It feels like London has waited an age for Le Corsaire to reach us. So on Friday I headed off to the Coliseum with a friend from London Amateur Ballet. Advertised as a swashbuckling pirate ballet it sounded like the ideal way to end a week at work.
Overall, I felt that it was a bit more pantomime Aladdin than swashbuckling pirate, but it was definitely an easy watch and fun evening. The score was light and fun and I could happily have it on my playlists and despite the nine people listed as creating the score it managed to avoid seeming disjointed. The sets were opulent and rich complementing plenty of sequins on the costumes.
This was only the second time I have seen the English National Ballet and I'm not familiar with many of the dancers. This cast included just one lead principal so it was an exciting opportunity to see the emerging dancers in the company. The jewel in this pirate's treasure chest was definitely Junior soloist Yonah Acosta in the title role of Conrad. He sparkled with crisp turns and leaps which seemed to hang in the air. Joan Sebastian Zamora also impressed with a powerful performance as Ali, Conrad's slave, a shame they killed him off at the end. Fernando Bufala brought a cheeky light to the role of Birbanto Conrad's friend and I could imagine him in the role of Mercutio (which turns out to be one of his favourite roles). Michael Coleman (Pasha) and his assistant (Anton Lukovin) made sure the audience laughed whenever they were on stage.
I wasn't sure about Le Jardin Anime in the final act, it felt shoehorned in, as an excuse for some tutus. When I read the synopsis later I discovered it was supposed be Pasha's dream but for me that was lost in the production. I was left a bit cold by the shipwreck at the end and from the staging I failed to realise that Conrad and Medora had survived as they looked very much on the sea bed, but this didn't detract from the whole performance.
After seeing the ENB's Nutcracker which I felt was lacking the magic of the Royal Ballet's production I was a little sceptical about Le Corsaire. However, despite sometimes lacking the precision and polish of the Royal Ballet's performances, Le Corsaire has persuaded me to see a bit more of the ENB in the future.
This is a jolly ballet which will make your evening sparkle in the depths of winter, and there are plenty of ticket offers and seemingly plenty of seats unsold so I suggest you find the best offer and get yourself down to the Coliseum.
Overall, I felt that it was a bit more pantomime Aladdin than swashbuckling pirate, but it was definitely an easy watch and fun evening. The score was light and fun and I could happily have it on my playlists and despite the nine people listed as creating the score it managed to avoid seeming disjointed. The sets were opulent and rich complementing plenty of sequins on the costumes.
This was only the second time I have seen the English National Ballet and I'm not familiar with many of the dancers. This cast included just one lead principal so it was an exciting opportunity to see the emerging dancers in the company. The jewel in this pirate's treasure chest was definitely Junior soloist Yonah Acosta in the title role of Conrad. He sparkled with crisp turns and leaps which seemed to hang in the air. Joan Sebastian Zamora also impressed with a powerful performance as Ali, Conrad's slave, a shame they killed him off at the end. Fernando Bufala brought a cheeky light to the role of Birbanto Conrad's friend and I could imagine him in the role of Mercutio (which turns out to be one of his favourite roles). Michael Coleman (Pasha) and his assistant (Anton Lukovin) made sure the audience laughed whenever they were on stage.
I wasn't sure about Le Jardin Anime in the final act, it felt shoehorned in, as an excuse for some tutus. When I read the synopsis later I discovered it was supposed be Pasha's dream but for me that was lost in the production. I was left a bit cold by the shipwreck at the end and from the staging I failed to realise that Conrad and Medora had survived as they looked very much on the sea bed, but this didn't detract from the whole performance.
After seeing the ENB's Nutcracker which I felt was lacking the magic of the Royal Ballet's production I was a little sceptical about Le Corsaire. However, despite sometimes lacking the precision and polish of the Royal Ballet's performances, Le Corsaire has persuaded me to see a bit more of the ENB in the future.
This is a jolly ballet which will make your evening sparkle in the depths of winter, and there are plenty of ticket offers and seemingly plenty of seats unsold so I suggest you find the best offer and get yourself down to the Coliseum.
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