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| Grand Kyiv Ballet of Ukraine in "Forrest Song" |
Artistic
Director: Oleksandr Stoianov – Director/Tour Manager: Dennis Brown
Lighting
Director: Maksim Zhuleu – Sound Engineer: Sarah Vandenberg
Canberra
Theatre Centre Playhouse – 28th and 29th June 2024.
Performance
on 28th June reviewed by BILL STEPHENS
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| Grand Kyiv Ballet of Ukraine in "Forrest Song". |
An encore
visit to Canberra by this brave company
on the tail-end of an arduous two-month Australian and New Zealand tour, with
the same program it offered two years ago, provided the opportunity for a
second look at a much loved heritage ballet that is based on a Ukrainian folk
story with music by Ukrainian composer Mikhail Skorulskyi.
Forest Song has been performed in Ukraine for
over 75 years and the Grand Kyiv Ballet is the only company to proudly perform
this ballet outside Ukraine, as an example of Ukraine’s unique ballet heritage.
Although the
story and staging are old-fashioned and hopelessly melodramatic to contemporary
western eyes, the ballet means a lot to this troupe of accomplished dancers whose
artistic heritage is being destroyed while they share what they can with the world.
At this
performance the doomed lovers were danced by Marta Kaliandruk and Daniil Kish.
Both were excellent, executing the demanding choreography, which includes some
spectacular lifts, with admirable style and panache.
Anna
Stoianova repeated her eye-catching turn as the Field Mermaid, while Kseniia
Dronova and Margaryta Kuznietsova were outstanding as the vengeful bride and
her mother.
However it
is in the second half of the program that the company really shines. Scenes
from the ballet Don Quixote featuring
the original Petipa choreography and stirring Minkus music, provide the company
with the opportunity to show off some spectacular scenery and costumes as well
as thrilling dancing.
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| Japanese ballerina Mia Nagasawa as Kitri in Grand Kyiv Ballet of Ukraine's production of "Don Quixote |
The company
is fortunate to have diminutive pocket-rocket Japanese ballerina Mie Nagasawa as
the only non-Ukrainian dancer among its ranks. Nagasawa displays an exceptional
technique, amazing extensions and a confident, endearing personality making her
perfect casting as the cheeky heroine, Kitri.
She’s perfectly matched with the strong, ebullient, Viktor Tomashek as her Basilio. Together they dance up a storm thrilling the audience with a succession of exciting lift’s and catches, among them the famed lift in which Tomashek balances Nagasawa on one arm fully extended high above his head while the music pauses until the dancers are ready to continue. It’s a thrilling move which only the most skilled dancers can accomplish. This pair repeats it twice just to prove the first time wasn’t a fluke.
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| Mie Nagasawa (Kitri) - Viktor Tomashek (Basilio) in "Don Quixote" |
Oleksandr
Harkavenko as Kitri’s father had his hands full trying to control his wilful
daughter, while Anna Stoianova, this time teamed with Marta Kaliandruk, delighted as her two
girlfriends.
Kristina
Kiiko and Myloka Khoma tore up the floor as the flamboyant Street Dancer and Toreador
Espada and Vladyslav Yevtushenko survived being tossed dangerously high as a delightfully
mischievous Sancho Panza to Zack Tidswell’s elegant, if misguided Don Quixote.
Though they
could have been forgiven for looking a bit jaded after such an arduous tour,
the perfectly groomed, fastidiously trained ensemble was anything but, accomplishing
multiple quick costume changes and dancing with admirable accuracy and flair to
provide enthusiastic support throughout.
Following
the finale, and after acknowledging the enthusiastic applause of the audience,
the entire company re-assembled on stage to remind the audience of its mission
by singing an emotional rendition of the Ukrainian National Anthem for which the
principal dancers draped themselves in the Ukrainian flag.
This review also published in AUSTRALIAN ARTS REVIEW. www.artsreview.com.au
