Mariinsky's Swan Lake
If you know about ballet, you'll know that the Russian ballet companies have their own way of doing things. They're precise, energetic, their performers seem to range in age more than other companies, and they're often a bit old fashioned with their costumes. If you consider slightly old school costumes a draw back, then it's one that's hugely outweighed by the exacting
va-va-voom of their performances.
And of all the Russian ballet companies the
Mariinsky is one of the oldest, so they wear the traits of Russian ballet more profoundly than the other famous Ballet Russes. If you know about ballet and you're wondering why you haven't heard of them before it's because for many years they've been better known as the
Kirov.
The name change in a reversion to the original, which refers to their first patron Tsar Marie, and was changed under Soviet rule.
The Mariinsky/ Kirov first visited London fifty years ago. It was the first time they'd appeared in the west and they appeared at the
Royal Opera House, so coming back this summer is a pretty special occasion for them, and for us, to celebrate their rich dance history.
They're only here for a bit more than three weeks, but during that time they're performing four different ballets and two triple bills:
Swan Lake - 25th July - 8th August
Homage to Fokine Triple Bill: Chopiniana/ Scheherazade/ The Firebird - 29th July - 1st August
Don Quixote - 2nd & 3rd August
Balanchine/ Robbins Triple Bill: Scotch Symphony/ In the Night/ Ballet Imperial - 4th & 5th August
Anna Karenina - 9th & 10th August
La Bayadère - 11th - 13th August
The difficulty is knowing what to attend: it's a pretty exciting list of ballets. But even more exciting once you learn that
Swan Lake and
Don Quixote were originally choreographed for this company by Marius Petipa - so as far as degrees of separation goes, this is as close to the original versions as you can get. This ballet version of Anna Karenina, a very Russian tale, has never been seen before in London. And no one can do the corps de ballet work in
La Bayadère like the Russian companies.
If you've never seen a ballet before then
THIS is the way it's supposed to be done. And if you know about ballet then you'll know you're in for a very classical treat.
