Nutcracker, applause with MOscow Ballet Theatre in Paris. Photo: Henning Høholt
After nearly three weeks with performances of Swan Lake, the Moscow Ballet Theatre Friday 16 March premiered The Nutcracker with music by Peter Tsjaikovskij, choreography by Marius Petipa and Anatoly Emelianov.
Review by Henning Høholt
In the front line we enjoyed the companys two stars Natalia Kleymenova and Dimitry Petrov. Unfortunately i didn´t find any role list with whom were dancing Drosselmeyer, Little Clara, her brother, her parents, the little nutcracker and the solists in the first act, King of the Rats, neither with any of the very good solists in the national dances in second act. What a pity, because many of these solists were good, and in deed deserves to have their name on print. Neither i found who had made the costumes, scenography and light. To be polight to the participating artists. A role list is a must, at least if a company like this shall performe and work internationally!!! But it was told that the choreography was by Anatoly Emelianov, and forgetting that it is based on the famouse choreography Marius Petipa. It was not a completely new creation by Anatoly Emeliano, but placed in to an arrangement.
Nutcracker at Theatre Comedia, Paris
The Nutcracker is not an easy ballet to stage, as there are many short parts, which shall work out, the rats, the solders, arriving and departing to the Christmas party, the fight between the Rats King and the Nutcracker Prince. It worked well. The performance was good. The small corps de ballet did a really good job, the lines was there, when the should be on place, their coordination functioned well.
The scenographic solution with back carpets, side legs and roof was good, as it easily changed colours with the changing of ligth. In the first act, during the party, I would have preferred a bit mor light changes to underline some details in the changing pictures, but for the snow flakes ballet and the second act it worked very well.
The pictures told well the parts of the history. Unfortunately, i was missing the main history of little Clara who got the Nutcracker at the Christmas party. She got the Nutcracker, danced by a young handsome soloist, but then the dream disappeared and went over to all the soloistic parts, and when she then in the very end came back it was another girl in the same coloured outfit as Clara, and she didn´t come on stage for the applause. I do understand that a small touring company, sometimes has to do such arrangements, but, Itf it is supposed to be the Nutcraclker, then it is importent to fullfile the history, and in this case letting the Little Clara be the throughgoing figure. It is also firts time I have seen the Snow Queen being danced by the same star as the princess in the Grand Pas de Deux, as I suppose was Natalia Kleymenova. Her partner, as i suppose was Dimitry Petrov. They both did a good job, Beautiful details, good solo parts, stability, lightness, scene charm. A safe couple.
Good costumes, beautiful colours, with good details for the stage.
The companys artistic director is Anna Grogol.
Theatre Comedia, Paris is a beautiful theatre, comfortabel, a nice entrance part, salon and restaurant.
Kulturkompasset 