Crown of the Russian Ballet sets the barre high
The Russian Ballet and Theatre of Marcellus will celebrate Tchaikovsky’s 175th anniversary when the Ballet performs at Emperors Palace next month.
South African audiences will be given a window into the world of fine Russian culture when this ballet opens on April 25 for three shows.
Specially prepared for local audiences by director Anatoly Emelianov, the carefully selected line-up is certain to thrill classical ballet enthusiasts of all ages.
The programme opens with the world premiere of Emelianov’s Manfred’s one-act ballet choreographed to one of Tchaikovsky’s undoubted masterpieces, ‘The Symphony Manfred’.
The narrative for this work dealing with deep remorse and moral anguish comes from Lord Byron’s Poem of the same name.
Manfred is a Romantic hero of epic and Faustian proportions. In his idealistic dilemma he is doomed to destroy the very ones he loves.
Imbued with supernatural elements, the metaphysical torment of Manfred is given the choreographic distinction that audiences internationally have come to associate with the work of Anatoly Emelianov.
The second half features the one-act ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and an excerpt from ‘The Sleeping Beauty’.
Danced to Tchaikovsky’s exquisite Romeo and Juliet overture and featuring choreography by Emelianov, this work of burning passion and exquisite beauty was inspired by Shakespeare’s text and remains one of Tchaikovsky’s most popular compositions.
The emotions of love and loss were sadly all too familiar to Tchaikovsky.
Significantly it was the Romeo and Juliet overture that was used extensively at memorial concerts held in his honour after his untimely death.
Edward Downes, the former program annotator for the New York Philharmonic commented that many composers have been inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet but that “Tchaikovsky is one of the very few who speaks with the elemental passion and strife that grips us as do the words of Shakespeare.”
The tale of Princess Aurora and her tragic 16th birthday party holds a place in every child’s heart.
Based on the Brothers Grimm version of the famous Charles Perrault Fairy Story, the Sleeping Beauty is quite simply the quintessential classical ballet that one associates with the Golden Age of Russian ballet.
Ever appealing it is regarded as one of Petipa’s most enduring works and one of his ultimate choreographic masterpieces.
The Crown of the Russian Ballet is proudly presented by impresario Edouard Miasnikov who delights in sharing Russian culture with South African audiences in the interests of widening cultural exchange and dialogue.
There will be two shows on April 25 a5 3pm and 8pm, and one on April 26 at 3pm.
