Artiklar från 2008 – till idag
Romeo and Juliet with English National Ballet. Photographer Annabel Moeller 2010
Barely pausing to pack the Christmas decorations away, the English National Ballet launched into a season of Nureyev’s Romeo and Juliet, the version he wrote for the company (then called London Festival Ballet) in 1977. The combination of exciting casting and exquisite costumes set against a sunny Italian backdrop helped to lighten the January gloom.
In the title roles Begoña Cao was partnered by Junor Souza making his debut in the role. Cao’s large liquid eyes and fragile beauty made her an ideal Juliet while her strong technique made light work of Nureyev’s challenging choreography. Souza, a dancer of transparent emotions with the elegance of a danseur noble was a most promising Romeo although not yet fully at ease with the steps.
ENB. Romeo danced by Vadim Muntagirov and Juliet by Daria Klimentova. Photographer Annabel Moeller.
The final evening saw Anaïs Chalendard making her debut as Juliet, dancing with Max Westwell, one of the company’s nominated ‘Emerging Dancers’. It was one of those earth-shifting performances. Chalendard gave herself so fully to each moment, her movements expanding to fill each musical phrase, that her dance seemed as natural as breathing. Westwell, an unassuming dancer with a warmth that crossed the footlights, proved a generous partner and skilful dancer.
Yat-Sen Chang danced a nonpareil Mercutio while Ksenia Ovsyanick brought charm and a beautiful pair of feet to the often diminished role of Rosalind. For the rest Nureyev’s ballet tells the story in vivid dramatic scenes, the chaotic street brawl inevitably slides into lethal swordplay, the death scenes are powerful, the love scenes passionate. It is firmly built on the classical vocabulary and if occasionally it seems overfilled with steps, the drama always wins the day.
Flawless. Photo Flawless Entertainment
TV-talents conquers the audiences
The plethora of TV talent shows will hopefully reach saturation point soon but one really positive spin-off has been the ten man street dance group Flawless (finalists in Britain’s Got Talent 2009) who have taken their show on the road under the banner of ‘Chase the Dream and not the Competition’.
Marlon Wallen shows an intrinsic choreographic talent in the way he shapes a whole plethora of up-to-date concepts. Like a pop video, the fashion is cool, the lighting electrifying and each moment has street cred. The spirit of the great Michael Jackson hovers throughout; in choreographic hints and the ubiquitous white gloves.
These dancers, all self taught, show amazing invention: egging each other on to do more and better. Their bodies are well toned and their fluid movement quality would be the envy of many a trained dancer. Their communication is immediate; in a packed London Festival Hall the men had the audience, predominantly though not exclusively, young and black, eating out of their hands.
Roberta Marquez and Sergei Polunin in Giselle. Photographer Tristram Kenton/ROH
Quality and virtuosity in Giselle
The new season of Giselle at the Royal Opera House included the much anticipated debut of Sergei Polunin as Albrecht. He has had a metrical rise since joining the company in 2007 and at 20 years-old is the youngest principal. His Giselle was Brazilian Roberta Marquez, tiny and pale with the charm of a bygone age, even her mad scene had a fatalistic, preordained quality. Her technique is exquisite: tremulous feet seeming to kiss on the bourrées while her line is pure and lovely.
They were a well matched couple, Polunin has a natural elegance and nobility that set him apart from the dancing peasants making his interloper status difficult to disguise. In the years ahead he will be able to build a stronger interpretation of this complex character but his technical execution is already superlative. The lovers were in their element in the second act, where solos and duets reached the heights, both emotionally and technically essential in this otherworldly mix.
Polunin as the Prince in The Sleeoing Beauty. Photographer Johan Persson/ROH
Itziar Mendizabal as the Queen of the Wilis reigned supreme in this world, her sepulchral looks fitted perfectly; secure on the adage she unfortunately lacked the strength to take to the air in the grand allegro. In this eloquent production by Peter Wright, the pas de six replaces the peasant pas de deux. Notable in a strong cast were Emma Maguire and Valentino Zucchetti, head and shoulders above the rest.
Maggie Foyer
9 January 2011
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