Igor Zapravdin and Stars from the Ballet World: July 9th, 2021 (Europa Ballett, St. Pölten)
I normally never write about a „Gala" except to mention who danced with whom. But today I am breaking my rules. Rules are anyways made to be broken – at least mine are, by me...
I could not resist writing about so much talent reunited on that open-air Stage in St. Pölten and an evening which carried a feeling with a nearly handicraft quality in comparison to more pompous events like the former „Nureyev Galas" at the Vienna State Opera, which created by Manuel Legris.
It is very hard to achieve a certain magic in open-air performances. The non-existent cosiness of a closed ambience makes this quite difficult. The absence of light effects – at least before sunset – makes it harder to turn this „room" into a magical/musical box. The performance of Igor Zapravdin's Gala last July 9th proved this assumption, most of the time, wrong.
There is not enough praise for Mr Zapravdin's constant undertakings – be it here, Luxembourg and anywhere else – which not only reunite lots of talent simultaneously on stage but are also a celebration of an Art form that is sometimes misunderstood. Very misunderstood.
Unfortunately, even the Lady (whose name escapes me completely) responsible for the moderation before the show, called it (in German) „Leistungssport", which means nothing less than competitive Sports. I personally abhor this kind of comparison. There is lots of physical work involved in it but in another completely different level of intelligence and sensibility. Not to forget that the ones on Stage are artistes. Not athletes. And as to „competitive" - well, that is really another cup of tea, not true?
And that brings us to the point: the dangers of a Ballet Gala. Yes, I use the word „danger" on purpose. A great part of a Gala audience comes to see „Bravura" on stage – and that could be the point in which a relation to „competitive Sports" becomes quite palpable. But Dancing is not just pirouettes, Jumps, (over) extensions, lifts, strength... I tend to think more of sensibility. Artistry itself. And we had the pleasure of witnessing many moments that were abundantly filled with it.
Rainer Krenstetter (Miami City Ballet) and the inquisitive piece from Miguel G. Font „To whom it may concern" (a good choice) perhaps did not meet completely with the audiences approval (and/or understanding, to be quite frank) as Gala audiences tend to expect more „Bravura", more „Circus", more „frisson" and cannot quite follow the language of a Choreographer whose work concentrates more in contemporary compositions for dance performances. The piece was created for the Miami City Ballet in 2015 and asks, in its short duration, a universal question to which everyone on this planet can, in some way relate. I like that.
Edward Cooper – a new face in Vienna's Ballet „Milieu", a new member of the Corps de Ballet – making quite a good figure in a by Nureyev conceived Solo for Siegfried that I intensively dislike. Dislike you may ask? Why? Because like in many of Nureyev's solos for the male dancer, he choreographed it egoistically (and very egocentrically) for himself. Having always been a dancer who would struggle for the technique he missed out because of a late start, he had certain „facilities" which are sometimes unusual for other, more sophisticatedly trained dancers and he choreographed on that – this solo (In what I call „Siegfried's Lake" as he liked to take away the focus of the ballets from the Ballerina and give it to the danseur) is a good example of this tendency. Nevertheless, Mr Cooper showed us that he is capable, especially with the future proper training, of that.
Elena Bottaro and Andrés Garcia Torres gave a good interpretation, even if a bit nervous, of the „Giselle Pas de deux. There were many moments that achieved that quality that I like to refer to as the „far away look mood" of Giselle – which is anyway, my all-time favourite ballet.
„Lost" by Florient Cador showed us, very on the contrary of the „Nureyev ways" that a dancer can choreograph something for his partner and himself and set the whole focus on the ballerina who he is constantly lifting, instead of on concentrating in „being beautiful" while partnering (and therefore neglecting his partner). Another side of his vibrant personality was shown in "The dance of the Swords”, a very dynamic choreography by Peter Breuer. But more about Mr Cador later.
The only discordant aspect of the evening was Maria Yakovlevna's failed attempt with „The dying Swan". Nothing new, it has happened before: The Ballet World has been changing quite abruptly during the last 10, 15 years and its increasing lack of knowledge (combined with a certain „dose" of insolence) is sometimes quite alarmingly scary. I have seen many really internationally acclaimed Ballet Stars refusing to do this piece out of either „respect" or fear for it. I have also seen many others failing completely in it. Yesterday's attempt cannot be even criticized. For me particularly it is as if it has not happened at all as there was not a hint, not even a tiny one, of a Swan, its death, its feelings and of what Mólnar once so brilliantly described in his piece, also called „The Swan" as described in this (part of the) dialogue between The prince and Alexandra:
"Think of what it means to be a swan, to glide like a dream on the smooth surface of the lake and never go onshore. On dry land where ordinary people walk, the swan is awkward, even ridiculous. When she waddles up the bank, she painfully resembles a different kind of bird, n'est ce pas?"
"A goose."
"I'm afraid so. So there she must stay, out on the lake, silent, white, majestic. Be a bird, but never fly. Know one song, but never sing it until the moment of her death."
Unfortunately a strong case of audacity mixed with an overestimation of her talents by the one who has advised her to dance this part. It is just “a notch above” her abilities.
„La Cachucha", Fanny Elßler's most popular vehicle and delightful Ketevan Papava... To quote a song from Gershwin: „Who could ask for anything more?". And that is exactly what I have mentioned at the beginning of this article: „Dancing is not just pirouettes, Jumps, (over) extensions, lifts, strength... „. And Miss Papava showed us exactly that, „bringing down" the house with her sensibility, vivacity, magnetic personality, Artistry. With her DANCE! No more words are necessary. That is exactly the stuff of what a Gala should be made of: Electricity on stage – and I am not referring to lights bulbs and lamps!
„Ghost Ball" - perhaps the most awaited piece of the whole evening. It had been a long time for all of us since we had last witnessed the Magic, the Artistry and the Sensibility, the near Vulnerability of Miss Irina Tsymbal on Stage. A dancer at the top of her career. A dancer in that so very special moment which combines youth and therefore technical perfect command of her technique with the maturity „of not being twenty anymore". A perfect, special, precious moment that made us all think and talk (as I have heard after the performance) about the fact that she is not with the Vienna State Ballet anymore. A dancer who is greatly missed.
The combination of Miss Tsymbal, Dmitry Bryantsev's (not easy) choreography with its brilliant musical precision and the partnership with Florient Cador (a dancer with a great future ahead and the precise romantic, dreamful looks and eyes that reveal lots of the insight with which he works) were definitely one of the highlights of the evening.
To nearly close the evening, Maria Eichwald and Dinu Tamazlacaru, once more in the „Fanny Elßler Pas de Deux": Highly enjoyable, very suitable for a Gala in the quality „Divertissement" to finish the show with two beautiful Dancers doing what can do best.
To everybody's delight, Maestro Igor Zapravdin gave us a beautiful recital of a most cleverly conceived Potpourri consisting of music from „Swan Lake", „La Bayadére", „Giselle", „Romeo and Juliet", „Manon", „Paquita", „La Sylphide", „Onegin", „Spartacus", „Don Quixote" and „Études". Just one word: Brilliant!
Resuming: a great celebration of Dance as an Art form, Artistes intelligently and lovingly conceived by Maestro Igor Zapravdin.
A night to remember!
