The last time I was in Aylesbury Odeon's big Screen 1 was for a live screening of the National Theatre's "Julie" when there were only a couple of dozen in the audience. How different for last night's "La Bayadere". It was packed and I was lucky to find a decent seat. No wonder, this was a brilliant performance.
I think we have only seen this ballet once before and that was when The Royal Ballet performed it at the London Coliseum in July 1998, The three starring roles were played by Viviana Durante (Nikiya), Irek Mukhamedov (Solor) and Deborah Bull (Gamzatti). This time Marianela Nunez was a poised and beautiful Nikiya, Vadim Muntagirov a strong, tall and athletic Solor and Natalia Osipova as a startling and powerfull Gamzatti. All three are exceptional dancers of world class. The first two in the top photo and Osipova below.
The second act is mainly the twenty four strong female corps de ballet in The Kingdom of Shades scene. Quite an exquisite performance. The Royal Ballet's website describes it as follows:
The Kingdom of the Shades scene in Act II is one of the ballet's highlights, in which a series of arabesques across the moonlit stage demonstrates the strength of the corps de ballet and the beauty of Marius Petipa's choreography.
So I have learned what is an arabesque: a posture in which one leg is extended backwards at right angles, the torso bent forwards, and the arms outstretched, one forwards and one backwards. In this ballet, the movement is repeated 39 times as the corps de ballet are introduced one by one, in line, down a ramp and onto the stage. I only know it was thirty nine thanks to Darcy Bussel and Petroc Trelawney who introduced the ballet and conducted interviews before it started and during the two intervals. There was also some great footage of backstage rehearsals. A memorable evening.
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