Presumably you attended? Any comments, as I'm thinking of trying to get down to London in the week to see it

Thanks

Mike

Although something of a marathon (especially if seeing it entails a long journey) the production has some unique features. However, after contending with a lengthy Swan Lake as well as a 250 mile road journey, any considered opinion will have to wait till I've had some sleep!

Ivanov’s poetic choreography for Act 2 is, of course, retained, so the music for this act keeps the shape it acquired for the 1895 production. Otherwise, there is a general effort to respect Tchaikovsky’s original intentions, and much that has been altered or cut over the years is restored to its former state. This means, for instance, that when Odile does eventually launch into a series of fouttées in Act 3, she is not accompanied by the music we have grown accustomed to hearing at this point (that passage originally appeared in Act1). Fortunately, we had none of the nonsense of the Kirov performance where the orchestra is stopped in its tracks and Odile comes downstage to milk the applause. The essence of this production is to get on with the drama, though the company is hampered by the limitations of the RFH; I’d like to see them in a proper theatre.

As is common with Russian productions there is a jester – not just one, in fact, because in Act 3 he is joined by four junior jesters! Normally my heart sinks when I see a jester on the cast list, but I have to say that this one I thought to be not nearly so irritating as most. In fact, he is well integrated into the scene, if verging on being a bit camp at times (there were occasions when I could have imagined this performer uttering a few Julian Clary one-liners!). There are long passages of gentle choreography in Act 1 for those at court (e.g. when the Queen provides a whole galaxy of Watteau-esque girls for her son to chose his bride), and the jester’s flash fireworks do provide the necessary contrast. There is no silly old drunken tutor, and no Benno, but there are two leading lads at court who take part in the pas de quatre (and later give us the message that they are keen to get on with using their crossbows).

Rothbart is described in the programme as Knight Rothbart, evil genius. At least he turns up in Act 3 looking as if he fits into the courtly scene (not like Batman). He doesn’t get into the dance action with Odile in the same way as Rothbart does in the Kirov production, but he is in obvious control of events. The flashing red capes that accompany the Spanish dance are under his rule, and when Odile appears for a brief tantalising moment she disappears as she is enfolded amongst them. The whole sequence of national dances is organised to lead inevitably to Siegfried’s infatuation for Odile.

This is a well rehearsed company, with some fine dancers and an excellent corps. The opulent designs were deservedly applauded at the beginning of Act 3, and the orchestra also received due applause for its part in this stamina-sapping run. It's good to hear Russian music played by Russian musicians, and nowhere more so than in one of the most 'Russian sounding' parts of the score; the simple but wistful melody that is used for the dance near the beginning of Act four - a haunting memory.

Yes - I think I was just trying to fit something in quickly before catching a train at the time. The designs are very attractive, and apart from its length (and the fact that it's really rather a squeeze on the RFH stage) I'd say it's probably quite a good first-time Swan Lake. Whether those who are really keen on the ballet would be so impressed, I don't know. Certainly, although possibly I was biased by having already found the choreography for the Snow Maiden very unimpressive, I thought I'd seen the bits which Bourmeister rechoreographed done rather better in other productions - some seemed very unmusical to me.

I did like the second half of it better than the first half, though: I've always liked the way he wove the national dances into the narrative, using the dancers to confuse Siegfried and to separate him from Odile so that he can never get his thoughts together enough to be suspicious, and I'm quite happy with having a prologue (I remember that some of the critics were a bit sniffy when ENB did the same last year, but have yet to notice any adverse comments this year). I also found the way he moved the swans around in the final act very effective (you need to be back of terrace or upstairs to appreciate this), and thought the ending was generally rather more effective for a happy ending than the traditional Soviet battle where Rothbart dies of a twisted/amputated wing, although there was a very long blackout which rather ruined the effect. I also didn't think that having Rothbart perched on a high rock and having very long wings during the lakeside was a good idea - it just hampered him and meant that it was very difficult for the dancer playing him to build up any sense of power.

Oh, and that last bit reminds me - I can't credit any of the dancers - Raymond Gubbay doing his usual "no cast sheets without programmes" business. Does anyone else get really annoyed about this? Anyone been to see more than one performance and found that getting blood out of a stone is easier than finding out who's dancing? If so, perhaps we should write to him .

As with Snow Maiden, the best part of this production was the design, traditional but very much as Swan Lake ought to look - I agree it would make a good first Swan Lake. The third act, with its dim, rich glow like a Russian icon, was applauded, and the blood red lighting that echoed the shades of red in many of the costumes, including some crimson sequins on Odile's black tutu, gave a genuine theatrical thrill.

The orchestra deserves an award for its consistently high standard. The violin and woodwind solos were stunning. Unfortunately, I had the bad luck to be sitting next to a "hummer". Why is it that people who think they know the music never do? I dreaded the next "big tune". In cowardly fashion I didn't say anything to her, although "You are at least a semitone flat" was on the tip of my tongue. But she was so carried away by the whole thing that I actually felt quite indulgent to her by the end. It's good to see people really enjoying ballet, after all, and she certainly did, as did most of the audience.

It's the last day of this ballet's London performances today, and one has to admire their sheer stamina. This production is worth catching, I think. Oh, and thanks for the length warning - the matinee finished at about twenty to six.