Review: Giselle at Theatr Colwyn (Daily Post Review)

Posted by Sam in Portfolio, The Daily Post      No comments

May
15

VIENNA FESTIVAL BALLET AT THEATR COLWYN

Adolphe Adam’s romantic and tragic two-act ballet Giselle came to Theatr Colwyn on May 11, courtesy of the superb Vienna Festival Ballet, directed by Peter Mallek. The ballet tells the story of Giselle, a peasant girl who falls in love with the mysterious Count Albrecht, who is both betrothed to another and disguised as a peasant of her status. When he is found out, she is heartbroken and dies, but finds no peace beyond the grave either. It’s a story of love, betrayal, madness and ultimately forgiveness.

The performance last night (11 May) at Theatr Colwyn can be best described as intimate. The size of the venue meant that everyone in the audience was very close to the action, so  every lift, twirl and step was easily and clearly visible. Not that the audience were there to scrutinise, but this did make it very clear that ballet is very tough!

Despite the odd mishap here and there in the performance, it felt raw and emotional, and the dancers were clearly very much in character. The closeness of the performance and the performance of Giselle herself made for a very emotional show, and pulled at the heartstrings of the audience. Some believable acting coupled with some fantastic dancing gave the show a sense of electric urgency that was felt throughout, the wish for Giselle to rest at peace and not to suffer any more.

Overall, it was a wonderful show, hit by a couple of misfortunes that weren’t enough to detract from it at all. The size of the venue made the audience feel very close to it all, and it was very enjoyable.

The Vienna Festival Ballet’s next performance of Giselle is in Chester on May 14^th.

Read the original article here: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/leisure/theatre-reviews/2012/05/14/giselle-55578-30968007/

The Moscow City Ballet, The Nutcracker, Event Review (The Daily Post Review)

Posted by Sam in Portfolio, The Daily Post      No comments

Feb
4

Venue Cymru, Llandudno

Sunday [15th January] evening saw the first of two nights of performance from the internationally acclaimed Moscow City Ballet, with Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, directed by company founder Victor Smirnov-Golovanov and choreographed after the original of Marius Petipa. From the beginning, the presence of the live orchestra added incredible dynamics to the performance. From the first notes of the famous overture an excited hush overcame the audience as they began to anticipate a spectacular show, and they weren’t disappointed. Despite the fact the Moscow Ballet’s performance deviates in many ways from the original Nutcracker in some places, it was a joy to watch and mostly easy to follow throughout.

Some of the highlights of the performance were the tense conflict between the Nutcracker’s Gingerbread Men and the Mouse-King and his men, an exquisitely performed Dance of the Snowflakes ensemble when Clara awakens in the Land of Snow, as well as the National dances – most notably the Chinese dance that had some of the audience chuckling to themselves good-naturedly. Perhaps the most memorable moment, though, was the grande pas-de-deux, a breathtaking and daring concluding performance that left many wishing for more.

The corps de ballet supported the main dancers extremely well, maintaining a fluid, moving background, although at times it did indeed seem that there were rather a lot of people on the stage, which had the capacity to get slightly confusing. These instances were few and far between, however, and both large ensemble pieces were captivating. The changes to the original story were mostly forgotten as the Sugar Plum Fairy and the newly-crowned Clara danced their audience into a trance, and looked genuinely like they were thoroughly enjoying performing.

Overall, it was an extremely enjoyable, beautiful and fluidic performance, and despite the deviances in story, occasional over-crowdedness and what seemed to be a small and minor curtain malfunction at the very end, it was exquisitely choreographed and assembled, and performed with a serene dexterity that fused music and motion perfectly, making this seasonal classic also a timeless one.

Read the original article here: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/leisure/theatre-reviews/2012/01/16/the-moscow-city-ballet-the-nutcracker-55578-30132263/