World Star's Gala - Volkstheater (Vienna), October 14th, 2018. Kourlaev & Esina Productions
A rule of mine that I never break is NEVER to write a critic about a Gala. It would have a certain taste of competition – and that is not what they are all about. Galas are, to my way of thinking, a big celebration of talents and joy in this lovely “temple” called “the theatre”.
Here a short review of a lovely, exciting evening. World Star’s gala (Weltstar-Gala)
It is great to realize that you don’t have to fly anywhere to witness Stars on stage because you have them right there, under your very nose, in your own hometown. Such outstanding performances as brilliant and shiny as diamonds, like the ones given yesterday by Olga Esina (wonderful in “Sleeping Beauty”), Liudmila Konovalova (fiery in “le Corsaire”) and Kyiola Hashimoto (“giocosa” in “Satanella”) - all three from the Vienna State Ballet - are the living proof of that. Eno Peçi, great dancer and his choreographies with his distinct, magnetic vocabulary. New talents that are developing into fine performers like Mila Schmidt and Jakob Feyferlik…
Olga Esina / Julian MacKay. Copyright: Jack Devant
Liudmila Konovalova / Young Gyu Choi. Copyright: Jack Devant
Olga Esina / Eno Peci. “Hush”, choreography Eno Peci, world première. Copyright: Jack Devant
Dancers like Julian MacKay (Mikhailovsky Theatre), Dinu Talazlacaru (State Ballet Berlin), great, musical Young Gyou Ghoi (HET), Maria Eichwald, István Simon and Francesco Costa gave the evening “that special touch” required to excite audiences. Less fortunate in their choices of choreography (and costumes), to my way of thinking, were Evgeniy Lugunov with “ Gopak” from “Taras Bulba” (a piece that I personally extremely dislike) and Ana Turazashvili and Denis Savin (both from Bolshoi) with “Carmen Suite” and the Adagio from “Sagalobeli”.
Ana Turazashvili / Denis Savin. Copyright: Jack Devant
Special praise to Kourlaev & Esina Production for bringing for the first time to Vienna a Star of the first magnitude, an étoile like Dorothée Gilbert who, together with István Simon brought quite a lot of emotion and delicacy to the evening with the “Manon pas de deux” and the “Giselle pas deux” – a piece I will never get tired of watching again and again.
Dorothée Gilbert / István Simon. Copyright: Jack Devant
Last but not least Maestro Igor Zapravdin’s unique contribution to this evening. Like last year he once more played on stage. Without his sensible rendition “Fanny Elßler-Pas de deux” (Maria Eichwald & Dinu Tamazlacaru) and “With a chance of rain” (Liudmila Konovalova & Jakob Feyferlik) would not have been the same. Genius!
Evenings like this, events like this, celebrations like this are extremely important – international stars who we are not used to see – here! Projects with such undertaking like this are to be cherished. Speaking for me: I am very grateful about such opportunities to praise talents… Chapeau, Kourlaev & Esina Productions!
The audience was delighted as we could see during the thunderous applause that led to (quite a lot of) innumerous curtain-calls! I am already saving the date for next year!
