Swan Lake: Bristol Hippodrome

Thursday 4th February 2010

This is a Crackerjack review of Swan Lake. Do you agree? Rate and review this event.

Crackerjack rating: 7 / 10.

If I were to pick any performer to accurately portray the elegance of a swan then it would have to be the ballerina. At last night's production of Swan Lake the grace of dancers of the Russian State Ballet of Siberia did not disappoint.

The fluttering feathered costumes along with their beautifully choreographed steps and gestures perfectly captured the creatures, taking the audience on an emotional ride through the magic of the hauntingly tragic tale.

Sandwiched between performances of Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, Swan Lake completes a line up of some of the world’s best known ballets on at the Hippodrome this week.

Against Tchaikovsky’s score it tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The ballet, originally presented as The Lake of the Swans, received its premiere in 1877 and while the stage production remains true to the original, artistic director Sergei Bobrov has added a delicate slice of originality ensuring it remains fresh.

As often the case with touring companies the sets are simple but effective and our eyes are left to feast on the incredible feats of movement.We are whisked from the opulent court to the enchanted lake with music as precise as each ballet step. The swans' sudden appearance in Act II is breathtaking. Under the direction of Alexander Kosinsky the sounds of the orchestra take the audience to extreme depths of emotion. 

Anna Aulle shines in her portrayal of the fragile Odette while contrastingly brings a darkness to the malicious Odile. Clever use of light enables us to distinguish between the good and the bad, the real Odette and her evil nemisis.

Kirill Litvineko as Von Rothbart, presents a believable character with his cleverly pitched villany echoed against the goodness of Prince Siegfried whose dancing he poetically mirrors at the ball.

Light relief from the drama is brought through the national dances during the scenes at the palace. Anastasia Kazantseva is a playful Hungarian, and the Spanish bride, Elena Zubrilina is suitably fiery.

While the story telling became a little stilted, with applause after every individual dance at the palace, a passionate ending brings the tension to a sudden tragic finale leaving many of the audience asking for more.

Liz Webster

This is a Crackerjack review of Swan Lake. Do you agree? Rate and review this event.