The State Ballet of Georgia is on a return visit to the UK with its new production of Swan Lake. The company last appeared here two years ago, with a version of Tchaikovsky’s classic that left me distinctly unimpressed, so I was looking forward to seeing a revamped staging at the London Coliseum.
Under its artistic director Nina Ananiashvili – a former prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet – the company looks in much better shape and yes, the swans’ dancing in the “white” acts shows a pleasing uniformity of style but there are still some issues with the production.
I know it is now the fashion in many versions to include a Prologue, explaining how Odette is turned into a swan, but it lessens the impact of seeing her for the first time at the start of Act II (here it is the second scene of Act I as there is only one interval). Another dubious choreographic choice is the inclusion of nine swans – three in black tutus – with Rothbart at the very start of the second scene. They detract from Odette’s initial appearance and the celebrated arrival of her large swan retinue, criss-crossing the stage in perfect unison. This version does not include the beautiful mime scene when Odette explains her predicament to Prince Siegfried (“Over there is a lake made of my mother’s tears”), which is a shame but the dancing speaks volumes by itself and the corps de ballet are on top form – an improvement on their last appearance.
At the performance I saw, Mariam Lomjaria was a delicate Odette with impressive extensions and balances. She, like the other dancers, managed to finish their variations precisely, slowing down a fraction of a second before the final bar – perfect control and excellent musical co-ordination with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia under conductor Levan Jagaev.
As Siegfried, Filippo Montanari was a strong partner, but his acting was sadly underpowered, and I didn’t feel there was an all-consuming love between him and Odette. He was more impressive in the Act II ballroom scene when he looked suitably entranced by Odile.
Lomjaria was excellent as ballet’s favourite bad girl – seductive, glamorous and technically secure – and how lovely to see her dance the less frequently performed variation in the pas de deux. It is far more sinister and compelling than the one more often danced by companies in the West. But why, oh why does she stop after the famous 32 fouettés nearing the end of the coda to take a bow? It completely kills the atmosphere and ruins the tension building as the dance reaches its climax. Less stopping to take the applause and carry on dancing, please.
The national dances were performed with spirit, especially the czardas and mazurka, but the Neapolitan dance could have been taken a little faster. The Spanish dancers enter as part of Odile’s entourage and they almost steal the show, with their glorious red outfits and impressive backbends. I always take a moment listening to this music to acknowledge what a genius Tchaikovsky was: his Spanish dance for The Nutcracker was light and frothy, here the melody is still undeniably Spanish, but with a much more menacing air.
We have the usual old-style Soviet bloc happy ending – I far prefer versions where the lovers meet a watery doom – but this production is still well worth seeing.
The State Ballet of Georgia’s Swan Lake
London Coliseum
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