Classical tale of love and betrayal returns


ST PETERSBURG Ballet Theatre's Swan Lake, is a magical aural and visual journey.


It begins with the oboe's introductory plaintive notes (splendidly played throughout by Sergei Burdukov) and spell-bindingly travelled until the last climatic sound of Tchaikovsky played by the Cape Philharmonic under Alexander Kantorov's baton.
This tale about love between enchanted Swan Princess Odette and Prince Siegfried, his unintentional betrayal by swearing devotion to evil sorcerer Von Rothbart's look-alike daughter Odile has a happy ending after Siegfried kills Von Rothbart.
Capetonians, well versed in the Atillo Labis 1971 version for Capab ballet (now Cape Town City Ballet) will have noted choreographic variations in this production.
Most notable being the absence of a prologue which lent credence to Odette's transformation from princess to swan and later her return to human form.
A longer final act introduces black swans and a brief ineffectual fight between Prince Siegfried (Dimitry Akulinin) and Von Rothbart (Dymchik Saikeev).


However, these observationsbecame trivial against picturesquely choreographed ensemble work, the entire cast's amazingly noiseless footwork, but above all the virtuoso performance of Irina Kolesnikova in the dual role of Odette/Odile.


Few ballerinas - and she personifies the prima ballerina -are equally comfortable as lyrical Odette and malevolent Odile.


Beautifully proportioned, Kolesnikova's lovely line, delicate feet, undulating port debras, brilliant technique and breath-taking control equipped her to potently characterise the differences between the two persona.


Trembling and tender as Odette, she spat venom as Odile, and as the doomed Odette, her sensitivity, musicality and artistry brought tears to eyes. As did her dazzlingly executed 32 fouettes. Perfectly placed (a tribute to Vaganova's training method) she whizzed around at unbelievable speed yet, now and again nonchalantly tossed off a double tour.


Not surprisingly she entranced Prince Siegfried - she totally bewitched her audience.


Princely in bearing, young, tall and handsome Akulinin's Siegfried shows great promise. Blessed also with strong technique he soared and poised midair, and reminded technical fundis that tours en I'air begin and end with feet neatly in fifth position.


Together he and Kolesnikova created moments of intense specular joy. Other dancers contributing to this exciting performance were fleet-footed Dimitry Shevtsov's Jester; Andrey Yahknuk, Olga Ovchinnikova and Sabina Yapporova's pas de trois and Olga Suvorova, Lilia Ahkmetshina, Ovchinnikova, and Yapporova's precise little swans, pas de quatre.


Surprisingly grandiose sets for a touring company created an attractive courtyard for Siegfried's prettily costumed merrymaking friends celebrating his birthday. A romantic moonlit lakeside glade for the swans, scenes.

An elegant chandelier ballroom gave frame to Siegfried's coming of age ball and traditional divertissement as well as bringing to Artscape glimpses of Russian ballet's splendour.