En pointe, it's a night of ballet in Bangkok

En pointe, it's a night of ballet in Bangkok

The renowned Perm Tchaikovsky company to take centre stage

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
En pointe, it's a night  of ballet in Bangkok
Photo: Anton Zavjyalov

'On with the dance! Let joy be unconfined!"

Who composed that so-familiar quote? Ironically, it was a poet with a bad foot, an Englishman who probably couldn't even do a waltz. But Lord Byron knew of what he spoke, since his life had the excitement of a grand ballet.

And Bangkok music-lovers, who have pleaded with the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra to present an evening of ballet, will have their wishes granted on Aug 26. Not only music from the world's greatest ballets, but a series of dancers from the famed Perm Tchaikovsky Opera and Ballet Theatre, among Russia's finest.

The Perm Theatre may not ring bells (or tap feet) like the name Bolshoi, yet Russians know the theatre as "Tchaikovsky's House", since all the stage works of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, who was born in the region, are presented in its repertoire: 10 operas and three ballets. In fact, the Perm Theatre Festivals of Tchaikovsky's works are notable cultural events of the country.

And ballet-lovers certainly know the name of its most celebrated prodigy -- Nadezhda Pavlova of Moscow's Bolshoi Ballet. Actually, many of Russia's most famous stars were launched in the Perm Theatre, for, during the World War II, the great theatres and schools of St Petersburg (then Leningrad) were moved to the city of Perm, 1,100km east of Moscow. And the Perm Theatre, created in 1870, was their home.

While there, the Kirov staged several ballet premieres at Perm's stately 19th-century theatre, including Khachaturian's ballet Gayaneh. When they returned to Leningrad, their influence was felt in the Perm Ballet company, which has given the group an international reputation, just below those of Marinsky and Bolshoi.

And a quintet of dancers will be in Bangkok performing some of their most famed repertoires. Perhaps most renowned -- certainly in Russia -- are Inna Bilash and Nikita Chetverikov. Last year they made headlines after winning first prize in a televised contest for the ballet counterpart to Dancing With The Stars. In this case, the featured dancers from all of Russia's ballet companies performed, but this duo easily won the most plaudits.

Bangkok will see them for themselves, and one expert described Nikita Chetverikov as "noted for his noble bearing. He is one of the princes of Russian ballet". His partner, Inna Bilash is described as "touching, delicate, lyrical, with long arms and lines".

Ruslan Savdenov and Aleksandra Surodeeva are another famed duo, known throughout the world for their Swan Lake performances.

Their ballet performances here encompass both the French and Russian ballet classics. Tchaikovsky is a natural, with two pas de deux, one of them from the George Balanchine production of Variations On A Rococo Theme. The Russian composer will also be represented by another dance for two, from The Nutcracker. Finally, one of the most difficult ballets in history, Le Corsaire, with music by Adolphe Adam. The pas de deux of Conrad and Medora will be the climax of this evening, for the ballet itself is based on the same Lord Byron who gave the opening quote.

The conductor of the evening, Martin André, recently celebrated 30 years of conducting opera, ballet and concerts internationally. He has the distinction being the only conductor to have performed for all the major British opera companies, including Glyndebourne, Scottish Opera, English National Opera, Opera North and the BBC. He was also music director of the English Touring Opera.

Internationally, he has worked with the major orchestras of Europe, Israel and Australia, as well as Canada and the United States.

Maestro André is celebrated around the world for his concerts of Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Janáček (he gave the North American premiere of a Janáček opera in Vancouver), but his interests are manifold.

Thus, he will be leading the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra on Aug 26 with a series of important operatic and ballet interludes. Included will be a rare performance of Dukas. Not The Sorcerer's Apprentice, but an uncommon work, Fanfare from La Peri. From the operatic world will be overtures to Offenbach's Orpheus, Glinka's Russlan And Ludmilla, Bizet's Carmen, Mozart's Abduction From The Seraglio, and the Intermezzo from Mascagni's L'amico Fritz. From the world of ballet, the BSO will present two pieces from Delibes' Coppelia, including the famed Waltz Of The Hours.

The evening, yes, will be devoted to music from the 19th-century operatic and balletic worlds. Yet with the entrance of the Perm Tchaikovsky, Bangkok will experience an evening led by artists who come from Russia not only with love but with lighter-than-air leaping, sparkle and brilliance.

A Night At The Ballet

Friday, Aug 26, 8pm at Thailand Cultural Centre, Main Hall

Ticket prices: 500 1,000, 1,500, 2,000 and 2,500 are available at ThaiTicketMajor Tel: 02 262 3456 or www.thaiticketmajor.com

BSO Office Tel: 02 255 6617-18 or www.bangkoksymphony.org

20% discount for Bangkok Post readers

50% discount special for students

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