The live performance of The Flames of Paris ( from the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow) was a truly wonderful experience. It is not a ballet that I am familiar with, and on the surface it does resemble a jolly romp through familiar Les Miserables territory!After all we do have a French revolution, revolting peasants , much flag waving and barricade rushing.......but more importantly we have some of the best dancing I have ever seen in a ballet production.
The flames of Paris is a cracking ballet! A huge cast of pure talent is given space and time to show what they can do, and I loved the fact that even the smallest characters within the ensemble perform some spectacular set pieces, the best being the heart stopping "Dance of the Basques" at the start of Act 2.
The Ballet's two leads; Ivan Vasiliev, (he who has buttocks like two rockhard footballs stuffed inside a condom!) and snow white look-a-like ,Natalie Osipova have to be seen to be believed! I have never seen dancers that can leap so high and so powerfully in a production before, and their ability truly takes your breath away.(see photos)
I will have to give the Bolshoi production a magnificent 10 out of 10......eat your heart out Cameron Macintosh, Jean Valjean and "One Day More"!
I had the biggest crush on Baryshnikov (back in the day).
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful performance, haven't seen a ballet for ages, and then it's usually Swan lake because we know it so well!
ReplyDeleteA great night, huge fun and some eye-popping dancing. And of course there was the audience at the Bolshoi Theatre too. Did you see the smartly dressed middle-aged woman who seemed to have trouble finding her seat at the end of the interval? She was moved at least twice and finished up in the front row, which is where I assume she had been earlier but was trying to get what she saw as a better seat.
ReplyDeleteAs well as the main storyline I did enjoy the two interpolated ballets within the ballet. The glorious Baroque pastiche done for the benefit of the Aristos was especially delectable but I also liked the Revolutionary one with the corps de ballet all dressed as Mariannes.
Let's hope we get the later transmissions of other ballets from the Bolshoi.
good review victor
ReplyDeleteyes I saw the russian woman..I WONDERED what she was up to