During its 15th anniversary Konstantin Tachkin’s Saint Petersburg Ballet Theatre (SPBT) will pay two visits to Paris. This is the only ballet theatre in Russia which exists without government subsidies and works within a completely self financing set-up. The company consists of 64 artists most of whom are graduates of the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet. The theatre’s repertoire includes the great masterpieces of classical ballet: Adam’s Giselle, Minkus’s Don Quixote and La Bayadère, and Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty. The ballets are always performed with music played with the theatre’s own orchestra which while infusing them with the breath of musicality, makes touring them more expensive. Moreover, each time this large company goes on tour, it takes ten tonnes of set decoration with it. How then does this independent, private company from Russia survive and even flourish?

“Our marketing strategy”, says Mr Tachkin, “puts the emphasis on overseas touring. We perform at home extremely rarely. Usually we use our time in Saint Petersburg for rest, regaining our strength and for preparing for new tours.” Such an approach is entirely justified because Russia has seen a distinct increase in the number of new ballet companies whereas Europe has witnessed a marked decrease in them. In Saint Petersburg alone for example, there are seven such companies which is more than in the whole of France the so called “cradle of the art of dance”. However paradoxical it may seem, the fading away of classical ballet has made it more attractive to a wider public. This explains the popularity of SPBT’s overseas tours with posters made attractive by portraying famous ballets. This is the situation which has led to a steady rise in the ballet going public’s interest in SPBT and the growth of its tours in the countries of Europe, Asia, Australia and even South America.

The theatre continues to garner fame throughout the world, thanks also to Prima Ballerina Irina Kolesnikova who has become not only the pride of the company but its secret treasure! This fantastic ballerina, born for classical dance and formed by the Vaganova Academy possesses a brilliant individuality and perfect technique. According to the experts, “no one in the Mariinsky has technique like hers; she sets technical records for spins and has a special dynamism of movement and “big” plasticity”.

PERFORMANCE CONTRASTS

SPBT made its Paris debut on the prestigious stage of the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in October 2007. SPBT has been back in Paris as part of its Spring European tour which began on 17th May in London and after Paris takes in Lyon and then Spain. The company performed Swan Lake, (Petipa’s and Ivanov’s version with choreography by Sergeev), and La Bayadère (in Ponamarev’s and Chabukiani’s version after Petipa and with additional dances by Sergeev and Zubkovsky).

And how did these great masterpieces come across? The first performance of a tour is always the most difficult: sitting in the audience are important guests, fussy balletomanes and demanding critics. What is more, the stage of the Théâtre des Champs Elysées is not wide enough for ballet performances and the orchestra pit is too deep. A last minute injury to Danila Korsuntsev, a famous Mariinsky soloist especially invited to dance the lead male roles for the Paris leg of the tour increased the nerves and the tension. As a result, the poise and artistry of the corps de ballet notwithstanding, the first act was a disappointment with excessively shrill noises produced by the orchestra, insufficiently clean performances by the soloists...

But then Irina Kolesnikova appeared on stage in the role of Odette and everything changed. A miracle made its appearance! It is difficult to portray in words the phenomenal plasticity and magic of her beautiful, sensual body, the spellbinding cantilena of her wonderful, musical arms, the honed virtuosity of this dancer with her innate romanticism. Everything about Irina’s bewitching adagio was marvellous and poetic, her arms seemed virtually to dance as an extension of her incredibly supple spine. The tall, stately and elegant Korsuntsev (as Siegfried) was an ideal partner for the star prima.

In the third act she again bewitched everyone, but this time in her dazzling interpretation of the role of Odile as a mysterious and blindingly seductive femme fatale. Only great artists, exceptional artists possessing unique gifts are capable of such contrasting and deeply dramatic transformations! In the final pas de deux Irina delighted us with her headlong pirouettes and intricate chaînés and fouettés made complicated by double spins. Danila, crossing the stage in one bound splendidly executed his flying leaps and jetés whilst circling the stage. His powerful legs beat out écartés like the powerful wings of a proud eagle.

In La Bayadère Kolesnikova danced the role of the chaste Nikiya with refined Eastern grace and charm. It would seem that this is one of Irina’s favourite roles which is why she danced it in such a concentrated and heartfelt fashion with confidence and exactness, captivating the audience with the nobility of her chiselled lines, the lightness of her airy jumps and miniature pas de bourrées. Yuriy Kovalev showed his artistry in his successful portrayal of Solor as did the majestic Marina Vezhnovets as Gamzatti. The company displayed their polished technique and the Saint Petersburg style of ballet.

Both ballets were staged in bright colours. It is true however that the riot of colour and abundance of gold in the costumes and set decoration in the third act of Swan Lake diluted the choreography. As a result, despite the eye-catching set and contemporary staging facilities available, looking at them from a choreographic and artistic aesthetic the ballets looked like typical examples of Soviet theatre of half a century ago. This was emphasised by the orchestra which often blared away when trying to provide an accent for the finale of every dance. Pavel Bubelnikov, People’s Artist of Russia, and experienced opera and ballet conductor, in keeping with Russian theatre tradition attempted to interpret the music in a lively, contrasting manner but the auditorium’s fine acoustics exacerbated not only the powerful forte of the orchestra’s sound but also its inaccuracies.