It is my firm belief that everyone should try and see a ballet at least once in their lifetime. And Swan Lake is the production I would urge those new to or experienced in ballet to see above all others, if they get the chance.
I have seen several ballets in my lifetime and various renditions of the classic tale that features some of the world’s most stunning music from the late great Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. However this was my first time witnessing a performance from the critically-acclaimed Varna International Ballet, which was founded in 1947 by the renowned Bulgarian tenor Peter Raycheff – the first world famous Bulgarian opera singer.
This company performed three separate ballets – Romeo & Juliet, The Nutcracker and Swan Lake – on three consecutive nights in a row from January 7-9 (with a matinee performance thrown in on the final day, too). I witnessed their final performance at The Hippodrome, and the strength and prowess of all performers was evident on stage from the get go.
The production of Swan Lake from the Varna International Ballet was incredibly enjoyable, with exquisite performances from many in the company – the two dancers playing the roles of Odette and Odile were particularly captivating.
Their technique and movements were flawless and both made some of the most intricate and elaborate ballet moves look utterly effortless. And each received gasps of awe from the audience in the theatre, on more than one occasion.
Similar can be said for other ballerinas on stage. For me, one of the highlights of any Swan Lake production is the iconic ‘Dance of the Cygnets’ and, again, the four ballerinas faced with this important number gave a perfect performance, which garnered a raucous applause from theatre-goers. Other highlights included moments of seemingly endless and effortless-looking pirouettes, leaps and more from the cast.
Prince Siegfried, his friend Benno Von Somerstein, the Sovereign Princess, and the evil sorcerer, Baron Von Rothbart, each did a brilliant job of bringing their characters to life.
Each and every dancer had character up on stage, too. The four jesters drew eyes to them whenever they were in view. And it was a particularly captivating moment when the soloists representing each of the Hungarian, Spanish, Neapolitan and Polish brides, performed their dances, with a bounty of heritage and traditional movements in there, for four mesmerising solos.
The backdrop electronically transmitted some intricate and beautiful scenery, while the costumes were a mix of elegant and garish in the most wonderful of ways. The story was a refreshing interpretation on the Swan Lake many a ballet connoisseur will be familiar with.
It was different, and I say this in the best possible way. Every scene in the production was enchanting, with the whole theatre transfixed by the story. And, come the end, we were all desperate to see more ballet from these extremely talented dancers.
And, of course, the orchestra was sensational. This Tchaikovsky score is known to induce bumps on skin and overwhelming emotion – and these musicians did just that.
All in all, despite a couple of small technical errors, the dancers and story made this one of the better renditions of a Swan Lake ballet I have seen, and I would jump at the chance to see more from the Varna International Ballet in the future.