I went to this ballet with anticipation but no real expectations. Sitting in the stalls, I was able to take in the beauty of the Coliseum as a theatre. I was excited at the prospect of seeing a company that is new to me, my first Russian ballet company.
I bought a programme but didn't read it until after the performance, so I based my understanding of the story on the Metro article from this morning. This was a ballet to watch from the stalls, or at least the front row of the lower circle, the faces are key. There wasn't a pointe shoe in sight and this was refreshing, allowing the dancers to move soundlessly. Sitting close to the stage you could see every tiny movement and their technique was amazing.
It was an emotional rollercoaster, tears welled up and I laughed. I loved the blend of ballet and something verging on musical theatre, bringing light and shadow to the piece. However, I missed live music, the Coliseum sound system sounded tinny, but I got my ear in eventually. The score blended seamlessly with the dancers into a great artistic piece.
I was disconcerted at first by scenes from a mad house and I took a while to unpick Rose from Camille, reading the programme first would probably have helped on this point. I loved the moments when dancers became marble, sculpted into sometimes unbelievable shapes their discipline was incredible. I felt that by act two the process of creating a sculpture was lost and the poster piece, the Gates of Hell was skated over and lost. That said my colleague felt it was a natural evolution of the piece.
I was impressed by the simplicity of the sets and the way the corp blended in and out of the backdrop. The mental institute scene at the end dropped like a bombshell, much as I guess Camille may have felt, a surreal experience in the realism of a studio.
I felt the ending was abrupt I wanted more... But I'll be back to see the Eifman Ballet, their technique was incredible. I've read the programme, I caught the key points without it. I say beg, borrow or steal ticket but be sure you can see their faces.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I bought a programme but didn't read it until after the performance, so I based my understanding of the story on the Metro article from this morning. This was a ballet to watch from the stalls, or at least the front row of the lower circle, the faces are key. There wasn't a pointe shoe in sight and this was refreshing, allowing the dancers to move soundlessly. Sitting close to the stage you could see every tiny movement and their technique was amazing.
It was an emotional rollercoaster, tears welled up and I laughed. I loved the blend of ballet and something verging on musical theatre, bringing light and shadow to the piece. However, I missed live music, the Coliseum sound system sounded tinny, but I got my ear in eventually. The score blended seamlessly with the dancers into a great artistic piece.
I was disconcerted at first by scenes from a mad house and I took a while to unpick Rose from Camille, reading the programme first would probably have helped on this point. I loved the moments when dancers became marble, sculpted into sometimes unbelievable shapes their discipline was incredible. I felt that by act two the process of creating a sculpture was lost and the poster piece, the Gates of Hell was skated over and lost. That said my colleague felt it was a natural evolution of the piece.
I was impressed by the simplicity of the sets and the way the corp blended in and out of the backdrop. The mental institute scene at the end dropped like a bombshell, much as I guess Camille may have felt, a surreal experience in the realism of a studio.
I felt the ending was abrupt I wanted more... But I'll be back to see the Eifman Ballet, their technique was incredible. I've read the programme, I caught the key points without it. I say beg, borrow or steal ticket but be sure you can see their faces.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
