Russian ballerina, Irina Kolesnikova, lights up a ballet and enraptures the audience at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées.

Konstantin Sergeev’s choreographic edition of “Swan Lake” looks very similar to the “magic fairy tale” choreographic version of Marius Petipa. With its saccharine happy end, this bleak and tragic ballet is unfortunately deprived of the fantastical scope it can attain. Everything in it contributes to the creation of a fairy tale atmosphere reminiscent of Walt Disney. For example, the Jester’s presence in the first scene which enlivens the slightly extended first act before the appearance of Rothbart and Odile; the twinkling of the swans filing upstage, and Simon Pastukh’s set design. The forest, seemingly enchanted by a full moon, which bathes the royal castle in a blue light, creates a forceful effect, as do the costumes.

Dmitry Akulinin in his marvellous rendition of Rothbart creates dramatic tension as soon as he appears. He contrasts with the carefree Prince Siegfried who is played with elegance and nobility by Evgeniy Ivanchenko. Both of their splits in the jumps were well done and the Prince’s jumps brought applause from the audience.

However, the pearl of the performance is of course Irina Kolesnikova who captivates everyone’s hearts. The Prima Ballerina elevates the ballet with her superb technique. The elegance of her movements, the perfection of the wave-like shapes she creates, the splits she makes in her jumps and her divine lightness excited awe in the auditorium. She irradiates tenderness in the role of Odette and cunning as Odile. Everything seems so natural: her precise, endless turns, her body as it gracefully fades away into an extended sigh, her hardly perceptible trembling. Images are held in the memory; for example, as she unwillingly moves away from the Prince when summoned by Rothbart or her helpless, lifeless body in Siegfried’s arms. The audience is left to appreciate the quivering swans as they step modestly away so that we can admire her. You can almost hear the fluttering of their wings. Always looked forward to by the audience was the small swans pas de quatre which was very enjoyable,