Les Saisons Russes du XXIe siècle

Two wonderful, wonderful evenings.

The Théâtre des Champs-Elysées is right next to the Eiffel Tower. Just in case you're not ecstatic enough to be going to the performance, a lovely sight to inspire you --

Théâtre des Champs-Elysées

Thursday evening, March 4 - first part was Sheherazade, with Nioradze, Tsiskaridze, and Pivorovich.

Shéhérazade and the Odalisques.

Liked Nioradze very much. Crisp, defined and yet passionate poses, somewhat prickly and yet playful dancing. Her arms, her hands, her eyes - decisive and beautiful.

Nioradze & Tsiskaridze

Tsiskaridze had a quiet energy about him. His signature grands jetés, grandes pirouettes à la seconde - I think the audience may have gone a little bit crazy about them (and with good reason! How often do you see a dancer's leg take off into space, followed by the other one?).

Pivorovich played the role of Shakhryar. I wasn't expecting to see him here - he danced with the Moiseev company, and he was stunning in "Sirtaki," "Spanish Ballad," "Night on the Bald Mountain," "Gaucho." His Shakhryar was memorable!

Coda

I felt emotionally involved in the performance, rather than just watching from the sidelines. The end was moving, Nioradze lived through it, Pivorovich lived through it, and so the audience lived through it. Hard to describe in words. They never lost the theatricality, the stylization - but at the same time it was very real.

Bows.

The second part of the evening was The Firebird, with Aleksandrova, Yachmennikov, Balakhnicheva and Martyshkin.

Aleksandrova and Yachmennikov

I liked Aleksandrova, although compared to Nioradze the next evening, she seems to have been rather academic. The role suits her well, with all the jumps (nice cabrioles, and oh, grand jeté -- flyinggg, must we really land afterward?), 'prickly' head turns and port de bras.

I liked Balakhnicheva and Yachmennikov as well. Acted very nicely - sincere and heartfelt.

Bows.

After the performance.

Yours truly next to a gold pillar.

Friday, March 5 opened with Pavillion d'Armide, with Aleksandrova and Lobukhin (who is now with the Bolshoi).

Lobukhin, Aleksandrova, Pivorovich

I must admit that I didn't quite figure out what the Pavillion d'Armide was about... Some traditional storyline, I gather? Variations, character dancing, a waltz - the usual.

Lobukhin danced with a nice amplitude, but had a concerned facial expression for the entire ballet. And since him falling in love with Armide didn't seem to have a logical development, his suffering when she rejected him didn't seem logical either.

Aleksandrova was clean and precise but didn't seem particularly inspired.

Armide's Friends - Khassenova and Timofeeva

Lovely ladies! Really enjoyed their dancing, and especially Timofeeva.

Pas de deux

Bows.

On the left - Anna and Anatoliy Nezhny, designers who reconstructed the scenery and costumes for these ballets.

L'Après-midi d'un faune with Tsiskaridze, Chernobrovkina and the 6 nymphs.

Loved it - way too short! It seems almost strange to say that I liked Tsiskaridze in the role. There was no Tsiskaridze - there was a faun. And he went about his life, with very interesting faun-poses and musical pauses to look around. His ascent onto his little hill, in gold sandals, with precise, statue-like steps, was mesmerizing.

Tsiskaridze & Chernobrovkina

Another Firebird, with Nioradze, Yachmennikov, Timofeeva and Martyshkin.

Nioradze was more energetic and had more personality than Aleksandrova. She seemed to really enjoy her role. The flying, the 'perching' was prickly and fun. It was wonderful to see the look on her face when she decided to give a feather to Ivan Tsarevich and ask to be freed - aha!

She also had a good time putting everyone to sleep :).

Timofeeva and Yachmennikov.

Bows.

Great performances, with lots of energy both from the dancers and the audience.