St Petersburg Classic Ballet presents Swan Lake, Symphony Hall, Birmingham - review
The timeless tale of Swan Lake was brought to life in a glistening production at Birmingham's Symphony Hall.
Performed by Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet, the classic story of Swan Lake tells the tale of Prince Siegfried and his lover Swan Queen Odette, who, when tricked by evil sorcerer Von Rothbart and his daughter Odille, discover they would rather die together than live apart.
Though not a venue usually synonymous with the ballet, the Symphony Hall's wonderful acoustics lent themselves beautifully to the stunning music of Tchaikovsky last night.
The beloved, unmistakable score, performed by the Hungarian Sinfonietta Orchestra, conducted by Vadim Perevoznikov, was faultless and enchanting from start to end - setting the scene perfectly for each of the iconic dances.
One of the top dancers of the evening was undoubtedly Mikhail Bogomazov playing the part of the Jester, whose incredible series of challenging turns seemed effortless; each of them carried out with superb skill and beautiful form. His great leaps, meanwhile, were entrancing as he appeared to defy gravity with his impossibly light landings.
Playing the part of Odette and Odille, was Natalya Romanova whose stunning poise, tremendous timings and beautifully intricate moves were hypnotising. Each time she was lifted by either Siegfried or Rothbart, Natalya appeared entirely weightless, and her unbelievably speedy footwork and impeccable spins were nothing short of astounding.
The company as a whole, however, were a little clumsy in places and, at times, very heavy on their feet. The overall choreography of the scenes starring a large number of dancers was underwhelming too - though I do believe we are spoiled in the Midlands with the incredible dancers of Birmingham Royal Ballet and Matthew Bourne's company New Adventures frequently gracing our stages.
The costumes and sets were beautiful though; the swans' glittering outfits impressing in particular.
Though it was perhaps not up to the standard which ballet fans have become accustomed to seeing in Birmingham, it was still a very enjoyable show - and lovely to be able to see such a production at the beautiful Symphony Hall.
This was the first of two ballet shows taking place at the city centre hall. The next, performed by Birmingham Royal Ballet and The Royal Ballet Sinfonia, will take place on Friday, January 19, where they will present An Evening of Music and Dance. For more information on this show, or to book tickets, click here
