The Russian Stanislavski Ballet, which opened a four-day run at the Point last night, is a superb company. Every soloist was technically perfect and the corps de ballet had that wonderful unity without uniformity that only Russian-trained corps achieve.
Dmitri Zababurin's tall Prince Siegfried combined elegant grace and fine ballon with perfect partnering. As for his acting, I particularly liked his bemused entrance into the ballroom, clutching the feather left by his beloved Odette.
Tatiana Tchernobrovkina was outstanding as Odette/Odile, her birdlike movement in the former role, subtly hinted at between the pyrotechnics of the magician's daughter, Odile.
As the latter, dancing to different music from that to which we are accustomed (that having been included in Act 1), she has a dramatic leap ending in a fish dive into Siegrfried's arms and he catches her at the end of the famous 32 fouettes in a stunning multiple turn.
Choreographer Vladimir Burmeister introduces many nice touches to make the story clearer and more plausible than usual, including opening and closing moments showing Odette's transformation into and back from a swan (though the combination of movement and lighting was slightly out last night) and cut-out swans on the lake. Only in Act 1 did he fail by diffusing the plot with too many divertissements and irrelevant plot detail, though the petite Valeri Kozlov was an excellent jester.
V. Arafiev's costumes and settings were splendid, especially his Act 3 ballroom with its many chandeliers (though last night it took too long to set), and our own National Symphony Orchestra played Tchaikovsky's unforgetable score superbly under the baton of Georgy Zhemchuzhin.
A great evening.
Swan Lake will be repeated at 2.0 and 7.30 on 21st, with The Nutcracker at 7.30 tomorrow and on 20th.