Capitol Theatre, Sydney, 22 August, 2012
Tchaikovsky’s music has given us some of the greatest ballets of all time – Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty. Now, the Eifman Ballet has created Tchaikovsky to explore this intriguing composer’s life and creative drive, breathing new energy into his mystical worlds.
One strength of this two-act ballet is its stagecraft. The effortless appearance and disappearance of the dancers throughout is an important element in creating the sense of magic and surrealism that conveys the creative ghosts haunting Tchaikovsky. One particularly astounding moment occurs in the opening scene when men in suits float Tchaikovsky from his deathbed and around the stage, mourning his weak form. So preoccupied are we with this intriguing play of weight that when two Tchaikovskys appear suddenly on the bed after the first is laid back down we are completely taken aback.
This use of a Tchaikovsky double was captivating. It allowed an insight into the composer’s mind as well as presenting opportunities for choreographic innovation. Nikolai Radziush was close to flawless as Tchaikovsky and worked perfectly with Alexey Turko as his double, creating some male pas de deux that not only demonstrated the strength and flexibility of the two men but subtly explored Tchaikovsky’s alleged homosexuality through unconventional proximity and the use of traditionally feminine steps such as elegant presages. Particularly memorable was a duet performed in silence whilst the two fought over a conductor’s baton, contorting themselves around one another in a fashion more closely resembling modern dance than ballet. The silence heightened the sense of struggle and concentrated all attention on the men.
While the main characters were undoubtedly the focus, the ensemble work too was exquisite, with the corps demonstrating both discipline and personality. White swans were an audience favourite, floating regally over the stage en pointe in a perfectly maintained formation. Black-clad men in black wigs flooded the stage to represent the black birds tormenting Tchaikovsky’s imagination, performing dynamic canons that created a frenetic background from which Tchaikovsky’s white Prince emerged, youthful yet regal.
The single disappointment was that Act Two wasn’t nearly as strong as Act One, comprising of a few jarring pas de deux and failing to introduce new ideas. However on the whole the choreography was inventive and exciting, the piece was well performed and the use of Tchaikovsky’s characters resulted in a playful, surreal and absorbing ballet.
- EMILINE FORSTER
Eifman Ballet moves to the Regent Theatre, Melbourne, for a season beginning on Wednesday August 29, where it will perform 'Anna Karenina' and 'Tchaikovsky'.