August 2009
Mariinsky Ballet in Romeo & Juliet at Royal Opera House
‘Romeo and Juliet, which opened this season last Monday, is stuck in time past, with production and dramatic approaches that look desperately old-fashioned.’
Mariinsky Ballet in Romeo & Juliet at Royal Opera House
‘On Wednesday, I saw the vibrant Viktoria Tereshkina, whose dancing was technically brilliant, sensitive and expressive. I could happily have spent an evening watching the exquisite lines of her hands alone. The music seemed to flow through her so that she became n…
Mariinsky Ballet in Swan Lake at Royal Opera House
‘… a glittering showcase for the St Petersburg company’s elegance and classical refinement’
Mariinsky Ballet in Swan Lake at Royal Opera House
‘… it is Lopatkina who makes this Swan Lake a marvel; without her it is surprisingly workaday.’
Mariinsky Ballet in Swan Lake at Royal Opera House
‘The Mariinsky Ballet’s Uliana Lopatkina is unique in her ability to make Odette, the enchanted heroine of Swan Lake, appear captive in a magical world.’
Mariinsky Ballet in Swan Lake at Royal Opera House
8 August performance Before turning to more crucial matters, let me catalogue a few of the more obvious irritations in Konstantin Sergeyev’s 1950 production of the world’s most famous ballet. Firstly… Continue Reading
Swan Lake Mariinsky style
Evgeny Ivanchenko and Viktoria Tereshkina, two of the principal dancers appearing in London this week talk about dancing in the ballet classic. Read more in the” Guardian, 7 Aug 09”:http://www.guardi… Continue Reading
Vamping it up
Michelle Williams and Leigh Zimmerman talk about playing the femme fatale leads in Chicago on the London stage. Read more in the Guardian, 31 Jul 09 Continue Reading
Classical Indian Dance in Croydon
Traditional bharatanatyam is a hit with 10 year old South Londoners. Teacher Pushkala Gopal trusts in rote learning. “Repeat:t something 200 times and you know it completely – and in performance you … Continue Reading
Matthew Bourne shock secret
The top choreographer once went through the dustbin outside David Bowie’s house. Find out more in his Guardian Q&A, 25 Jul 09 Continue Reading
Preserving modern dance
After the recent deaths of great & influential choreographers Merce Cunningham and Pina Bausch, Judith Mackrell looks at how their work might live on. Read more in the “Guardian, 6 Aug 09”: Continue Reading
Chun Li - The Legend of Kung Fu at London Coliseum
‘In terms of its aesthetic, Chun Yi owes more to the bloated productions of Cirque du Soleil than to the zen discipline of the Shaolin temple.’
Chun Li - The Legend of Kung Fu at London Coliseum
‘In the broadest sense, the Chinese words kung fu embrace great achievement in any field, not just the martial arts. Subtitled The Legend of Kung Fu, the new show Chun Yi is a diverting, large-scale popular entertainment rather than any great achievement on its …
Chun Li - The Legend of Kung Fu at London Coliseum
‘Chun Yi is full of performers doing incredible things, but the show keeps selling them short. In trying to make the narrative universal, the performance has simply become too cheesy.’
Mariinsky Ballet in Romeo & Juliet at Royal Opera House
‘The rising star Alina Somova was given the honour of opening the Mariinsky Ballet’s London season. She is one of those extreme movers who can twist her body into any shape. What she is not, however, is one of nature’s Juliets.’