Bolshoi Ballet's Lost Illusions

Hmmm .The dancing was fabulous but I was a bit disappointed Here's what I said for Sydney Arts Guide http://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/bolshoi-ballet-lost-illusions/As to be expected from the Bolshoi Ballet this full length narrative ballet , rechoreographed by Alexi Ratmansky in 2011, features superb, dazzling dancing, delightful music and opulent sets and costumes. However, I was left feeling emotionally detached and disappointed. Loosely based on Honoré Balzac’s 1843 novel of the same name, the ballet was premiered in 1936, and performed by the Marinsky at the Kirov. However, its aura of decadence, deceit and corruption (including the patrons who supported ballerinas financially in return for “favors”) caused the Soviet government to immediately remove it from the repertoire. In this revival, to a commissioned score by Ratmansky’s favored composer, Leonid Dsyatnikov, the story is basically the same as the original Vladimir Dmitriev libretto. Lucien (Vladislav Lantratov), a young composer, falls in love with a Paris Opéra ballerina, Coralie (Diana Vishneva), who becomes his and inspiration and muse for a very successful ballet ,’ La Sylphide ‘. However, lured by fame and money, Lucien abandons Coralie for her calculating rival, Florine (Ekaterina Shipulina), who ultimately makes a fool of him, thus shattering his “illusions” and leaving him alone and heartbroken. The rehearsal studio scenes as imagined are almost straight out of Degas and the main characters are loosely based upon two famous rivals of the 19th century ballet world, the ethereal Marie Taglioni (Coralie) and the earthy Fanny Elssler (Florine). Ratmansky makes subtle nifty choreographic references for those in the know — emphasizing, for example, the quick , fleet footwork Ellsler was famous for, and the lightness that was Taglioni’s forte — but without making the work seem dusty and old fashioned . The first act “ballet within the ballet” (“La Sylphide”) is period perfect, even including an airborne ballerina flying on wires as was exemplified in that era. Ratmansky really goes all out however in the final act ‘parody’ of the pirate ballet , in which his comic and one could almost say over-the-top steps allow Florine to mock Lucien’s music, including brazen shoulder- and leg-baring and a series of fouettés performed on a table top.( Hints of Bejart’s ‘ Bolero’ perhaps). But the fluid, rapid succession of scene changes , with the curtain billowing and people anxiously running on and off gave the audience no real chance to get to know Coralie, Florine or Lucien, and consequently the audience has little empathy them. Technically the dancing was glorious (particularly that of Vladislav Lantratov as Lucien. There was fine ,vibrant ensemble work by the tremendous corps de ballet . Ratmansky’s choreography was at times fiendishly difficult and featured some unusual lifts in the pas de deux. Our leading man, gifted young composer Lucien, was brilliantly danced by handsome Vladislav Lantratov.This production shows off his superb, clean technique , terrific jumps and tours and his tremendous partnering . He is , as one of my colleagues has put it ‘ a whirlwind unto himself throughout ‘ feverishly trying to express the dilemma that eventually tears him apart . Diana Vishneva ( Coralie ) channels her inner Olga Spessiva with hints of Giselle and Ashton’s Marguerite. The epitome of a ‘Romantic’ ballerina, she has an exquisite, fluid line , lyrical arms and was glorious in the pas de deux . Florine ( Ekaterina Shipulina) was more outgoing and wordly than Coralie .She was brassy and coquettish and had great fun leading Lucien on . She scintilated particularly in the ‘pirate’ ‘ballet within a ballet’ in Act 3 . Overall, while spectacularly danced , the result is somewhat over cluttered and does not really do justice to the ‘Human Comedy’ of a story trying to balance social realism and lyricism . Next in the season of screenings is “Marco Spada,” an 1857 “pirate ballet” recreated by French choreographer Pierre Lacotte for Rudolph Nureyev in 1982, and revived in 2013 at the Bolshoi. Running time 2 hrs 45 (approx) including one interval. The Bolshoi Ballet in Lost Illusions was screening at selected cinemas 29th & 30th March 2014. For more about The Bolshoi Ballet in Lost Illusions, visit http://www.sharmillfilms.com.au