He manages the most incredible acrobatic feats as he flies through the air with a smile on his face.

The relatively small stage of the Richmond Theatre was a challenge for the dancers but as a touring company they are probably used to adapting to cramped spaces and other difficult conditions.

The Moscow City Ballet will next perform Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty at the Lighthouse (Poole Arts Centre) in Poole from 8^th to 12^th February.