Rachmaninoff : Rhapsody
Messager : The Two Pigeons
Robert Clark, piano
Artists of the Royal Ballet
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Barry Wordsworth
Ashton is widely considered as the defining voice of British ballet. Although others, notably Ninette de Valois, are more responsible for actually getting the institutions up and running, it was Ashton who crafted its image with his choreography, creating a style quite distinct from what was happening on the Continent. It is therefore good to see the Royal Ballet's efforts to maintain that legacy beyond the popular big pieces like La Fille mal gardée, or Cinderella.
Rhapsody is a late work, created in 1980 for Mikhail Baryshnikov, and it shows in the choreography for the principal male soloist. For anyone who has seen Baryshnikov dance (even on film), and particularly in more modern choreography, it was not at all difficult to imagine him in this piece, a virtuoso showcase for the dancer, appearing as an evocation of Paganini, for the music chosen is Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. It's a a fiendish, and very spectacular role, and Stephen McRae got off to a slightly rocky start, though he's really thrown in the deep end from the outset. However, I cannot think of another principal in the Royal Ballet today with that kind of explosive energy. He didn't make it look easy, but it did look exciting. He was partnered by a feather-light Natalia Osipova, and if the male principal is Paganini, the female is his Muse, by turns sweetly lyrical and playfully sprightly.
The remainder of the programme consisted of The Two Pigeons, which I was surprised to learn had not been performed by this company in the last three decades. I hadn't realised that it had been created originally for the touring branch of the Royal Ballet, and it has mostly stayed there ever since; indeed, that's where I last saw it, since that touring branch eventually evolved into Birmingham Royal Ballet. It's a piece that can readily lapse into the twee, and the fluttering, imitation bird movements that are a prominent part of the choreography, particularly that of the Young Girl, can, if not handled with extreme care, appear frankly ridiculous. On the other hand, if the care is too pronounced, it can all seem very stilted and artificial.
The great pleasure of tonight's performance was how successfully Lauren Cuthbertson succeeded in walking, or rather, dancing that delicate line. Her Young Girl was an artless, luminous creature, a little needy, a little annoying at first, but fresh, direct and touching. Fumi Kaneko was a saucy, insouciant Gypsy Girl, very assured, while Vadim Muntagirov's beautiful, elegant lines were admirably displayed in his earnest portrayal of the Young Man. Without excess sentimentality, all the charm of this ballet was allowed to shine through, excellently supported by the ROH orchestra on fine form.
[Next : 27th January]
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