Moscow Ballet- La Classique came to Bournemouth Pavilion on Monday to present one of the most famous stories in history.
All who love ballet wouldn’t be disappointed, starting with the amazing performances from dancers, through decorations, lightings and music by Piotr Tchaikovsky, everything was simply fantastic with every little detail taken into account.
The story starts with prince Siegfried’s 21st birthday, when locals and his friends come to honour him. His mother wants him to choose a wife from ladies who will attend the court ball. Next day he is going to hunt for swans but amongst them he sees the Queen of Swans- Odette who is both swan and a girl. He falls in love with her and promises her his eternal love. However, she is under the spell of Von Rothbart and unless a man will love, marry her and never love another, she will stay in the body of a swan. But, if he breaks his promise, she will die.
The next day when the ball starts, all ladies are presented to the prince but he is not interested in any of them, until the point when Von Rothbart arrives with his daughter Odile who looks exactly like Odette but is dressed in black. Siegfrield thinking that she is his loved one proposes to her and shortly afterwards he realizes his mistake.
Odette must die now but prince being so sad also goes for sure death. Their love wins everything. Von Rothbart is overcome. All the swans who were also girls captured by the spell are freed and Odette and Prince are united in their love forever.
When the “swans” are dancing on the lake, they give an impression of almost flying, with their legs almost waving. Also, the use of the lights is very good as they are partially in a shadow and in a light like a real moon was shining on them.
There are very dramatic effects when Von Rothbart arrives with the fog and very lively music coming with him.
The small addition to the play which makes it even better is the character of the jester who was an amazing dancer and made audience laugh with his attempts to get himself a girlfriend, through drinking, trying to get the attention of the Queen.
Photos by Flickr
