The Moscow City Ballet’s swans have returned to Taipei for five shows at the National Theater.
At 27, the company is still a babe compared to its more famous Russian counterparts, the Mariinsky and Bolshoi ballet companies, but it has established a name for itself with competent, if somewhat stodgy, productions of the romantic classics, and its dancers come from state-runs schools in Russia and former Soviet states such as Ukraine.
The private company — a rarity in the Russian ballet world — was founded by former Bolshoi dancer-turned-choreographer Victor Smirnov-Golovanov, who died two years ago. His widow, Ludmila Nerubashenko, a former soloist with the company, is now artistic director.
Photo courtesy of moscow city ballet
The troupe’s strength is in its well-disciplined corps de ballet, crucial if you are sticking to the classics that need flocks of swans, Willies, village maidens or snowflakes who often have to perform two shows a day, as they will tomorrow and Sunday. The principal’s roles are often overshadowed by the mishmash of choreography they are expected to execute, combining the original Lev Ivanov-Marius Petip footwork with additions by Smirnov-Golovanov or other Russian choreographers.
One of the unique features of Smirnov-Golovanov’s production of Swan Lake is Odile’s half-black, half-white tutu that highlights the duality of her role, as she shows the white side to the prince, but the black to the audience.
Taiwanese ballet fans who cannot get enough of Swan Lake would appear to be in luck, as another frequent visitor to these shores, the Russian Festival Ballet, is coming next month with Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Romeo and Juliet. However, the Moscow City Ballet’s production has better sets and staging.
Photo courtesy of mowcow city ballet
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sunday at 1pm and 6:30pm, National Theater (國家戲劇院), 21-1 Zhongshan S Rd, Taipei City (台北市中山南路21-1號)
■Tickets are NT$400 to 3,800, available online at www.kham.com.tw or at convenience store ticket kiosks
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