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Royal Ballet Mixed Bill

“Rushes”, “Serenade”, “Homage to the Queen”
23 April – 14 May 2008
Royal Ballet
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
London, England

by Judith Cruickshank
copyright 2008 by Judith Cruickshank

Nearly 30 years ago when he was director of the Berlin Ballet, Valery Panov created a full evening ballet based on Dostoevsky’s novel “The Idiot”.  Despite strong performers — Panov himself as Rogozin, the Kirov-trained Vladimir Gelvan in the title role and Eva Evdokimova as Nastasya — and some blindingly theatrical moments, the ballet failed to deliver much idea of the richness and complexity of Dostoevsky's plot and writing.

In his first creation for the Royal Ballet, the Danish choreographer Kim Brandstrup also claims “The Idiot” as his inspiration. But rather than the published novel he has turned to Dostoevsky’s early drafts in which the central figure combined the characteristics of both the saintly Prince Myshkin and the worldly anti-hero Rogozin.

Popular Hero

Carlos Acosta with guest artists from the Royal Ballet
Coliseum
London, England
31 March – 3 April, 2008

by Judith Cruickshank
copyright 2008 by Judith Cruickshank

It took Carlos Acosta to fill the London Coliseum. The third presentation in the Spring Dance season, “Carlos Acosta with guest artists from the Royal Ballet” was greeted with hardly an empty seat in sight. And to judge by overheard comments from the people around me, many of the audience were not regular ballet-goers but knew of Acosta through his appearances on television or had heard the radio serialisation of his autobiography.

Mixed Bag

"Electric Counterpoint," "Afternoon of a Faun," "Tzigane," "A Month in the Country"
Royal Ballet
Royal Opera House
London, England
4 -19 March, 2008

by Judith Cruickshank
copyright 2008 by Judith Cruickshank

It's hard to discern the thinking behind the recent mixed bill from the Royal Ballet except perhaps as an illustration of Dickie Buckle's famous description; “something for everyone to dislike”. Certainly this particular offering embraced a wide variety of styles and subjects.