The Russian State Ballet and Orchestra of Siberia return to Oxford’s New Theatre for a short season 16th to 18th January. Formed in 1981, The Russian State Ballet of Siberia has quickly established itself as one of Russia’s leading ballet companies and has built an international reputation for delivering performances of outstanding quality and unusual depth. The soloists and corps de ballet are superb and never fail to delight audiences with their breathtaking physical ability and dazzling costumes.
“The dancing was sharp, precise and light of foot throughout…” Oxford Times January 2010
Monday 16th, Tuesday 17th January 7.30pm: Giselle
The most poignant of all classical ballets combines powerful emotions and visual splendour in a chilling and heart-rending tale of love, treachery and forgiveness from beyond the grave. The story of Giselle and her aristocratic but duplicitous lover Albrecht is set to a glorious score and brought to life by the magnificent costumes and virtuoso performances of the Russian State Ballet of Siberia.
Wednesday 18th January 2.30pm and 7.30pm: The Sleeping Beauty
Every child’s favourite fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty is the classic story of love and magic set to Tchaikovsky’s sublime score featuring stunning choreography, sumptuous costumes and wonderful sets.
http://www.atgtickets.com/venue/New-Theatre-Oxford/245/
January 18, 2012 at 2:33 pm
I’m delighted to see ballet again at the New Theatre. Last night’s performance of Giselle was enjoyable for the audience and well acted. This production uses mime generously, particularly in Act One, and tells the story clearly despite some illogicalities in the action (for example neither Giselle or her mother notices the gift that Hilarion leaves outside their door). Bathilde’s was a strong performance – patronising, hierarchical, and shrinking slightly from Giselle’s touch – but the nobles from the castle simply ignored the peasant tragedy that they had precipitated, rather than being embarrassed by and retreating from it.
Giselle herself was danced with delicately with easy ballon and softly landed jumps (her shoes were much the quietest in Act Two), and we saw a strong, remote and cruel Myrtha, with rock solid adage. Albrecht was elegant but looked uncomfortable in the jumps in Act One, where there seemed to some difficulties with the musical tempi. Act Two hung together better orchestrally, and there were some good individual players.
Indeed the second act felt all together more secure, partly thanks to the corps de ballet who danced well, although with a more upright style than in the ENB Giselle that I last saw. Some things are a matter for personal taste, such as Albrecht’s mop of blonde hair or Giselle’s (to my eyes) slightly cartoonish tombstone, but although this performance had some really lovely moments, it was not the most stylistically satisfactory production that I have seen.
January 19, 2012 at 7:08 pm
Russian State Ballet of Siberia – The Sleeping Beauty – New Theatre Oxford, Wednesday 18th January 7.30pm
My curiosity about this company had been piqued by reading Ismene Brown’s scathing review of their Swan Lake when it was performed at the New Theatre in January 2011, contrasting it unfavourably with the Royal Ballet’s Giselle, and bemoaning the poor quality of ballet provided by such visiting companies to audiences outside London. I had myself been irritated by advance publicity for this year’s performances of Giselle and The Sleeping Beauty which used images clearly of Swan Lake – this cavalier attitude to accuracy did not suggest a scrupulous approach or respect for the audience. But was Ismene Brown, privileged with regular access to the national company in its prestigious London home, just being a cultural snob? Countless messages on the TicketMaster website suggest that most people love what they see of the Siberian dancers at venues round the country, and that the company’s performances are slaking a thirst for ballet’s fairy-tale escapism. I went wanting to be won over.
However when the curtain rose on four impassive girls dressed as page boys, and a camp Catalabutte with blue eye shadow and ludicrous top-knot, my heart began to sink. Design clearly inspired by 17th Century France led to some heinous wigs (especially for the men) and garishly colourful costumes which often combined the flimsy with the unwieldy. Cuts in the music not only consisted of whole numbers missing but included sacrilegious excisions in some of the most famous sections of Tchaikovsky’s noble score, even including the Rose Adage and male Bluebird solo. The hunt scene was almost entirely removed, making me realise quite how useful it is in establishing the passage of time and introducing the yearning prince. This was the shortest Sleeping Beauty I had ever experienced with curtain down by 9.45pm.
A condensed production is understandable for a busy touring company, and would have been acceptable had the cuts been sensitive, and had the dancing sung out, but none of the soloists impressed. The delicately pretty Aurora was unable to execute the balances of the Rose Adage on her bambi legs; her prince looked dutifully technical and anxious, and there was little chemistry in the final act pas de deux, which left out the thrilling fish dives, and in which they rarely looked into each other’s eyes, simpering instead at the audience. The Lilac Fairy danced with more authority, and Princess Florine more security on point but little charm and excitement. Throughout I missed the challenges of precise articulation of classical vocabulary and elegant style that should be such an integral part of this great ballet; and this production’s additional choreography was undistinguished. But most disappointing was that the ensemble for the most part seemed to dance with little enthusiasm and energy, or dramatic involvement in the action, and without the swagger that might have carried off the colourful fancifulness of court costumes and set. The Queen seemed completely unconcerned by her teenage daughter’s premature collapse, and there were some stony faces, and one young man who seemed to be inappropriately sniggering at a private joke. Catalabutte may have been irritating in his foppery and unnecessary interventions (I cringe to think what the average teenage boy would think of ballet after seeing this) but by the end I felt a certain affection because his interpretation seemed more heartfelt than most.
The company have a punishing tour schedule through from December till March, criss-crossing the country with double shows and two and three night stands, constantly changing repertoire. I cannot see how promoters think performance standards and morale can be maintained over such a period apparently without rest days or time for rehearsal and regular class. Dancers and scenery are already looking crumpled and weary, and knowing how exhausting touring can be I wonder what they will be like by the final performances. Here in Oxford full ballet performances with live orchestra are rare and to be welcomed, but the audience deserves to see productions of such classics given with more dignity, passion and meticulous respect.