Swan Lake...

[athersgeo]

Well, just got in from the ballet (second time in three months - you watch; it'll be another 18 years before I go to the next!!!). We saw Swan Lake (courtesy of my brother who bought us tickets as a sort of Christmas present) and I have to admit, I'm quite glad that I didn't pay money m'self. The seating was right up in the Gods of the theatre, where we had no leg room at all and were more or less forced to sit at an odd angle, and I have to say that the performers were not quite as good as the perfomers were for Romeo and Juliet. The principle male dancer, in particular, wasn't as good as he could have been (at least twice on some of his jumps he landed and looked as if he was going to fall). The Prima was excellent - she, arguably, was better than any single dancer in Romeo and Juliet - but she was very much head and shoulders above the rest of the cast.

The other thing that didn't particularly sit right with me was the way each dancer at the end of a pas-de-deux/trois/quatre came to the front of stage and took a bow - sort of stepping out of character. The trouble is, it's (without exaggerating) 17/18 years since I last saw Swan Lake so I can't remember whether that's a feature of the ballet in general or just this particular company.

Oh, and the solo violinist was fractionally off key - but that could very easily just have been a function of the heat. Twas ver' warm in the theatre :)

So that was this evening.

Comments

[morganmuffle]

*is jealous*
It's been so long since I saw any ballet, I was just trying to remember when I read your post and I think it's been over 3 years. Where was this Swan Lake? It's my all time favourite ballet (seen something like 6 or 7 different productions).

[athersgeo.livejournal.com]

It was at the Bristol Hippodrome and performed by a Moldovan ballet company. Probably a bit far to come :(

[morganmuffle]

Sadly you're probably right. Oh well, now I've realised how long it's been I'll keep my eyes open for a chance nearer to home.

[donna-k.livejournal.com]

There's one touring - the English national ballet it may be - or whichever company Ellen Kent International packs off on tour. I know I've seen flyers for it here in Liverpool. It may get to you! :)

[athersgeo.livejournal.com]

That's the performance I've just seen and it's definitely NOT the English National Ballet!

[donna-k.livejournal.com]

is it ellen kent international then?

*makes note to dig out flyer*

[donna-k.livejournal.com]

just checked online and it is ellen kent. is it worth seeing then?

[athersgeo.livejournal.com]

It's definitely not horrendously bad - and the prima is superb without question) - it's just not *quite* as good as it could be, you know? I think, if I hadn't seen ENB do Romeo and Juliet in November, I wouldn't have noticed a thing, it's just that I had seen a very, very, very good performance in November!

(Oh, and beware the mechanical swan...)

[athersgeo.livejournal.com]

Yup. I get mailings from Ellen Kent (just got one today, actually, about Madam Butterfly, which is on here in March!) and it was one of their leaflets that my brother saw.

I have to admit, I am somewhat wishing it HAD been ENB - which is not to say I didn't enjoy last night (I did, very much so), just that ENB were (as a whole) better dancers.

[donna-k.livejournal.com]

I saw Swan Lake about five years ago by the ENB, and they bowed at the end of every pas-de-deux etc as well. and that was the last time I saw a ballet :(

[athersgeo.livejournal.com]

Sounds like it's an expected part of the ballet, then - in which case, I'll live with it and try to cease being annoyed...emphasis on the try!