SWAN LAKE at the London Coliseum

★★½

“a lack-lustre production – and it should have been luscious escapism”

This was the State Ballet of Georgia’s UK debut at the London Coliseum, with their production of Swan Lake, the world’s best-loved work in the classical ballet cannon, and with their artistic director, the renowned Nina Ananiashvili at the helm, the excitement of their arrival was palpable.

The story of Swan Lake sees the young Prince Siegfried falling in love with the tragic Queen of the Swans Odette. The evil sorcerer Rothbart has bewitched her and her fellow maidens, who are condemned to take the form of swans forever unless the spell is broken by someone falling in love with Odette and swearing undying love to her and her alone.

Spoiler alert, in this production, the usually tragic tale of true love does have a happy ending – it appears that this is the preferred version in productions in Eastern Europe. So, no death-defying dance of the dying swan or the heart-stopping suicide leap off the cliff of the ill-fated lovers. Here Odette does a quick change amid her fellow swans and appears as a Princess in her nightgown to live happily ever after with her Prince….

The storytelling of Swan Lake is always dependent on very clear and precise mime from the cast – which was lacking from all. From Siegfried’s mother (Ina Azmaiparashvili) insisting he choose a wife, to Rothbart’s (Marcelo Soares) predatory watchful eye over his swans. And Odette telling Siegfried her tortured story of bewitchment through to his promise of undying love for her was lost in translation. I had always understood the wonderful moment when Siegfried points two fingers skywards and then touches them to his heart showing his undying love for Odette (also to Odile) – but tonight that romantic movement was a weak “victory” sign.

The ballet opens with the preparations for Prince Siegfried’s coming-of-age ball, taking place the following night. But there was no joy in the dance and Prince Siegfried, tonight played by Oleg Lihai with nice jetés but with a set grin and completely solid hair sprayed hair, was somewhat upstaged in this Act by his friend Benno (Efe Burak).

Act II is the female corps de ballet’s time to shine as sinewy beauteous swans. Sadly, their tutus let them down, appearing to be hooped rather than layered net, they drooped low on the ballerinas. The tortured Odette (Nino Samdashvili) and Siegfried fall in love, but there was no connection or chemistry between them at all even during their searing pas de deux.

After the interval Act III is the grand ball at the palace celebrating Siegfried’s birthday. Post several character dances with various potential foreign princess brides dancing for Siegfried and his mother, including one standout moment when the Spanish dancer backbends, her head touching the floor, snapping sharply back up with her fan. In the dual role of Odile, Samdashvili arrives as the black swan, sadly lacking the fire, taunting and seducing that is needed to make Siegfried swear his undying love to her. But he does, as he momentarily forgets his true love Odette, and Odile and Rothbart reveal themselves as the evil players they are. The classic 32 fouetté turns by Odile resulted in, I counted just 28, as Samdashvili moved fast downstage, on the steep incline of the Coliseum stage.

Back to the Lake and in Act IV the corps flock of swans is in unison, making the beautiful choreographic shapes and precise lines as they quiver in the dawn light. As Odette and Siegfried’s love conquers evil.

The cast will change from night to night but I have never witnessed a production of Swan Lake with so many holds for applause. I believe this is traditionally Georgian, but the audience at the Coliseum were not quite ready for these continued stops within the flow of the story, and it felt almost circus-like expecting applause after every trick.

The State Ballet of Georgia seemed to find it difficult to gauge the size of the Coliseum’s stage. Possibly smaller than their Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theatre – their feet disappeared into the wings whilst in arabesque and spacing seemed slightly off. At times, the dancing on stage, seemed to drag momentarily behind the English National Opera Orchestra, playing Tchaikovsky’s great score, conducted by Georgia’s Papuna Gvaberidze.

This was a lack-lustre production – and it should have been luscious escapism.

SWAN LAKE

★★½

London Coliseum

SWAN LAKE at the London Coliseum

★★½

“a lack-lustre production – and it should have been luscious escapism”