The Stage

Swan Lake

Published Wednesday 12 January 2005 at 14:15 by Natalie Anglesey

The Bridgewater Hall, conceived as an international concert venue, has neither a sprung floor nor a proscenium arch, so would appear an unlikely venue for a traditional ballet production but Raymond Gubbay has a reputation for successfully staging ballet as well as opera in unusual venues.

So the Russian State Ballet of Siberia concocts its own fake proscenium arch with curtains and relies on backcloths for scenery. But, even with the company’s own flooring, the clatter of shoes sometimes drowns out the orchestra in the quieter movements.

This accessible though truncated version of Swan Lake, by artistic director Sergei Brobov, uses choreography by Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov and Alexander Gorsky and involves some radical changes.

The role of the Jester is replaced by Benno, the Prince’s best friend and is danced by Maxim Klekovkin, in a rather strange wig. Nikolai Oliunin makes a handsome Prince Siegfried, who begins promisingly with good elevation but looks troubled during his main solo. However, Demid Zykov, as Von Rothbart, dances extremely well and, in a very different ending, the Prince, defeated by the Evil Genius, is engulfed by the lake while his true love remains with her swans.

The undoubted highlight of this production is Anastasia Tchumakova, who brings star quality to the demanding dual roles of Odette and Odile. The pas de deux with her beloved Prince is a joy to watch, danced to Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous score, played by the company’s own orchestra.