The magnificent State Theatre was a stunning, very appropriate setting for this very chocolate-boxy work that demands very spectacular, lavish sets and costumes and magnificent dancing of the very difficult, showy traditional Petipa choreography (which actually sometimes was adapted rather hastily) . It is now considered one of the landmark test pieces of nineteenth century classical Russian ballet , along with the other Tchaikovsky /Petipa works SWAN LAKE and THE NUTCRACKER. This is a very traditional, extremely pretty –pretty version that will delight little girls and Aunt Ednas.
The principals were marvelous and generally the corps de ballet ensemble work was great. However – Tchaikovsky’s lush, glorious music was recorded, not live, and at times the quality was so bad it was almost painful. Also the sets were obviously for a much larger stage, and especially in the Prologue and Act 1 the dancers barely had room to move. I quite liked the staircase and other designs for Act 3, but otherwise was not impressed. Also the colours of the costumes at times clashed badly. Technically overall the dancing was very good, but in some of the minor parts the mime was overdone and the dancing rushed through.
Alexander Volkov as Carabosse obviously had a whale of a time badly hamming it up being imperious and commanding. Tall, and in striking black and white, he wasn’t scary at all , nor was his mouse entourage.
Her opposition the’ good ‘Lilac Fairy, was exquisitely, sweetly danced by Anna Pashkova , who has a fabulous Classical technique and radiates confidence and assurance when battling Carabosse. The Lilac Fairy has a huge entourage to help her.
Lina Seveliova was marvelous as Aurora .Dewily pretty , with huge eyes, she was an exquisite young princess .Technically she was excellent, terrific in the Act 1 ‘Rose Adagio’ and in Act 3 we saw her transformed to a radiant bride in love. The dashing suitors in Act 1 for the Rose Adagio were delightful, but why did she barely look at them?!
Our hero, Prince Desire (Nariman Bekzshanov) was amazing with stunning soft jumps and turns. A magnificent dancer, he is a terrific partner and his solos in the Grand Pas de Deux in Act 3 were thrilling. However the design of the billowing half-cloak he wears in Act 2 is very distracting and ‘cuts’ the ‘line’ of his dancing .
The fairies in Act 1 were lovely, but it was hard to distinguish between them as they were all in very similar costumes of the same pastel colour (except for the ‘Twittering ‘ Fairy in canary yellow). In Act 3, for the wedding celebrations the fairytale characters had much fun. Everyone loved Puss In Boots and the White Cat, and the Bluebird pas de deux was spectacularly performed by Kirill Radev and Radamaria Nazarenco-Duminica.
Aurora’s parents, the King and Queen, were, I am afraid , rather wooden puppet like, elegant nonentities. Fussy, foppish Catabalutte was very well played by Arcadie Nazarenco. Yes he is tormented and his hair torn by Carabosse but why the odd black skull –cap like hair piece?!
As one of my colleagues has remarked, this is quite a long work and there is a convoluted narrative with sudden twists (a romantic rescue and kiss followed by all the formality and rigmarole of a huge court wedding with various fairytale characters as guests). It can either be riveting and enthralling or dull and hard work which I am afraid this was in parts. But all the little girls and their grandmas who packed the theatre out loved it.
The production ran for 2 hours and 45 minutes including 2 intervals. SLEEPING BEAUTY played the State Theatre from the 30th August till 2nd September. The production is next playing Wollongong and Newcastle.
© Lynne Lancaster
3rd September, 2012
Tags: Sydney Stage Reviews- The Imperial Russian Ballet, State Theatre Sydney, Sydney Arts Guide, Lynne Lancaster