Up front, purists will be disappointed by Yury Grigorovich's version of this seminal, classic ballet. Secondly, the touring company is made up of mainly "young talented artists", so expectations should be adjusted. With that in mind, or if you read the programme before the show started which I did not, perhaps one would have been more entertained than I was. I have nothing against directors putting their own stamps on others' work, but sometimes, too radical a change may not be beneficial nor befitting the wondrous score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. And the whole last scene is proof of that. I have no doubt about the dramatic/narrative effectiveness of the new ending, but the build-up to that - the new choreography and new story - just did not convey the necessary emotional weight that the music demands. However, the orchestra was also not doing any justice to Tchaikovsky's masterpiece. There was not enough gravitas in their playing and rhythms were also occasionally slightly off, but most importantly, they did not sound like they knew the intricacies of the work well enough to translate across. In addition, we have the "young, talented" principals of Ekaterina Shipulina and Ruslan Skvortsov playing the main leads, and their youth was evident. Skvortsov, as Prince Siegfried, did not possess the masculine strength and grace as expected; Shipulina, as Odette-Odile, on the other hand had sufficient grace but technically she will definitely need a few more years before she can totally enthral an audience. Her Odette and Odile were clearly defined with Odile being a more standout role for her where she presented the strength, the determination and precision that was lacking in the overtly softer and gentler Odette. As a couple, their chemistry was not strong enough to elicit a strong reaction to the finale. That and their un-enchanting pas des deux made their story rather detached. In all, it was still a good introduction for those uninitiated to classical ballet performances, but it is neither brilliant nor memorable for those expecting Russian Bolshoi Ballet.
World class Russian ballet finally comes to Singapore! A live orchestra absolutely makes the difference, compared to many other ballets that have been staged here!! The Mariinsky ballet delivered a wonderfully entertaining, slyly humorous, visually sumptuous and aurally delectable performance. Gorgeous sets that knew they are second fiddles to the colourful costumes, tutus and dancers! An energetic first act infused with Español flavour; followed by a slightly comparatively underwhelming second act with a captivating classical scene; and ended with a thrilling Grand Pas (de deux) which was slightly marred by some fumbles by Valeria Martynyuk. Nonetheless, both she and Vladimir Shklyarov were amazing, and brought Kitri's fiery, flirtatious nature and Basilio's cheeky youthful vigour to the stage. Technically, they are not the BEST ballet dancers out there in the world, but still way way better than many others!! And one of the best to grace our shore. What a show!!!
