The American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said that: “music is the universal language of humanity,” an expression that this author would dare to extrapolate to the world of dance and especially to that of ballet.
The danza Classical It has the charm of connecting cultures across time and space, causing both performers and spectators to share the same passion for a few moments.
On the night of August 23, the Grand Gala of the Russian Stars of Classical Ballet brought to the Dominican Republic an incomparable performance of magic and art. This event, which was held in the Carlos Piantini room of the Eduardo Brito National Theater, brought together some of the most prominent figures of academic dance.Russian to create an evening that will not be able to leave the minds of Dominicans for many years.
The gala program featured an impressive lineup of 10 international artists from five prestigious companies: the Mariinsky Theatre and the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg; the Bolshoi Theatre and the Stanislavsky Musical Theatre in Moscow; and the Bayerisches Staatsballett in Munich.
The production of this artistic feat was in charge of Starshows by Cesar Suarez Pizano, Ema Suarez and Monica Lagrande, while the artistic direction was in the hands of the outstanding choreographer Mayumi Sakamoto.
The main works presented correspond to successes of the ballet Russian which have become popular and replicated throughout the world.
Part One
At 8:50 at night the notes of the hymn national Dominican set the tone for the start of the show.
When the curtain opens a couple of minutes later, the applause of the enthusiastic spectators mixes with the music of the Norwegian composer Herman Løvenskiold to welcome the greats Anastasia Limenko (prima ballerina of the Stanislavsky Musical Theatre in Moscow) and Evgeny Konovalov (first soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre).
The setting goes back to a 19th century Scottish countryside to present the ethereal pas de deux of the second act of The A sylphwhich tells the story of young James, who on the eve of his wedding, is seduced by one of these ethereal spirits who lures him into the enchanted forest.
Eight minutes later the room is transported to Persia to delight in the interpretation of the famous Ksenia Shevtsova (first ballerina of the Bavarian State Ballet) and Vladimir Shklyarov (principal dancer of the Mariinsky Theatre).
On this occasion, the artists performed the pas de deux of “Zobeida and the Golden Slave” of the ballet Scheherezadeone of the most popular works of Russian origin in the universal classical repertoire. The piece is characterized by its sensuality and drama, in a story that mixes tragedy and the passion of a forbidden love.
From exoticism to tragedy. Around 9:08, perhaps one of the best-known solos of the classical dance, “The Dying Swan” Presented by the first soloist of the Bolshoi Theatre Anna Tikhomirova.
During these fleeting three minutes, the outstanding dancer developed the aforementioned choreography with a skill and beauty that left the entire audience breathless. Shouts and applause filled the room.
As if it were a phoenix, after death came the fire. With energy and strength Anastasia Smirnova (first soloist of the Mikhailovsky Theatre) and Makar Mikhalkin (soloist of the Bolshoi Theatre) take over the stage of Carlos Piantini to develop the pas de deux of the third act of the ballet The flames of Paris.
Originally released on July 7, 1932, this story is inspired by the French Revolution. It tells the story of lovers Jeanne and Philippe, who join forces to fight against tyranny.
It’s 9:19 at night and the master’s melodies Tchaikovsky They take the audience to a fantasy world in medieval times to tell the tragedy of the princesa Odette that after being transformed into swan by an evil sorcerer, she finds her true love, but fails in her quest to regain her life and her new heart.
Performing the white pas de deux from the second act, Vladimir Shklyarov (principal dancer of the Mariinsky Theatre) and Maria Khoreva (first soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre) dominated the stage with a formula full of plasticity, nobility, majesty and romance. It was a captivating performance in the truest sense of the word.
Due to her popularity on social media, the Russian dancer was the sensation of the night. Her fans cheered her from the moment she left the stage.
Between 9:31 and 9:40, Sleeping Beauty of the Forest is presented and offered to the highly worthy dancers of the Bolshoi Theatre Artëm Ovcharenko (main dancer) and Anna Tikhomirova (first soloist). From the beginning, these artists were acclaimed by the public, with their display of elegance and virtuosity. Afterwards, a break of exactly 20 minutes was offered.
Second part
After a short break, the gala resumes around 10:04 with the Grand pas de deux of He PrivateerAnastasia Limenko and Evgeny Konovalov play the roles of Conrad and Medora, who after a daring rescue experience a series of adventures full of romance and betrayal.
Being a function that exhibits the best of the Russian balletthe production brought an interpretation of the Russkayawhich is a work that explores the history and cultural heritage of Russia. Valeria Kuznetsovawho is a soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre, came on stage at 10:16 and performed this traditional dance.
Four minutes later the “No action” by The BayadèreThis proposal had the peculiarity of placing dancers from the Dominican National Ballet and the Dominican Concert Ballet in the roles of the quartet of chorus members.
The national artists were the corps de ballet of the young duo Smirnova – Mikhalkin who took on the roles of Nikiya and Solor in this tale of love and misfortune.
The clock strikes 10:33 at night and after the blackout a balcony lights up, offering the ideal reference for the next piece. Love fills the air and the music of the maestro Sergei Prokofiev dictates the movements of this encounter. This is the most popular pas de deux of Romeo y Julietbrought to the stage by dancers Artëm Ovcharenko and Anna Tikhomirova.
After six minutes another important excerpt from The Bayadère immortalizes the event. After the splendid scene came on stage Khoreva Together with his partner Konovalov, histrionics and skill never left the stage, however, at 10:44 a.m. a technical problem left the performers without music in the middle of the act.
Immediately the audience began to applaud and cheer the dancers who continued to develop the beautiful duet as if Minkus’ notes were captured in their minds. The overflow of talent was such that the audience continued applauding for the two minutes that the mistake persisted.
For the grand finale, the famous pas de deux from the third act of Don QuixoteShevtsova and Shklyarov demonstrated mastery in their performance, both in terms of quality of movement and stagecraft. The pair’s complicity was unique.
At 11:05 the Russians performed a joint coda to say goodbye. However, the audience could not resist the idea of expressing their gratitude with a standing ovation that lasted almost 3 minutes and led to the dancers saying their goodbyes once again to end the show.
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