For a traditional, lavishly staged version of the best-loved of classical ballets, look no further than the Coliseum where Georgia’s State Ballet is back with Swan Lake. Director Nina Ananiashvili – a widely celebrated Odette/Odile in her day – has brought a production that combines the suppleness of Russian technique (watch out for those remarkable back bends by the Spanish dancers) and its perfect drilling, exemplified in the four cygnets and, indeed, all of the corps de ballet white scenes.
It’s a production that doesn’t go in much for psychology in the way that many recent versions have, preferring a straightforwardly fairy tale approach. The costumes place it firmly in a medieval fantasy world with plenty of bejewelled wimples, spectacularly sported in particular by the Queen (Ina Amaiparashvili who commands the stage on her every appearance). The forest is dense and mysterious, the lake glistens under a strawberry moon. As Baron Von Rothbert, Marcelo Soares has magnificently extended wings and is a properly sinister villain.
Into this magical place step the two principals, Odette cursed by Rothbert to be a swan by day and only her real human self at night and Prince Siegfried who can only break the curse by swearing to her eternal fidelity. The prince is, in the meantime, under strict orders from his mother, the Queen, to choose a bride at his birthday ball to which Rothbert brings his own daughter, Odile, transformed by his magic to look like Odette.
Siegfried is, of course, taken in, pledges his troth and the stage is set for tragedy. Or is it? In most western versions of the ballet, the ending is usually a double suicide or a self-sacrifice by Odette to leave behind a despairing prince. Here, however, the Soviet-era unexpectedly happy ending is on offer – Siegfried breaks off Rothbert’s enormous wing, destroying his power and rescues Odette.
While this has never seemed a satisfactory ending to me (perhaps having been brought up on the tragic version), any quibbles over this production are overcome by the precision of this company’s technique, particularly in the lake scenes, though the male corps is also unusually good. The ballet is, though, all about the swans and they are remarkably fine in their romantically chilly lakeside scenes, a symmetrical delight in their arabesques. There are some very fine dancers in the secondary roles. As Benno, Siegfried’s friend, Masaaki Goto, demonstrated a real character alongside some fine elevation. Elene Gaganidze shone in the Mazurka with Xavier Lara Gil and the Hungarian, Neapolitan and Spanish dancers were all excellent.
As the prince, Oleg Ligai gave us some impressive leaps and a strong technique but there wasn’t too much chemistry between him and his Odette/Odile, Nino Samadashvili. She is a fine dancer and particularly convincing as a sorrowful Odette with quite lovely arms, though not quite believable as the fiery Odile. Levan Jagaev conducts the Royal Ballet Sinfonia in Tchaikovsky’s soaring music with panache and real feeling and, for all traditional Swan Lake lovers, this is a feast for the eyes an absolute treat.
Swan Lake runs at the Coliseum until 26th July. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.londoncoliseum.org.
